Boards Directory Boards Directory A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S V Y Z Facet Last Name - Board Ethics Health Policy Leadership Facet Area of Focus - Board Facet UVA Partner - Board Facet Batten Department - Board Sarah Alexander Associate at Mindset Sarah Alexander is an Associate at Mindset, a bipartisan advisory and advocacy firm in Washington, DC. Focusing on environment, energy, infrastructure, transportation, trade, agriculture, and defense issues, Sarah produces targeted research and adaptive analysis to distill key federal legislation and regulations into actionable takeaways for corporate clients. She also mentors and trains new analysts, as well as leads Mindset’s internship program. Prior to joining Mindset, Sarah interned for the public policy department of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), as well as for the DC office of Representative Thomas Garrett. Sarah graduated from UVA in 2019 with a BA in Public Policy & Leadership and a minor in French. Read full bio Emily Barksdale Emily Barksdale is a 2021 MPP graduate, justice advocate, and former educator who currently resides in Richmond, Virginia. A native West Virginian, Barksdale spent 7 years teaching middle school in Dallas, TX after graduating with high honors from Furman University in 2012. She began working as a Budget and Policy Analyst for the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget in fall 2021. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, karaoke, and spending time outside. Read full bio Frank Batten Jr. Chairman, Landmark Media Enterprises L.L.C. Frank Batten Jr. is the chairman of Landmark Media Enterprises L.L.C., which is based in Norfolk. Read full bio Mark T. Bowles Chairman of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP Mark T. Bowles joins the Foundation Board as the Board of Visitors representative. Currently a Chairman of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP, Mark was one of the founding senior vice presidents when McGuireWoods Consulting started in 1998. Read full bio Shannon Bryan Head of North America Fuels Marketing for the Retail Business at Shell Shannon Bryan is the head of North America Fuels Marketing for the Retail business at Shell. In this capacity, he leads the team responsible for delivering Shell’s retail branded fuels marketing strategy, product portfolio, category plans, and supporting programs to drive the key customer metrics and achieve volume, share, and margin growth objectives for Shell-branded fuels in the US and Canadian markets. Read full bio Jasmine Burton Vice Chair, Alumni Advisory Board Jasmine Burton is a senior associate in The Raben Group’s Issue Campaigns practice area, where she brings a strong background in education equity, public policy, and the law. Prior to joining Raben, Jasmine worked in the Business Affairs Department of ABC Studios, where she negotiated agreements for above-the-line talent, crafted deal memos, and drafted short form agreements for several of ABC’s shows. She also served as a judicial intern for the Federal District Court in Maryland and for Secretary John King at the U.S. Department of Education. Jasmine holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, as well as a minor in African and African American Studies. While at the University of Virginia, she was captain of the volleyball team where she was honored as the State of Virginia Rookie of the Year and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year, as well as being named to the ACC All-Second Team and as an East-Coast Region All-American. Read full bio Rick Campanelli Lecturer Rick Campanelli is a lecturer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Campanelli has an extensive career in public service and the private sector as well as experience in senior leadership and management. Campanelli has been legal counsel in the areas of healthcare, information privacy and security, and civil and First Amendment rights. He is the Center for Christian Study Director of Graduate Ministries for the Law and Darden Christian Fellowships. Read full bio Carlos Enrique Cavelier President, CEO Alquería Dairy For the last 28 years, Carlos has worked in the private sector as President of Alquería Dairy, leading the company from one factory in Cajicá to seven plants nationally with 4,500 associates. Under Carlos’ leadership, Alquería was the first milk processor in Colombia and became the largest in UHT milk production in the Andean group. Read full bio Tyler Chandler Research Specialist at EdPolicyWorks Tyler Chandler is a Research Specialist at EdPolicyWorks, a joint collaboration between the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He is currently involved in projects related to understanding the impacts teacher working conditions have on student outcomes, the impact of the pandemic on student achievement, and teacher retention trends. Before joining EdPolicyWorks, Tyler spent a year working for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy developing an educational workshop series designed to inform Eastern Shore residents about the impact’s climate change will have on their communities. During his master’s program, Tyler partnered with Richmond Public Schools on an applied policy project to canvas existing low-cost STEM programs and curricula that could be used to transform a city middle school into a STEM academy in an equitable manner. He earned his MPP from the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and his BA in Government from the University of Virginia. Read full bio Theodore L. Chandler Co-founder and Managing Director of NRV Ted Chandler is Co-founder and Managing Director of NRV, a Virginia based venture capital firm that brings counsel, connections and capital to high growth early stage companies. He offers more than 30 years of C-suite experience, strategic leadership and board service. He serves or has served on the boards of directors of a number of NRV portfolio companies: WealthForge (fintech); Territory (health and wellness); ICX Media (digital marketing); Ario (augmented reality); Moonlighting (services marketplace); Red’s (health and wellness) and Health Warrior (health and wellness). Read full bio Aneesh Chopra President of CareJourney Aneesh Chopra the President of CareJourney, an open data service that helps providers, payers and pharma market leaders make smarter decisions in the move to value. He co-founded its parent company, Hunch Analytics, a “hatchery,” incubating ideas that improve the productivity of health and education markets. Read full bio Chloe Cohen Budget Analyst for the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia Chloe Cohen is a Budget Analyst for the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. In this role, she provides budget analysis for D.C.’s economic development agencies and manages relationships between agency staff and D.C.’s budget policymakers. Prior to her role with District government, Chloe was the Project Coordinator for Affordable Housing at the Mortgage Bankers Association, where she oversaw the day-to-day execution of MBA's Affordable Housing Initiatives. Chloe holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Virginia. In her free time, Chloe performs in the D.C. community with the 18th Street Singers. Read full bio Morgan Courtney Director of Customer Success at TaskRabbit Morgan Courtney is currently the Director of Customer Success at TaskRabbit, where she leads her dynamic Tasker Success team to ensure that Taskers are able to achieve their goals on TaskRabbit and have a great experience at every stage of the Tasker lifecycle. She was also the co-lead for TaskRabbit for Good for three years, which was created to make it easier for neighbors to give back locally and make a positive impact in communities around the world. Read full bio Allen C. de Olazarra President of Parkway Property Investments Allen C. de Olazarra is the President of Parkway Property Investments. Prior to joining Parkway, Mr. de Olazarra was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Equitable Real Estate Partners, a fully integrated private real estate investment and operating company active with the acquisition and redevelopment of Class B office buildings, Class B big box industrial and distribution facilities, and the ground up construction of Senior Housing Communities. Read full bio Anna Draganova Senior Manager, Monitor Deloitte Anna Draganova is a Senior Manager with Monitor Deloitte, where she has served federal, commercial, nonprofit, and international clients. She is a leader in Deloitte’s federal health practice, where she helps health sector clients address today’s pressing challenges. Anna is a Double Hoo, having received her MPP from the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy in 2011 and a BA in Economics from UVA. While at Batten, Anna served as school president and has served on either the Advisory Board or Foundation Board ever since. Read full bio Jon A. Dyck President and principal owner of RS Materials Group, LLC and Rock Solid Stone Jon A. Dyck is an entrepreneur and attorney with more than 20 years of legal, management, policy and investing experience Read full bio Bill Evanow Director, Public Sector for Twilio Bill Evanow is a McIntire graduate and passionate alumnus. While at UVA in the early ‘80s he was active on Grounds in the Residence Life Program, University Guide Service and as a fraternity leader with Phi Delta Theta (now Phi Society). He is a seasoned technology executive who returned to Charlottesville from San Francisco in 2014. Bill is currently Director, Public Sector for Twilio, and has responsibility for the Fed and SLED organization. Read full bio Ned Flanagan Program Associate, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Ned Flanagan (BA ‘22) is currently a Program Associate with the Latin America and Caribbean team at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington D.C. Before starting at UVA, Ned spent a semester studying Spanish and traveling in Bolivia and Peru then went on to volunteer at an aid center for deported migrants and asylum seekers along the U.S./Mexico border in Nogales, Mexico. With deep interests and experience in humane migration, citizen security, and sustainable development, Ned has also interned for