Katie is originally from the Washington, D.C., area and received her B.A. from Bates College, where she pursued majors in Psychology and Theater. After graduating in 2021, Katie worked as a research assistant at Project Zero, an institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, under the direction of Dr. Howard Gardner and Wendy Fischman. Her work at Project Zero was focused largely on higher education, and she has grown passionate about expanding college access and improving completion rates. At Sanford, Katie hopes to develop her quantitative research skills and deepen her knowledge of economic and education policy issues. In her free time, Katie enjoys running, taking dance classes, and seeing live music.
Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, Shontierra obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in African American Studies. Since then, she has gained a variety of experience within the nonprofit sector as a case manager of displaced youth, coordinating out-of-school time (OST) programs, learning specialist and more. In her most recent role as a Partnership Specialist at Communities in Schools, Shontierra was able to bridge the gap between schools and community organizations by providing over 300 no-cost youth programs to 200+ schools. Shontierra’s passion for engaging with youth in her community brought her to pursue a Master’s in Public Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
Ocir Black is a graduate of North Carolina Central University and a Cheatham-White Scholar, holding a degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Juvenile Justice. He is a published author and aspiring Criminal and Civil Rights Attorney with a focus on educational, criminal, and civil rights policy. He has interned with Judge Doretta Walker, conducted policy research through the Policy Innovation Internship under Trustee James Mitchell, and recently participated in Duke University’s Data+ Program, where he researched the impact of Rosenwald Schools on North Carolina’s Black Belt Region. He was initiated in Spring 2024 into the Gamma Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. With a 3.9 GPA and membership in multiple honor societies, he is committed to using law and policy to drive systemic change.
Laila Dames is a student from Miami, Florida studying Public Policy. On campus, she is involved in various cultural clubs and volunteers to serve as a mentor for youth. She is interested in education policy and the school to prison pipeline; Laila is passionate about creating more equitable public schools, especially for minority students who are often marginalized in the public education system. She has previously participated in two Bass Connections research groups titled “Developing Best Practices for Trauma Informed Teaching and Learning,” and “Providing Emotional Support for Child in War Zones (Gaza and the West Bank).” In her free time, you will often find Laila on FaceTime with her baby siblings or laughing with friends.
A summa cum laude graduate of the University of South Carolina, Alicia Davenport earned a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English. Her undergraduate and previous graduate studies provided a multidisciplinary background which broadened her understanding of systemic structures that cause disparities and institutions as political instruments.Further learnings addressed biases, viewed literacy and writing as outlets to social justice, and applied equitable pedagogical methods and strategies. Prior to joining the Sanford School of Public Policy as an MPP candidate, Alicia was a high school English teacher. She devoted special attention to training programs dedicated to assisting Multilingual Learners and support and improvement for Special Education students. A lifelong learner, Alicia added an array of additional endorsements and certifications. She has also fulfilled a plethora of leadership positions within her school and district as a liaison, committee member, and mentor. She also served as Horry County Schools 2022 Rookie Teacher of the Year. Alicia’s policy interests include educational policy and social policy. Her curiosities include policy inequalities across vulnerable populations. At Sanford, she intends to explore questions related to social impact involving the conditions of policy action and inaction, supporting marginalized groups through policy creation, as well as political engagement to meet needs when policies are unsuccessful, and coalition building to advocate for human and civil rights. As a public servant, reflective practitioner, enthusiastic advocate, and caring visionary, her goal is to find understandings that improve the lives of others.
Jesse is a Virginia native and graduated from Berea College, where he studied political science. Before coming to Sanford, Jesse worked as an AmeriCorps member and Civic Engagement Project Leader for City Year, an American education nonprofit organization. At City Year, Jesse was regularly in elementary schools, aiding classroom instruction and developing students’ math and literacy skills through learning activities. At Sanford, Jesse aims to pursue policy research and opportunities related to technological innovation and technology’s growing presence in other industries nationwide. In addition to his studies and career aspirations, Jesse’s hobbies include biking, jogging, cooking, collecting comic books, and playing video games.
