As both a Research Assistant and SPL student, I have had the opportunity to learn from and work with professors who have reached the highest level in their fields and who are experts in intelligence, national security law, and international security policy. The management and policy lessons learned through SPL’s coursework and events will serve me well in any career field.
Steven Fantigrossi, MPA ’16
SPL LinkedIn Group Maxwell School Alumni SU Law Alumni
Alumni News
In August 2021, SPL heard from Eric Carlson (JD/MPA 2016), who is currently Assistant Counsel in the US Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel.
In April 2021, SPL learned that Mark Temnykcy (MPA ’17; Security Studies) has been promoted to Business Operations Analyst at Artlin Consulting, a Washington, DC, firm specializing in acquisition strategy and data.
In September 2019, SPL learned that Mathew Rommel (LAW ’13, MAIR ’13; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is Commercial Market Leader for Deloitte US Drone Services.
SPL scholar and Maxwell School Ph.D. student Jason Blessing has been named a USIP Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellow for the 2019-2020 academic year. His research project is “Securing Cyberspace: Military Innovation and Cyber Force Structure.”
In May 2019, SPL learned about the following graduates:
- Laura Alexander (MPA/MAIR ’13) is a Knowledge Management Specialist at PAE, a consulting company that assists the USAID’s Office of Food for Peace.
- Meghan Boesch (MAIR ’12; CAS in PCR) is a Senior Program Analyst at OXFAM America, spearheading a grant program initiative in the International Programs Department.
- Matt Duncan (MAIR ’09; CAS in Security Studies) is a Manager of Policy and Coordination at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
- Justin Dunnicliff (MAIR ’13; CAS in Security Studies) is Hacks Program Manager at the National Security Innovation Network, which partners with the US Department of Defense.
- Mitch Forbes (MPA ’17; CAS in Security Studies) currently is a Congressional Liaison for the US Air Force.
- Nicole Gerke (MAIR ’15; CAS in PCR) works for the United Nations Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, managing the office’s partnerships with member states, foundations, and civil society and youth-focused organizations.
- Tess McEnery (MPA ’08; CAS in Security Studies) works as a Senior Advisor for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization at the US Department of State.
- Maureen Russell (MAIR ’07; CAS in Security Studies) is Director of Business Development at emissary LLC, a women-owned small business that provides operational, analytical, and policy consulting services.
- Megan Weaver (MAIR ’12, CAS in PCR) works for International Medical Corps in Juba, South Sudan, overseeing field site operations.
In November 2018, SPL learned that Valerie (Alberto) Foy (LAW ’05), who earned a certificate in national security and counterterrorism law, is currently Legislative Counsel to Rep. Donald J. Bacon of Nebraska.
In October 2018, SPL and second-year law student John Lewis Williams informed the Institute that he has been offered a Veterans Innovative Partnership fellowship at the US Department of State. He will be working with the Office of Policy and Resource Planning in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. This Bureau manages a $3.4 billion portfolio that supports international programs to help refugees and internally dSPLaced peoples.
In July 2018, SPL learned that …
- Austin Cusak (JD/MAIR/MSPR ’09) is a Senior Talent and Innovation Officer at the National Cybersecurity and Communications Innovation Center. He received a certificate in Security Studies.
- CAS in Security Studies recipient Jaclaine Mercado-Malapitan (MAIR ’10) currently is an HR Specialist at Green Climate Fund, where she specializes in international development human resources.
- Aimee Falkum (MPA/MAIR ’15; CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction) is Assistant Program Manager for East Asia and the Pacific in the US Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Weapons Removal.
- CAS in Security Studies certificate holder Ariel Gould (MPA/MAIR ’18) is Junior Associate at Innovative Federal Strategies.
In June 2018, SPL received updates about the following CAS in Security Studies alumni:
- 2006 MPA graduate Jaisha Wray (CAS in Security Studies) is Director for International Cyber Policy at the National Security Council. Before that appointment, Wray was Acting Depute Director in the US Department of State Office of Emerging Security Challenges.
- Having previously worked as a Project Manager for Chemonics International, where she oversaw USAID initiatives in Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Georgia, CAS in Security Studies graduate Gabriela Paskova (MAIR ’09) is now a Business Development Officer for Partners In Health.
- Brian Stone (CAS in Security Studies’ MPA/MAIR ’12) has been employed at the Centers for Disease Control since 2012. Currently he is a Public Health Advisor at the Division of Global HIV and TB, where he assists in developing, analyzing, monitoring, implementing, and evaluating complex international public health programs.
- Writes CAS in Security Studies alumnus Russ Walker (MAIR ’15), “As an academic program coordinator for the Hume Center for National Security and Technology at Virginia Tech, I am in charge of the creation and management of the CyberLeaders Program, a collaboration between the Hume Center, the Pamplin School of Business and the School of Public and International Affairs.”
- Graduating from the Maxwell School with an MPA in 2006, Jason Yaley (CAS in Security Studies) is now Vice President of Membership and Strategic Development at the Aerospace Industries Association.
- Ross Rustici (MAP/MAIR ’10; CAS in Security Studies) is a Senior Director at Cybereason, where he provides advanced analysis to understand how the evolving threat landscape impacts corporate risk.
- Dr. Simone Martin (MPA/MAIR ’11; CAS in Security Studies) is an Assistant Professor at LIU-Brooklyn, where she teaches classes in public health and regulation.
Congratulations to recent SPL certificate graduates who have begun their careers with public, private, and NGO security organizations:
- 2018 JD/MPA graduate Brian Neufuss (CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is a Research Intern at the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit.
- Jennifer VanRiper (MAIR ’18; CAS in PCR) works as a Program Development Intern at the Near East Foundation, where she conducts research on priority issues in Sudan and South Sudan.
- CAS in Security Studies recipient Stephen Brickey (MAIR ’18) is an Intern in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense and a Lieutenant Commander in the US Coast Guard.
- Matthew Heggy (MPA ’18; CAS in Security Studies) is a Program Development Intern in the Near East Foundation.
- 2018 MPA/MAIR graduate Zachary Lubelfeld (CAS in Security Studies) is a Boren Fellow in the African Flagship Languages Initiative, National Security Education Program.
- Kevin Oswald (MAIR ’17; CAS in SS) works for Agora Energiewende as a Visiting Associate, where he analyzes EU and Mexican energy policy and security of supply issues.
- A Digital Research Assistant for The Atlantic Council, Anna Pellegatta (MAIR ’17) received a CAS in Security Studies.
- Christopher Winschel (MAIR ’18; CAS in Security Studies) is currently a Policy Intern for the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.
Also in May 2018, SPL learned that:
- CAS in Security Studies student Charles Cutshall (MPA ’09) is currently a Senior Policy Analyst at the Office of Management and Budget, having previously worked as a Senior Policy Analyst, Executive Office of the President; Senior Privacy Program Analyst, US Department of the Treasury; and Privacy Policy Analyst, US Department of Homeland Security.
- Jeffrey N. Rosenthal (LAW ’08; National Security and Counterterrorism Law) currently is a Litigation Partner at Blank Rome LLP, where he counsels businesses on RICO and technology issues. He also writes a cybersecurity column for The Legal Intelligencer and contributes to Blank Rome’s Cybersecurity Law Watch blog.
- Laura Alexander (MPA ’13)—a 2013 CAS in PCR—now works as a Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program Director and Senior Program Manager for Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), having previously held a position at the Innovative Agriculture Research Initiative in Tanzania.
- CAS in PCR graduate Ari Renoni (MPA ’13) currently is Deputy Director at Hagerty Consulting, a consultancy providing policy advice to New York City’s Office of Management and Budget that manages FEMA Public Assistance grants for Hurricane Sandy recovery. Previously, he was is a Consultant for the UNICEF HIV/AIDS Programme at its Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
- CAS in PCR recipient Kate Simma (MPA/MAIR ’14) is a Senior Program Officer/Policy Specialist at the World Wildlife Fund, where she advises program teams on the intersection of environment and human security issues, including the relationships between natural resources and human trafficking; water and conflict; and community development and environmental protection. She has held previous positions at US AID and the US Embassy in Tblisi, Georgia.
Zach Andersson (MPA/MAIR ’12; Postconflict Reconstruction) currently is Acting Project Director for FHI 360, a nonprofit committed to improving lives through health, education, nutrition, and the environment, which operates in 60 countries.
A 2015 MAIR and CAS in Security Studies graduate, Chris Conrad is Technology and Training Coordinator for the International Justice Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to ending slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression.
Currently a Judicial Law Clerk at the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, Colin Tansits (JD/MPA ’17) has been accepted into the Army JAG Corps Reserve and has been named an alternate for active duty. “The opportunity to research important issues within the field of national security was a key component of my application,” he says. Tansits was an assistant to SPL Director William C. Banks and Faculty Member David M. Crane. He was also Senior Notes Editor of Syracuse Law Review.
In July 2017 Gregory Flatow (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—was asked to provide a briefing at a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) seminar on Israel’s Relations with Africa for US government analysts at the DIA Regional Training Center Joint Base at Anacostia Bolling, Washington, DC. “The presentation was based on a paper I published in the Journal on Security and Terrorism Analysis. My research was a culmination of research conducted while in Israel during the Herzliya program and independently through Global Programs Award funding.”
In November 2017, alumnus Akmal Ali (LAW ’06; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law), a homeland security expert, was featured in Sports Business Daily. Ali works for security consultancy Catalyst Partners, where he advises major sports franchises—such as the New York Yankees—on Security Act (2002) compliance.
In November 2017, SPL learned of the following career updates:
- Manish Pradhan (JD/MPA ’08; national security and counterterrorism law) is Section Chief in Strategic Analysis at the US Transportation Security Administration. He formerly worked at Deloitte as a Senior Consultant.
- Former Vice President of the Student Association on Terrorism and Security Analysis (SATSA), Robinson Lingo (JD/MPA ’09; CAS in Security Studies) is currently Associate General Counsel at SRC, a not-for-profit R&D corporation, chartered by the state of New York, that works in the defense, environment, and intelligence sectors.
