Alumni Alumni Advisory Board Alumni Advisory Board Foundation Advisory Board Full Boards Directory 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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