Join us in Celebrating the Class of 2020!

Congratulations to all our graduates! Over the past few years, you have put in valiant efforts in your courses, made new connections, and gained invaluable experiences in the public and nonprofit fields. We are sad not to be celebrating in-person, but wish our graduates well in their bright futures.

Our virtual celebration will be held on May 22, 2020, from 4:30 – 5:30pm. To RSVP for our virtual event, please complete the Virtual Celebration RSVP form.

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Congratulations to the Class of 2020 Graduates!

Master of Arts in Survey Research:
Kelly Bell • Zachary Bikus • Caitlin Divver • Jacquelyn LaCoste • Shauna Robinson

 

MPA Fellows:
Andrea Alexander • Padraig Barry • Dana Begin • Michael Bzdyra • Boyd Canfield Jr. • Maria Cappuccitti • Tara Downes • Carease Gadson • Melanie Goodin • Maureen Goulet • Michelle Huggins • Jessica Muirhead • Charlotte Nelson • Olivia Otto • Kara Sene • Theodore Shafer • Kendra Shakir • Judy-Ann Staple-Stewart • Dyshawn Thames

 

Master of Public Administration:
Kyle Abercrombie • Valeria Alfano • Adriano Cirioli III • Michael Cocchiola III • Sarah Croucher • Jillian Cundari • Rachel Dzialo • Kelly Flannery • Alexandra Garcia • Lauren Gauthier • Benjamin Hensley • Grant Hobbs • Autumn Ives • Keron Johnson • Najoua Khadrany • Rosa Kleopoulos • Katharine Lange • Megan Leavenworth • Karla Little • Rachel Mascitelli • Conor Merchant • Brendan Mitchell • Claire Morris • Hannah Nguyen • Nicholas Pigeon • Shirley Pilkey • Michael Powell • Michael Proscino • Thomas Scheinblum • Amanda Sierpinski • Samantha Staffin • Samuel Sweikert • Tiffany Tran

 

Master of Public Policy:
Frederick V. Augur • Steven Della-Giustina • Haley Gillman • Lauren Goulet • Peter Hopko • Catherine Lindsay • Carol Miranda • Noah O’Connor • Andrew Oravecz • Alison Riith • Nicole Simonsen • Jessica Weaver

 

Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Public Management:
Benjamin Christensen • Michael Mallery Jr. • Amanda Sierpinski • Jessica Weaver

 

Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management:
Bryan Bierman •  Todd Crevier • Lauren Gauthier • Keron Johnson • Lian Kish • Rachel Mascitelli • Somaya Mcdermott • Shi Pu • Robin Rodrigue • Dennis Rinaldi

 

Graduate Certificate in Public Financial Management:
Adriano Cirioli • Benjamin Hensley • Rosa Kleopoulos • Noah O’Connor

 

Graduate Certificate in Survey Research:
Frederick V. Augur • Tara Downes • Lauren Goulet • Catherine Lindsay

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Current 2020 Job Placements & Promotions
(continually updated)

• Fredrick V. Augur, MPP – Stanford University Law School, Candidate ‘23
• Steven Della-Giustina – UConn Law, Candidate ’23
• Tara Downes, MPA Fellow – Assistant State Comptroller, State Of Connecticut Office of the State Comptroller Kevin Lembo
• Kelly Flannery, MPA – VAWPP Special Assistant, University of Connecticut
• Benjamin Hensley, MPA – Strategic Development and Initiative Specialist, Capital Workforce Partners
• Peter Hopko, MPP – Leadership Associate, State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management
• Carol Miranda, MPP – Data Analyst II, Beacon Health Solutions
• Andrew Oravecz, MPP – Coordinator for Youth Development, Education, and Literacy, University of Connecticut
• Shauna Robinson, MASR – Health Associate, Mathematica

Have news to share? Let us know at dpp@uconn.edu!

