Rockefeller College Fall 2021 News Magazine

of Public Affairs & Policy News Magazine

SUNNY

DAYS

Rockefeller advisory board member Rochelle Haynes ’02 is the Vice President of U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop.

FALL 2021

Rockefeller College

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

As of July 2021, I am honored to serve as the interim dean of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

I believe that universities have a dual mission: to teach and to discover in the service of helping societies solve these pressing challenges. Rockefeller College seeks to achieve this mission by providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to be effective participants and leaders in political and policy processes while also producing new research that helps citizens and institutions govern societies more efficiently and effectively. Our goal is to help create freer, fairer, more sustainable, more inclusive, and more bountiful outcomes for everyone.

Faculty are the cornerstone of our efforts to realize this mission. Our awardwinning researchers conduct vital studies on important questions in criminal justice, political science, and public policy, helping us both to understand the world of public affairs better and to propose solutions for urgent problems. The faculty’s broad knowledge and expertise attract outstanding students from the undergraduate level through doctoral studies, including certificate training. Their work generates ideas that promote and sustain positive social change.

Students provide the inspiration and the hope for a better future. We aim to give students the expertise and knowledge they need to shape their passion, enthusiasm, and talent into the directed purpose and capacity they will need to change our communities and our world for the better.

To help students make this transformation, Rockefeller College has invested deeply in partnerships with organizations in the public, nonprofit, and corporate sectors to provide internships and career experiences. These life-altering experiences help to integrate ideas, knowledge, and skills into professional practices and habits of mind that make our students successful on day one of their career. Our alumni networks in Albany, New York City, Washington, and around the country and world are a critical component in ensuring our students’ successes.

I am excited about what the College has accomplished and about where we will go together. As a public institution, we operate in a special space. We provide a rich selection of opportunities to students who have historically used them to transform their personal futures. Many have also gone on to careers in public affairs and related fields with the sense that they can and should make the world a better place. Whether you are a prospective student thinking about a degree, an alum seeking to pay it forward, or an interested citizen of the world, please let us know how we can get you involved in the exciting things happening at Rockefeller College!

Sincerely, Julie Novkov Interim Dean, Professor, and Collins Fellow Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Alumni Spotlights Great Danes Turned Watchdogs................................................... 4-5

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Rochelle Haynes ’02......................................................................... 6-7 Kimberly Lyons, BA ’02, MPA ’04.................................................8 Advisory Board.................................................................................9 Alumni Awards........................................................................ 10-11 Outstanding Students Commencement Photos............................................... 12-13 Invaluable Internship Experience ������������������������ 14-15 CLPS Interns..................................................................... 16 Constitution Day/Excelsior Fellows ..................... 17

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Nationally Recognized Experts Open Access Policy......................................... 18-19 Miller Takes the Wheel............................... 20-21 AI in Government....................................... 22-23 NAPA Fellow Luna-Reyes ������������������������� 24 Faculty News................................................ 25

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Stewards of the Market ����������������������� 26 Celebrating 75 Years.......................... 27

Rockefeller College News Magazine | Fall 2021 Editor/Designer: Lizzie Barlow

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Contributors: Zakhar Berkovich, Shelley Friel, Kelly Hammond, Sheena Loughlin, Joan Marso, Jaclyn Napoleon, Yalitza Negron, Joan Nellhaus, Renee Wallingford, and Dyana Warnock Rockefeller College News Magazine is published twice a year. We are proud to share the achievements, contributions and perspectives of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni with the entire Rockefeller College community.

Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy 135 Western Avenue, Albany, N.Y. 12203 518-442-5244 • albany.edu/rockefeller

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GREAT DANES TURNED WATCHDOGS The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), often referred to as the “government watchdog,” has been a longstanding partner of Rockefeller College. Over the years, GAO Recruitment Program Manager and Rockefeller advisory board member Deborah Eichhorn, MA ’88 has helped numerous Rockefeller undergraduate and graduate students secure internships and full-time employment with the independent, non-partisan, and fact-based agency.

ABOUT GAO Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2021, GAO oversees how the federal government spends its funds and provides Congress with recommendations based on facts that will help improve services, while saving taxpayers money. With projects spanning nearly all fields, including cybersecurity, social security, foreign policy, and public health, GAO is a trusted advisor to Congress. Most recently, GAO has been evaluating the largest response to a national emergency in U.S. history — the $2.6 trillion COVID-19 response legislation — and making recommendations about how to improve its effectiveness in dealing with public health issues and the economy.

THE INTERNSHIP Based in Washington, D.C., GAO’s internship program is offered year-round to undergraduate and graduate students. Students can also work at one of the 11 field offices located around the country.

“Interns are integrated into their assigned teams and given substantive projects,” said Eichhorn. “More specifically, interns learn how to conduct federal audits and program evaluations, and apply that knowledge as part of a team; assist GAO analysts

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in planning and conducting in-depth reviews of executive and legislative branch programs; collect appropriate data, analyze the data, and develop data-based findings and conclusions; and present information both orally and in writing to diverse audiences.”

GAO’s prestigious internship program serves as a springboard for future public service leaders. In many instances, high-achieving interns have been able to secure full-time positions following their stints, including Rockefeller College alum Matt Lowney, MPA ’15. Lowney served as a management and program analyst intern at GAO during the third semester of his MPA program. While interning in D.C., Lowney attended classes virtually and returned to UAlbany for his final semester with a job offer in hand. He currently serves as a senior analyst at GAO.

FULL-TIME AT GAO Rockefeller College has a wide network of alums that currently work for GAO, including Lowney, Seraé LaFache-Brazier, BA ’17, MPA ’18, and Shannin O’Neill, BA ’01, MPA ’02. Read more about their experiences at GAO:

MATT LOWNEY, MPA ’15 Senior Analyst

SERAÉ LAFACHE-BRAZIER, BA ’17, MPA ’18

What are your roles and responsibilities?

I lead and assist with reviews of federal programs, operations, and activities related to homeland security and justice. For these reviews, we examine and analyze documents and data, and interview officials at all levels of government, private entities, and non-profit organizations, as well as people who use or are affected by federal programs, operations, and activities.

What are your roles and responsibilities?

