Rockefeller College of Public
2022SUMMER
Affairs & Policy News Magazine
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
For three quarters of a century, Rockefeller College has been educating the leaders who shape the public policies of the future.
JOEL B. KORN, BA ’80 State Reform Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (retired)
Managing Partner, Senior Media Director and Co-Founder, Relentless Awareness
VINCENT J. ABRAMO, BA ’67 Construction Safety & Occupational Health Manager, Overseas Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State
DONALD E. BOYCE, III, BS ’06, MPA ’08 Regulatory Relations, Fannie Mae
Task Force
CATHERINE PROVOST, BA ’05 Director of Constituent Services, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen
NIC RANGEL, BA ’06, MPA ’11 Second Deputy Counsel, NYS Senate Majority
PETER W. BRUSOE, BA ’03, MA ’04
ROBERT MAURO, PHD ’09 Director, Global Leadership Institute, Boston College
GARY STRIAR, MPA ’79 Advisory Board Co-Chair, Regional Chief Executive Officer American Red Cross, Eastern New York Region (retired)
In September 1947, Rockefeller College opened its doors to WWII veterans returning to theirformer positions and non-veterans interested in professional academic studies.
FRANK JAZZO, BS ’80 Member, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC (retired)
MICHAEL T. CASSIDY, BA ’08, MPA ’10
LAWRENCE J. KORB, PHD ’69 Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
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 CARA PACE, BA ’93 Chief Administrative Officer, United Hospice of Rockland
SHERI DENKENSOHN-TROTT, BS ’89
CECELIA F. PELKEY, MPA ’95 Advisory Board Co-Chair, Director of Government Affairs, Capitol City Group, Ltd., Attorney, Harrington & Vitale, Ltd.
Senior Advisor, Brown & Weinraub, PLLC GERARD CITERA, BA ’77 Senior Policy Adviser, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission
JENNIFER A. MANNER, BA ’86 Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, EchoStar Corporation
DEAN’S ADVISORY BOARD
LAURA MASSE, BA ’86 Partner, DemandWerks
JOE BONILLA, BA ’11
Division Chief, Family Court Division, New York City Law Department (retired)
ANGELA ALBERTUS, BA ’88
DAVID BUCK Principal, Government and Public Services, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Assistant Professor of Economics and Political Science, SUNY Delhi
For 75 years, Rockefeller has provided its students with the knowledge and tools to make adifference locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
President, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities
LOLA BRABHAM, BA ’96, MPA ’00
JONATHAN DOH, MA ’86 Associate Dean of Research and Herbert G. Rammrath Endowed Chair in International Business, Villanova University, School of Business
ROCHELLE HAYNES, BA ’02 Managing Director, What Works Cities-Bloomberg Philanthropies
THOMAS ROACH, BA ’83 Mayor, White Plains, NY GREGORY SERIO, BA ’83 Managing Director, Park Strategies, LLC
ALICIA TAMBE, BA ’11 Head of International Organizations for Connectivity & Inclusion, Meta
BARBARA VANEPPS, MPA ’92 Deputy Director, New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials
ROSE GALLAGHER, BA ’15, MPA ’16 Associate Director, Government Affairs and Policy, Travere Therapeutics
DEBORAH EICHHORN, MA ’88 Recruitment Program Manager, U.S. Government Accountability Office
MICHAEL TOBMAN, BA ’95 Principal, Tobman Strategies LLC
JOHN D. PORCARI, MPA ’85 Port Envoy, Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions
TABLE OF CONTENTS Alumni Spotlights Rockefeller College Celebrates 75 Years ................................. 4-7 $75,000 Giving Challenge................................................................ 8 Rock Stars ...................................................................................... 9-13 A Gift in Action ........................................................................ 14-15 Outstanding Students Commencement Photos ................................................ 16-17 Featured Fellowships .................................................. 18-19 Student Philanthropy Fund 20 Nationally Recognized Experts Faculty Research Projects ............................. 20-22 Faculty News ........................................................... 23 Jim Steiner Retires ...................................... 24-25 College News U.S. News Rankings ..................................... 26 Career Stats 27 On the Cover: Special thank you to Rockefeller alum Brian Fessler, BA ’06, MPA ’07 for sharing images of his extensive collection of Nelson A. Rockefeller political campaignHistoricalmemorabilia.photos provided by M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York. 4 10 12 14 2416 20 26 Rockefeller College News Magazine | Summer 2022 Editor/Designer: Lizzie Barlow Contributors: Zakhar Berkovich, Shelley Friel, Kelly Hammond, Sheena Loughlin, Jaclyn Napoleon, Yalitza Negron, Joan Nellhaus, Renee Wallingford, and DyanaRockefellerWarnockCollege 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
196219501948 1963
Rockefeller College CELEBRATES 75 years of excellence
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 20224
The Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy originated in 1947 as the Albany Graduate Program in Public Administration, a joint program of New York University and Syracuse University. The new graduate program provided the rapidly expanding post-WWII state government of Governor Thomas E. Dewey with academic training in public administration. The State University of New York began to subsidize the training program in 1950, and in 1962 the State University of New York formally took over the program and renamed it the Graduate School of Public Affairs. The new school offered MA and PhD programs in public administration and political science, and an MA in public affairs. An MPA was quickly added. The school affiliated with the State University of New York at Albany (SUNYA) in September 1966. As part of SUNYA, the Graduate School took over the University’s Department of Political Science, adding undergraduate programs, and in 1981 created a Department of Public Administration and Today,Policy.Rockefeller College offers undergraduate, masters and doctoral level degree programs. Students are able to benefit from academic and experiential learning opportunities in the Capital Region and beyond to develop a strong foundation for careers in the public, nonprofit and private sectors as well as careers in teaching and research.
Dr. O. B. Conaway, Jr., GSPA’s executive director and first dean, led the school from 1957-67.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The Graduate Program becomes the Graduate School of Public Affairs (GSPA) at SUNY.
1961: Eleanor Roosevelt participates on a panel discussion at Page Hall entitled, “How the United States Can Best Influence the World Against Communism.”
SUNY begins funding of the Graduate Program. State University of New York (SUNY) established. Full-time MPA program initiated.
1950: Governor Thomas E. Dewey speaks from the steps of Page Hall. 1947 The hearing rooms of the State Office Building housed the first classes of the Graduate Program.
Creation of the Albany Graduate Program in Public Administration.
1987: Richard I. Nunez and Irene Lurie before departing for Somalia as part of the Somalia Management Training and Development project. Lurie served as acting dean of GSPA from 1981-83.
1947: State Office Building 1962: Draper Hall 1964: Building #8, State Campus 1966: Sayles Hall (left) 1970-present: UAlbany Uptown and Downtown Campuses
The current name of the College was adopted to honor the contributions of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller who served from 1959-1973.