A Message from the Department Head

Dear Students, Alumni, and Friends,

Much has happened in our world since our January newsletter. Our economy is struggling and the organizations that typically employ our students and interns are witnessing unprecedented fiscal and/or service demand challenges. Our students are learning online for the rest of the Spring semester as well as all Summer Session courses. Our community was not able to celebrate our alumni, students, staff and faculty at the DPP Annual Alumni Awards and PPA Induction Ceremony. And, we were not able to hold our ceremony to honor our graduating students. However, there is much to celebrate even during these times.

We are living through a pandemic lock-down that tests the core of public service and articulates like no other time the relevance of the public sector in responding to crises like this one. Ironically, proponents of a smaller public sector suddenly see the relevance of government in aiding the economy and society out of a messy crisis. DPP alumni are at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 crisis in Connecticut. They are working hard to ensure that public services are not disrupted because of a drastic drop in state and local government revenues. They are working hard to ensure that food banks’ stock and distribution networks are able to meet the drastic increase in demand for services. They are working on procuring masks and ventilators that will save lives. They are leading mental health service organizations that are providing even more services in a challenging social distancing environment.

We have always been proud of the contributions of our alumni to the welfare of people, but we have never been prouder than today. On behalf of our faculty and staff, I want to express our gratitude to our alumni who are at the forefront of the public and nonprofit sectors’ response to this crisis.

Congratulations to our MPA, MPP and MASR Class of ’20. Congratulations to the alumni, students, staff and faculty recipients of awards. Congratulations to the students who were inducted in our honor society. Many thanks to students, staff, faculty and alumni for all they have done to survive and to help others during this crisis.

Sincerely yours,

Mohamad G. Alkadry, Ph.D.
Professor & Head

Spring 2020 Alumni Job Updates

We take great pride in our Alumni and their accomplishments. This spring, we have some exciting news about several of our alumni:

Lara Beecher accepted a International Trade Analyst position with a federal contractor at the Department of Commerce, ITA. Lara graduated with her MPA in 2016 with a certificate in Leadership and Public Management.

Liana Cunningham accepted a Senior Director of Education & Training position at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. Liana received her MPA from in 2015.

Kyle Livernoche was named the Acting Assistant Chief of Planning at Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Kyle graduated with an MPA in 2018.

Doug Shipman accepted a new position as the Executive Director of the Windsor Historical Society. Doug was previously the Senior Nonprofit Support Program Officer for The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Doug received his MPA in 2016.

Tyler Terbrusch was named a Senior Analyst at McLagan. Tyler completed his MPP in 2019 along with a Master of Science in Quantitative Economics.

Diane Valesky Diaz is the new Vice President of Municipal Credit Research position with DWS Group. Diane graduated with her MPA in 2014.

Have an alumni update to share? Email the dpp@uconn.edu to be featured on our social media and in our next newsletter!

 

A One Credit COVID Course and Public Policy

Specializing in Disaster Response, there is arguably no better person to have helping COVID-19 response than our own Professor Amy K. Donahue. Last month Professor Donahue assisted in the development and distribution of the University’s one-credit COVID-19 course.

“The COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Health, Business and Society” finished May 1st and drew upon faculty from Allied Health, Public Health, UConn Health, Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, Nursing, Psychology, Management, Finance and Public Policy. 

The course provided a multi-disciplinary guided approach through the science of the virus, the social impacts, and business, financial and legal implications.

Over 5,000 students attended the course making it the most popular in University history. The course was highlighted by the Hartford Business Journal (HBJ) and UConn Today.

This fall the course may expand to a 3-credit opportunity as information continues to evolve and update.

Addressing Child Neglect and Policy-making with UConn DPP and SSW

April was Child Abuse Awareness month, and Department of Public Policy (DPP) Associate Professor Kerri Raissian and School of Social Work (SSW) Assistant Professor Megan Feely with their collaborators published both a brief and alert with UConn’s Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) on preventing child neglect.

