Alumni Council

As Harris continues to grow, the Alumni Council serves as the bridge between Harris Public Policy, our global community of alumni and current students. With members spanning the globe and working across a broad array of sectors, the Alumni Council connects our global alumni base to the Keller Center, and current Harris students to the world.

The Council strives to:

• Provide resources for alumni networking, professional development, and career advancement

• Assist current students in career placement

• Facilitate communication between alumni and Harris

• Extend the resources of Harris Public Policy by engaging alumni

• Promote the common interests of alumni and Harris

In addition to working through the full Council, members contribute through our Committees and Task Forces:

• Alumni Awards Committee solicits nominations and applications, reviews and selects recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rising Star Award, and Alumni Service Award

• Alumni Relations Committee plans events, volunteering, webinars, mentorships, regional chapters and other ways for alumni to connect with each other, the school, and current students

• Careers and Networks Committee supports career and professional development activities for students and alumni

• Development Committee expands alumni financial support for Harris, such as through the Alumni Fellowship Fund, Class Gifts, Harris Society and Irving Harris Fund

• Nominations and Membership Committee maintains the pipeline of Alumni Council members and administers yearly elections for officers

Join the Council

The Alumni Council seeks applications from potential new members who are invested in securing a strong future for Harris. Applications for new members will be accepted in Winter of 2025.

Contact the Council

The Alumni Council is here to serve you.

We encourage alumni to contact the Council with ideas or questions by reaching out to Alumni Council President, Steve Sellick, AM'93.

Alumni Council Members

On this page:

• Aidan Ali-Sullivan
• Saeb Ahsan
• Kai Andersen-Guterman
• Tyler Barron
• Peter Biava
• Dipak Bishwokarma
• Cindy Castañeda
• Michael Crowley
• Nimit Dhir
• Nicholas Epstein
• Rachel Essel
• Chantal Forster
• Heather Ann George
• Luis Gonzales Carrasco
• Ryan Higgins
• Dylan Jacovo
• Anna Lee
• Joseph Lester
• Walter Mair
• Enrique Mezo
• Chris Morton
• Molly Murray
• Stephen Sellick
• Surya (Surge) Sen
• Urmi Sengupta
• David Spearman
• Thomas Whamond
• Fanmei Xia
• Yimeng Qiu

Aidan Ali-Sullivan, MPP/MBA'17

San Francisco, CA

Aidan currently leads state political strategy throughout the US, and manages state policy and government affairs in the western US for Waymo, an Alphabet Inc. company, ensuring regulatory and legislative environments encourage the growth of autonomous vehicle technologies. Prior to Waymo, Aidan served as the head of state policy at Nuro, leading state-level policy efforts throughout the country. Prior to Nuro, Aidan was a Manager of Future Mobility at General Motors in both Dubai, U.A.E and Detroit, Michigan.

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Kai Andersen-Guterman, MPP/AM'10 (joint degree with the Crown Family School of Social Work) 

Seattle, WA

Kai Guterman is the Senior Manager of Knowledge Management at the Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the US Children’s Bureau. He is a social worker with 18 years of experience in human services, ranging from the frontlines, through conducting research and consulting to improve policy and practice in public sector programs. His current work in knowledge management seeks to leverage the collective expertise, data, and insights of groups in order to solve systemic problems and rapidly spread ideas and innovation.

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Tyler Barron, MPP'18

Chicago, IL

Tyler Barron is a policy advocate at ELPC, working on Midwest climate change and clean energy solutions, and Great Lakes and natural resources protection advocacy issues. Tyler served as a Udall Foundation native congressional fellow in the office of Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) before joining ELPC. He currently serves as co-chair of the Harris School's Alumni Chapter of Chicago and helps advise current Harris School and University of Notre Dame students on how to make an impact in the world of sustainability. Tyler enjoys lacrosse, Notre Dame football, and the Chicago food scene!

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 Peter Biava, MPP/MBA'19

Washington, D.C.

Peter Biava is an investment professional at Meridiam, a global asset manager dedicated to sustainable infrastructure development. At Meridiam, he is responsible for business strategy and project development across various sectors of infrastructure including transportation & mobility, water & waste, and industrial decarbonization & electrification. A graduate of the joint degree MPP/MBA program, Peter is passionate about social impact and public-private partnerships, especially where innovative methods are used to align the long-term interests of public and private stakeholders.