The (PDP)DevelopmentProfessionalProgram begins. Rockefeller Institute of Government (RIG) established and Michael J. Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center becomes associated with the University. Center for Policy Research (CPR) established.
1966: Campus.theprocessiontheparticipateStudentsinTorchNightonDowntown
CLASS BUILDINGS OVER THE YEARS
The Graduate School of Public Affairs becomes part of the University at Albany, SUNY. Creation of Rockefeller College, consisting of School of Social Welfare (SSW), School of Criminal Justice (SCJ), and GSPA. Institute for Traffic Safety (ITSMR)Management and Center for Women in Government and Civil (CWGCS)Societyestablished.
1962: Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller throws a shovelful of dirt on the Albany Country Club’s 16th fairway to mark the ground-breaking of the new campus.
1966: Governor Rockefeller speaking at the State University of New York at Albany commencement ceremony.
1968: Dean Fred Tickner speaks at the Alumni Awards Ceremony. He served as dean from 1967-71.
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1966 198219781975 1987 1968: Governor Rockefeller talks to State University of New York at Albany students on the Uptown Campus.
1983: Convocation and procession for the opening of the AffairsCollegeRockefellerofPublicandPolicy.
Semester
2009: Former U.S. Secretary of State General Colin L. Powell speaks at the World Within Reach Speaker Series on campus.
2000: Participants in the withhouseanniversaryProgram’sDevelopmentProfessional25thopeninteractanexhibit.
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 20226
2014: Rockefeller alumni, students, faculty, and staff gather on the steps of the New York State Capitol.
President William J. Clinton becomes the first sitting U.S. president to visit UAlbany’s campus. 1998 20021993 1994
Rockefeller College divides into separate schools and colleges; GSPA becomes Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy. ProgramWashingtonincreated. of the Dean’s Advisory Board. for Technology in Government (CTG) established.
Establishment
Frank Thompson (left), Rockefeller’s longest acting dean, served for 17 years. Helen R. Desfosses (right) became the interim dean upon Thompson’s departure in 2006.
Center
2000
Fall 2018 Semester in Washington students
2002: Hitchcock.PresidentwithSmithV.TomLadanCatherineRichardAwardPublicDistinguishedServicerecipientsBrodsky,Bertini,Alomar,Dexter,andChapman-poseUAlbanyKaren
Sharon Dawes, CTG’s first director
2016: Rockefeller College student scholarship recipients at the annual Alumni Awards Ceremony.
2002: Host Chris Matthews and Hillary Rodham Clinton during the taping of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at UAlbany’s Page Hall.
2017: Rockefeller alums meet Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at UAlbany’s Speaker Series.
albany.edu/rockefeller 7 Rockefeller SeptemberwithcommemoratesCollege75yearsacelebrationon30,2022. This Is Our Time: The Campaign for UAlbany launches as the University celebrates its 175th anniversary. By December 2021, the University raised $162,464,726, including $10,613,186 for Rockefeller College. Master of International Affairs (MIA) Program created. School of Criminal Justice rejoins Rockefeller College 202220182016 2020 2019: President Rodríguez joins faculty, staff, students, and alumni to celebrate the University’s 175th anniversary. 1954-1957 Paul Studenski 1957-1962 O.B. Conaway, Jr. 1957-1967 O.B. Conaway, Jr. 1967 Lewis P. Welch* 1967-1971 Fred Tickner 1971-1977 L. Gray Cowan 1977-1981 Orville F. Poland 1981-1983 Irene Lurie* 1983-1988 David Andersen 1988-2005 Frank J. Thompson 2006 Helen R. Desfosses* 2006-2011 Jeffrey Straussman 2011-2015 David L. Rousseau 2015-2021 R. Karl Rethemeyer 2021-present Julie Novkov* *Acting/Interim Dean DIRECTORSDEANS COURSES 6 122 FACULTY 5 56* STUDENTS 70 1,312 COST/CREDIT HR $14 $471 *full-time faculty FALL TERM 1947 2022 Then & now 2018: Rockefeller’s first graduates of the MIA program with Director Rey Koslowski (back center). 2018: The Center for Women in Government and Civil Society celebrates its 40th Anniversary with an event at the New York State Museum. 2020: Rockefeller’s faculty and staff create a congratulatory message for the 2020 graduates, as classes and campus events were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022: Interim Dean Julie Novkov celebrates the graduating class with faculty and staff at the University Commencement Ceremony. Scan to register for the CELEBRATION EVENT!
In honor of Rockefeller College’s 75th Anniversary, Libby Post, BA ’82, MA ’84, Jonathan Doh, MA ’86, and Joe Bonilla, BA ’11 have established a fundraising challenge to support the College’s programs and people. Throughout the year, these three generous alumni will be matching all gifts to Rockefeller College, dollar for dollar, up to $75,000! We hope you will join our momentous celebration with a gift today!
$75,000 CHALLENGE
JONATHAN DOH, MA ’86 Associate Dean of Research & Global Engagement; Herbert G. Rammrath Endowed Chair in International Business; Villanova University “When I studied at the Rockefeller College I was somewhat unsure of my career and professional aspirations. I found the faculty, staff, and other students all played a role in helping me grow and develop my interests. More broadly, I come from a family of educators and I have both a passion and strong commitment to education at all levels. I benefited from an excellent and affordable education and I want to help others do the same.”
“I always wanted to set up a scholarship to help the next set of students to have a leg up, or at least a little better than my era. And in terms of the vision, I thought about my mom, who worked and raised me while completing both her undergrad and JD, as well as my grandmother who did the same — completing her undergrad and graduate studies while raising kids and working. This is a testament to these women in our lives and for those trying to achieve a better life.”
THE
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 20228 LIBBY POST, BA ’82, MA ’84 President, Communication Services “I think it’s important for women to step up and support our institutions of higher learning. I’m a great believer in public higher education. Creating this scholarship furthers that commitment and helps students who want to research social justice issues. My involvement with the LGBTQ community underscores my commitment to public policy advocacy and the need for research on these issues.”
Libby Post Endowed Fund for Social Justice Policy Scholarship Professor Walter Goldstein Graduate Scholarship Bonilla Fazio Relentless Scholarship CHALLENGERS
JOE BONILLA, BA ’11 Managing Partner, Senior Media Director, and Co-Founder, Relentless Awareness
If you had to condense your job description into an elevator speech, how would it read? I’ve had the opportunity to use my skill sets to help change large institutional systems to provide more impactful support to hungry people in the U.S. and in the global South and provide more opportunities for women and girls. What are your favorite memories from UAlbany? So many… Harry Price made NYS history come alive; living in Ten Eyck Hall with many lovely women; the beginnings of lifelong friendships; bringing Governor Rockefeller to campus when he was running for president with overflow supportive student crowds showing up; watching the magical production of Peter Pan in the new theater; getting thrown in to the new fountain. But it was also the time of sad memories — the Vietnam War, Kent State, huge anti-war rally and marches, student strike on campus, stifling of speech that was not mainstream, and limited opportunities for women.
