Student Profiles

Abdirisak Ali, MIA

Career Track: International Economics
Region: Latin America

Abdirisak Ali was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, and holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Nairobi’s Department of Diplomacy and International Studies. Prior to joining the School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), he worked in Nairobi as a marketing and business development consultant, an experience that sparked his interest in international trade and led him to pursue graduate studies in international economics with the goal of building a career as a trade analyst. While at GPS, he has worked as an intern for the admissions team and completed a summer internship with the Global Leadership Institute at UC San Diego. He is fluent in Swahili, Somali and English.

Vincent Alulu, MPP

Specialization: Program Design and Evaluation

Vincent Harry Alulu holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in applied statistics from Maseno University and Jomo Kenyatta University, respectively, in Kenya. His academic journey has equipped him with advanced skills in econometrics, data analytics (STATA, R), and policy evaluation, which he applies to research at the intersection of agricultural economics and climate resilience.

As a Senior Research Officer at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Alulu led impact evaluations of index-based livestock insurance programs across the Horn of Africa, co-developed the Kaznet crowdsourcing application for data gathering in remote locations, and published research findings in peer-reviewed journals including Food Security and Scientific Reports. His research demonstrates how environmental shocks propagate through pastoral economies, with policy implications for drought risk management. As a graduate student researcher for professor Meera Mahadevan, he analyzes electricity sector reforms in India.

Alulu plans to pursue doctoral studies in agricultural and applied economics to further investigate market-based solutions for food security challenges. Beyond his research, Alulu is an avid runner and soccer enthusiast.

Christine (Hyejee) An – MIA

Career Track: International Economics
Region: Korea

Christine (Hyejee) An earned her bachelor’s degree in global studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she developed an early interest in international relations and refugee issues, particularly the economic impacts of migration on host countries. After graduation, she worked in Korea as an assistant supervisor, coordinating and managing foreign instructors in English institutions, which strengthened her skills in cross-cultural communication and organizational management. She also gained private sector experience at a semiconductor company, where she worked with partners in multiple countries, particularly China and the U.S. This experience offered her a firsthand perspective on how Korea’s economy is shaped by global trade policies and international relations.

At GPS, An serves as the president of Mannam, a student-led graduate organization for those interested in learning about Korea.

Jeisson Gómez Colmenares, MPP

Specializations: Inequality and Social Policy, Program Design and Evaluation

Jeisson Gómez Colmenares holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics from Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia. Growing up in Bogotá shaped his awareness of the challenges and opportunities in advancing equitable development, which has inspired his academic and professional journey. Before beginning the Master of Public Policy program at UC San Diego, he worked with the Inter-American Development Bank and Colombia’s National Planning Department, focusing on impact evaluation, rural development, and social policy. He currently works with professor Gordon McCord at the SDG Policy Initiative, contributing to research on sustainable development and climate action. His research interests include climate change, energy transition, and the design of policies that expand access and sustainability. Outside of academics, he enjoys hiking, running and playing soccer.

Jimmy Guzman, MIA

Career Tracks: International Management, International Economics
Region: Latin America

Jimmy Guzman began his educational voyage at Cosumnes River College, a community college in Elk Grove, California. Prior to this, he had primarily worked blue collar jobs since graduating high school. Guzman then transferred to University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, graduating in 2024 with a degree in international relations and minors in economics and political science. While at University of the Pacific, Guzman was fortunate enough to advance his global mindset by studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, for a semester and participated in the Model United Nations program, which enabled international opportunities in the form of conferences in Paris, France, and Taipei, Taiwan. While at GPS, Guzman has worked as a TA for both the history department and the International Studies Program (ISP). He also has participated in and led multiple outreach trips with the Career and Professional Development Center to the Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and New York City. During the summer, Guzman interned with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) as a business analyst for the Distribution Systems Operations Department and a policy analyst for the Market and Procurement Policy team.

Travis Hayden, BA-MIA

Career Track: International Politics
Region: Latin America

As a first-generation American and first-generation college student from San Diego, Travis Hayden exemplifies the transformative power of education and community support. Growing up in a low socioeconomic environment, he is deeply appreciative of the opportunities provided by his community, the VA, and the UC system—experiences unlike any in his family's history.

A proud Navy veteran who served as Damage Controlman Second Class and Surface Rescue Swimmer (2016-2020), Hayden has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his academic journey. He completed his bachelor's degree in political science while simultaneously finishing his first year of graduate studies—all while serving as president of the Student Veterans Organization and earning recognition as UC San Diego's Student Veteran of the Year in 2024.

During this intensive period, Hayden secured over $40,000 in funding for UC San Diego's Basic Needs Hub, served as student advocate to the UC Regents and led advocacy efforts in Sacramento. As a transfer student, he was selected as Eleanor Roosevelt College's Associated Students senator, where he coordinated the Student Veteran Town Hall and successfully managed a $6.5 million Associated Students budget while participating in advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.

