Meet the new Tech & Public Policy scholars shaping tech policy for the public good

The McCourt School of Public Policy’s Tech & Public Policy (TPP) program is pleased to announce Chirag Chinnapa (MIDP’26), Hannah Blair (MPP’27), Joya Wheatfall-Melvin (MS-DSPP’26) and Max Morgan (MPP’27) have been selected as TPP scholars for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years.

The McCourt School’s TPP program scholars will work with McCourt School and Georgetown faculty to advance research in various areas of technology policy, including AI and tech governance. From climate change advocacy to advancing equitable education policy, this year’s scholars bring a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary experience.

Meet the Fall 2025 Tech & Public Policy scholars

Chirag Chinnappa (MIDP’26)

Chirag Chinnappa (MIDP’26) is a second-year master’s in International Development Policy student (MIDP). Before joining the McCourt School, he spent six years building The Bastion, an independent development news platform in India, and launched Pint AI, a real-time social listening tool that mapped misinformation networks and campaigns. His public policy experience ranges from legislative speechwriting for an Indian union minister to validating the measurement of urban poverty in favelas across Brazil. He holds a B.A. in political science and economics from Ashoka University.

Chinnappa’s research as a TPP scholar with Associate Research Professor Renée DiResta will focus on emerging content moderation technologies, middleware and the influence of social media in influencing democratic processes and public opinion. Through the broader TPP network, he also intends to explore how AI governance frameworks can be applied to tech-for-good initiatives, using data and product design to address societal challenges and unlock human potential.

Hannah Blair (MPP’27)

Hannah Blair (MPP’27)  is a policy and communications professional with more than eight years of experience advancing climate and health strategies in over 70 countries. Blair has worked with environmental and energy non-governmental organizations, driving over 50 environmental policies, including air pollution standards in Europe and global mercury phase-out efforts. Most recently, she led communications for a United States Agency for International Development climate adaptation advisory, translating climate data into actionable programming. She holds a B.A. from Middlebury College in global health and international relations and an M.A. in global affairs from Tsinghua University, where she was a Schwarzman Scholar focused on climate and health policy.

Through TPP, Blair is eager to engage with peers, faculty and experts on how to address the unintended consequences of our growing reliance on technology — particularly by exploring ways to integrate circular economy principles into tech policy. As part of her research assistantship, Blair will be working with the Georgetown University Earth Commons Institute, Georgetown University’s Portion Balance Coalition, ReFED and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative on a study that explores innovative approaches using technology to optimize restaurant operations, reduce waste and drive profitability, ultimately leading to more sustainable business models and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Max Morgan (MPP’27)

Originally from Michigan, Max Morgan (MPP’27) spent his career as a software engineer working to make technology serve people’s interests. At Meta Platforms, Morgan supported the company’s efforts to minimize data use and increase transparency. Most recently, he supported digital service delivery across departments in the city of Detroit, Michigan. Maxwell is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.S. in engineering.

As a TPP Scholar, he is interested in exploring consumer safety and competition policies, building on his experience with the European Union Digital Markets Act compliance at Meta. He is particularly interested in examining these areas through the lens of decentralized social media platforms. As a TPP research assistant, Morgan will support Associate Research Professor Renee DiResta’s research on middleware technologies and content moderation.

Joya Wheatfall-Melvin (MS-DSPP’26)

Joya Wheatfall-Melvin (MS-DSPP’26) is passionate about leveraging data to dismantle socioeconomic barriers for Black and Brown communities, with a focus on economic and education policy. She recently worked with Digital Promise, a nonprofit bridging research, practice and technology to advance equitable learning, and with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, researching labor loopholes and their impact on the Black workforce. Her broader research examines the intersection of carceral and educational institutions, with an emphasis on how technology policy can provide access within these systems. Wheatfall-Melvin holds a B.A. in political science from Spelman College.

As a TPP scholar, Wheatfall-Melvin is interested in exploring tools, policies and regulations in education technology and the criminal justice system, with a focus on how these emerging technologies reinforce racial inequities. As a TPP research assistant, Wheatfall-Melvin will support Andrea Headley, associate professor and faculty director of Evidence for Justice Lab on two projects, one of which is the Justice Artificial Intelligence Tracker – a tool that aims to serve as a comprehensive, centralized resource for mapping and analyzing AI-driven tools within the criminal justice system.

Returning Scholars

CJ Larkin (MPP’26)

CJ Larkin (MPP’26) is a second-year TPP scholar. Before starting at the McCourt School, Larkin spent two years as a Govern for America fellow, working on rural broadband deployment and creating a technology ethics curriculum as part of a National Science Foundation grant. Larkin is originally from New Mexico and has a B.A. in sociology and philosophy from Wellesley College.

Last year, Larkin was a Tech Policy Press student fellow and published several articles with the publication. As a TPP research assistant, Larkin works with Associate Research Professor Renée DiResta on research into emerging digital identity systems that can both strengthen trust online and protect individual privacy.

Matt Steinberg (MPP’26)

A second-year TPP scholar, Matt Steinberg (MPP’26), spent eight years working for award-winning screenwriter and playwright Steven Levenson before joining the McCourt School. His experience in the entertainment industry fueled his interest in technology policy.

As part of his TPP research assistantship, Steinberg will work with Leticia Bode, inaugural research director of the Knight Georgetown Institute (KGI), on platform design, governance and transparency initiatives for the Institute, in addition to researching the use of technology in technology litigation. Steinberg is also a policy fellow at the Open Technology Institute and holds a B.A. in economics and philosophy from New York University.