Over the past thirty years, Michael Botticelli has held a variety of leadership positions at the local, state and national levels.  He was most recently the inaugural director of the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center and a Distinguished Policy Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to these positions, he was the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for the Obama Administration and the long serving Director of the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.  He is also a person in long term recovery celebrating over 35 years in recovery.

He has also served in a variety of leadership roles for the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. He was a member of the Advisory Committee for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He has also co-authored many peer-reviewed articles that have significantly contributed to the field.  While mostly enjoying a leisurely life in retirement, Michael is currently consulting to the United States State Department leading efforts to establish a Global Recovery Network.  Michael’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe and on 60 Minutes.  Born in Upstate New York, Mr. Botticelli holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Siena College and a Master of Education degree from St. Lawrence University.

Date: Tuesday, October 29th

TIME: 8-9 AM ET

SPEAKER: Michael Botticelli

RSVP here

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Angela Yuriko Smith, and Somi Kim (AB '84) 

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Sponsored by:

The Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association

Harvard Law School Association of Massachusetts

Harvard Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy

In the upcoming presidential elections, a high-stakes battle is unfolding with razor-thin margins between candidates set to reshape the political landscape. An expert panel Oct. 21 will dissect potential seismic shifts ahead and the evolution of American politics.

Join us on October 21 at 6 p.m. for a lively and informative hybrid networking and discussion. This special program is sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association, the Harvard Law School Association of Massachusetts and Harvard's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. 

Agenda

6-6:45pm Reception

6:45-8pm Panel discussion with Q&A (online session starts at 6:45pm)

Speakers

Brian Stelter – CNN - Program Moderator

Brian Stelter is the chief media analyst for CNN Worldwide, book author and recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism. He also is former fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media.

Lisa Desjardins – PBS NewsHour

Lisa Desjardins is a correspondent for PBS News Hour, where she covers news from the U.S. Capitol. She is also a former AP and CNN reporter, and reports now on how decisions in Washington affect people where they live and work.

Kimberly Atkins Stohr – The Boston Globe

Kimberly Atkins Stohr is a senior opinion writer and columnist with more than 20 years of experience covering politics, policy and law. She is an on-air political analyst for MSNBC, a frequent panelist on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and co-host of the popular Politicon legal news podcast #SistersInLaw.

David Paleologos – Suffolk University

David Paleologos is the Director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center (SEPRC), where he has worked since 2002 conducting polling at the local, state, and national level. Hundreds of major news organizations have reported on SUPRC results for their high degree of accuracy.

James Pindell – The Boston Globe

James Pindell is a Globe political reporter who reports and analyzes American politics, especially in New England. He re-joined the Globe in 2015 after a previous stint for the Globe’s Washington Bureau 2006-2008. He has previously worked for the Des Moines Register, Indianapolis Star, and WMUR-TV in New Hampshire.

Join us for a free one-hour workshop on strategies around time management and email organization! This is our eighth session, since our first few were quite popular -- 3,000 people registered! 

In these busy times, better organizing our team and emails help us be more effective, productive, and content. Theodora Skeadas, CEO of Tech Policy Consulting, is excited to share her strategies with you! This conversation is scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 5-6 PM ET! A Zoom link will be sent to all those who RSVP here.

Speaker:

Theodora (Theo) Skeadas is the Community Policy Manager at DoorDash, where she builds company-wide trust and safety policies. She is the Chief of Staff at Humane Intelligence, a nonprofit focused on algorithmic assessments. She is also the CEO of Tech Policy Consulting, where she works on AI governance and online safety issues. Previously at Twitter, she managed the Trust and Safety Council, a research hub, and a trusted flaggers program for human rights defenders, and she supported global civic integrity, transparency, and crisis response efforts. Before, she worked in national security at Booz Allen Hamilton, examining public sentiment, social movements, and disinformation using social media for the U.S. Federal Government. Previously, she worked with nonprofits in Morocco, Turkey, Greece, and Costa Rica. She has an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA from Harvard College. She has language experience in French, Modern Greek, Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Turkish, Moroccan Arabic, and Spanish. 

This event is organized by Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association. 

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Angela Yuriko Smith, Michelle Simpson (JD ‘04), Kalpana Rao (EDM '10), Roland Tan (AB '97), and Jen Jue-Steuck (EDM '03)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Agenda:

·      5:30-6:00pm welcome with pizza and beverage (no alcohol)

·      6:00-6:50pm film screening of JIMMY TINGLE: The “Radical” Middle — Why Would A Comedian Run For Office? 

