Graduate Students

Babak (Bob) Rahimi Ardabili
Public Policy Program

Degrees and Credentials: MSc in Futures Studies Engineering from the University of Tehran, Iran and BSc in Industrial Engineering from Isfahan University, Iran. Research Interests: Applied data science in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2023 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vRMTdTv6ssr1D7dDgrdJj1LE4IcvcYJW/view?usp=sharing Select Publications: Commercial Research Project “COVID-19 outlook series; effect of COVID-19 outbreak on Iranian […]

Kathryn Arnold
Public Policy Program

Degrees and Credentials: Masters in Public Administration (Urban Management and Policy Concentration), Bachelors of Arts Political Science Research Interests: Transportation Policy, Social Well-being, and Urban Development & Policy CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1254O3PU3-7bjVtwOEJQnztmE-qRWhqwp/view?usp=sharing

Janine Rangel de Assis
Public Policy Program

Janine holds a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies from UNC Charlotte and Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Faith Butta
Public Policy Program

Faith holds a Master’s degrees in Public Administration from UNC Charlotte and a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh Publication: Arrigo, B., Sellers, B., & Butta, F. (2021). Introduction. In The Pre-Crime Society: Crime, Culture, and Control in the Ultramodern Age. Bristol University Publishing. Butta, F. and Carman, J.G. (2018). Accountability: Breaches […]

Ercument Camadan
Public Policy Program

Ercument holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University, NY, a Master’s in Economics from Hacettepe University, Turkey and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Orta Dogu Teknik University, Turkey. He has significant work experience as an energy market analyst, primarily in the public sector. CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TvSez8bnyzAUUZmWrX39ytI_ELPfak9n/view?usp=sharing Dissertation Title: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2023

Dillon Clausner
Public Policy Program

Daniel Clausner, Jr. is an International Student and Scholar Advisor at UNC Charlotte. Daniel has an MA in Regional Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northwestern. Daniel is joining the program part-time. CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FZVK7kgaQFMzkRAxwuzTnew8Gxx9WsYH/view?usp=sharing Disserttion Title: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2026

Lief Fitzpatrick
Public Policy Program

Lief Fitzpatrick is the Assistant Public Works Director in Matthews, NC. Lief has a Masters in Public Administration from UNC Charlotte and a BA in English from the College of Charleston. Lief’s interests are economic development, intergovernmental relations, performance management, and the equitable distribution of greenspaces. Lief is joining the program part-time. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. […]

Joe C. Fowler III

Joe UNC Charlotte graduate with a Masters in Economics. He earned his BA in Economics at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, North Carolina. Since graduation in 2020, he has been working as a Fraud Investigator for the NC Dept. of Commerce. He is an experienced Teaching Assistant. We honor and thank Joe for his service in both […]

James Fuller
Public Policy Program

James holds a MA in Economics from University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Economics from East Tennessee State University. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2023 CV:

Ken Gjertsen
Public Policy Program

Ken is the Data Manager for Environmental, Social & Governance and Public Policy at Bank of America. He has a JD from the University of Florida and an MPA from UNC Charlotte. His research is centered on community betterment, mainly in predicting trends and how public administrators can address them. Research Interests: Economic Inequality, Public […]

Sarah Haley
Public Policy Program

Sarah Haley is an Advisory Senior Manger in Financial Services, Climate, and Equity at Deloitte & Touche LLP. Sarah has an MBA from Drake University and a BS in Paralegal Studies from the National American University. Sarah is joining the program part-time. Her research is focused on the intersection of climate change and reproductive justice, […]

Allison Infinger

Allison’s interests are in Public Health. She has an MS in Public Health from UNC Charlotte and a BS in Biology from the University of South Carolina. Her masters thesis is titled: The relationship between parental perceived racial discrimination and HPV vaccination initiation in female children aged 8 to 17. This gives you a quick […]

Erfan Kefayat

Erfan is an Iranian citizen and scholar, having earned both his Masters in Urban Planning from Danesh Pazoohan Higher Education Institute, Isfahan, Iran and a Bachelors in Urban Engineering from Art University, Isfahan, Iran. He has several published articles in these fields and has been working as a spatial analyst. His interests intersect urban planning, […]

Mimosa Khatun
Public Policy Program

Research interest: Child Marriage in the United States Education: Masters in Economics: one from Jadavpur University, West Bengal, India; Masters in Economics: University of Southern California, Los Angeles CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p34TcQ6Yj5obH74QKtMH-OaYGv68WL_I/view?usp=sharing Ph.D. Expected: 2025 Dissertation Title: TBA

Victoria Lee
Public Policy Program

Victoria Lee is Lead Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton. Victoria has a Masters of Public Health from George Washington University and a BA in Business Administration from Appalachian State. Victoria is joining the program part-time. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2023 CV: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LJa6rlqgEC4u84kdaZtZTju_b6QXtqIe/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114000210451101448387&rtpof=true&sd=true

Svetlana Masjutina
Graduate Student
Public Policy Program

Svetlana has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the International University of Monaco, Monaco and a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Theory from Lomonosov State University Moscow, Moscow, Russia. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2026 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jf84HerB5mCq1MYPRgX_PYS7qQGFFGoS/view?usp=sharing

