PhD job placement

Doctoral alumni: first and current jobs

The Ford School's PhD alumni go on to impressive careers in academia and public sector organizations including think tanks, federal government agencies, and foundations. Review our list of first and current jobs for Ford School doctoral alumni.

PhD first job statistics pie charts

 

Public Policy and Economics

Name Position at graduation Current Position
Abarcar, Paolo '16 Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc Research Economist, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc
Alejos, Luis '18 Fiscal Economist (Consultant), Inter-American Development Bank; Research Affiliate, Office of Tax Policy Research, University of Michigan Fiscal Economist (Consultant), Inter-American Development Bank; Research Affiliate, Office of Tax Policy Research, University of Michigan
Beam, Emily ‘13 Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics, National University of Singapore Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Vermont
Broussard, Nzinga ‘08 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Economics, Ohio State University; Assistant Professor, Claremont McKenna College Global Innovation Fund, Senior Director (Analytics)
Crow, Mark '19 Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, U.S. Military Academy at West Point Academy Professor, Department of Social Sciences, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Ferrero, Chiara '21 Economist, International Monetary Fund Economist, International Monetary Fund
Fitzpatrick, Anne '15 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts - Boston Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Garlick, Robert ‘13 Postdoctoral Fellow, World Bank Development Research Group; Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Duke University Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Duke University
Gilbert, Laurien '18 Associate, Cornerstone Research Associate, Cornerstone Research
Godlonton, Susan ‘13 Postdoctoral Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute; Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Williams College Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Williams College
Goldberg, Jessica ‘11 Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Maryland Associate Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Maryland - College Park
Goldstein, Daniel ‘07 Lecturer, Department of Economics, Penn State University Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Economics, Penn State University
Hamilton, Steven '18 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, George Washington University; Visiting Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Australian National University Assistant Professor of Economics, George Washington University
Hernández, Mónica '16 Postdoctoral Fellow, The Education Research Alliance for New Orleans, Tulane University Research Associate, Tennessee Education Research Alliance, Vanderbilt University
Hyman, Joshua ‘13 Postdoctoral Fellow, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Amherst College
Johnson, Erik ‘11 Assistant Professor of Economics, School of Economics, Georgia Tech Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Carthage College
Kingery, Seth '16 Administrator, Central Plains Research Data Center, United States Census Bureau Administrator, Central Plains Research Data Center, United States Census Bureau
Lim, Katie '16 Financial Economist, Office of Tax Analysis, U.S. Treasury Office Economist, Community Development and Engagement, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Litten, Andrew '17 Associate, Cornerstone Research Manager, Cornerstone Research
Mahajan, Parag '20 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Delaware Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Delaware
Matsudaira, Jordan ‘05 Robert Wood Johnson Scholar in Health Policy Research, University of California - Berkeley Associate Professor of Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
McLaren, Zoe ‘10 Research Affiliate, IZA Institute for the Study of Labor Associate Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Montgomery, Nicholas ‘13 Visiting Assistant Professor, Franklin & Marshall College Senior Lecturer, University of Maryland - College Park
Murphy, Daniel ‘13 Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia
Nunn, Ryan ‘12 Economist, Office of Microeconomic Analysis, U.S. Department of the Treasury Assistant Vice President for Applied Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Owen, Stephanie ‘21 Assistant Professor, Colby College Assistant Professor, Colby College<
Pounder DeMarco, Laurie '07 Economist, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Principal Economist, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Ratner, David ‘12 Economist, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Principal Economist, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Resch, Alexandra ‘08 Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc Director of Learning and Strategy, Human Services Research, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc
Streich, Francie '14 Research Scientist, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation Senior Researcher, American Institutes for Research
Theoharides, Caroline '14 Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Amherst College Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Amherst College
Thompson, Hope '17 Operations Research Analyst, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Economist, Office of Policy and Program Analysis, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Toohey, Desmond '15 Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Delaware Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Delaware
Tulayasathien, Soraphol ‘03 Director, Economic Stability Analysis Division, Thailand Treasury Department Senior Executive Vice President, The Stock Exchange of Thailand
Walsh, Elias ‘11 Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc Principal Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc

 

Public Policy and Political Science

 