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Pritzker Fellow, University of Chicago ROCK STARS
I feel blessed by the vision of Nelson Rockefeller. He had our campus built; he enhanced the entire SUNY system; he worked on the environment before it was popular; he supported women’s right to choose and signed the NYS law; his name is now on our College; and he hired me in 1970 and ’71 to work on his campaign and in his office. I also worked at the Rockefeller Foundation and had a fellowship at UChicago, which was founded by Rockefellers. His brother David invited me to participate in many events when I was at the United Nations, Rockefellers gave the land for the UN headquarters in New York, and I worked at the RNC when he was U.S. vice president. One conservative newsletter bemoaned the Rockefeller influence on the Ford administration by citing the appointment of Edward Levi as U.S. attorney general and Cathy Bertini as RNC youth director — heavy stuff for a proud alum then 3.5 years out of UAlbany.
CATHERINE BERTINI, BA ’71
What advice would you give current Rockefeller students? Set a goal — even a broad one — of what you would like to achieve in life. Keep working at it. Choose a career you love and it will never feel like real work.
For 75 years, Rockefeller College has been educating the leaders who shape the public policies of the future. The following featured Rock Stars are a handful of Rockefeller graduates who have made outstanding contributions in their fields and have left an indelible mark on society.
An accomplished leader in international organization reform and a powerful advocate for women and girls, Catherine Bertini has had a distinguished career improving the efficiency and operations of organizations serving poor and hungry people in the U.S. and around the world. She has highlighted and supported the roles of women and girls in influencing change. She was named the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate for her transformational leadership at the World Food Programme (WFP), which she led for 10 years, and for the positive impact she had on the lives of women.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 202210 If you had to condense your job description into an elevator speech, how would it read? Attorneys in the federal government’s career Senior Executive Service (SES) lead their agency’s cadre of lawyers. We represent the executive branch in legal matters and ensure that our agencies carry out their critical missions in compliance with the Constitution and federal law. Of course, this is done in a non-partisan manner and with the highest ethical standards so that Americans can have trust and faith in the integrity of the Federal government. How did Rockefeller College prepare you for your career? The idea of applying thousands of years of political theory and philosophy to models of governance that would help human beings create civil societies where they could live peacefully and prosper, under the rule of law, has always been absolutely fascinating to me. So, when I arrived at Albany as a political science undergraduate, my academic home was inevitably the Rockefeller College. The demands and high expectations set by the curriculum and the professors, from extensive reading lists to exacting writing projects that developed our critical analytical skills, prepared me and many of my classmates for the rigors of law school. Interestingly though, the higher I have risen in my legal career, the more I find myself drawing on the broader concepts and paradigms examined in my undergraduate political science education. Was there anyone at Rockefeller who left a lasting impact on you? There were two Rockefeller College professors that literally changed my life. While taking Professor Joseph Zimmerman’s State and Local Government course, he pulled me aside one day after class and asked if I would be interested in an internship with the New York State Senate where he was the lead researcher for the Transportation Committee. Learning how policy was translated into rules for implementation by the administrative state has not only served me throughout my career, but defined it. The other professor that had a truly lasting impact on me was Walter Goldstein. I took his courses on foreign policy and even his graduate course (as an undergrad) on International Political Economy. He encouraged me to study abroad for my junior year at the University of Wales where I earned a Diploma in International Relations, traveled extensively throughout Europe, and generally broadened my horizons beyond what I ever imagined possible when I first arrived at Rockefeller College.
SCOTT DE LA VEGA, BA ’91 Associate Solicitor for General Law, U.S. Department of the Interior
What are your proudest accomplishments in your career and life? My proudest career accomplishments have been when I have built teams and programs designed to solve difficult problems. Whether it was creating fair lending programs for some of the world’s largest financial institutions or leading a major Cabinet agency’s presidential transition, I do my best work by helping others achieve their best. However, my proudest accomplishment in life, by far, has been the joint effort with my wife of raising three incredible children who are now kind and conscientious adults that are looking forward to making the world better.
What advice would you give current Rockefeller students? My career has taken me on incredibly exciting journeys from the military to investment banking to the White House, and I’ve never been bored because I’ve always sought new challenges at every turn. Always be open to different opportunities and possibilities in your career, you never know where they will lead.
Scott de la Vega is an attorney who has spent much of his career as a government ethics specialist within various government offices. He played an integral role in the Biden administration transition, serving as the acting United States Secretary of the Interior from January 20, 2021 to March 16, 2021.
Of Counsel, Antitrust/Competition; Sports; Litigation, Skadden Yemi Adewunmi took her experience in public policy and design thinking to innovate the way professionals engage with legislation. “What I love most about my career path so far has been the opportunity to weave my experience across state policy, public program design, and campaign communications into forming an impact-driven tech company. Civic Eagle’s mission is to create cutting-edge software that makes it easy for public policy data to be discoverable, interpretable, and collaborative. I’m most proud of the fact that we’ve attracted a team of 20 passionate technologists, community organizers, creative thinkers and doers to build a solution for the future of legislative intelligence.”
Principal and Founder, Joey Jackson Law, PLLC; Legal Analyst, CNN
LOLA BRABHAM, BA ’96, MPA ’00 President, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities
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Jeffrey Mishkin has participated in every major legal decision that has affected the National Basketball Association in the past 35 years. “I knew as undergraduatean I wanted to go to law school, but had no clear picture of what exactly I would do as a lawyer. Even in law school, the idea of becoming a sports lawyer never occurred to me. I was no athlete, and only a marginal sports fan. But at the very beginning of my first job at a law firm, I met and began working with David Stern, who would go on to become Commissioner of the NBA and transform the league in his 30 years as Commissioner. I got to go along for the ride, becoming the NBA’s Chief Legal Officer in 1992 and then, beginning in 2000, the head of the sports practice at the firm of Skadden, Arps. My career as a sports lawyer has now spanned nearly 50 years.”
JEFFREY MISHKIN, BA ’69
Lola Brabham served 20 years in public service, including as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service and President of the Civil Service Commission. “Higher education inspires me because there is nothing more transformational. It has the power to create life pathways and encourages individuals to achieve their highest potential, and it’s very rewarding to be a part of something so meaningful. My job is to educate the public and elected officials about the massive impact New York’s 100+ private, not-for-profit colleges and universities have on students, families, and New York’s economy.”