organizations including the United Nations International Organization for Migration, InterAction, and Results for America. Ned graduated from UVA with highest distinction in 2022 with a B.A. in Leadership & Public Policy and Global Development Studies, along with a minor in Latin American Studies. Read full bio William H. Fralin, Jr. Salem District Member on the Commonwealth Transportation Board William H. Fralin, Jr., was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2004 - 2010. He represented the 17th District of Virginia, which encompasses portions of the Counties of Botetourt and Roanoke as well as a portion of the City of Roanoke. Delegate Fralin served on the Courts of Justice, Transportation, Education (chairing the Students and Daycare Subcommittee), Privileges and Elections Committees (chairing the Campaign Finance Subcommittee), and General Laws Committee. Read full bio Donald Fryar Program Director for MindsMatterDC Donald Fryar was born in San Diego, California and raised in Fredericksburg, VA. He attended the University of Virginia, where he majored in Public Policy and Leadership. While at the University of Virginia, Donald was a part of the Army ROTC program. Upon graduation, Donald commissioned into the Army reserves as a Combat Engineer. Recently, Donald graduated from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. After graduation, Donald plans to move to Charlotte, North Carolina where he will work as a Corporate Attorney. Outside of school, Donald is heavily involved in the Washington, D.C. Community. He serves as a Program Director for MindsMatterDC, a non-profit that is aimed at providing SAT preparatory and mentoring high school students. Read full bio Matt Gillam Teacher, Miner Elementary School Matt Gillam is from Long Island, NY and a 2021 graduate of the BA program. He has since joined Teach For America and is teaching first grade at Miner Elementary School in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. While teaching, he is pursuing a MSEd from Johns Hopkins University. While at UVA, he served as Batten Undergraduate Council President, co-Director of UVA's Camp Kesem chapter and Chair of UVA's Hillel Jewish Leadership Council. Read full bio Langdon Greenhalgh Co-Chair, Batten Advisory Board CEO, Global Emergency Group and President & Founder, Global Emergency Relief Recovery & Reconstruction Langdon Greenhalgh is a professional international emergency response manager who is CEO of Global Emergency Group, a humanitarian consulting firm dedicated to enabling emergency humanitarian aid actors to respond to those most in need more effectively so as to save more lives and reduce suffering. Read full bio Alexander Gregorio Associate, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Alexander Gregorio is a current Associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in the General Practice group looking to serve and advance his client's interests. He formerly was enrolled in the University of Virginia School of Law and the Darden School of Business where he combined thorough legal reasoning with both quantitative and normative analysis to solve problems. Prior to entering law school he worked for the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division where his economic and legal reasoning skills were put to good use on complex and important issues related to antitrust enforcement, intellectual property, and healthcare. He also holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy giving him a solid foundation for analyzing client needs and developing effective solutions from a legal, business, and regulatory viewpoint. Read full bio Victoria D. Harker Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for TEGNA Inc. Victoria D. Harker serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer for TEGNA Inc., formerly Gannett Co., Inc. She was named chief financial officer at Gannett in July of 2012. Victoria is responsible for all of TEGNA’s financial functions and operations. Read full bio Saajid Hasan Desk Officer in the Office of Middle East, U.S Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Saajid Hasan (M.P.P 2020) graduated from Batten’s accelerated program after earning his bachelor’s in government and economics in 2019. Throughout his time at UVa, Saajid also took great interest in studying Arabic language and culture, both in Charlottesville and abroad. He now works at the U.S Department of Commerce International Trade Administration as a Desk Officer in the Office of Middle East. In this position, he helps US companies navigate trade barriers exporting to the Middle East. He is excited to advise and connect with future Batten leaders interested in trade policy, middle east affairs, global development, and diplomacy. Outside of work, he enjoys going to the gym and learning how to make different dishes in the air fryer. Read full bio Heather Higginbottom President, JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter Heather Higginbottom is President of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter, which develops and advances sustainable, evidence-based policy solutions to drive inclusive economic growth in the U.S. and around the world. Read full bio Frederick P. Hitz Adjunct Professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia Frederick P. Hitz is an Adjunct Professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Virginia’s Center for National Security Law and an adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law. Read full bio Russell Horwitz Deputy Chief of Staff at Goldman Sachs Russell Horwitz is the Deputy Chief of Staff at Goldman Sachs. In this role, he works closely with executive leadership to develop and execute key strategic initiatives. He serves as secretary to the Management Committee. Read full bio Rod Hunter Partner, Baker McKenzie Rod Hunter is a partner of Baker McKenzie. Read full bio Nicole Hurd President, Lafayette College Nicole Hurd is the 18th President of Lafayette College. Prior to her current position, she was the founder and CEO of College Advising Corps. A passionate advocate of post-secondary education, she has led College Advising Corps from a pilot project in Virginia to the largest college access program in the country, placing hundreds of advisers in high-need schools from coast-to-coast. Under her leadership, College Advising Corps received a $10 million investment at the White House College Opportunity Summit and the 2012 National Service Impact Award from the Corporation for National and Community Service for the “positive and lasting impact they are making through national service.” Read full bio Julian Jackson Assistant Vice President at Barclays Julian Jackson is the Assistant Vice President at Barclays where he is the HR Operations representative and lead to regional and global project streams such as ADP Ev5 system upgrades, time-keeping systems across HR platforms, and Barclays Global Payroll & Controls Forums. His day-day-day actives include but are not limited to creating and enhancing controls to mitigate risk and ensure data integrity, monitoring transactions to ensure compliance with Regulation W, and preparing various financial and audit reports to multiple functions within the Investment Bank. Read full bio Sarah Jameel Sarah Jameel is a 2016 graduate of the Batten Undergraduate Program with a double major in Middle Eastern Studies. She is currently a student in the JD-MBA program at Northwestern University pursuing a career in sustainable real estate development. Prior to Northwestern, she worked in legal services and intellectual property legal technology for four years. While a student at UVA, Sarah cofounded the Virginia Undergraduate Law Review, was a member of the Jefferson Literary & Debating Society, and was a competitive dance member of UVA Di Shaan. Read full bio Philip Jefferson Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Philip N. Jefferson took office as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on May 23, 2022, to fill an unexpired term ending January 31, 2036. Most recently, Dr. Jefferson was Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty, and the Paul B. Freeland Professor of Economics at Davidson College. Before then, he served as chair of the Department of Economics at Swarthmore College, where he was the Centennial Professor of Economics. Prior to this position, Dr. Jefferson was an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. His other past roles include being President of the National Economic Association. He also served on the Vassar College Board of Trustees and the Board of Advisors of the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Read full bio John Jeffries David and Mary Harrison Distinguished Professor of Law and Counselor to the President at the University of Virginia Jeffries joined the Virginia law faculty two years after earning his law degree in 1973. His primary research and teaching interests are civil rights, federal courts, criminal law and constitutional law. Jeffries has coauthored casebooks in civil rights, federal courts and criminal law and has published a variety of articles in those fields. He also wrote a biography of Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. In 1986, Jeffries was appointed the inaugural Emerson Spies Professor of Law, a position created to honor a long-time teacher and former dean. Jeffries has also held a variety of other academic appointments, including the Arnold H. Leon Professorship. He served as academic associate dean from 1994 to 1999. In the fall semester of 1999, he was acting dean during the sabbatical of Dean Robert Scott. He became dean in the fall of 2001 and served until June 2008. During law school, Jeffries served as editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review. He received the Z Award for the highest academic average and the Woods Prize for the outstanding graduate. Immediately after graduation, he clerked for Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., before serving in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. Read full bio Kendall Johnson Strategy & Consulting Senior Analyst at Accenture Federal Services Kendall Johnson is a Strategy & Consulting Senior Analyst at Accenture Federal Services - where she uses educational disciplines to address mass systemic inequities within our education, political and economic structures. I. