walw, Author at Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

JSI Scholar: Gloria Arizmendiz

Tell us about your story

I grew up in a border town, so I have always been surrounded by two cultures. Even though it’s a privilege to be this close to my Mexican heritage, I also grew up seeing the heavy militarization of the border and injustices in the communities I grew up in. In high school after being inspired by one of my social studies teachers, I decided to get more involved in political issues and found passion in actively contributing to impact-focus change. This ambition to contribute to my communities has led me to meet amazing people that have mentored me along the way, as I am sure the UW staff will do.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

Giving back to the communities that gave me so much.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

My mother and siblings, as they always push me to be the best version of myself.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

Being around like-minded peers and staff that want to contribute to the diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups in public service, but also — experience Seattle in the summer!

Alumni Spotlight: Isaac “Izzy” Sederbaum, MPA ‘14, Ph.D. Candidate

Izzy Sederbaum’s research has been getting a lot of attention lately. In the past few months, he has received funding awards from the University of Wisconsin at Madison’s Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP), the Russell Sage Foundation, and the University of Washington’s Population Health Initiative to study how administrative burdens affect transgender people in the United States. It’s enough support to fund two full quarters. But more importantly, the funding means that there are other people who are excited about his research.

After completing his MPA at the Evans School in 2014, Izzy spent five years as a researcher working with jurisdictions around the country to rethink their approaches to youth incarceration, both at the Center for Court Innovation and the Vera Institute of Justice. While working with these institutions, he often tried to get a sense of how queer kids were moving through the justice system only to be told repeatedly that there simply weren’t any.

Interested in asking his own research questions, Izzy decided to pursue a Ph.D. and started back at the Evans School in Fall 2019. In his second year, he took a course on organizational theory with faculty member Benjamin M. Brunjes, who introduced him to academic literature on administration burden. Izzy noticed that literature failed to mention trans communities and people, despite their often precarious living situations and need for safety net programs.

As Izzy dug deeper, he noticed that many common technical fixes to administrative processes weren’t solving problems for trans people trying to navigate government systems. He noticed that no one was asking trans communities about the challenges they were facing or how administrative processes might be improved.

His dissertation is just the first step into making more accessible policies.

JSI Scholar: Jose Castillo

Tell us about your story

I was born in the Bronx, where I got the chance to interact with many different cultures and traditions. I wanted to explore the world, so I got involved in leadership programs like Global Glimpse, allowing me to visit countries like the Dominican Republic and Denmark. However, I began learning the importance of understanding one’s own identity, own culture, upholding traditions, but also the history and turmoil each country struggles with. I want to bring communities together for positive change and mutual understanding.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

I got the opportunity to live abroad during my summer abroad internship and learned about different cultures through my undergraduate career. I learned about the history of many countries and took classes to learn basic speaking languages, to better communicate with other people. However, I want to be more involved in international affairs and help countries in need of assistance. I want to help bring mutual understanding between countries and help countries during times of crisis, times of war, or during political turmoil. To do that, I want to pursue a career in international affairs and public service to help those who can’t help themselves.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

I am inspired by the people I met during my abroad experiences and life. I am inspired by the Moabit Hilft volunteers that were once Syrian refugees and are now helping Ukrainian refugees resettle in Berlin, Germany. I am inspired by Jose, a community leader from the Dominican Republic, who worked to build a community center for both Haitian and Dominican neighbors to help further understand their differences through community events. I am inspired by my Dad, who gave food and advice to the neighborhood I grew up in, even taking the time to learn Arabic to further communicate with our neighbors. I want to be a public service leader to further help communities and refugees in need of assistance.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I am excited to explore the West-coast of the United States. My main interest has always been going abroad and exploring new countries, but rarely get the chance to travel beyond the East Coast. I am excited to explore Seattle and the University of Washington.

