DPPD Current Student Profiles
Megan Arch
Position: Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, USC Rossier School of Education
Education: Bachelor of Arts in English from University of California, Santa Barbara; Master of Science in Gender and International Relations, University of Bristol
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Nicole Esparza
Megan received the Coro Women in Leadership award in 2022. Her areas of professional expertise include foundation & corporate relations, nonprofit management, fundraising strategy, advancement communications, and marketing. Her research interests include philanthropy, workplace policy, and reproductive policy.
Eddie Aquino
Position: Senior Project Manager, Pennington Construction Advisors, Inc.
Education: Master of Science in Civil Engineering, San Jose State University; Master of Science in Architecture, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Bachelor of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley
Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Loper/Dr. Christian Redfearn
Eddie has over 15 years of experience as a construction project manager in the commercial real estate industry. His research examines policies that impact real estate development construction projects that attract and retain foreign direct investments in the U.S.
Florence Avognon
Position: Educational Specialist, Los Angeles, County Office of Education
Education: Master of Arts, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Faculty Advisor: Shaun Harper
Florence has received numerous awards, including California Teacher of the Year and LACOE Teacher of the Year. She has served as a literacy specialist, an ethnic studies educator, a Pulitzer Center teacher fellow, a teacher at Crenshaw High School, and vice-president of the N.O.W- South LA chapter. Her professional expertise includes community-school partnerships, ethnic studies curriculum and instruction, social-emotional learning strategies, and justice-involved youth instruction. Some of her research interests are inequities in education, problems of practice in local control accountability planning, and the aftermath of civil rights and integration policies.
Ajarat Bada
Position: Managing Principal Consultant, Lampost Consulting
Education: Master of Arts in Public Policy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University; Master of Public Health, Loma Linda University; Bachelor of Nursing, Drexel University
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Grace Bahng
Ajarat is a registered nurse, and an experienced leader in healthcare systems design. She is also deeply engaged in global policy advocacy to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Ajarat’s research focus is the intersection of religion, women’s issues, and international development policy. Her writing has been published in two books, Innovating South South Cooperation (Besada, Tok, & Polonenko, 2019), and We Will Lead Africa (Gilpin-Jackson, Owusu, & Okonkwo, 2017).
Kelly Busta
Position: Senior Threat Assessment Officer, University of Southern California
Education: Master of Arts in Higher Education, University of Denver; Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society, University of Denver
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Lois Takahashi
Kelly’s professional expertise is in threat assessment and targeted violence prevention. She currently oversees planning and responses at USC’s Healthcare Enterprise. Her research interest is specific strategies to prevent violence within healthcare systems.
Sonja Castañeda-Cudney
Position: Program Specialist & Research Coordinator, Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics at USC Gould School of Law.
Education: Master of Arts in Urban Education Policy, Brown University; Bachelor of Science in Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Faculty Advisor: TBD
Sonja is interested in mental health care policies and service delivery systems, specifically perinatal mental health. Sonja has led research initiatives at the Saks Institute since 2017. Her previous experience includes teaching in both domestic and international schools.
Brad Coffey
Position: Group Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Education: Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech; Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech; Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Antonio Bento
Brad leads the Water Resource Management Group at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, where he has worked since 1990. His team plans for the region’s long-term water supply, preparing for drought and changing climate. His research examines the potential for regional decision-making to improve access to safe drinking water.
Katherine (Kit) Cole
Position: Founder, Kit Cole Consulting
Education: Master of Public Administration, USC; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of California, Davis
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bill Leach
Katherine’s consulting focus is on community outreach and engagement, especially engaging with hostile communities around big infrastructure.
Joy Contreras
Position: Public Information Officer, Long Beach Utilities, City of Long Beach
Education: Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Reed College and a Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University.
Faculty Advisor: Juliet Musso
Joy has served as Vice President of the City of Long Beach Latino Employees Organization (LEO) and Board Member of Leadership Long Beach. Her areas of expertise include public sector marketing and communications, project management, cause-based marketing, community outreach and engagement, and non-profit fundraising. Her research interests include media literacy and social media, participatory city and state budgeting processes, and the policy impacts of global and regional political movements related to the right to protest.
