Marxe Community Spotlights 2023
View the full archive of Marxe student, faculty, and alumni spotlights.
December 2023

Lauren Deering
Civic Engagement Coordinator, The New York Public Library
In this spotlight MPA student Lauren Deering tells us about her role in civic engagement at the New York Public Library and their “artivism program, her Marxe MPA experience, her background in nonprofit music education, and more.

Alexis Perrotta
Lecturer
In this legacy spotlight we spoke to Lecturer, Alexis Perrotta (whose research focuses on urban transportation policy, planning, and welfare) about NYC public transportation, her students, and the Marxe School.

Deana K. Yu
Design Lead, NYC Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity
Marxe BSPA alumna Deana K. Yu tells us about bridging her graphic design expertise with a public sector career, her fellowship at the NYC Department of Transportation, her work as Design Lead at the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity, and more.
November 2023

Kimori Du
Intern, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
In this month’s student spotlight, Kimori Du discusses her internship at the NYC Dept of Health, her dream job of hospital administrator, her MPA experience at Marxe, and more.

Sanders Korenman
Interim Associate Dean and Professor
Interim Associate Dean and Professor Sanders Korenman is our faculty spotlight this month. In it he talks about his research on economics, biology, health care, and poverty, and discusses his goals as Interim Associate Dean.

Ana Champeny
Vice President for Research, Citizens Budget Commission
MPA alumna and soon-to-be adjunct Ana Champeny (who will be teaching PAF 9140 Budgeting and Financial Analysis at Marxe in the spring) talks about her upcoming class, her job in governmental fiscal oversight and policy research, and more.
October 2023

Pavel Kutsevol
Policy Officer for Eastern Europe, Human Rights Foundation
Pavel Kutsevol talks about his role as a policy officer for Eastern Europe at the Human Rights Foundation, his interests, and his experience in the Marxe MIA program.

Jason Spicer
Assistant Professor
Jason Spicer talks moving from Toronto to New York, social economy models, “growth” versus “fixed” mindsets, and more.

Deja Stewart
Communications Specialist, NYC Mayor's Public Engagement Unit
Deja Stewart talks about attending Marxe’s first Hooding Ceremony, her MPA experience, her role at the Vera Institute of Justice, and more.
September 2023

Rosemond Yeboah
Youth Speaker, United Nations Environment Program’s Major Group for Children and Youth
Our student spotlight this month features MIA student Rosemond Yeboah who tells us about her interest in international affairs, her role as youth speaker representing the United Nation’s Environment Program’s (UNEP) Major Group for Children and Youth, and more.

Aaron Zack
Substitute Associate Professor
Welcome to new professor Aaron Zack, who discusses his research on terrorism, domestic political violence, and international security, what he’ll be teaching this semester, and more in the academic year’s first Marxe faculty profile.

Sheila McDaniel
Deputy Director, Studio Museum in Harlem; Administrator, National Gallery of Art
In this month’s alumni spotlight, Executive MPA alumna Sheila McDaniel talks about her time at Marxe, her career in arts and culture, and how the two relate.
August 2023

Sofia Trevisani
Political Engagement Intern, The New York Immigration Coalition
In this month’s student spotlight Sofia Trevisani talks about becoming an activist, her interest in immigration as the daughter of Brazilian immigrants, and her experience in the Marxe School’s undergraduate program, the BSPA.

Gange He
Assistant Professor
We welcome Assistant Professor Gang He to the Marxe School and discuss his research, experiences, recent projects, two courses he will be teaching, and more.

Monique Watson
Fellow, Strategy Leadership Program, The College Board
Alumna Monique Watson discusses her first-generation upbringing, her Marxe MPA experience, her involvement in nonprofits and more in this month’s alumni spotlight.
July 2023

Staci Steinfeld
Dean Scholars Peer Mentor, Baruch College; Legislative Aide, New York State Senate
Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA) student, Staci Steinfeld tells us about her internship at the New York State Senate, being a peer mentor in the Baruch Dean’s Scholars honors program, and more.

Felicia Arriaga
Assistant Professor
In our faculty spotlight this month, Assistant Professor Felicia Arriaga discusses social justice, passes along an enlightening graphic on the prison industrial complex, and offers some insight on her new book, Behind Crimmigration: ICE, Law Enforcement, and Resistance in America.

Somia El-Rowmeim
Founder and Executive Director, Women's Empowerment Coalition NYC
In this spotlight, EMPA student Somia El-Rowmeim talks about her role as director at the Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC, her involvement in the Union of Arab Women, and what drives her love of community.
June 2023

Breanna Leung
Trade Specialist Intern, U.S. Commercial Service
Breanna Leung is a student who comes from a fashion background, having majored in international trade and marketing, before coming to Marxe for her Master in International Affairs degree. How do the pieces fit? She talks about that and more, including her public affairs role at NYC Health + Hospitals in Kings County, her internship with the U.S. Trade Administration, and more.