JSI Scholar: Iris Hankins

Tell us about your story

Well, I am currently an International Studies and Philosophy student at Willamette University in Oregon. When I’m not studying, I enjoy reading, biking, yoga, art and cooking with friends. I moved from Nevada to the Pacific Northwest in 2018 after high school and plan on travelling a lot more after I graduate.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

When I was still attending community college, I took a course in Human Geography and was intrigued by the extent of the content. For the first time, I was encouraged to discuss the current events of people in the developing world and consider how politics and geography merge. Before transferring to my current four-year university, I decided that I wanted to understand the politics and policies underlying various regions of the world and use my resources to help Womyn in developing countries.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

Various anti-colonial and revolutionary activist encourage me to think about public service as a career. I think it is imperative for everyone’s wellbeing to engage in public service whenever they can. And more importantly, to question our policies and who they actually serve.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

Apart from being able to tour beautiful Seattle in the summer, I am excited to engage in rigorous discourse and study some challenging topics with my peers.

Eastern Washington Road Trip

By Ray Im, Development Director

Across four days, eight counties, and 906 miles, we heard leaders from across the state share one consistent message: the importance of educational pathways to public service for Central and Eastern Washington communities.

In mid-May, Dean Jodi Sandfort and I embarked on a road trip through Central and Eastern Washington with stops in Quincy, Moses Lake, Yakima, the Yakama Nation, Spokane, and Leavenworth. Over four days, we were grateful to connect with more than 40 community and tribal leaders, elected officials, and UW and Evans alumni. Our goals were to strengthen relationships with local leaders across the state and learn how the Evans School can partner with them to serve community needs east of the Cascades.

Our first stop in Quincy included dinner with community leaders from Moses Lake hosted by Washington State Representative Alex Ybarra, a lifelong Quincy resident and member of the Evans School Dean’s Council. During our stay we talked about the need to equip the next generation of local public leaders and Rep. Ybarra gave us a tour of the new Quincy High School. Built in 2019, the school serves close to 800 students with state-of-the-art learning environments and an extensive Career and Technical Education Department.

Dean Jodi Sandfort and Rep. Alex Ybarra at Quincy High School

Dean Sandfort with Dean’s Council Member and Evans alum Paul Ward on the Yakama Nation

The next day, Tribal Council members and other Yakama leaders welcomed us at Yakama Nation Headquarters. We were joined by Paul Ward, an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, long-time leader in fisheries and river habitat management, Evans alum, and member of our Dean’s Council. We explored potential partnerships that could serve the Yakama Nation through educational pathways for undergraduate students and emerging mid-career leaders.

In Spokane, we met Annmarie Caño, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Gonzaga University to share about our Junior Summer Institute and discuss the importance of summer immersion programs, especially for students from historically marginalized communities. We also hosted an evening reception with community and elected leaders as well as UW and Evans alumni.

(above) Spokane Reception attendees, the author second from left

(above) Lunch in Leavenworth

Our last stop was in Leavenworth for lunch hosted by Ana Cortez, MPA ‘90, the City Manager for Carnation, Washington. We were joined by other Evans alumni working in agriculture and forestry fields as well as Mary Jo Ybarra and her team from Moses Lake/Quincy Community Health Center for a conversation about their involvement with the EPIC Paid Family and Medical Leave project. The lunch led to rich discussion centering community voices and highlighting cross-sector work. For the early-career professionals at the table, it was an opportunity to witness a real example of what a career in public leadership could entail.

Dean Sandfort and I reflect on this trip through Central and Eastern Washington with a sense of gratitude for new relationships that were started and existing relationships that were deepened. We also look forward to the work ahead to continue building educational pathways for public leadership to inspire public service and democratize public policy across Washington state.

Student Spotlight: Davon Thomas MPA ’23

We recently had the opportunity to connect with soon-to-be MPA graduate Davon Thomas. In addition to years of student leadership as an undergraduate and graduate student, he has participated in civic leadership programs such as Washington Student Achievement Council and Institute for a Democratic Future. We asked Davon about his path to Evans, his memorable experiences as a student, and his aspirations to make an impact for communities of color.

Describe your journey towards pursuing your degree at Evans. What inspired you to pursue a career in public service?

Growing up, my father was in and out of prison. Like many Black men, he is a victim of a system designed to determine your life expectancy by your zip code. As a Black man in America, I have always cared deeply about righting the injustices my father and many others have faced. I can’t make excuses for him, but I can recognize that when you grow up in an underfunded and overpoliced community, your future and life opportunities are bleak. My journey to the policy world and Evans is about justice for those suffering under oppressive systems. I want to utilize the tools here at Evans to create a brighter future for communities of color.

