ALUMNA OVERSEES STUDENTS IN NYS ASSEMBLY WHERE SHE ONCE INTERNED

Going to work every day at the New York State Assembly, Vanessa Salman ’17 B.A. (PSc) is reminded of her time in the Maxwell School. As part of her responsibilities as a staff training associate for the Assembly Minority Conference, Salman oversees students within the conference participating in the Albany semester program. In 2017, Salman was one of those interns.

The Assembly Intern Program in Albany gives students the opportunity to work full-time in the New York State legislature. During the legislative session, from January through May, students work for an assigned legislator and take courses on New York State politics. Salman found her experience as an intern powerful, and this ultimately drew her back there to work full-time post-graduation.

“It’s a really interesting environment. It’s so fast-paced and unpredictable,” says Salman.

As an intern, Salman sought out the opportunity to be placed with a female member because of her interest in representation in politics. She also wanted a member without staff in Albany because of her desire to take on as much responsibility as possible. The day she got her assignment in Albany with Assemblywoman Melissa Miller, Salman was elated.

Fast forward four years, Salman is now supervising interns within the New York State Assembly as part of her work as a staff training associate—an experience Salman describes as “surreal.” Salman’s role is to help manage and guide student interns.

The majority of Salman’s time, however, is spent working in tandem with the human resources department as part of the central staff for Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay L’95. Salman ensures that new members are equipped with all necessary information to run successful operations in Albany and in district offices. There may not be a guide on how to be an assembly member, but Salman works to create that for each member. She works with two to three assembly members at a time and participates in meetings with lobbying groups, researches legislation and makes purposeful legislative recommendations.

“Maxwell courses really develop incredible critical thinking skills. Those have really been able to help set myself apart in my internship program, my current studies in Albany and my work now as I read legislation or look at information from an interest group or give a member my opinion on an issue,” says Salman.

Maxwell alumni gathered for a networking reception in Chicago this past September. Attendees included, from left to right, College of Engineering and Computer Science alumnus and Chicago Regional Council member Nurul Eusufzai ’89; Director of Development Nate LaFrance; Whitman School of Management alumnus and Chicago Regional Council member Ben Nummy ’91; Michelle Hill ’11 M.P.A.; Kevin Young ’11 B.A. (Econ/Hist/ PSc); Dean David M. Van Slyke; guest Patrick Efiom; Regional Director of Development Keri Lowder ’95 B.A. (IR)/’96 M.P.A.; Brandi Efiom ’21 M.P.A.; and Josh Kaufmann ’09 M.P.A.

Harmony Eyers-Friedlander ’14

E.M.P.A. became the deputy commissioner of mental health and director of community services for Tompkins County, N.Y., in March 2021. She has dedicated almost three decades in educational, community-based and residential settings providing clinical services to children, youth and families.

Stephen Keil ’14 B.A. (IR) is now a strategy and issues management advisor for Chevron Corporation in Washington, D.C. He was previously Chevron’s project coordinator for international government affairs.

Jade Kraft ’14 B.A. (PSc) was appointed to the New York State government position of deputy communications director for Albany. Kraft previously served as deputy press secretary in the executive chamber.

Christopher Alexander ’15 B.A. (PSc) was confirmed by the New York State Senate as executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management.

Calvin Corriders ’15 B.A. (Soc) received a “40 under 40” award from the Central New York Business Journal. Corriders is the manager of neighborhood economic development for the Syracuse-based CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity.

Jeorge Cymon ’15 M.A.I.R./ M.S.P.R. was appointed to the position of deputy communications director for transportation for New York State. Cymon previously served as deputy press secretary in the executive chamber.

Elisabeth Chistel IJmker ’15 M.A.I.R. was installed as a councilor on the city council in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on behalf of “GroenLinks” (the green party in the Netherlands).

Matthew Michael Santacroce ’15 M.P.A. was appointed chief of the Office of Cannabis Regulation in the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation.

Vikas Sheel ’15 M.P.A. is an administrative service officer for India and serves as secretary for the country’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Sheel is part of the national team handling COVID emergency response, and developing and implementing Co-WIN, India’s digital COVID vaccination platform.

Ronald James-Terry Taylor ’15 B.A. (PSc/PSt) was appointed as the new head of Middle School at Browning School in New York City. Prior to the start of this appointment, he was acting director of the Office for Identity, Culture and Institutional Equity at Horace Mann School, also in New York City.

Alison Weber ’15 B.A. (Anth/IR) is working as an English community manager for Storybook, an Ecuadorian tech start-up. She does translation work, gives ESL classes and manages its English social media networks.

Mike Petroni ’16 M.P.A. published an article in Environmental Science & Policy titled “NYenviroScreen: An Open-Source Data Driven Method for Identifying Potential Environmental Justice Communities in New York State.” Petroni works as an environmental contractor and consultant helping clients by providing environmental forensics. His clients have included Hancock Estabrook LLP, ProPublica, the Electric Power Research Institute and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Sarah Pirzada ’16 M.P.A. was appointed by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey as the state’s chief operating officer.

Charlene Cordero ’17 M.P.A. was appointed to the position of assistant secretary for public safety for New York State.

Kayla Fermin ’17 B.A. (Geog) works as a permanent biological science technician and lead GIS specialist at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria, Ore.

Lauren Goodwillie ’17 B.A. (IR) was named one of 15 climate security fellows by the Center for Climate and Security, the American Security Project and the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program—all non-partisan organizations based in Washington, D.C. Mark Temnycky ’17 M.P.A./ M.A.I.R. was among the recipients of the Ukrainian World Congress’ inaugural Ukrainian Diaspora “30 under 30” award. The Ukrainian World Congress is an international non-governmental organization composed of 60 countries that work to support a European Ukraine, and has special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Rachel Baker ’18 M.P.A. was appointed to the position of assistant secretary for health for New York State. Baker previously served as an Excelsior Service Fellow.

Rachel Barnhart ’19 E.M.P.A. represents Rochester, N.Y.’s 21st district in the Monroe County Legislature. In June of 2021 she won the Democratic primary to retain the seat. Barnhart previously worked for 18 years as a broadcast journalist.

Laurel Bennett ’19 B.A. (IR) has accepted a position working with the fund administration team for the consulting firm Carter Mackenzie in Washington, D.C.

Mazaher Kaila ’19 B.A. (PSc) has joined the Syracuse-based law firm, Bousquet Holstein, as an associate. She is currently pursuing a J.D. at the Syracuse University College of Law.

Cynthia Wang ’19 B.A. (IR) is a lecturer teaching English and social science research methods at the University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France.

Baylee Wright ’19 B.A. (IR) has accepted a position as a senior global legal specialist with Bain and Company, a management consulting firm in Boston, Mass.

20s

Lara Hicks ’20 B.A. (IR)/’21 M.P.A. has accepted a position as executive assistant and assistant United Nations representative for the non-governmental organization Unanima. The New York City-based Unanima advocates for the environment, women, children, migrants and refugees, as well as those who are homeless or displaced.

Peter Karpinski ’20 E.M.P.A. was named executive vice president of operations, independent and lifestyle hotels at Pyramid Hotel Group LLC, based out of Boston, Mass.

Liam Kirst ’20 B.A. (PSc) received a “40 under 40” award from the Central New York Business Journal Kirst is a legislative aide to Senator John W. Mannion in the New York State Senate.