Sandra Cuevas
Position: Deputy Director, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Pacific AIDS Education Training Center, and Technical Assistance Provider Innovation Network (TAP-IN)
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, California State University, Los Angeles
Faculty Advisor: Dr. LaVonna Lewis
In her professional role, Sandra advances innovative public health strategies to improve the HIV care continuum. Her research interest is public policy related to advancing social, political, and structural change to achieve health equity and end the HIV epidemic.
Diana Dimapindan
Position: Faculty Affairs Manager, USC Viterbi School of Engineering; Health Policy Instructor in USC’s Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) Program
Education: Master of Health Administration, USC; Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Mount Saint Mary’s University
Faculty Advisor: Dr. LaVonna Lewis
Diana’s professional experience is in higher education. Her research examines family caregiving, filial responsibilities, and healthcare utilization within the Filipino-American community.
Ginny Emiko Oshiro
Position: Policy Researcher, Transformative Programming Works
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (minor in Ethnic Studies), California State University, Fullerton; Master of Arts in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter Robertson
Ginny has received the National Health Policy Research Scholars Fellowship (2020-2024), and recognition from the California Legislature Senate and Assembly (2020.) She is a Women’s Policy Institute fellow in criminal justice reform and has authored publications on topics including correctional rehabilitation. Ginny’s research interests focus on addressing health inequities and recidivism in carceral systems.
Melanie Franceschini
Position: Senior Management Analyst, City of Tustin
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Spanish, and Law History & Culture, University of Southern California; Price School’s Master in Public Administration, University of Southern California
Faculty Advisor: Frank Zerunyan
Melanie is interested in many aspects of local government, including budgeting, public information, business improvement districts, grant funding, public-private partnerships, legislative affairs, housing, aviation impacts, and harbor management.
Chung-Yu (Alan) Fong
Position: Foreign Service Officer, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Republic of China (Taiwan)
Education: Master of Arts in International Public Policy and Management, USC Price; Master of Arts in International Relations and World Politics, University of Leicester; Bachelor of Arts in Public Finance, National Cheng-Chi University;
Faculty Advisor: TBD
Alan has worked for Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2010. From 2016-2018, he observed negotiations related to the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Since then, he has led efforts to align Taiwan’s environmental policy with these UN objectives. He hopes to research super-aged societies and environmental sustainability to support his home country in shaping policies to counter these pressing issues.
Vincent Gabriel
Position: Director of Operations, Global Goods Express
Education: Master of Business Administration, American International College; Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Juliet Musso
Vincent’s research explores the use of artificial intelligence to transform and disrupt public policy. His professional experience includes work as a manufacturing engineer for General Electric and an operations officer for the US Army.
Jessica Hefes
Position: Director, Urban Arts Labs; Co-founder, Just the Ticket
Education: Master of Laws in International Law and International Relations, Lancaster University; Master of Laws, The University of Hong Kong; Bachelor of Laws, University of Westminster
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Lois Takahashi
Jessica is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, with expertise in legal, business and strategic advice as well as cultural development. Her research interests include reproductive rights, reproductive technologies, sociology of work, remuneration and benefits, and social innovation.
Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Sr.
Position: Assemblymember, State Assembly, CA District 59
Education: Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, USC
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Erroll Southers
Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer was elected to the State Legislature in 2012 and re-elected in 2014 and 2016. His history of public service includes serving as the Director of Asset Management for Los Angeles and Assistant Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles. His primary research interest is the transformation of the criminal justice system.
Matt Lazari
Position: Senior Director of Finance, Ballad Health; Adjunct Professor, American College of Healthcare Executives
Education: Master of Health Administration, USC; Bachelor of Science in Biology/Business, California State University, Stanislaus
Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Romley
Matt’s research interest is improving access, lowering cost, and improving the quality of care in healthcare through reimbursement drivers.
Sydney Liu
Position: Course Evaluation Administrator, Office of Institutional Research, USC
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Management, Donghua University; Master of Science in Applied Analytics, Pepperdine University.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. T.J. McCarthy
Sydney specializes in higher education. Her research interests include exploring correlations among demographic groups and studying elements of decision-making processes.