- Laura Zuber (JD/MPA ’09; CAS in Security Studies)—a former Research Assistant for Professor William C. Banks and former Attorney Intern in the International Law Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration—currently is an Attorney at the Postal Regulatory Commission.
- Former Editor-in-Chief of Impunity Watch, Sarah Benczik (JD/MPA ’10; CAS in Security Studies) works as a Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting, where she works with organizations to plan, build, and sustain a cybersecurity workforce to foster enterprise-wide cultures of cybersecurity.
- Camille L. Daley (JD/MPA ’16; CAS in Security Studies) works as a Strategy & Operations Consultant at Deloitte.
National security and counterterrorism law certificate holder Tara J. Arndt (J.D./M.P.A. ’14) currently is a Captain in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, US Army Africa/Southern European Task Force. She was deployed to Italy in May 2017.
A former CHHS Senior Policy Advisor, in summer 2017 SPL alumnus Eric Oddo (MPA ’08) was appointed Continuity Program Director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security (CHHS) at the University of Maryland. Oddo will be responsible for, among other tasks, the delivery of FEMA-accredited resiliency courses for public entities. Oddo is also a Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (Washington, DC area) COOP planner responsible for compliance issues.
Emily Schneider (LAW ’13)—a 2013 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—is a Content Marketing Manager at G+D Mobile Security, a global mobile security technology company headquartered in Munich, Germany.
David Lim (JD/MAIR ’12)—a Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law graduate—joined the US Department of Justice in April 2016 as a Trial Attorney with the Office of International Affairs, and he presently serves on detail as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division.
Alumna Jennifer Holtz (LAW ’08; National Security and Counterterrorism Law certificate) currently is Deputy Division Chief, Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission.
Jane Chung (MPA/MAIR ’16; CAS in Security Studies) has secured a position as a Neighborhood Services Policy Analyst LAGreatStreets.org.
In August 2017, Kaitlyn Degnan (LAW ’17; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) informed SPL that she will start at Providence, RI, firm Chisholm, Chisholm, & Kilpatrick in September. In part, she will be assisting with appeals to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. While at Syracuse Law, Kaitlyn was Vice President of SATSA, Executive Editor of the Journal of International Law and Commerce, Chief Registrar of the Syrian Accountability Project, and a Senior Desk Officer at Impunity Watch. She also was a Student Attorney at the Veterans Legal Clinic and a Corporate Law Intern at defense and security industry company SRC, located in Syracuse, NY.
Former SPL Research Assistant Ryan Lester (MPA ’16) has joined the US Government Accountability Office as an analyst. “I am responsible for performing performance evaluation on federal government programs to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency using quantitative and qualitative data collected from interviews and agency databases.”
Some July 2017 updates from SPL alumni:
- A recipient of a CAS in Security Studies, Maureen Russell (MAIR ’07) works as a Policy Analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton.
- A 2013 CAS in PCR alumna, Darejani Markozashvili (MAIR, ’13) has moved from a position at Georgia’s Embassy in Washington, DC, to The World Bank as a Communications Consultant.
- Jonathan Schlosser (MPA ’13; CAS in Security Studies) is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, where he works with the federal intelligence community. Previously, he was a Business Analyst at Interos Solutions Inc., a supply chain risk management consultancy in the defense and intelligence industries.
- A 2016 MPA/MAIR graduate, Jane Chung (CAS in Security Studies) is a Young Leader at Pacific Forum CSIS, which selects up-and-coming young professionals and scholars to join for policy dialogues and conferences.
Siim Alatulu (MAIR ’06; CAS in Security Studies) has been named Vice Chairman of the Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues at the EU Council.
James (JJ) Hannam (MAIR 2014; CAS in Security Studies) is currently a Security Assistance Officer for the US Pacific Command.
Sean Nichols (MAIR ’14; CAS in Security Studies) works with IT consultancy CSRA on cybersecurity and cyber defense matters for the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) at the US Department of Homeland Security.
Some June 2017 updates from 2016 SPL certificate recipients:
- Ukrainian Oleksiy Anokhin (EMPA/EMIR ’16; CAS in PCR) began working in the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation as a data analytics consultant in May 2017.
- Former SPL Graduate Assistant Kara Coughlin (MPA/MAIR ’16, CAS in Security Studies) is an Audit Readiness Analyst
at Wittenberg Weiner Consulting, LLC in Washington, DC. - A Strategy and Operations Consultant at Deloitte (doing work for the Veteran Benefits Administration Project), Camille Daley (JD/MPA ’16) graduated with a CAS in Security Studies.
- Paige Donegan (MPA ’16; CAS in Security Studies) began work as a Consultant at Deloitte in May 2017, after working for Wittenberg Weiner Consulting LLC.
- Anne Gruner (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is currently an Immigration Attorney focusing mainly on family-based immigration and deportation defense at Diaspora Law in Philadelphia, PA.
- Now a Press and Public Outreach Officer USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Alison Harding (MAIR ’16) graduated with a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction.
- Arnold Hong (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) became an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate
in the US Air Force at Fairchild Air Force Base, WA, in March 2017. - A CAS is security Studies alumna, Caitlin Hoover (MPA/MAIR ’16) is an Operations Assistant at CAMRIS International, an international development and research firm.
- Zachary Johnson (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) works as an Attorney in the US Government.
- Since August 2016 Jeanne Mariani (JD/MPA ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) has clerked for the Hon. Thomas Vanaskie, US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
- Celina Menzel (MAIR ’16; CAS in PCR) is employed as a Project Coordination Intern at Konrad Adenauer Foundation, with a focus on Rule of Law, Civil Society, Democratic Structures and Governance, and Security Relations in South America.
- Kevin Risser (MPA ’16; CAS in Security Studies) is a Program Analyst for the Universal Service Administrative Co. in Washington, DC.
- Former SPL Research Assistant Cassandra Schneider (MAIR ’16; CAS in Security Studies) is a CVE Program Specialist at Creative Associates International, a Washington, DC-based think tank.
- A recipient of a CAS in PCR, Timothy Stoutzenberger (MAIR ’16) works as a Consultant with Caritas Switzerland’s Western Balkan Regional Coordination Office in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing support for projects on postconflict reconstruction, human trafficking, socioeconomic development, and security sector growth.
- An Assistant Director at the National Model United Nations (National Collegiate Conference Association), Ivan Zhivkov is a 2016 MAIR graduate and recipient of a CAS in Security Studies. The NCCA is a nonprofit organization that advances understanding of the United Nations and contemporary international issues.
Since October 2016, Jesse Campion (JD/MA ’15; CAS in Security Studies) has been working as Presidential Management Fellow at the US Department of Justice Criminal Division. Jesse is also a 2016 Maxwell School/SoldierStrong scholarship recipient.
Zachary Lubelfeld (MPA/MAIR ’17; CAS in Security Studies) is the latest SPL alum to receive a prestigious Boren Fellowship from the National Security Education Program, established by the National Security Education Act of 1991. A speaker of Portuguese, Lubelfeld will study language and national security in Mozambique. Cameron Reed (MAIR ’16; Security Studies) received his Boren Fellowship in 2015, to study language, conflict, and security in Jordan.
Some early news from SPL’s 2017 certificate in advanced studies recipients:
- Nate Fritz (MAIR ’17; Security Studies) works as a Research Intern at the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University.
- Mark Temnycky (MPA ’17; Security Studies) is currently an intern at Transparency International Ukraine, having previously served at US DOD Office of the Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy and the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine.
- MAIR/MA in Economics (’17) graduate in Isidoro Ramirez (Security Studies) is an Psychological Operations Specialist in the US Army Reserve.
- Megan Soule (MAIR/MA in Public Relations ’17; Security Studies) is a Visual Communications Designer at the US Department of State.
- CAS in Security Studies recipient Ariel Gould (MAIR ’17) is a Defense Intern at Signal Group Consulting LLC.
Jemakai Blyden (MPA/MAIR ’13), a former member of SATSA, is a Research Associate at the Institute for Defense Analyses and Co-Founder of Appoggia Software, LLC.
As part of his current work in national security for Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, Christopher Beeler (LAW ’15; National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is performing pro bono work for Mitra Network, which links up civilian experts with military commanders to advise the commander on relevant issues facing him/her in the operational environment.
In March 2017 Carson Howell (MPA ’05) wrote to SPL Director William C. Banks with an endorsement of the Institute: “I wanted to share an experience I had recently. I had the opportunity to go to GTMO for a week and witness the military commission hearings for the upcoming trial against Khalid Shaikh Muhammad and the other co-conspirators of 9/11. I had the chance to talk with the lead prosecutor, Brig. Gen. Mark Martins. He was aware of SPL, and I told him about how I worked with you on a smallpox bioterrorism exercise. That was a highlight of my life. Martins mentioned that he has used some of the cases in your National Security Law casebook in his arguments. Thank you for your continued efforts training those who are protecting this country and litigating against those who do us harm.”
In March 2017, Molly White (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) was named the editor of the American Society for International Law’s International Humanitarian Law Dialogs publication.
Abe Goldschmidt (LAW ’12; National Security and Counterterrorism Law) currently is Special Assistant to The President, US Executive Office, having previously been Assistant State Attorney in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, US Department of Homeland Security, and a member of the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee.
In February 2017, SPL learned that Eric Delmar (LAW ’05; National Security and Counterterrorism Law) continues to work as an attorney for US Customs and Border Protection in El Paso, TX.
In January 2017, SPL heard from former Research Assistant Kira Krown (MPA ’15), who has returned to Central New York as Training Manager at the Boulder Institute of Microfinance, headquartered in Syracuse, NY. The Boulder Institute of Microfinance is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to broadening financial inclusion systems through support of sustainable microfinance programs.
In December 2016, SPL learned that …
- Former Journal of Terrorism and Security Analysis Editor and SPL Research Assistant Kyle Lundin (LAW ’16) is a Consultant at Deloitte.
- Christopher Beeler (LAW ’15; Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) ended his clerkship with the Hon. David A. Ezra, Senior US District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio, and began work as an Associate at Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington D.C., an international law firm with national security, anti-corruption, and international law practices.