Their briefing argued that researchers and policymakers should address “Preventing Child Neglect” by “looking at the problem through a macro lens”. This brief was also co-authored by Research Specialist Helene M. Marcy of Educational Psychology and InCHIP (Affiliate) and undergraduate researcher Daniel Schwartzman. 

In order to conduct macro-level research the brief recommends:

• A standard definition of child abuse and neglect.
• To clearly delineate the causes of neglect.
• Access to data on neglect and economic factors.
• To collaborate across disciplines.

Later in the month Dr. Raissian and Dr. Feely published an alert with Assistant Professor Lindsey Bullinger from Georgia Tech and Assistant Professor Will Schneider from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Their alert was issued by The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and addressed “Practical Steps to Prevent Child Neglect in the COVID-19 Pandemic“.

The alert addresses the risk posed by “…drastic changes to families’ financial well-being, community resources, and overall concern for society..” in regards to child well-being. The impact of child-serving agencies and their decision makers were noted for being able to “…help reduce the risk of child neglect.”

UConn Today featured the alert through an article entitled “As Families Struggle During Pandemic, Children At High Risk for Neglect”.

 

Feeding Connecticut with Jason Jakubowski

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought intense hardships for many families around the country. In Hartford and Tolland counties, Foodshare works to provide millions of meals each year. A member of Feeding America, Foodshare has worked to provide up to date information regarding access to food assistance in the area.

Jason Jakubowski is the President and CEO, and we are proud to say a 2001 MPA alum! Jakubowski and the Foodshare team consist of staff and volunteers who have been working to distribute food and protective equipment to families across Connecticut.

Foodshare’s Partner Programs Coordinator Yahaira Escribano, is also MPA alum. Escribano has been working to ensure that all programs meet food safety standards while building and strengthening relationships. 

With a large portion of their volunteer force in the at-risk population, they have had to rely on the generosity of the community to fund overtime for staff and purchase additional food packages for the community. Foodshare has most recently opened up a new donation center at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

To Jason, Yahaira and all the staff and volunteers at Foodshare, thank you for all of the work you have been doing to provide food assistance to residents in the Greater Hartford area!

For more information about Foodshare and Feeding America programs in your local area please visit Feeding America’s  Find Your Local Food Bank page to see ways to volunteer or find food.

Melissa McCaw Named to Hartford’s 2020 Power 50

Last week, UConn DPP Alumna Melissa McCaw was named one of Hartford Business Journal’s 2020 Power 50. Coming in at #24, McCaw is noted for her major role regarding policy and fiscal decisions that impact communities across the State. 

Currently, McCaw serves as the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management for Connecticut. She brings 18 years of finance and operations experience in government and education to OPM, graduating with her Masters of Public Administration in 2014. 

Lately, the Office of Policy and Management has been integral in Connecticut’s COVID-19 response – working around the clock to develop economic projections and deliver needed aid to communities around Connecticut.

Congratulations Melissa!

 

DPP 2020 Teaching Recognition Awards

Faculty Teaching Recognition Award: The first Distinguished Faculty Award, voted on by students, goes to a core faculty member who:  “has intriguing research, accessibility to students, and engaging teaching style.”  This year’s award goes to Bill Simonsen. Bill’s research focuses on public finance, financial management, capital finance, citizen participation techniques, and public policy. He teaches “PP 5340: Introduction to Public Policy and Management”, “PP 5370: Applied Research Design”, “PP 5373: Budgeting in Public Service Organizations”, and “PP 5376: Applied Quantitative Methods”. 

Adjunct Faculty Teaching Recognition Award: The second Distinguished Faculty Award, also voted on by students, goes to an adjunct faculty member who:  “has accessibility to students and engaging teaching style.”  We have two winners this year!

Penny Davis

Penny teaches “PP 5365: Human Resource Management”, and comes to the DPP with 2o years of public sector experience across all dimensions of Human Resources. She has a track record of partnering with business leaders to develop solutions from design to implementation, and has practiced working within highly unionized environments. Currently, Penny is the Chief Human Resources Officer for the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS).

