CPPA attracts high-caliber students from across the US and around the world.   UMass Amherst MPPA students have taken part in conferences and have been recipients of many awards.

Some recent MPPA student accomplishments include:

• Anna Tomaskovic-Devey, Patricia Tillman, and graduate students in other departments studied literature on global agenda setting in Prof. Charli Carpenter’s “Global Agenda Setting” course in Fall 2008.  They wrote a strategy paper for the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict about how to market their issue globally. They submitted this paper to CIVIC and presented a briefing of their argument to CIVIC staff in Washington, D.C.
• In 2008 Laura Pillsbury and Catherine Sands were recipients of the University of Massachusetts Co-
  Curricular Service Learning Award for their work with the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council.
• In 2008, Michele DesAutels, a MPPA/MBA dual degree student, organized a conference entitled "
  Mind the Gap: Summit for Women and Technology" held at UMass Amherst. The summit sought to
  encourage women students to pursue careers in technology by showcasing women in various
  companies and careers related to technology or that require technology skills.
• In September of 2007, second year students Mary Terry, Natia Verulashvili, Nadima Sahar, and
  Arezo Kohistani presented at the Western Massachusetts Women’s Fund Conference. The group’s presentation was entitled, “Trends in Women ’s Education Needs: Findings from the Women’s Fund Community Research”.
• Phoebe Walker won the Gerry Whitlock award from the Massachusetts Municipal Management
  Association.

Josh Geyer: "I grew up in southern New Hampshire and went to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, where I earned a BA in Psychology in 2005. After finishing college and realizing that there was no connection between what I had studied and what I was actually interested in doing, I went to work at Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, a regional non-profit housing authority in Boston. Working in social services with a diverse, often-economically disadvantaged clientele brought into focus a longtime, avid interest in government policies and how they affect average citizens, and sowed the seeds for my application to the CPPA. I am not committed to any particular concentration, but a focus on social policy seems like a natural fit. For the past year, I have been living in Northampton and working at Smith College, having moved here with my wife, who just completed her first year in UMass' School Psychology PhD program. I enjoy both listening to and making music, playing soccer and snowboarding, keeping up with the progressive blogosphere, and living in the beautiful Pioneer Valley."

Puja Jain: "I completed my BA as well as MA in Economics in India. For the year prior to coming to CPPA, I worked on research projects as Assistant. During my course of education, I have worked extensively as a volunteer and an intern with Interact and other NGOs. I would like to specialize in Education Policy and would like to work with International NGOs in developing/under-developed countries to enhance their education system."


Cheryl Kiras: "I grew up in Rhode Island and earned my undergraduate in social work at RI College in 1999. Since then I have been pursuing a career in Information Technology and have been in the field for about 12 years. As part of my extra curricular activities I continue to be involved in volunteering for social and political organizations. I now live in Florence, MA and have the opportunity to pursue my graduate degree in a field which I continue to be passionate about. My field of study is social policy although I also hope to use my technology experience and skills to become an Information Security Officer and set policy for human & social service organizations. Perhaps I will run for public office some day, which is another dream of mine."


Minako Koike: "I was born in Nagano, Japan, which played host to the 1998 Winter Olympics. I spent my university years in Tokyo and I also lived in London for a while when I attended the English Diploma Program at Regent's College in 2001. After I earned the Master of Laws at Keio University in March 2003, I joined the City of Saku, a small city in eastern part of Japan, as a census registrar. Since 2004 I have been serving for the city as a city council coordinator, and I write drafts of bills and city ordinances and amendments for each session. Ever since I read Osborne and Gaebler's Reinventing Government in the early 1990s, studying public policy in the United States had long been one of my goals in life. My main area of interest is policy analysis, especially the program evaluation conducted by state and local legislatures. I am also interested in government restructuring and policy collaboration of non-profit organizations and state and local governments."


Elena Kvochko: "I graduated from the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow and meanwhile accomplished a studies abroad program in management and economic sciences in Konstanz, Germany. The most comprehensive introduction to US education system has so far been my almost two-year participation in Initiative on Distance Learning of Stanford University. While at the RSUH, I always tried to combine my academic work with practical engagement in social life of my community. After spending several years working together with the Russian government and Delegation of the European Commission to Russia, as well as being involved in various projects and initiatives all across the EU and the CIS, seeing them change and influence people, my colleagues and I decided to found an NGO – the EU-Russia Communication Center aimed to promote and develop scientific and political cooperation between ‘New Europe’ and ‘New Russia’. Several hundred young experts and specialists from EU countries and Russian regions benefited from our programs and events! And, definitely, one of the most rewarding and memorable international experience for me was my internship at the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg in summer 2008."


