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Hina Kazmi: Meet the Schar School Alum Who Is Launching ‘Intro to Space Policy’

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:55:13 +0000

Hina Kazmi: Meet the Schar School Alum Who Is Launching ‘Intro to Space Policy’ Andrew J Schappert Thu, 07/17/2025 - 11:55

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Hina Kazmi: ‘We’re expanding our access to space, and it has become critical infrastructure—but what does that mean policywise?’ Photo provided

Hina Kazmi, after seeing Voyager 1’s images of Saturn: ‘I knew I was going into aerospace.’

When you ask Hina Kazmi if she would ever like to live in a colony on the moon, her answer is quick and enthusiastic.

“Oh, I would absolutely do that,” she said. “Do they need a tester for the first flight to Mars? I would do that too.”

It’s not a farfetched question to ask Kazmi. The Schar School of Policy and Government at �鶹��Ƶ adjunct professor is set to teach a new course, Introduction to Space Policy, beginning in August with the start of the 2025 fall semester. It’s one of the rare courses in the country that will bring the growing fields related to space exploration—and exploitation—into the classroom.

The course is designed to support a broad range of public policy interests, Kazmi said. Those interested in international and national security, engineering, business, public administration, and other topics will find the course useful in their academic pursuits and future careers.

“When you think of space,” she said, “you think of commercial startups and Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk launching their rockets. That’s the fun stuff. But beyond that excitement there are huge national, international, and commercial aspects to this industry.”

As more of the business of space falls into in private hands, there comes a need for clear, informed, and educated thinking on public policy, she said.

“In the past, [space activity] was government controlled, but now it’s commercially available for navigation, weather prediction, communications. We’re expanding our access to space, and it has become critical infrastructure—but what does that mean policywise?”

As an example of the field’s growth, the tiny island of Bahrain, where the Pakistan native spent her middle school years, has a space agency. “Every country now sees this as important,” she said.

Kazmi, an engineer by training who at one point was leading programs for NASA, developed a fascination for space in 1980, when the interstellar craft Voyager 1 sent its first images of Saturn back to Earth from some 800 million miles away. The astronomical event made an impression on the young scholar.

“I knew I was going into aerospace,” she said.

Kazmi earned her undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering, with a minor in mathematics, in 1993 from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.

She also holds a master of business administration degree. After rising through the ranks in technical and management roles at major private and public aerospace leaders, she began teaching at George �鶹��Ƶ, revitalizing a dormant course in managing government contracting.

Realizing her future was in academia, she earned a master of public policy degree from the Schar School in 2008, followed by a PhD in public policy in 2016. She received the Joseph A. Fisher Award for best PhD dissertation.

“I really believe Gen Z, who is in college now, and Gen Alpha behind them will be the space generations,” she said. “Space tourism, living in space, working in space, moon colonies—all of that is happening. We’re in the very, very early stages of it.”

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Alumna Whitney Woods to Lead Denver Domestic Violence Survivor Center

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:41:55 +0000

Alumna Whitney Woods to Lead Denver Domestic Violence Survivor Center Andrew J Schappert Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:41

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Whitney Woods, a 2007 graduate of the Schar School of Policy and Government’s renowned government and international politics program—known for preparing students to lead in complex policy environments—has been appointed executive director of the Denver-based Rose Andom Center, a comprehensive resource center supporting survivors of domestic violence. The announcement was made earlier this month.

Whitney Woods: ‘When I came to visit, it was a picture-perfect weekend and felt like something out of movie. George �鶹��Ƶ turned out to be a great fit for me.’ Photos provided

For Woods, née Phillips, the new position at the helm of Colorado’s first family justice center is a fitting next chapter for someone whose career has already included high-stakes crisis communication on Capitol Hill, work with the White House, and strategic leadership across government and philanthropy.

The Colorado native chose �鶹��Ƶ in 2004 “because I wanted to go to college very far away from where I grew up—it was important to me,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work in government someday and George �鶹��Ƶ had a great program.”

Woods, who minored in conflict analysis and resolution in an accelerated degree program, was also interested in studying international policy.

