Resources Faculty & Staff Directory Faculty & Staff Directory A B C D E F G H J K L (-) M N O P R S (-) T V W Facet Last Name - Directory Faculty Staff Facet Person Type - Directory Economics Leadership Domestic Policy & Politics Political Science Racial Justice and Equity Social Entrepreneurship Social Equity Advocacy Education Health Policy International Development National Security Social Psychology Facet Area of Focus - Directory Center for Effective Lawmaking Darden School of Business Department of Economics School of Education and Human Development UVA Humanitarian Collaborative Facet UVA Partner - Directory Budget & Finance Academic Affairs Center for Effective Lawmaking Development External Affairs UVA Humanitarian Collaborative Facet Batten Department - Directory Christine Mahoney Professor of Public Policy and Politics; Chief Innovation Officer cm2cg@virginia.edu 434-243-3727 Garrett Hall Christine Mahoney is a professor of public policy and politics and chief innovation officer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She studies social justice advocacy, activism and direct action through social entrepreneurship. Read full bio Brandy Marsh Business Services Manager bam5x@virginia.edu (434) 996-2643 Brandy Marsh is the Business Services Manager for the Frank Batten School. Read full bio Paul S. Martin Associate Professor of Public Policy psm4d@virginia.edu 434-924-2933 Garrett Hall Paul Martin is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Martin studies how and when political elites respond to the preferences of ordinary people; political participation and advocacy, how and when citizens become involved in the policy process; on the role of mass media; and on the origins and consequences of social capital . Read full bio Isaac Mbiti Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics imbiti@virginia.edu 434-243-7317 Garrett Hall Isaac M. Mbiti is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. His research has focused broadly on African economic development with particular interests in examining the role of education policies such as free primary education and teacher performance pay programs. Mbiti's ongoing research projects in East and West Africa evaluate various policies that aim to improve the livelihoods of African youth through training programs. Read full bio Cathryn McCue Assistant Director of Communications cm2x@virginia.edu Cat joined the Batten School in 2023 as assistant director of communications. She brings extensive experience in communications, storytelling, public service, and state and federal policy to the Batten School from her prior roles at the UVA Office for Sustainability and several environmental nonprofit advocacy organizations, and as a journalist. Read full bio Amy D. Meli Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Effective Lawmaking vwm6xu@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L028 Amy Meli is a postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, working with the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Her research centers around interest groups and the way they influence the political system. Read full bio Naseemah Mohamed Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies egu8ng@virginia.edu Naseemah Mohamed is an assistant professor of African American and African studies at the University of Virginia. Her interdisciplinary research examines the relationships among education, media, technology, global politics, and violence in 20th-century. Read full bio Cindy H. Moore Assistant Director of Accounting chm3b@virginia.edu 434-982-2033 Read full bio Nadirah Muhammad Marketing/Communications Project Manager Nadirah joined the Batten School in 2024 as our Marketing/Communications Project Manager. A George Mason University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she brings years of experience crafting compelling narratives across digital, print and social platforms. Read full bio Bala Mulloth Assistant Professor of Public Policy mulloth@virginia.edu 434-982-2101 Garrett Hall Bala Mulloth is an assistant professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Mulloth is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur and his work focuses on innovation and social entrepreneurship. Read full bio Jennett Murphy Assistant Director of Faculty Affairs jennett.murphy@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L042 Jennett Murphy is the Assistant Director of Faculty Affairs at the Batten School and is responsible for supporting and managing processes to advance the success of the faculty. Read full bio Noah Myung Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics noah.myung@virginia.edu 434-243-3731 Garrett Hall Noah Myung is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He is an experimental and behavioral economist with research interests in game theory, organizational economics, and financial economics. Myung's current research deals with equilibrium selection in coordination games as well as information sharing between competitors Read full bio Elinor (Ellie) Tappé Executive Director of Strategic Advancement bcm2fj@virginia.edu Elinor Tappé serves as