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in Government, she enrolled at UVA's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. In May of 2020, she graduated with a Master of Public Policy. Read full bio Dean Karlan Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor of Economics and Finance Co-director, Global Poverty Research Lab at Northwestern University Dean Karlan is the Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor of Economics and Finance and co-director of the Global Poverty Research Lab at Northwestern University. His research focuses on development and behavioral economics, typically using experimental methods to examine questions about poverty and behavioral economics. Read full bio Russell Libby Chairman of the Board, Directors at HF Foods Group Inc. Russell Libby is Chairman of the Board of Directors at HF Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HFFG), a leading food distributor to Asian restaurants across the Southeast, Pacific and Mountain West regions of the United States. Libby has nearly 30 years of comprehensive global experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategy, business development, international business, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. From 2007 to 2019, he held numerous leadership positions at Sysco Corp. and most recently served as the company’s executive vice president and corporate secretary. Read full bio Diane Lim Policy Director, U.S. House Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth Diane Lim is currently the Policy Director for the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth. She is an economist who has spent her 30-plus year career in a variety of prominent roles in the federal government, nonprofit, and academic sectors. She began her post-PhD career as an assistant professor at Penn State University before going to the Congressional Budget Office in the early 1990s, and she has lived and worked in the DC area ever since. Read full bio Clay Lowery Executive Vice President at the Institute of International Finance Clay Lowery is Executive Vice President at the Institute of International Finance (IIF), where he oversees the divisions that focus on sustainable finance, digital finance, financial regulation, sovereign debt analysis, and macroeconomics. Prior to this position, he had been the Managing Director and co-founder of Rock Creek Global Advisors – an international economic consultancy, and served in a Senate-confirmed post as Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Treasury where he headed up the international division. Earlier in his career, he was the Director of International Finance at the National Security Council, and helped establish the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an economic development agency for the U.S. Government, and was a founding Vice President. Read full bio Michael Mallory President, Ron Brown Scholar Fund Executive Director, Ron Brown Scholar Program Michael Mallory is President of the Ron Brown Scholar Fund and Executive Director of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. In these roles, Mallory demonstrates a profound commitment to increasing educational opportunities for young people. Since 1996 he has been instrumental in shaping a distinguished program named in honor of Ron Brown, former Secretary of Commerce. This program not only awards $40,000 college scholarships to academically talented African American students, but also creates a life-long network of outstanding black leaders committed to community and national service. Read full bio Joanna Martin Recruiter, Facebook Joanna Martin is a Recruiter at Facebook in Washington, DC where she oversees the recruitment and selection processes for candidates within Facebook’s Legal, Public Policy, and Communications division. Read full bio Jahvonta Mason Law Clerk, United States District Court for the District of Columbia Jahvonta Mason (BA ‘17) is currently a Law Clerk for a Judge who sits on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Prior to clerking, Jahvonta served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Jahvonta received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2021 where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Moot Court Board. Before law school, Jahvonta taught 9th grade English at the Casablanca American School in Casablanca, Morocco. Jahvonta graduated from UVA in 2017 with a B.A. in Leadership & Public Policy and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Read full bio Juliana McCormick Recruitment Manager, Teach For America National Team Juliana McCormick (BA ‘18) currently serves on the Teach For America National Team, where she works to mitigate the national teacher shortage as a Recruitment Manager. Her interest in education crystallized while in Batten, leading her to join the Teach For America Corps upon graduating. There, she taught 300+ DC middle schoolers English while earning her Master of Science in Education at Johns Hopkins. Following her tenure in U.S. classrooms, she had the privilege of teaching in Spain through the Fulbright Program. Read full bio Michael McKenzie Partner & Managing Director at Grain Management, LLC Michael McKenzie is a Partner & Managing Director at Grain Management, LLC, a leading private equity firm focused on investments in the global communications sector. At Grain, Michael focuses on investments in communications infrastructure and technology, including fiber optic networks, spectrum, wireless towers, data centers and related technologies. Read full bio Erin Melly Economist, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. Erin Melly (MPP ‘22) is an Economist at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. In this role, she utilizes data to identify potential manipulation, anti-competitive behavior, and other anomalous activities in electricity markets. Erin earned a Master of Public Policy from Batten. During her time at Batten, Erin was a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and Federal Service Intern for USAID where she worked on an electrification project in the Philippines region. Prior to her time at Batten, Erin was a Research Associate at a think tank, studying tax policy, paid family leave, and labor mobility. Erin received her B.A. in Economics and Sustainable Development from Columbia University in 2018. At Columbia, Erin was a Division I Cross Country and Track and Field athlete, where she was a three-time Academic All-American and Ivy League Champion in Cross Country. Read full bio John D. Milton Chief Financial Officer of FRP Holdings, Inc. John D. Milton, Jr., a native of Jackson County, Florida, was born in 1945 in Marianna, Florida. He attended the public schools of the County where his father was the school superintendent. His immediate family of four (father, mother, sister and John) were all Valedictorians of Marianna High School – John the last to achieve the honor barely survived the familial pressure! John attended Chipola Jr. College in his hometown for one term following high school, then transferred to University of Virginia where he took his degree in Political Science. Read full bio Kyle Nevins Founding Partner of Harbinger Strategies Kyle Nevins is a Founding Partner of Harbinger Strategies, a federal government and political affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nevins represents a wide variety of clients before the federal government, including Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and issue advocacy campaigns. Mr. Nevins advises clients on direct advocacy, the legislative process, and political strategy, specializing in the following issue areas: banking and financial services, budget and appropriations, creative content, defense, energy, health care, privacy, tax, telecom, trade, and transportation. Read full bio Sofya Olenicheva Policy Advisor at the Zero Emission Transportation Association Sofya Olenicheva currently serves as a Policy Advisor at the Zero Emission Transportation Association, a federal coalition advocating for transportation electrification, and Pioneer Public Affairs, a climate- and renewable energy-focused lobbying firm. Sofya’s professional policy experience began at Batten with an assignment to conduct research for the Virginia gubernatorial transition team. Later, she worked as a Program Assistant at the Community Climate Collaborative, a nonprofit committed to facilitating environmental policy development in local government and encouraging residents to integrate sustainable solutions into their lifestyle. At UVA, Sofya earned a Bachelor of Arts with Highest Distinction in Public Policy and Global Environments & Sustainability. Read full bio Elena Olson Executive Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Massachusetts General Hospital Elena Olson is the Executive Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where she has worked for two decades. Read full bio Katherine Pajewski Secretary, Alumni Advisory Board Healthcare Analyst for Huron Consulting Group Katherine Pajewski is currently a Healthcare Analyst for Huron Consulting Group in the Care Transformation area, working to improve patient throughput and advance hospitals’ abilities to better serve their communities. She formerly worked for a small healthcare lobbying shop out of DC, working on behalf of healthcare plans, drug manufacturers, and hospital systems. She holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy where she pursued healthcare policy and research and developed analytical skills that help her work through client’s complex problems. Katie is a Charlottesville native and double Hoo’. Read full bio Irma Palmer Irma Palmer has more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of policy, politics and communications. Most recently, she was U.S. Senator Kamala Harris’s Speechwriter. Read full bio Susan K. Payne President and Owner of Blue Ridge Group Susan K. Payne is the President and owner of Blue Ridge Group, a marketing firm located in Charlottesville. Prior to 2017, she was the President of Payne, Ross & Associates Advertising, Inc. Read full bio Catalina Perez Catalina Perez has been an active member of the Batten community for the past 