As an analyst, I work as part of a team to review federal agency programs and operations. This work typically results in a written GAO report and/or congressional briefings and hearings. Analysts use their methodological, research, documenting, writing, and presenting skills to present findings and often, recommendations for executive action. Strategic Issues focuses on the federal government’s role in achieving national goals in an increasingly networked environment and its ability to deliver and ensure accountability for meaningful results. The strategic issues team is somewhat unique because the team addresses cross-cutting challenges that have impacts on the federal government as a whole, such as the nation’s fiscal health or critical skill gaps in the federal workforce.

What has been a highlight at GAO? I served as a team member on review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster assistance program for individuals and families. During this review, we traveled to areas impacted by 2017 and 2018 hurricanes — Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and North Carolina — and spoke with government officials, non-profit organizations, and disaster survivors to better understand any challenges officials and survivors experienced with the program and opportunities for improvement.

Analyst, Strategic Issues Team

What has been a highlight at GAO? A highlight of my position at GAO has been my experiences working with a wide range of people with different subject matter expertise both internal to GAO as well as at various agencies during engagements.

SHANNIN O’NEILL, BA ’01, MPA ’02

Assistant Director, Information Technology & Cybersecurity Team What are your roles and responsibilities?

I oversee audit teams in analyzing information technology acquisition challenges and identifying ways to improve the accountability and performance of federal government IT programs to support the United States Congress. I guide teams of analysts in developing audit methodologies, collecting and analyzing data, interviewing agency officials, developing recommendations for improvement, and writing reports and testimony statements for Congress. In the past several years, my audits have mostly focused on the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce and Education. I also coach and develop staff and maintain client relations with members of Congress and their staff. Lastly, I manage hiring for our Information Technology and Cybersecurity team.

What has been a highlight at GAO? It is always a high point for me when our congressional clients decide to hold a hearing based on the findings from a report I worked on. I find it rewarding to see Congressional oversight in action to hold agencies accountable in an effort to improve government operations. I have worked on a number of testimony statements over the years related to topics such as the Department of Homeland Security’s implementation of the Human Resources Information Technology investment and preparations for the 2020 Census. albany.edu/rockefeller

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

ROCHELLE HAYNES, BA ’02 VICE PRESIDENT OF US SOCIAL IMPACT, SESAME WORKSHOP

If you had to condense your job description into an elevator pitch, how would it read?

As a social impact leader at Sesame Workshop, my focus has been on scaling Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC). SSIC is a bilingual, multimedia initiative harnessing the power of Muppets and research-based content to reach vulnerable children with resources that foster healthy development — literacy, numeracy, health and social emotional learning. We partner with national early childhood development organizations and regional coalitions to deliver resources to help vulnerable children mitigate against the effects of trauma. Our goal is to not only provide resources but to use our platform to raise awareness of the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences and the support needed to help vulnerable children and families.

What about your job at Sesame Workshop inspires you?

What truly inspires me about my work with Sesame Workshop is the Sesame Street in Communities partners. Throughout the country, we have partners who are serving kids and families at all levels — from policy leaders advocating for additional early childhood development resources to direct service organizations providing much-needed on-the-ground support to vulnerable children and families. All our partners have an unwavering dedication and tenacious spirit when it comes to being of service to families. And, when I reflect on how they have been innovatively responsive to the needs of families from the start of the pandemic until now, I am inspired by their unwavering commitment and leadership.

How did Rockefeller College prepare you for your career?

Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, I spent most of my career working on anti-poverty policies and programs as a public servant. For over 10

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years I served in a variety of roles in New York City government, ranging from policy analyst to Chief of Staff with a focus on affordable housing, social services and homelessness prevention. My time at Rockefeller College as a political science major prepared me for public service by helping me develop the analytical skills needed to review complex policy problems and develop strategies on how to advance said policies through the legislative process. As an undergraduate, in addition to the core instructional training I received, the College’s location and connections to the New York State Legislature afforded me the opportunity to apply theory in a practical way by serving as a policy and legislative intern which was invaluable experience.

Was there anyone at Rockefeller who left a lasting impact on you?

During my time at Rockefeller College, Dr. Anne Hildreth’s teachings and mentorship left a lasting impact on me. In her lectures, she would thoughtfully push her students to go beyond surface level political analysis to understanding the role that data and election outcomes play in the overall political economy. While as a mentor, she was a champion of my studies and scholarship as I navigated being a first-generation four-year college student with aspirations for graduate studies.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your career and life?

When I reflect on my career and life, my proudest accomplishments have a common thread of the moments when I was truly of service to others.

During my career, any moment when I was able to leverage my role to bring awareness to the needs of vulnerable communities and couple that with the advancement of inclusive policies and resources, has filled me with pride and a sense of purpose.

One project that stands out to me is when my team and I successfully secured over $20 million to

CAN YOU TELL ME

HOW TO GET, HOW TO GET TO

SESAME STREET?

Photo courtesy of Sesame Workshop

provide additional social service support to families experiencing homelessness. While personally, I am committed to mentoring students, especially Black Indigenous People of Color and first generation undergraduate and graduate students, to help diversify the field of public policy thought leaders.

My proudest moments during the mentorship experience have been when my mentees were accepted into some of the top graduate programs throughout the country. To help them achieve that scholarship milestone and knowing how it will and has propelled them to be future policy leaders has been the honor of my life.

When you’re not on the job, where can you be found?

When I am not on the job, I spend a fair amount of time on volunteerism, which can range from civic engagement, mentorship, and charitable giving to serving on the boards of both the Rockefeller College as well as Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. And, when I want to completely detach and ensure that I am practicing a good work-

life balance and feeding my spirit, I am enjoying cultural arts (theater, museums) throughout my hometown of New York City, practicing yoga and/or dance, traveling, or spending time with family and friends.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a current Rockefeller student?

One piece of advice I would share with a current student is to fully embrace your scholarship journey by taking the courses that are furthering your knowledge for your intended career, but also the courses that are simply for the joy of learning. Take the time to attend lectures and panel discussions, as they are also part of your scholarship journey and will plant seeds for your future. Take the time to learn from current faculty as well as participate in internships, as these experiences are the early seeds to help you gain clarity as you formulate your career plan. Most importantly, know that a career is truly a marathon with many twists and turns, highs and lows, but if you fully embrace the joy and scholarship of the journey, you will find fulfillment.

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KIMBERLY LYONS, BA ’02, MPA ’04 VICE PRESIDENT-SENIOR ANALYST, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE

If you had to condense your job description into an elevator pitch, how would it read?