Name Position at graduation Current Position
Barnes, Carolyn '14 Researcher and Lecturer, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago Assistant Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy; Faculty Affiliate in the Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University
Beatty, Alison-Leigh Zielen ‘20 Mobility Specialist, Ann Arbor SPARK Mobility Specialist, Ann Arbor SPARK
Benstead, Lindsay ‘08 Postdoctoral Fellow; Lecturer, Princeton University Director of the Middle East Studies Center; Associate Professor of Political Science, Portland State University
Bray, Janna '13 UX Researcher, Airbnb Head of Research, Airbnb
Brown (Reid), Ashley ‘12 Senior Associate, McKinsey & Company Principal, ghSMART
Demessie, Menna ‘10 Fellow, APSA, Congressional Fellowship Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Task Force for Meaningful Change, Universal Music Group
Ellis, Cali '15 Hayward R. Alker Postdoctoral Scholar, Center for International Studies, University of Southern California (2016-17); Assistant Professor, Masters of Public Administration Program, Evergreen State College (2017 onwards) Member of the Faculty, Master of Public Administration Program, Evergreen State College 
Gause, LaGina '16 Postdoctoral Fellow, Ash Center for Democracy, Harvard University (2016-17); Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California - San Diego (2017-18) Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California - San Diego
Gong, Abe ‘13 Data Scientist, Jawbone CEO and Co-Founder, Superconductive Health
Helfstein, Scott ‘08 Assistant Professor, U.S. Military Academy at West Point Executive Director, Thematic Investing, ProShares
Hemphill, Portia '15 Presidential Management Fellow, U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) Survey Statistician (Social Science), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Howard, Tiffiany ‘06 Assistant Professor, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and School of Public Policy, George Mason University Director of the Center for Migration, Demography, and Population Studies; Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Kabo, Valenta ‘13 Program Director, Center for Public Policy in Diverse Societies; Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan Lecturer, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Katz, Daniel ‘11 Assistant Professor of Law, Michigan State University Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
Kavanagh, Jennifer ‘11 Associate Political Scientist, RAND Corporation Director of Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program, RAND Corporation
Kostyuk, Nadiya '20 Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Tech Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Tech
Lerner, Michael ‘21 Lecturer, London School of Economics Lecturer, London School of Economics
Lee, Jieun '20 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Buffalo Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Department of Political Science, University of Buffalo
Loftis, Kenyatha ‘10 Research Associate, Department of Political Science, Rice University; Research Specialist in the Office of Research and Accountability at the Houston Independent School District Principal Consultant, Solutions by L.SMURPHE.F
McGee Larue, Heather ‘11 World Learning Democracy Fellow, USAID/DCHA/DRG Learning Team; Research Associate, International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) Associate Director, DevLab@Duke, Duke University
Okwuje, Ifeoma ‘05 Budget Analyst, House Budget Committee, DC Foreign Service Officer & Deputy Strategic Content Coordinator, U.S. Embassy Beijing, U.S. Department of State
Phinney, Robin ‘10 Lecturer, Taubman Center for Public Policy & American Institutions, Brown University President, Rise Research LLC.
Phoenix, Davin '12 Assistant Professor of Political Science, School of Social Science, University of California - Irvine Assistant Professor of Political Science, School of Social Science, University of California - Irvine
Potter, Rachel '14 Assistant Professor of Politics, Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics, University of Virginia Assistant Professor of Politics, Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics, University of Virginia
Ravishankar, Anita '21 Director, Criminal Justice Research - Policing, Arnold Ventures Director, Criminal Justice Research - Policing, Arnold Ventures
Ravanilla, Nico '15 Shorenstein Postdoctoral Fellow, Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies, Stanford University  Assistant Professor of Political Science, School of Global Policy & Strategy, University of California - San Diego
Reynolds, Molly '15 Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
Simonelli, Corina '21 Data Scientist, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Data Scientist, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations
Stephens, LaFleur ‘12 Visiting Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Assistant Professor of Politics, Department of Politics, Princeton University
Teodoro, Manny ‘07 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Colgate University Associate Professor, Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Tkacheva, Olesya ‘09 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Rochester Assistant Professor, Vesalius College, VUB
Ullah, Haroon ‘11 Belfer Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Employer unknown