3 years. Originally part of the Class of 2020 Bachelor's of Public Policy, she decided to make the switch to the Master's of Public Policy Class of 2021 program party because of her great interest in public policy but also because of her love of the Batten School. Former Women in Policy President and Batten Pillar Project founder, she pursues her future career in Law as a W&L law student, she still hopes to give back to the Batten school through BAAB in serving current Batten students and alumni. Read full bio Kenneth Redd senior policy director at the National Association of College and University Business Officers Kenneth Redd is the senior policy director at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), a position he has held since 2008. Prior to this, he worked on the Council of Graduate Schools and was the Director of Research and Policy Analysis for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Read full bio Donovan Rolle Executive Strategy and Project Management Analyst, Deloitte's Government and Public Service Donovan Rolle (BA ‘21) is an Executive Strategy and Project Management Analyst in Deloitte's Government and Public Service sector. His true passions are creating inclusive environments and any and everything sports. During his time at UVA, Donovan interned and worked with clubs to strategize on ways to make Batten, UVA, and Charlottesville more inclusive. He also played football, coached, and interned doing sports policy research for the NFL Players Association. As a Darden Future Years Scholar, Donovan plans to return to Charlottesville in a few years to attend UVA’s Darden School of Business. Read full bio Lauren Russell Lauren Russell is currently a member of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Master of Public Health (MPH) class of 2022. In addition to her current role as a full-time student, Lauren serves on the Hopkins Student Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE) Student Governing Board, and she works part-time as a research assistant and teaching assistant at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to returning to school, Lauren worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) New England Healthcare System. She began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow, then co-developed and co-led a multi-site health-related social needs screening and referral program known as the Assessing Circumstances & Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) initiative. Outside of work, Lauren enjoyed serving as the Sports Chair for the UVA Club of Boston and as a mentor for four years with Minds Matter – Boston, an organization which “connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.” Her experiences at the VA and with Minds Matter – Boston fueled her interest in and commitment to developing programs and policies that promote health equity and led her to pursue an MPH. Lauren earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Linguistics and Philology and Interdisciplinary Global Studies – Public Health at the University of Virginia. Read full bio Daniel Sater Higher Education Policy Analyst, University of North Carolina System Office Daniel Sater (MPP ‘12) is a higher education policy analyst for the University of North Carolina System Office. He previously served as a senior fiscal analyst in the non-partisan Fiscal Research Division of the North Carolina General Assembly. As a board member he plans to focus on developing networks to provide job opportunities to current students and alumni. He was the first Batten alum hired by his current and previous employers and has helped multiple Batten alums launch their careers in North Carolina. Read full bio Tom Scully General Partner with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Tom Scully is a General Partner with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, a private equity firm in New York, which is the most active US PE investor in healthcare. Tom joined the firm in 2004. Read full bio Hannah Semmes Consultant at Guidehouse State & Local Government Hannah Semmes is a consultant at Guidehouse State & Local Government. Prior to that, she was a consultant in the private sector for Salt Flats (née Optimity Advisors). She is an alumna of the State Department’s Critical Language Scholar in Indonesian, and previously worked as intern at the World Wildlife Fund, in the Office of Congressman Beyer (VA-08), and various political campaigns. At UVA, she served as Co-Captain of Women's Club Soccer. As a BAAB member, it is her goal to support and grow Batten’s entrepreneurial community. Read full bio Betty Shotton Co-Chair, Batten Advisory Board Partner, Berkana Consulting Group and CEO, Liftoff Leadership Betty Shotton is the Founder and CEO of Liftoff Leadership and a Partner with Berkana Consulting Group. She is a serial entrepreneur, having started and led over six companies in real estate and aviation. She is an accomplished author and speaker on leadership and is a Strategic Coach and Advisor to CEO’s and Executives. Read full bio Brian Siegel PRINCIPAL, DELOITTE CONSULTING, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES Brian Siegel is a Principal in Deloitte Consulting's Government and Public Services practice. Brian has over twenty five years of Public Sector consulting experience focusing on a variety of strategy and management issues, including financial management, procurement, technology, and shared services. His clients have included Federal, State & Local, and International organizations. Brian has a BA in Government from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. Read full bio Anne Martin Simonds Partner and Head of Global Development and Social Enterprise at Spencer Stuart Anne Martin Simonds, is a Partner and Head of Global Development and Social Enterprise at Spencer Stuart in Washington, DC. She helps organizations across all industries assess CEOs and build boards committed to the highest levels of impact. With more than 25 years of experience in leadership consulting and drawing from her cross-industry knowledge and deep understanding of the current geopolitical landscape, she counsels towards systems-level change to help organizations and their leaders translate emerging trends into opportunities that can transform their businesses, their communities — and the world. Read full bio Malcolm Stewart Product Manager for Makena Capital Management Malcolm Stewart is a 2018 graduate of the Batten BA program and currently works as a Product Manager for Makena Capital Management in Menlo Park, California. During his time at UVA, he served as President for the Class of 2018, Head Resident of the Lawn, and in his 4th year received the Sky Alland Scholarship. In addition to the Batten Foundation Board, Malcolm serves as a Trustee for the Sky Alland Scholarship Selection Committee and as a member on President Ryan's 4AG Advisory Group. Read full bio Morgan Sword Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations at Major League Baseball (MLB) Morgan Sword is Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations at Major League Baseball (MLB), where he oversees MLB's competitive system, including free agency, salary arbitration, the minor leagues, the draft and international player acquisition systems, as well as on-field issues including umpiring and rule changes. He is a member of the team that negotiates on behalf of the Clubs with baseball's unions including the Major League Baseball Players Association and the Major League Umpires Association. He joined MLB in 2008 after two years working in management consulting. Read full bio Walter D. Valdivia Research Staff Member at the S&T Policy Institute of the Institute for Defense Analysis Walter D. Valdivia is a Senior Policy Editor at the Mercatus Center, a think tank housed at George Mason University. Read full bio Shannon Valentine Former Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia Shannon Valentine served as Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation during Governor Ralph Northam’s administration (2018 to 2022), overseeing a $6 billion transportation system that includes the Department of Rail & Public Transportation, Port of Virginia, Virginia Space Authority, Department of Aviation, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Department of Motor Vehicles. As Secretary, she also chaired the Commonwealth Transportation Board. During her term, Virginia led an historic multi-state investment in Metro, launched Transforming Rail in Virginia, finalized a 40% expansion of the Port of Virginia, created the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to support multimodal investments, and completed seven resupply missions to the International Space Station. Read full bio Warner Young Partner at Allred, Bacon, HalfHill, and Young Warner Young is an experienced trial lawyer and a Partner at Allred, Bacon, HalfHill, and Young. He represents businesses and corporations in complex business disputes, often offering success fee-based services. He represents the seriously injured in professional negligence, products liability, and other personal injury cases. Mr. Young has particular expertise in representing people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. He has obtained for his clients million-dollar verdicts and settlements in Virginia and nationally. Read full bio Brian Zuluaga Associate, Center for Public Impact's Government Legitimacy Brian Zuluaga is an Associate supporting the Center for Public Impact's Government Legitimacy team. In this role, Brian has worked with local governments across the United States to build trust in government, embed design-thinking and innovation techniques into government processes, and to foster more inclusive economies. Previously, Brian was a Legislative Fellow for Senator Jeremy S. McPike of Virginia’s 29th District. He has also worked at the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, a non-profit organization, representing over 300 elected Hispanic State legislators throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Brian holds a BA in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of Virginia. He currently serves on the National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education, the Batten Alumni Advisory Board, and the UVA Hispanic/Latinx Bolivar Network. Brian is also the proud founder of the Batten Latinx Network at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Read full bio