I would pitch my job as someone who provides an objective opinion on the investment viability of a state or local government. The way I explain it to people with absolutely no financial background is that I provide a credit rating to local governments similar to the way you have a personal credit score.

What about your job at Moody’s inspires you?

I love the issuer outreach aspect of my job. I love talking to different government management teams and understanding how they are envisioning the growth and future prospects of their regions. It’s particularly interesting watching the changing demographic and economic trends of certain regions as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, I love what I represent in this industry. I love when young women reach out to me about opportunities in this industry — as we know finance is traditionally a male dominated world. I hope that young women can see themselves in me, particularly young Black women who are underrepresented across the board.

How did Rockefeller prepare you for your career?

Anyone who knows me knows this is the first thing I say whenever I’m asked about my experience at Rockefeller — the MPA program fully prepared me for my career. My finance career is not grounded in spreadsheets and modeling. Public finance is the sweet spot between qualitative and quantitative analysis and the fundamental skills taught at Rockefeller have helped me immensely. I still have some of my old textbooks and reference them often.

I feel incredibly lucky to have attended Rockefeller College.

Was there anyone at Rockefeller who left a lasting impact on you?

Public Service Professor David Liebschutz who taught my “Intro to Public Finance” course and Robin Prunty, also a Rockefeller alum who is now the Chief

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Analytical Officer for U.S. Public Finance at Standard & Poors. Professor Liebschutz made me aware of the idea of using our degrees in the private sector and the concept of the municipal bond market as a viable career option. Robin Prunty was a guest speaker in my public finance class, and she took time to speak with me afterwards about my interest in the field, and gave me tangible advice to help me enter the industry. She remains a friend and mentor to this day.

These two absolutely changed the trajectory of my career, and I am forever grateful.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your career & life?

My proudest career moments have actually been tied to Rockefeller: (1) Professor Liebschutz asked me to be a guest speaker at one of his classes (like Robin) and I made the same impact on one of his students who currently has an amazing role at Moody’s. (2) Being named a Rockefeller College Distinguished Young Alum. (3) When I was asked to join the Alumni Advisory Board. My proudest life moment is harder to quantify. I am just extremely lucky to have a loving and supportive family and a group of friends who are also family.

When you’re not on the job, where can you be found?

Spending quality time with my family and friends or traveling. The pandemic has really shown the importance of living life to the fullest and making the most of the time you have. What’s important for me is surrounding myself with the people I love and making lasting memories.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a current Rockefeller student?

Don’t box yourself into one career path. Be flexible, teachable, and willing to pivot. The world is changing rapidly and you have to be able to adapt.

TANYA MEISENHOLDER, PHD ’13 JOINS ROCKEFELLER ADVISORY BOARD

TANYA MEISENHOLDER, PHD ’13

Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion, New York City Police Department The Rockefeller College Advisory Board is pleased to welcome Tanya Meisenholder, PhD ’13 as a new member. Tanya serves as the Deputy Commissioner for Equity and Inclusion for the New York City Police Department, and has been with the NYPD for nearly 15 years. While working on her doctorate at UAlbany’s School of Criminal Justice, she served as site coordinator for the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM) and as a research and policy analyst for the Schenectady Police Department. Welcome, Tanya!

ROCKEFELLER COLLEGE ADVISORY BOARD Vincent J. Abramo, BA ’67

Jonathan Doh, MA ’86

Angela Albertus, BA ’88

Deborah Eichhorn, MA ’88

Recruitment Program Manager, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Advisory Board Co-Chair, Director of Government Affairs, Capitol City Group, Ltd., Attorney, Harrington & Vitale, Ltd.

Joe Bonilla, BA ’11

Rose Gallagher, BA ’15, MPA ’16

John D. Porcari, MPA ’85

Donald E. Boyce, III, BS ’06, MPA ’08

Rochelle Haynes, BA ’02

Catherine Provost, BA ’05

Construction Safety & Occupational Health Manager, Overseas Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State

Division Chief, Family Court Division, New York City Law Department

Managing Partner, Senior Media Director and Co-Founder, Relentless Awareness

Associate Dean of Research and Herbert G. Rammrath Endowed Chair in International Business, Villanova University, School of Business

Grassroots Advocacy Manager, National Organization for Rare Disorders

Vice President, Regulatory Relations, Barclays

Vice President of US Social Impact, Sesame Workshop

Lola Brabham, BA ’96, MPA ’00

Frank Jazzo, BS ’80

Cara Pace, BA ’93

Chief Administrative Officer, United Hospice of Rockland

Cecelia F. Pelkey, MPA ’95

Port Envoy, Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force

Director of Constituent Services, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen

President, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities

Advisory Board Co-Chair, Member, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC (retired)

Nic Rangel, BA ’06, MPA ’11

Peter W. Brusoe, BA ’03, MA ’04

Lawrence J. Korb, PhD ’69

Thomas Roach, BA ’83

Assistant Professor of Economics and Political Science, SUNY Delhi

Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress

David Buck

State Reform Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (retired)

Principal, Government and Public Services, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Joel B. Korn, BA ’80

Jennifer A. Manner, BA ’86

Senior Advisor, Brown & Weinraub, PLLC

Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, EchoStar Corporation

Gerard Citera, BA ’77

Laura Masse, BA ’86

Michael T. Cassidy, BA ’08, MPA ’10

Second Deputy Counsel, NYS Senate Majority

Mayor, White Plains, NY

Gregory Serio, BA ’83 Managing Director, Park Strategies, LLC

Gary Striar, MPA ’79

Regional Chief Executive Officer American Red Cross, Eastern New York Region (retired)

Alicia Tambe, BA ’11

Senior Policy Adviser, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission

Partner, DemandWerks

Public Policy Manager, Global Connectivity and Access, Facebook

Robert Mauro, PhD ’09

Sheri Denkensohn-Trott, BS ’89

Director, Global Leadership Institute, Boston College

Michael Tobman, BA ’95

Senior Advisor for Public Health Oversight, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (retired)

Tanya Meisenholder, PhD ’13

Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion, New York City Police Department

Principal, Tobman Strategies LLC

Barbara VanEpps, MPA ’92

Deputy Director, New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials

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ROCKEFELLER COLLEGE 2021 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

DAVID VERBRASKA, MA ’91

Executive Vice President, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, Boy Scouts of America