Hayden aspires to be a transformational leader in the U.S., working to create social and economic change that ensures others have the same opportunities to achieve their goals and break generational barriers.

Holly Harwood, MIA

Career Tracks: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Region: Southeast Asia

Holly Harwood is a systems strategist, nonprofit leader and consultant working at the intersection of sustainable development and human rights. She is bridging local policy implementation with international development, from co-founding the South Bay Resource Team for disaster relief to directing global climate justice campaigns at COPs. Her work focuses on accelerating investment in community-led solutions with an expertise in climate education, just transition, circular economy, climate finance,and public-private partnerships.

A proud community college transfer from De Anza College in the Bay Area, Harwood completed an associate’s degree in liberal arts and went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in sociology at UC San Diego, where she served as Civil and Human Rights Director at the Student Sustainability Collective.

Currently, Harwood is a UN Local Pathways Fellow with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), where she is developing strategies to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis through SDG 11. This past summer, she worked as a program intern with The Asia Foundation to design donor mapping and fundraising strategies in response to USAID cuts. At GPS, she serves as president of Southeast Asia Link (SEAL) and vice president of finance for Women Going Global, while also serving on the board of the housing justice nonprofit Our Time to Act.

Daniel Hershfield, MIA

Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Region: Southeast Asia

Daniel Hershfield has a broad background in international development and policy research, previously working as an undergraduate with the Program on Security Institutions and Violent Instability at UC Berkeley and also researching communal violence with the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism in Mumbai. He has also coordinated diversity, equity and inclusion research as part of the nonprofit UpStart’s inaugural Jews of Color Career Development Program. As a senior research assistant at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, he led the analysis of political violence, civil unrest and domestic extremism in regions such as North America and Oceania. Hershfield holds a B.A. in political science with a minor in global poverty and practice from UC Berkeley. During summer 2025, with work continuing through the fall, he served as a global networks intern at the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), where he has supported initiatives such as the Africa Evidence Summit, CEGA Fellowship and Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research

Tiffany Liu, MIA

Career Tracks: International Development and Nonprofit Management, International Politics, International Economics
Region: China

Tiffany Liu graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political economy. Before coming to GPS, she attained familiarity with economics and politics research through her work as an undergraduate research assistant, where she conducted studies on tariffs and non-tariff measures between China and Taiwan and collected evidence of collusion in China's public bidding system. She was also a director at the International Relations Council of Berkeley, where she led the Podcast Committee in creating podcast episodes related to international topics such as COP 26, the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and the rise of isolationism in many countries. Liu's interest in international development and nonprofit management started with Alkaid Nonprofit Educational Association (ANEA), an organization she co-founded with a friend. At ANEA, she established and supervised an online, year-long English lesson program that directly connects 300+ local students in Taiwan to volunteers in California.

Over this past summer, Liu interviewed activists who were integral to Taiwan's democratization movement, as well as nonprofits such as Amnesty International and the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association. She plans on editing the filmed footage into a short documentary that explores the past, present and future of Taiwan through the lens of human rights.

Beyond this experience, Liu is a teaching assistant, a Doming Liu Award recipient and the president of GO GPS.

Nahal Lotfi, MPP

Specializations: Program Design and Evaluation, American and Comparative Business Regulation

Nahal Lotfi brings a background in journalism, communications and content leadership in multinational companies in Turkey, along with internships at the United Nations Development Programme.

At GPS, Nahal serves as editor-in-chief and contributing author of the Journal of International Policy Solutions, is a teaching assistant for Math Camp and Quantitative Methods, and has contributed as a consultant with the GPS Consulting Club. She combines strong data analytics and strategy skills with a deep geopolitical understanding of the Middle East. Her professional interests lie in business strategy, consulting and technology policy, with a focus on how AI and digital transformation can be leveraged to drive innovation and inclusive growth. She speaks Persian, Turkish, English and Arabic.

Rio Namegaya, MPP

Specializations: Environmental Policy, Program Design and Evaluation

Rio Namegaya graduated as valedictorian of her class at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, with a bachelor’s degree in North American area studies, concentrating in U.S. history. Prior to enrolling at GPS, Namegaya worked as a legal translator and translation coordinator at TMI Associates, translating contracts, memorandums and other legal and policy documents between English and Japanese. During her summer at GPS, Namegaya interned with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at the World Bank Group, where she contributed to the establishment of the pioneering global eco-industrial park certification system, engaging in both quantitative and qualitative aspects. She also gained experience in applying AI, GIS and other digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of global innovative projects. Outside of these pursuits, Namegaya writes for theatre and has served as a teaching assistant in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Sona Ovasapyan, MIA

Career Tracks: International Management, International Economics
Region: Latin America

Sona Ovasapyan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international relations, with a focus in business, and a minor in environmental studies from UC San Diego. During her first year at the School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), she served as the BA/MIA first-year representative on the GO GPS board, working to strengthen connections between faculty and advocate for a more cohesive cohort of undergraduates transitioning to graduate studies.

