Maxwell Class Notes
Lara Sepanski Pimentel ’12 M.P.A.
is an advancement specialist for Black Fox Philanthropy, a fundraising strategy consultancy in Boston, Mass.
Haifa Jedea ’11 M.A. (IR)
was named ambassador and head of the Saudi mission to the European Union and European Atomic Energy Community following a royal decree by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Jan. 3, 2023. Previously, Jedea worked as managing director of SRMG Think, an organization that provides perspectives, analysis and insights relating to the Middle East and North Africa. Jedea also worked for the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center in New York City.
Anna Abruzzese ’09 M.P.A.
has been promoted to department director for the Hennepin County Service Centers in Hennepin County, Minn. Abruzzese oversees seven locations that provide driver’s licenses, motor vehicle and vital records services.
Eric Morris ’08 B.A. (Econ)/ ’09 M.A. (Econ)
was named portfolio management associate and staff economist at Alesco Advisors, a wealth and investment management company based in Pittsford, N.Y.
Tanya Raymond ’06 M.A. (IR)
received the 2022 Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service. The award is given annually to employees who exemplify the highest standards of public service in Massachusetts. At the time of the award, Raymond served as the commonwealth’s emergency rental assistance program coordinator.
Tom Dannan ’06 B.A. (PSt)/ ’12 M.P.A.
has been promoted to senior manager at R3 Consulting, a Washington, D.C., firm that has served clients including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Student Aid.
Haley Glover ’05 M.P.A.
was named director of UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute. UpSkill strives to advance economic mobility, education opportunities and job quality for frontline workers.
Thomas Leitz ’04 M.P.A.
became Waterbury, Vt.’s new municipal manager on Jan. 1, 2023. Previously, Leitz worked for the city of St. Albans, Vt., as director of administration. He also served county manager in Franklin County, N.Y.
Vipin Arora ’04 M.P.A./M.A. (IR/Econ)
recently became the director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Arora previously served as acting deputy assistant director of the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate of the National Science Foundation.
Agnes G. Schaefer ’03 Ph.D. (PSc)
was sworn in as the assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs in December 2022. She is responsible for the supervision of manpower, personnel and reserve component affairs for the Department of the Army and is the principal advisor to the secretary of the army for policy and performance oversight of human resources and other critical matters.
Dave Levinthal ’02 B.A. (PPhil)
is now editor-in-chief of Raw Story, an independent journal based in Washington, D.C. Levinthal was previously deputy editor of Insider, a news organization based in New York City.
David Brannegan ’00 M.A. (IR)
recently completed the Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership program, a fellowship that explores the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratory system.
Brian Winrow ’94 B.A. (Hist)
retired as a sergeant in the New York City Police Department in 2019 and currently works as a substitute teacher in the Clarkstown Central School District in New City, N.Y.
Brian Federking ’94 M.A. (IR)/ ’98 Ph.D. (PSc)
published a book titled Renegotiating the Liberal Order: Evidence from the UN Security Council Lynne Rienner, 2023. Frederking is a professor of political science at McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill.
Sally Wallace ’86 M.A. (Econ)/ ’88 Ph.D. (Econ)
stepped down from her position as dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., in January 2023 to serve as managing director in the quantitative economics and statistics practice at Ernst and Young LLP, an international technology and data-driven financial consulting firm.
Brian Burns ’85 B.A. (Econ/PSt)
was appointed to the executive committee of the Judicial Selection of the New York Bar Association, and appointed chair of the Otsego County Supreme Court Law Library Board of Directors, the Sixth Judicial District Committee on Equal Justice, Third Judicial Department Advisory Committee for the Office of Attorneys for Children.
William Wyckoff ’79 M.A. (Geog)/ ’82 Ph.D. (Geog)
received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Geographers. Wyckoff is an emeritus professor of earth sciences at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont.
Bettina Hansel ’77 M.A. (Geog)/ ’85 Ph.D. (Geog)
published a third edition of The Exchange Student Survival Kit: Advice for Young Exchange Students Nicholas Brealey, 2021. Hansel is currently an education consultant focusing on research design and analysis, program evaluation, online learning, developmental math education and intercultural training.
Jill MacDonald ’74 M.P.A.
was elected to the city council of Solana Beach, Calif. for a four-year term. MacDonald is also president of the nonprofit Solana Beach Community Connections which provides support to senior citizens.
Leonard Weinberg ’68 Ph.D. (PSc)
is professor emeritus at the University of Nevada where he previously received two Fulbright research awards and a Harry Guggenheim research grant. Weinberg previously served as a visiting professor at King's College, University of London and at the University of Haifa. He also served as a visiting scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Florence.