·      6:50-7:15pm Q&A with Jimmy Tingle

·      7:15-7:30pm networking

(pizza and beverage will be provided, no alcohol) 

In the film, Jimmy chronicles his fascinating transition from a life as a seasoned comedian to a desire to enter into politics, for real this time.

He applies his distinctive Boston brand of humor to solve some of America’s most complex problems.

This original and autobiographical film challenges audiences to move beyond the politics of tweets, sound bites, and the nightly — or hourly — news cycle… and into the realm of long-term thinking and life-affirming possibility, as the United States faces the election of 2024 with a myriad of emotions, passions and theories.

Through the lens of common sense, comedy, commentary and conversation, Jimmy aspires to contribute to the national dialogue in a hopeful, positive — and funny — way as America strives to create, in the words of Abraham Lincoln: “a more perfect union.”

Jimmy’s ingenuity and deep compassion provide a much-needed and thought-provoking antidote to the politics of our day.

Watch this 50-minute compilation of stand-up performance, historic footage and at-home interviews to remember the healing power of humor; and it just might help you get to the polls in November.

JIMMY TINGLE is an American comic and occasional actor. He was the American correspondent for David Frost’s show for PBS and the BBC, The Strategic Humor Initiative. He completed two seasons with 60 Minutes II on CBS as the humorist/commentator in the Andy Rooney spot. Tingle got Harvard Kennedy School master’s in public administration in 2010.  He was selected to give an address at Harvard's commencement ceremony that year. In 2018, Tingle ran as a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. 

This event is organized by Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association. The ticket is $10. Seats are limited.  

The Honorable Robert P. Ziemian, a retired MA district court judge, and Roberta Leis (MCA/MPA '91), former executive director of the New England Association of District Court Professionals (now the New England Association for Recovery Court Professionals), will share their experiences over 25+ years to establish drug courts as a radical-at-the-time way to address the issues underlying criminal behavior such as drug or alcohol substance use.

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Gary Tang (AAE 1985 ALB 1985), Angela Yuriko Smith, Roland Tan (AB '97), Jen Jue-Steuck (EDM '03), and Chris Chambers Goodman (AB '87)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

LEADERSHIP SURVIVAL SKILLS

The Harvard Kennedy School has long stressed the importance of leadership in organizations, government, and business.
Regardless of the leadership framework, theory, or practice one might embrace, continuing to explore leadership styles and capacity is critical in becoming effective and balanced in our approach to those with whom we interact.
This Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association program focuses on the development of the skills and strategies needed for addressing leadership challenges.
This program, Leadership Survival Skills, is offered to all interested alumni and friends of the Harvard Kennedy School.
Workshop XLV: Personal Leadership - Leading from the Inside Out

Location: Your computer, tablet, or other web-enabled device

Date and Time:  September 17, 2024 from 7 to 8:30PM EST

One of the biggest challenges leaders face is with their capacity to lead themselves while leading others.

Specifically, leaders must consistently strive to be cognizant of their habitual behaviors and aware of their judgments, emotions, and body sensations to avoid operating on 'auto-pilot'.

Personal Leadership (PL) is a framework of two principles and six practices. 

It offers workshop participants a step-by-step process for managing their own reactivity and cultivating the ability to discern "right action" in situations of change, conflict, or crisis.

During this interactive workshop, you will:

• Explore the practices and principles of Personal Leadership

• Develop a personal vision statement for judicious, impactful leading.

• Discuss avenues for applying the PL framework to leadership challenges.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: Rita Wuebbeler

RITA WUEBBELER is President and Founder of INTERGLOBE Cross-Cultural Business Services, Inc., an international training and consulting firm based in Atlanta, GA.

She brings expertise as a Leadership Development Consultant, Diversity and Inclusion Facilitator, Executive Coach, and Mindfulness Instructor.

She began her corporate consulting career assisting small- and medium-sized German companies getting started in the U.S. and helped set up 10+ subsidiaries across the Southern U.S.

Rita coaches leaders on becoming more skillful at leading themselves and influencing others.