JOEY JACKSON, MPA ’92
YEMI ADEWUNMI, MPA ’14 Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Civic Eagle
Joey Jackson is a CNN legal analyst and nationally recognized attorney who has represented individuals and labor unions in state and federal court for over 20 years. “I have the pleasure of running a law firm which assists a number of labor unions and private clients with employment-based disciplinary matters in addition to criminal affairs. In addition to managing attorneys and staff, I have the benefit of working with individual clients on a daily basis to protect their interests and that of their family. When not running the firm or assisting individual clients, I am dissecting, analyzing, and explaining legal issues on national television.”
Doh wears many hats at Villanova University. He is associate dean of research and global engagement, Rammrath Chair in international business, co-faculty director of the center for global leadership, and professor of management and operations. His teaching and research focus on the intersection of international business, strategic management and corporate responsibility.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
What advice would you give current students? Pursue your passion while also being practical; balance your aspirations with some dose of the marketplace realties.
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 202212 Since his arrival at the Villanova University School of Business in 2001, Jonathan Doh has made an enormous impact on the campus community through teaching, service and research. Named among the top one percent of scholars in business and management in the world by Public Library of Science in 2020, Doh inspires fellow scholars and students alike.
The University at Albany Alumni Association’s annual Excellence Awards recognize those who have brought distinction to the University through their achievements and service. This year, Rockefeller College’s Jonathan P. Doh, MA ’86 and Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, MPA ’88 were celebrated at the 2022 Excellence Award Gala held Saturday, April 30 at Wolferts Roost Country Club in Albany.
What experiences as a student impacted your career? My interest in international political economy — derived in part from a class taught by the late Professor Walter Goldstein — helped launch my career as an international trade analyst and negotiator and continues to motivate my teaching and research to this day. The spark that was ignited back in the mid-1980s at Rockefeller continues to fuel my intellectual and practical curiosity. What is your favorite memory from UAlbany? My first position after my MA was in the Graduate Scholars program at the NYS Assembly. I recall the highly dynamic stimulating legislative environment and it was exciting.
JONATHAN P. DOH, MA ’86, PHD Professor, Villanova School of Business
The Stoneman Distinguished Alumni Award honors an alumnus or alumna for an extraordinary achievement — one recognized nationally and/or internationally — or an individual who, over the course of a decade or more, has exemplified outstanding success in a chosen profession or outstanding service to society. In 2019, the award was named in honor of Katherine “Kate” Stoneman, who graduated from State Normal School in 1866 and helped to pave the way for women in education and law.
Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins has contributed to the public good by seeking to secure the United States and the world from the threat of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Having served in the Clinton, Obama and Biden administrations, Jenkins is committed to opening doors for girls and women of color and is shaping pathways for women-of-color professionals in the nuclear policy field and beyond. In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Jenkins to serve as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She is the first Black person to hold the rank of Under Secretary of State. As Under Secretary, Jenkins advises the White House and the Secretary of State on arms control and disarmament, and a host of other international security issues. Previously, she served as the DOS coordinator for threat reduction programs in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, where she focused on coordinating U.S. efforts and programs in chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological security. She has served as the U.S. representative to the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and chaired the Global Partnership in 2012. She also played a key role in the Global Health Security Agenda in 2014. Jenkins is the founder and president of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation.
AMBASSADOR BONNIE JENKINS, MPA ’88, PHD Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, U.S. Department of State
STONEMAN DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
What about your work inspires you? I have always had a strong interest in working in the public sector. I am very happy that I was able to do that and to achieve what I have working in the service of others. My effort to prevent a catastrophe that can result from the release of a weapon of mass destruction (chemical, nuclear or biological weapon) by a state or non-state actor with the intent to do harm. What experiences as a student impacted your career? I remember a great internship I had at the NYS Department of Transportation. Through that internship I learned a lot about state government work and what it is like to work for the State in the state capital. I met some amazing people and was given a great deal of space to engage in areas of work in transportation. That internship is my favorite during my time at Rockefeller and in Albany. What advice would you give current Rockefeller students? Always continue to pursue your dreams. Anything else you’d like to add? I am very happy that I decided to attend Rockefeller College. I had great friends and had a wonderful education. I am also happy I decided to pursue a joint JD/MPA Degree. I have been able to take advantage of my education and experience at both schools and I have wonderful memories from Rockefeller and the education I received there.
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The Excellence in Education Award pays tribute to alumni for extraordinary distinction in the field of education, including Pre-K through post-secondary classroom teaching, school services, and administration/ supervision.
Why did you establish this Fellowship at UAlbany?
In 2017, Rockefeller College alum Christopher Augostini, BA ’87, MPP ’89 and his wife Maria Augostini generously pledged a donation of $100,000 to the University at Albany Foundation, establishing a fund known as The Louis P. and Dolores M. Augostini Fellowship at Rockefeller College.
Why is the impact of scholarship opportunities for students important to you?
SUNGYOON: Receiving the Augostini Fellowship has influenced me in many ways. First of all, being a recipient of a Fellowship made me proud of myself and feel more confident. Thus, I was able to be more involved in my academic life with such positive emotions. Also, the fellowship allowed me to participate more actively in various academic conferences and helped me to obtain high-quality information and resources necessary for my research.
A Gift in Action
CHRIS: At the end of the day issues around access and affordability given the rising cost of education are the driver. I want to make sure that those in need have access to the best education. This is something that was instilled in me by my parents. We wanted to make sure that a quality education is available to students.
What impact did receiving the Augostini Fellowship have on you?
CHRIS: We established The Louse P. and Dolores M Augostini Fellowship at Rockefeller College with family in mind. The way I think about why the fellowship was created is that three of my siblings went to SUNY. We benefitted greatly not just from an affordability and quality spectrum, but I also benefited as a graduate student from having the support of a scholarship or a fellowship. It allowed me the time and ability to complete my degree and assured success that was not possible without a college degree. Coming from a middle-class family of seven kids in Upstate New York, it enabled me to focus on my studies and not divide my time between school and work. We just wanted to pay this forward, knowing how it significantly benefitted me and my siblings. I can’t express how important those years were in forming me as an adult. I am who I am because of SUNY.
The Louis P. and Dolores M. Augostini Fellowship, named in honor of Christopher’s parents and awarded to Rockefeller PhD students who demonstrate outstanding merit, provides $5,000 for two fellows each academic year. Sungyoon Lee, PhD ’22 was Rockefeller’s first student from the Department of Public Administration and Policy to receive the fellowship and benefit from the Augostini family’s generosity. Below, Chris and Sungyoon share what the fellowship means to them from their ChrisSungyoonperspective.LeeAugostini
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CHRIS: The most important dynamic with this fellowship is the positive impact upon individuals. I’ve had a chance to meet with Sungyoon, one of the recipients of the fellowship, and I could see firsthand the way she is taking advantage of this opportunity as a PhD student. It means a great deal to me that she is able to enhance her experience as a student, the knowledge she is creating, and the way she is able to inform others. It is very fulfilling for me and my wife, Maria.