- In January 2017 Molly White (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) will start as a Planning Analyst in the US Department of State’s Bureau for Diplomatic Security Office of Management Services.
- Natalya Grokh (MAIR ’08; CAS in Security Studies) is an Operations Officer for the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, US Department of State
- Jaclaine Mercado (MAIR ’08; CAS in Security Studies) works as a Human Resources Specialist at Green Climate Fund, South Korea.
- As Manager of Programs for Global Health Action, Joshua Daley (MPA/MAIR ’11; CAS in Security Studies) works on health and rural development programs in Haiti.
- Former Graduate Assistant Gregory Champ (LAW ’10) is Director of Government Affairs at the Wireless Infrastructure Association.
- Jiayi Zhou (MAIR ’13) has held several international relations and development positions since graduating SPL with a CAS in PCR. Most recently she was a Research and Project Assistant for SIPRI and is currently a WSD-Handa Fellow at the CSIS Pacific Forum.
- Former SPL Research Assistant Brandon Kaufman (LAW ’11) works as a Senior Legislative Assistant at the US House of Representatives.
- Alex Veneziano (JD/MPA ’12)—a recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is a Legal Counsel at Airbus Group, Inc.
In October 2016, Richard Lim (MPA ’10)—2010 CAS in Security Studies graduate—announced his new position as a Senior Program Analyst at Seneca Solutions, a contractor (created by the Seneca Nation of Indians) that works with several defense and national security bodies. Lim is currently assisting with a project for the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Carolyn Abdenour (Law ’13; National Security and Counterterrorism Law program) contacted SPL in October 2016 to announce her new job as Assistant Chief Counsel for the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Department of Homeland Security.
In September 2016, the Center for New American Security selected Jonathan Panikoff (LAW/MAIR ’08)—graduate of both the SPL security studies and law programs—as one its its Class of 2016 Next Generation National Security Fellows. The fellows participate in monthly dinner discussions on leadership and management in the field of national security. Panikoff is a Deputy National Intelligence Officer, in the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
In September 2016, SPL learned that …
- SPL CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction alumnus Ryan J. Suto (JD/MS/MAIR ’13) currently works for Cydecor, a defense consulting firm based in Washington, DC.
- Joshua Moses (MPA ’09, CAS in Security Studies) is Cybersecurity Performance Lead at the Office of Management and Budget Cyber and National Security Unit for the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
In August 2016, SPL learned that …
- Jason Stanley (LAW ’15; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is an Assistant Chief Counsel at Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Seattle, WA.
- MPA/MAIR ’15 graduate Adriana Condarco-Quesada (CAS in PCR) is currently a Regional Economic Development Specialist at the Center for Regional Economic Advancement, Cornell University.
- CAS in PCR alumna Brittany Renner (MAIR ’15) works as a Project Delivery Analyst at Deloitte Consulting Federal.
- An alumna of SPL’s CAS in Security Studies program, Dayana Bobko (MPA ’15) is now an Analyst at Wittenberg Weiner Consulting, LLC.
- Sean Comber (MPA/MAIR ’15; CAS in Security Studies) has been a Research Intern at the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI), Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) since July 2015.
- CAS in Security Studies alumnus Chris Conrad (MAIR ’15) is an Operations Center Coordinator (Contingency Operations) at the International Justice Mission, where he helps with the Center’s operational build-out.
- Rachel Coolican (MAIR ’15; CAS in Security Studies) is a Government Affairs Intern at SAIC, where she supports the Vice President of Government Affairs in advancing SAIC’s position as a major Defense, Federal Civilian, and IT Services contractor.
- Now a Management Analyst at the US Department of State’s Office of Inspector General, Abigail Reese (JD/MAIR ’15) is an alumna of SPL’s CAS in Security Studies program.
- Kyra Murphy (MPA/MAIR ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is a Special Projects Summer Hire at the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
- Former Research Assistant to SPL Faculty Member David Crane, Molly White (LAW ’16; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) has been named a Jackson Fellow at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, NY.
- Ukrainian Oleksiy Anokhin (EMPA/EMIR candidate 2016; CAS in PCR) has been an Intern at The Carter Center since May 2016.
- CAS in Security Studies alumnus Andrew Lyman (MAIR ’15) is an NGFP Fellow at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
- 2016 MAIR candidate James Murray (CAS in Security Studies) has been an Intern at the UN Development Programme since May 2016.
- Keome Rowe (MPA/MAIR ’16; CAS in Security Studies) was chosen as a Rangel Fellow in March 2016. The Rangel Program is an initiative of US State Department that seeks to prepare young people for careers as diplomats in the Foreign Service.
- Former SPL Research Assistant Cassandra Schneider (MAIR ’16; CAS in Security Studies) has accepted a position at Creative!, a Washington, DC-based think tank.
Hib Kline (JD/MAIR ’13; CAS in Security Studies; National Security and Counterterrorism Law curricular program) began as a Threat Intelligence Analyst at FireEye, Inc. (the owners of Mandiant) in March 2016.
2017 MPA/MAIR Candidate Zachary Lubelfeld will intern at the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the US Department of the Treasury in fall 2016.
 |
Go Orange! Two Syracuse Law alums ran into each other while on a temporary duty assignment at the Naval Justice School in Newport, RI, in June 2016. On the left is Capt. Rafiel Warfield (LAW ’08) of the US Marine Corps. Warfield is a graduate of SPL’s CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law program. On the right, from the Air Force JAG Corps is Roza Selezneva Sheffield (LAW ’13). |
SPL alumnus Jason Yaley (MPA ’06; CAS in Security Studies) will be given a Generation Orange award during the 2016 edition of Orange Central, a celebration of SU alumni taking place in September 2016 on the SU campus. The Generation Orange Award recognizes alumni who have made an impact on campus and in their communities through volunteer work and philanthropy on behalf of SU. Yaley currently is Special Assistant to the US Air Force Chief of Staff.
In May 2016, SPL heard from Mark A. Johnson (JD/MPA ’14), now a Consultant at Deloitte. Johnson received a National Security and Counterterrorism Law certificate through SPL.
In April 2016, SPL learned that …
- ATLANTIS Scholar and MAIR graduate (2014) Lukas Bretzinger (CAS in Security Studies) works as a Junior Business Intelligence Consultant at mayato, an IT and business analysis firm based in Austria.
- Michael Vozzo (LAW ’04)—an alumnus of SPL’s National Security and Counterterrorism Law program—has been an Associate Deputy General Counsel at the US Department of Defense (DOD) Office of the General Counsel since 2009. At the DOD, Vozzo manages litigation efforts, identify legal risks, and develops proactive case resolution strategies in response to national security-related civil actions. He also advises the Office of the Secretary of Defense regarding the development of litigation policy.
- An SU Maxwell School MAIR graduate (2014) and former SPL Research Assistant, Christopher Thompson is now a Program Officer at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), where he manages USAID-funded energy reform programs in Sub-Saharan Africa as a NARUC Program Officer.
In March 2016, SPL learned about the following alumni:
- Susan Upward (LAW ’15), a CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism alumna, was promoted to a US Marine Corps major in February 2016 and has graduated Naval Justice School in Rhode Island. She is being deployed as a trial counsel (prosecutor) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, CA.
- Benedikt Abendroth (MAIR ’15, CAS in Security Studies)—a former SPL Graduate Assistant—works for Microsoft Corp. as a cybersecurity strategist.
- Carlo Abuyuan (MPA/MAIR) is the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellow at the nonprofit Congressional Hunger Center. Carlo holds a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction.
- Julio Amador (MAIR ’13, CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction) currently is Assistant Director of the Foreign Service Institute in the Philippines.
- Former SPL Graduate Assistant Kara Coughlin (MPA/MAIR ’16, CAS in Security Studies) is employed as a Regional Southern Africa Office Intern at the International Organization for Migration.
- Jeff Kenny (LAW ’15)—a graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism—is a Program Management Analyst at the Office of Inspector General, US Department of State.
- CAS in Security Studies alumna Paige Donegan (MPA ’15) is an Analyst for the US Department of Defense via Wittenberg Weiner Consulting, LLC.
Congratulations to Andrew Botts (LAW ’11)—a 2011 National Security and Counterterrorism Law alumnus and a former a legal research assistant for SPL Faculty Member William Snyder—who, in January 2016 as Assistant District Attorney of Rensselaer County, New York, won the conviction for murder of Michael Hoffler. Colleagues in the DA system are checking to see if Botts is the youngest prosecutor in New York to win a “Murder I” conviction. Botts accomplishment was recorded in the Albany Times-Union.
Charles DiNunzio (JD/MPA ’15)—former SATSA president—became a Judicial Law Clerk at the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Washington, DC) in January 2016.
[su_spacer]
In January 2016, Jesse Campion (JD/MPA ’15; CAS in Security Studies) accepted a Presidential Management Fellow appointment at the US Department of State. He will be working in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (Office of Africa and the Middle East)
In December 2015, SPL learned about the following alumni:
- National Security and Counterterrorism certificate alumnus Bill Di Iorio (LAW ’07) has worked as an Assistant General Counsel at the US Department of Defense since 2007. Since 2010, Di Iorio also has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland University College, where he teaches courses on homeland security law and policy.
- Katie Strangis (LAW ’03) works in the Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control at the National Nuclear Security Administration, US Department of Energy. She specializes in nuclear nonproliferation and international security issues, with an emphasis on nuclear-related treaties and international agreements.
- McKay Tolboe (LAW ’08)—a National Security and Counterterrorism certificate alumnus—is an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he provides management consulting services for cybersecurity and IT strategy, among other tasks.
- Kevin Minsky (LAW ’97) became an Associate General Counsel at Booz Allen Hamilton in July 2014. He is Senior Advisor to the company’s technology and cyber businesses on US and international transactional, product development, and regulatory compliance. He also engages public policy matters through the Professional Service Council (PSC) and is Co-Chair of PSC’s Cyber Legislative Working Group.
