Most of our students pursue doctoral-level public policy research with the goal of working in domestic and international public agencies, research organizations and policy consulting firms. Some of our students will seek academic positions in public policy, public administration and policy-oriented schools. They are united by their passion for public policy and their desire to have a positive impact on the world.

Sanford's PhD Program in Public Policy began in 2007, and now our earliest students have begun their first jobs. Our students' success on the job market affirms the strength of our program. Their smooth transitions from graduate students to research professionals indicates proper preparation. View our job placements below.

Placements

NAME

GRAD
YEAR

TITLE FOLLOWING GRADUATION

INSTITUTION

POSITION TYPE

CURRENT POSITION

Emily Pakhtigian2020Assistant ProfessorPennsylvania State University of Public PolicyUniversity 
Nivedhitha Subramanian2020Assistant ProfessorBates College Department of EconomicsUniversity 
Romina Tome2020EconomistAmerican Institute for Research, International DivisionNon-Profit 
Laura Bellows

2019

Postdoctoral Fellow

University of Virginia, Curry School of Education and Human Development

University

 

Maria Carnovale

2019

Postdoctoral Fellow

Johns Hopkins, ISEP Fellow in the School of Advanced International Studies

University

Technology and Human Rights Fellow, Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy

Emily (Pechar) Diamond

2019

Research Analyst

Duke University, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions

University

Assistant Professor, University of Rhode Island

      
Danton Noriega-Goodwin

2019

Data Scientist

Apple

Private

 

Josh Rivenbark

2019

Finishing Medical School

Duke University, Medical Scientist Training Program

University

Resident in Internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 

Jaron Wharton

2019

Lieutenant Colonel

United States Military, 1-75  Cavalry Squadron, 101st Airborne Division

Government

 

Emma Zang

2019

Assistant Professor

Yale University, Institution for Social and Policy Studies

University

 

Yating Li 

2019

Associate

McKinsey & Company

Private

 

Adebola Olayinka 

2019

Government and Public Sector Consultant

Deloitte Consulting

Private

 

Faraz Usmani

2019

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Cornell University, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

University

Research Economist, Mathematica

Michael Burrows

2018

Survey Statistician

U.S. Census Bureau

Government

 

Mercy DeMenno

2018

Principal

MBD Consulting

Private

Principal at Bosque Advisors & Senior Fellow with the Global Financial Markets Center at Duke Law School

Maria Laurito

2018

Associate

The Analysis Group in Boston

Private

 

Rebecca Lehrman

2018

Mixed-Methods UX Researcher

Facebook

Private

 

Brian Prest

2018

Postdoctoral Fellow

Resources for the Future

Private

 

Anika Schenck-Fontaine

2018

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories

University

 

Sierra Smucker

2018

Policy Researcher

RAND Corporation

Non-profit

 

Puneet Chehal

2017

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Chicago,
Center for Health and Social Sciences

University

Assistant Professor
Emory University

Andrew Heiss

2017

Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Administration

Brigham Young University School,
Romney Institute of Public Management

University

Assistant Professor Georgia State University

Zoelene Hill

2017

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

New York University,
Institute for Human Development and Social Change

University

Research Scientist at Child Trends

Robert Richards

2017

Senior Data Analyst

Leavitt Partners in Salt Lake City

Private

Data Science Team Lead, Torch Insight, Milliman

Ying Shi

2017

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Stanford University,
Center for Education Policy Analysis

University

Assistant Professor Syracuse University

Danielle Vance-McMullen

2017

Assistant Professor

University of Memphis,
Department of Public and Non-Profit Administration

University

Assistant Professor DePaul University

Kristen Cooksey

2016

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Connecticut,
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

University

Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut

Amy Finnegan

2016

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Duke Population Research Institute

University

Senior Data Scientist, IntraHealth International 

Divya Guru Rajan

2016

Data Scientist

Private Consulting Firm

Private

 

John Holbein

2016

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Princeton University
Center for the Study of Democratic Politics

University

Assistant Professor University of Virginia

Jennifer Shen

2016

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of California-San Francisco
Health Policy Fellowship at the Institute for Health Policy Studies

University

Quantitative UX Researcher, Google 

Lucy Sorensen

2016

Assistant Professor

University at Albany School of Public Administration

University

 

Yulya Truskinovsky

2016

Sloan Postdoctoral Fellow

Harvard University Center for Population and Development Studies

University

Assistant Professor Wayne State University

Marina Gorsuch

2015

Research Associate

University of Minnesota Population Research Center

University

Assistant Professor
St. Catherine University

Nicholas Ingwersen 

2015

Research Economist

Mathematica Policy Research International Division (Washington, DC)

Private

 

Poh Lin Tan 

2015

Assistant Professor

Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,
National University of Singapore

University

 

Eva Szalkai Csaky

2014

Director

The Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanities,
Southern Methodist University

University

Executive Director, Hunter and Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity in the Lyle School of Engineering, SMU

Ashley Burns

2013

Senior Associate

TMG Consulting

Private

President/CEO, Burns Innovation Group

Ava Gail Cas

2013

Assistant Professor

Catholic University of America

University

 

Katherine Duch

2013

Senior Research Manager

Analyst Institute

Non-Profit

Principal
One Minus Beta Analytics

Dania Francis

2013

Assistant Professor

University of Massachusetts Amherst 

University

Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston

Sarah Fuller

2013

Research Assistant Professor

UNC-Chapel Hill/Education Policy Initiative 

University

 

Maeve Gearing 

2013

Research Associate

Urban Institute 

Non-Profit

Senior Study Director
Westat Health Studies

Wei He

2013

Senior Compliance Officer

JP Morgan Chase

Private

President of Infinity Institute

Catherine Herrold

2013

Assistant Professor

Indiana University

University

Associate Professor, Indiana University 

Sara Weiss

2013

Research Scholar

The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation 

University

 

Michelle Welch

2013

Research and Policy Manager

Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Non-Profit

Director of Public Finance, Arnold Ventures

Hye Kim

2012

Assistant Professor

National University of Singapore

University