She conducts leadership development programs, facilitates diversity and inclusion workshops, and offers Mindfulness-at-Work programsto help participants manage stress and improve their performance.
Rita has been consulting with individuals, groups, and teams across multiple industry sectors.  She holds a Masters Degree in Applied Linguistics from Mainz University, Germany.

She is a Certified Integral Coach and holds a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential. She is a Senior Facilitator for Personal Leadership Seminars and a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventor (IDI). She is also a Certified Administrator of the Leadership Circle Profile and DISC Profile.

Rita is a native German with dual U.S.-German citizenship.  She spent the first two-and-a-half decades of her life in Europe before moving to Atlanta - which she now calls home. In addition to English and German, she is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge in French. Rita is an avid soccer fan and hobby cyclist participating in long-distance charity rides for AIDS vaccine research and HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

Come join us!!! 

WHERE: Your computer, tablet, or other web-enabled device.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 17th, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM.

The workshop fee is $15.

If you have any questions, contact Karen Kingsbury at karen_kingsbury@icloud.com or call her at 617 872 4553
Class size is currently limited to 35 participants.

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Karlotta Garinet, and Roland Tan (AB '97) 

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Derrick Lewis (AB '78), Mable Chan (AM ‘93), Mohit Bathija (MBA '09), Maria Ritzema, and Roland Tan (AB '97)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Daleelah Sada (ALM '25), Elle Chu (HBS Program Services Coordinator), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), Chi Lee (ALM ‘22), and Michelle Simpson (JD ‘04)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Daleelah Sada (ALM '25), and Eve McCloud (Weatherhead Scholars Fellow) [Additional 2 co-organizers]

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This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Angela Yuriko Smith, Elle Chu (HBS Program Services Coordinator), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), Roland Tan (AB '97), Chi Lee (ALM ‘22), and Michelle Simpson (JD '04)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Sonnet Takahisa (AB '76), Linda Ruth Ciglen (LLM ‘82), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), and Roland Tan (AB '97)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Eve McCloud (Weatherhead Scholars Fellow), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), and Roland Tan (AB '97)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Eve McCloud (Weatherhead Scholars Fellow), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), and Roland Tan (AB '97)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

Please note the change in time for this event: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m ET

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Eisha Khan (ALM ‘22), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), and Michelle Simpson (JD ‘04)

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

As over 2,900 dailies and weeklies folded or merged in unprecedented numbers during the last two decades, local and national coverage essential to democracy is faltering. Small weeklies have been hardest hit. 

Print newspapers have helped for almost 250 years to preserve democracy, but should democracy now help them or let them and their journalism succumb with online journalism taking their places?

Join us April 30, 2024, for 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a lively and informative discussion about the problems, benefits, conflicts and potential solutions.

This event is sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association and co-sponsored by Harvard's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy and the Harvard Law School Association of Massachusetts.

Panelists:

Steve Busemeyer is the managing editor of The Connecticut Mirror, an independent non-profit online news source covering public policy. His 30-year career in daily journalism includes 20 years at The Hartford Courant, where he served as a member of the editorial board, data editor, breaking news editor and bureau chief. 

Paul Farhi has been a professional journalist for 45 years. He left the Washington Post at the end of 2023 after working there for 35 years. He covered the news media for the Post for 13 years. He is an author of a recent story in The Atlantic magazine on the future of journalism.

Paul J. Spetrini is a writer, designer, editor and photographer with more than 17 years of experience in community journalism in Rhode Island. He most recently worked with the Independent Newspaper and South County Life Magazine, where he currently works as an editor, paginator and photographer. He served as president of the Rhode Island Press Association (RIPA).

Moderators:

Rob DiAdamo has served in various roles in state government in his career, including General Counsel to the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, the Chief of Staff and other positions at the MBTA and is now works with transit agencies on organizational and funding strategies. He is also a professor and holds a master's degree from Harvard's Kennedy School and a law degree from Boston University.

Bill Seymour is a newspaper journalist in Connecticut and Rhode Island, writer, professor of journalism for 38 years at colleges and universities. Also, former policy assistant and media advisor to Connecticut governors’ administrations and commissioners; assistant press secretary and agency Chief of Staff. He has a master’s degree from Harvard's Kennedy School.

