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.