In December 2015, SPL learned of alumna Lauren Mellinger (JD/MAIR ’10)—a 2010 CAS in Security Studies recipient—who is now a Senior Editor at strifeblog.org and a first year Ph.D. researcher in War Studies at King’s College London. Her current research project centers on Israeli counterterrorism and hybrid terrorist organizations. Before this, she was a Senior Research Assistant for Arab-Israeli Relations at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy (CMEP) in Washington, DC.
In September 2015, SPL learned about the following alumni:
- CAS in Security Studies recipient Niklas Anzinger (MAIR ’15) works for international consultancy Roland Berger on civil economics, energy, and infrastructure issues.
- Jesse Campion (JD/MPA ’15; CAS in Security Studies) has joined the US Office of Personnel Management, the independent agency that manages the civil service of the federal government.
- A 2015 recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction, Aimee Falkum (MPA/MAIR ’15) currently is a Special Assistant to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
- Currently a Congressional Liaison for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), Alexandra Hackbarth (MPA/MAIR ’15) received a CAS in Security Studies.
- Timothy Rodriguez currently is a Planning Analyst at consultancy RightDirection Technology Solutions, doing work for the US Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Timothy graduated SU in 2015 with an MPA/MAIR and a CAS in Security Studies.
In September 2015, Christopher Beeler (LAW ’15)—a graduate of SPL’s National Security and Counterterrorism Law program—became a Law School Ambassador for Service2School, which is a veterans association that helps vets apply and transition to college, business school, and law school.
In September 2015, Emily Schneider (LAW ’13)—a 2013 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—began as a Consultant at Deloitte Advisory, after work for the New America Foundation.
In August 2015, Maxwell Perspective reported on the progress of three SPL alums:
- Julio Amador (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—currently is Assistant Director of the Foreign Service Institute in the Philippines.
- A 2013 CAS in PCR alumna, Darejani Markozashvili (MAIR, ’13) is an Executive Assistant to the Ambassador at Georgia’s Embassy in Washington, DC.
- Kelly McCray (G ’13)—a Maxwell Public Diplomacy graduate and a 2013 recipient of a CAS in PCR—has begun service in China as a Foreign Service Officer with the US Department of State.
In July 2015 Amber Demery (MAIR ’13), an SPL Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies alumna and former graduate assistant, was offered a job with the FBI, upon completing a Boren Fellowship for international study in Japan (2014-2015).
Tara Pistorese (JD/MPA ’14)—a Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law (2014) alumna—currently is Attorney-Advisor to Judge Charles Erdmann of the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
- Courtney Schuster (LAW ’13, Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) has been promoted to Research Associate, International Security Program, at the New America Foundation and to Assistant Editor, South Asia Channel at Foreign Policy Magazine.
- Daniel DePetris (G ’11, CAS in Security Studies) is a Middle East analyst at Wikistrat, Inc., a geopolitical consulting firm specializing in foreign policy and national security trends for clients worldwide. He is also a columnist for The Hill magazine in Washington, DC and for The Huffington Post.
- Jeffrey Howell (LAW ’14, Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) works as Executive Director and Chief Counsel at the Global Accountability Initiative.
- Sami Gorrafa (LAW ’06, Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is a Senior Associate at Human Rights Law for Reprieve UK.
- Chris Elliot (JD/MPA ’14, CAS in Security Studies) is Assistant Judge Advocate, 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Kansas City, MO.
- Both Elizabeth Boyd (MPA ’10, CAS in Security Studies) and Kerry Hobson (MPA ’13, CAS in Security Studies) are senior consultants at Booz Allen Hamilton.
- Matthew Duncan (MAIR ’09, CAS in Security Studies) works for government support services firm Delta Resources as a Project Manager.
- Hui Hui Ooi (MAIR ’11, CAS in Security Studies) has been promoted to Associate Director at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.
- Both Dana Abro (MPA ’09, CAS in Security Studies) and Joshua Moses (MPA ’09, CAS in Security Studies) are employed as program analysts at the US Department of Justice.
- David McCrane (EMPA ’12, CAS in Security Studies) works at the US Department of State.
- Onechuel Wu (LAW ’08, Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law) is a Criminal Investigator within the US federal government.
- Nicholas Rogacki (MAIR ’12, CAS in Security Studies) is a Special Assistant to the Executive Director at the US Global Leadership Coalition.
In May 2015, Emily Schneider (LAW ’13)—a 2013 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—accepted the position of Managing Editor of the International Humanitarian Law Dialogs Proceedings. In April, she was promoted to Senior Program Associate for International Security at New America Foundation.
In April 2015, it was announced that three alumni of SPL’s Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies—Jesse Campion (MPA/JD ’15), Sean Comber (MPA/IR ’15), and Neil Wakeman (MPA ’14)—were selected for the highly competitive 2015 Presidential Management Fellowship Program (PMF). Created more than three decades ago, the PMF Program is a flagship leadership development program for advanced-degree candidates who, if selected, receive two-year appointments within federal agencies.
The Spring 2015 issue of Maxwell Perspectives included the following updates about SPL alumni:
- Sung Ryul Lee (MAIR ’07/MPA ’09)—a 2007 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is Assistant Director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
- CAS in Security Studies alumnus Daniel DePetris (MA ’11) works with WikiStrat, a foreign policy and defense consultancy.
- Ryan Martin (MPA/IR ’13)—recipient of a 2013 CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction—is a program associate with One Acre Fund, a non-profit serving the African Great Lakes region.
In March 2015, 2006 CAS in Security Studies graduate Siim Alatalu (MAIR ’06) has become an International Relations Advisor at NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Security Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia.
In January 2015 SPL learned that Adom Malcolm Cooper (LAW ’12)
a recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction and a graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—has been offered a Program Analyst position with the US Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
In January 2015, Jeffrey Keesom (JD/MPA ’12)—a former US Department of Homeland Security Career Development Fellow and recipient of a 2012 CAS in Security Studies—informed SPL that he was moving from Deloitte to Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY, where he will work on the internal data analytics team to build analytics capabilities that will serve C-suite executives.
Nicole Audette (MAIR ’14)—a 2014 recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction—currently is a Researcher at Forcier Consulting, where she works on stability and security issues in Somalia, among other tasks.
Roxanne Bauer (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—has moved from her position as Researcher and Grant Writer at Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives to a job in Operational Communications, External and Corporate Relations for The World Bank.
Cory Michael Cali (LAW/MAIR ’13)—a recipient of a CAS in Security Studies and former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal on Terrorism and Security Analysis—is now Program Manager and In-House Legal Counsel at DevTech Systems, Inc., an international consulting firm that provides specialized assistance to governments, businesses, civil society leaders, and international agencies on stimulating economic growth and combating poverty to achieve positive development outcomes.
Michele S. Cantos (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction—has moved from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit (ISU) inSwitzerland to take a position as an International Program Manager at the Future Leaders Foundation, where she supports economic and social integration programsfor vulnerable populations worldwide.
Erin Cole (MPA ’09)—who graduated with a CAS in Security Studies in 2009—is now President/CEO of the World Trade Center (Buffalo Niagara), having previously served as Country Director (Uzbekistan) for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Stephanie El Rayess (MAIR ’11)—a 2011 recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction—currently serves as Protection Assistant (Refugee Status Determination) for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Beirut, Lebanon.
Gregory Flatow (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—has moved from the Tunisian Association for Management and Social Stability to a job as a Intelligence Research Analyst at Secure Community Network, a national homeland security initiative of The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Hekmatullah Foushanji (MAIR ’09)—a 2009 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—serves as Director of Foreign Affairs at the National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a post he has held since 2010.
Tim Heine (MAIR ’12)—a recipient of a CAS in Security Studies in 2012—works as a Communications Consultant for External Affairs, Latin America and the Caribbean, for The World Bank.
CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction graduate (2012) Natasha Hinds (MPA/MAIR ’12) currently works as Cooperation Chief in the Deputy Office of the Security Cooperation Chief for the US Embassy in Libreville, Gabon. She previously held a post in the US Embassy in Ethiopia.
Elizabeth Irwin (MAIR ’14)— a 2014 recipient of a CAS in both Security Studies and Postconflict Reconstruction—is now an Analytics Engineering Project Manager at the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications in the US Department of Homeland Security.
Ed Luce (MAIR ’12)—who received a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction in 2012—is a Programme Officer at the World Food Programme in Jordan.
CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction graduate (2014) Kelly McCray (MAIR ’14) works at US Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer.
Mohammad Musa (EMPA/EMIR ’11)—a 2011 CAS in Security Studies graduate—is the Executive Director of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, a post he has held since 2009.
Dennis Stora (MPA/MAIR ’14)—who received a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction in 2014—is a Disaster Operations Specialist for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
In October 2014, SPL heard from Farhad Peikar (MPA/MAIR ’13)—a graduate of the CAS in Security Studies program—who is a Dari and Pashtu editor at Afghanistan Today and a United Nations correspondent at Deutsche Presse Agentur.
In August 2014, SPL heard from the following alumni:In October 2014, SPL learned that Kathryn Sepka (MPA ’11)—a 2011 CAS in Security Studies graduate—now works as an Executive Officer in the FEMA Recovery Directorate, Operations and Readiness Coordination, US Department of Homeland Security.
- Matt Kavgian (EMIR/EMPA ’12)—a graduate of the 2014 CAS in Security Studies program—is a Senior Policy/Program Analyst for JRC Integrated Systems, a Bloomington, IN firm supporting US Navy, space, and missile operations. Additionally, he supports strategy, VIP engagement, and strategic systems program efforts for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division.
- Ex-US Navy Master-at-Arms Danique Masingill (MPA ’14)—a 2014 CAS in Security Studies recipient—currently is Director of Operations at K9s for Warriors, a non-profit organization that specializes in obtaining, training, and placement of service dogs to disabled American veterans.
- Hirsch Kravitz (LAW ’06)—a 2006 Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law graduate—is working as an Attorney-Advisor at the US Department of Energy, where he conducts Privacy Act impact analyses, executes Freedom of Information analysis, conducts in-person Freedom of Information Act training, and advises and represents the agency in Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act actions, among other tasks.
