Leadership
CIPA-New Orleans Professional Partnership Leaders
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Randall Watkins (rw345@cornell.edu) - Chair Randy is a second year CIPA Fellow concentrating in Finance & Fiscal Policy. Prior to attending Cornell, he received a BA in Political Science from the University of Mississippi and served in the Marine Corps. Living in Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina, Randy experienced the effects of the storm firsthand. "Many of my family members living on the Gulf Coast were permanently displaced by the storm," he said. "Some moved in with me and my family in the following months. I have since been involved in contributing to the ongoing relief effort as much as I can. As graduate students interested in government/nonprofit response and environmental policy, we at CIPA are all in a unique position to lend a significant hand to those still suffering from the storm, as well as those now suffering from the tens of thousand of barrels of oil gushing into the Gulf each day." Randy helped organize the first University of Mississippi Sally McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College service trip to the area in the spring of 2006, and was a part of the CIPA-NOLA service trip in the spring of 2010. "What most people don’t realize is that there is so much work still to be done," he said. "Any student, especially those interested in government disaster relief policy, environmental policy, and nonprofit management, will gain invaluable experience and develop important relationships through the CIPA-NOLA Professional Partnership in 2010-2011." |
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Margaret Heveron (meh275@cornell.edu) - Treasurer Margaret is in her second year as a CIPA Fellow, concentrating in Economics and Fiscal Policy. Prior to attending Cornell, she received a BA in Communications from the State University of New York at Albany. As an intern at the New York State Assembly, Margaret worked on legislation to support and rebuild many low income communities in New York. While attending last year's CIPA-NOLA Spring Break volunteer trip, Margaret gained distinct familiarity and skills working with the St. Bernard Project in their effort to rebuild the New Orleans community. "It was an experience I will never forget," said Margaret. "It provided me an essential, hands-on perspective of community-based policy-making, which complemented the work I did during my time with the New York State Assembly." As the 2010-2011 Treasurer of CIPA-NOLA, Margaret has helped organize the most successful fundraising activities seen in CIPA-NOLA to date. |
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Kimberly Vallejo (kjv27@cornell.edu) - Secretary Kim is a second-year CIPA Fellow Concentrating in Social Policy, with a focus on Education Policy. As an undergraduate at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Kim developed a deep reverence for Service Learning and student action; two values that she was excited to bring into her work every day as an educator in Pittsburgh, PA. She was teaching at the middle and high school level when Hurricane Katrina hit, and her students were very engaged in following the news and response process. As the floodwaters began to recede, Kim initiated activities that raised funds to be used to help the New Orleans community, and just a few months later she and her senior Spanish class boarded a plane and headed to the Gulf Coast to work with Habitat for Humanity. Today, Kim continues to be committed to the power of student engagement in the community. “I am excited to be a part of CIPA-NOLA and to carry on my connection with a city and region that is so resilient and rich, both culturally and historically," she said. "There is so much to be learned through active participation. Get involved!” |
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Matthew Stieglitz (mbs255@cornell.edu) - Outreach Chair Matt is a second year CIPA Fellow concentrating in Government, Politics, & Policy Studies with a special interest in Latino advocacy. Prior to attending Cornell, he received a BA in Communication from the University of Delaware. It was at the University of Delaware where Matt attended a service trip to New Orleans that sparked his interest in the region, spending two weeks rebuilding a home and assisting with other relief efforts in the city. He was drawn to CIPA-NOLA because of its emphasis on service learning and potential to establish professional partnerships with the greater New Orleans community. While Hurricane Katrina took place five years ago, there is still significant need in New Orleans and Matt feels CIPA NOLA will offer Fellows a life-changing opportunity to assist in the city’s rebuilding efforts, especially in the wake of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. |
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