NU Public Interest Program

Building a Network of Engaged Citizens to Inspire Change

Past Fellows

Fellows who successfully completed the program are listed below, along with their host organizations:

2022-2023
Evan Airey
 – Youth Job Center
Missy Aminu – Prescott Elementary School
Cal Bell-Rosof – University of Chicago, Graham School
Antonio Campagna – Chicago Run
Nora Chambers – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Anor Chen – Illinois Governor’s Office, Office of General Counsel
Emma Crumpton – Cradles to Crayons
Sascha Deng – City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office
Kate Eischens – Chicago Public Schools, Chief Education Office
Tony Inhorn – University of Chicago, Graham School
Susanna Kemp – Evanston Township High School
Olive Liu – Chicago Public Schools, Office of Network Support
Michael Ma – WorldChicago
Matt Marth – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Alex Mason – MetroSquash
Jordi Parry – Project Exploration
Gavin Rosengaraten – Cook County, Budget and Management Services
Sophia Simon – Rudd Resources, LLC
John Wang – WorldChicago

2021-2022
Lauren Bagshaw – Love, Unity & Values Institute
Anjelique Bomar – MetroSquash
Serena Chapa – La Casa Norte
Erin Claeys – Evanston Township High School, Community Service
Will Deschler – Intuit Center for Intuitive & Outsider Art
Gus Haffner – Cook County, Department of Budget & Management Services
Gillian Haggerty – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Arudi Masinjila – Cook County, Department of Budget & Management Services
Isabelle Matthies – Civic Consulting Alliance
Sam Nguyen – Evanston Township High School, Design Thinking & Innovation
Ben Nober – Sunshine Enterprises
Ethan Reiss – WorldChicago
Saeed Rezko – Prescott Elementary School
Beatriz Sampaio – Chicago Public Schools, Office of Network Support
Heba Sandozi – Misericordia Heart of Mercy
Emagin Tanaschuk – The Network

2020-2021
Yichun Chen – World Chicago
Hailey Cox-Montijo
– Evanston Township High School, Equity
Joyce D’Aprile
– Evanston Township High School, Design Thinking & Innovation
Lucy Hotz
 – Chicago Public Schools, Student Assessment
Gabriella Johansson
 – Prescott Elementary School
Jissmaria Karickal
– Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.)
Thomas Massion
 – UChicago Consortium for School Research, To&Through Project
Mason McVeigh
– Umoja Student Development Corporation
Annie Parker
 – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Cecilia Paz
 – La Casa Norte
Claudia Sierra
 – Sunshine Enterprises
Caitlin Somerville
 – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Veronica Suarez
 – Evanston Township High School, Community Service
Stender Von Oehsen
 – City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office
Antoinette White
 – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Kate Williams
 – Cook County, Bureau of Finance
Ericka Woods
 – Civic Consulting Alliance

2019-2020
Nick Anderson – Cradles to Crayons
Che Anderson Justice – Cook County, Bureau of Finance
Ioana Chindris – Chicago Public Schools, Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Tasia Conway – Urban Prep Academies, Bronzeville
Neil Dixit – Evanston Township High School, Community Service Department
Phoebe Glowacki – Bunker Labs
Avery Goods – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Natalie Griffin – Cook County, Department of Budget & Management
Helen Gutierrez – Urban Prep Academies, Englewood
Andrew Kim – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Jenny Martinez – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Allyna Mota Melville – Umoja Student Development Corporation
Jessica Ogwumike – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Jennah Thompson-Vasquez – Northwestern University, Office of Undergraduate Research
Diana Torres – La Casa Norte
Laura Zajac – Chicago Public Schools, Department of Student Assessment