“If I decided to go that route, I wouldn’t need to change schools,” she said, an observation that underscores one of the Schar School’s defining strengths: housing both political science and international affairs under one interdisciplinary roof.

But it was the tour of the Fairfax Campus—a leafy hub of innovation and buzzing with student life—that was the deciding factor.

“When I came to visit, it was a picture-perfect weekend and felt like something out of movie,” she said, recalling the campus vividly more than 20 years later. “George �鶹��Ƶ turned out to be a great fit for me.”

Whitney Woods Alpha Xi Delta’s 2006 recruitment event

The Schar School’s proximity to key institutions in nearby Washington, D.C., was another draw. “It was close to the city but not in it,” she said. “It felt like a small community even thought it was really connected to not just the larger community, but to the world.”

That proximity paid off: While balancing her coursework with roles as a �鶹��Ƶ Ambassador—giving campus tours to prospective students—and an active member of Alpha Xi Delta, a Schar School professor helped her develop a resumé and encouraged her to apply for internships on Capitol Hill, despite her only experience being retail work.

That nudge led to a 2007 internship with U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) and an extended stay on Capitol Hill until 2013, rising through the ranks, ultimately serving as communications director for U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) until his retirement in 2013.

In that role, she helped shape national narratives and dealt with the world’s major media outlets during a series of historic moments: the assassination of Osama bin Laden, the government shutdown, Hurricane Sandy, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and the death of Muammar Gaddafi, among other generational milestones.

“When I eventually went to work in Congress, I often thought of how interesting it was that our [government] framework remained the same—three branches—but that so much else had changed,” she said. “My [Schar School] degree provided a solid foundation for understanding how our government is supposed to work and the intention behind its design.”

As she begins her new role leading the Rose Andom Center, Woods is drawing once again on the values and vision she developed in Fairfax where, she said, “I really grew up there and found my independence, and who I wanted to be.”

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From the White House to Borough Council: Brandon Ledford Makes Local Government Matter

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:02:59 +0000

From the White House to Borough Council: Brandon Ledford Makes Local Government Matter Andrew J Schappert Wed, 06/11/2025 - 11:02

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Brandon W. Ledford doesn’t do things halfway. By day, he’s the senior vice president and general manager of MGT, a public-sector consulting firm that helps state and local governments tackle everything from cybersecurity to compensation fairness.

Brandon Ledford: ‘You can have a much bigger impact locally … It doesn’t take, literally, acts of Congress to get things done.’ Photo provided.

By night—well, evenings and weekends—he puts his 2011 Schar School of Policy and Government master of public policy (MPP) degree into practice as vice president of the Borough Council in Dormont, Pennsylvania, a community of 8,000 bordering Pittsburgh.

As it happens, the borough manager, John Stinner, is also a Schar School graduate. (See Stinner’s story on this page.) The two did not know each other at �鶹��Ƶ.

“When he said we had the same degree, I thought he meant an MPP, not necessarily an MPP from George �鶹��Ƶ,” Stinner said.

For Ledford, being a councilmember is personal.

At age 9, Ledford was diagnosed with the African form of Burkitt’s lymphoma, an incredibly rare and aggressive cancer. He was the third known case in the United States—and the first to survive.

But survival came with consequences. His mother, forced to miss work to care for him, lost her job. That was just as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was being passed, and a pro bono attorney helped her fight for reinstatement.

“We were on public assistance because of medical bills,” Ledford said. “So, growing up, I got to see government protecting folks in their neediest, and I wanted to dedicate my life to this.”

While earning an MPP degree with concentrations in science and technology policy at George �鶹��Ƶ, he interned for a semester at the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, a perfect fit.

After graduating with his degree, Ledford, 41, spent years in federal government consulting, working for Deloitte U.S., Booz Allen, and now MGT. But he never lost his belief in the power of local government.

In Dormont, as a councilperson (there are seven) and chair of the public safety, building and code enforcement committee, he’s championed initiatives such as a façade grant program to revitalize the town’s business district and, particularly, a robust family leave policy for borough employees.

“You can have a much bigger impact locally,” he said. “The time from idea to implementation is way shorter. It doesn’t take, literally, acts of Congress to get things done.”