Ellie was born and raised on Boston’s south shore before attending Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, where she double-majored in political science and sociology. While in college, Ellie interned for then Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, and that experience solidified her interest in the public policy sector. After graduating from Macalester, Ellie served as an AmeriCorps Legal Advocate at the Children’s Law Center of MA, where she worked in immigration law and then served as a Paralegal for their Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime program. Most recently, Ellie was a Senior Program Associate at The Philanthropic Initiative, where she helped a variety of clients increase the impact of their philanthropy. At Duke, Ellie is excited to study education and social policy, with a particular interest in housing and transportation policy. Outside of school, Ellie is a big fan of Boston sports and loves reading and spending time outdoors.
Luis Garcia Abundis is an MPP student at Sanford. He is from Guerrero, Mexico, and a native of Aberdeen, North Carolina. He is an ambitious student leader of color who hopes to make a positive impact in the lives of every person he encounters. As a proud Nahault indigenous person, he is interested in health, education, and law policy, specifically in developing solutions to address the impact on the health and livelihood of underrepresented communities.
Luis is passionate about pursuing a career in public service, specifically in health and law, to become a medical malpractice lawyer. He has experience working for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHHD) as the Data and Evaluation Program Manager. Luis analyzed health disparities data, access to care evaluation, and collaborated with organizations and legislative partners to advance solutions for healthier, safer communities across North Carolina.
Before beginning his role at NCDHHS, he worked on Capitol Hill through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) in the Office of United States Representative Lori Trahan (MA-3). A strong advocate for healthcare policy and suicide prevention, he worked on the Congresswoman’s healthcare portfolio.
For his Senior Capstone Thesis, he conducted a mixed methods study of a nonprofit organization, CASA, asking English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students research questions on three compelling themes: provider stigma, misdiagnosis, and quality of care that the Latino community faces in health and healthcare settings. The title of his study was Healthcare Disparities in the Latino Community: A Self-Reported Survey Study on Maryland CASA Members. His research was in collaboration with the CUA Suicide Prevention Laboratory and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Facultad de Psicología. Luis presented his research in July 2024 at the 45th Annual International Stress, Trauma, Anxiety, and Resilience (STAR) Society Conference at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Luis holds a Public Policy Analysis certificate from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Psychological and Brain Sciences. He is a 2025 LatinxEd Fellow and was a finalist for the New York City Urban Fellowship. Luis enjoys playing pickleball, working out, and traveling as much as he can.
Maxwell Garrison grew up near Grand Rapids Michigan. He graduated in 2022, from Michigan State University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He is an AmeriCorps Alum, having worked with an urban affordable housing non-profit organization and in higher education access, as part of the Michigan State University College Advising Corps. Maxwell is originally from Durham, North Carolina, and was born at Duke Hospital. He has always been a Blue Devil fan. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, golfing and watching football of any level.
Logan is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in English and Comparative Literature, Human Services and Social Justice, and a minor in Education. During her undergraduate experience, she took an interdisciplinary academic approach, combining classes in public policy, city planning, economics, global studies, sociology, and more, exploring the dynamics of injustice and how we can address social issues through both policy and service. Logan’s interests are vast but they primarily center on education equity, particularly the intersection between education and city planning. She has worked in public, private, and non-profit spaces and is looking forward to dedicating her career to evaluating and improving the ways that schools and education systems support students and communities and promote equity and justice. In her free time, Logan enjoys reading, crocheting, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Lola was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and graduated in the top 1% of her MSc Public Health class at the University of Lagos.
She was born with bronchial asthma and this traumatic childhood experience shaped her desire to make every day she can breathe unaided count for herself and other humans.
In the last 13 years, Lola has lived up to this commitment by leading a cancer prevention, and subsequently, an education nonprofit in Nigeria. During these times, she worked with businesses as well as local and state governments in the Western and Northern regions of Nigeria to sustain the social impact of these nonprofits’ programs. She has also applied her belief in the multi-sectoral approach to public health to lead numerous projects funded by the American Cancer Society (ACS), Pfizer, World Connect, and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Upon the completion of her dual-degree program, Lola will pivot into sustainability consulting. In this role, she plans to work as a tri-sector leader in the intersection of government, business, and nonprofit to help principal decision-makers choose how to efficiently allocate scarce resources in ways that maximize social impact and achieve the greatest good for the most people.
When she is not reading another self-help book or mentoring intentional young people, Lola can be found watching a romantic comedy or documentary, hosting friends to home-cooked meals, having brain-stimulating conversations, and playing board games.