Sarah Alexander Associate at Mindset Sarah Alexander is an Associate at Mindset, a bipartisan advisory and advocacy firm in Washington, DC. Focusing on environment, energy, infrastructure, transportation, trade, agriculture, and defense issues, Sarah produces targeted research and adaptive analysis to distill key federal legislation and regulations into actionable takeaways for corporate clients. She also mentors and trains new analysts, as well as leads Mindset’s internship program. Prior to joining Mindset, Sarah interned for the public policy department of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), as well as for the DC office of Representative Thomas Garrett. Sarah graduated from UVA in 2019 with a BA in Public Policy & Leadership and a minor in French. Read full bio
Emily Barksdale Emily Barksdale is a 2021 MPP graduate, justice advocate, and former educator who currently resides in Richmond, Virginia. A native West Virginian, Barksdale spent 7 years teaching middle school in Dallas, TX after graduating with high honors from Furman University in 2012. She began working as a Budget and Policy Analyst for the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget in fall 2021. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, karaoke, and spending time outside. Read full bio
Frank Batten Jr. Chairman, Landmark Media Enterprises L.L.C. Frank Batten Jr. is the chairman of Landmark Media Enterprises L.L.C., which is based in Norfolk. Read full bio
Mark T. Bowles Chairman of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP Mark T. Bowles joins the Foundation Board as the Board of Visitors representative. Currently a Chairman of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP, Mark was one of the founding senior vice presidents when McGuireWoods Consulting started in 1998. Read full bio
Shannon Bryan Head of North America Fuels Marketing for the Retail Business at Shell Shannon Bryan is the head of North America Fuels Marketing for the Retail business at Shell. In this capacity, he leads the team responsible for delivering Shell’s retail branded fuels marketing strategy, product portfolio, category plans, and supporting programs to drive the key customer metrics and achieve volume, share, and margin growth objectives for Shell-branded fuels in the US and Canadian markets. Read full bio
Jasmine Burton Vice Chair, Alumni Advisory Board Jasmine Burton is a senior associate in The Raben Group’s Issue Campaigns practice area, where she brings a strong background in education equity, public policy, and the law. Prior to joining Raben, Jasmine worked in the Business Affairs Department of ABC Studios, where she negotiated agreements for above-the-line talent, crafted deal memos, and drafted short form agreements for several of ABC’s shows. She also served as a judicial intern for the Federal District Court in Maryland and for Secretary John King at the U.S. Department of Education. Jasmine holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, as well as a minor in African and African American Studies. While at the University of Virginia, she was captain of the volleyball team where she was honored as the State of Virginia Rookie of the Year and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year, as well as being named to the ACC All-Second Team and as an East-Coast Region All-American. Read full bio
Rick Campanelli Lecturer Rick Campanelli is a lecturer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Campanelli has an extensive career in public service and the private sector as well as experience in senior leadership and management. Campanelli has been legal counsel in the areas of healthcare, information privacy and security, and civil and First Amendment rights. He is the Center for Christian Study Director of Graduate Ministries for the Law and Darden Christian Fellowships. Read full bio
Carlos Enrique Cavelier President, CEO Alquería Dairy For the last 28 years, Carlos has worked in the private sector as President of Alquería Dairy, leading the company from one factory in Cajicá to seven plants nationally with 4,500 associates. Under Carlos’ leadership, Alquería was the first milk processor in Colombia and became the largest in UHT milk production in the Andean group. Read full bio
Tyler Chandler Research Specialist at EdPolicyWorks Tyler Chandler is a Research Specialist at EdPolicyWorks, a joint collaboration between the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He is currently involved in projects related to understanding the impacts teacher working conditions have on student outcomes, the impact of the pandemic on student achievement, and teacher retention trends. Before joining EdPolicyWorks, Tyler spent a year working for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy developing an educational workshop series designed to inform Eastern Shore residents about the impact’s climate change will have on their communities. During his master’s program, Tyler partnered with Richmond Public Schools on an applied policy project to canvas existing low-cost STEM programs and curricula that could be used to transform a city middle school into a STEM academy in an equitable manner. He earned his MPP from the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and his BA in Government from the University of Virginia. Read full bio
Theodore L. Chandler Co-founder and Managing Director of NRV Ted Chandler is Co-founder and Managing Director of NRV, a Virginia based venture capital firm that brings counsel, connections and capital to high growth early stage companies. He offers more than 30 years of C-suite experience, strategic leadership and board service. He serves or has served on the boards of directors of a number of NRV portfolio companies: WealthForge (fintech); Territory (health and wellness); ICX Media (digital marketing); Ario (augmented reality); Moonlighting (services marketplace); Red’s (health and wellness) and Health Warrior (health and wellness). Read full bio
Aneesh Chopra President of CareJourney Aneesh Chopra the President of CareJourney, an open data service that helps providers, payers and pharma market leaders make smarter decisions in the move to value. He co-founded its parent company, Hunch Analytics, a “hatchery,” incubating ideas that improve the productivity of health and education markets. Read full bio
Chloe Cohen Budget Analyst for the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia Chloe Cohen is a Budget Analyst for the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. In this role, she provides budget analysis for D.C.’s economic development agencies and manages relationships between agency staff and D.C.’s budget policymakers. Prior to her role with District government, Chloe was the Project Coordinator for Affordable Housing at the Mortgage Bankers Association, where she oversaw the day-to-day execution of MBA's Affordable Housing Initiatives. Chloe holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Virginia. In her free time, Chloe performs in the D.C. community with the 18th Street Singers. Read full bio
Morgan Courtney Director of Customer Success at TaskRabbit Morgan Courtney is currently the Director of Customer Success at TaskRabbit, where she leads her dynamic Tasker Success team to ensure that Taskers are able to achieve their goals on TaskRabbit and have a great experience at every stage of the Tasker lifecycle. She was also the co-lead for TaskRabbit for Good for three years, which was created to make it easier for neighbors to give back locally and make a positive impact in communities around the world. Read full bio
Allen C. de Olazarra President of Parkway Property Investments Allen C. de Olazarra is the President of Parkway Property Investments. Prior to joining Parkway, Mr. de Olazarra was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Equitable Real Estate Partners, a fully integrated private real estate investment and operating company active with the acquisition and redevelopment of Class B office buildings, Class B big box industrial and distribution facilities, and the ground up construction of Senior Housing Communities. Read full bio
Anna Draganova Senior Manager, Monitor Deloitte Anna Draganova is a Senior Manager with Monitor Deloitte, where she has served federal, commercial, nonprofit, and international clients. She is a leader in Deloitte’s federal health practice, where she helps health sector clients address today’s pressing challenges. Anna is a Double Hoo, having received her MPP from the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy in 2011 and a BA in Economics from UVA. While at Batten, Anna served as school president and has served on either the Advisory Board or Foundation Board ever since. Read full bio
Jon A. Dyck President and principal owner of RS Materials Group, LLC and Rock Solid Stone Jon A. Dyck is an entrepreneur and attorney with more than 20 years of legal, management, policy and investing experience Read full bio
Bill Evanow Director, Public Sector for Twilio Bill Evanow is a McIntire graduate and passionate alumnus. While at UVA in the early ‘80s he was active on Grounds in the Residence Life Program, University Guide Service and as a fraternity leader with Phi Delta Theta (now Phi Society). He is a seasoned technology executive who returned to Charlottesville from San Francisco in 2014. Bill is currently Director, Public Sector for Twilio, and has responsibility for the Fed and SLED organization. Read full bio
Ned Flanagan Program Associate, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Ned Flanagan (BA ‘22) is currently a Program Associate with the Latin America and Caribbean team at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington D.C. Before starting at UVA, Ned spent a semester studying Spanish and traveling in Bolivia and Peru then went on to volunteer at an aid center for deported migrants and asylum seekers along the U.S./Mexico border in Nogales, Mexico. With deep interests and experience in humane migration, citizen security, and sustainable development, Ned has also interned for organizations including the United Nations International Organization for Migration, InterAction, and Results for America. Ned graduated from UVA with highest distinction in 2022 with a B.A. in Leadership & Public Policy and Global Development Studies, along with a minor in Latin American Studies. Read full bio
