Maxwell Class Notes
Keely Hanson ’16 M.P.A.
is executive specialist in the Office of the Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Prior to that, she worked as a strategy and impact coach for Secoya Strategies, an organization that works to build strong performance through design and practice.
Joila Hill ’94 M.P.A.
has been named director of the charter schools program at Eastern Michigan University.
Alissa Italiano ’12 B.A. (PSt)
was appointed to the Manlius Town Board in Manlius, N.Y. She previously worked as a risk manager and management analyst for the Syracuse Housing Authority.
Katsistohkwi:Io Louise Jacco ’17 B.A. (PSc)
is the new coordinator of student success for the Otsenhákta Student Centre at Concordia Univer- sity in Montreal. In this position she serves as an advisor to Indigenous students on academic and non-aca- demic programs and services.
Prashanth Jayachandran ’98 M.P.A.
was appointed as a member of Syracuse University’s College of Law Board of Advisors. Jayachandran is chief supply chain counsel for Colgate-Palmolive Company.
Ellen Johnson ’14 B.A. (IR/PSt)
completed her master of science in learning and organizational change at Northwestern University in 2021 and is now a leadership coach for Evergreen Consulting, which is based in Chagrin, Ohio.
Jacqueline Kopito ’90 B.A. (AmSt)
just published a book, “Twintastic” (Good Times Books, 2021). The book follows two identical twins who gain magical powers and use them to save a family restaurant.
Nancy Laird ’97 M.P.A.
joined the Harvard Art Museums as the director of finance after working for Harvard University for 22 years.
Robert Layton ’79 M.P.A.
received the 2021 Board of Trustees award from Wichita State University. The award is given to a person who has made significant contributions to the partnership between Wichita State University and the surrounding community. Layton is currently the interim chief financial officer for Kansas City Community College.
Zachery Le Cuyer ’17 B.A. (IR/PSc)/ ’19 M.A. (IR)
joined the federal civil service as a NATO program manager for the Department of Defense, supporting the secretary of the Air Force’s Office of Information Dominance at the Pentagon.
Norman Leffman ’95 M.P.A.
retired in December 2021 after 17 years of service as assistant executive officer to the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority.
Matthew Little ’97 M.P.A.
was recently named the western region director of public policy for the Memphis-based Ducks Unlimited, an organization that supports the growth of duck populations and the future of waterfowl hunting.
Mark L. Loeben ’98 M.S.Sc.
was recently appointed chairman of the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park, a research, design and innovation organization based in Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
Marissa Lorenzetti ’08 B.A. (PSc/PSt)
has been named chief of staff at the Madison, Wisc.-based Madison Group, which provides consulting services, technical expertise and innovative technology to the plastics industry.
Alicia Madden ’10 M.P.A.
returned to Syracuse University as director of finance and administration for the iSchool after serving 10 years in government.
Rob Magliaro ’08 B.A. (Econ/IR/PSt)
is education lead at Grow with Google, a national company working with higher education institutions to co-create programs to support job readiness across disciplines.
Blake Neumann ’19 M.P.A.
has joined the Adirondack Council’s conservation team in the newly created role of clean water advocate.
Michael Nitzky ’98 B.A. (PSc)
was appointed to Mercury as managing director of its New York office. Mercury is a global, bipartisan public strategy firm located in all 50 states.
Brandy Oakley ’05 B.A. (PSt)
was elected as state representative for the 12th Suffolk district in Massachusetts and was sworn in on Jan. 6, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Oakley earned an M.A. in education at Johns Hopkins University and attended law school at Emory University. Oakley became a public defender with the Committee for Public Counsel Services in the Boston Municipal and Chelsea District courts.
Kent Olson ’83 M.P.A.
retired after 37 years of local government financial management. He served as finance director for two suburbs in the Chicago region and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.