Staff

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The Chicago Policy Review is managed, edited, and published by the students of the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.


EXECUTIVE BOARD

Carrie Collins,  Editor-In-Chief
Emma Kortebein,  Executive Editor of Research Analysis
Max Padilla,  Executive Editor of Policy Analysis
Danya Sherbini,  Executive Editor of Commentary
Megan Sanders,  Director of Digital Publications
Pallavi Siddhanta,  Director of Print Publications
Ivanna Rodríguez, Director of Data Visualizations and Graphics
Nico Johnson,  Head of Learning and Development
Natalie J. Reyes,  Head of Community Experience

EDITORIAL

SENIOR EDITORS

Xerac Ashtar, Commentary

Xerac is a first year MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy. She is an an international student from Pakistan. Xerac completed her Bachelor’s in Social Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan before coming to Harris. She is interested in energy policy and sustainability.

 

Alex Kroger, Commentary

Alex is a first year MPP candidate at the Harris School of Public Policy interested in transportation. He previously completed his bachelor’s degree at Indiana University and his master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati before returning home to Chicago. He serves on the board of Unum and assists with the Meet Your Alderman podcast. Alex is a classically trained clarinetist, licensed pilot, and avid baseball fan.

Divyansha Sehgal, Commentary

Divyansha is a first year MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy. She is a writer and researcher primarily studying technology platforms and their politics. She has previously worked on issues of online privacy, platformized work, online gender based violence and digital freedom of speech. At Harris, she is a Senior Editor with the Chicago Policy Review and an eboard member for the Data, Ethics and Policy HSO.

Soumya Singhal, Commentary

Soumya is a first-year MPP student at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Her policy interests include international development and energy transitions in developing countries. After completing her undergraduate degree in Political Science, she worked at a Delhi-based think tank towards building a research portfolio in climate change and governance, and leading partnerships and collaborations.

Mariam Raheem, Policy Analysis
Erin Straight, Policy Analysis
Aarushi Kataria, Policy Analysis
Neil Stein, Research Analysis
Purushottam Bhandare, Research Analysis
Mithila Iyer, Research Analysis

PUBLISHED STAFF WRITERS

Joshilyn Binkley

Joshilyn is a first year MPP student at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. She is interested in the ways humanitarian aid and diplomacy can respond to the growing challenges caused by global conflicts and climate change. Her education has taken her to India, Ecuador, and The Czech Republic. Since completing bachelor’s degrees in economics and sociology, she has served in India as a Clinton Fellow research microfinance effectiveness, as an epidemiologist in pandemic response, and on projects supporting economic development for migrants and refugees. Read Joshilyn’s articles here.

Jeffrey Bittle

Jeffrey Bittle is a second year MPP student at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy with a focus on inequality and social mobility. In addition to his position as a staff writer, he is the host of the podcast Meet Your Alderman, a member of the Harris chapter of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts, and a teaching assistant. He previously attended the University of Missouri, earning a B.A. in political science and communication while working in the Missouri Senate and volunteering for local political campaigns. When not at the Keller Center, Jeffrey can often be found enjoying a drink at one of Hyde Park’s coffee or tea shops. Read Jeffrey’s articles here.

Richard Campo

Richard is a second-year MPP student at Harris with interests in data analytics and finance, and his writing in CPR has focused on immigration and technology policy. Before Harris, he was a grants consultant for state and local governments. After graduating, Richard plans to work in a data analysis role in public finance or consulting. Read Richard’s articles here.

 

Grant Castle

Grant Castle is a second year MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy. His policy interests include U.S. foreign policy, international development, and international economics. At the University of Chicago, Grant sits on the board of the International Development Policy Association and is a Pearson Fellow with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. Grant is also a Donald M. Payne International Development Fellow with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Through the Payne Fellowship, Grant will join the U.S. Foreign Service of USAID as an economist following his studies at Harris. Prior to his time at the University of Chicago, Grant worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. He has also worked with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Commerce Department, the Middle East Institute, Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and on Capitol Hill. Grant also served as the CEO of the Georgetown International Relations Association (GIRA), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to youth education and engagement in international affairs. Grant holds a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and is originally from the Village of Fairport in Western New York. Read Grant’s articles here.

