Sanford Students interested in Energy & Environment
Morgan Alexander
morgan.alexander@duke.edu
Originally from Houston, Texas, Morgan Alexander was raised overseas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Ankara, Turkey. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2022 with a double major in Atmospheric Sciences and Geography. Through her participation in internships and research projects, she has solidified her passion for environmental advocacy and awareness. Whether it was seeking the best approach to communicate Georgia’s extreme weather and climate events to the public, discovering methods of water purification for rural towns in Haiti during a NSF REU, or creating and analyzing climate normals for islands in the Pacific Ocean while interning for NOAA in Honolulu, Hawaii, she has learned and seen how she can apply new insight to communicate and help people being influenced by increasingly significant issues concerning our environment and natural resources. Pursuing both a Master’s of Public Policy and a Master’s of Environmental Management, Morgan hopes to help in mitigating the climate crisis as well as aid in the transition to clean energy. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, discovering new restaurants, and going to concerts.
Kathryn Anderson
kathryn.anderson500@duke.edu
Kathryn is a native of Dallas, Texas and is one of the 4+1 students in the cohort. This will be her fourth year at Duke, and she is excited to continue her education with the Sanford faculty that helped develop her interest in public policy. Kathryn is passionate about environmental issues and spent her last two summers interning at environmental nonprofits like the Environmental Working Group and the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters. She has also worked on original research at Duke, studying local opposition to renewable energy development. In her free time she likes to read, watch college basketball and football, and buy an unreasonable amount of second hand clothes.
Amanda Armstrong
amanda.armstrong@duke.edu
Varun Sen Bahl
varunsen.bahl@duke.edu
Milena Bimpong
milena.bimpong@duke.edu
Milena is originally from New Jersey, and graduated with her B.A. in Biology & Society from Cornell University in 2022. Prior to starting her MPP at Sanford, Milena worked at Sustainable Finger Lakes, a sustainability nonprofit organization in Ithaca, New York. At Sustainable Finger Lakes, Milena was the Tenant Engagement Coordinator for the Clean Energy & Equity Pilot, which focuses on expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades for low-to-moderate income renters in Ithaca. This led to Milena’s interest in energy and environmental policy, as she is specifically interested in how transitioning to renewable energy at local, state, and federal levels will improve environmental health outcomes. Milena enjoys knitting, crocheting, watching reality TV, and listening to R&B throwbacks in her free time.
Uzo Biosah
uzo.biosah@duke.edu
Chibuzor–Uzo for short–was born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Yale College in 2020 with a degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics (EP&E), and her academic and professional passions lie at the nexus of urban policy, environmental stewardship, social equity, and technology. She has spent the last few years resolving YouTube advertiser concerns and queries at Google. Her pastimes include cooking, surfing, thrift shopping, and playing her electric guitar. You will likely find Uzo attempting slides at the skatepark, studying at the library, or daydreaming about catching a wave in OBX.
Parker Bovee
parker.bovee@duke.edu
Parker Bovée is a lifelong Californian and proudly represents his hometown of Sacramento. He graduated from UC Berkeley in the Spring of 2022 with a degree in History and a minor in Public Policy from the Goldman School. He is primarily interested in blending social impact entrepreneurship with sustainable environmentalism and sees Sanford as the perfect place to do so. He is currently focused on mitigating wildfire risk with the start-up VegaMX and hopes to learn more about safely expanding California’s electric grid. Parker spends as much time as he can outdoors hiking, exercising, and soaking up the sun with friends.
Eva Brungard
eva.brungard@duke.edu
Eva Brungard is from Carmel, Indiana and a May 2023 graduate of Indiana University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Policy Analysis with minors in Political Science and Economics. While at IU, Eva was a research assistant for Dr. John D. Graham, where she first got interested in electric vehicle policy. Since then, Eva has participated in several internships within the renewable energy and electric vehicle space at the Renewable Energy Group (Ames, Iowa), the Zero Emission Transportation Association (Washington, DC), Tesla (Washington, DC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Washington, DC). At Duke, Eva plans to concentrate on Energy and Environment Policy.
In her free time, Eva enjoys getting outside, working out, watching shows and movies, and exploring new bars and restaurants.