Evans School is preparing to welcome the 2023 cohort of the Junior Summer Institute to campus. You were involved with JSI as an undergraduate student: could you share more about your time with JSI and the impact it made on your academic career and goals?

In 2019, I attended the JSI program at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Prior to this, I had no intention of attending graduate school. JSI was an opportunity for me to see what the experience would look like and I thrived there. I took graduate-level policy, economics, and statistics courses. After the program was done, I knew I wanted to attend graduate school. JSI gave students from underrepresented backgrounds an experience like no other. We had students, staff, and faculty push us to be our best selves during this program. Now, most of the classmates in my JSI cohort have already or are currently pursuing their MPA.

The Evans School’s values are equity, courage, and service. In what ways have these values shaped your time as a student?

In January 2022, three months after moving to Seattle, I was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). WSAC is a state agency tasked with raising educational attainment throughout the state and I continue to have the privilege of representing graduate students on council. I get to work on issues such as retention and recruitment, telehealth for students, and increased funding for students. Without the reputation of the Evans School’s commitment to equity, courage, and service, I felt that this appointment would not have happened.

You serve in leadership on the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS). Could you share more about your role with GPSS and how the Evans School has shaped that work?

I am the Vice President of Internal Affairs for the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS), which serves as the representative body for graduate students at the UW. In my role, I am responsible for event planning for graduate students across campus and for hiring GPSS staff. In a post-COVID world, it’s very important for students to have events to attend and opportunities to relax. I served as the vice president and president of my student body as an undergraduate, and I’ve continued in student leadership as a graduate student at Evans. Those who join student government do so because it’s a service and at the root of my heart is service. I love this work and I’m grateful I get to serve my fellow students in this capacity.

In addition to your role with GPSS, you’ve also recently returned from a week-long trip in Washington D.C. as part of the class of the Institute for a Democratic Future (IDF). Could you share more about your time with IDF?

Throughout the year, our cohort has spent ten intensive weekends meeting with leaders across Washington state, including local, state, federal, and native elected officials. Recently, we spent one full week in D.C. to meet with Democratic stakeholders, think tanks focusing on Arab American policy relations, and other leaders. This program has enlightened me on the issues impacting our own state. Policy in Washington is centered around Seattle and other major urban hubs, but having the opportunity to explore Eastern Washington and other rural areas reminded me why I went to graduate school in the first place – to improve the quality of life for underfunded and underrepresented communities. My north star, my heart, and my life are all rooted in service and I’m grateful to have participated in a program that aligns with my values.

What is the impact that you hope to leave as alumni of Evans and as you embark on your career journey?

I hope my impact is one of resilience and community. Graduate school has its trials and tribulations. There were more times than not when I wanted to drop out. However, I found a community here that pushed me to be better and do better. You might enter graduate school as an individual, but you leave here with a community. I’m better off for it.

JSI Scholar: Avalon McAffrey

Tell us about your story

I grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was homeschooled my entire life along with my older sister and younger brother. My childhood was spent participating in robotics, Girl Scouts, playing guitar, and becoming an electrical apprentice while working alongside my dad. I started volunteering for environmental causes in middle school and spent my Silver Award for Girl Scouts co-writing a children’s book about the environment. Those experiences changed the course of my life.

What path did you take when you first started college?

I started college as a classical guitar performance major, but soon realized that I wanted to focus on more than just music. I switched to an individualized major so that I could focus on topics that had become most important to me—nonprofit leadership, sustainability, and communications.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

Helping people—helping them find their way, helping them foster connections, helping them create community, helping them learn how they can protect the environment, helping them find ways that they can serve and support others—is what I am passionate about.

There are so many ways to help make the world a better place and I am still seeking to find my best path to do exactly that. I think that, so often, people simply don’t know where to turn and I hope to bridge that gap in some way with my career—strengthening and building communities through environmental education and an appreciation of the arts.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

I am inspired by many nonprofit directors or presidents who spend so much time working tirelessly for the people they serve. Specifically, the president and vice president of an Oklahoma nonprofit organization called the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Julie Cohen and Emily Claudé, were the initial inspiration for me to begin to consider a career in nonprofit leadership. This was the first time I had seen two women in charge of a large, successful nonprofit endeavor that made an enormous impact on so many kids’ lives and it really caught my attention.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

Making new connections with other students and professionals in the field, learning about new topics, and experiencing life in Seattle is what I am most excited about!

