MPA Ambassadors

MPA Student Ambassador Bios

Melanie Franceschini is from Orange County, California. Franceschini is a proud University of Southern California (USC) alumnae, who graduated with her B.A. in Political Science, Spanish, Law History and Culture, and received a minor certification in Classical Perspectives. Franceschini started her government career in 2013 and currently works as a Management Analyst in her local City Manager’s Office. During her free time, Franceschini enjoys paddleboarding, running, reading, and learning new languages. Franceschini is an active member of the Price Latino Student Association and various USC Alumni societies.

Ryan Phong is a first-year Master of Public Administration student and City/County Management fellow at Price. Phong received a B.A. in Criminology & Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in May 2021. At CSULB, Phong served as a two-term senator for the Associated Student Inc. (student government) focusing on areas including public safety and public health and representing thousands of graduate and transfer students. Phong also served as the Director of Communications and Acting Secretary for the Criminal Justice Student Association. Phong’s role was to be the liaison between many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and the organization. As an undergraduate, Phong has interned for three police departments including San Jose PD, Los Angeles PD, and CSULB PD. Through these internships, Phong has gained experience on community policing, investigative work, and emergency management. After graduation, Phong hopes to enter the law enforcement or homeland/national security field and work my way up to a leadership position where he can make a positive impact on the world/community.