James Burger
james.burger@duke.edu
James was raised and educated in Charlottesville, Virginia. At the University of Virginia, James studied Foreign Affairs and Government, focusing his research on immigration policy and the experiences of LGBTQ asylum seekers. After UVA, he moved to Santa Monica, California to work as a legal analyst at a plaintiff-side business litigation firm. It was here where James became interested in corporate social responsibility, regulatory policy, and the relationship between government and private industry. In his free time, James likes long-distance running, food documentaries, and listening to the New York Times Modern Love podcast.
Samantha Burton
samantha.burton@duke.edu
Larry Chen
larry.chen@duke.edu
Larry is a Toronto and Shanghai native, and a graduate of Cornell University, where he majored in Environment & Sustainability and minored in Development Sociology and Law & Society. Prior to his time at Duke, he worked at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where he created and managed written content, coordinated global partnerships in Europe and Asia, and led varied community outreach initiatives. He has also consulted for ecolodges, conducted a range of ornithological field surveys, and compiled reports and managed social media for regional and international conservation NGOs. Through his time with Sanford, Larry hopes to delve into biodiversity-conscious energy development, as well as build up the knowledge, skills, and experience to create truly lasting connections between human and ecological communities in his future career.
In his spare time, Larry is always looking to search for all manner of plants and animals, be it in Durham or Dakar! He also loves writing short stories and Wikipedia dives.
Zeren Chen
zeren.chen@duke.edu
Zeren was originally from Shanghai and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He recently graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Sociology. During his undergraduate years, he excelled as a research assistant at the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, focusing on studying global “Black Spots.” Additionally, he served as President and Chair of Academic Affairs and Research at a student-run think tank, delving into topics like the AUKUS Pact, Nord Stream Pipelines, China’s carbon neutrality plan, and Sino-US relations. Zeren’s open-mindedness, friendly demeanor, and passion for public service fuel his interest in pursuing a Master of Public Policy at Sanford. He enjoys movies, traveling, and supporting hometown sports teams in his free time.
Christian Chung
christian.chung@duke.edu
Garrison Clapp
garrison.clapp@duke.edu
Garrison Clapp is a native of North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. His mother is a public school teacher and his father served as an officer in the navy. Both of their careers sparked his interest in politics and debating policies. His primary areas of policy interest are in Foreign and Environmental Policy.
Jack Dearing
jack.dearing@duke.edu
Jack is returning to Durham as an MPP ’25 Candidate after having graduated from Duke in 2019 with a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Environmental Sciences & Policy. Prior to his return to Duke, he worked as an commodities analyst at a Virginia-based energy firm and, later, as a policy analyst focused on power markets, clean energy, and electric vehicles at a DC-based firm. Continuing his interest in clean energy, Jack hopes to pursue a career in the industry after Sanford, particularly in the Southeast. In his free time, Jack enjoys cooking, swimming, and going to the gym, and is excited to return to Cameron Indoor in the fall.
Quinn Dilley
quinn.dilley@duke.edu
Quinn Dilley is a U.S. Army Civil Affairs officer coming to Sanford from his most recent assignment at Fort Liberty, NC, and plans to pursue a National Security and Foreign Policy concentration. Born and raised in Indiana, Quinn graduated from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis in 2015 with Political Science and Global and International Studies degrees. Quinn has conducted multiple missions in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East during his service. As a Public Policy candidate, he hopes to hone his quantitative and qualitative expertise before a three-year assignment as an American Politics Instructor at West Point.
Eric Fernando
eric.fernando@duke.edu
Madeleine Fox
madeleine.fox@duke.edu
Madeleine is from Charlotte, North Carolina and is excited to pursue her Master of Public Policy at Sanford. She is looking forward to being a member of the Sanford community and is excited to explore policy areas in greater depth, particularly Energy and Foreign Policy. Madeleine has been working for the last four years at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in Washington, D.C.. At CBO, she worked on budgetary projections and cost estimates for the National Park Service and trade policy. Before arriving at CBO, Madeleine graduated from Wake Forest University in 2019 with a double major in Economics and Politics & International Affairs. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and traveling.