JSI Scholar: Luz Escobar

Tell us about your story

I am a Nicaraguense immigrant living in a community where white supremacist culture persists and is memorialized in the namesakes throughout our city, streets, and schools. My hometown of St. Rose is part of an 85-mile stretch of chemical plants that pollute my home and community. Being at Villanova has opened my eyes to the impact of these injustices. Better aware of the depth of ignorance pertaining to these injustices and the inaction that persists, I recommitted to learning about the racial state and its impact on Latinas and how to efficiently empower Latinas to create change. My classes fueled my curiosity and taught me the power of fostering dialogue, a first step in bridging divides. Over the past three years, I have intentionally used my voice to build bridges and understanding among students in the predominantly white environment of my university. I began by facilitating dialogue that touches on privilege, power, and identity to hundreds of students at my university through the Villanova Diversity Skit. Through the Center for Access Success and Achievement, I am currently leading discussions on the lack of diverse art on our campus, as well as the fatigue students of color feel because of continued stereotyping and microaggressions. Simultaneously, I lead initiatives for organizations like Poderistas and Latinas Inspiring Furthering Education that increase Latina civic engagement. As I phone banked to help 2,000 Latinx voters register to vote in the state of Georgia, created designs that reached 100,000 people that inform and celebrate North Carolina Latinas, and marshaled a voting event for Latinas during the 2022 election, I began to see the beauty and power in our community. The impact of the work I initiated and assisted in shows me the change and justice I seek in Louisiana are possible, something I did not believe in before.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

I am considering a career in public policy because of the impact policy and public service has on marginalized communities. I desire to learn about solutions that tackle the underrepresentation of Latinas in elected offices and the need for more programming for Latinas in Louisiana. I see myself leading national nonprofits that are providing campaign resources, enhancing political networks for Latinas, and addressing the barriers that deny Latinas access to state and local offices. I dream of building a strong statewide network that will generate policy change that ensures Latinas who want to hold political office run successful local, state, or federal campaigns.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

I am inspired by the work of Latina leaders like Yadira Sanchez, executive director of Poder Latinx , whose work and commitment are showing the country that Latinx voters matter and we can determine elections.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I am most excited to meet everyone in this year’s cohort and confront challenges together as a group of passionate leaders who want to create change within our own communities but as a family as well.

PostDoc Profile: Five Questions with Amaka Nnaji

The Evans School welcomes Amaka Nnaji as a new postdoctoral scholar with the Evans School Policy Analysis and Research Group (EPAR). Dr. Nnaji received her Ph.D. in Development Economics from Lincoln University in New Zealand. She has served as a research fellow for several organizations focused on development economics in Nigeria. Before completing her doctoral work, Amaka received a master’s degree in Agricultural Development Economics from the University of Reading in England.

Arriving at EPAR in April 2023, the Evans School caught up with Amaka to talk about her research in development economics.

Evans: Congratulations on your postdoctoral research position at EPAR! Your professional path has focused on a host of economic and environmental topics within Nigeria. What were some formative experiences early on that helped you identify this particular policy research path?

Amaka: Thank you for the warm welcome. My interest in agricultural development economics, particularly in the gender-conflict nexus, comes from my experience growing up in Nigeria where smallholder farmers make up about 35% of the workforce with women contributing the most to crop agronomy with the least remuneration from farm proceeds. Also, the unprecedented impacts of drought and the resulting desertification of available arable land further worsen the situation. The obvious lack of gender-disaggregated and transformative research invariably resulting in the enactment of poor-functioning and ineffective policies further motivated me to pursue this research path.

Evans: Your dissertation and recent publications have focused on farmer-herder conflicts in rural Nigeria. Why is this such a critical issue in sub-Saharan Africa?