Raised in Apex, North Carolina, Brennan is a Durham-based LGBTQ+ advocate and facilitator. They graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019 with a B.A. in Public Policy and Women’s and Gender Studies. Before returning to school for their Master’s in Public Policy, Brennan worked as the State Administrative Policy Consultant for GLSEN, a national organization working to improve K-12 school climate for LGBTQ+ students.
Previously, Brennan was the Education Policy Associate at Equality North Carolina, managing programs serving youth, students, and families, including the statewide Rural Youth Empowerment Fellowship. They also spent time as a Fellow and Regional Manager for the U.S. & Canada at Peace First, a global nonprofit that coaches and funds young people to create social action projects. In their graduate studies and beyond, Brennan envisions helping to build a North Carolina that elevates the voices, work, and lives of LGBTQ+ young people.
Outside of school, you can find Brennan hiking at the Eno with their rescue dog, Fig, running on the Ellerbee Creek Trail, or trying to grow an excellent backyard tomato.
Emily earned her BA in Educational Studies at Davidson College in 2020 and worked as a high school Spanish teacher in Charlotte until 2022. She is now a third-year graduate student at Duke, pursuing both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Public Policy. At the Divinity School, Emily is concentrating in Prison Studies and Faith-Based Organizing, Advocacy, and Social Transformation. She is interested in the overlaps between public theology and social equity, particularly as they relate to education, housing, and re-entry. Emily currently serves on Duke’s Graduate and Professional Student Government as the Director of Durham Relations. Though North Carolina has been home since 2016, Emily grew up in New Hampshire and is a fan of all things fall. An introvert at heart, she enjoys drinking tea, baking, gardening, and completing jigsaw puzzles.
Tej is a dual degree MPP-JD student from Alpharetta, Georgia. Tej graduated from Davidson College in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology. Tej also played Division 1 soccer at the University of Maryland and Davidson College. During his time at Davidson, Tej was a team lead for the College Crisis Initiative. He led a team of data collectors on various projects studying and analyzing educational systems responses to emergency/crisis situations like COVID, flu, and natural disasters. Tej has also worked in a healthcare systems and real estate investment firm where he experienced the interconnected nature of law and policy and how an intimate knowledge of both is critical in creating systems-level impact. Given these experiences, Tej’s primary policy interests are in healthcare, education, and business, but he is eager and excited to learn more about the other policy areas studied at Sanford. Tej enjoys playing and watching sports, traveling with family, and cooking in his free time.
Kali is from Liberty Lake, Washington and received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics-Environmental Studies from Whitman College in 2023. She also completed a minor in Anthropology. During her college career, Kali worked with a local environmental non-profit on stream and riparian restoration in the Walla Walla area in Washington state. Prior to joining Sanford, Kali was an AmeriCorps member at an environmental organization focused on increasing climate literacy in the Spokane area. During her time with AmeriCorps, Kali worked with teachers and developed a deep interest in integrating climate-focused curriculum into K-12 classrooms. In her free time, Kali enjoys reading, waterskiing, and hiking with her dogs, Remi and Otis.
Kelly grew up in Connecticut and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2021 with a double major in Journalism and Political Science. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Kelly returned to Bridgeport, CT to teach English to 10th and 12th grade students. As a part of the Teach for America program, Kelly taught high school for two years while receiving training on how to provide an equitable education to students. This experience opened her eyes to the educational disparities in her home state and fueled a desire to pursue public policy. Kelly has previously interned in the office of MA state senator Jo Comerford and worked in the children’s department of a public library for a year. In her free time, Kelly enjoys reading (especially memoirs) and being in nature.
Stephanie Pett grew up in Massachusetts, and attended Fordham University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre. After graduating, she has worked as a 7th grade math teacher in partnership with Teach for America in Charlotte, North Carolina. At Sanford, she hopes to study education policy, focusing on Title I schools. Outside of her studies, Stephanie loves to travel, kickbox, and take her yellow punchbuggy for a spin.
Abby (or Abigail!) Reardon is from Columbia, Missouri, and graduated from Davidson College in May 2025. At Davidson, she majored in Educational Studies and Music, and participated in a variety arts organizations and educational research opportunities. She is excited to head to Sanford this fall to deepen her general understanding of policy, with a potential focus in higher education policy work. Outside of academics, Abby loves to read fiction, listen to & create music, and go for walks on the trail.