William H. Fralin, Jr. Salem District Member on the Commonwealth Transportation Board William H. Fralin, Jr., was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2004 - 2010. He represented the 17th District of Virginia, which encompasses portions of the Counties of Botetourt and Roanoke as well as a portion of the City of Roanoke. Delegate Fralin served on the Courts of Justice, Transportation, Education (chairing the Students and Daycare Subcommittee), Privileges and Elections Committees (chairing the Campaign Finance Subcommittee), and General Laws Committee. Read full bio
Donald Fryar Program Director for MindsMatterDC Donald Fryar was born in San Diego, California and raised in Fredericksburg, VA. He attended the University of Virginia, where he majored in Public Policy and Leadership. While at the University of Virginia, Donald was a part of the Army ROTC program. Upon graduation, Donald commissioned into the Army reserves as a Combat Engineer. Recently, Donald graduated from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. After graduation, Donald plans to move to Charlotte, North Carolina where he will work as a Corporate Attorney. Outside of school, Donald is heavily involved in the Washington, D.C. Community. He serves as a Program Director for MindsMatterDC, a non-profit that is aimed at providing SAT preparatory and mentoring high school students. Read full bio
Matt Gillam Teacher, Miner Elementary School Matt Gillam is from Long Island, NY and a 2021 graduate of the BA program. He has since joined Teach For America and is teaching first grade at Miner Elementary School in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. While teaching, he is pursuing a MSEd from Johns Hopkins University. While at UVA, he served as Batten Undergraduate Council President, co-Director of UVA's Camp Kesem chapter and Chair of UVA's Hillel Jewish Leadership Council. Read full bio
Langdon Greenhalgh Co-Chair, Batten Advisory Board CEO, Global Emergency Group and President & Founder, Global Emergency Relief Recovery & Reconstruction Langdon Greenhalgh is a professional international emergency response manager who is CEO of Global Emergency Group, a humanitarian consulting firm dedicated to enabling emergency humanitarian aid actors to respond to those most in need more effectively so as to save more lives and reduce suffering. Read full bio
Alexander Gregorio Associate, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Alexander Gregorio is a current Associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in the General Practice group looking to serve and advance his client's interests. He formerly was enrolled in the University of Virginia School of Law and the Darden School of Business where he combined thorough legal reasoning with both quantitative and normative analysis to solve problems. Prior to entering law school he worked for the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division where his economic and legal reasoning skills were put to good use on complex and important issues related to antitrust enforcement, intellectual property, and healthcare. He also holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy giving him a solid foundation for analyzing client needs and developing effective solutions from a legal, business, and regulatory viewpoint. Read full bio
Victoria D. Harker Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for TEGNA Inc. Victoria D. Harker serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer for TEGNA Inc., formerly Gannett Co., Inc. She was named chief financial officer at Gannett in July of 2012. Victoria is responsible for all of TEGNA’s financial functions and operations. Read full bio
Saajid Hasan Desk Officer in the Office of Middle East, U.S Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Saajid Hasan (M.P.P 2020) graduated from Batten’s accelerated program after earning his bachelor’s in government and economics in 2019. Throughout his time at UVa, Saajid also took great interest in studying Arabic language and culture, both in Charlottesville and abroad. He now works at the U.S Department of Commerce International Trade Administration as a Desk Officer in the Office of Middle East. In this position, he helps US companies navigate trade barriers exporting to the Middle East. He is excited to advise and connect with future Batten leaders interested in trade policy, middle east affairs, global development, and diplomacy. Outside of work, he enjoys going to the gym and learning how to make different dishes in the air fryer. Read full bio
Heather Higginbottom President, JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter Heather Higginbottom is President of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter, which develops and advances sustainable, evidence-based policy solutions to drive inclusive economic growth in the U.S. and around the world. Read full bio
Frederick P. Hitz Adjunct Professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia Frederick P. Hitz is an Adjunct Professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Virginia’s Center for National Security Law and an adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law. Read full bio
Russell Horwitz Deputy Chief of Staff at Goldman Sachs Russell Horwitz is the Deputy Chief of Staff at Goldman Sachs. In this role, he works closely with executive leadership to develop and execute key strategic initiatives. He serves as secretary to the Management Committee. Read full bio
Nicole Hurd President, Lafayette College Nicole Hurd is the 18th President of Lafayette College. Prior to her current position, she was the founder and CEO of College Advising Corps. A passionate advocate of post-secondary education, she has led College Advising Corps from a pilot project in Virginia to the largest college access program in the country, placing hundreds of advisers in high-need schools from coast-to-coast. Under her leadership, College Advising Corps received a $10 million investment at the White House College Opportunity Summit and the 2012 National Service Impact Award from the Corporation for National and Community Service for the “positive and lasting impact they are making through national service.” Read full bio
Julian Jackson Assistant Vice President at Barclays Julian Jackson is the Assistant Vice President at Barclays where he is the HR Operations representative and lead to regional and global project streams such as ADP Ev5 system upgrades, time-keeping systems across HR platforms, and Barclays Global Payroll & Controls Forums. His day-day-day actives include but are not limited to creating and enhancing controls to mitigate risk and ensure data integrity, monitoring transactions to ensure compliance with Regulation W, and preparing various financial and audit reports to multiple functions within the Investment Bank. Read full bio
Sarah Jameel Sarah Jameel is a 2016 graduate of the Batten Undergraduate Program with a double major in Middle Eastern Studies. She is currently a student in the JD-MBA program at Northwestern University pursuing a career in sustainable real estate development. Prior to Northwestern, she worked in legal services and intellectual property legal technology for four years. While a student at UVA, Sarah cofounded the Virginia Undergraduate Law Review, was a member of the Jefferson Literary & Debating Society, and was a competitive dance member of UVA Di Shaan. Read full bio
Philip Jefferson Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Philip N. Jefferson took office as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on May 23, 2022, to fill an unexpired term ending January 31, 2036. Most recently, Dr. Jefferson was Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty, and the Paul B. Freeland Professor of Economics at Davidson College. Before then, he served as chair of the Department of Economics at Swarthmore College, where he was the Centennial Professor of Economics. Prior to this position, Dr. Jefferson was an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. His other past roles include being President of the National Economic Association. He also served on the Vassar College Board of Trustees and the Board of Advisors of the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Read full bio
John Jeffries David and Mary Harrison Distinguished Professor of Law and Counselor to the President at the University of Virginia Jeffries joined the Virginia law faculty two years after earning his law degree in 1973. His primary research and teaching interests are civil rights, federal courts, criminal law and constitutional law. Jeffries has coauthored casebooks in civil rights, federal courts and criminal law and has published a variety of articles in those fields. He also wrote a biography of Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. In 1986, Jeffries was appointed the inaugural Emerson Spies Professor of Law, a position created to honor a long-time teacher and former dean. Jeffries has also held a variety of other academic appointments, including the Arnold H. Leon Professorship. He served as academic associate dean from 1994 to 1999. In the fall semester of 1999, he was acting dean during the sabbatical of Dean Robert Scott. He became dean in the fall of 2001 and served until June 2008. During law school, Jeffries served as editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review. He received the Z Award for the highest academic average and the Woods Prize for the outstanding graduate. Immediately after graduation, he clerked for Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., before serving in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. Read full bio
Kendall Johnson Strategy & Consulting Senior Analyst at Accenture Federal Services Kendall Johnson is a Strategy & Consulting Senior Analyst at Accenture Federal Services - where she uses educational disciplines to address mass systemic inequities within our education, political and economic structures. I. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in Government, she enrolled at UVA's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. In May of 2020, she graduated with a Master of Public Policy. Read full bio
