Maxwell Class Notes
Steven C. Watson ’07 M.P.A.
co-founded Watson & Yates, a Detroit-based management and consulting firm serving public and nonprofit clients across the country. He previously worked in the budget office for the city of Detroit.
Martin R. Gutmann ’07 M.A. (Hist)
is a management professor at the Lucerne School of Business in Switzerland. He is also a business historian, author and contributor for Forbes. Gutmann has been involved with international higher education for years, also lecturing at ETH Zurich.
Aleksei Filippov ’07 M.A. (IR)
has been promoted to vice president of the EDGE Group in the United Arab Emirates. He is responsible for managing operations in the firm's Platforms & Systems cluster, which delivers solutions for air, sea and land forces. Filippov previously worked with the Estonian Defense Forces and other security organizations.
Scott Taylor
was named a 2024-25 Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow at the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Taylor is the director of transfer and veteran admissions at Syracuse University, and he teaches courses for the Maxwell School's Political Science Department. He is retired from a 20-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army.
Anurag Jain ’05 M.A. (PA)
was appointed chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh, India. Previously, Jain served as secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Jain also served as chairman of the National Review and Monitoring Committee at the Regional Centre For Urban and Environmental Studies.
Mandip K. Samra ’03 M.P.A.
was appointed chief executive officer of Burbank Water and Power in California, following 20 years of service in the public utility sector.
Martha N. Esparza ’03 M.P.A.
joined the United States Trade Representative Office as senior policy advisor for inclusive trade, public health and strategy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she trained at the University of Arizona as a health policy scholar and chief resident. Esparza is also a primary care physician for refugees.
Donald P. Moynihan ’98 M.P.A./ ’02 Ph.D. (PA)
has been appointed as the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan's Ford School. The five-year renewable term is effective Jan. 1, 2025, and supports research in public policy and a range of economic and political issues. Moynihan recently ended his term as president of the Association of Public Policy and Management.
Chris C. Constantin ’01 M.P.A.
was recently selected to serve as manager of the town of Los Gatos, Calif. by its town council. For 13 years, he served on the West Valley Mission Community College District Board of Trustees. Constantin also served as government auditor for the city of San Jose and helped manage the finances for the city of Chico.
Mark J. Chorazak ’00 B.A. (PSt)
joined the financial institutions regulatory group of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP as a partner and co-head. He advises U.S. and international banks and nonbank financial institutions on regulatory matters, legislative developments, corporate governance, enforcement and compliance issues.
Norman H. Ross, Jr. ’99 M.P.A.
was recently named vice president of public affairs and communications for Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. He is responsible for the company's government relations, external and internal communications, and community engagement.
Damian T. Travier ’98 B.A. (Soc)
is the executive director of the Access Psychology Foundation, a nonprofit based outside of New York City that provides mental health services to underserved communities. He previously worked at the Jackie Robinson Foundation for 16 years.
Jonathan D. Seamans ’96 M.P.A.
was appointed as associate dean of finance and technology at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where he previously held the roles of director of finance and budget and associate director of athletics, finance and administration.
Michael N. Rosen ’94 B.A. (PSc)
was named global chief revenue officer at the Ontario, Canada based media agency and data platform Clue Digital. He is also self-employed as president of Rosen Advisory Group.
Brian K. Frederking ’94 M.A. (IR)/ ’98 Ph.D. (PSc)
was awarded the Norman Grandy Faculty Award at the May 2024 commencement ceremony for McKendree University, where he serves as a professor of political science.
Anise I. Hodge ’91 M.P.A.
was honored for public service excellence by the U.S. Virgin Islands 175th Emancipation Commemoration Committee on International Women's Day 2024. Hodge is deputy executive director at the Virgin Islands Port Authority, overseeing financial policies, disaster recovery and federal grants.
Marcy (Block) Glattstein ’90 M.P.A.
was promoted to managing director, global head of environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings for Sustainable Fitch, a New York City-based information services company. She oversees a team of 80 rating analysts in six global offices.
Alejandro D. Lerner ’89 B.S. (Econ)
began a new position as managing director to the core Latin American Capital Markets coverage team at ACP Capital Markets, a specialized investment bank.
Kip M. Konwiser ’85 B.A. (Econ)
and his entertainment company produced the 2024 feature films "Outlaw Posse," starring Whoopi Goldberg and directed by Mario Van Peebles, and "The Last Rodeo," directed by Jon Avnet, along with feature documentary "Still a Black Star." He resides in California and is a partner and owner of Konwiser Brothers Entertainment with his brother.
Gizelle M. Ortiz-Velazquez ’84 B.A. (IR)
was recently promoted to senior director for UpSkill Miami at United Way Miami. The organization partners with employers to provide career training in underrepresented communities.