Originally from rural Indiana, Addison graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College (IL), where she earned a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies. She is currently pursuing her MPP at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, with the hopes to build a career in data analysis or policy research focused on urban and social policy.
Driven by a strong conviction in the power of data-informed interventions, Addison is concentrating in social policy, with particular interests in housing, food security, and child welfare programs. She lives in Durham with her husband, Owen, who is a graduate student at Duke Divinity School.
Outside the classroom, Addison is an avid runner, enjoys hosting friends and family in her home, and is always on the hunt for the best oat milk vanilla latte.
Grant was born and raised in Bryan, Texas. Less than a mile away from home, Grant attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 2024. During his time at the Sanford School of Public Policy, he hopes to implement the quantitative skills he learned while earning his Bachelor of Science and simultaneously further his analytical training taught through a variety of coursework. While earning his bachelor’s degree, Grant served on several local and statewide campaigns in his home state of Texas. Additionally, he was accepted into a six-month internship in Austin during his state’s 88th legislative session. It was there that Grant commuted daily between the offices of various elected officials and his own at the Texas A&M University System Office of State Relations. The time that he spent in that role gave him an invaluable perspective regarding government policy and the passing of legislation. Whether it’s in the public or private sector, Grant wants to employ the analytical and critical-thinking skills taught at the Sanford School to help solve problems entrenched in the world of public policy.
Kayla is from Cincinnati, Ohio and went to Capital University in the Columbus area, where they majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology. Originally interested in a career in counseling, they begin developing an interest in the role of education in social-emotional development and career-readiness through the sociological perspective. Their undergrad internship with Capital’s Career Development office also allowed them to work with peers preparing to enter the workforce and encouraged deeper thinking on how students and young adults feel transitioning out of the education environment. After graduation, Kayla moved to Columbia, South Carolina to serve as an AmeriCorps member with City Year. Through City Year, they were able to work directly in underserved schools to address achievement gaps in Math and Literacy skills and promote healthy social behavior in classrooms. They also worked with their school team to encourage civic engagement through the afterschool program and various displays in the school highlighting different cultures and historical events. After completing their service with City Year, Kayla went to work at Midlands Technical College as an Admissions Counselor. This role allowed them to work with a diverse body of students with different educational needs and goals, allowing them to gain further insight to education’s role in career and life readiness. At Sanford, Kayla hopes to address how education and social policy impact life readiness and how the education system can be used to prepare every student for life and improve overall wellbeing. Beyond classrooms and working, Kayla enjoys reading, being with their cats, and getting to explore outdoor trails.
A born-and-raised North Carolinian, Natalie graduated summa cum laude from UNC Greensboro in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in Biology. Over the next five years, she worked as a research assistant on a longitudinal study of early socioemotional and neurological development at UNC Chapel Hill. Working closely with participating families from her community inspired her decision to pursue a Master of Public Policy degree. Her interests include expanding access to equitable education and resources for low-income families. In her free time, Natalie enjoys baking, seeing live music, and watching documentaries (especially true crime).
Kyana is from Orange County, California. She graduated with her BA in Political Science from UCLA in 2021, where she was a Model UN nerd and a writer at the Journal of World Affairs. She is currently a research analyst at a government affairs and policy intelligence company. She also has teaching and tutoring experience through charter schools and nonprofits. She hopes to continue to navigate the intersection of policy, technology, education at Sanford.
My name is Demia Tucker, and I was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, surrounded by inspiring and resilient Black women. I was nurtured with values of dignity, self-respect, courage, and ethics. Before joining Duke University, I worked as a substitute teacher in my hometown and as a legal assistant for a distinguished attorney in Atlanta. I have a two-year-old daughter whom I adore, and we love spending time together at the park and going for walks. I am deeply passionate about learning, assisting others, advocating for social justice, and supporting underprivileged communities in their quest for equality. These passions drive my commitment to uplifting my community in every possible way.
Vanessa Woods is originally from Trumbull, Connecticut but moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to obtain her undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a joint degree in Government-Public Policy. She was heavily involved with her on-campus community along with her community in her home-town and is excited to join the Duke community. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she relocated to New York City and worked for a non-profit organization where she focused on establishing and advancing their advocacy and public policy work. Vanessa’s interests include education/social policy, specifically focusing on the intersections between education, race, and gender as it relates to economic mobility.