Lawson Garner
hlg26@duke.edu
Will Greer
will.greer@duke.edu
Malcolm Gregory
malcolm.gregory@duke.edu
Malcolm Gregory is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Environmental Science B.S. ’20). His professional experiences range from scientific field work in Alaska and Montana to a policy internship in the Office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith (MN). Malcolm is moving to Durham from Wisconsin, where he has been working as an Environmental Analysis and Review Specialist in the State’s Office of Energy. As a dual-degree MPP-MEM student, Malcolm is excited to enhance his knowledge of conservation and land-use policy, as well as develop new proficiencies in cost-benefit analysis and public management. In his free time, Malcolm enjoys hiking, cooking, and playing the guitar.
Olivia Grobmyer
olivia.grobmyer@duke.edu
Fiona Guan
xinrong.guan@duke.edu
Fiona Guan (MPP’25) earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Fintech with a minor in Business Analytics at Northeastern University in 2023. Fiona is born and raised in Qingdao, China, and then moved to Melbourne, Australia for school. Her experiences range from law to financial advisory, and consulting.
Fiona’s knowledge of impact investing, combined with her care for under-represented communities, has fostered her interest in environmental policy. Her background in Fintech affected by rapid change in technology also sparks some interest in technology policy. As an aspiring young professional, Fiona hopes to devote her time here at Sanford to navigate her passion in these two areas.
In her free time, Fiona enjoys hiking, kayaking, and reading. Fiona loves to learn new things and go on adventures. If you don’t see her in nature or at home, she might be exploring new restaurants or bubble tea tasting.
Xuancheng Guo
xuancheng.guo@duke.edu
Xuancheng comes from Beijing, China, and recently graduated from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. He used to study Marketing and Management where he developed his interest in understanding how policies can influence a company. Xuancheng did some internships while he attend college including tech companies and investment banks since he has not yet determined which field he wants to devote his career to. Now, he learned communication skills and some understanding of the business world and join in Sanford community, willing to discuss what he knows at any time.
Azar Hasanli
azar.hasanli@duke.edu
Azar is from Baku, Azerbaijan. He graduated from the Azerbaijan State University of Economics with a bachelor’s and master’s degree with a major in international economics. Before Sanford, Azar worked at leading research and policymaking institutions in Azerbaijan. He started his professional career at the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Then he joined the Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a national AML/CFT authority. He is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Policy program at Sanford School. He is especially interested in development issues and envisages a career in economic development fields. Deriving from his background, Azar aims to increase his competencies in diverse spheres of economic policymaking.
Leo He
lh436@duke.edu
Simon Heinberg
simon.heinberg@duke.edu
Ben Jackson
ben.jackson@duke.edu
Ben is a North Carolina native and graduate of North Carolina State University, where he majored in environmental engineering and minored in environmental science. Before Sanford, he worked with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality as an engineering project manager and managed initiatives on coal ash excavation, remediation, and solid waste management. Ben is a dual degree student between Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and Fuqua’s School of Business. With his dual degree, Ben strives to balance the public sector’s policy and regulation and the private sector’s speed and innovation. He ultimately plans to pursue a career in renewable energy. Outside of his career aspirations, Ben’s hobbies include weightlifting, gardening, cooking and baking, and trying new restaurants throughout the Triangle.
Jesse James Jarvis
jesse.jarvis@duke.edu
Shanna Kim
shanna.kim@duke.edu
Katie Lazar
katie.lazar@duke.edu
Originally from the metro-Detroit area, Katie received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 2015 with a double major in Political Science and French. Upon graduating, Katie worked for a public affairs firm on multiple local, state and national political campaigns, with a focus on increasing women’s representation in elected office. Katie truly began to deepen her interest in health policy as an AmeriCorps member with the Community Opioid Response program where she was a part of a statewide initiative to help local communities implement strategies to reduce opioid misuse. For the past five years, Katie has worked at a local public health department in Colorado as a tobacco prevention policy specialist, and as a part of the COVID-19 emergency response team.
In her free time, you can usually find Katie outside: running, camping, hiking, skiing and, recently, growing an overwhelming number of tomatoes in her garden.
