Current position and employer: Director of a public policy at PACT
Hometown: Paterson, NJ
Current City: Washington, DC
Why did you choose McCourt? McCourt offered a wide array of quantitative, qualitative, and social policy classes that aligned with my policy interests. I knew I could tailor my classes to both broaden my policy expertise but also get a deeper understanding of how my work experience fit into the broader field of policy.
What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? Much of my policy experience and expertise comes from my work as a case manager at Sanctuary for Families’ Anti-Trafficking Initiative in New York City. I worked directly with survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking and assisted them with housing, immigration issues, food insecurity, and social welfare benefits. I then took my on-the-ground experience and used it to inform national-level policies related to human trafficking when I became a Program Officer at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. As Program Officer, I oversaw the administration of a Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Trafficking in Persons grant in 10 states and 3 U.S. Territories.
What was the best part of your experience? I’ve enjoyed building amazing connections and relationships with other McCourt Students and my fellow MPM classmates. Particularly, over the summer, I was a McCourt Leadership Fellow and it was a great experience to learn about leadership and communication skill from faculty and staff. I was then able to take those skills and assist with Foundations for the incoming McCourt Students.
What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? ECPAT-USA, Policy Intern
Student organization involvement while at McCourt: McCourt Student Association (MSA) – MPM New Student Representative; Georgetown Public Policy Review (GPPR) – Senior Editor
Undergraduate University, degree, and major: Boston University, B.A in Biology with a specialization in Neurobiology; BA in Psychology
Hobbies/ Interests: Much of my policy interests lie in the field of gender-based violence (I.E., human trafficking & domestic violence) and its intersection with other issue areas such as immigration, social policy, etc.
Some hobbies include – running, crocheting, biking, kickball, binge-watching Netflix shows, and trying out new restaurants.