Jonathan DaCosta

Jonathan is a Second Year MPP student at the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to Chicago, he obtained his B.A in International Relations from Boston University. Jonathan has in-depth policy experience stemming from his time working at the local, state, and federal levels of government. Whether it be working for a City Councilmember in Los Angeles or for a senator in Boston, his familiarity with policy is expansive. During his time at Harris, Jonathan has also worked in the private sector ensuring that his experience in the public sector could be balanced out. His policy areas of interest include defense, national security, and education. Read Jonathan’s articles here.

Mehul Gupta

Mehul Gupta is a second year MPP student studying urban policy and international development. His research interests are sustainable and transportation development. Mehul previously worked in management consulting, focusing on change management in federal transportation agencies.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Indiana University. Read Mehul’s articles here.

Philip Klafta

Philip is a recent graduate from Harris and is a second-year staff writer. His policy interests are focused on the labor market, education, and socioeconomic mobility. He has previously worked as a research associate at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign studying the effects of conditional cash transfers on middle class Egyptians and the effects of governmental conditional cash transfers on education rates in low-income neighborhoods in Brazil. Read Philip’s articles here.

 

Talitha Kwon

Talitha Kwon is a second year Master in Public Policy student with particular interests in international and health policy. Read Talitha’s articles here.

 

Vicky Liu

Vicky Liu is a first-year MPP candidate at the Harris School and a staff writer at the Chicago Policy Review. Her policy focus centers on market regulation and finance policy. Before joining Harris, Vicky studied at NYU majoring in Media, Culture, and Communication. Seeking to bridge her academic background with practical experience, she brings prior expertise from the FMCG and PR sectors to inform her current policy analyses. Read Vicky’s articles here.

Martha MacLaren

Martha MacLaren is a first year Master of Public Policy student at UChicago Harris. Following her undergraduate degree in History and German at the University of Oxford, she has worked in central government and education. She has policy interests in the environment, education, childcare and social inequalities. Read Martha’s articles here.

Lucas Miller

Lucas is a second year MPP student at the Harris School. On campus, he serves as a writer for Chicago Policy Review, and is pursuing certificates in Data Analytics, Policy Analysis, and Global Conflict Studies. Prior to Harris, Lucas worked as a research analyst in the Antitrust practice at NERA Economic Consulting. Lucas enjoys jogging, bicycling, exploring Hyde Park, and nature traveling. Read more of Lucas’ articles here.

Adriana Overton

Adriana is a second-year MPP at The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Before coming to Harris, she was a middle school teacher with Teach for America. Her policy interests include education policy, child and family policy, and social equality. She is passionate about educational equity and creating an education system that benefits all students. Adriana also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The College of the Holy Cross and a Masters in Education from Boston University. Read Adriana’s articles here.

Trey Pennington

Trey Pennington is a first-year MPP candidate at the Harris school, a staff writer for the Chicago Policy Review, and a senior writer for the Institute of Politics’ The Gate. Trey graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May of 2023 where he was the Company Commander for 26th Company, Ride Rough. After Harris, Trey will head to Pensacola, Florida to complete Naval Flight Training and become a Pilot for the United States Navy. Trey has a passion for education, equality, national defense, and international peace. All views represented in his writing are his own and do not represent the views of the United States Navy, Department of Defense, or the government of the United States of America. Read Trey’s articles here.

Rabail Sofi

Rabail Sofi is a second-year MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy with a particular focus on policy analysis. Her policy interests include conflict resolution, militarization, social justice, and human rights. She got her bachelor’s from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in Global Studies and Communications. Before coming to Harris, Rabail worked in advertising and the nonprofit space. In her free time, you can find her trying new cafes, reading, or going on sunset walks.