Sara Mezher
Position: Senior Human Services Analyst, County of Santa Cruz
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health and Master’s in Public Health, American University of Beirut.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Richard Green
Sara serves as a trainer for the International Society for Trainers and Developers (ISTD). Sara is certified as an Internal Quality Auditor by TÜV Rheinland. She has authored papers such as ‘Coordinated Care Initiative in Marin County’ and contributed to studies on evidence-based decision-making in healthcare. Sara specializes in contract management for human services and housing assistance programs, with research interests in affordable housing for older adults.
Cameron Mundo
Education: Bachelor of Science in American Indian Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Filmmaking Practices, Arizona State University; Master of Arts in GIS and American Indian Studies, Arizona State University; Master of Studies in Law, USC Gould.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Juliet Musso
Cameron is a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and has served as an advisory board member for the Tribal Historic Preservation Office since 2021. His research interests include tribal water rights, tribal sovereignty, and relationships between recognized tribes, state governments, and the U.S. federal government.
Jain Nicole
Position: Industry Manager, County of Los Angeles
Education: Bachelor of Science in Public Policy & Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of Southern California; Master’s in Education (Policy & Management), Harvard University.
Faculty Advisor: TBD
Nicole serves as a board member for several social impact organizations and has written a children’s book addressing mental health. She is interested in education policy, workforce and economic development initiatives, mental health, and community engagement.
Quyen Pham
Position: Regional Program & Policy Coordinator, California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
Education: Bachelor of Arts in English, California State University, Sacramento; Master of Public Administration, University of San Francisco
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Phil Dalton
Quyen leads regional discussions on emerging public health priorities. She also oversees the development and implementation of collaborative projects aimed at strengthening California’s public health infrastructure. With nine years at CDPH, Quyen’s expertise spans state and local government, policy analysis, program development, and implementation. Her research interests focus on health policy, particularly in behavioral health and the Medi-Cal system.
Jessie Redd
Position: Managing Director, USC’s Safe Communities Institute
Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of Southern California; Master of Public Administration, Florida International University
Faculty Advisor: Shaun Harper
Jessie’s professional expertise includes public safety, community engagement, private-public partnerships, program development, and police reform. She plans to pursue research that contributes to stronger partnership between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. She is particularly interested in procedural justice and trust restoration in the wake of historic systemic harm.
Dawn Schock
Position: Self-employed Rule of Law Development Consultant, Attorney; Adjunct Instructor, Loyola Law School
Education: Juris Doctor, McGeorge School of Law; Master of English, Long Island University; Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts, University of North Dakota
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter Robertson
Dawn’s professional expertise includes International rule of law development, justice sector reform, and gender in the legal profession. She intends to research international rule of law development with a focus on women legal professionals.
Candace Teixeira
Position: Associate Dean of Corporate Engagement and Programs, USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Education: Master of Arts in Communication Management and Information Technology, USC; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Information Systems, USC
Faculty Advisor: Dr. James Moore
Candace serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Engineering Educators, Continuing Professional Development Division. Her research focuses on the development of continuing engineering education programs.
Andrew Theisen
Emergency and Continuity Manager, Office of the Chancellor, California State University
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Arizona State University; Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration, California State University, Long Beach
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Adam Rose
Andrew is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), with expertise in emergency services management, IT disaster recovery, and risk management. He worked for the City of Long Beach Harbor Department for five years, and at USC for two years before starting his current position. Andrew’s primary research interests are disaster risk reduction in rural communities and emerging technologies to support disaster management.
Doug White
Position: Senior Regulatory Policy Manager, San Diego Gas & Electric
Education: Bachelor of Business Administration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Master of Public Administration, New York University.
Faculty Advisor: Bill Leach
Doug’s research interests are focused in energy affordability, and particularly how families and communities can equitably transition their homes and vehicles to clean energy sources.
Jeffrey Zychowski
Position: Director of Real Estate and Property Management, Loyola Marymount University
Education: Master of Real Estate Development, USC; Master of Business Administration, Cal State, Dominguez Hills; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, San Diego State University
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Richard Green
Jeffrey’s research interest is workforce housing solutions. He currently oversees housing programs for Loyola Marymount University, where he also assists with acquisitions, property management, and real estate development. Previously, Jeffrey managed USC’s workforce housing programs, including the USC Neighborhood Homeownership Program.