In this month’s alumni spotlight Jesse Aman talks about her professors, her role on the Legislative & Political Affairs team at Capalino, and her place on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI) New York City Chapter Board.

What do you feel the Marxe School and its professors have helped you accomplish thus far in your life and career?
I strongly believe that what makes the Marxe School faculty one-of-a-kind is that the majority of them are local New Yorkers, so they unequivocally understand the tools needed to professionally succeed in our city. I had an unconventional undergraduate trajectory and both the staff and faculty supported me throughout every obstacle and accomplishment.

The dream duo of Professor Michael Feller and Valerie Hymas mentored me tirelessly into making decisions that would expose me to professional opportunities beyond NYC, ultimately preparing me for the career I eventually built along the way.

Tell us what it means to you to build pipelines for younger generations of Latinos.
To me this means providing tangible resources and mentorship to Latinos across sectors — and to build community in the process.

What is your role at Capalino and what does it entail?
I’m a Senior Associate on the Legislative & Political Affairs team, which means I have the privilege of working with both nonprofit and private clients ranging from local community-based organizations to Fortune 500 companies. My portfolio consists of helping clients strategize their community and stakeholder engagement approach and helping local NYC organizations secure public funding to serve their local communities. My role requires a lot of face time with elected and government officials and the best part of it for me is to see many of the people I grew up with or went to school with, be the politicians who are changing the legislative landscape of our city for the better.

You’re on the CHCI Alumni Association’s NYC Chapter Board. Can you talk a bit about that?
I learned about the paid internship program on Capitol Hill offered by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) thanks to Professor Feller and my mentor at the Harlem Children’s Zone, Kimi Kang. Marxe Professor Judith Kafka and my boss while I was interning at the Mayor’s Executive Office, Monica Hanley, supported me throughout the application process and I eventually became a participant in the Fall of 2015.

I have been an active participant of the NYC chapter Alumni Association chapter since December 2015. I was elected to serve as the Board President in December 2022 and quickly assembled some of the brightest alumni I know, many of whom I’m lucky enough to call my chosen family (including Marxe alumna, Anabel Perez). We just had our relaunch event just last week where we had alumni from NYC, NJ and even Washington D.C. join us.

We want to support our tri-state alumni where they’re at in their professional lives and so we’re in the process of reengaging folks and are very excited to bring our chapter across the city and over the Hudson to New Jersey. Follow our journey on Instagram @chcialumninyc