Current and Future Female Leaders in Women's Issues
Students in the Women in Politics and Public Policy program are a diverse group of current and future female leaders whose interests span a wide range of women's issues.
Meet the Class of 2010
Mirembe Asamoah
Aindrea Benduzek
Kimberly Burd
Carla Defossse
Nulise Francois
Gabrielle Giron
Joyce Holt
Teresa Jenkins
Jennifer Irrizary Kemp
Alyssa Levine
Shauntaye Merritt-Williams
Immaculate Nabawe
Samantha Noel
Shannon O'Malley
Larrissa Ongogni
Linda Parham
Janine Quarles
Meet the Class of 2008
Olufunke Adenodi Akinbuli
Funké Akinbuli has an MS and a BS from Boston University. She was born in Washington, DC, but grew up in Nigeria. Her reason for enrolling in the program: “My motivation stems from my life in Nigeria. Public Policy in most of Africa is excellent only on paper. My goal is to help Africa to actualize public policy especially as it relates to those that have been marginalized due to some form of disability.”
Cassandra Baxter
Cassandra entered the program with a BA from Wheaton College, where she majored in Psychology and Women's Studies. She says, “I am interested in women's health, sexual education, and international development. Other interests include nonprofit development and management.”
Ashley Correia
Ashley earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her interests include: “Health/disease research and advocacy—especially in the areas of autism research and special education.”
Carol Nemet Curran
Carol Nemet Curran has a BA in Economics (with Honors) from the University of Massachusetts Boston and has extensive experience in the mortgage industry. As a graduate student in the program, she is focusing on a bill that addresses the qualifications of staff members providing mental health care services to children.
Stephanie Drahan
Stephanie Drahan graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Skidmore College in Women's Studies and Government. Her background includes work with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and Planned Parenthood. During her year with the Program she hopes to explore possibilities for a career in domestic or international politics.
Ariela Gragg
Ariela Gragg graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in history in 2002. Her professional background includes the worlds of business, retail, finance and the arts. Currently Ariela is the manager of the repair department at Alpha Omega Jewelers at the Natick Collection, and is eager to build on her activist roots—with the goal of either law school or politics. Is currently at Northeastern Law School.
Kacie Kelly
Kacie holds a BA and a Master of Health Sciences degree from Louisiana State University. Originally from a small town north of Baton Rouge, she moved to Boston from San Francisco three years ago. Her current position is as Project Manager for a national Veterans Administration (VA) dissemination initiative working on evidence-based psychotherapy that is effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The project is sponsored by the National Center for PTSD and the VA Office of Mental Health Services.
Lorelei Kluever
Westfield State College. “I am 24 years old and a Communications graduate from Westfield State. I enjoy outdoor activities and vintage clothes. I previously worked at the activist organization ACORN which made me increasingly interested in the political arena; I am most strongly concerned with women's issues and the way in which the media frames politics.”
Lily Lockhart
Originally from the Boston area, Lily attended the New School University where she received her BFA and a BA. Following graduation she taught in a public high school in Queens, New York. Upon her return to Boston about a year ago, she has become interested in education policy advocacy, especially in poor and urban school districts. Is currenlty attending Northeastern School of Law.
Ijeoma Monica Njoku
Ijeoma Njoku has a BA from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. While in college, she served as the Women’s Editor, Union of Campus Journalists, and the Director of Socials for the All-Nigeria United Nations Students and Youth Association. After graduation she worked as a teacher and did missionary work. Her goal in the program is to train women in urban and rural areas of Nigeria to become advocates of peace and justice.
Heather Panahi
Heather Panahi teaches political science and US history at Dana Hall, an all-girls school in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She holds a BA and a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Southern California. She is currently on sabbatical from Dana Hall to pursue further graduate studies in the Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy. Her goal this year is to develop a young women's leadership training program for aspiring women leaders at the high school age. In addition her work as a teacher, she is also a mother of two daughters and an author of multi-cultural children's books.
Azure Parker
BA UMass Boston. “I am a proud mother of two girls and I love to read. I became interested with public policy during my under-grad at UMass Boston. I majored in Africana studies and Political Science. I plan to go to law school to become a civil rights lawyer.
Denise L. Perrault
Denise Perrault has a BA in Legal Education. She has volunteered in her community for many years to help people who are in hardship, for example, at the courthouse. Advocacy is her second nature; Denise believes in giving back to the community. Her passion is in social justice—serving as a voice for positive changes to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in the areas of education, housing, etc. She hopes that the changes made will encourage other women who will do the same for future generations.
Elizabeth Platt
BA Loyola. “Being born to a hard nosed feminist and the youngest of three sisters, I have always championed women's issues and strived for leadership while remaining at times the impressionable baby of the family. In adulthood I have found my independence through travel, leaving the nest and taking my passion for women's issues abroad to examine the global element.
Penny Price-Johnson
Penny Price-Johnson received her BA from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a double major in Spanish literature and Psychology and is currently a guidance counselor for the University High School, which is run in partnership with ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development). A native of Honduras, she has ”a strong interest in policy making and would like to use what I am learning to make a difference in the lives of other women.”
Amanda Rositano
Amanda Rositano has spent the four years since graduating from Emerson College working in and managing restaurants. After becoming interested in the political field, and in particular, in issues such as the environment, religion, and drug policy reform, she enrolled in the Women in Politics and Public Policy program to further her interests and hopefully pursue a career in public policy.
Nency Salamoun
Nency was born in Lebanon and moved to the United States when she was 8 years old. Her undergraduate degree is in political science and psychology. Her interests focus on the refugee and immigrant experience; Nency plans on attending law school in ’08, after completing the Graduate Certificate for Women in Politics & Public Policy.
Gosia Tomaszewska
BA from Rutgers University and an MA from Jagiellonian University in Poland. ”I was born in Poland and moved to the US in 1994 with my family. I graduated from Rutgers University with degrees in psychology and history. I got my MA in European studies at Jugiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. I worked in the mental health field. I'm hoping to work on policy issues in the area of women's human rights and in the further future to become a college professor in History/Women's Studies. I am a feminist!”
News about our recent graduates
Dalié Jiménez, Class of 2006,
is now in her third year at Harvard Law School.
Find out more about what our graduates have accomplished!
Visit the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy
The Graduate Program is part of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, which also offers exciting opportunities for research in women's issues and connections for current and future female leaders.
Watch a video. Visit the Center.
Apply Now for Sept. 2009
To find out if the program is right for you, contact Donna Stewartson, Associate Program Director, at 617.287.6785 or Donna.Stewartson@ umb.edu