Executive Director of Strategic Advancement where she helps shape and realize the strategic objectives of the Batten School. With a 25-year history in strategic planning and development, Elinor has held a variety of leadership roles in the corporate sector, as well as higher education and nonprofit. Her experience in philanthropy spans more than a decade and includes UC Berkeley, Larkin Street Youth Services and Urban Teachers Read full bio Sebastian Tello Trillo Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics sebastian.tello@virginia.edu 434-924-0903 Garrett Hall Sebastian Tello Trillo is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He studies health policy in the U.S and Latin America, with a particular focus on understanding how policies affect individuals’ health behaviors and economic outcomes. Read full bio Melissa Thomas-Hunt John D. Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Public Policy mcth@virginia.edu Melissa Thomas-Hunt is a professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the John Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Thomas-Hunt focuses on leadership, team dynamics, and negotiations and her research studies the factors that unleash, leverage, and amplify the contributions made by individuals, particularly women, underrepresented individuals, and numerical minorities. Read full bio Kerra K. Thurston Executive Assistant to the Dean kaykay@virginia.edu 434-924-0828 Garrett Hall 200 Read full bio Sophie Trawalter Batten Family Bicentennial Teacher-Scholar Leadership Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Psychology strawalter@virginia.edu 434-243-3726 Sophie Trawalter, Batten Family Bicentennial Teacher-Scholar Leadership Professor of Public Policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, studies phenomena related to social diversity, specifically how people navigate intergroup contact and intergroup contexts, with a particular focus on how people develop competencies and learn to thrive in diverse spaces. Read full bio Sarah Turner University Professor of Economics, Education and Public Policy sturner@virginia.edu 434-982-2383 Sarah Turner is a University Professor of economics, education and public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Souder Family Endowed Professor. Much of her research focuses on post-secondary education, where she explores the intersection of education and economics policies. Read full bio Kim Turner Assistant Director of Financial Planning and Analysis Kim joined the Batten School in 2025 after a decade serving as the Finance and Administration Manager for UVA Music in the College of Arts & Sciences. In her current role, Kim focuses on the annual budget, financial reporting, and various other financial functions. An alumna of the University of Virginia, Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Committed to continuous growth, she went on to earn both an MBA and an MS in Public Relations from the University of Maryland University College. Read full bio
Christine Mahoney Professor of Public Policy and Politics; Chief Innovation Officer cm2cg@virginia.edu 434-243-3727 Garrett Hall Christine Mahoney is a professor of public policy and politics and chief innovation officer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She studies social justice advocacy, activism and direct action through social entrepreneurship. Read full bio
Brandy Marsh Business Services Manager bam5x@virginia.edu (434) 996-2643 Brandy Marsh is the Business Services Manager for the Frank Batten School. Read full bio
Paul S. Martin Associate Professor of Public Policy psm4d@virginia.edu 434-924-2933 Garrett Hall Paul Martin is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Martin studies how and when political elites respond to the preferences of ordinary people; political participation and advocacy, how and when citizens become involved in the policy process; on the role of mass media; and on the origins and consequences of social capital . Read full bio
Isaac Mbiti Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics imbiti@virginia.edu 434-243-7317 Garrett Hall Isaac M. Mbiti is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. His research has focused broadly on African economic development with particular interests in examining the role of education policies such as free primary education and teacher performance pay programs. Mbiti's ongoing research projects in East and West Africa evaluate various policies that aim to improve the livelihoods of African youth through training programs. Read full bio
Cathryn McCue Assistant Director of Communications cm2x@virginia.edu Cat joined the Batten School in 2023 as assistant director of communications. She brings extensive experience in communications, storytelling, public service, and state and federal policy to the Batten School from her prior roles at the UVA Office for Sustainability and several environmental nonprofit advocacy organizations, and as a journalist. Read full bio