Amaka: Farmer-herder conflict is a critical problem in most sub-Saharan African Countries due to rapid population growth and the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures and subsequent drought and desertification have reduced the availability of pasture for nomadic herders to graze their animals. Also, rising population growth has signaled increased crop production which sometimes results in the conversion of grazing reserves to farmland. As a result, sometimes herders graze their animals on farmer’s cropland resulting in a loss of crop yield and income. Some farmers may maim the animals or pursue herders out of their farmlands, herders retaliate, and the vicious cycle of farmer-herder conflicts ensues. Considering the negative impacts of climate change are not stopping anytime soon, there is a need to provide evidence to engender the enactment of suitable policies that enhance adaptation to the adverse conditions increasing the occurrence of these conflicts.

Evans: What are some of the biggest challenges you encounter when conducting research in rural communities and regions?

Amaka: Some challenges I have experienced conducting research in rural regions is a dearth of reliable secondary data on community population, number of farmers and farm size. Also, when carrying out surveys, the lack of efficient internet connectivity and unreliable transportation options through poorly maintained access roads are major problems. For my thesis, I had to collect data from remote conflict-affected regions, and these were the main issues faced by the field team.

Evans: Your published research focuses on many important areas for policy action – climate change, household consumption and food security, land use and farming practice – what are some immediate policy recommendations that stand out from your recent work?

Amaka: Some of my most recent work show that female farmers are more likely to be food secure when given more access to productive resources like land. This demonstrates the need for more gender-transformative policies to bridge the persistent gender gap in access to productive resources. Also, empirical evidence of both direct and indirect negative impacts of climate change induced farmer-herder conflicts on agricultural productivity shows the need for policies to facilitate the migration to more sustainable farming systems like ranching and paddock grazing in developing countries.

Evans: How do you see your research program evolving in the next few years?

Amaka: I have always been passionate about using academic research to support and influence public policymaking. In the next couple of years, I am looking forward to using spatial modelling techniques to facilitate the development of sustainable livestock production systems in developing countries. Also, working with the amazing team of researchers in the Evans School will enable me to contribute to research with clear social and political development relevance, that produces valuable evidence for the academic community, policymakers and non-governmental stakeholders in the continued fight for global gender equity, women’s empowerment, poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

Evans: We are lucky to have you join our community – welcome!

Amaka: Thank you!

JSI Scholar: Alex Roque

Tell us about your story

I grew up in Manila, Philippines and migrated to Seattle in 2019 to be with my family. Aside from the two pieces of luggage and one backpack I carried with me on the journey, I also brought my passion for law and public service. Having grown up with a lot of relatives who worked in the field, it was something I was always interested in but could never solidify– it was after my family’s migration experience that my passion for immigration started to grow. My first few years in Seattle were surrounded by community members who showed me the breadth of the migrant experience and how much we needed to do (and how much could be done) to move toward migrant justice.

What path did you take when you first started college?

The ability to receive a college education in the United States was one of the strongest factors in my family’s decision to migrate– and is a decision that I do not take lightly. I spent my first two years in community college, which showed me how powerful education could be and how accessible it should be. Working, studying, and bonding with people across all ages and backgrounds was a formative experience because it helped shape the lens through which I would see my new home, Seattle. Additionally, the smaller classes and flexibility of community college allowed me to form deeper connections with my community not just within an educational setting but also in community-based organizations and volunteer opportunities. The combination of CC and community involvement early on helped me realize exactly what I wanted to learn and do with my education, which is a clarity I bring as I work toward my Bachelor’s Degree in the UW.

What made you consider a career in public policy/public service/international affairs?

I’m drawn to public policy and public service because of the desire to help immigrant families directly by navigating systems or finding necessary resources, as well as affecting change in immigration through public policy, starting at a local level. However, when I first moved to Seattle, I was willing to set aside my passions and interests for “traditional” and “stable” career paths. I thought that working in public policy and public service was just a dream that I’d eventually have to let go. But through working with organizations like OneAmerica or interning with the offices of Senator Murray and the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, I realized that it was actually possible to pursue my passions as a career— that, in actuality, voices and stories like mine had a place in such fields.

Who inspires you to think about public service?

My father.

What are you most excited about the JSI program at UW?

I’m looking forward to diving deep into the statistical tools and research methods that would best help us create, implement, and evaluate policies and programs. I’m also so excited to meet peers from all over the country, to work and learn closely together for seven weeks, and to enjoy Seattle’s beautiful summer together! Everyone is excited to finally meet in-person and it will for sure be a summer to remember.