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE COLLEGE

DEBORAH EICHHORN, MA ’88

Recruitment Program Manager, U.S. Government Accountability Office

CRIMINAL JUSTICE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

GENE PAOLINE, MA ’96, PHD ’00

Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, University of Central Florida

CRIMINAL JUSTICE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA

TANYA MEISENHOLDER, PHD ’13 Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion, New York City Police Department

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

JANET MORAN, BA ’85 Principal, Deloitte

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

JOHN PORCARI, MPA ’85

Port Envoy, Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force

YOUNG ALUMNUS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

DAVID ROZEN, BA ’07

Deputy General Counsel, New York City Commission on Human Rights

YOUNG ALUMNUS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

SAMRAT BOSE, PHD ’12

Quantitative Risk Manager, Santander Holdings USA

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Each year, Rockefeller College proudly bestows its highest honor on a number of distinguished individuals for their exemplary service to the public and to the College. This year, the College is delighted to present Alumni Awards to the following extraordinary individuals for their achievements in the areas of political science, public administration, criminal justice, leadership, and continuing professional development.

10 UNDER 10 AWARD

The 10 Under 10 Award recognizes and celebrates the great achievements of alumni who have graduated with a degree from Rockefeller College within the last 10 years. We are proud to celebrate their outstanding contributions during the early stages of their careers.

ADELE COSTA, MPA ’17

Communications Director, National Women’s Health Network

MATT CURRAN, BA ’13, MPA ’14

Policy Advisor, New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

KAYLA JAMES, BA ’17, MA ’18

Program Associate, Vera Institute of Justice

JOSH RINGEL, BA ’13, MPA ’15

Village Manager, Village of Briarcliff Manor

SARAH RODRIGUEZ, MPA ’12 Director, KPMG Healthcare and Government Solutions Advisory Practice

BEN SPEAR, BA ’11, MPA ’12

Chief Information Security Officer, New York State Board of Elections

AMANDA TINAPHONG, MPA ’16 Medicaid Section Head, New York State Division of the Budget

ALOAYÉ TISOR, MPA ’19

Special Assistant, Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

MATT WILEY, MPA ’17

Medical Countermeasures Program Coordinator, New York State Department of Health

AKUA WILLIAMS, BA ’18, MA ’20

Financial Intelligence Analyst, High Intensity Financial Crime Area (HIFCA), Manhattan District Attorney’s Office

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COMMENCEM

CONGRATULATIONS

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MENT 2021

S, GRADUATES!

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INVALUABLE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

MICHAEL BORISADE

Master of Public Administration, May 2022 intended New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS) I completed my internship at the New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS) as an Administrative Student Assistant. The mission of OVS is to provide compensation to innocent victims of crime, their families, and other eligible individuals in a timely, efficient, and compassionate manner. We also fund direct services to crime victims and their families through a network of programs across New York State; and advocate for the rights and benefits of all innocent victims of crime.

This experience is fitting with my overall career intentions because I have a passion for public service. My concentration in the MPA program is Policy Process, Politics, and Institutions. Seeing how government-funded institutions help the community has been able to satisfy my passion and further encourage me to continue my education in the public service and management field. OVS has continued to encourage and challenge my educational aspirations and I’m forever grateful to this organization.

MADELYN CZAJKOWSKI

Master of Public Administration, December 2021 intended U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence and Analysis I worked in Washington, D.C. for two and a half months with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, which is an element within DHS. The mission of I&A is to “equip the Homeland Security Enterprise with the timely intelligence and information it needs to keep the homeland safe, secure, and resilient,” which furthers the DHS mission of securing the nation’s borders and maintaining national security. I worked as an intelligence analyst, where I evaluated intelligence gathered by other organizations, such as the CIA or NCTC. My branch’s focus was on travel and immigration of terrorists, so after reviewing the intelligence, I would organize it into a short report and brief it to my leadership. My main task was searching for threats to the homeland.

In the future, I can see myself continuing on this path of national security/foreign affairs and continuing my work with DHS. I definitely feel more confident in pursuing a career with the federal government, whether that be with DHS or another federal agency. I can also see myself taking a foreign policy approach to my career, and seeking employment with agencies with that focus, such as the Department of State. I am very interested in travel and U.S. relations with other countries, so I would love a career that allows me to incorporate those into my job.

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Gaining valuable real-world experience through a professional internship is an integral component of the masters programs at Rockefeller College. Michael Borisade, Madelyn Czajkowski, Amnah Dhailia, and Liane Espino talk about their recent internships and how the experience has influenced their plans for the future.

AMNAH DHAILIA

Master of International Affairs, May 2022 intended National Council on US-Arab Relations (NCUSAR), US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC) I did a dual remote program for the National Council on US-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) and the US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC) — both organizations work on improving relations between the US and the Middle East. My interest in interning with these organizations stemmed from my passion about Middle Eastern politics.

As an Arab American woman I wanted to lend my voice and knowledge where it matters most and I believe that my work is best suited advocating and building bridges on both sides of my identity.

One of the highlights that I experienced as an intern was with USQBC, which was in the middle of building its business portal that I had a hand in constructing. We built a comprehensive and professional website to help familiarize any American business interested in joining with Qatar and vice versa. The portal included information on all sectors of business, from tourism to technology to agriculture, along with interesting information on major cities and areas of commerce in both countries.

I believe this experience has and continues to benefit me in many ways, not only from the expansive amount of knowledge and skills that I took from it, but also from the networking that I had made while interning.

LIANE ESPINO

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, December 2022 intended Division of Human Rights I am currently completing my internship with the Division of Human Rights here in Albany. The DHR’s mission is to ensure that every individual has an equal opportunity to participate fully in the economic, cultural, and intellectual life of the State. The DHR was created to enforce the Human Rights Law, which affords every citizen “an equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life.” My role is to participate in the processing of discrimination complaints and observe first-hand how the Division investigates, prosecutes, and conducts hearings to determine if discriminatory conduct in violation of New York State law has occurred.

My goal after I graduate with my master’s is to enter the criminal justice/psychology field within prisons.