Amy D. Meli Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Effective Lawmaking vwm6xu@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L028 Amy Meli is a postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, working with the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Her research centers around interest groups and the way they influence the political system. Read full bio
Naseemah Mohamed Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies egu8ng@virginia.edu Naseemah Mohamed is an assistant professor of African American and African studies at the University of Virginia. Her interdisciplinary research examines the relationships among education, media, technology, global politics, and violence in 20th-century. Read full bio
Nadirah Muhammad Marketing/Communications Project Manager Nadirah joined the Batten School in 2024 as our Marketing/Communications Project Manager. A George Mason University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she brings years of experience crafting compelling narratives across digital, print and social platforms. Read full bio
Bala Mulloth Assistant Professor of Public Policy mulloth@virginia.edu 434-982-2101 Garrett Hall Bala Mulloth is an assistant professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Mulloth is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur and his work focuses on innovation and social entrepreneurship. Read full bio
Jennett Murphy Assistant Director of Faculty Affairs jennett.murphy@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L042 Jennett Murphy is the Assistant Director of Faculty Affairs at the Batten School and is responsible for supporting and managing processes to advance the success of the faculty. Read full bio
Noah Myung Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics noah.myung@virginia.edu 434-243-3731 Garrett Hall Noah Myung is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He is an experimental and behavioral economist with research interests in game theory, organizational economics, and financial economics. Myung's current research deals with equilibrium selection in coordination games as well as information sharing between competitors Read full bio
Elinor (Ellie) Tappé Executive Director of Strategic Advancement bcm2fj@virginia.edu Elinor Tappé serves as Executive Director of Strategic Advancement where she helps shape and realize the strategic objectives of the Batten School. With a 25-year history in strategic planning and development, Elinor has held a variety of leadership roles in the corporate sector, as well as higher education and nonprofit. Her experience in philanthropy spans more than a decade and includes UC Berkeley, Larkin Street Youth Services and Urban Teachers Read full bio
Sebastian Tello Trillo Associate Professor of Public Policy and Economics sebastian.tello@virginia.edu 434-924-0903 Garrett Hall Sebastian Tello Trillo is an associate professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He studies health policy in the U.S and Latin America, with a particular focus on understanding how policies affect individuals’ health behaviors and economic outcomes. Read full bio
Melissa Thomas-Hunt John D. Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Public Policy mcth@virginia.edu Melissa Thomas-Hunt is a professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the John Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Thomas-Hunt focuses on leadership, team dynamics, and negotiations and her research studies the factors that unleash, leverage, and amplify the contributions made by individuals, particularly women, underrepresented individuals, and numerical minorities. Read full bio
Kerra K. Thurston Executive Assistant to the Dean kaykay@virginia.edu 434-924-0828 Garrett Hall 200 Read full bio
Sophie Trawalter Batten Family Bicentennial Teacher-Scholar Leadership Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Psychology strawalter@virginia.edu 434-243-3726 Sophie Trawalter, Batten Family Bicentennial Teacher-Scholar Leadership Professor of Public Policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, studies phenomena related to social diversity, specifically how people navigate intergroup contact and intergroup contexts, with a particular focus on how people develop competencies and learn to thrive in diverse spaces. Read full bio
Sarah Turner University Professor of Economics, Education and Public Policy sturner@virginia.edu 434-982-2383 Sarah Turner is a University Professor of economics, education and public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Souder Family Endowed Professor. Much of her research focuses on post-secondary education, where she explores the intersection of education and economics policies. Read full bio
Kim Turner Assistant Director of Financial Planning and Analysis Kim joined the Batten School in 2025 after a decade serving as the Finance and Administration Manager for UVA Music in the College of Arts & Sciences. In her current role, Kim focuses on the annual budget, financial reporting, and various other financial functions. An alumna of the University of Virginia, Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Committed to continuous growth, she went on to earn both an MBA and an MS in Public Relations from the University of Maryland University College. Read full bio