Spring 2006 MPP Alumni Notes
MPP ’05
Alicia Groh is the new executive director of Voice for Adoption, a national adoption advocacy coalition based in Minneapolis, Minn. She still will travel frequently to Washington, D.C., to advance the agenda of the organization.
MPP ’04
Katie McClurg and Dave Anderson were married on April 25, in Seattle, Wash. They were joined in their celebrations by classmates Tim Greeff, Lesley Woodburn, Janna Matlack, Jennifer Schiess, Kevin Bishop, and Susan Brown Asam. Katie works at the U.S. Department of Labor and Dave is a project leader at the Council for Excellence in Government in Washington, D.C.
Jonathan Morancy has accepted a new position at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C.
MPP ’03
Nick Cornelisse has a new position on the Defense Capabilities and Management Team at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Nick was previously a legislative assistant covering defense and security issues for Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.).
Craig Harper has left the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for a new position at Natural Resources Defense Council. He and his family live in Washington, D.C.
Ilse Wiechers and her husband, Mike Choma, will leave Durham to pursue residency programs in Boston, Mass., with Ilse entering the McLean psychiatry program at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Michael Yankovich will leave his position at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point this summer to join the Director’s Strategic Initiatives Group of the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (G8) at the Pentagon. The G8 is responsible for the future Army through programming, material integration and management of Department of the Army studies and analyses.
MPP ’02
Scott Douglas, is complementing his current position in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a four-month detail in the FDA Commissioner’s Office of Policy and Planning working on issues related to minimizing the impact of counterfeit drugs and other projects. He’ll return to ASPE in June.
Melanie Kadlic has a new position with the government of Fairfax County, Va., as a management analyst with the Department of Procurement and Supply Management. Melanie will analyze and audit the county’s procurement procedures and create recommendations for improvement.
Elizabeth Pika has been promoted to legislative director for Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.). She has been in Baldwin’s office since 2003. Her appointment was announced in both Capitol Hill newspapers, The Hill and Roll Call.
D.J. Vogt is leaving his position at the U.S. Department of the Treasury to pursue a new business opportunity in Portland, Ore. He and his wife welcomed a baby girl, Courtney Ruth, on Oct. 25, 2005.
MPP ’00
Kirsten Petrocine Pennington recently was appointed by the Mayor of Seattle to the City of Seattle Planning Commission.
MPP ’99
Sekou Kaalund and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed their son, Caleb H. Kaalund, on March 10. Sekou has a new position as global head of strategy and planning for Securities and Funds Service in Citigroup’s Corporate Investment Bank. He and his family live in Greenwich, Conn.
MPP ’97
Heidi Recksiek, who works at NOAA in Charleston, S.C., spent the first quarter of 2006 on a mission assignment to FEMA to help with community engagement and coastal management aspects of the recovery planning process in Louisiana.
MPP ’96
Dave Sheldon left his position at the Council for Excellence in Government after 10-plus years to embark on a trip around the world and to plan for his next adventure. You can view his travel blog at www.GetJealous.com/Davestrip
Rebecca Rund and her husband, Roger Placer, announce the arrival of their second daughter, Eden Macy Placer, on Feb. 10. Eden joins sisters Sienna, 7, and Sage, 2, and their family who live in Franklin Lakes, N.J.
MPP ’95
Jill Hyland has a new position as program development associate at the School of Professional Studies of the City University of New York in New York City, where she will help create new programs and expand operations of the school, which serves the needs of New York’s working professionals and industry sectors.
MPP ’92
Gina Triplett Shell and her husband, Greg, adopted a baby boy, Gabriel Thomas, born and adopted on Feb. 27. Gina works for the City of Charlotte, N.C.
MPP ’90
Matt Mitchell and his wife, Kara, announce the birth of Olivia Meita Mitchell on January 26. Matt works on water quality issues for EPA’s San Francisco Regional Office.
MPP ’87
Mark Messura was promoted to executive vice president at Cotton Inc., with responsibility for management of the corporate research programs in economics, market and consumer behavior and textiles, as well as global supply chain operations, which include the company’s offices and staff in China, Japan, Singapore, Mexico City, Turkey and Europe.
MPP ’86
Michael Bee will assume new duties this summer as chief of current intelligence at the U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. Michael has also been promoted to commander, effective in July.
Scott Litch, general counsel and deputy executive director for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, published an article in the January/February 2006 issue of Forum magazine titled “The In-House Counsel Perspective” in which he discusses the responsibilities facing in-house association attorneys, including intellectual property, regulatory and legislative issues.