Although the DHR is a little different, my investigative skills have gotten much better. My patience when it comes to others has improved as well. The DHR has opened a platform for me to be able to speak to individuals more efficiently as well as to be aware of the way people speak and what they say (pay A LOT of attention to detail). albany.edu/rockefeller

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CLPS INTERNS STUDY RURAL COVID COMMUNICATIONS Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy undergraduate students Kira Brainard and Joseph Creamer are spending the Fall 2021 semester interning with the Center for Law & Policy Solutions (CLPS). The pair has teamed up with students from SUNY Empire State College and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) to study how COVID-19 information was communicated to rural communities by the State of New York during the pandemic.

Housed at the Rockefeller Institute of Government (RIG), the Center for Law & Policy Solutions is a collaboration among RIG, UAlbany’s Rockefeller College, SUNY Empire State College, HVCC, Albany Law School, and University at Buffalo School of Law. Researchers at CLPS investigate how decisions of law and policy affect ordinary people and communities to help policymakers, community organizers, and the public develop practical solutions to pressing public policy issues.

Each semester, the Center for Law & Policy Solutions Internship Program gives students hands-on exposure to policy analysis and advocacy. Interns work closely with the CLPS internship program director to collect and analyze data and then write research deliverables such as blogs and policy briefs. At the end of the semester, the CLPS research interns present their findings to policymakers, researchers, and the public in a formal report and presentation.

ABOUT ROCKEFELLER COLLEGE’S FALL 2021 CLPS RESEARCH INTERNS: Kira Brainard is majoring in political science at Rockefeller College. She is a member of the Presidential Honors Society and is the social media chair for Project Sunshine at UAlbany.

Recently, Kira interned for New York State Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal where she dealt with constituent concerns and aided with unemployment, testing, and vaccine issues related to COVID-19. After completing her undergraduate degree, Kira hopes to attend law school and potentially continue with policy research.

Joseph “Joey” Creamer is majoring in political science and public administration at Rockefeller College. On campus, Creamer served as the vice president of Generation Vote at UAlbany, an organization which promotes civic engagement. Most recently, he interned for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, aiding staff across the state on various projects. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree, Creamer’s goal is to pursue a master’s in public administration and continue his career in public service.

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Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021

Scan to view CLPS research reports

2021 EXCELSIOR SERVICE FELLOWS The Excelsior Service Fellowship Program, launched in 2013, is an initiative to bring highly talented recent graduates of law, graduate, and professional schools into government service. Excelsior Fellows bring diverse backgrounds and new perspectives to a host of policy and operational positions in New York State government. Excelsior Fellows start each year in early September and are placed within the Executive Chamber, a government agency, or authority for a two-year fellowship.

Jacklynn Blanchard, MPA ’20 NYS Office of Victim Services

Aaliyah Fernandez, MPA ’21

NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

Madeleine Goodman, MIA ’21

NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Alex Pearce, MPA ’21

NYS Department of Health, Center for Health Care Facility Planning, Licensure, and Finances

This year, Rockefeller College had four students chosen to participate in the prestigious fellowship program:

CONSTITUTION DAY ESSAY CONTEST Senior political science major Christian Vitek was announced as the winner of UAlbany’s 2021 Constitution Day Essay Contest.

Essay competitors were asked: Should term limits be enacted for elected officials in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate? Applicants had up to 500 words to present and defend their views.

Christian Vitek

Vitek wrote that term limits are needed because of the politicians who “cannot set aside ego and hubris,” serving decade after decade rather than inviting “a passing of political batons to the next generation.”

Using the example of Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 and is now in his seventh term, Vitek wrote, “There should be mutual understanding that aging politicians should step down in the interest of the next generations rather than their own political ambitions. Since a mutual understanding of stepping aside for the next class of leaders to step up is absent, there must be a structural caveat to ensure this process happens.”

Vitek received a $250 Visa gift card for his winning essay. In addition, sophomore political science major Isabella Blauvelt-Mercado earned third place and a $50 gift card.

U.S. Constitution Day is a federal observance recognizing the adoption of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

Constitution Day at UAlbany is sponsored by Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, the School of Criminal Justice, the Center of Leadership and Service, the Office for Government and Community Relations, Student Affairs, Women and Public Policy, the Alumni Association, UAlbany Votes and SUNY.

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What is open access?

Open access (OA) is a term generally used to describe materials that are in public domain, i.e., that any member of the public can access easily, usually online, and at no cost. The UAlbany policy Matthew C. Ingram contains definitions, and its more detailed definition of OA is: “scholarship that is freely available online, free of cost, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions, permitting users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles for any lawful purpose.” Thus, OA makes research and scholarship more freely and easily accessible to campus community and to broader local, state, national, and international community.

Why is OA important?

In contrast to OA, many scholarly materials are owned by commercial publishers and are only available behind a pay wall. Even academic publishers, like university presses, behave as commercial publishers this way. Any member of the general public cannot access these materials without paying a fee, and institutions like UAlbany pay large amounts of money so that campus community can access materials. Even after paying for access to the material, there are strict limitations on copying or otherwise sharing material, and if one has paid for electronic access to material, there may also be limitations on printing, downloading, or redistributing material.

In short, traditional publishing restricts access to scholarship, and open access seeks to increase accessibility. This goal is arguably more important

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Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021

for scholars at public institutions, where public funding sustains scholarship, and where institutional goals are aligned with increasing access to higher education. For example, SUNY’s mission is, in part, “to provide to the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access…”, and UAlbany’s mission is, in part, “to open opportunities—locally and globally—with a single-minded purpose: To empower our students, faculty, and campus communities to author their own success.”

Why did UAlbany create an open access policy now?

In March 2018, the SUNY Chancellor issued a resolution directing each campus to do two things: (1) develop an open access policy, and (2) create a searchable repository. UAlbany already had an institutional repository in place (Scholars Archive) but the open access policy was missing. The new policy completes the university’s response to the directive.

Starting in Fall 2018, Billie Franchini, then Chair of the Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing (LISC) Council of the University Senate, gathered a diverse group of staff, faculty, and students into an Open Access Policy Working Group, of which I was chair. Since then, we debated the contents of the policy, reviewed similar policies elsewhere, drafted a policy, met with multiple groups on campus, and moved the policy through the various stages of university governance. But for the pandemic, this process would have likely been completed in 2020.

What is UAlbany’s OA Policy?

An OA policy establishes a set of expectations and practices to encourage and expand access to scholarship generated by campus authors. The key

On September 15, 2021, a new Open Access Policy took effect at UAlbany.