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Dipak Bishwokarma, AM'20

Waterloo, Ontario 

Dipak is an experienced researcher and development partitioner. His research focuses on climate change, disaster risk reduction, and social capital mobilization in the South Asian context. Specific areas of interest include vulnerability, adaptation, community resilience, and community-based natural resources management. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Waterloo, Canada. 

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Cindy Castañeda, MPP'95

Albuquerque, NM

Cindy is a retired higher education professional.  Her career included work in community colleges, universities, and the federal government.  She worked in multiple roles including professor, assistant, and executive dean in both the instructional and student services areas.  She also put her education policy background to work as an elected school board member in Garland, Texas, as an appointed Trustee for The Thacher School in Ojai, California, and for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund as a member of an Advisory Council.   

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Michael Crowley, MPP'14

Chicago, IL

Michael Crowley is President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) where he oversees 20+ Clubs serving thousands of children and teens each year. Michael joined BGCC in 2021 as Chief of Staff before being appointed to his current role in 2023. He is also the Vice Chair of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group. Previously, Michael served as Communications Director for the Office of Chicago’s Mayor, and for nearly a decade in multiple roles with After School Matters, a high school-focused youth development organization in Chicago.

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Nimit Dhir, MPP'05

Washington, D.C. 

Nimit is an attorney in the national security group of the D.C. office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.  He previously has worked in a range of foreign policy and national security positions, including as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow in India, as counsel in Congress, and as an analyst for the federal government.  

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Nicholas Epstein, MPP'13 

Highland Park, IL

Nicholas Epstein is a public policy, government affairs, real estate, infrastructure and economic development professional. Nicholas is the founder and a Principal at FlatIron Investments. He delivers urban and economic development, infrastructure and commercial real estate, as well as government affairs and public policy solutions for private sector firms and state and local governments on developments and investments. Nicholas possesses expertise on site selection, land use, design, zoning and entitlements, housing policy and regulations, as well as as public private partnerships. 

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Rachel Essel, AM'22 

Chicago, IL

Rachel currently serves as a Senior Analyst at Valor Equity Partners, where she assists in the sourcing, analysis and tracking of all investment opportunities. Prior to joining Valor, Rachel was a Senior Research Analyst at the BCG, where she led cross-functional knowledge sharing efforts and helped develop BCG's perspectives on the global Industrial Goods sector alongside senior leaders and stakeholders. Rachel holds a B.A. ('18) from Northeastern University. In June 2023, Rachel graduated from with an M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

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Chantal Forster (Secretary), AM'19

Chicago, IL

Chantal E. Forster is the executive director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG). For over 20 years, Chantal has worked at the nexus of people, data, and technology, leading organizations toward greater collaboration, innovation, and impact. Her career spans the private, public, and social sectors where Chantal has developed a unique ability to build cross-sector technology initiatives that serve the common good. 

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Heather Ann George, AM'19 

Wabash, Indiana

Seasoned wealth management professional working as an internal consultant to UHNW families in the areas of family advisory and philanthropy advisory services. 

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Luis Gonzales-Carrasco, MPP'19

Santiago, Chile

Luis held a Master of Public Policy at the Harris School of Public Policy with a concentration in Energy, Environment, and Economics at University of Chicago and a master degree in Applied Macroeconomics from the Pontificia Universidad Catalica de Chile (PUC). He obtained my bachelor degree in economics at the Universidad Catalica Boliviana (UCB). He worked in the government of Bolivia in the Social and Economic Policy Analysis Unit (UDAPE) (2005-2008), then he was an advisor, consultant and Head of Studies Department to the Ministry of Finance of Chile (2012-2014 and 2018-2019)

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Ryan Higgins, MPP'17

Brooklyn, NY 

Ryan Higgins is a Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Verizon, where he oversees the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program. Over his career, Ryan has worked in nonprofits and school district administration. He is committed to working toward equity in education, having started his career as a seventh grade math teacher. Ryan holds an MPP (’17) from the University of Chicago and a BA from Vanderbilt University. 