SUNGYOON: The Augostini Fellowship means more than just a financial scholarship to me. It means support for my career throughout the PhD program and my future. So, I’ve been trying to be more responsible for the studies and research I’m doing at UAlbany. What was it like meeting each other?
CHRIS: My advice to a current PhD student is to be animated and fall in love with the areas of focus you are engaged in, because that passion will drive your success. Take advantage of all the resources available at UAlbany, because they are vast. Really put your passion behind the topics of what you are studying and ultimately engage in over the life of your career as an academic or intellectual leader. It is because of the faculty that I was able to get to know, work with, and study under, that I am able to really think through, analyze, and assess situations in a very deep and profound way. This type of critical thinking informed my career. Stay Connected: albany.edu/rockefeller/alumni
THE LOUIS P. AND DOLORES M. AUGOSTINI FELLOWSHIP
What about this fellowship means the most to you?
CHRIS: Without question, my best memories come from the students that I spent time with and the faculty that really shaped me. I was very fortunate to engage with some of the finest faculty members at Rockefeller College, and they shaped me in ways still evident today. And the friendships I made have lasted a lifetime.
CHRIS: That was a really special hour that I had with her over Zoom. I only wished I had more time, because Sungyoon is a very special person. Intellectually very deep, curious, but she was also fun and polite. She’s a very well-rounded individual. That’s one of the best parts of what I do is meeting people that are so skilled, thoughtful, and humble. It was certainly the highlight of my day. I look forward to following her own success and perhaps, as she suggested on my next trip to Korea, meeting her in person. My wife and I would really like that.
Dolores and Louis Augostini
SUNGYOON: I feel that I have improved myself a lot while studying public administration at Rockefeller College. The excellent professors and students had a great influence on me academically, but above all, they positively influenced me to shape and form attitudes and values I should have as an independent researcher in the future.
What is your best memory from your time at UAlbany?
SUNGYOON: My best memories at UAlbany are the times I spent hanging out with my cohort over dinner after class. We were all very busy taking core courses, but those evenings allowed us to give each other encouragement and comfort.
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SUNGYOON: I really enjoyed meeting Mr. Augostini last fall. Thankfully, he showed a sincere interest in the research I’ve been doing, and we talked a lot about my recently published papers and he showed me great support. We also shared each other’s current situation and promised to have another meeting like this. I want to keep him informed of my achievements even after graduation.
What is the one thing you would tell a current PhD student at UAlbany today?
How did your time at UAlbany/Rockefeller College impact your life or work experience?
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 202216 COMMENCEMENT 2022 CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!
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OUTSTANDING STUDENTS ROCK YOUR CAREER: SHAKERA TEMS, MPA
What was a meaningful experience you had during your time in the MPA program? One of the andWomenforPublicprogrammyImeaningfulmostexperienceshavehadduringtimeintheMPAisbeingaPolicyFellowtheCenterforinGovernmentCivilSociety at Rockefeller. During my fellowship experience, I was asked to moderate the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian (BPHA) Legislative Caucus panel discussion on Empowering Womxn in Government. The panel included Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island Sabrina Matos and Assemblymembers Karines Reyes, Kimberly Jean-Pierre, Yuh-Line Niou, and Michaelle Solages. The discussion focused on the unique intersections of women of color in government and politics and how they have navigated their challenges and victories in running and serving within their respective offices. I have also had the pleasure of being the co-president for the Public Affairs Student Association and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair for the UAlbany Graduate Student Association. Tell us about your MPA internship experience. As my passion is to advocate for reforming systems that hinder women of color’s access to equitable, inclusive, and holistic reproductive care, I have completed my internship requirement by working with the March of Dimes, the National Birth Equity Collaborative, and the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality. My public policy fellowship placement is currently with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District II where I am co-leading their menopause medical education project and involved with their Safe Motherhood Initiative and partnership with the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative’s (NYSPQC) Birth Equity Improvement Project. Each experience has evolved my ability to be personable, empathetic, and self-motivated and enhanced my project management, research, and policy analysis skills in the realm of education, public relations, public health, public policy, data management, and project operations. What’s next after graduation?
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1. Take care of yourself and keep healthy boundaries.
I am thrilled to have been selected for the New York State Excelsior Service Fellowship. I am delighted and motivated to work with the Department of Labor to discover innovative ways to evolve and transform with New York’s workforce in these unique times. I look forward to doing work surrounding public policy through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, paid family leave, and working on collaborative projects with other agencies and community-based organizations. I am honored and excited for the opportunity to work for, among, and on behalf of New Yorkers. How did Rockefeller College prepare you for postgraduate employment? Working collaboratively and being an active leader in diverse spaces have been the critical skills that have prepared me for my transition to postgraduate employment. I would also say being able to observe and think critically about organizational cultures and systems has been another valuable skill that has propelled my ability to look at institutions and organizations from a cognitive and sociological lens to advocate for diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace environments. What advice do you have for current students?
2. Be bold and authentic in who you are, unapologetically. Working within the public sector as an MPA is a valued skill in the field, more so, if you lead with a collaborative approach, integrity, openness, strategic thinking, and mindfulness.
3. Never be afraid to ask for help. Being able to maximize your academic, professional, and individual experiences is always important but networking and sustaining genuine relationships will always be beneficial in the long run. In these uncertain times, it is always best to put yourself out there by seeking mentorship and support, even if it is uncomfortable. ’22
DAVID L. BOREN FELLOWS Master of International Affairs (MIA) students Charles Hailer and Noah Wetzel have received Boren Fellowships to study Turkish and Indonesian, respectively, in the fall.
Christian Vitek, BA ’22 was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, which is the highest award SUNY bestows. Chancellor’s Award winners are selected for outstanding achievements in academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts. As a first-generation and low-income student, and a queer child raised in rural America, Vitek is passionate about applying his academics towards remedying disparities in marginalized communities. A highlight of his time at UAlbany was his legislative employment with Sen. Reichlin-Melnick. Vitek was one of 18 students across the state selected for the Senate Undergraduate Session Assistants Program. He drafted a model piece of legislation to amend New York’s Open Meetings Law, which is under consideration by Reichlin-Melnick.
CHARLES HAILER Hailer, awarded the Boren Fellowship’s Turkish Flagship Language Initiative, is concentrating in diplomacy and global governance. A former president of the Students’ International Affairs Association, he was recognized this year with both a Great Dane Award and the MIA Outstanding Student Leadership Award for personal and academic initiative in and out of the classroom. Working with MIA Department Chair Brian Greenhill, he managed the College’s capstone program partnership with the UN Capital Development Fund.