Emily Mikkelsen
Public Policy Program

Emily has a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from UNC Greensboro and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Communication from Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2022 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sw8DQLPK5o6e6vefj1ZNVLDECj4Iw1DN/view?usp=sharing

Ian Mikkelsen
Public Policy Program

Education: Master’s in Applied Economics, UNC Greensboro, Bachelor’s in Economics and Communication, Washburn University, Topeka, KS Research Interests: Inequity: Gender, Racial, Class; Technology Development and Social Capital Publications: Piatak, J., & Mikkelsen, I. (2021). Does Social Media Engagement Translate to Civic Engagement Offline?. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 0899764021999444 Gicheva, D., & Mikkelsen, I. (2019). […]

April J. Moore

April has an MPA from Florida State and a BA in Sociology from the University of Virginia. She is well-versed in the workings of Florida’s state agencies, having worked for their Departments of Economic Opportunity, Environmental Protection, and Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. She wishes to focus on policy development and implementation, particularly in the […]

Carrie Nelson
Public Policy Program

Carrie Nelson is nearing completion of the Public Policy Certificate Program at UNC Charlotte. She is a Guardian Ad Litem for the North Carolina Judicial Branch. Carrie has an MBA from the University of Miami and a BS in Marketing from The Ohio State University. Dissertation: TBA Certificate in Public Policy Expected: 2022 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X3W8qQPSHoVtgp9dvIagyJFR7X3Pt4_W/view?usp=sharing

Fustel Mwamba Ngalulu
Public Policy Program

Research Interests: Economic development processes and financial management in poor countries.

Aanuoluwapo Olajide
Public Policy Program

Aanuoluwapo (Aan) is completing a Masters in Tech Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Tech, Akure. Aanuoluwapo also has a Bachelors in Tech Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Tech, Akure. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2024 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ash1pFb8DUAUX1hmf8WKtJtydwiTpttB/view?usp=sharing

Bakhytzhan Oskeyeva
Public Policy Program

Bakhytzhan has an MA in International Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California. Bakhytzhan has a BA in International Economic Relationships from Karaganda State University and a BA in Jurisprudence from the Academy of Financial Police of the Agency of Financial Police of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Ph.D. Expected: 2025 Dissertation: TBA […]

Emily H. Parker

Emily has a BA in Public Policy from UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is enrolling in our Public Policy Certificate Program in order to pursue her interest and passion for education policy research and analysis, with an equity lens. She has been based in Raleigh, NC, conducting education policy research for UNC Chapel Hill, […]

Sarah Paul
Public Policy Program

Sarah holds MBA from Endinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland. B.Sc. Accounting from Ahmadu Bellow University, Zaria.​ Dissertation Title: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2027 CV: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VSZbWkkUxZNa0NG1WdV0Q1VIbn60PMSa

Robert Pinka
Public Policy Program

Robert began working as an RA in Public Policy summer 2020. Robert is joining the program full-time. Degrees and Credentials: Masters in Ethics and Applied Philosophy at UNC Charlotte. BS in Direct and Interactive Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Dissertation: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2025 CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xrcDfLidtz4JF3JQbD66d3UdEvjdjNYd/view?usp=sharing Publications: Pinka, R. Synthetic Deliberation: Can Emulated […]

Kwesi Atuaful Quansah
Public Policy Program

Kwesi Atuaful Quansah has a MA in Economics from Central Michigan University, USA – 2020 – 2021, a MA in Economics from Gangneung-Wonju National University, South Korea: 2016 – 2018, a Diploma in Korean Language from Dongseo University, South Korea: 2015 – 2016, and a Bachelors of Economics from University of Ghana, Legon – Ghana: […]

Hanif Sajid
Public Policy Program

Hanif holds both Master’s Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science from Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan. He was an NESA Fellow at both Northampton Community College and American University. He is currently a Fulbright Scholar in the Public Policy PhD Program. Ph.D. Expected: Dissertation: CV:

Sherika Staton
Public Policy Program

Sherika earned both a Bachelors and Masters degrees in Criminal Justice. She is a mid-career professional in the field currently teaching Criminal Justice at Wingate University. She also serves as a Hotline Advocate for Charlotte’s Children and Family Services Center. Certification as forensic interview. Board Member Anson County, NC Board of Elections. Ph.D. Expected: TBA […]

Stephanie Talarek

Stephanie received all her academic degrees from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.They include an MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, BA in Humanities and Social Sciences (History), and a paralegal certification. While at GMU, she held an internship at Physicians for Social Responsibility in their “Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program”. She intends to pursue research in […]

Nithya Venkatasubramanian

Research Interests: Environmental policy, Taxation Policy Degrees and Credentials: Masters in Computer Applications and Masters in Taxation and Business Laws. Worked as a member of Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Presently working as Managing editor of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ). Ph.D. expected: 2025 Dissertation: TBD CV: Resume_Nithya V – Nithya Venkatasubramanian.pdf – Google Drivehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/18hVWSPsf88A_e0S3L8xVTBuXbIZ7SHJE/view

Koffi Yao-Kouame
Public Policy Program

Koffi holds a Master’s in International Relations from American University and a BA in International Studies and Master’s in Latin American Studies from UNC Charlotte. CV: https://drive.google.com/open?id=12M8tglNLKkTGhxMCRTqrWFHBie9szQ6t Dissertation Title: TBA Ph.D. Expected: 2026