Ledford has lived and worked in the highest levels of government. But in a town where he knows his neighbors and can see change happen firsthand, he’s found where he can make the biggest difference.

“It started with wanting to be involved in politics,” he said. “But when we had our first daughter, I really liked the community we were in. I thought, ‘We can do great things here.’”

The Schar School is working to assist those considering careers in government, nonprofit, and government-adjacent organizations by offering application fee waivers, discount pricing, flexible and customizable courses, and other programs. Find out more about “upskill” and retooling certificate and degree programs at this webpage.

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Master of Public Policy

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Graduating Senior Anna Garren: Commencement, Leidos, Hopkins, and Beyond

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:17:31 +0000

Graduating Senior Anna Garren: Commencement, Leidos, Hopkins, and Beyond Andrew J Schappert Mon, 05/05/2025 - 12:17

It’s going to be a whirlwind week for graduating senior Anna Garren.

Anna Garren: ‘The Schar School degree really helped expand my worldview.’ Photo by Jennifer N. Victor/Schar School of Policy and Government

On May 10, she moves into her first apartment. Five days later, she’ll don cap and gown at �鶹��Ƶ’s EagleBank Arena to receive her bachelor of science degrees in public administration, from the Schar School of Policy and Government, and computational and data science from the College of Science.

Three days after that, she starts her new job at the Reston, Virginia-based government contracting giant Leidos, where she’ll work in the Artificial Intelligence Accelerator.

And the very next day, she begins her master’s degree program in artificial intelligence at Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering.

Garren, 21, is used to managing big transitions with poise and purpose. She grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, home of George �鶹��Ƶ, but she began her college career more than 200 miles away, at Roanoke College, where she was a third-generation student and her grandfather, Kenneth R. Garren, had been a dean (he retired in 2001).

Initially a computer science major, she quickly realized she wanted a broader, more interdisciplinary focus. She transferred to George �鶹��Ƶ as a sophomore and declared a double major in computational and data sciences and public administration.

“I always knew I wanted to go into STEM,” she said. “But after taking government classes in high school, I added the political science aspect.”

She was further inspired by the passing of her high school legislative bill project—regarding a special needs indicator on state vehicle registration—actually being passed into law by the Virginia legislature.

That hybrid identity—analytical and civic-minded—has been her hallmark at George �鶹��Ƶ. And at the Schar School, Garren found not just challenging coursework but a welcoming and supportive community. In fact, the community she found was a higher education highlight for her.

“Definitely the relationships I made with my professors and peers,” she said when asked what stands out from her time there, adding that her two terms as part of Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor’s Politics Research Lab was a particular highlight.

Anna Garren, left, and mentor Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor. Photo provided.

In that setting, Garren, who was also a teaching assistant, was part of a collaborative environment where undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty work on real-world political science research—sometimes for credit but always for impact.

Not surprisingly, Garren has made an impression on one of her professors.

“Anna’s eagerness to meet the world’s challenges head-on should make the world’s challenges very nervous,” said Victor, the university’s 2025 Faculty Mentor Excellence Award winner. (An aside: Garren is the 2025 OSCAR Student Excellence Award winner.)

“She is a remarkable student,” Victor added. “Her combination of deep knowledge and interest in politics and government combined with her incredible skills in computational and statistical programming make her one of the most sought after students I’ve ever worked with.”

Outside the classroom, Garren took her passion for technology and education into the community, volunteering as coach for the robotics team at Centreville High School, her alma mater. During peak season, the team, a certified nonprofit organization that offers STEM training to middle and elementary schools, consumed about 20 uncompensated hours a week. The squad also competes in the prestigious international FIRST Robotics competitions.

“It’s a lot,” she agreed in a tone that mixes understatement and pride, adding that she also substitutes on occasion as a teacher at the school.

In addition to her double-major course work, her volunteer hours with Victor’s lab, and her high school robotics club, Garren completed four summer internships at various units of the Department of Defense.

Ask her what she’ll miss most about George �鶹��Ƶ and her answer is fast—“the Schar School,” specifically the people and the intellectual exploration of government and politics, even as she pivots into the sharper tools of data science and AI.