NOAH WETZEL Wetzel sought the Indonesian Flagship Language Initiative to learn about culture and society, in addition to language. “The Boren Fellowship is an ideal opportunity to further enrich my international exposure and prepare for a career in federal service as a foreign service officer in Southeast Asia,” he said. “Indonesia is a leading country in ASEAN and the Southeast Asian region, so strengthening relations with them, both economic and political, is vitally important.”
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Vitek founded the organization Young Progressives of Delaware County to protect civil rights mobilization, improve rural voting rights, and expand local government accessibility. At UAlbany, he served as a Purple & Gold Ambassador, orientation leader, resident assistant and president of Alpha Phi Omega.
AWARD
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always known that I wanted to travel and explore the diversity that the world has to offer. When I learned about the Fulbright Program in college, I jumped at the chance to apply. I am especially excited to have the opportunity to go to Cambodia. I have been interested in Cambodia’s history and politics since I was in high school, and I am thrilled that I will have the opportunity to experience the country’s vibrant culture in person. I am also so excited to continue expanding my knowledge of Asia and to connect with new communities.”
albany.edu/rockefeller Maya Lee, BA ’22, a political science and East Asian studies double major with a concentration in global politics, has been selected by the Fulbright Student Program for its English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) program in Cambodia for 2022-23.
He plans to continue his legislative work in the U.S. House of Representatives after graduation. FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR SUNY CHANCELLOR’S
Members of the undergraduate class Private Philanthropy, Public Problems and Power visited the new United Way coworking space at the Blake Annex in downtown Albany. (Photo by Patrick Dodson) NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERTS
With its largest pool of funds to date, Associate Professor Susan Appe’s Spring 2022 Private Philanthropy, Public Problems and Power undergraduate students and Philanthropy and Civil Society graduate students awarded a total of $15,500 to five outstanding nonprofit organizations. Throughout the semester, students divided into teams to research the missions, projects, and impacts of a group of local nonprofit organizations. They then presented their findings, discussed as a class, and ultimately selected the following organizations to receive the
PHILANTHROPY STUDENTS DONATE $15,500
“I research the operational environment for nonprofit organizations — this includes regulation, funding and political spaces that affect nonprofit organizations and the goods and services, both tangible and intangible, that they provide. This research has most often occurred in Latin America, but I have explored these topics more globally as well. Recently, I have been examining how Americans and immigrants/diaspora who settled in the U.S. engage in philanthropic behaviors for international causes. This has included focused case studies about New York State based international nonprofit organizations and also on-site fieldwork with their partners in Western Kenya. What the research has found and what has surprised me is that international giving is present in less than expected places in the U.S. For example, we have international nonprofit organizations based in Honeoye Falls, N.Y. — a rural town of less than 3,000 people — providing nutritional programing in Lesotho, and others providing educational services in Sierra Leone, while also serving refugee populations in Buffalo. I have observed that generally international donors—both Americans and immigrants/ diaspora—do not see a need to choose to give to local versus international causes. They see value in and have commitment to giving to both.”
• Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) in Albany, N.Y. ($250)
• Shatterproof in Norwalk, Conn. ($250)
GLOBALFULBRIGHTAWARD, 2021-2023
ABOUT THE STUDENT PHILANTHROPY FUND
• Soul Fire Farm in Petersburg, N.Y. ($4,000)
•money:InOur Own Voices in Albany, N.Y. ($10,000)
The Student Philanthropy Fund is housed at the Institute of Nonprofit Leadership and Community Development (INLCD) at Rockefeller College and is part of the INLCD’s goals to advance student learning. It allows students to distribute funds to nonprofit organizations as part of coursework in which they learn about philanthropy and the essential role nonprofit organizations play in building vibrant communities. The Student Philanthropy Fund, through the Rockefeller College courses RPAD R527: Philanthropy and Civil Society and RPAD 399: Private Philanthropy, Public Problems and Power have distributed $38,195 dollars to nonprofit organizations in the Capital Region and beyond. The Fund is supported by Rockefeller alumni, private individuals, and the Learning by Giving Foundation. Nonprofits interested in being considered for future funds should contact Susan Appe, PhD (sappe@albany.edu) for more information.
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• The MoonCatcher Project in Schenectady, N.Y. ($1,000)
SUSAN APPE Associate Professor, Public Administration & Policy
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“My research examines the range of strategies that political parties in developing countries employ to win support and how voters — belonging to various ethnic, religious, and sectarian identities — respond to these strategies. In my book forthcoming with Cambridge University Press, I examine why political parties in Pakistan engage in violence or form electoral alliances with violent actors. I am also interested in the causes and consequences of misinformation in South Asia. Acts of vigilante violence against religious and sectarian minorities — often on the basis of rumors subsequently proven to be false — have become increasingly common in recent years. Studying such incidents, and how to prevent them, remains a pressing priority.”
Professor, Political Science, Public Administration & Policy HOWARD J. SAMUELS STATE AND CITY POLICY GRANT
LUCY SORENSEN Associate Professor, Public Administration & Policy
“I am primarily interested in education policy. My family moved a lot while I was growing up, so I experienced many different types of environments and schools. Over time, I was struck by the enormous influence of where you live and where you go to school can have on your life’s trajectory. This observation motivated me to study in depth the sources of educational inequality, and to do research that could inform policy solutions. So much of education research looks at the effects of practices or policies on standardized reading and math test scores. This is largely because test score data is easy to get and use. But one thing I’ve learned through my research is that these are highly imperfect proxy measures for the outcomes we actually care about, such as success in the job market, informed citizenship, and physical and mental health. Finding interventions that improve students’ long-term well-being — beyond just test scores — is a more challenging task, but it is the part of my future research that I am most excited about.”
Tell us about your research and why you are passionate about this topic?
“For the past four years, Katie Zuber, PhD ’17, Elizabeth Pérez-Chiqués, PhD ’18, and I have been researching the opioid epidemic in New York State, interviewing people on the frontlines in rural Sullivan County, suburban Orange County, and urban Bronx County, along with policy officials across the state. We have testified before state and federal policymakers and presented to local communities across New York. We are using our research to inform both policymakers and researchers, and, hopefully, we can bring the voices of people most affected by the epidemic to those people with the tools to do something about the problem. Roughly 100,000 people a year die from a drug overdose in the United States —the highest numbers ever recorded. Behind every statistic are real people and communities struggling to respond. They deserve respect and the right policy response.”
Assistant Professor, Political Science FACEBOOK FOUNDATIONAL INTEGRITY RESEARCH
GANG CHEN Associate Professor, Public Administration & Policy “My research focuses on the budgeting process and financial management in state and local governments. I am passionate about this topic because it is so important — governments need financial resources to deliver public services. Better budgeting and financial management can ensure services to be provided in an efficient and sustainable way. My current research focuses on the issues that are important to many governments: public pensions, fiscal transparency, and fiscal resilience. These topics are important because governments face challenges due to increasing debt, climate change, and the demand to be more transparent. As a scholar, I aim to use my research to inform policymakers to make better decisions in these areas.”