2018-2019
Christopher Bayston – Evanston Township High School, Design Thinking & Innovation
Karalyn Berman – Brave Initiatives
Abby Blachman – Injustice Watch
Jessica Castellanos – World Chicago
Marisa DiPaolo – La Casa Norte
Lucero Flores – Evanston Township High School, Community Service
Jacquelyn Guillen – Cradles to Crayons, Community Engagement
AJ Hopkins – Evanston/Skokie School District 65
Emily Kuttner – Chicago Public Schools, Student Assessment
Jackie Maloney – Peer Health Exchange
Naomi Ostrander – James B Moran Center for Youth Advocacy
Rachel Rubinson – Chicago Public Schools, Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Sam Russell – Urban Partnership Bank
Paul Salamanca – Evanston/Skokie School District 65
Olivia Shay – Chicago Public Schools, Principal Quality
Jocelyn Vargas – Cradles to Crayons, Partner Relations
Daniela Villalvazo – Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF)
Sarah Walwema – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)

2017-2018
Delaney Buenzli – AllowGood
Graham Derfner – SAGA Innovations
Christine Farolan – Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF)
Ellen Goff – Urban Partnership Bank
Ayla Goktan – Rush University Medical Center
Maggie Graham – Legal Prep Charter Academy
Rita Hirami – College Possible
Joshua Klingenstein – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Jessica Lewis – Cradles to Crayons
Erin Madigan – Brave Initiatives
Kevin Nigarura – Civic Consulting Alliance
Caroline Olsen – Free Spirit Media
Miriam Perez – Peer Health Exchange
Sarah Permut – Chicago Public Schools, Department of Student Assessment
Ashley Radee – Evanston/Skokie School District 65
Jacob Rosenblum – University of Chicago Urban Labs
Ben Shear – SAGA Innovations
Joyce Wang – Evanston Township High School (ETHS), Community Service Department

2016-2017
Cara Conway – Urban Partnership Bank
Ninah Divine – Northwestern University, Native American & Indigenous Peoples Steering Group
Arianna Farmer – Chapin Hall
Lauren Hamilton – Evanston Township High School (ETHS)
Vicky Ho – Chapin Hall
Raven Johnson – Heartland Alliance
Paige Kaliski – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Katherine Koller – Peer Health Exchange
Megan Legault – Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF)
Yaritza Sandoval – Cradles to Crayons
Anjani Sheth – Heartland Alliance
Daniel Thiel – Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA)

2015-2016
Emily Allen – Chicago Public Schools, REACH
Emily Callahan – Chapin Hall
Amina Dreessen – Chicago Public Schools, Principal Quality Initiative
Alexis Gable – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Amy Glazier-Torgerson – Northwestern University, Institute for Policy Research
Alexandria Johnson – Northwestern University, Center for Civic Engagement
Thidar Khine – Coalition to Save Our Mental Health Centers
Sunjay Kumar – SAGA Innovations
Nedra Lucas – Chicago Public Schools, Principal Quality Initiative
Lucero Segundo – Evanston Township High School (ETHS)
Haley Sonenthal – Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA)
Leah Varjacques – Free Spirit Media
Emily Wills – SAGA Innovations

2014-2015
Diana Balitaan – Evanston Township High School
Kerry Brown – Northwestern University, Center for Civic Engagement
Ann Bruton – Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA)
Beth Colón – Chicago Public Schools, Principal Quality Initiative
Chelsea Corbin – Free Spirit Media
Leah Grodinsky – Chicago Public Schools, Principal Quality Initiative
Sabih Jafri – Match Corps
Sofia Porter-Castro – Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.)
Marisa Prasse – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Erica Rodriguez – Strengthening Chicago’s Youth
Mariah Wood – Chapin Hall

2013-2014
Paul Bourdillon – Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA)
Lafayette Cruise – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Sarah Daoud – Free Spirit Media
Vanessa Gonzalez-Block – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Alexa Herzog – Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF)
Ariel Maschke – Youth Organizations Umbrella (YOU)
Tania Murillo – Rickover Naval Academy
Alyssa Petersel – Strengthening Chicago’s Youth
Rachel Schwartz – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Karin Scott – Allowance for Good
Jessi Sharpe – Baker College Prep
Adriana Stanovici – McCormick Tribune YMCA

2012-2013
Nadia Ahmed – LEARN Charter School Network
Steve Chau – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Brittany Fawcett – Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL)
Leah Martinez – Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL)
Jane Merrill – Center on Halsted
Naomi Rosen – Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.)
Emily Roskey – Gary Comer College Prep
Devin Sizer – Chicago Public Schools, Office of Military Programs
April Stewart – Galapagos Charter School
Rebecca TeKolste – Youth Job Center
Meredith Wise – Lawndale Christian Health Center

2011-2012
Stephanie Arias – Urban Prep Academies
Tom Gonzales – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Kathryn Johnstone – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Claudia Leung – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Rosa Martinez – MetroSquash
Christopher Oh – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Nathalie Rayter – Free Spirit Media
Maura Ross – Center on Halsted
Hana Suckstorff – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Rachel Zinn – The Community Builders, Inc.