Join us in a group discussion of shared experiences and personal opinions (with no presentations or breakouts) on:

Race and Gender: Expressions and Experience

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Chi Lee (ALM '22), Daleelah Sada (ALM '25), Elle Chu (HBS Program Services Coordinator), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), Mihiri Tillakaratne (AB '09), and Roland Tan (AB '97)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 6-7 pm Eastern [note: 6 pm start time], register at https://cutt.ly/RaceExpress

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus (HGSC), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for topics for future Harvard Diversity Discussions, please contact digital@haaaa.net.

Join us in a group discussion of shared experiences and personal opinions (with no presentations or breakouts) on:

Race and U.S. History: Redefining the American Historical Narrative

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Patrick Nichols (ALM '26), Eve McCloud (Weatherhead Scholars Fellow), Mihiri Tillakaratne (AB '09), Daleelah Sada (ALM '25), Janine Fondon, and Darold Cuba (MPA '21)

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 5-6 pm Eastern, register at https://cutt.ly/RaceHistory

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for topics for future Harvard Diversity Discussions, please contact digital@haaaa.net.

Hear from three HKS alumni and experts in transportation, public health, public safety, emergency management, and technology, who have forged successful career paths and navigated tricky career transitions. Learn from their experiences and get their advice and insights in an open and candid conversation. Prepare for future trends. After the panel presentation, participants will have the opportunity to socialize and network with the speakers and others in attendance in small groups based on areas of interest.

Speakers:

Apefa Ashiagbor is the Chief Enterprise Applications Officer at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, where she has held a variety of positions since 2010.  She joined State government as Chief Information Officer for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance in 2007 after several years consulting to state and local government organizations. 

Rob DiAdamo has served in various roles in state government in his career, including as General Counsel to the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, the Chief of Staff and Deputy General Manager of the MBTA and, most recently as the Executive Director of Commuter Rail for the MBTA.  He currently is a Senior Advisor at WSP working with transit agencies on organizational and funding strategies.  He also teaches Local Government Law at Boston University School of Law.  Rob is married with three children and lives in Brookline. In addition to graduating from the MC/MPA program in 2022, Rob received a JD from Boston University School of Law and a BA from the University of Virginia.  

Amy Mahler became the Director of Government Engagement for the Taubman Center for State and Local Government in July of 2023, where she works to connect state, county, and local government with Harvard Kennedy School resources, students, and opportunities. She served in Boston City Hall under Mayors Walsh, Janey, and Wu and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under Governors Patrick and Baker since 2013, working on communications, community engagement, policy, constituent services, and civic innovation. As a Rappaport/Boston Urban Scholar, she earned her Master’s of Public Administration from HKS in 2021.  While at HKS, she worked on Mayor Janey’s transition in the Transportation and Climate Justice subcommittee, participated in the Economic Development Seminar, and led a panel of women mayors in a discussion of COVID response and women's leadership for the HKS Women in Power conference. Prior to her time in government, she worked in campaigns and the retail tech sector. 

Mahler graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and minors in History and Political Science. She is from South Florida, got her start in politics through LGBTQ+ activism and school funding fights, and lives in Dorchester with her husband and their dog Pigeon.

Moderator: Sahil Joshi MPA 2020 from HKS Alumni Board.

This event is in partnership with the HKS New England Alumni Association and the HKS Alumni Association. It is free and open to HKS alumni, current students, and their guests. Light refreshments will be served.

Join us in a group discussion of shared experiences and personal opinions (with no presentations or breakouts) on:

Tokenism vs. Representation: Challenges of Being in Diverse Groups of People of Color

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Darold Cuba (MPA '21), Jeff Lee (MPA '96), Eve McCloud (Weatherhead Scholars Fellow), and Roland Tan (AB '97)

Thursday, March 21, 2024, 5-6 pm Eastern, register at https://cutt.ly/TokRep

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for topics for future Harvard Diversity Discussions, please contact digital@haaaa.net.

Join us in a group discussion of shared experiences and personal opinions (with no presentations or breakouts) on:

Race and Health: Cultural Conceptions

Organized by Jenny Korn (MPP '98), Briana Brukilacchio (EDM '16), Eisha Khan (ALM '22), Lisa Khan (EDM ‘06), Queen Alike (MPH '18), and Darold Cuba (MPA '21)

Monday, March 11, 2024, 5-6 pm Eastern, register at https://cutt.ly/RaceAndHealth

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network (HKSWN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for topics for future Harvard Diversity Discussions, please contact digital@haaaa.net.