Caitlyn Leary
caitlyn.leary@duke.edu
Caitlyn grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, and attended the University of South Carolina, where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications and a Graphic Design minor. Caitlyn worked in several marketing roles in sports and entertainment, financial services, and telecommunications before shifting her focus to public policy. Caitlyn is a dual-degree student at the Sanford School and Duke Law School and is interested in environmental and social issues. Caitlyn is passionate about animals and regularly volunteers to foster senior dogs from her local animal shelter. In her free time, Caitlyn enjoys exploring the outdoors, doing yoga, sewing, reading, and relaxing with her husband and their dog, Toby.
Lu Liu
lu.liu@duke.edu
Lu Liu comes from Shenzhen, Guangdong but likes eating spicy food. She enjoys traveling, doing exercises, and making new friends.
Kali Natarajan
kali.natarajan@duke.edu
Birgen Nelson
birgen.nelson@duke.edu
Birgen is a recent graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College where she double majored in Political Science and Classical Languages and minored in Environmental Studies. She is interested in Social Policy and Energy & the Environment. As a student at Gustavus, Birgen was Student Senate Co-President, a captain of the Track and Field Team, and a three-time NCAA Division III national champion in the hurdles. One of Birgen’s most rewarding experiences was interning for a Civil Rights Litigation firm last summer. Some of her favorite things are hiking, walking, finding new vegan restaurants, cats, dogs, and, of course, hurdling!
Eni Owoeye
eni.owoeye@duke.edu
Eni Owoeye is a first-generation Nigerian-American with roots along the East Coast. She graduated from New York University in 2022 with a dual degree in International Relations and Environmental Science with a minor in Spanish and Portuguese. Eni gained work experience at the United Nations Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of State among other nonprofit organizations. Eni enjoys working on ocean-climate-related issues and used her research in the shipping industry to further expand her repertoire of environmental issues while capturing concerns such as public health and labor rights. She also has a passion for mentorship and advancing equitable education access, which has led her to teach as a 2022-2023 Fulbright Awardee in Romania. In her free time, Eni loves doing interfaith work, volunteering, and enjoying nature. She’s also a big fan of Costco.
Juan Pablo Parra
juan.parra@duke.edu
Gray Rucker
james.rucker@duke.edu
Gray was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 2023, he graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University, where he studied Classical Languages, Politics and International Affairs, and Film. As a student, he was a member of the Classics and Political Science Honor Societies, volunteered at Campus Kitchen, tutored student-athletes, and interned at the Athletics Department. Gray became interested in public policy after taking a captivating Food Politics and Policy course, during which he had the opportunity to work with Sanford’s own World Food Policy Center. At Duke, he looks forward to sharpening his quantitative and analytical skills while studying Energy and Environmental Policy. Outside of school, Gray loves cooking, watching old movies, training his dog, and trying not to let his Latin get too rusty.
Nora Salitan
nora.salitan@duke.edu
Nora Salitan is dual degree candidate at the Sanford School of Public Policy and Duke Law School. She is a native New Yorker. After graduating from Columbia University in 2021 with a degree in Comparative Literature, Nora worked at a refugee resettlement agency for three years. Nora is passionate about immigrant justice, and understanding how migration and displacement are impacted by forces such as climate change, international policy and international law.
Monicky Saucedo
monicky.saucedo@duke.edu
Monicky Saucedo is originally from Austin, Texas. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas A&M University. As a first-generation college student, she knew first-hand the sacrifices it took to continuing her education and wanted to become an advocate for students like her. After graduation Monicky joined Teach For America where it led her to teach in North Carolina. Monicky is interested in social policy and its intersectionality to environmental policy.
Kevin Schmidt
kevin.schmidt@duke.edu
Kevin is a Virginia native who graduated from James Madison University in 2017 with a B.S. in Quantitative Finance, minors in Economics and Mathematics, and a concentration in Risk Management. He joins the MPP class after five years in the secondary mortgage market at Freddie Mac where he worked in multiple roles across Single Family, Multifamily, and Investments and Capital Markets divisions. His most recent role was as a deal manager on Freddie’s Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities issuance desk. His policy interests are centered around climate, housing, transportation, and their intersection. In his free time, Kevin loves anything outdoors including motorcycle touring, hiking, mountain biking, and camping.
