PhD Student Profiles
NB: Students earn an en route master's degree in Public Policy after successful completion of core courses and two comprehensive exams.
Sample dissertation proposal abstracts are also included.
Dale Allen
Education: Springfield College, BS, Sports Biology
Springfield College, MEd, Physical Education/Athletic Administration
Springfield College, CAGS, Student Personnel Administration
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "The Economic Relationships between Institutions of Higher Education and Municipalities" (abstract)
Carolyn Arcand
Education: Syracuse University, BA, Accounting and Entrepreneurship
Research Interests: Women's issues, health care policy, environmental policy, and sustainable economic development
Lyndia Barros
Education: Gonzaga University, BA, Sociology
Boston College, MSW, Macro Global Practice
Research Interests: Immigration, social inequalities, building institutional capacity at Latino/a non-profit organizations, and transitioning democracy in Eastern Europe
Allyson Baughman
Education: Boston University, BA, History
Boston University, BS, Human Physiology
University of Southern California, MS, Physical Therapy
Boston University, MPH, Public Health
Research Interest: Health disparities
Talia Berman-Kishony
Education: Tel Aviv University, LLB, Law
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Dispute Resolution
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Health policy, conflict resolution and law
Michael Bernardino
Education: Georgetown University, BA, Education, Policy and Economics
Research interest: Economic development
Sara Bernardo
Education: University of Massachusetts Amherst, BA, Economics and Social Thought and Political Economy
York University (Canada), MA, Political Science
Research Interest: Normalization of high debt to income ratios for the working class in the US
Marija Bingulac
Education: University of Massachusetts Boston, BA, Political Science
Research Interests: Hunger, social movements and nationalism, politics of poverty, race and ethnicity, community mobilization and sustainable solutions
Sandra Blatchford
Education: Clark University, BA, Psychology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Applied Sociology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "A Comparison of Plymouth County, Massachusetts’ and St. Louis County, Minnesota’s Response to Batterers through Programs, Systems and Policy"
Dragana Bolcic-Jankovic
Education: Belgrade University, BA, Sociology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Applied Sociology
Research Interests: Public health, health services research, patient safety
Elizabeth Brown
Education: William Smith College, BA, Third World Studies
University of North Carolina, MPH, Health Behavior and Health Education
Research Interests: Health policy and youth development
Morgan Clark
Education: Scripps College, BA, BLA, Political Science, International Relations
University of Ontario, MPA, Public Administration
Research Interest: Women's policies
Caroline L. Coscia
Education: Regis College, BA, Political Science
Suffolk University, MPA, Public Administration
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: “The Role of Civic Associations in the Conflict Between Universities and their Surrounding Neighborhoods”
Shahid Dad
Education: University of Karachi (Pakistan), BA, War Studies
Peshwar University (Pakistan), BS, Aeronautics
Harvard University, MA, Government
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Social inequality and social welfare
Elaine Donnelly
Education: Boston College, BA, English and Art
Harvard University, MEd, Education
University of Massachusetts Lowell, MS, Regional Economic and Social Development
Research Interests: Inequities in educational access
Jennifer Douglas
Education: Wesleyan University, BA, American Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Ways that public and private rights and responsibilities are demarcated; US social welfare policy and racial formation; social movements; the state and subjectivity; credit scores and consumer debt
Rachel Drew
Education: Dartmouth College, BA, Economics
Research interests: Housing policies
Bunmi Fatoye-Matory
Education: University of Ilfe (Nigeria), BA, English and Education
University of Ibadan (Nigeria), MEd, Sociology of Education
Harvard University, EdM, Language and Literacy
Research Interest: Dispute resolution
Danny Garcia
Education: Universidad de Antioqua, BS, Economics
McGill University, MS, Economics
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation topic: “Environmental policy”
Marcella Garcia
Education: DeManila University, MBA
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Dispute Resolution
Harvard University, MEd, Art Education
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interest: Disability policy
Monica Garlick
Education: Smith College, BA, Biological Sciences
Research interests: Health policy and economic development
S. Leslie Gleason
Education: Yale University, BA, Biology
Episcopal Divinity School, MA, Theology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Housing, career development, education and health policy
Alma Halluli
Education: University of Tirana, BA, Albanian Language and Literature
University of Tirana, MPA, Public Administration
University of Sussex, MA, European Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interest: Immigration policy
Barbara Hamilton
Read Barbara's profile
Education: University of Massachusetts Boston, BA, Economics
Northeastern University, MS, Economic Policy and Planning
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Labor market policy, environmental policy, quantitative policy analysis
Amy Helburn
Education: Ohio State, BA, Social and Cultural Anthropology
Tulane University, MPH, Community Health Education and Maternal & Child Health
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: " Social Risk and Protection: Inequities in Employment-based Benefits and Health Status Among US Workers and Ensuing Implications for Mid-term Economic Mobility" (abstract)
Sarah Hogue
Education: Text Wesleyan, BS, Christian Education