Lucia Miller: "I graduated from Oberlin College in 1982 with a B.A. in Government, emphasis in Political Theory, and a minor in Environmental Studies. For the past 25 years I have worked in nonprofit administration, primarily arts: 13 years at the Aspen Music Festival and School, summer production work leading into development; a year as Campaign Coordinator for Cooley Dickinson Hospital's 1996 capital campaign; six years as Executive Director of the Northampton Community Music Center; and for the past five years as Director of Development of the UMass Fine Arts Center."


Megan Nagel: "I graduated from Boise State University with a BA in Mass Communications/Journalism in May 2007. While in school, I focused primarily on grassroots organizations and their ability to facilitate policy change through new media. I look forward to the opportunity to work with each one of you in the coming semester. I spent the summer prior to starting the MPPA program working as both bartender and as a campaign planner for a state legislative candidate, and getting ready to attend the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver as an elected At-Large Delegate for Sen. Hillary Clinton. "

Alanna Nelson: "I grew up right here in Amherst and attended UMass Amherst for my undergraduate degree in Political Science. After graduating in May of 07', I moved to California and worked in the Advancement department of Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo. I lived with my family who had moved there the year prior. My family has all stayed, but I made the rather difficult decision to come back to UMass to pursue my Master's as opposed to doing it there. I found myself missing the close proximity of different cities and greater exposure to culture that exist on the East Coast. My interests pertain to policy in education, specifically K-12. I hope to one day make a significant contribution in eradicating the social and economic barriers to education that exist for so many children. I believe equal access to education would ultimately solve a wealth of other social issues. "


C. Maxwell Solie: "I am Massachusetts born and raised, from just north of Boston. I received my Bachelor's degree in History from UMass Amherst in 2006, with a focus in 20th century American foreign policy. I've spent the time between then and now working full-time for UMass Transit Services, the local arm of our fabulous Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, driving buses and whatnot (check it out, free for students!). Starting at CPPA this fall, I hope to focus on healthcare policy, with an eye towards making universal coverage a national reality. My first job was working in a doctor's office on the North Shore. I worked there off and on for over six years, so healthcare is an issue of particular importance to me."

Patricia Tillmann: "I grew up mostly in Washington State, but have also lived in North Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Washington DC, and most recently South America! My undergraduate degree is in chemistry with an environmental focus and I also have a Spanish minor. I was led to the pursuit of a career in environmental and science policy by a combination of factors: the thrill of using discussion to teach and learn in my undergraduate core coursework (versus lecture), the appalling lack of recycling in a major city I had an internship in, a fellowship where I worked in an 8th grade classroom communicating scientific ideas, and a job translating scientific research on dietary supplements into dosage regimes and explanations understandable by non-scientists in the company. The combination of these factors led to my passion for working at the interface between scientists and policymakers, facilitating understanding between the two groups to improve the efficiency and viability of environmental and science policies. My interests include almost all sports, healthy eating and cooking, reading, dancing, being outside, a bar with great acoustic music and good beer, and speaking and learning more Spanish.."

Anna Tomaskovic-Devey: "I grew up in Raleigh, NC and attended UNC Chapel Hill where I double majored in Russian & East European Studies and Political Science. I also studied Spanish and Russian languages and participated in Blank Canvas, a performance dance group. I studies abroad at MGIMO where I took classes in Russian language, Soviet Culture, and Post Soviet Conflict Processes. During college I volunteered as an English as a Second Language Teacher at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. After college I first worked as a Social Research Assistant at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, and later as a English as a Second Language Teacher at Mattamuskeet Elementary School in Hyde County, NC. I have relocated to the Pioneer Valley and I am definitely falling in love with Western Massachusetts. Academically I am most interested in International Policy, Conflict/Peace Processes, International Governance and Democratic Theory."

Phoebe Walker: "I come to the CPPA with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Haverford College and fifteen years public sector work experience in Massachusetts local, regional, and state government. I will be joining the MPPA program part time as I juggle work at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments with school and family life. I also serve as my town's elected Town Moderator."


Jonathon Williams: "I was raised in Colorado but have lived here in Western Massachusetts for 8 years. I received my BA in Natural Resource Management from UMass Amherst this spring of 08. My recent focus was in the policy process of off shore wind power generation in Nantucket Sound. I am excited to begin my studies with all of you in the MPPA program where my particular interests involve environmental, natural resource, and international human rights issues.

Oxana Zabelina: "I was born and raised in Rostov, here I graduate in Economics. I have some work experience in a field of economical and marketing research. And I developed some volunteer projects in a Public Health sphere which is the main part of my interest now. In the future I would like to develop the social lobby in Public Health of Russia. Therefore I need an additional education in Public Policy field. Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship, which I won this year, was helped me so much in this matter of additional education.."