George O’Brien

George teaches “PP 5325: Labor-Management Relations, Negotiations, and Contract Management”, and has practiced labor and employment law for more than forty years. Currently George works at Littler Mendelson, and is a longtime member of the New Haven Inn of Court and the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He has also served on the boards of Connecticut nonprofit organizations involved with the arts, education, legal services and charitable activities. Fun fact about George, he met his wife in the Hartford Times Building where he now teaches!

Special Edition Newsletter:

2020 DPP Annual Awards & Pi Pi Alpha Induction

Greetings from the DPP and welcome to a Special Edition Newsletter! Due to COVID-19, we are taking our Annual Awards and Pi Pi Alpha Induction online.

Each year, the DPP network comes together with our students and their families to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our students, alumni, and faculty.

We are delighted to introduce you to this year’s award winners and Pi Pi Alpha Honors Society inductees.

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MPA Academic Excellence

Awarded to the students earning the highest cumulative GPA in the MPA program.

Jillian Cundari, MPA 2020

Jill is graduating with her MPA and MSW this Spring. Currently, she is interning at the Roots Center for Advanced Recovery in Manchester, CT. Jill also works as an Outreach Assistant with the DPP. She completed her Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) last year with Ädelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services in Cromwell. 

 

Benjamin Hensley, MPA 2020

Ben is completing his IPP at Capital Workforce Partners as a workforce development intern. He works specifically on strategic development and as a data specialist. Currently, Ben is also a Graduate Assistant with UConn’s Sustainable Global Cities Initiative (SGCI).

 

 

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MPA Fellows Academic Excellence

Awarded to the students earning the highest cumulative GPA in the MPA Fellows program. This year we have three recipients!

Andrea Alexander, MPA 2020

Andrea started her professional career at Yale University. For the past 19 years, Andrea has worked in human services contracting for the State of Connecticut. Andrea currently serves in a centralized contracting unit housed at the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.  After completing the UConn Leadership and Public Management certificate program in 2017, she decided to move fully into policy and management. She admires the flexibility of the MPA Fellows Program, which allows her to take classes at a pace that integrates what she is learning into her career.

 

Maria Cappuccitti, MPA 2020

Maria previously served with the Department of Social Services’ Programmatic Division.  She currently serves at the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Central Contracts Unit. Maria credits her opportunities within the State of Connecticut to the Finance undergraduate degree she earned from UConn. She sees the MPA Fellows Program as helping her become a well-rounded effective leader.

 

 

Jessica Muirhead, MPA 2020

Jessica is currently the Senior Program Manager at the Capitol Region Council of Governments. For ten years she worked in higher education, most recently in UConn’s History Department, and previously in Brown University’s Department of Geological Sciences. In 2015, she was awarded the inaugural UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Staff Excellence Award. Prior to the MPA program, Jessica obtained her B.A. in Psychology from UConn.

 

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MPP Academic Excellence

Awarded to the student earning the highest cumulative GPA in the MPP program.

Frederick V. Augur, MPP 2020

Fredrick is completing his IPP internship at the CT Sentencing Commission as a Policy & Research Intern. Van conducts policy research where he drafts reforms on mental healthcare in prisons, the sex offender registry, and racial and socioeconomic disparities. He recently decided to pursue further education at Harvard Law School.

 

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MASR Academic Excellence

Awarded to the student earning the highest cumulative GPA in the MASR program.

Shauna Robinson, MASR 2020

Shauna graduates with her Master of Arts in Survey Research this spring. She recently accepted a new position as a Health Associate for Mathematica. Previously Shauna worked as a research analyst for the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

 

 

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David B. Walker Award

This endowment honors David B. Walker, former director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and Director of UConn’s MPA program, who passed away in 2013. Dave dedicated his career to mentoring and supporting future leaders to influence government and politics to improve our country. This award is given annually to recognize a student in the program who exemplifies tireless dedication to public service.

