Center Staff
Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson is the director for the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston, and graduate program director for the Gender, Leadership and Public Policy graduate certificate program. In 2018 she was a Visiting Professor in the same program. She has held faculty and senior scientist positions at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where she was affiliated with the Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy, the Institute on Assets and Social Policy, and the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy.
Phone: 617.287.5554
Christa conducts research on public leadership, with an emphasis on women of color, and policy issues related to women’s economic security. Among other projects, she has directed studies on women’s economic status, the midwifery workforce, and women in construction.
Phone: 617.287.5530
Muna Killingback joined the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy with many years of experience advocating for and writing about women's and human rights, peace, and social and economic justice issues. At CWPPP, she works with the Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy graduate programs, oversees communications, and assists with fund development.
Phone: 617.287.5530
Afsana Alam is a PhD student in Public Policy at UMass Boston. Her research focuses on gender equity, labor policy, and social justice, with particular attention to wage inequality and the care economy. She has experience in legislative research and policy analysis, including work at the Massachusetts State House supporting policy development. Her work is grounded in a commitment to equity-focused research and translating scholarship into policy practice.
Afia Akbar (she/her) is a PhD student in Public Policy at UMass Boston and earned her master’s degree in Economics from Ohio University. Originally from Bangladesh, her academic and research interests focus on gender equity, labor markets, childcare policy, and women’s labor force participation. Afia has worked with research organizations, media institutions, and academic settings in both Bangladesh and the United States. She is passionate about using evidence-based public policy to address injustice and inequality and to improve outcomes for women and marginalized communities.
Sonia Arthur is a policy researcher whose work lies at the intersection of governance, public trust, and emerging technologies. She has experience analyzing public opinion and institutional performance, and her current research explores policy frameworks for AI governance. A Public Policy doctoral student in UMass Boston’s McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, Sonia previously served as a research fellow at MIT. She is passionate about advancing inclusive governance and ensuring that innovation aligns with public values.
Adanna Kalejaye is an internationally trained lawyer, policy researcher, and PhD candidate at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMass Boston. She holds an LL.M from Swansea University, UK, and a Master’s in Public Policy from UMass Boston. Her research focuses on climate adaptation and resilience in coastal cities, with particular attention to innovative and community-centered water systems. With over a decade of experience across litigation, consulting, nonprofit advocacy, and academia, she is committed to advancing equitable, data-driven policy solutions. Adanna currently works at the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy, where she leads and supports research on the organizational and leadership well-being of grassroots organizations led by Black and Indigenous women of color and supports the Center’s Distinguished Public Fellows Program. She also contributes a monthly column on sustainable development to the American Society for Public Administration and has served as an Associate Editor for the New England Journal of Public Policy. Her work sits at the intersection of law, policy, and sustainability, with a strong commitment to mentorship and inclusive public leadership.
Jada Knight (she/her) is the Communications and Programs Assistant at the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy, and an undergraduate student at UMass Boston studying history, sociology, and education. She also works at UMB's Center for Academic Excellence with students interested in academic coaching to assess their strengths and goals, as well as serves as a peer mentor for students entering their first year of college. Originally from Michigan, Jada was involved in local and statewide student-power, education justice, and gun violence prevention work, and she plans to pursue a career in education and law. Jada is passionate about engaging young people and those from historically excluded identities to get involved in governmental and societal processes to ensure their decisions and experiences are central in policymaking.
Amrith Fernandes Prabhu is a doctoral student at the McCormack School of Policy and Global Studies, where her research interests are on the intersection of discrimination, child welfare, and disability policy. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Ms. Fernandes Prabhu spent over ten years in the nonprofit sector, leading efforts to redesign and improve community-based programs aimed at addressing intersectional inequities. She currently works with the Center for Social Policy, the Collins Center for Public Management, and the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy supporting research on economic and social security, structural disparities, and community well-being particularly of women and girls. Ms. Fernandes Prabhu is an organizing member of the Graduate Employee Union (UAW 1696) and founded the Association for Public Policy and Administration Graduation Students. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from American University and a Master's degree from Northeastern University.
Opportunities at CWPPP for Students
- Communications/Marketing Intern
- GLPP Work Study
Download the flyer about CWPPP opportunities for undergraduate students.