- Matthew G. Jubelt (JD/MPA ’09)—a 2009 CAS in Security Studies graduate—informed SPL that he now works for the Trial Defense Service at the Fort Carson, CO Field Office. In spring 2014, he was stationed in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, where he was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, helping with Rule of Law efforts throughout Regional Command East, Afghanistan.
- Julie Narimatsu (JD/MAIR ’09)—a 2009 CAS in Security Studies graduate—currently is a Program Analyst at the US Environmental Protection Agency, having previosuly held a position at the US Department of State.
- Sergiu Conovalu (MPA ’06)—a 2006 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—currently works in the Defence Policy and Planning Directorate of the Republic of Moldova’s Ministry of Defence.
- Joseph Juhn (LAW ’12) contacted SPL to say that he found a position as Intellectual Property Consultant at KOTRA, a Korean government entity that company consults on IP matters to Korean companies and connects Korean companies with US law firms for IP matters. Juhn is a 2012 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law.
- Jason Yaley (MPA ’06)—a 2006 graduate of SPL’s CAS in Security Studies program—currently is Special Assistant to the US Air Force Chief of Staff, having served previously as Strategy and Policy Advisor to the VCJCS, US Joint Staff; Senior Policy and Communications Advisor, Office of the Commander, NORAD-USNORTHCOM; and Strategy and Policy Advisor to the Commander, Air Combat Command, US Air Force.
- Bayasgalan Nyamdavaa (EMPA ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—currently is a Research Fellow of Security and International Studies at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) Tokyo, Japan.
- Andrew Jesmain (MAIR ’08)—a 2008 graduate of SPL’s CAS in Security Studies program—is now working as a Strategy Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where among his tasks is support for futures-oriented, long-range strategic planning for clients in the departments of Defense, Navy, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs.
- Sarah Cudworth Arbes (MPA ’05)—a 2005 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is Deputy Health Policy Director for the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Nicholas Psyhos (MAIR ’09)—a 2009 CAS in Security Studies graduate—who works as a Legislative Management Officer at the U.S. Department of State.
- Shannon Rosenberg (MPA ’12)—a 2012 graduate of the CAS in PCR program—who is a Women’s Health Project Consultant at Population Services International.
- Colin O’Hara (MPA ’11)—a 2011 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—who is a Public Policy Consultant at LMI.
- Mathew Rommel (JD/MAIR ’13)—a 2013 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—who currently is employed by Quadel Consulting Corporation as an Associate.
- Elena Lipilina (MAIR ’12)—a graduate of the certificate programs in Security Studies and Postconflict Reconstruction—who is currently employed by the Australian Embassy in Moscow, Russia as a Political Researcher.
- 2006 CAS in Security Studies alumnus Siim Alatalu (MAIR ’06), who currently is the Deputy Director, Policy Planning Department, Estonian Ministry of Defence. Previously, he was Deputy Director, NATO and EU Department, Estonian Ministry of Defence and a Counsellor for the Estonian Delegation to NATO.
- Julian Florez (MAIR ’11) who is an External Relations Consultant at the UN World Food Programme. Florez holds a 2011 CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction.
- 2011 CAS in PCR graduate Kari Kay Kietzer (EMIR ’11), an independent Anti-Corruption Consultant whose recent projects include work for NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre (JWC), NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, and Transparency International’s Defence and Security Programme.
- CAS in Security Studies graduate from 2010 Richard Lim (MPA ’10) who currently works for the Association of the US Army as a National Security Analyst, researching and writing National Security Watch reports.
In June 2014, Julio Amador (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies—was promoted to Assistant Director at the Foreign Service Institute.
In June 2014 Geoffrey Daniels (MAIR ’13)—a CAS in Security Studies graduate—informed SPL that he currently is a Research Intern at the Institute for the Study of War.
In June 2014 SPL learned that Chadd Montgomery (LAW/MA ’11)—a former Research Assistant—is a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Marines, having previously worked as an Associate Attorney at O’Hara, O’Connell, and Ciotoli.
In June 2014, SPL learned that Gabe Fosson (MPA ’10)—a recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is an Analyst at the US Department of Defense.
In April 2014 Suntae Kim (MPA ’13)—a 2013 Master’s of Public Administration recipient and SPL PKSOI Intern—began as an Operations Officer/BN Assistant Staff Communication Officer in the US Army Reserve.
In April 2014, Christopher Beeler—a J.D. and Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law candidate—was offered a one-year term clerkship for the Hon. David A. Ezra, Senior US District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio. Beeler plans to graduate May 2015, and he will start the clerkship in September 2015. President Ronald Reagan appointed Ezra as a federal judge and the Senate confirmed the appointment on May 19, 1988.
In March 2014, Hibberd Kline (LAW/MPA ’13)—a 2013 J.D., Master’s in Public Administration, and Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law graduate—was hired as a Threat Analyst by iSIGHT Partners, a cyber threat intelligence consultancy in Washington, DC.
In March 2014, Alexi Wiemer (MAIR ’13)—a former SPL research volunteer, 2013 graduate of the Maxwell School M.A.I.R. program, and recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—was hired by the Cyber Risks Services division of Deloitte & Touche.
Ari Renoni (MPA ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Postconflict Reconstruction—is a Consultant for the UNICEF HIV/AIDS Programme, where he designs training programs for NGOs in five Eastern European countries for the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. He also develops lesson plans for how to work with at-risk adolescents on behalf of NGOs providing counseling and other services in Romania, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kosovo, and Belarus. UNICEF hired Ari as a consultant following a full-time internship.
In July 2013, Egon Donnarumma (LAW ’13, MPA ’13), a former SPL Research Assistant and President of the Student Association on Terrorism and Security Analysis, began work as a counsel in the US Department of Defense.
Meghan Boesch (MAIR ’12)—a 2012 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction—is currently a Program Manager in Rural Development at the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding, where she utilizes her expertise in agrarian studies, natural resource management, development economics, international relations, gender studies, sub-Sahara African politics, and US policy. As part of her job, Boesch facilitated a series of collaborative natural resource management projects based in resource-scarce and/or conflict-afflicted regions of Morocco, Sudan, Mali, Palestine, and Sri Lanka.
Eric Sigmund (LAW ’12)—a 2012 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies and a 2012 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—currently is an International Humanitarian Law Legal Advisor on the American Red Cross Rules of War Project in Washington, DC. Before working at the Red Cross, Sigmund served as a legal fellow at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, NY, working to preserve the legacy of Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson and the World War II International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany.
Michael Zanchelli (MAIR ’10)—a 2010 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction—is a Senior Program Assistant in Learning and Evaluation at the US Institute of Peace (USIP). Previously, he was a USIP Peacebuilding Evaluation Junior Fellow, responsible for coordinating Peacebuilding Evaluation Consortium partner activities.
In January 2014, SPL learned that Ryan Cole (LAW ’13) works as an analyst in the US Department of Defense. Cole is a 2011 graduate of the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law.
Work Emily Schneider (LAW ’13)—a 2013 graduate of SPL’s Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—has performed at the New America Foundation has gained national attention. The co-author of the report “Do NSA’s Bulk Surveillance Programs Stop Terrorists?, Schneider was featured on the Jan. 15, 2014 episode of Huffington Post Live’s Free Speech Zone with Alyona Malik to discuss her team’s findings.
Michael Sampson (LAW ’10, MAIR ’10)—a former SPL Research Assistant, executive editor of Syracuse Law Review, managing editor of Impunity Watch, and recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies—is currently an Attorney-Advisor for the US Social Security Administration, where he advises Appellate Administrative Law Judges on disability cases.
In December 2013, SPL heard from Rosemary Mosquea (MPA ’07), who has been working at Booz Allen Hamilton since graduation and now focuses on cybersecurity strategy, policy, and cyber incident response.In December 2013, Courtney Schuster (LAW ’13)—a graduate of SPL’s Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—began an internship with the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
Cory Michael Cali (LAW/MAIR ’13)—a recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies—has been hired as an attorney-associate by Petrone & Petrone, PC. Also an independent international relations researcher, Cali is a former SPL Research Assistant and former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal on Terrorism and Security Analysis.
In October 2013, SPL learned of the following news about its alumni:
- Laura Alexander (MPA ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction—works as an International Development Professional specializing in program design and management at the Innovative Agriculture Research Initiative in Tanzania.
- Julio Amador (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies—is a Visiting Fellow of Asia Studies at the East-West Center in Washington, DC, as well as a Contributing Editor at the Journal of Public and International Affairs and a Foreign Affairs Research Specialist at the Foreign Service Institute.
- Roxanne Bauer (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is a Researcher and Grant Writer at Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives.
- Michele S. Cantos (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction—is a Junior Programme Officer at the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit (ISU) in Switzerland.
- Justin Dunnicliff (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is currently a Policy Intern at the US Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs.
- Gregory Flatow (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is currently an Intern at the Tunisian Association for Management and Social Stability.
- Rogelio Gronguillhome Ochoa (MAIR ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is a Project Assistant at the National Democratic Institute in Washington, DC. Rogelio also holds a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Syracuse University.
- Jegadesan Kannan (MPA ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—continues his work as an Additional Commissioner of Police for the Government of India.
- Bayasgalam Nyamdavaa—a Fulbright Fellow and 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—continues his work as Senior Commissioner-in-Charge of Foreign Relations and International Legal Matters at the Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia.
- Jonathan Schlosser (MPA ’13)—a 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is a Business Analyst at Interos Solutions Inc., a supply chain risk management consultancy in the defense and intelligence industries.
- Zhenia Viatchaninova (MAIR ’13)—a Fulbright Scholar and 2013 recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—is currently a Consultant at the World Bank.
In October 2013, L. Sookyung Oh (MPA ’11), a former SPL Graduate Assistant, joined AFSCME as a Public Policy Analyst in its Research and Collective Bargaining Unit. Previously, she was a Policy Analyst at The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.
In September 2013, SPL learned that Jeffrey Keesom (LAW ’12, MPA ’12) is working as a consultant for Deloitte Consulting. Keesom is a graduate of the CAS in Security Studies program.