2010-2011
James Ballard – The Community Builders, Inc
Aaron Beswick – The Community Builders, Inc
Sandra Chung – Urban Prep Academies
Elizabeth Coffin-Karlin – Adler Planetarium
Lauren Drake – Center for Independent Futures
Ethan Geiling – Corporation for Enterprise Development
Zoya Kolkin – Upwardly Global
Kathleen Murphy – Urban Prep Academies
Lakshmi Nemani – Center on Halsted
Tom O’Connell – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Maddie Orenstein – Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Rachael Suffrin – Center for Companies That Care
Karina Walker – Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection

2009-2010
Christine Deyerler – By the Hand Club for Kids
Ryan Erickson – Center on Halsted
Liz Granger – Project on Civic Reflection
Rachel Herter – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Rachel Koch – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Sunny Lin – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Golda Onyeneho – Urban Prep Academies
Justine Reisinger – Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Elsa Sackett – Adler Planetarium
Esperanza Salgado – Evanston Township High School (ETHS)
Sam Schiller – Wabashco LLC
Jon Shaffer – GlobeMed
Sarah Sumadi – Center on Halsted
Bradley Troast – Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection
Sasha Tuzel – Chicago Public Schools, Office of New Schools
Emily Vaughan – The Community Builders, Inc
Katie Wright – Corporation for Enterprise Development
Tyler Yarbrough – Urban Prep Academies

2008-2009
Megan Ballard – Tax Assistance Program
Molly Day – CampusCatalyst
David Ellis – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Julia Fedor – Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health
Laura Howard – Free Spirit Media
Melanie Kahl – Chicago Public Schools, Office of New Schools
Sam Kirby – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Sten Langsjoen – MetroSquash
Jillian Nameth – City of Waukegan
Rachel Patten – Adler Plantetarium
Ryan Pederson – Northwestern University, Center for Global Engagement
Ravi Randhava – Northwestern University, Office of Student Community Service
Carla Reyes – The Civic Federation
Brooke Thurman – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Blake Walker – Chicago Public Schools, SummerQuest
Chris Warren – Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection
Precious Wright – Evanston Community Development Corporation

2007-2008
Cecilia Boyd – Chicago Federation of Labor, Workers Assistance Committee
Daniel Clark – Lawndale Christian Health Center
Adele El-Khouri – The Community Builders, Inc.
Joe Giambrone – Chicago Public Schools, Office of New Schools
Becca Hartman – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Courtney O’Brien – Protestants for the Common Good
Caitlin Overland – City of Waukegan
Lauren Parnell – Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC)
Megan Sieberg – North Lawndale Community News
Courtney Spalding-Mayer – Philanthropy Awareness Initiative
Mireya Vaca – Illinois Network of Charter Schools
Nicole White – Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection
Mona Yeh – Free Spirit Media

2006-2007
Adam Arents – Alumni for Public Schools
Yaneth Bello – Free Spirit Media
Mary Bowmann – Center for Independent Futures
Marta Flory – Northwestern University, Center for Bioethics, Science, and Society
Brianne Johnson – City of Waukegan
Patrick Keenan-Devlin – Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Jonathan Marino – Chicago Public Schools, Service Learning Initiative
Sheila Mc Corkle – City of Evanston, Youth Development Initiative
Emily Metz – Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)
Veronica Percia – Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS)
Benjamin Protess – North Lawndale Community News
Shaili Rajput – Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center
Mercedes Stickler – Grand Victoria Foundation
Hui Teo – Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center