Gail MacColl (MPA ’64) passed away on February 6, 2025.
Jonathan Perman (MPP ’87), founder and manager of the widely heralded American Congressional Exchange at the Bipartisan Policy Center since 2017, recently launched state legislative exchanges in Michigan and Minnesota.
Debra Erenberg (MPP ’89) was recently named co-executive director of Women’s Voices for the Earth, a national nonprofit working towards a future free from toxic chemicals and rooted in gender justice and intersectionality.
Gary Snoonian (MPP ’92) is currently the executive in charge of production for the CBS late-night series, After Midnight. He notes that it’s not quite the furthest he could be from the public service and policy worlds, but it’s close.
Richard Charlton (MPP/JD ’96) is currently seconded from the New York Fed’s Legal & Compliance Group to the European Central Bank’s Directorate General Legal Services.
Dorsía Smith Silva (MPP ’97), tenured professor at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, published her debut poetry book, In Inheritance of Drowning (CavanKerry Press, 2024), about racial, social, and political injustice. It was on the Publisher’s Weekly booklist of poetry books to read for fall 2024.
Steve Tobocman (MPP/JD ’97) helped launch an immigration narrative change campaign—Businesses and People for Immigration—through his work at Global Detroit. The campaign has coalesced over 350 signatories to help promote a narrative on the enormous contributions that immigrants make to Michigan, our communities, and our economy.
Jim Townsend (MPP/MBA ’97) is director of the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy at Wayne State University Law School. Jim is an attorney and former member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Tina Bonney (MPP ’99) lives in Portland, Maine, where she and her husband own Foundation Brewing Company, a hub for Michigan game watch parties. Tina was recently appointed to the Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave Benefits Authority, representing employers with under 50 employees.
Amber Arellano (MPP ’03), Executive Director at EdTrust-Midwest, was named a 2024 Education honoree by the BFDI International Training Institute. Arellano was recognized for being a tireless champion for educational equity.
Aaron Skrocki’s (MPP ’05) daughter, Eve, won an Iowa State wrestling championship in February. Eve is a sophomore at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque. She is currently ranked 24th in the country in the 145-pound weight class. Go Blue!
Patrice (Harduar) Gopo (MPP/MBA ’07) is excited to share that her second picture book will be released this spring. Ripening Time is a poetic and playful exploration of the joy of waiting for, and finally sharing, fried plantains. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly said, “Delectable prose and jewel-toned illustrations come together ... amplifying the sensory-rich storytelling.”
Maggie Koziol (MPP ’07) was named the executive director of the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, a Washington, DC, based nonprofit dedicated to supporting people of all ages through grief, loss, and trauma. She is excited to advance Wendt’s mission and expand its impact of helping people through their hardest moments.
In support of their colleagues at NOAA’s National Weather Service Forecast Office in Los Angeles/Oxnard and their tireless efforts to protect communities from the recent wildfires in their hometown of Los Angeles, Nicole Fernandes (MPP/MS ’08) and her twin sister, Adrienne Fernandes Alcantara (MPP ’06), delivered homemade cookies, backyard fruit, snacks, and personal care items during this catastrophic weather event.
In January 2025, Andrew Renacci (BA ’09) was appointed as interim chief legal officer and corporate secretary of GrafTech International Ltd., an NYSE publicly-listed manufacturer of graphite electrode products located outside of Cleveland.
In August 2024, Andrew Rogers (MPP ’10) joined Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. Andrew has served in financial and budget leadership roles in state, municipal, and public higher education settings since graduating.
Maria Liu (BA ’12, JD ’15) and Patrick Ryan (JD ’15) welcomed Sage Liu Ryan on January 16, 2025. Big sister, Holly, is excited for matching outfits, and all are ready to cheer on Michigan and for trips to Ann Arbor!
Leili Doerr Riegel (BA ’12) recently bought a home in Washington, DC, where she now resides with her husband, Paul, and their dog, Roger! They say good things come in pairs: Leili was also promoted to brand manager of innovation & strategy at Nestle USA.
In January, Haven Allen (MPP/STPP ’13) was selected for a three-year term to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Advisory Board for Small Business, Community and Economic Development, Agriculture, and Labor.
Nina Maturu (MPP/MBA ’13) completed two years as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow. During her time, she served as a senior advisor to the Advanced Research Projects for Health and to NASA. In both roles she worked directly with scientists on the societal and cultural ramifications of emerging technologies.
Ryan Watkins (MPP/JD ’13) moved back to Ann Arbor and accepted a position as an attorney-counselor at the U-M Law School after a decade of practicing law in Michigan, New York, and Texas. He and Nayla (LSA ’06, MD ’16), a physician specializing in high-risk obstetrics, are excited to raise their daughters, Sameera and Eliana, in the city that they love.
Janani Ramachandran Yates (MPP ’13) left her role as deputy budget director for the City of Detroit and, with the city’s former budget director, founded a management and budget consulting firm, Watson & Yates, LLC.
Luke Horner (MPP ’15) and Dana Schlegel welcomed son Kieran Gabriel into their family, alongside older sister, Alena Corrine.
Maya Efrati (MPP/JD ’16) accepted the position of director of legislation and congressional affairs with the Government Accountability Project. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization advocates for whistleblowers.
After serving in the Biden Administration’s Department of Labor, Katherine Eyster (MPP ’17) recently joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center as chief of staff. She sends a special shout-out to the many Fordies who are dedicated current or former civil servants in this difficult time.
Michael Manansala (MPP ’17), who serves as the Pacific Islands officer at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, was selected as a member of the Aspen Strategy Group Rising Leaders Program Class of 2025.
Benjamin Morse (MPP/MS ’17) recently began his new role as the director of strategy for campus sustainability at the University of Michigan. He will help lead efforts to develop and implement strategic initiatives that advance sustainability across the campus.
Max Gigle (MPP ’19), who leads digital service improvement efforts for the State of Connecticut, was named a global Top-50 Government Innovator by Public Sector Network.
Perry Holmes (MPP/MBA ’19) recently started a new position managing regulatory affairs at Einride, an electric autonomous freight company.
Marc Jaruzel (MPP ’20) and Nate Samuelson (MPP ’18) are working together on a new nonprofit, Founding Citizens, that explores innovative approaches to addressing long-term policy challenges.
On December 19th, Stephanie (Iovan) Weiss (MPA ’21) welcomed a future Fordie, Jonah Weiss, into the world!
Sheriff Almakki (MPP ’24) accepted a role as a foreign affairs officer at the Department of State following his graduation in May 2024. He also joined the University of Michigan’s DC Alumni Club as their Executive Secretary. To any Fordies living in the DC area or working in technology and international affairs, please reach out!
Brittney Barros (MSW ’22, MPP ’24) was admitted into a PhD doctoral program in social work and social welfare at the U-M. With over 150 applicants for five spots, she notes that she is incredibly honored to be admitted. This is a new program, so Brittney will be in the inaugural cohort!
Caroline Leland (MPP/MS ’24) started a new job with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project in March 2025. As a housing and smart growth senior associate, she will help local Colorado governments understand and implement climate-friendly urban densification laws.
More in State & Hill
Below, find the full, formatted spring 2025 edition of State & Hill. Click here to return to the spring 2025 S&H homepage.