In August 2013 SPL alumnus Brendan Gilbert (LAW ’04) was recruited by oil and gas services company Schlumberger as in-house counsel. As a member of the Combined/Joint Task Force (CJTF)-82, Afghanistan Gilbert was trial counsel, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.
In February 2013, Maj. Matthew Roberts (LAW ’06) became a Soldiers’ Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) Counsel in the Office of Soldiers’ MEB Counsel at Fort Campbell, KY. His work entails advising and representing soldiers undergoing evaluation through the Army’s Physical Disability Evaluation System (APDES).
In July 2013, SPL learned that Leslie Schildt (LAW ’10)—a 2010 Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law—is currently a criminal prosecutor at the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office in Rochester, NY. She previously worked in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands.
In July 2013 Amber Demery (MAIR ’13), an SPL Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies graduate and former graduate assistant, began work as a Contractor with the Office of Finance and Administration at the Atlantic Council.
In July 2013, SPL learned that Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction graduate Ryan J. Suto (LAW/MAIR ’13) currently is a research associate at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Before joining the Tahrir Institute, Suto interned with the United Nations Development Program in Bahrain, where he worked on human rights and national reconciliation.
The Spring 2013 edition of Maxwell Perspective includes in its “Classnotes” section the following news about SPL alumni:
- Zach Andersson (MPA/IR ’12) is information analyst of international services at the American Red Cross. Andersson is a graduate of the CAS in Postconflict Reconstruction program.
- Sofiya Avramova (MAIR ’09)—a recipient of a CAS in Security Studies—works at the International Monetary Fund.
- 1st LT Gary Clark (MPA ’11) is Commander of the New York National Guard Company D 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry, based in Ithaca, NY. He received a CAS in Security Studies.
- David Lim (JD/MAIR ’12)—a Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law graduate—is Assistant District Attorney at the Philadelphia, PA District Attorney’s Office.
- HuiHui Ooi (MAIR ’11) is Assistant Director of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council. She received a CAS in Security Studies.
- CAS in Security Studies graduate Eric C. Sigmund (JD/IR ’12) is Legal Advisor for the international law dissemination unit at the American Red Cross.
- Brian Stone (MPA/IR ’12)—who received a CAS in Security Studies—is public health analyst at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Originally from Malaysia, HuiHui Ooi attended Miami University of Oxford, OH, where she majored in economics and international studies, and she holds an MA in International Relations from SU’s Maxwell School. At SU, she participated as a researcher in the Black Spots: Mapping Global Insecurity initiative, organized by the Moynihan Institute and SPL, and also developed a pilot project in mapping conflicts related to scarcity. Prior to joining the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council, she interned at the United Nations Association of Chicago.
In June 2013, Mark Erwin (MPA ’12), a 2012 graduate of SPL’s Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies, visited SU to sit on a “Graduates Panel” at the SU Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Executive Leadership Seminar. Irwin, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, is currently a Program Examiner at the Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC. Also on the panel were Chance Briggs (MPA ‘97), currently the National Director of World Vision’s mission in Mali, and Sarah Weber (MPA ’10), a Program Manager in SU’s School of Information Studies.
In June 2013 SPL learned that Adom Malcolm Cooper (LAW ’12), a graduate of both SPL’s Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction program and the Curricular Program in National Security and Counterterrorism Law, has been offered an International Law Fellow position with the American Society of International Law in Washington, DC.
In May 2013, Emily Schneider (LAW ’13) and Courtney Schuster (LAW ’13) were selected to be No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) Interns for fall 2013. NPWJ is a not-for-profit that campaigns for the protection and promotion of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and international justice. During their internship, Schuster and Schneider will travel to Brussels, Belgium to work on stage three of the Syrian Accountability Project of the SU College of Law, a collaboration with NPWJ which maps the Syrian conflict, develops a crime base, and drafts sample indictments to assist in the prosecution of those who bear greatest responsibility for violations of Syrian domestic law and international criminal law during the conflict. This project is overseen by David Crane, SU Law Professor of Practice and former Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court of Sierra Leone.
Colin O’Hara (MPA ’11) works for government consulting firm LMI, supporting multiple clients in the national security and foreign policy workspace in strategic planning, management, and execution, project and program management, organizational improvement, and operational support.
In May 2013, SPL learned that Jonathan Panikoff (LAW/MAIR ’08)—graduate of both the SPL security studies and law programs—is a Middle East analyst for the US Department of Defense. He is currently responsible for briefing and providing analysis on Middle East-related matters to senior policy makers throughout the defense department and US government.
In April 2013, SPL learned that alumnus Joe Rutigliano (LAW ’86) is now Deputy Branch Head of the International and Operational Law Branch and Special Assistant on Law of War Issues in the Judge Advocate Division, Headquarters US Marine Corps (HQMC).
Cynthia Baxter (MAIR ‘09) currently is owner of Western Perspectives, a public information company focusing on issues dealing with the culture, politics, and history of the Middle East.
In March 2013 Omar Qudrat (below, far left) —an alumnus of SU’s College of Law and Public Diplomacy program who now works for Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, chief prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay—received a mention in an ABA Journal article on Martins. SU College of Law alumna Molly Scullin also has a position with Martins’ Gitmo prosecution team.
In January 2013, Rob Fallon (MPA ‘07) became Acting Director of Senate Affairs at the US Department of State (DoS). Previous to thisappointment, Fallon was Director of Nominations and Foreign Affairs Officer at DoS.
In November 2012, former SPL Research Assistant Patrick Vanderpool (LAW ‘11) joined the Naval Air Systems Command as an attorney.
In Sept. 2012 Jaiyi Zhou (MAIR ’13) came second place, winning $10,000, for an essay she submitted to the Second Annual (2012) Richard A. Clarke National Security & Counter-Terrorism Scholarship Competition. The competition is open to graduate students in good standing in M.A. and Ph.D. programs. Jaiyi’s essay is titled, “Local Solutions and Community-Oriented Policing” and argues that it is not in the best interest of the U.S. to institute a broad federal program to counter radicalization in Muslim communities in the U.S.
Since April 2012, Kari Kay Kietzer (EMIR ‘11) has worked as Counter-Corruption Strategic Liaison for the International Security Assistance Force’s Combined Joint Interagency Task Force, CJIATF-Afghanistan/CJIATF-Shafafiyat.
In Dec. 2011 Andrew P. Bakaj (LAW ’06, SPL ’06) was a member of the Civilian Reprisal Investigations (US Department of Defence) team nominated for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America medal. The award is presented annually by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in federal civil service. The team was also a 2011 finalist for the National Security and International Affairs medal which recognizes federal employees for a significant contribution to the nation in activities related to national security and international affairs (including defense, military affairs, diplomacy, foreign assistance, and trade).
Since September 2011 Katharyn Lindemann (MPA/MAIR ‘12) has worked as an advisor in the Office of Global Women’s Issues, US Department of State, working on the promotion of gender equality and advancement of the status of women and girls worldwide.
In August 2012, former SPL Research Assistant Jeff Keesom joined Deloitte as a consultant on strategy and operations, federal practice, and national security.
Miklos Bodnar (MAIR ‘10) has worked with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) since March 2011, first as research analyst, and currently as an executive assistant, through ManTech.
In Jan. 2011 SPL learned that Michael D. Vozzo (SPL ’04) is serving as associate deputy general counsel with the Office of the General Counsel for the United States Department of Defense. His work involves managing litigation efforts in response to the habeas corpus petitions filed by the detainees at United States Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, advising the Office of the Secretary of Defense on litigation policy and strategy, and representing DOD interests for the pending detainee litigation in District of Columbia, District and Circuit court. Mr. Vozzo is formerly an associate of Lester Schwab Katz and Dwyer, LLP in New York, NY and also served as an assistant district attorney in Queens County, NY from 2004 – 2008.
Jessica G. Trombetta (LAW ’11) works in the Office of General Counsel, National Security Agency.
In November 2010, Hekmatullah Foushanji (MPA ‘08, MAIR ‘09) was named Director of Foreign Affairs for the National Security Council, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Previous to this post, Foushanj was Adviser to the Speaker of the House of People (Wolesi Jirga) in the Afghan Parliament (2009-2010).
In September 2010, Bridger Roy (MPA ‘10) RigStat, an instrumentation systems engineering firm.
In July 2010, Azeema Cheema (MPA ‘04) was named a consultant at The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.
In April 2010, Rebekah Bina (LAW ‘04) became an attorney at the Federal Communications Commission.
In February 2010, Mary Patricia Rasmussen (MPA ‘09) became a Program Analyst at the US Department of Justice.
In February 2009, Marie-Claude Francoeur (MPA ’09) was appointed by Quebec’s Premier and Cabinet as Assistant Deputy Minister for Policies and Treaties in the Ministry of International Relations. In 2012, Francoeur was named Quebec Delegate to New England at Department of International Relations-Quebec Government.
Since September 2008, Eric Oddo (MPA ‘08) has been Senior Policy Analyst at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, a non-profit consulting firm which works side-by-side with the nation’s top federal, state, and local emergency responders.
Jeremy Snellen (COL ’08), has been named a staff member of The Office of War Crimes Issues at the US Department of State. The Office of War Crimes Issues, established in the mid-1990s, monitors atrocities globally. This office is highlighted in the article “Never Again,” published in the April 2008 issue of State.
From 2007 to 2009, Richard Lim (MPA ‘10) worked as Deputy Associate Director at The White House.
Jeremy Snellen (LAW ’08) is a staff member of The Office of War Crimes Issues at the US Department of State.
Jacqueline McCain (LAW ’08) serves as an Assistant Counsel in the US Navy.
SPL alumna Sarah Leonard (MAIR ‘07) has been a manager and consultant at Deloitte in Washington, DC since 2007.
Kris Miller (LAW ’07, JD/MPA ’07) works as a Network Systems Engineers with the Mitre Corporation in McLean, VA.
John Fritz (LAW ’07, JD/IR ’07) is an associate attorney with the Hamberger & Weiss law firm in Rochester, NY.