Texas Women's University, MA, Women's Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Child/family well-being, human rights, gay and lesbian issues
Brandynn Holgate
Education: University of California Davis, BA, Sociology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MBA, Management
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Labor, employment and workforce development
Approved Dissertation Topic: "Labor Market Intermediation and Flexibility: Case Examples of Regional Innovation Systems in Biotechnology"
Sarah Jalbert
Education: Northeastern University, BA, Sociology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Applied Sociology
Research Interests: Criminal-justice, drug addiction, and mental-health policies
Michelle Kahan
Education: Smith College, BA, Government
Brandeis University, MS, Human Services
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Poverty and hunger, welfare reform, and homelessness
Ndumba Kamwanyah
Education: University of Namibia, BA, Social Work
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Dispute Resolution
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "The Tower of Babel? Examining Ordinary Citizens’ Perceptions of Reconciliation in Post-Independence Namibia" (abstract)
Aundrea Kelley
Education: Swarthmore College, AB, Sociology and Anthropology
University of Massachusetts Boston, MBA, Business Administration
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "The Impact of Changing Admissions Standards for Massachusetts Higher Education"
Susan Kelly
Education: University of Massachusetts Amherst, BA, Social Thought and Political Economy
University of Massachusetts Amherst, MPA, Public Administration
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: Education, housing
Ching-Mei Lin
Education: Shih Hsin University, BA, Public Policy
University of Connecticut, MPA, Public Administration
Shih Hsin University (China), MA, Public Policy and Management
Research Interests: Non-profit performance and goal-setting
Colleen Manning
Education: Mount Holyoke, BA, Psychology
Tufts University, MA, Child Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "Turnover among Family Child Care Providers: Individual- and State-Level Predictors" (abstract)
Barbara McGonagle
Education: University of Massachusetts Boston, BA, Economics
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interest: Insurance reform policies
Karen Monaghan
Education: University of Stirling (Scotland), BA
University of Ulster (Northern Island), MSW, Social Work
Research interests: Policy frameworks that grapple with issues of stigma, discrimination, and exclusion, but which are also sensitive to cultural differences between and among societies
Charles Ndungu
Read Charles' profile
Education: Nairobi University, BA, English Literature and Linguistics
Pennsylvania State University, MEd, Agricultural Education
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "An Analysis of the Role of Civil Society Actors in the Implementation of a National HIV Policy in Kenya"
David Gonzalez Nieto
Education: Universidad Complutense, BA, Political Science
University of Massachusetts Boston, MA, Applied Linguistics
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "What's Language Got to do with Policy? The Politics of Language: Experiences and Effects in the United States"
Howard Payton
Education: U.S. Naval Academy, BS, Physical Science
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Affairs
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "An Analysis of the Influence of the Supervisory Agency in Determining Community Reinvestment Act Performance Evaluation Grades"
Katia Powell
Education: Emmanuel College, BS, Biochemistry
Research interests: Policies affecting children, youth and families with a focus on health disparities
Shefali Rajpal
Education: University of Chicago, BS, Economics
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interests: The impact of international human capital flows on developing countries and the social and political demographic trends/characteristics of the South Asian diaspora in the United States
Ann Robbart
Education: Smith College, AB, American Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: "Just Desert? World War II Veterans Benefits as a Welfare Model and Economic Strategy" (abstract)
Diana Salas Coronado
Education: Queens College, BA, Anthropology
New York University, MPA, Public Policy
Research interests: Structural factors that contribute to inequalities in the United States
Alvine Sangang
Education: Stephen F. Austin State University, BA, Economics
Research Interest: Economic development in Africa
Felicia Sullivan
Education: St. Lawrence University, BA, Government
New School for Social Research, MA, Media Studies
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Approved Dissertation Topic: “Engaging Youth: Linking Design and Implementation Choices of Out-of-School Time Programs in Boston to the Development of Political Engagement Attitudes in 14-18 Year Olds” (abstract)
Risa Takenaka
Education: Eastern Washington University, BA, Economics
Research Interests: Economic development and human rights
Michael Tutty
Education: Western New England College, BA, Government
Clark University, MBA, Health Administration
Approved dissertation topic: "Health Reform Challenges: Understanding Low-Income Massachusetts Residents Who Remain Uninsured" (abstract)
Steven Viveiros
Education: Stonehill College, BA, Mathematics, Foreign Languages
Northeastern University, MS, Student Development/Counseling
Northeastern University, Graduate Certificate, Non-profit Management
University of Massachusetts Boston, MS, Public Policy
Research Interest: College readiness and success, developmental education in postsecondary setting, higher education policy
Hsin-Chin Wu
Education: National Chengchi University (China), BA
University of New York, MA, American Studies and Arts Management
Research Interest: Sustainable management models for arts and cultural organizations, especially museums
Ghazal Zulfiqar
Education: Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Karachi, BBA, Finance
IBA, University of Karachi, MBA, Finance
University of London, MS, Development Finance
Research Interests: Poverty and inequality in transitional societies.
