DMI Scholars: Where Are They Now?
Fall/Winter Job Updates
Leanne Sajor is currently the Coordinator of Development and Programs at the Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation in New York City, and continues to explore her interest in education reform, non-profit governance and young women’s leadership.
Joe Taranto is the Deputy Chief of Staff for New York City Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, where he works on immigration, housing, participatory budgeting and other urban legislative policy issues.
Rakim Brooks is among the first Ed Baker Fellows at Demos, where he writes about democratic values in shaping social, political and economic issues.
Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein serves as an intern for the Office of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and works on communications and social media.
Nekpen Osuan is the Data and Operations Manager at Democracy Builders, the educational advocacy arm of Democracy Prep Public Schools in New York City.
Markus Kessler conducts health policy and health behavioral economic research at the New York University School of Medicine and Wagner School of Public Service.
Fall/Winter Graduate School Updates
LaCole Foots was recently accepted to the New Leaders Program at the Center For Progressive Leadership, a program developed for young people passionate about creating social change and equality.
Julia Yang is currently completing her studies at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar in the Social Policy program.
Deivid Rojas is studying internally displaced communities in Colombia under a Watson Fellowship, and examines the intersection of race, sexuality, gender and policy issues among internally displaced peoples.
Alexander Cumana is completing a master’s degree in International Commerce from George Mason University, while also working as a policy analyst for the Department of the Treasury.
2011 Summer Institute
This year’s Summer Institute was the first to host an NYC-based class of scholars. 2011 DMI Scholars took courses in policy research and analysis, participated in workshops on memo writing and political landscape analysis and networked with public policy changemakers.
Our Scholars met with a diverse group of guest speakers, including representatives from SEIU 32BJ, the Center for Social Inclusion and the Bronx Borough President’s Office. The Summer Institute culminated in Final Presentations, where the Scholars presented findings from their group policy projects on congestion pricing, living wage legislation, and immigration enforcement on Rikers Island.
2011 Professional Development Day
On Saturday, October 8, DMI welcomed Scholar alumni to Professional Development Day. This year’s event brought Scholars from Oakland, Minneapolis, Boston and other destinations to New York for a day of hands-on trainings and workshops. Experts from the Center for Popular Economics, Young People For and the Office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand trained our Scholars in data analysis, career development and public speaking. Participants also had the opportunity to connect with Scholars from other cohorts, including the classes of 2009, 2010 and 2011.