Sarah Grossman Leonard (LAW ’07, JD/IR ’07) works with Deloitte Consulting in Washington, D.C.
Brendan Gilbert (LAW ’04) is a JAG Officer with the US Army, based in Washington, D.C.
James Henry Bergeron (LAW ’90, MPA ’90) is a Political Advisor for Striking Force NATO.
Learning from—and working alongside—premier experts in the field of national security and counterterrorism through SPL has given me a first-class, innovative, educational experience. The opportunity to travel, collaborate on projects that have actual impact, and participate in contemporary research has prepared me for a future in the field of national security law and policy.
Andrew Dieselman, JD/MPA ’17
Alumni Profiles
 |
Profile of SPL alumnus Akmal Ali (LAW ’06)“I was instantly drawn to SPL as a ‘major’ for my law degree.” |
Helping in the Homeland
By David Broughton
(Sports Business Daily | Nov. 27, 2017) Akmal Ali [LAW ’06; CAS in National Security and Counterterrorism Law] was majoring in philosophy at Rollins College, a private liberal arts college in Winter Park, Fla., when the world changed.
“9/11 really impacted me and made me want to have a positive impact on security here in the homeland,” he said, crediting that reaction to his parents, who had fled to the United States during the Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan. “My family gave me an opportunity millions of others didn’t have, the chance to be born and raised in the States, with access to education and a brighter future. I wanted to take advantage of that and do my part to make the world better. Also, maybe change some opinions about Muslims along the way.”
He left the warm weather of his native Jacksonville and enrolled at the Syracuse University College of Law, unaware that the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism, a law certificate program, had just launched there.
“I was instantly drawn to SPL as a ‘major’ for my law degree.”
After earning his Juris Doctor, he spent nearly five years at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, last serving as deputy director of the Office of Safety Act Implementation.
The Safety Act encourages the creation, deployment and use of anti-terrorism technologies and practices. It was enacted in 2002 in response to the multibillion-dollar lawsuits filed after the Sept. 11 attacks that left companies concerned they would be sued if security equipment they made or were using failed to stop terrorists. The federal recognition gives the award recipients protection from having to pay claims that might be filed by victims against them in the event of a terrorist attack.
Recognizing that the sports world needed help navigating DHS’s application process, Ali joined Washington, D.C.-based security consultants Catalyst Partners in 2011.
A year later, he successfully helped the New York Yankees secure designation and certification, Safety Act’s highest level of protection, for Yankee Stadium. It was the first sports venue to be granted such coverage.
Since then, he has become the only consultant to have helped at least one team each in MLB, the NFL, NHL and NBA. He has secured Safety Act coverage for more than one-third of the clubs in Major League Baseball.
His recent accomplishments include last week’s recertification for the Yankees, the first team to achieve that, and the approval this month of the St. Louis Cardinals’ application.
https://securitypolicylaw.syr.edu/SPL-alumnus-homeland-security-expert-akmal-ali-featured-sports-business-daily/
Q & A with SPL alumnus Siim Alatalu (MAIR ’06)
“Cybersecurity, international relations, and law are becoming increasingly related to each other (if not even intertwined in some areas) and thus I believe it would be good to have a very international and linked approach to them from the beginning.”
Q: Please describe your career path so far
A: Most of my career has been about national security and defense issues, ever since I joined the Estonian Ministry of Defense (MOD) in 2001. Having been in the team that runs the Estonian accession to NATO in 2004, I have been fortunate to deal with a multitude of defense topics such as defense planning, international operations, policy planning, NATO and EU policy, etc. After graduating from the Maxwell School in 2006, I returned to the MOD and was soon promoted to a diplomatic assignment with the Estonian Delegation to NATO in Brussels, Belgium. After that I returned to the MOD, being the Deputy Director for NATO and EU, and thereafter for policy planning. In January 2015 I joined the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) as Head of International Relations.
Q: What are your current job responsibilities?
A: I have the overall managerial responsibility over the CCDCOE’s external relations with stakeholders in governments, military, academia, and industry. In doing that, I am essentially in lead of all international policy and institutional relationships related matters that the centre and its staff work with. Often I also carry the function of a spokesperson for the organization by way of doing presentations on our work both in-house and in other fora, while I also enjoy the opportunities for deep-dives into issues such as NATO’s way forward in enhancing the alliance’s cyber defense posture.
Q: How did the classes you took through SPL (CAS in Security Studies) help prepare you for your career?
A: The classes I took through SPL were instrumental in enhancing my understanding of how especially US national security and policymaking works. My later career, especially at NATO, could rely on a solid education thanks to these.
Q: Which SPL faculty members have inspired you?
A:During my studies I was really impressed by the entire faculty, but I can vividly recall the classes by Professor Montgomery Meigs [now SPL Senior Policy Advisor].
Q: Would you recommend SPL/Maxwell School to a young person thinking of entering your field?
A: Yes, definitely.
Q: What advice would you offer young international security/cybersecurity professionals entering graduate or law school?
A: In general, I’d recommend to consider how international the program is (in terms of the contents, the participants, and the teaching staff). Cybersecurity, international relations, and law are becoming increasingly related to each other (if not even intertwined in some areas) and thus I believe it would be good to have a very international and linked approach to them from the beginning.
Q & A with SPL alumna LTC Pia Rogers (JD/MPA ’01)
“Young national security professionals should seize every opportunity to learn and grow. You never know when attending a panel discussion or talking to a student or professor outside of a class will lead your career path in a new direction. Take advantage of all networking opportunities and force yourself outside your comfort zone.”
Q: Please describe your career path so far.
A: I am currently serving as the Command Judge Advocate of the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) in Fort Bragg, NC. I was commissioned in 1998 at Syracuse University through the Reserved Officers Training Corps and graduated SU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. Upon graduation, the military granted me an educational delay to attend law school. I returned to SU and completed a joint degree program, earning a Juris Doctor degree through SU Law and a Master of Public Administration degree through SU Maxwell School in 2001. I entered the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 2002 after passing the New York and New Jersey bar exams.
My military assignments have included Client Services Attorney, Administrative Law Attorney, and Trial Counsel, Fort Meade, MD; Defense Counsel, Taegu, South Korea; Recruiting Officer, Judge Advocate Recruiting Office, Rosslyn, VA; Trial Attorney, US Army Legal Services Agency Contract and Fiscal Law Department, Arlington, VA; Fiscal Law Attorney, US Forces-Afghanistan; Professor, The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, Charlottesville, VA. My professional military education includes the Judge Advocate Officer Advance Course, where I completed a Master of Military Law with a specialization in contracts and fiscal law, and the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS. In July, I will become the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate of the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, NC.
Q: What are your current job responsibilities?
As the Command Judge Advocate of USASOAC(A), I serve as the personal staff officer and principal legal advisor to the Commanding General, who orchestrates, with a 144-person staff, an Aviation Enterprise consisting of more than 4,000 soldiers and more than 500 aerial platforms. I provide full-spectrum legal advice to the Command Group, General’s Staff, and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, US Army Special Operations Command. Plus, I serve as Command Ethics Counselor; I supervise, train, and professionally develop one attorney and two senior paralegals; and I provide support and oversight for two attorneys and five paralegals at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, KY. Additionally, I maintain effective liaison with judge advocates from higher and lower command headquarters, as well as special missions units.
Q: How did the classes you took at SU Law/SU Maxwell School help prepare you for your career?
Although I graduated from Syracuse in 2001, prior to SPL’s establishment, I took Professor William Banks’ counterterrorism class in 2001 (that was before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001). The thought-provoking discussion in Banks’ counterterrorism class was relevant, necessary, and, at the time, very novel. I remember juxtaposing my future role in the US Army with the demands of the Posse Comitatus Act, and I am grateful for the glimpse the class gave me of policy that continues to affect and shape my future.
Q: Which SPL faculty members have inspired you?
Professor Banks definitely inspired me because he constantly challenged the class with scenarios and real-world events that would inspire thought-provoking discussion. Also, at the time, Professor Sean O’Keefe [now a full SPL Faculty Member] was teaching in Maxwell’s National Security Studies program. Professor O’Keefe’s instruction and experience were multi-faceted in the area of national and international security and terrorism. He introduced me to writers such as Carl von Clausewitz, whose work I would revisit during my senior military studies. There also was Professor Ralph Ketcham who challenged my basic understandings of American political thought.
Q: Would you recommend SPL/SU Law/Maxwell School to younger colleagues?
Absolutely! If I could turn back the hands of time, I would want to join younger colleagues in their SPL studies because I graduated before the Institute got its start, although I took classes that have become SPL staples!
Q: What advice would you offer young national security professionals entering graduate or law school at SU?
Young national security professionals should seize every opportunity to learn and grow. You never know when attending a panel discussion or talking to a student or professor outside of a class will lead your career path in a new direction. Take advantage of all networking opportunities and force yourself outside your comfort zone. I initially planned to fulfill my ROTC commitment of four years and then become a civilian. After 14 years on active duty in the military, my career has followed a path that was not premeditated or predictable. I continue to look forward to every day because I realize that I still have a lot of learning and growing to do on this adventure.
SU Law Podcast with SPL alumna Courtney Schuster (LAW ’13)
“… taking National Security Law and related coursework with professors Banks and Crane definitely gave me the foundation to write this report [for New America] and conduct all of this research on ISIS and the foreign fighters …”
Q & A with SPL alumnus Richard Lim (MPA ’10)
“Take Professor Banks’ counterterrorism and national security law courses. They provide an invaluable foundation of knowledge that will serve you well in your future employment. Take them even if you aren’t a law student!”
Q: Please describe your career path so far
A: I first served as a political appointee in the Bush Administration, before attending Syracuse University. Since then, I have served in the national security field, specifically at the US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. I currently work at the Institute of Land Warfare, which is a think tank for the Association of the US Army.
Q: What are your current job responsibilities?
A: I conduct research on current US Army tactics and strategy.
Q: How did the classes you took through SPL help prepare you for your career?