Esam Boraey, MPP 2021

Esam came to Connecticut after an extensive career in the nonprofit sector. He previously worked across the Middle East, Egypt, and the USA to build democracy and empower youth through grassroots organizing techniques. Currently he serves on the board of several local nonprofits. He was honored for his defense of human rights with several awards including Personality of the Year for fighting for human rights in the Middle East by the National Center for Human Rights. Esam is committed to serving the public in a volunteer capacity.

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Albert G. Ilg Fellowship in Local Government

Albert G. Ilg Fellowship in Local Government was established in 1998 in honor of Al’s 32 years of distinguished service as Town Manager of Windsor, CT.  Al’s continued student mentoring and gifts to this endowment are greatly appreciated! This award is given to students who demonstrate local government and public sector interest and this year there are two recipients!

Claire Morris, MPA 2020

Claire graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in Communication from UConn in 2014. Previously Clair worked in accounting at a mechanical services company in Vernon. She is currently interning with the Town of Southbury in the Fiscal Office.  She hopes to continue her career in local government after graduation.

 

Kevin Fitzgerald, MPA 2021

Kevin’s research and public service focuses on urban planning, economic development, and public finance. He currently organizes business development and creative place making initiatives in the Town of Berlin. Kevin is also assisting with the creation of the City of Hartford’s 2035 Plan of Conservation & Development. A life-long Connecticut resident, Kevin graduated with his B.A. in Political Science and Urban & Community Studies in 2018. He plans to further study and contribute to equitable economic development and sustainable transportation initiatives in the hopes of improving the quality of life in Connecticut

 

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The Morton J. Tenzer Fellowship Fund

The Morton J. Tenzer Fellowship Fund Award was established in 1993 upon Mort’s retirement from UConn.  Mort’s relentless advocacy for public administration education is one of the reasons our department exists! This fellowship is given to incoming MPA students who have demonstrated the highest levels of undergraduate academic achievement. 

Christopher Lamperelli

Chris is honored to be a recipient of the Morton J. Tenzer Fellowship Fund Award. After graduating from Quinnipiac University in 2017, Chris began work at Truth in Advertising, a consumer education nonprofit located in Madison, CT. While working as a project manager, Chris learned the just how much nonprofit organizations can make a difference. After two and a half years he decided to go back to school to receive his MPA from UConn. He would like to thank Morton Tenzer and the faculty and staff of the Department of Public Policy for this award.

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DPP Distinguished Alumni Award

This award is given to an alumnus who exhibits strong leadership and exceptional communication skills while maintaining a high ethical standard.

Damara Cockfield, MPA 2005

While pursuing her MPA, Damara created her own focus area in preventative and public health. She also won best Capstone project in her graduating year. After graduation, she started her career conducting clinical research trials (PTSD + TBI) at military treatment facilities and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers nationwide. For the last 11+ years, Damara has worked at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. as a military health subject matter expert, focusing on performance/process improvement and wounded, ill and/or injured Service member care. Currently, she is the Chief of Clinical Quality Improvement at the National Capital Region Market (Defense Health Agency).

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DPP Outstanding Service Award

This award is given to a member of the DPP community for their service to the department.

David Garvey

For over twenty years, Dave been a practitioner, editor, research, teacher, and education designer in the nonprofit field. Dave directs the Nonprofit Leadership Program, Encore!Connecticut, and the DPP’s Internship programs. The Nonprofit Certificate has helped to strengthen the education, communication, and research infrastructure of the Connecticut and American nonprofit sector. Encore!Connecticut, is an award-winning experience and skills transition program for individuals transitioning from the private to nonprofit sector. This year the IPP program provided 36,000 ours of internship work for public and nonprofit organizations across Connecticut. 

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Pi Pi Alpha Honors Society

Pi Pi Alpha is the Honors Society for graduate professional students in public administration and public policy. It is open to all students who maintain a 3.70 GPA or higher after completing at least half of their coursework. Below are this year’s inductees.