NILOUFER SIDDIQUI
PATRICIA STRACH
Justin Pickett PUBLIC’S RESPONSE TO POLICE PRESENCE HEAVILY TIED TO RACE
The second study, written with Christi Medcalfe of the University of South Carolina and published earlier this year in Criminology, examined public attitudes toward police handling of protests during the wave of protests over “racialized issues” such as Confederate monuments and the Black Lives Matters movement after the killing of George Floyd in 2020. The study entitled “Public fear of protesters and support for protest policing” found that the public generally supports police supervision of protests with little intervention. However, respondents who harbor racial animus are more likely to support repressive police tactics — dispersal and arrest of protesters — when the demonstrations have a racial element, such as advocating for minority populations. Pickett noted that violence, the presence of weapons and disruptive behavior such as blocking traffic during protests also caused people to prefer more intervention by police.
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 202222
How people respond to police presence is heavily tied to race and racially charged events, according to two recent studies by Associate Professor Justin Pickett of the School of Criminal OneJustice.study, published in January in the journal Criminology, shows that while most white Americans don’t fear police officers, most African Americans are afraid of police killing them and hurting their family members. The study, “The American racial divide in fear of the police,” found fear of police was ubiquitous among Black Americans but ubiquitously absent among white Americans. In fact, about half of Black respondents said they would rather be robbed or burglarized than stopped unprovoked by a police officer. “The racial divide in fear was mediated by past experiences with police mistreatment,” according to the study, co-written by Amanda Graham of Georgia Southern University and Francis T. Cullen of the University of Cincinnati. “The deep American racial divide in police-related fear represents a racially disparate health crisis and a primary obstacle to law enforcement’s capacity to serve all communities equitably.”
“Taken together, the two studies indicate that Black and white Americans live in different emotional worlds when it comes to the police, one of fear and one of felt safety, and that the strongest predictor of support for aggressive policing is racial prejudice,” Pickett said.
J. RAMON GIL-GARCIA LUIS LUNA-REYES ERIKA MARTIN DANA PETERSON
Professor Emeritus Fred Cohen, a founding faculty member of the School of Criminal Justice, passed away on March 30th. Fred designed and presided over the part of the curriculum devoted to Law and Social Control, and also taught classes to graduate students at UAlbany until his retirement in Distinguished1997.Professor Emeritus Alan Lizotte passed away January 24th. Alan joined the School of Criminal Justice in 1985. During his career in SCJ, he secured over $25 million in research funding, chaired more than 40 PhD student committees, and served six years as dean of the School. He retired in August 2021.
J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Luis Luna-Reyes, Erika Martin, and Dana Peterson were promoted to full StephenprofessorHolt, Lucy Sorensen, and Stephan Stohler were awarded tenure and promoted to the rank of associate professor
Longtime public service professor Robert “Bob” McEvoy passed away on Monday, January 31st at the age of 85. Professor McEvoy instructed, advised, and helped place Rockefeller College students in local government career positions for nearly 40 years.Professor Emeritus Joseph F. Zimmerman, PhD passed away on April 16th at the age of 93. For nearly 50 years, Joseph was a professor of political science at the University at Albany, serving from 1965 until his retirement in 2014. PROMOTIONS
FACULTY
FRED COHEN ALAN LIZOTTE
ROBERTZIMMERMANJOSEPHMCEVOYF.
STEPHEN HOLT STEPHAN STOHLERLUCY SORENSEN
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IN MEMORIAM
Everyone remembers where they were the morning of September 11, 2001. For Jim Steiner, he was approaching his 30th year with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), living and working in Washington, D.C. as the Director of Transnational Issues, and had gathered his entire staff together for a Tuesday morning meeting in the CIA Headquarters Auditorium. Placing transparencies on an overhead projector at the front of the room, his presentation was suddenly interrupted with news of the catastrophe in Lower Manhattan. The hundreds of officers quickly cleared the room, unsure if CIA Headquarters was next on the terrorists’ target list. “In that moment, the Agency turned on a dime,” recalled Steiner. “Within two to three weeks, we restructured so that we were focusing on nothing but counterterrorism. I started getting calls from people who had retired recently and they all wanted to come back to help. Everybody wanted to help.”
While it was certainly the most stressful period of Steiner’s 53-year career in intelligence, it was also the most rewarding and impactful. “I’m most proud of the Agency office’s response and the degree of patriotism and the enthusiasm that the officers showed in the face of the attack.” Jim Steiner began his career in the CIA in 1972 and served until 2005. For the first two decades, he focused on Soviet defense and economic issues and rose through the analytic and management ranks, getting promoted to the Senior Intelligence Service in 1992. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Steiner moved to the Department of State as Special Advisor to the Ambassador at Large for Russia. His duties expanded to include providing daily intelligence briefings and other focused support to the Deputy Secretary of State.
In October of 2000, Steiner moved into his final line position at the Office of Transnational Issues — the role he held on September 11th. Steiner led a team of analysts with unparalleled expertise in global energy and economic security, corruption, illicit migration, illicit financial activity, foreign denial and deception programs, societal and humanitarian conflicts, and the medical and psychiatric analysis of foreign leaders.
Steiner completed his CIA career as the Agency’s Officer in Residence at Georgetown University, where he had previously earned his BS in Foreign Service and an MA and PhD in Economics. Upon his retirement in 2006, Dr. Steiner was awarded the CIA Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.
“After I retired from the Agency, the Chief of Intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security asked me to come up to Albany and work with the State,” said Steiner.
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INTELLIGENCE EXPERT JIM STEINER RETIRES
Steiner, a 33-year veteran of the CIA, taught courses at UAlbany for the past 15 years.
While some retirees move south and fill their days with leisure activities, such as golfing or fishing, Steiner was still raring to help the intelligence world however he could — much like the recent retirees who called him in the weeks following 9/11. So, in mid-2006, he moved north to Albany for a new role.
Returning to CIA Headquarters in 1996, Steiner took on a series of increasingly senior line and staff positions, including serving as Deputy Director for European Analysis, Executive Secretary and Special Advisor to the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), and Deputy Director for Crime and Narcotics.
“With 33 years at the CIA, followed by New York State service, Jim gave the program instant credibility with students, state officials, and intelligence agencies in Washington,” said Rethemeyer. “But Jim is so much more: a PhD economist that can speak the academic language. A person who clearly cared so much for his students and the program — Jim never missed Welcome Week or advising sessions. And Jim is a gentle soul who could help students discover the right path, even if intelligence or homeland security was not the one for them. Finally, Jim was a great team member as the College continued to build our program and then helped to bring the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity (CEHC) to “WorkingUAlbany.”
with Jim was a pleasure,” added Asal. “Besides being smart and hardworking, Jim is kind, thoughtful and creative. The homeland security concentration we created would not have been what it was without his tremendous contributions, and I have heard from many students what a wonderful educator he was in the classroom.”