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Dylan Jacovo, MPP'21

Raleigh, North Carolina

Dylan currently serves as an Associate of Postsecondary Transitions at Education Strategy Group (ESG). Prior to joining ESG, Dylan served as an Associate Policy Analyst at The Hunt Institute. At Harris, Dylan was an Irving B. Harris Fellow, served as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at the Harris School, where he helped support the design and implementation of the school’s first DEI strategic plan and served as Academic Committee Chair for HSG. Dylan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona and earned his MPP at Harris.

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Anna Lee, MPP/MDV'00

Chicago, IL 

Anna Lee is United Way of Metro Chicago’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Anna works with community leaders, public sector partners, donors, and academic institutions in innovative efforts to build a stronger region. Prior to United Way, Anna was at The Chicago Community Trust as a Senior Director of Community Impact. Anna earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Boston College and master’s degrees in divinity and public policy, both from the University of Chicago. Anna is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow and serves on the boards of Forefront and Disability Lead. 

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Walter Mair, AM'14

London, UK

Walter is an Investment Professional at Marlin Equity Partners in London. In his role he is responsible for private equity investments in software and technology companies across Europe. Prior to joining the firm in 2016, he spent two years as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in London.

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Enrique Mezo, MPP'17 

Mexico City, MX

Enrique Mezo is co-founder and Head of Growth in Plant Squad. Mezo has both experience in the private and public sector, where he conducted disruptive and innovative strategies aimed at generating value with a social and environmental focus.

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Chris Morton, MPP'98

Washington, DC

Chris Morton leads the American Land Title Association's policy development, political engagement, and lobbying strategy and is a member of the organization's Executive Team. Working closely with senior leaders across the association and industry who engage in coalitions, campaigns, and strategic communications, his goal is to promote and enhance the title industry's role in protecting consumers in the efficient and secure transfer of real estate.  

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Molly Murray (Vice President), AM'20 

Chicago, IL

Molly Murray serves as President and CEO of the Autoimmune Association were she leads efforts to improve the lives of those living with autoimmune disease by advancing the organization’s four pillars: Advocacy, Awareness, Education and Research. She is a career nonprofit and trade association professional who holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, as well as the CAE credential. In her spare time she enjoys staying active outdoors, fostering dogs, traveling and checking out the culinary scene wherever she is.

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Stephen Sellick (President), AM'93

San Francisco, CA

Steve Sellick is the Founder and Chairman of Gnarus Advisors, an economics consulting firm providing analytic and expert services to clients facing complex challenges arising from uncertainty, potential litigation, or disputes. He draws on over 30 years of multidisciplinary experience & training in economics, public policy, litigation, risk management, business development, entrepreneurship, and business transformation as a trusted advisor on complex, high-stakes issues in risk management, governance, corporate litigation, and public policy.

Steve is a board member at AVIVO Wines and the Sonoma County (CA) Regional Parks Foundation.  He is the Vice President of the San Francisco chapter of the Private Directors Association and Director of the PDA Governance Lab. He serves as a mentor to business founders with StartOUT and other organizations focused on promoting entrepreneurship in underrepresented communities. Steve is also a member of the Harris Council.

Steve earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an A.M. from Harris.

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Surya (Surge) Sen (Immediate Past President), MPP'98

Northbrook, IL

Surge has dedicated his career in government service serving in various leadership roles in federal financial regulatory agencies such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He currently serves as Vice President of Consumer Compliance & Supervisory Operations, where he oversees consumer compliance and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) risk specialists as well as resource allocation, review, vetting, and other support functions for supervision of financial institutions in the 7th District.

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Urmi Sengupta, MPP'04

Oak Park, IL

At MacArthur, Urmi is responsible for a mix of impact investing and grantmaking activities focused on field-building to support increased investor awareness and engagement. Previously, she worked with small business finance and microfinance institutions, developing a range of capacity-building initiatives which included conceptualizing and running the first global community network for emerging market small business banks. Urmi has a management degree with a specialization in finance from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and a master’s degree (summa cum laude) from Harris.

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Fanmei Xia, MPP'22

Chicago, IL

Fanmei is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in Sociology at Yale. Her research has been focused on human development, education, and migration. She is interested in studying human experiences, and particularly how to maximize people's potential in different developmental contexts. Prior to joining Yale, Fanmei worked in the research institution and the education space.

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