Adriano Cirioli • Alexandra Garcia • Andrew Oravecz • Autumn Ives • Ben Hensley

Boyd Canfield • Bridget Inzirillo • Carol Miranda • Charlotte Nelson • Claire Morris

Dana Begin • Dyshawn Thames • Fredrick V. Augur • Haley Gillman • Hannah Nguyen

Jessica D. Weaver • Jessica Muirhead • Jillian Cundari • Judy-Ann Staple-Stewart

Kara Sene • Katherine Lange • Kelly Flannery • Kendra Shakir • Kyle Abercrombie

Kyle Cipriano • Lauren Goulet • Maureen Goulet • Megan Levenworth • Melanie Goodin

Michael Bzdyra • Michael Cocchiola • Michelle Huggins • Nicholas E. Pigeon

Nicole Simonsen • Noah O’Connor • Olivia Otto • Padraig Barry • Peter Hopko

Samantha Staffin • Sarah Croucher • Shirley Pilkey • Steven Della-Giustina

Tara Downes • Tiffany Tran • Timothy Bergin

DPP Ranked 9^th in Public Finance & Budgeting and 38^th in Public Affairs

UConn’s Department of Public Policy (DPP) is proud to announce that the U.S. News & World Report continued to rank the Department’s public finance and budgeting offerings 9^th in the nation. The DPP’s public affairs program was also ranked 38^th. This public affairs ranking represents a jump of nine spots up from last year. A total of 284 public affairs programs made the 2021 rankings.

Department Head and Professor Mohamad Alkadry announced this achievement to the DPP faculty, students, staff and alumni:

Congratulations to all of us. This achievement is a testament to the scholarly work of my colleagues and the leadership and management of our public affairs programs in the Department of Public Policy.

Hartford Has It, and DPP’s downtown Hartford home have allowed DPP to enhance its initiatives and partnerships throughout Connecticut. This year our MPA and MPP students will complete 36,000 hours of  internship work for public and nonprofit organizations in CT. In 2020-21, it is estimated that DPP students will complete 41,100 hours of internship service. The DPP plans to place over 75 students in paid internships across Connecticut during this upcoming academic year.

Last year, DPP also delivered a total of 1,200 hours of continuing education hours for public and nonprofit officials through the Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative (PSELC). The Collaborative will be entering its third year this fall.

Earlier this month the DPP relaunched Encore!Connecticut, a retraining program designed to help corporate professionals transition to managerial careers in Connecticut’s nonprofit sector. The DPP delivers nearly 1,600 hours of retraining as part of this program.

Interested in joining the DPP this fall? Admissions for the 2020-2021 academic year are still in progress. Our preferred deadline for fall 2020 is May 15th. For more information please see our online inquiry form. The DPP admissions staff would be happy to assist you.

None of these initiatives would be possible without our network. MPA & MPP Program Director and Professor Eric Brunner noted, Our recent rankings are a testament of hard work and quality of our faculty, staff, alumni, and students. We look forward to our next year ahead and wish everyone health and happiness!

To keep up to date with our department please visit us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Have news, a job posting, or an event to share? Email us at dpp@uconn.edu! We are always happy to support and spread the positivity of our network!

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The University of Connecticut’s Department of Public Policy (DPP) is committed to high quality research, teaching and service in the areas of policy analysis, public management, public financial management, nonprofit management and survey research.

The DPP offers top-ranked and nationally recognized masters degrees in:

• Public Administration (MPA): focusing on management and leadership with opportunities to pursue an executive track
• Public Policy (MPP): focusing on policy analysis and program evaluation
• Survey Research (MASR): focusing on qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis

Students are also able to tailor their degree through focus areas and graduate certificates in:

• Nonprofit Management (NPM)
• Leadership and Public Management (LPM)
• Public Financial Management (PFM)
• Survey Research (SRC)

The DPP network of faculty, staff, students, community partners and over 1,200 alumni continue to serve their communities as leaders in the State of Connecticut and across the globe.