Dean Karlan Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor of Economics and Finance Co-director, Global Poverty Research Lab at Northwestern University Dean Karlan is the Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor of Economics and Finance and co-director of the Global Poverty Research Lab at Northwestern University. His research focuses on development and behavioral economics, typically using experimental methods to examine questions about poverty and behavioral economics. Read full bio
Russell Libby Chairman of the Board, Directors at HF Foods Group Inc. Russell Libby is Chairman of the Board of Directors at HF Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HFFG), a leading food distributor to Asian restaurants across the Southeast, Pacific and Mountain West regions of the United States. Libby has nearly 30 years of comprehensive global experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategy, business development, international business, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. From 2007 to 2019, he held numerous leadership positions at Sysco Corp. and most recently served as the company’s executive vice president and corporate secretary. Read full bio
Diane Lim Policy Director, U.S. House Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth Diane Lim is currently the Policy Director for the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth. She is an economist who has spent her 30-plus year career in a variety of prominent roles in the federal government, nonprofit, and academic sectors. She began her post-PhD career as an assistant professor at Penn State University before going to the Congressional Budget Office in the early 1990s, and she has lived and worked in the DC area ever since. Read full bio
Clay Lowery Executive Vice President at the Institute of International Finance Clay Lowery is Executive Vice President at the Institute of International Finance (IIF), where he oversees the divisions that focus on sustainable finance, digital finance, financial regulation, sovereign debt analysis, and macroeconomics. Prior to this position, he had been the Managing Director and co-founder of Rock Creek Global Advisors – an international economic consultancy, and served in a Senate-confirmed post as Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Treasury where he headed up the international division. Earlier in his career, he was the Director of International Finance at the National Security Council, and helped establish the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an economic development agency for the U.S. Government, and was a founding Vice President. Read full bio
Michael Mallory President, Ron Brown Scholar Fund Executive Director, Ron Brown Scholar Program Michael Mallory is President of the Ron Brown Scholar Fund and Executive Director of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. In these roles, Mallory demonstrates a profound commitment to increasing educational opportunities for young people. Since 1996 he has been instrumental in shaping a distinguished program named in honor of Ron Brown, former Secretary of Commerce. This program not only awards $40,000 college scholarships to academically talented African American students, but also creates a life-long network of outstanding black leaders committed to community and national service. Read full bio
Joanna Martin Recruiter, Facebook Joanna Martin is a Recruiter at Facebook in Washington, DC where she oversees the recruitment and selection processes for candidates within Facebook’s Legal, Public Policy, and Communications division. Read full bio
Jahvonta Mason Law Clerk, United States District Court for the District of Columbia Jahvonta Mason (BA ‘17) is currently a Law Clerk for a Judge who sits on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Prior to clerking, Jahvonta served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Jahvonta received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2021 where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Moot Court Board. Before law school, Jahvonta taught 9th grade English at the Casablanca American School in Casablanca, Morocco. Jahvonta graduated from UVA in 2017 with a B.A. in Leadership & Public Policy and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Read full bio
Juliana McCormick Recruitment Manager, Teach For America National Team Juliana McCormick (BA ‘18) currently serves on the Teach For America National Team, where she works to mitigate the national teacher shortage as a Recruitment Manager. Her interest in education crystallized while in Batten, leading her to join the Teach For America Corps upon graduating. There, she taught 300+ DC middle schoolers English while earning her Master of Science in Education at Johns Hopkins. Following her tenure in U.S. classrooms, she had the privilege of teaching in Spain through the Fulbright Program. Read full bio
Michael McKenzie Partner & Managing Director at Grain Management, LLC Michael McKenzie is a Partner & Managing Director at Grain Management, LLC, a leading private equity firm focused on investments in the global communications sector. At Grain, Michael focuses on investments in communications infrastructure and technology, including fiber optic networks, spectrum, wireless towers, data centers and related technologies. Read full bio
Erin Melly Economist, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. Erin Melly (MPP ‘22) is an Economist at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. In this role, she utilizes data to identify potential manipulation, anti-competitive behavior, and other anomalous activities in electricity markets. Erin earned a Master of Public Policy from Batten. During her time at Batten, Erin was a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and Federal Service Intern for USAID where she worked on an electrification project in the Philippines region. Prior to her time at Batten, Erin was a Research Associate at a think tank, studying tax policy, paid family leave, and labor mobility. Erin received her B.A. in Economics and Sustainable Development from Columbia University in 2018. At Columbia, Erin was a Division I Cross Country and Track and Field athlete, where she was a three-time Academic All-American and Ivy League Champion in Cross Country. Read full bio
John D. Milton Chief Financial Officer of FRP Holdings, Inc. John D. Milton, Jr., a native of Jackson County, Florida, was born in 1945 in Marianna, Florida. He attended the public schools of the County where his father was the school superintendent. His immediate family of four (father, mother, sister and John) were all Valedictorians of Marianna High School – John the last to achieve the honor barely survived the familial pressure! John attended Chipola Jr. College in his hometown for one term following high school, then transferred to University of Virginia where he took his degree in Political Science. Read full bio
Kyle Nevins Founding Partner of Harbinger Strategies Kyle Nevins is a Founding Partner of Harbinger Strategies, a federal government and political affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nevins represents a wide variety of clients before the federal government, including Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and issue advocacy campaigns. Mr. Nevins advises clients on direct advocacy, the legislative process, and political strategy, specializing in the following issue areas: banking and financial services, budget and appropriations, creative content, defense, energy, health care, privacy, tax, telecom, trade, and transportation. Read full bio
Sofya Olenicheva Policy Advisor at the Zero Emission Transportation Association Sofya Olenicheva currently serves as a Policy Advisor at the Zero Emission Transportation Association, a federal coalition advocating for transportation electrification, and Pioneer Public Affairs, a climate- and renewable energy-focused lobbying firm. Sofya’s professional policy experience began at Batten with an assignment to conduct research for the Virginia gubernatorial transition team. Later, she worked as a Program Assistant at the Community Climate Collaborative, a nonprofit committed to facilitating environmental policy development in local government and encouraging residents to integrate sustainable solutions into their lifestyle. At UVA, Sofya earned a Bachelor of Arts with Highest Distinction in Public Policy and Global Environments & Sustainability. Read full bio
Elena Olson Executive Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Massachusetts General Hospital Elena Olson is the Executive Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where she has worked for two decades. Read full bio
Katherine Pajewski Secretary, Alumni Advisory Board Healthcare Analyst for Huron Consulting Group Katherine Pajewski is currently a Healthcare Analyst for Huron Consulting Group in the Care Transformation area, working to improve patient throughput and advance hospitals’ abilities to better serve their communities. She formerly worked for a small healthcare lobbying shop out of DC, working on behalf of healthcare plans, drug manufacturers, and hospital systems. She holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy where she pursued healthcare policy and research and developed analytical skills that help her work through client’s complex problems. Katie is a Charlottesville native and double Hoo’. Read full bio
Irma Palmer Irma Palmer has more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of policy, politics and communications. Most recently, she was U.S. Senator Kamala Harris’s Speechwriter. Read full bio
Susan K. Payne President and Owner of Blue Ridge Group Susan K. Payne is the President and owner of Blue Ridge Group, a marketing firm located in Charlottesville. Prior to 2017, she was the President of Payne, Ross & Associates Advertising, Inc. Read full bio