Associate Professor Matthew Ingram, who worked on the three-year project explains, “What is Open Access and what does the new OA policy mean for students, faculty, and staff?”

step for authors is to submit the accepted version of a publication (e.g., article) to Scholars Archive.

The full set of policy materials along with author support services managed by University Libraries are available by scanning the QR code on this page.

Key people — both of whom also served on Open Access Policy Working Group since 2018 — are Emily Kilcer, Scholarly Communications Librarian, and Lindsay Van Berkom, Scholars Archive Administrator.

Another key person for Rockefeller College is Angela Hackstadt, Subject Librarian for Political Science, Public Policy, Public Administration, and Law. What does new policy mean for students, faculty, and staff?

Common concerns include whether new policy requires authors to give away work to the university, publish in specific journals, or pay expensive fees for open access publications.

A pithy answer to these concerns is a simple “no.”

There is an opt-out waiver for authors, so authors can easily waive requirements of policy.

However, assuming authors do not exercise waiver, the policy requires that when you publish something, you submit the accepted version of the manuscript to Scholars Archive. This version of the manuscript is the final, accepted version prior to formatting and typesetting that is specific to publishers, and is sometimes called a “pre-print.” Submitting this version of your manuscript will increase access to and visibility of your work.

Notice the timing of this step. The manuscript has already been accepted for publication at an outlet of the author’s choosing, and the policy did not interfere in any way with this choice of outlet.

Further, publishers usually circulate a contract

around this time. Authors are frequently happy to publish and do not read these contracts closely, and some contracts ask you to transfer exclusive rights to the publisher. So, while the new policy does not ask you to give away anything to the university, it might be worth reading publishing contracts more closely to make sure you are not giving anything away to the publisher. Lastly, these contracts usually offer an open access format with expensive articleprocessing charges that are prohibitive for most authors. The new policy does not require you to pay these costs or publish in open access format.

However, the existence of the policy might give you some leverage to negotiate with publishers for a reduced charge for open access publication.

These examples illustrate core goals of the policy: to enhance academic freedom and empower authors.

The policy does this by increasing awareness of publishing models and supporting authors to retain control over, make more deliberate decisions about, and increase visibility of publications. Returning to Emily Kilcer, Scholarly Communications Librarian at UAlbany, she puts it this way: “The Open Access Policy truly empowers UAlbany authors by ensuring they retain the rights necessary to share their work more broadly and increase their impact. It is flexible and centers academic freedom: there’s a no-questions asked waiver and authors can still publish in venues of their choosing. And if you have any questions or need help navigating the process, the Libraries are here to help!”

Scan to view the University’s Open Access Policy

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MILLER TAKES THE WHEEL Established in 1978 at the request of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, UAlbany’s Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR) conducts traffic safety research and offers a variety of services to local, state and national agencies and organizations seeking to reduce motor vehicle crashes, fatalities, and injuries.

On July 1, Gerard “Jerry” Miller assumed leadership of the Institute, with the task of continuing to adapt ITSMR research to meet the evolving challenges facing the community at large, including the legalization of marijuana on traffic safety on driving in New York.

Why was the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research started and how has it helped improve traffic safety in New York?

ITSMR was established in 1978 to provide a link between the State University of New York and New York Jerry Miller state government to provide a mechanism for integrating academic expertise and resources into efforts to prevent motor vehicle crashes and reduce fatalities and injuries on the state’s roadways.

The Institute’s primary functions are conducting research on the causes and contributing factors to motor vehicle crashes and designing evaluation studies to assess the effectiveness of programmatic and legislative initiatives to reduce crashes and the severity of injuries suffered. In addition, the Institute provides a variety of services related to 20

Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021

Miller first joined ITSMR in 2016 as a project director and has been instrumental in expanding the Institute’s capabilities in the area of drugs and driving. Prior to ITSMR, he worked for New York for 15 years in various capacities, including serving as a program representative for the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee where he also held the position of state coordinator for New York’s Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) program.

He began his professional career as a police officer in 1993 in Pittsfield, Mass., and has a master’s degree in public administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

highway safety concerns of the member agencies of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), the State Legislature, local governments, county traffic safety boards and other highway safety organizations.

These services include consultation in areas of highway safety policy, strategic planning, and traffic records systems; information services; technical assistance in research design and methodology, survey design, data analysis and program evaluation; training; and group facilitation and organizational support services. New York has led the nation in the implementation of major initiatives to improve highway safety, including passing of the nation’s first seat belt law and establishing the renowned STOPDWI program, a self-sustaining statewide program to curb drinking and driving.

ITSMR has adapted to technological advancements over the years in two prominent areas: the Traffic Safety Statistical Repository and the Drug

Recognition Expert Data Entry & Management System. Both of these tools provide in-depth information and data analyses in the areas of crash and ticket data, as well as drug-impaired driving.

The DRE Data System has been so successful in New York that the University has licensed the software and it has now been implemented in 12 additional states.

What are some of the changes you’ve seen in your three decades in traffic safety?

Technology has been one of the greatest changes in terms of both challenges and opportunities.

Information is now at the fingertips of everyone from the police office on the street, the dispatcher behind the radio, the analyst generating reports, and the policy makers evaluating the effectiveness of programs. The elimination of paper and the transformation to electronic records has opened a world of opportunities.  In addition, the use of technology by automakers has certainly improved the safety of our roads.

Lane departure warnings, self-dimming headlights, blind spot monitoring, ignition interlock devices, airbags, crash alerts and 911 notifications, alcohol detection systems, and self-driving vehicles have all contributed to safer roadways. Technology has the potential to correct for human error in ways that traditional behavior modification methods cannot.

However, technology comes with its challenges.

In addition to technological changes, I have seen a tremendous shift in driver behavior and attitudes in regard to drinking and driving. Over the past 30 years there has been real success in the messaging that drinking and driving is not acceptable, and crashes have dropped significantly as a result. The ease of arranging a ride today via a cell phone and the popularity of ride share companies have made a tremendous impact. Unfortunately, much work is still ahead of us in regard to getting that same message delivered for drug impaired drivers.

What are some of the current research projects at ITSMR? Drug impaired driving will be a major area of interest for ITSMR in the coming years. The GTSC funded the development of the DRE Data Entry & Management System in 2014. Through the DRE System, Drug Recognition Experts collect data during the evaluation of a suspected drug impaired

driver. The data is transmitted to a statewide database maintained by ITSMR. Through grant funding sponsored by GTSC, ITSMR will conduct research and analysis to assist with legislative and policy initiatives as well as make recommendations for the overall improvement of the Drug Recognition program nationwide.