A: I took my capstone course under Professor William Banks, for which I helped create a large database on US terrorism cases. This course honed my research and analytical skills and has served me well in my career.
Q: Which SPL faculty members have inspired you?
A: Professors Banks and Renée de Nevers continue to inspire me because their careers have influenced so many people in both academic and non-academic circles.
Q: Would you recommend SPL/Maxwell School to younger colleagues?
A: Yes, both institutions have a reputation in the national security sector for producing highly capable, dedicated public servants.
Q: What advice would you offer young national security professionals entering graduate or law school at SU?
A: Take Professor Banks’ counterterrorism and national security law courses. They provide an invaluable foundation of knowledge that will serve you well in your future employment. Take them even if you aren’t a law student! Also, make sure you do the study abroad program in Israel. It’s truly a life-changing trip.
Q & A with SPL alumna Meredith Johnson (JD/MPA ’09)
“My J.D./M.P.A. joint degree and Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies allowed me to rise above my peers. I have been very fortunate with my job searches, due to the opportunities I received at Syracuse University.”
Q: Please describe your career path so far …
A: Prior to law school, the Marshal of the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) selected me to be the first intern with the Threat Assessment Unit within the SCOTUS Police. My employer and observations at the Court motivated me to apply to law school.
During my second year of law school, I externed for US Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles, drafting Decision and Orders, Reports and Recommendations, and Bench Memorandums. Throughout my second summer, I was enrolled in the highly competitive US Department of Justice’s Summer Law Intern Program with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At ATF, I worked on Title III electronic surveillance affidavits and disclosure law. In my third year, I was a Research Assistant for Professor William C. Snyder.
After graduation, I clerked for the Hon. Wendel E. Daniels, Presiding Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, Law Division, Criminal Part in Ocean County, NJ. I wrote complex motion decisions for electronic surveillance, Miranda, and evidentiary challenges. I also prepared limiting instructions and jury charges for murder, witness tampering, child luring, and other high profile trials.
Although I enjoyed working at the state level, influenced by my SU classes and prior federal experience, I knew my next step should be working for a law enforcement agency. Since 2011, I have worked as a General Attorney for the US Customs and Border Protection’s Office of the Associate Chief Counsel, Los Angeles in the US Department of Homeland Security.
Q: What are your current job responsibilities?
A: I advise the agency on immigration law, disclosure law, torts, ethics, trade issues, intellectual property rights, and labor and employment issues. I have been an agency representative before the Merit System Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, arbitrators, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Also, I have provided litigation support to the US Department of Justice for filings in the Court of International Trade as well as the US Attorney Office in civil and criminal matters. One of my favorite job responsibilities is being the duty attorney on call to provide immediate legal advice for the LA International Airport, Field Office, and/or Port.
Q: How did the classes you took through SPL help prepare you for your career?
A: They allowed me to be more engaged in the area of law I wanted to practice, since most law schools do not offer advanced specialty courses in national security. My interest in national security began in Professor William C. Banks’ course “National Security Law” and Professor Snyder’s “Prosecuting Terrorists in Article III Courts.”
Those courses were current with the times and showed their practical application by way of a detainee trial during a visit to the US Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Q: Which SPL faculty members inspired you?
A: I was and still am inspired by Professor Snyder’s practical approach to the law. He understands that his students need a solid academic foundation, but he teaches that it is equally important to know how to use your background in a practical setting. He taught me that the law is based on interpretations, and one must anticipate an unexpected interpretation. He also helped me refocus my career goals to ensure I was on the right track. Professor David M. Crane also mentored me through the SPL. I was always inspired by his intelligence and his experiences as an international prosecutor.
Q: Do you recommend SPL/SU College of Law to younger colleagues?
A: I have received several messages on LinkedIn from potential, incoming, and enrolled J.D. and M.P.A. candidates and always recommend this program because it provides me with a sound academic foundation and a great alumni network. In my professional career, I have interacted with many SPL/SU graduates.
Q: What advice do you offer young lawyers entering law school?
A: Find a way to stand out in the crowd. My J.D./M.P.A. joint degree and Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies allowed me to rise above my peers. I have been very fortunate with my job searches, due to the opportunities I received at Syracuse University.
Q&A with SPL alumna Molly Scullin (LAW ’10)
“SPL was invaluable in giving me with a very realistic understanding of complex and ongoing national security concerns, which I now deal with on a daily basis.”
Q: Please describe your current job and responsibilities …
A: I am a Staff Operations Specialist (SOS) for the FBI assigned to the Military Commissions Prosecution Unit (MCPU) of the Counterterrorism Division. The FBI’s mission to Military Commissions is to work in conjunction with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Chief Prosecutor to support the successful prosecution of Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) detainees—whether in Article III or military courts—and to obtain intelligence related to terrorist activities directed against US interests in order to disrupt future attacks. As an SOS in MCPU, some of my responsibilities include working as a liaison between the prosecutors and the FBI’s laboratory processing units, assisting the prosecution by preparing exhibits and presentations, and consolidating FBI documentation for court proceedings and trial.
Q: What has been your career path up to this point?
A: The summer after my first year of law school, I was an honors intern for the FBI assigned to the Counterterrorism Division, specifically with a unit covering terrorist activity on a regional basis in the US and abroad. This was my first introduction to the FBI’s mission in countering terrorism and its role as a prominent member of the US intelligence community. My internship further sparked my interest in national security issues, so I decided to apply for a full-time position with the FBI after law school. I began my career with the FBI as an SOS in the fall of 2010, where I was again assigned to the Counterterrorism Division in an Extraterritorial Investigative Unit (ETIU), managing investigations in Western Europe. As such, it was my responsibility to provide analytical support and operational assistance to the FBI’s field offices and Legal Attachés to advance the FBI’s mission and investigations. While in ETIU, I had the opportunity to work on many significant FBI counterterrorism cases, many of which required collaboration with multiple agencies in the US intelligence community, the US Attorney’s Offices, and foreign law enforcement agencies. I worked in ETIU until I transitioned to MCPU in December 2012.
Q: To what extent did your SPL/SUCOL classes prepare you for this work?
A: During law school, I completed SPL’s National Security and Counterterrorism Law program. The courses I took through the program gave me the institutional knowledge I needed to understand national and international security and counterterrorism law and policy issues. The program was invaluable in giving me a very realistic understanding of complex and ongoing national security concerns, which I now deal with on a daily basis.
(The views expressed are Scullin’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI.)
Q & A with SPL alumna Leslie Schildt (LAW ’10)
“Sometimes interns ask me if [SU Law] is worth the investment, and I tell them absolutely it is—because of SPL. SPL’s professors are world-class authorities in their field, with an unparalleled commitment to helping their students.”
Q: Please describe your career path so far …
A: Between my first and second years at the College of Law I interned at a legal aid firm doing mostly family litigation. Then between the second and third years I interned at the Lackawanna County, PA District Attorney’s Office working on a triple homicide as well as multiple child abuse/child homicide cases. When I graduated in May 2010, I began interning at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, working there from July to December 2010. After I took the New York State bar exam in February 2011, I began volunteering in the Major Felonies Bureau of the Monroe County, NY District Attorney’s Office, working on, among other cases, a triple homicide/inter-state drug conspiracy. I was hired as Assistant District Attorney in September 2011.
Q: What are your current job responsibilities?
A: I have been responsible for the prosecution of approximately 3,000 felony, misdemeanor, and violation cases in the local courts and have conducted approximately 200 trials and hearings with a nearly 100% conviction rate. I also research and draft motions and legal memoranda on sufficiency of accusatory instruments, search and seizure, confessions, and admissibility of evidence, and I prepare evidence for hearings and trial on cases ranging from drug offenses to child sexual assault. Other responsibilities include counseling crime victims, liaising with state and federal law enforcement officers, charging defendants, negotiating plea bargains, and supervising interns.
Q: How did the classes you took through SPL help prepare you for your career?
SPL classes were by far the best courses I took in law school, and they have been the most useful. What makes SPL unique is its professors. Professor David Crane was my mentor. His classes have proved utterly invaluable. All of the concepts I learned from Professor Crane—and professors William Banks, Isaac Kfir, and William Snyder—are what gave me the foundation to make an effective, substantive contribution to the Darfur Team when I was working at the ICC, where I made substantive contributions to the case we were working on, drafting documents that were submitted to the Pre-Trial Chamber and contributing to the main accusatory document in Prosecutor v. Banda and Jerbo. Professor Crane gave me a profound understanding of the suffering that victims of armed conflict go through and how vital it is that individuals take action to alleviate these terrible situations. Recalling the stories he told us about his experiences keep me motivated whenever I get bogged down!
Q: Which other SPL faculty members inspired you?
Professor Kfir’s course was invaluable. He has the rare quality of being both highly demanding yet utterly liberating as an instructor, and he pushes students to brave new frontiers of scholarship. I recall collaborating to a term paper about sovereign immunity as applied to the ICC’s arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I would be in The Hague a few months later working with the same team attempting to prosecute Omar al-Bashir—they ended up using some of the concepts found in my paper. Professor Snyder remains a consistent support and inspiration, always encouraging me to contribute to my profession through writing. I often reflect on his example when deciding how to conduct myself. His courses taught me many of the practical concepts I use every day. Judges and defense attorneys regularly comment on the unique and compelling arguments I come up with, and much of that is thanks to the way Professor Snyder taught me to interpret case law and statutes.
Q: Do you recommend SPL/SU College of Law to younger colleagues?
I have referred some of my more talented student interns to the College of Law. I believe one of them is in his third year, another is the second year, and yet another will be entering the college in Fall 2013. I have told all of them that SPL is the best part of the college; it is what sets it apart from other law schools. Sometimes interns ask me if the college is worth the investment, and I tell them absolutely it is—because of SPL. SPL’s professors are world-class authorities in their field, with an unparalleled commitment to helping their students.
Q: What advice do you offer young lawyers entering law school?
I did not take courses according to what would be on the bar exam; I took courses according to what areas of law I was likely to practice. Taking criminal litigation and international human rights/international criminal law has made all the difference to my career. These courses gave me the foundational skills that I use every day in my job.