“The Schar School degree really helped expand my worldview,” she said. “The type of brainwork in data science is different than in political science classes, and I’ll miss that.”

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From Vietnam to Virginia: Duy Vu’s Remarkable Journey to the Commencement Stage

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:38:56 +0000

From Vietnam to Virginia: Duy Vu’s Remarkable Journey to the Commencement Stage Andrew J Schappert Mon, 04/28/2025 - 11:38

As the rows of soon-to-be graduates fill EagleBank Arena in a sea of green and gold at the May 15 Commencement ceremony, all eyes will turn to senior Duy Vu, who will take the podium as the student commencement speaker. For Duy, the honor to represent the graduating �鶹��Ƶ student body is the culmination of a seven-year journey that began half a world away.

Student Commencement speaker Duy Vu: ‘During my studies I learned about looking at things from different perspectives, how to think about decision-making, beliefs, and ideologies.’ Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

His story—and his advice to his graduating classmates—is worth listening to.

Duy came to the United States as a 15-year-old high school student, following his father, a deputy defense attaché for the Vietnamese government, to Washington, D.C. The transition, Duy admitted, wasn’t easy and his command of English was rudimentary.

“My grammar was strong,” Duy said of his language training in Vietnam, “but I could barely communicate when I first got here.”

He resolved to come to George �鶹��Ƶ with a new attitude and develop the confidence to make the most of his time as a college student.

“I told myself I would make college a worthwhile experience,” he said. “I’d try everything. I’d step out of my comfort zone.”

The start was slow—Duy and his undergraduate classmates are likely the last cohort to have endured the COVID-19 campus shutdown—and by his junior year, Duy realized time was running short.

“That’s when it hit me: I have two years left. If I don’t do something now, I might not get another chance,” he said.

Duy transformed his campus experience. He dove into extracurricular student life by joining campus organizations, including serving as treasurer of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and vice president of finance for Beta Theta Pi, before starting his own Registered Student Organization (RSO), George �鶹��Ƶ’s first-ever Pool Club. Pool, as in billiards.

“I just started enjoying the game,” he said. “There wasn’t a club, so I made one.”

The Pool Club quickly evolved into more than a casual hangout, with the team meeting at the tables at the Hub’s Corner Pocket game room, hosting tournaments, and traveling to other schools for competitions.

Joining organizations, besides being fun, expanded Duy’s world view. As treasurer for ALPFA, he learned the ropes of networking and professionalism. “It helped me understand the etiquette and skills needed in the business world,” he said. “And I got to learn from peers who were already finding success.”

Duy Vu majored in two bachelor of science programs, public administration and finance. Photo by Julia Conway/Schar School of Policy and Government

On top of his nonclassroom activities, Duy is a double major graduating from two bachelor of science degree programs: The Schar School of Policy and Government’s comprehensive public administration program and the Costello College of Business’s robust finance program.

He signed on to public administration thanks to his father’s suggestion.

“I wasn’t sure about it at first,” he said of the public administration major. “But during my studies I learned about looking at things from different perspectives, how to think about the way beliefs and ideologies play into a government’s decision-making.”

The Schar School professors also revealed to him a new-found fascination with “the financial and economic side of things,” he said, which is vital to creating successful public policy. “And that’s when I declared a second major in finance.”

Throughout his time at George �鶹��Ƶ, Duy balanced a double-major’s-worth of classes—and all the reading, writing, and exams that go along with two majors—with organizational leadership activities with classmates and a part-time job at the Schar School’s Aquia headquarters on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus, where he supported students for nearly four years as an office assistant.

“I’ve worked with Ms. Colette since my sophomore year,” he said of K. Collette Lawson, the longtime Schar School administrative and technical coordinator. “It was my first ‘real’ experience outside of school. It’s going to be hard to leave.”

