Alumni News

Old Testament scholar Yolanda Norton ’04 BA (PSc) reinterprets scripture through the lens of African-American women.

The profound price we pay for shutdowns and other dysfunction in government might be the young professionals who opt to go elsewhere.

"At SparkCharge, our mission is to reduce CO2 emissions coming from gasoline generating vehicles by putting more electric vehicles on the road. We’re doing that by removing barriers to owning electric vehicles and improving ease of use," says Josh Aviv ’15 B.A. (Econ), founder and president of the company.

"The most forward-thinking companies integrate a sustainability approach into their corporate strategy and how they operate. Their employees, customers, supply chains, and even their investors are watching closely and demanding progress," says Kenneth Pontarelli '92 B.S. (Econ), a former Goldman Sachs executive who funds a Maxwell-based professorship in environmental sustainability and finance.

"I have found it easier to approach climate change through the lens of local issues, such as air pollution, traffic congestion, waste management and sanitation, etc. There are near-term, tangible benefits that citizens and governments seek, and in addressing them in smart ways we would also be addressing the longer-term climate change response agenda," says Pradeep Tharakan ’03 M.P.A., a principal energy specialist with the Asian Development Bank.

The Northeast Residential Energy Use Pilot Study is an interdisciplinary project between students and faculty in the Maxwell School, SU College of Law, SU’s iSchool, and the SU College of Engineering and Computer Science. The study will employ high resolution metering for long-term monitoring of electricity usage of individual households.

“I was grateful for the services, for the amount of resources available for individuals like me to help me establish a system, a path, an opportunity to achieve dreams and goals,” Abdul Saboor '18 B.A. (PSc)/’19 E.M.P.A./CAS Conflict Resolution said, about the importance of InterFaith Works' presence in Syracuse.

As city clerk, Huma Ahmed '16 E.M.P.A./CAS (Conflict Resolution) will be the community face of the city, working with the city manager and translating the professional language of the city to the people.

Dan Gerlach ’90 M.P.A. is a former senior advisor for fiscal affairs in the North Carolina governor’s office, and former director of the North Carolina Budget & Tax Center.

Business success enables Marvin Lender to support the causes that matter to him most. And few matter more than social justice — the focus of a new Syracuse University center bearing the Lender name.

The Center for Naval Analyses, a nonprofit research organization that applies operations research and analysis to a broad range of national security issues, has promoted Jessica Scott Wolfanger ’01 B.A. (PSt/PSc) to senior research scientist.

Flannery ’00 B.A. (IR) was named the new chief financial officer of the City of Charlotte, North Carolina. In her new role, she oversees the accounting of all funds, totaling $2.6 billion, and directs day-to-day financial operations for the city.

Zac Champ ’10 J.D./M.P.A. was named chief of staff for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. The Bureau develops and implements the FCC’s consumer policies and serves as the agency’s connection to the American consumer.

Sean Callahan ’98 J.D./M.P.A. has been promoted to deputy mission director for the Pacific and Mongolia at USAID. He previously served as deputy assistant administrator for program operations in USAID’s Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs.

Laurence H. Mass ’87 B.A. (Econ/PSt) has joined Dye Creek Capital as a partner. In this new role, he will focus on investments, borrowing and liability management, risk management and trust, estate and fiduciary services.