Catalina Perez Catalina Perez has been an active member of the Batten community for the past 3 years. Originally part of the Class of 2020 Bachelor's of Public Policy, she decided to make the switch to the Master's of Public Policy Class of 2021 program party because of her great interest in public policy but also because of her love of the Batten School. Former Women in Policy President and Batten Pillar Project founder, she pursues her future career in Law as a W&L law student, she still hopes to give back to the Batten school through BAAB in serving current Batten students and alumni. Read full bio
Kenneth Redd senior policy director at the National Association of College and University Business Officers Kenneth Redd is the senior policy director at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), a position he has held since 2008. Prior to this, he worked on the Council of Graduate Schools and was the Director of Research and Policy Analysis for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Read full bio
Donovan Rolle Executive Strategy and Project Management Analyst, Deloitte's Government and Public Service Donovan Rolle (BA ‘21) is an Executive Strategy and Project Management Analyst in Deloitte's Government and Public Service sector. His true passions are creating inclusive environments and any and everything sports. During his time at UVA, Donovan interned and worked with clubs to strategize on ways to make Batten, UVA, and Charlottesville more inclusive. He also played football, coached, and interned doing sports policy research for the NFL Players Association. As a Darden Future Years Scholar, Donovan plans to return to Charlottesville in a few years to attend UVA’s Darden School of Business. Read full bio
Lauren Russell Lauren Russell is currently a member of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Master of Public Health (MPH) class of 2022. In addition to her current role as a full-time student, Lauren serves on the Hopkins Student Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE) Student Governing Board, and she works part-time as a research assistant and teaching assistant at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to returning to school, Lauren worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) New England Healthcare System. She began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow, then co-developed and co-led a multi-site health-related social needs screening and referral program known as the Assessing Circumstances & Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) initiative. Outside of work, Lauren enjoyed serving as the Sports Chair for the UVA Club of Boston and as a mentor for four years with Minds Matter – Boston, an organization which “connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.” Her experiences at the VA and with Minds Matter – Boston fueled her interest in and commitment to developing programs and policies that promote health equity and led her to pursue an MPH. Lauren earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Linguistics and Philology and Interdisciplinary Global Studies – Public Health at the University of Virginia. Read full bio
Daniel Sater Higher Education Policy Analyst, University of North Carolina System Office Daniel Sater (MPP ‘12) is a higher education policy analyst for the University of North Carolina System Office. He previously served as a senior fiscal analyst in the non-partisan Fiscal Research Division of the North Carolina General Assembly. As a board member he plans to focus on developing networks to provide job opportunities to current students and alumni. He was the first Batten alum hired by his current and previous employers and has helped multiple Batten alums launch their careers in North Carolina. Read full bio
Tom Scully General Partner with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Tom Scully is a General Partner with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, a private equity firm in New York, which is the most active US PE investor in healthcare. Tom joined the firm in 2004. Read full bio
Hannah Semmes Consultant at Guidehouse State & Local Government Hannah Semmes is a consultant at Guidehouse State & Local Government. Prior to that, she was a consultant in the private sector for Salt Flats (née Optimity Advisors). She is an alumna of the State Department’s Critical Language Scholar in Indonesian, and previously worked as intern at the World Wildlife Fund, in the Office of Congressman Beyer (VA-08), and various political campaigns. At UVA, she served as Co-Captain of Women's Club Soccer. As a BAAB member, it is her goal to support and grow Batten’s entrepreneurial community. Read full bio
Betty Shotton Co-Chair, Batten Advisory Board Partner, Berkana Consulting Group and CEO, Liftoff Leadership Betty Shotton is the Founder and CEO of Liftoff Leadership and a Partner with Berkana Consulting Group. She is a serial entrepreneur, having started and led over six companies in real estate and aviation. She is an accomplished author and speaker on leadership and is a Strategic Coach and Advisor to CEO’s and Executives. Read full bio
Brian Siegel PRINCIPAL, DELOITTE CONSULTING, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES Brian Siegel is a Principal in Deloitte Consulting's Government and Public Services practice. Brian has over twenty five years of Public Sector consulting experience focusing on a variety of strategy and management issues, including financial management, procurement, technology, and shared services. His clients have included Federal, State & Local, and International organizations. Brian has a BA in Government from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. Read full bio
Anne Martin Simonds Partner and Head of Global Development and Social Enterprise at Spencer Stuart Anne Martin Simonds, is a Partner and Head of Global Development and Social Enterprise at Spencer Stuart in Washington, DC. She helps organizations across all industries assess CEOs and build boards committed to the highest levels of impact. With more than 25 years of experience in leadership consulting and drawing from her cross-industry knowledge and deep understanding of the current geopolitical landscape, she counsels towards systems-level change to help organizations and their leaders translate emerging trends into opportunities that can transform their businesses, their communities — and the world. Read full bio
Malcolm Stewart Product Manager for Makena Capital Management Malcolm Stewart is a 2018 graduate of the Batten BA program and currently works as a Product Manager for Makena Capital Management in Menlo Park, California. During his time at UVA, he served as President for the Class of 2018, Head Resident of the Lawn, and in his 4th year received the Sky Alland Scholarship. In addition to the Batten Foundation Board, Malcolm serves as a Trustee for the Sky Alland Scholarship Selection Committee and as a member on President Ryan's 4AG Advisory Group. Read full bio
Morgan Sword Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations at Major League Baseball (MLB) Morgan Sword is Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations at Major League Baseball (MLB), where he oversees MLB's competitive system, including free agency, salary arbitration, the minor leagues, the draft and international player acquisition systems, as well as on-field issues including umpiring and rule changes. He is a member of the team that negotiates on behalf of the Clubs with baseball's unions including the Major League Baseball Players Association and the Major League Umpires Association. He joined MLB in 2008 after two years working in management consulting. Read full bio
Walter D. Valdivia Research Staff Member at the S&T Policy Institute of the Institute for Defense Analysis Walter D. Valdivia is a Senior Policy Editor at the Mercatus Center, a think tank housed at George Mason University. Read full bio
Shannon Valentine Former Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia Shannon Valentine served as Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation during Governor Ralph Northam’s administration (2018 to 2022), overseeing a $6 billion transportation system that includes the Department of Rail & Public Transportation, Port of Virginia, Virginia Space Authority, Department of Aviation, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Department of Motor Vehicles. As Secretary, she also chaired the Commonwealth Transportation Board. During her term, Virginia led an historic multi-state investment in Metro, launched Transforming Rail in Virginia, finalized a 40% expansion of the Port of Virginia, created the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to support multimodal investments, and completed seven resupply missions to the International Space Station. Read full bio
Warner Young Partner at Allred, Bacon, HalfHill, and Young Warner Young is an experienced trial lawyer and a Partner at Allred, Bacon, HalfHill, and Young. He represents businesses and corporations in complex business disputes, often offering success fee-based services. He represents the seriously injured in professional negligence, products liability, and other personal injury cases. Mr. Young has particular expertise in representing people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. He has obtained for his clients million-dollar verdicts and settlements in Virginia and nationally. Read full bio
Brian Zuluaga Associate, Center for Public Impact's Government Legitimacy Brian Zuluaga is an Associate supporting the Center for Public Impact's Government Legitimacy team. In this role, Brian has worked with local governments across the United States to build trust in government, embed design-thinking and innovation techniques into government processes, and to foster more inclusive economies. Previously, Brian was a Legislative Fellow for Senator Jeremy S. McPike of Virginia’s 29th District. He has also worked at the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, a non-profit organization, representing over 300 elected Hispanic State legislators throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Brian holds a BA in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of Virginia. He currently serves on the National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education, the Batten Alumni Advisory Board, and the UVA Hispanic/Latinx Bolivar Network. Brian is also the proud founder of the Batten Latinx Network at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Read full bio