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A Passion for the Past Pays Off: History Buff Christine Peretik's Timeless Internship

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 12:28:40 +0000

A Passion for the Past Pays Off: History Buff Christine Peretik's Timeless Internship Andrew J Schappert Wed, 04/09/2025 - 08:28

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Christine Peretik is no stranger to hard work and unexpected opportunities. A senior at �鶹��Ƶ in the Schar School of Policy and Government, she is majoring in government and international politics with minors in both history and criminology, law and society.

Christine Peretik: ‘You never know where an email or a small decision might lead you.’ Photos provided.

But it was her passion for the past that landed her a fascinating internship at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center in Fairfax, Virginia, a role she initially applied for on a whim.

“I had applied for it, not expecting much,” Peretik said. “I was very interested in it, but I didn’t know if it was going to turn up. And lo and behold, I ended up getting this internship.” (Let that be a lesson to all students considering internships. Help is here.)

Peretik’s work at the Historical Records Center placed her directly in the midst of history—literally. Housed in what was once the clerk’s office, the center holds an extensive archive of documents, from land records to court proceedings, and even a Fairfax Court Slavery Index compiled by a former �鶹��Ƶ student.

“We have obituaries and just about every court proceeding you can think of,” Peretik said. “Even crimes that were committed back in the day, just about everything people went through.”

One of her main tasks was analyzing old court cases, which appealed to her higher ed interests, from government to history to law.

“My manager asked me to identify who was the victim in these cases,” she said, explaining how she often had to interpret the documents handwritten in the 1800s on the fly. “I had to go back over each letter, like, ‘Okay, this is how they write an A. This is how they write a T.’”

Beyond deciphering faded vintage calligraphy and researching legal documents, Peretik also contributed to the center’s public exhibits, which are displayed around the historic courthouse and judicial center. She helped create content for a walking tour that takes visitors through key sites, such as the Legato School, one of Virginia’s early schools, now a museum. Students attended the school between the 1870s and 1930 and is now furnished to mimic the look and feel of an 1870s schoolhouse.

“We also have a little stone slab from the Spanish-American War era,” Peretik said. “People believe it marks a grave, but neighbors say it was actually a cat named Clem.”

Peretik’s enthusiasm for learning and history is palpable.

“I am a huge, huge history nerd, for lack of a better word,” she admits. “I watch documentaries for fun. That’s one of my things.”

Christine Peretik: ‘And lo and behold, I ended up getting this internship.’

Despite her love of history, Peretik’s academic focus remains on government and law.

“I want to work in the government someday,” she said. “Maybe the Department of Justice, or Homeland Security. I’m keeping my options open.”

Among her outside-the-classroom experiences at George �鶹��Ƶ include working as a telecounselor for the Admissions Office. She’s also been an active member for three years of the International Buddy Program, which pairs domestic students with international students “with the whole purpose of forming connections between the two.”

Peretik’s decision to attend George �鶹��Ƶ was an intentional one. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her family relocated to Fort Mill, South Carolina, over a decade ago. She considered other universities but ultimately chose George �鶹��Ƶ for its unique balance.

“It’s the hub for government,” she says. “You’re right near D.C., but also far enough away to have a real college experience.”

As she prepares to graduate in May, Peretik reflects on her time at the Schar School and the internship that deepened her appreciation for history.

“It was an incredible opportunity,” she says. “You never know where an email or a small decision might lead you.”

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City of Fairfax Mayor, ’83 Alum Catherine S. Read to Deliver Degree Celebration Keynote

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:21:13 +0000

City of Fairfax Mayor, ’83 Alum Catherine S. Read to Deliver Degree Celebration Keynote Andrew J Schappert Thu, 04/03/2025 - 11:21

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In an ironic turn of events, the 2025 Schar School of Policy and Government Degree Celebration keynote speaker did not attend her own graduation from �鶹��Ƶ.

Mayor Catherine S. Read: ‘The university mailed me my diploma which I didn’t have framed until I was elected mayor. It has a place of prominence in my office at City Hall now.’ Photo by Sarah Heaton (BA Film and Video Studies ’24)

“I finished in December 1983,” said City of Fairfax Mayor Catherine S. Read. “There were no December ceremonies back then. The university mailed me my diploma which I didn’t have framed until I was elected mayor. It has a place of prominence in my office at City Hall now.”