Olivia Smith
Class of 2026oss11@duke.edu
Austin Spence
michael.spence@duke.edu
Austin (he/him/his) is joining the Sanford ranks as a joint MPP and MDIV (Master of Divinity) student from Duke Divinity School. With a background in theological ethics and social justice from Belmont University, Austin hopes to integrate policy studies toward a life of flourishing for all. Prior to Sanford, he worked in local NC policy groups, national farmworker advocacy, as well as farmer advocacy geared towards challenging the root causes of unjust food systems. Austin is concerned with fusing environmental and social justice in rural, marginalized communities. You can find Austin spending his free time reading, exploring Umstead Park (by foot or bike), building things, or learning about obscure food science like the Maillard reaction on YouTube.
Christopher Starr
christopher.starr@duke.edu
Christopher was born in Minnesota and grew up in multiple areas of the United States. He served in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica as an economic development volunteer and has been working financial wellness and worker equity for the last 10 years at Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners in New York City.
Keanu Valibia
keanu.valibia@duke.edu
Keanu Valibia is an MPP/MEM dual Master’s student, pursuing an emphasis in Energy & Environment. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems from University of California, Riverside in 2017, Keanu worked across a span of roles in technology, media, and nonprofits. His most recent work was with the International Organization for Migration and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, where he provided program consulting services to create and implement an international disaster relief coordination program for the Philippines. Outside of work and school, Keanu is a huge film buff and is constantly looking for new hobbies and crafts to learn about (his current obsessions are writing, Formula One racing, and 3D modeling).
Anna Walsh
anna.walsh@duke.edu
Anna is originally from Sacramento, CA and obtained her B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, she worked extensively with women and people with disabilities on public health and economic development projects. Prior to becoming a Sanford student, she managed nonprofit operations and advised philanthropists in issue areas ranging from early childhood health to rainforest conservation. Anna is passionate about equitable economic development and affordable housing in particular. In her free time, Anna enjoys taking jazz dance classes, hiking to waterfalls and peaks, and reading historical fiction.
Angela Wei
angela.wei@duke.edu
Hi, friends. I am Lepeng (Angela) Wei. I graduated in May 2022 from Colorado College. I went to a Swiss boarding school and was born in Shanghai, China. I was an Anthropology major and Environmental policy minor. Having lived and studied on three different continents and experienced every environment from a metropolis to a small town has made me more culturally aware and inclusive. I am interested in all areas of policies. I believe public policies can address social issues effectively.
As a Communication intern and Foreign social media manager at SRP and Avoice, I write and edit articles that give voice to the victims of family violence. I also manage their Instagram account and post suggestions and book recommendations for the women who have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic violence. As the number of my article’s views climbed over 3000, I was filled with a sense of gratitude and accomplishment. I have seen the effects of my work through raising awareness of family violence and empowering women traumatized by family violence.
Yin-Chia Yang
yinchia.yang@duke.edu
Born and raised in Taiwan, Yin-Chia Yang completed her double B.A. in History and Library Information Science from National Taiwan University in 2021. With a deep family connection with agriculture, she held a project of building a governmental demonstrative field for the symbiosis of fishery and electricity, while co-founding and working in a solar energy and agriculture company.
She is interested in the future of energy, environment and agricultural policy, and how to balance out the industrial need and social impact through policy-making.
With her multi-discipline background and training in quantitative and qualitative research, Yin-Chia hopes to make policy more approachable and capable to address today’s need.
In her free time, Yin-Chia enjoys having nice food, drinking lots of coffee, and is a huge fan of vintage.
Janice Ye
janice.ye@duke.edu
Janice Ye is originally from Beijing, China but grew up in New York. She graduated from University of Washington in 2022 with a degree in political science, focusing on political economy. She is passionate about helping the communities in need and climate change. She has participated in numerous internships and research projects that extend to various fields, such as social justice, international development, and global finance governance. From helping children from immigrant families to gain education resources to analyzing the impact of international development policy on Subaltern Amazonian communities, Janice is aspired to promote ethical and sustainable development. Pursuing an MPP degree at Duke University, Janice strives to advocate for community-based policies and to find a healthy balance between economic development and the welfare of local community. In her free time, Janice enjoys swimming, dancing, and stand-up paddling.
Amal Zahra
amal.zahra@duke.edu