Nicole Gordon
Distinguished Lecturer and Faculty Director of the Executive MPA Program
In this month’s spotlight, we speak to the Distinguished Lecturer and Faculty Director of the Executive MPA (EMPA) program, Nicole Gordon. She talks about the EMPA experience, what makes its students remarkable, her new co-authored book, and more.

Alidia Vane
County Planner, Augusta County in Virginia
In this month’s alumni spotlight, MPA alumna Alidia Vane tells us about her job as Planner for Augusta County in Virginia, her past role at NYC Parks, and how the Marxe School has helped her pursue a career in community engagement.
May 2023

Minji Ham
Marxe Graduate Research Assistant, Baruch College
MPA Candidate and Graduate Research Assistant, Minji Ham discusses her research assistantship, favorite classes, and her role at the U.S. branch of the Governor’s Association of Korea.

Legacy Spotlight
University Professor and Faculty Director of MSEd-HEA Program Scott Evenbeck
In this month’s Legacy Spotlight, we revisit then new Professor Scott Evenbeck, who talks about his teaching and involvement in the Higher Education Administration program, CUNY’s role in the future of New York City, and more.

Donald Duggan
Owner, Duggan Consulting LLC
In this month’s alumni spotlight, Marxe alumnus Donald Duggan talks about his interest in nonprofits and youth welfare, and how the MPA program allowed him to become a better equipped leader in the field of child welfare.
April 2023

Heather Foye
Former Nuclear Policy Intern, Arms Control Association
Master of International Affairs student Heather Foye discusses her experience in the Marxe School’s Washington Semester, including her D.C. internship at the Arms Control Association, her chosen concentration of national security, and more.

Legacy Spotlight
Professor Ryan A. Smith
Diversity is a critical part of SPIA’s identity, more than half of our students and alumni are from traditionally under-represented groups, and many of our professors engage in vital discourse and research projects concerning it. In this month’s Faculty Legacy Spotlight, we revisit Professor Ryan A. Smith who discusses the challenges of workplace diversity, his fascinating research projects (including an ongoing analysis of death row inmates’ last statements), and more.

Jesse Aman
Senior Associate, Capalino
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.
March 2023

Stasik Winderbaum
Congressional Internship, U.S. House of Representative
MPA student Stasik Winderbaum tells us about his Congressional Internship at the U.S. House of Representatives, how his background in the arts is consistent with his work in public affairs, and more.

Legacy Spotlight
Associate Professor Anna D’Souza
In this month’s special Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) focused faculty spotlight, Associate Professor Anna D’Souza tells us about the Marxe School’s DEI Fridays.

Breanna Reynolds
Account Supervisor, BerlinRosen
Master of International Affairs (MIA) alumna Breanna Reynolds talks about solutions to the climate crisis; her role at the communications agency, BerlinRosen; and her Marxe MIA experience in this month’s alumni spotlight.
February 2023

Malik James
Executive Director of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC), New York City Council
We speak to MPA student Malik James about his position with the New York City Council as Executive Director of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC), his hiatus from – and aspirations for – the MPA program, and more in this month’s student spotlight.

Legacy Spotlight
Associate Professor and Director of CNSM George Mitchell
In this special Research Center-focused Legacy Faculty Spotlight from 2021, we talk to Associate Professor and Director of CNSM, George Mitchell, about his then new appointment as director of the Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management (CNSM).

Kim Sillen
Co-Founder, The Largest Generation: A Youth Voter Advocacy Project
This month we talk to MPA alumna Kim Sillen who is an artist and designer as well as Co-Founder of The Largest Generation: A Youth Voter Advocacy Project. She tells us about her artistic approach to government projects, political activism and advocacy, and her Marxe MPA experience.
January 2023

Henry Chen
Safety Manager, MTA Headquarters’ Office of the Chief Safety Officer
In our first student spotlight of 2023, we hear from Henry Chen who tells us about his role as Safety Manager at the MTA Headquarters’ Office of the Chief Safety Officer, his role as team leader for the BSPA program’s consulting project, and more.

Ashley Gaskew
Assistant Professor
We welcome Assistant Professor Ashley Gaskew to the Marxe School and discuss the two courses she is teaching during her first academic year at the School, her higher education-based research, and more.

Anastacia Pal
FEMA Regional Preparedness Liaison, Teracore, Inc.
In January’s alumni spotlight, we connect with Master of International Affairs alumna Anastacia Pal and discuss COVID-related legislation review, liaising with FEMA in her role as Regional Preparedness Liaison at Teracore Inc., and more.