Read, who earned a bachelor of arts degree in government and politics (the degree was conferred with the Class of ’84), will address some 400 graduating Schar School students across all disciplines and degree programs on Wednesday, May 14, at 4:30 p.m. at EagleBank Arena on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus.

Read was elected as the first women and the first George �鶹��Ƶ graduate to lead the university’s hometown of more than 24,000 residents in 2022. She won reelection last year.

Originally a theater major, she nurtured and expanded her interest in legislative advocacy work at George �鶹��Ƶ, eventually finding leadership roles in nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and federal levels. She has worked for many years on public policies such as the Breastfeeding Bill (2015), the Virginia Values Act (2020), and the abolition of the death penalty in Virginia (2021). Her advocacy focuses on issues that impact the quality of life in Fairfax City and across the commonwealth.

Last year, Read was elected to serve on the Alumni Chapter Board of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Schar School of Public Policy and Government for 2024-26.

She currently serves on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), and Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Additionally, she serves on the Virginia Poverty Law Center Advisory Board and the Equality Virginia PAC Board.

A city resident since 2000 in the Daniels Run Woods, Providence Square, and Fairchester Woods neighborhoods, Read has most recently worked with local nonprofits on legislative advocacy and messaging and continues to occasionally host shows for Fairfax Public Access.

She is the mother of three adult children and resides with her husband, Tom Greeson, and their dog, Reggie.

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Schar School BA in Government and International Politics

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Change in Plans: Federal Workers, Government Students Find Opportunities in Local Government

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:10:14 +0000

Change in Plans: Federal Workers, Government Students Find Opportunities in Local Government Andrew J Schappert Wed, 03/26/2025 - 12:10

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First of a series

Federal workers who have lost their jobs and graduating government students would do well to consider state and local government positions. That’s the assessment of John P. Stinner, a 2009 graduate of �鶹��Ƶ's master of public policy program.

John P. Stinner: ‘If you’re really looking to make a difference, you can make a difference every day in local government.’ Photo provided

Stinner is now the borough manager of Dormont, a municipality of some 8,000 residents bordering Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

For Stinner, 46, working in local government wasn’t part of the plan. With a master’s degree from Schar School of Policy and Government and considerable, career-oriented experience on Capitol Hill and in international development, the registered Independent imagined his career unfolding in Washington, D.C., or abroad.

But when life led him to Pittsburgh, he discovered something surprising: the immense opportunity and fulfillment of working at the local level.

“I thought it wasn’t sexy. I thought it wasn’t interesting,” Stinner said. “I came to find out that it’s an incredibly engaging job.”

Now Stinner, the borough manager, is a passionate advocate for careers in local government. He believes that many professionals and students of government overlook these positions despite their impact, stability, and competitive compensation.

“There’s a huge need right now in my industry,” said Stinner, who became Dormont’s manager six months ago. “Public service just doesn’t get the same [application] numbers it used to.”

Local government jobs offer attractive salaries, pensions, and excellent benefits, he said. “It’s a six-figure job with great benefits. I have better health insurance than anyone I’ve ever met.”

Stinner’s journey into local government began unexpectedly. After moving to Pittsburgh due to his wife’s career, he found himself exploring new opportunities. A connection at a University of Pittsburgh think tank led him to work in municipal management, and the rest is history.

“If you had asked me as an undergrad [at the University of Wyoming] if I’d be working in local government, I would have told you you’re crazy,” he said.

But as it happened, the skills he developed in international development translated seamlessly into his work with local communities. From economic development to budgeting, transportation to collective bargaining, his leadership role touches a variety of critical issues.

Stinner recalled that a classmate from George �鶹��Ƶ landed a position in nuclear nonproliferation policy in Washington, “really big, high-level stuff,” he said. Impressive, yes, but a mentor put things in perspective when he asked, “How many times do you think your friend will actually affect public policy in their career? We affect public policy every day.”

“And I see that as a very rewarding part of my job,” Stinner said. “If you’re really looking to make a difference, you can make a difference every day in local government.”