 

 

 

Policy and Sociology

 

Name Position at graduation Current Position
Cheng, Siwei '15 Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, New York University
Cross, Christina '19 Postdoctoral Researcher and Incoming Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Harvard University Postdoctoral Researcher and Incoming Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Harvard University
Dinzey-Flores, Zaire ‘05 Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow on Race, Crime, and Justice, Vera Institute of Justice Associate Professor, Department of Latino and Caribbean Studies and Department of Sociology, Rutgers University
Fang, Michael '19 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Johns Hopkins University Assistant Scientist, The Johns Hopkins University
Forbes, Melissa ‘10 President Management Fellow (PMF), Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Risk Management and Analysis, DC Deputy Assistant Administrator for Recovery, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Gillooly, Jessica '20 Research Scholar, Policing Project, NYU School of Law Assistant Professor, Suffolk University
Greenman, Emily ‘07 Assistant Professor of Sociology and Demography, Penn State University Research Associate, Penn State University
Grieger, Lloyd ‘10 Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs; Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Research on Inequalities and the Life Course, Yale University Employer unknown
Harris, Angel ‘05 Research Fellow, University of Michigan; Assistant Professor of Sociology University of Texas at Austin; Assistant Professor, Sociology and African American Studies, Princeton University Professor, Department of Sociology; Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy; Faculty Research Scholar of DuPRI's Population Research Center; Affiliate of the Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University
Hevenstone, Debra ‘08 Research Economist, Policy Studies Institute, University of Westminster, London Lecturer, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH
Johnson, Maria ‘10 Director, Center for Diversity and Public Policy, Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan Founder and Chairperson, Black Women and Girls Fund
Killewald (Achen), Sasha ‘11 Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc Professor, Department of Sociology, Harvard University
King, Katherine ‘11 NIA Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University; Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Duke University Lead Data Scientist, United Parcel Service
Lewis-McCoy, R. L'Heureux ‘08 Assistant Professor, Sociology and Black Studies, The City College of New York Associate Professor of Sociology of Education, New York University 
Liu, Airan '17 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Peking University Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Peking University
Morrell, Erica '16 Postdoctoral Fellow, Middlebury College Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, St. Lawrence University
Paul, Anju ‘12 Assistant Professor of Social Science (Sociology and Public Policy), Yale-NUS College Associate Professor of Social Science (Sociology and Public Policy), Yale-NUS College
Pavelle (Lavelle), Bridget ‘12 Senior Research Manager, Washington State Department of Health and Human Services Senior Research Manager, Washington State Department of Health and Human Services
Peachey, Everett ‘17 Research Coordinator, Quality of Life Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Support Unit, Aga Khan Development Network Research Coordinator, Quality of Life Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Support Unit, Aga Khan Development Network
Perez, Anthony ‘06 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology and Department of Sociology, University of Washington Senior Data Scientist, Target RWE Health Evidence Solutions
Pineda, Daniela ‘10 Research Analyst, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Founder & CEO, Informed Insight
Roberts, Christopher ‘10 Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
Rochmes, Jane '14 Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Education Policy Analysis, Stanford University Assistant Professor, Associate Director of the Center for Education Research and Policy, Christopher Newport University
Ross, Karen ‘10 Associate Research Scientist, U.S. Department of Education Analyst, U.S. Federal Government
Seefeldt, Kristin ‘10 Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington Associate Professor Social Work; Associate Professor of Public Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; Associate Director of Poverty Solutions; University of Michigan
Sternthal, Michelle ‘08 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Public Health/Social Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University Managing Director of Advocacy and Policy, Roosevelt Institute
Turner, Kennedy '19 Director-Aspects of Leadership and LEDA Graduate School Initiative, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America Director of Graduate Education and Fellowships, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America
Wyse, Jessica ‘11 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan Research Assistant Professor, Oregon Health and Science University
Yarger (Eckerman), Jennifer ‘11 Sociologist, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health and the Philip R. Lee Institute of Health Policy Studies, University of California - San Francisco Assistant Researcher; Social Demographer, University of California - San Francisco
Zelner, Jonathan ‘11 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

 

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