Effective March 31, New York State enacted legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis. To help determine the eventual effect of this legislation on traffic safety, the GTSC recently funded ITSMR to conduct a study that examined the pre-law data with regard to drivers found to be driving with cannabis in their system. The findings should provide valuable information to New York’s traffic safety community, especially the state’s Advisory Council on Impaired Driving and the GTSC, for developing effective enforcement and public awareness strategies to address the problem of drug-impaired driving among motorists in New York State.

How did your experience as a police officer impact your career?

My experience as a police officer is one that I will always cherish. I learned a tremendous amount during my eight years in uniform. The career of a police officer is incredibly unique, challenging and rewarding. Many of those experiences translated to lessons that I have carried with me in my professional career and have translated into life-long lessons.

I did not experience a pivotal event in my law enforcement career that moved me into the arena of traffic safety, but rather I developed a deep appreciation over time for the critical need for information and data to better improve the decisions being made by police officers as well as the policies being implemented by administrators and legislators.

Law enforcement officers need timely and accurate data, and they need the technological tools to stay ahead of an ever-changing environment.

Administrators need information at their fingertips to make critical decisions and to direct resources.

Legislators need the support of research and data in order to implement effective laws. I have had the great fortune over the past 20 years to be involved in some wonderful projects that I believe have contributed to better policing and safer communities.

Learn more about ITSMR at itsmr.org

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EXPLORING THE ROLE OF AI IN GOVERNMENT

Center for Technology in Government Director J. Ramon Gil-Garcia and UAlbany Associate Vice President for Research Theresa A. Pardo have taken on lead roles in producing a special issue on Artificial Intelligence in Government for Social Science Computer Review.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a term first coined in the 1950s that speaks to the ability of machines to carry out tasks by displaying intelligent, humanlike behavior, or a machine’s capacity to behave as an intelligent agent by perceiving its environment and taking actions to achieve some goals.

In a modern sense, researchers and developers are interested in how AI applications can augment labor and increase productivity to more effectively allocate resources and foster innovation.

But with this innovation comes the potential for misuse, where AI becomes a tool for bad actors to steal personal data or proprietary information or manipulate unknowing victims.

With the increased use of AI applications by public services and agencies, researchers at the University at Albany have taken on lead roles in producing a special issue on Artificial Intelligence in Government for Social Science Computer Review.

The editors for the publication include UAlbany’s Center for Technology in Government Director J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, UAlbany Associate Vice President for Research Theresa A. Pardo, and Professor of Digitalization Rony Medaglia of the Copenhagen Business School.

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“As a new series of technologies and techniques, AI needs to be understood, and where appropriate, harnessed by government agencies,” said Gil-Garcia, who also serves an associate professor of Public Administration and Policy at UAlbany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. “Making decisions about when to use AI and for which purposes will become an imperative for governments around the world.”

The introductory article to the special issue presents an overview of some of the main policy initiatives across the world in relation to AI in government and discusses the state of existing research.

Based on an analysis of current trends in research and practice, the introduction to the special issue highlights four areas to be the focus of future research on AI in government: governance of AI, trustworthy AI, impact assessment methodologies and data governance.

“Many questions remain about how decisions guiding the use of AI in the public sector are made, as well as the potential positive and negative consequences on people,” said Pardo, who also serves as a CTG UAlbany senior fellow and research professor of Public Administration and Policy at Rockefeller College. “This special issue focuses

on understanding the governance of AI and how to improve it to generate public value.”

Among the themes covered, the special issue noted that future research on AI and government will need to focus on devising novel governance models to face diverse challenges, by identifying best practices, and updating existing governance models (e.g., adaptive governance) to the unique characteristics of AI. Examples of research questions include: What governance models (e.g., for AI talent recruitment and AI technology procurement) can be devised to meet ethical challenges and, at the same time, ensure the effectiveness of AI solutions?

The special issue also noted the opportunities coming from the innovative disruptive power of AI in the public sector are primarily found in three areas: (1) improving the internal efficiency of public administration, (2) improving public administration decision making, and (3) improving citizengovernment interaction, including the provision of better and more inclusive services and the enhancement of citizen participation in the activities of the public sector.

As a potentially disruptive sociotechnical phenomenon, AI is relevant to the full range of government’s roles: as a regulator and as a catalyst for research and development (governance of AI) and as a user (governance with AI or AI in government).

“Such potential could be realized if governments foster an environment characterized by a skilled workforce, an appropriate regulatory framework, resources that can be promptly mobilized and incentives to innovate,” continued Gil-Garcia. “Risks of AI, on the other hand, include, for example, widening societal divides, infringing citizens’ privacy rights, and clouding the accountability of public decision makers. Such risks require thoughtful strategies and regulation in order to be avoided or mitigated.”

Highlights of the special issue include “Overcoming the Challenges of Collaboratively Adopting Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector,” coauthored by CTG Research Director Mila Gascó-Hernandez. The article focuses on how, despite the popularity of AI, a resistance to sharing data due to privacy and security concerns, a lack of alignment between project goals and expectations around data sharing and insufficient engagement across organizational hierarchies serve as major impediments to realizing the potential benefits of AI. The researchers explored ways to overcome these challenges, which could include working on-site, presenting the benefits of data sharing, reframing problems, designating joint appointments and boundary spanners, and connecting participants in the collaboration at all levels around project design and purpose.

In, “Cultivating Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in Digital Government,” CTG UAlbany faculty fellows Teresa M. Harrison and Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes discuss how public trust in AI must be cultivated and sustained; otherwise, useful AI systems may be rejected and government decision making may lose its legitimacy. They argue that public trust can be achieved when AI development takes place in contexts characterized by policies situated firmly in democratic rights and supported by welldocumented and fully implemented governance practices.

Special issue editors Theresa A. Pardo and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia.

Learn more about CTG UAlbany at ctg.albany.edu

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LUNA-REYES NAMED NAPA FELLOW On November 3, 2021, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) officially inducted Rockefeller College Associate Professor Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes into the Academy as a 2021 Fellow. Selection of the Academy’s new Fellows follows a rigorous review of the individual’s contributions to the field of public administration and policy.