As for compensation, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) recently signed an executive order making the local officials’ pay equivalent to that of positions in the state government. He also signed an order to bring fired federal workers to Pennsylvania to fill some 5,600 openings in state and local roles.

Additionally, he said, “There’s a ‘gray tsunami’ of all the Baby Boomer retirees, and early Gen Xers are starting to retire as well. We just don’t have the ranks coming in behind to fill those jobs.

“Engage with local government. See what’s available,” he said. “There’s so much work to be done.”

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Michelle Lammers, ‘05: From Master’s Student to a ‘Woman to Watch’ in National Security

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:18:01 +0000

Michelle Lammers, ‘05: From Master’s Student to a ‘Woman to Watch’ in National Security Andrew J Schappert Thu, 03/20/2025 - 12:18

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Named in February as one of Colorado’s “50 Top Women to Watch,” �鶹��Ƶ alum Michelle Lammers has carved out an impressive career in national security, bringing strategic communications expertise to a field where precision and discretion are paramount.

Michelle Lammers on her Schar School master’s degree: “I think it brought the ability to step back and look at the picture and ask, ‘How do we fit into what’s going on today, and why does it matter?’”

As vice president of communications at Nightwing, a cutting-edge intelligence and cybersecurity firm, Lammers is at the forefront of safeguarding clients’ most sensitive data while shaping the company’s public presence.

She earned her master's degree in International Commerce and Policy—now called Global Commerce and Policy—in 2005 from the Schar School of Policy and Government. The program, known for its rigorous curriculum and distinguished faculty—including professionals with high-ranking intelligence backgrounds—laid the groundwork for her career.

“I had some amazing professors who were full time at the CIA in senior roles,” Lammers recalled in a Zoom call from Denver. “That exposure really helped me understand the intelligence landscape.”

After graduating from the Schar School she worked in strategy, mergers, and acquisitions before pivoting into business development and communications. While her path has been dynamic, she credits her degree with teaching her how to analyze complex policy issues and apply them to real-world business challenges.

“It’s about understanding context,” she said. “I think it brought the ability to step back and look at the picture and ask, ‘How do we fit into what’s going on today, and why does it matter?’”

Those skills, she said, “were what my master’s [degree] was focused on, and it’s really helpful.”

A longtime Denver resident, Lammers has spent years actively engaging with the local community, which has earned her multiple industry recognitions, including a spot on Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list and the current “50 Top Women to Watch” by Women We Admire, a nonprofit providing news and information about women executives and leaders in major U.S. industries.

Closer to home, Lammers was named a “Top MarCom Exec to Watch in 2024” by Washington Executive magazine.

Though she’s based in Colorado, her work at Nightwing keeps her connected to national security hubs across the country. The company, headquartered in Sterling, Virginia, has a presence in 46 states, employing more than 2,200 professionals. Lammers oversees the company’s external and internal messaging, ensuring that its cybersecurity and intelligence missions are clearly communicated to employees, stakeholders, and the public.

“We’re heavily focused on cybersecurity and other intelligence and national security missions,” she said, highlighting the importance of aligning public messaging with the ever-evolving security landscape.

For Schar School students looking to follow in her footsteps, Nightwing presents opportunities. The company actively recruits from George �鶹��Ƶ’s highly regarded computer science and cybersecurity programs, offering positions that cater to those with security clearances or aspirations of obtaining them.

“We have some really cool missions,” she said. “If you have a clearance or are interested in national security work, we have jobs in the D.C. metro area and beyond.”

One of her transformative experiences at George �鶹��Ƶ was a three-week summer study-abroad program at the University of Oxford’s Mansfield College in the United Kingdom, made possible by George �鶹��Ƶ’s Global Education Office’s �鶹��Ƶ Oxford Programs. At Oxford, she developed lifetime friendships with classmates, so much so she was in the wedding of one and has attended family Thanksgiving holidays with others.

From her studies in international policy to her leadership role in a major intelligence firm, Lammers’s career highlights the value of combining strategy, policy expertise, and business skills. For Schar School students interested in cybersecurity and intelligence, her message is straightforward: opportunities exist—you just need to pursue them.

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Master of Global Commerce and Policy