Now, at age 76, Steiner hopes his second retirement will be filled with more typical leisure activities, such as studying new topics of interest, bass fishing on the Mohawk River, walking his labs Lucy and Daisy in Washington Park, and spending quality time with his wife, Lynne, and sons, Chris and Jon — a Rockefeller alum.
albany.edu/rockefeller 25 There, Steiner took on not one, but three new positions — intelligence advisor to the Director of New York State’s Division of Homeland Security, consultant to the Chief Intelligence Officer in the Department of Homeland Security, and adjunct faculty member at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. When Steiner arrived in the Capital Region, Rockefeller was in search of an intelligence expert for the newly created homeland security certificate. Conveniently, a veteran intelligence guy showed up on its doorstep. “Jim joined the homeland security group at Rockefeller very early on,” said R. Karl Rethemeyer, Rockefeller College’s former dean and professor. “There is no substitute for having a seasoned professional to teach in a new program.”
The homeland security team, led by Rethemeyer, Professor Victor Asal, and joined by Steiner, effectively laid the groundwork for the University at Albany’s first-in-the-nation College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC). A few years after he arrived, Steiner recollects attending a presentation at the Rockefeller Institute of Government (RIG) that may have served as a turning point in the University’s history. There, an intelligence officer from the New York State Office of Homeland Security spoke to the room and the officer happened to also be enrolled in Rockefeller College’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. Steiner mentioned this to the man sitting next to him at the event, who turned out to be UAlbany’s provost at the time. “I essentially told him that every intelligence officer working in the New York State Office of Homeland Security had either been in a career program or certificate program at Rockefeller College,” recalled Steiner. “He hadn’t realized what a huge homeland security and intelligence training educational program we Thathad.”revelation drew the attention of University and State leadership and pressed the accelerator down for more opportunities in homeland security at UAlbany. In 2014, Steiner moved to full-time at the University, wrote a textbook entitled Homeland Security Intelligence, and in 2015, CEHC was formally established at UAlbany. Steiner went on to serve as UAlbany’s Homeland Security Program Director.
The foundation laid by Rethemeyer, Asal, and Steiner 15 years ago continues to hold strong as UAlbany’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management concentration currently ranks ninth in the country by U.S. News & World Report. “Jim’s commitment and dedication, both to our students and to the University at Albany, are second to none,” said Department of Public Administration & Policy Chair Edmund Stazyk. “His kindness, sense of humor, and generosity will be sorely missed. We wish him nothing but the best in whatever life adventures come next!”
“As a public university, Rockefeller College offers affordable tuition, a nearly 100 percent career placement rate, and six nationally ranked specialty areas. Students starting or accelerating a career in public affairs receive an unmatched combination of excellence and value.”
The University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy has once again been recognized as the highest ranked public affairs college in the Northeast region among public universities, announced in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs Schools rankings. Overall, Rockefeller College ranks 23rd in the nation, as well in the top-25 nationally for six public affairs specialties:
• 5th in Information and Technology Management
• 22nd in Local Government Management
• 16th in Public Management and Leadership
• 14th in Nonprofit Management
• 20th in Public Finance and Budgeting
“We are once again proud to be recognized as a top-25 public affairs program and to receive the national recognition of our peers for the work of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni,” said Interim Dean Julie Novkov.
The Best Public Affairs Schools rankings are based solely on surveys of deans, directors and department chairs representing 270 master’s programs in public affairs and administration. Rockefeller College has been recognized continually as one of the nation’s premier schools of public affairs since the inception of the U.S. News rankings 27 years ago. Rockefeller College offers undergraduate- and graduate-level study in public administration, public policy, political science, international affairs, and criminal justice. The Centers and Institutes that are part of Rockefeller College conduct state-of-the-art research and policy analysis, improve the knowledge and skills of employees in public and nonprofit agencies through professional development, and work with government at all levels in the United States and abroad to strengthen democracy and promote effective governing. Established in 1947, Rockefeller has been educating the leaders who shape the public policies of the future for 75 years.
IMPROVES
• 9th in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
ROCKEFELLER TO IN US NEWS RANKINGS
Rockefeller College News Magazine I Summer 202226
23RD
albany.edu/rockefeller 27 SAMPLE LIST OF EMPLOYERS (MPA GRADS) SAMPLE POSITION TITLES (MPA GRADS) AlbanyDeloitteJewish Community Center Westchester County Police Department NYS Education Department Heartland Consulting City of Poughkeepsie Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Region Port Authority of NY & NJ NYS Division of the Budget Disability Rights New York United University Professionals NYS Office of Parks & Recreation New York State Network for Youth Success NYS Office of State Comptroller U.S. Department of Homeland Security (FEMA) Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Human Capital Business Analyst Director of Development Police Officer Supervising Professional Conduct Investigator Contractor, Continuity & Planning Division USDA Budget RapeManagementStatePolicySustainabilityResearchAnalystBudgetLeadershipDirectorAnalystofDevelopmentFellowFellowIIandPolicyAssociateCoordinatorIICoordinatorProgramExaminerandProgramAnalystPreventionEducationRegional Coordinator $58,080.4912/1915AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY (MPA GRADUATES) NYS SENATE INTERNS (2021-22) Source for this material: Rockefeller College Office of Career Development Consistently, Rockefeller College students represent a large percentage of New York State Senate and Assembly interns. SEMESTER IN WASHINGTON PARTICIPANTS (SPRING ’22) 32/7843% 4 AVERAGE HOURLY PAY (2021 GRADUATE INTERNSHIPS) NYS ASSEMBLY UNDERGRADUATE INTERNS EXCELSIOR SERVICE FELLOWS (2021-2023 COHORT) $17.985/10 61,170 74% AVERAGE SALARY INCREASE (MPA GRADUATES) NYS ASSEMBLY GRADUATE INTERNS INTERNSHIP HOURS COMPLETED (2020-21 GRAD & UNDERGRAD) PAID INTERNSHIPS (2016-2020, MPA & MIA) EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR (2016-2020) GOVERNMENTSTATE49% NONPROFIT17% PRIVATEGOVERNMENT13%FIRMLOCAL9%FOREIGNGOVERNMENT7% ROCKEFELLERFEDERALGOVT.4%SELFEMPLOYED<1%COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS & POLICY CAREER & STUDENT EXPERIENCE STATS 97% EMPLOYMENT RATE WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF GRADUATION (CLASSES OF 2016-2020 MPA GRADUATES)
Albany,OrganizationNon-ProfitUSPostagePAIDNewYorkPermitNo.205