Founded in 1967 and later chartered by the United States Congress, NAPA is focused on helping Luis Luna-Reyes government leaders solve their most critical management challenges.

The Academy provides expert advice to government leaders in building and managing more effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations.

Fellows of the Academy include former cabinet officers, Members of Congress, governors, mayors, and state legislators, as well as prominent scholars, business executives, and public administrators. Election as a fellow is one of the highest honors bestowed upon scholars in the field of public administration and policy.

Luna-Reyes, vice chair of Rockefeller College’s Department of Public Administration and Policy, is a former Fulbright Scholar and current Faculty Fellow at the Center for Technology in Government. He is also a member of the Mexican National Research System, serves as President of the Digital Government Society, and is a member of the NASPAA Executive Council. Luna-Reyes’ research is at the intersection of public administration, information systems, and systems sciences. More specifically, Luna-Reyes uses multi-method approaches to contribute to a better understanding of collaboration and governance processes in the development of information technologies across functional and organizational boundaries in government. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University at Albany.

Congratulations to Judith Saidel on receiving ARNOVA’s Distinguished Achievement and Leadership in Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research Award!

For 18 years, Judith directed Rockefeller College’s Center for Women in Government & Civil Society where she pioneered research on women’s workplace issues and championed the cause of gender equity for women.

JUDITH SAIDEL Associate Professor Emerita

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Throughout her career, Judith has served as a national leader in the field of nonprofit studies. Her research areas include interdependence and contract management issues between nonprofit organizations and public agencies, nonprofit governance, and gender and political participation.

At UAlbany, Judith put in place a long-standing tradition of nonprofit research and teaching. Currently, Rockefeller College ranks 14th nationally for its Nonprofit Management specialization.

Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021

FACULTY PROMOTIONS

Susan Appe, Gang Chen, Ashley Fox, and Mila Gasco-Hernandez were awarded tenure and promoted to the rank of associate professor.

SUSAN APPE

JULIE NOVKOV

GANG CHEN

RAMON GIL-GARCIA

FACULTY LEADERSHIP Susan Appe: Co-editor at VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations Jennifer Dodge: Co-editor at Critical Policy Studies Mila Gasco-Hernandez: Board member of the International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM) Luis Luna-Reyes: President of Digital Government Society (DGS) Edmund Stazyk: Chair of the Northeast Conference on Public Administration (NECoPA)

ASHLEY FOX

DAVID HUREAU

MILA GASCO-HERNANDEZ

Julie Novkov was promoted to Interim Dean of Rockefeller College. Ramon Gil-Garcia was promoted to Director of the Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany). David Hureau was named Executive Director of the Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

NEW FACULTY

Gang Chen: Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting, and Financial Management

Visiting Assistant Professors Christine Bird, Political Science Hyewon Kang, Public Administration and Policy Sari Krieger-Rivera, Political Science

Jennifer Dodge: Policy & Politics Mila Gasco-Hernandez: Local Government Studies and Public Administration Review Ramon Gil-Garcia: Public Administration Review Erika Martin: AIDS & Behavior Edmund Stazyk: Public Administration Review and the Review of Public Personnel Administration

PHD STUDENT NOTES Minsung Michael Kang is serving as a Founders Fellow for the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) and received the NASPAA Staats Emerging Scholars Award.

Patrick Schumacher received an honorable mention by the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition for his entry in its annual essay competition.

DID YOU KNOW? Rockefeller’s faculty members are nationally recognized experts. Many are currently serving in prominent leadership positions for professional organizations, and as editors and editorial board members for top-ranking publications.

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STEWARDS OF THE MARKET

How the Federal Reserve Made Sense of the Financial Crisis Professor Mitchel Y. Abolafia’s book “Stewards of the Market: How the Federal Reserve Made Sense of the Financial Crisis” is a fast-paced, behindclosed-doors account of the Federal Reserve’s decision making during the 2008 financial crisis, showing how Fed policymakers overcame their own assumptions to contain the disaster.

The financial crisis of 2008 led to the collapse of several major banks and thrust the U.S. economy into the deepest recession since the Great Depression.

Mitchel Y. Abolafia The Federal Reserve was the agency most responsible for maintaining the nation’s economic stability. And the Fed’s Open Market Committee was a twelve-member body at the epicenter, making sense of the unfolding crisis and fashioning a response. This is the story of how they failed, learned, and staved off catastrophe.

Drawing on verbatim transcripts of the committee’s closed-door meetings, Mitchel Abolafia puts readers in the room with the Federal Reserve’s senior policymaking group. Abolafia uncovers what the Fed’s policymakers knew before, during, and after the collapse. He explores how their biases and intellectual commitments both helped and hindered as they made sense of the emergency. In an original contribution to the sociology of finance, Stewards of the Market examines the social and cultural factors that shaped the Fed’s response, one marked by missed cues and analytic failures but also by successful improvisations and innovations.

Ideas, traditions, and power all played their roles in the Fed’s handling of the crisis. In particular, Abolafia demonstrates that the Fed’s adherence to conflicting theories of self-correcting markets contributed to the committee’s doubts and decisions. A vivid portrait of the world’s most powerful central bank in a moment of high stakes, Stewards of the Market is rich with insights for the next financial downturn.

DID YOU KNOW?

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97% of graduates in the Classes of 2016-20 were employed within 12 months of graduation. And 73% of 2020 MPA graduates secured employment before graduation.

Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021

Governor Thomas E. Dewey speaks from the steps of Page Hall in 1950.

New York State Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller talks to State University of New York at Albany students on the uptown campus in 1968.

University Archives

University Archives

CELEBRATING

75 YEARS In 1946, the return of large numbers of war veterans to their former positions within the State and the recruitment of many new employees focused the State’s attention on the lack of training facilities. The idea of establishing a graduate program in public administration in Albany to meet this need originated in the fall of 1946 in the Division of the Budget.

Because no facilities existed in Albany capable of providing instruction, informal approaches were made to New York University and Syracuse University. When both indicated interest, the project was presented to Gov. Thomas E. Dewey who gave his approval. In September 1947, less than a year after its conception, the Graduate Program opened its doors.

Now, nearly 75 years later, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy is a national leader in Public Affairs education.

In 2022, we will celebrate this momentous milestone. Stay tuned for more details!

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Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Albany, New York Permit No. 205