STAFF WRITERS

Kristen Wong Karinen
Esbeidy Torres Hondal
Michael Ratliff
Arnoldo Ayala
Kiran Jivnani
Carly Domicolo
Yici (Angela) Wang
Lucas Miller
Will Pennington
Bix Komita Moussa
Alejandro Garcia Cabrera
Varun Thampi
Amartya Kumar Sinha
Santiago De Zubiria Ramirez
Francesca Vescia
Rosemary Li
Chris Chen
Amanda Gaspar
Jamie Yang
Athimika Senthilkumar
Noor Shahzad
Conner Christensen
Rohan S. Kremer Guha

DATA VISUALIZATION SPECIALISTS

Tori Beck
Claire Knox
Frank Vasquez
Allison Elmer
Caitlin Pratt
Dema Palathingal
Stephan Garner
Regina Medina
Yufei Liu
Austin Steinhart
Akbar Saputra
Andrew Dunn
Gongzi Chen
Reza Rizky Pratama

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS

Hannah Capps
Uchenna Offorjebe

PUBLICATIONS

Margot Bond, Copy Lead

Margot Bond (MPP ’24) is from Louisville, KY and now calls Minneapolis, MN home. In addition to her involvement with CPR, Margot is Co-President of UChicago’s Women in Public Policy student organization. Margot previously earned her BA in Economics, Sustainability and Society from Xavier University. Her policy interests include energy, the environment, and gender equity.

Isabel Rayborn, Copy Lead

Isabel Rayborn is a second-year MPP student studying Global Conflict and International Development. She completed her B.A. at the University of Colorado at Boulder in International Affairs. Prior to coming to Harris, Isabel spent many years working as a craft bartender and looks forward to taking her passion for people to the public service sector. 

Alana Thompson, Copy Lead

Alana is a second year Harris MPP student originally from Houston, TX. She previously completed her bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Chicago. After college, she began working for an education nonprofit in her hometown, and then pursued her Master’s in Higher Education from the University of Denver. Alana is an avid reader and enjoys serving in her second year as a Copy Lead for CPR.

Madeleine Greene, Copy Editor

Madeleine Greene is a second-year MPP student focusing on education policy. Prior to joining the UChicago community, Madeleine worked as a middle school teacher, both in Chicago Public Schools and in the charter school setting in Gary, Indiana. Outside of the classroom, Madeleine has expanded her advocacy through research and writing, completing policy research fellowships with Advance Illinois, the Partnership for College Completion, and the Center on Education and Labor at New America in Washington, D.C. Madeleine is also passionate about juvenile justice, volunteering with IYC-Bridge to provide writing workshops to students behind bars. Born and raised in D.C., Madeleine moved to the Chicago area to attend Northwestern University for her undergraduate studies in journalism and quickly fell in love with the city for its diverse neighborhoods and proximity to Lake Michigan.

Natalia McCormick, Copy Editor

Natalia just completed the MACRM program at Harris. Her policy interests lie at the intersection of health and immigration policy, with a specific focus on Medicaid and Medicare. When she’s not copyediting for the Chicago Policy Review, Natalia spends her time working as a Teaching Assistant. In her free time, you can find her reading a good book, dancing, or watching way too many cat videos.

Max Wagner, Copy Editor

Max Wagner is a second-year MPP student interested in climate resilience, transportation, and housing. At Harris, Max is a Kreisman Housing Fellow and is the Director of Advocacy for the Urban Policy Student Association. He previously earned a BS in Finance from Northeastern University and spent two years working in community-based solar financing.

Alex Mull-Dreyer, Copy Editor
Alero Simon, Copy Editor
Lizzy Diaz, Copy Editor

Justine Silverstein, Copy Lead
Kayla Wang, Copy Lead