Driven by a passion for social entrepreneurship, sustainable development and leveraging innovation to advance economic and environmental justice, Ovasapyan brought her passions to life during her 2025 summer internship at Alvan Tsaghik NGO. There, she supported the economic empowerment of displaced women from Artsakh and local residents through their social enterprise projects. Her responsibilities included facilitating workshops on product management and financial planning, organizing business literacy and customer service training for women aged 30-60, conducting market research to guide product development, designing marketing materials, managing social media outreach, and coordinating community engagement events in Gyumri, Armenia.

To honor and give back to her undergraduate community, Ovasapyan serves as a teaching assistant for the social corporate responsibility course at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Business.

Raquel Padilla Cruz, MPP

Specialization: Inequality and Social Policy

Originally from Tlaxcala, Mexico, Raquel Padilla Cruz holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where she specialized in government and public transformation. She is co-president of the GPS Latin American Student Organization and vice president of political programming in GPS’s Women Going Global.

Prior to being at GPS, Padilla Cruz worked for two years as a legislative assessor at the Commission of Foreign Affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Senate of Mexico. She is passionate about learning how to combat the region’s most pressing issues, such as migration, violence, poverty and inequality, as well as climate change and democratic backsliding.

This past summer, she interned with Al Otro Lado as part of the Communications Department. She has also collaborated with Caltrans as a government affairs Intern, focusing on the binational relationship between San Diego and Tijuana to advance common goals such as environmental protection, trade and strengthened diplomatic relations.

In her free time, Padilla Cruz enjoys swimming, painting, watching movies, practicing yoga, reading novels and spending time at the beach. She firmly believes that balance is the key of finding happiness while pursuing an academic career.

Rosa Maria Perez Vasquez, MIA

Career Track: International Management
Region: Latin America

Rosa Maria Perez Vasquez holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where she graduated with honors and wrote a thesis on the development of financial technologies in Mexico. She also participated in an academic exchange at UC Berkeley, an opportunity that inspired her to pursue graduate studies at GPS.

She has five years of professional experience in the airline industry, holding roles at United Airlines in Mexico City and Sacramento, where she developed expertise in customer service, revenue management and sales. She currently works part-time in the banking sector at JPMorgan Chase, assisting a diverse range of clients with financial solutions. Her academic and professional interests focus on the intersection of management, finance and data analysis. Swimming and travel are among her favorite pastimes

Dishita Rajan, BA-MIA

Career Track: International Politics
Region: Southeast Asia

Dishita Rajan received her bachelor’s degree in political science, focusing in international relations, with a minor in human rights and migration, from UC San Diego, graduating magna cum laude. Through UC San Diego’s BA-MIA program, she began her Master of International Affairs coursework in the third year of her undergraduate studies and is now pursuing a career trac in international politics.

Her professional experiences span government and legal advocacy, including an internship with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs, where she supported congressional engagement and high-level diplomatic functions such as the Women, Peace, and Security NATO Reception. She also gained valuable perspective working at the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a nonprofit legal services organization providing critical support for those impacted by the foster care system, as well as the Office of a San Diego congressman, where she assisted constituents navigating federal agencies and essential services.

These experiences shaped her professional aspirations at the intersection of international law and human rights, complemented by an academic interest in domestic policy and constitutional law. Following her graduate studies, she plans to attend law school. In her free time, Rajan enjoys reading — finishing over 100 books a year — and delights in spending time by the ocean.

Anisha RajBhandary, MPP

Specializations: Program Design and Evaluation

Before attending GPS, Anisha RajBhandary received her undergraduate degree in geography and Asian studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She taught English in New Taipei City, Taiwan, through the Fulbright Taiwan program, and worked as a substitute teacher in Portland, Oregon. Recently, RajBhandary completed an internship at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the Science, Technology Assessment and Analytics (STAA) team in Washington, D.C. She enjoys reading mystery novels, playing badminton/soccer, and drawing.

Lauren Silver, MPP

Specializations: Environmental Policy

Since starting at UC San Diego, Lauren Silver has focused her research on determining what causes the prioritization of climate change policy using quantitative and analytical skills. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated summa cum laude.

She interned with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Public Advocates Office, Communications and Broadband Branch where she specialized in data analysis. While at UC San Diego, she has served as a research assistant, where she worked with panel and large-scale policy datasets to support academic research. Before attending GPS, she interned for the U.S. Department of State, Global Women’s Issues Office, where she drafted policy briefs on gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Previously she worked at Clarkson Law Firm, a consumer protection law firm focused on environmental litigation.

Mo Tao, MIA

Career Track: International Environmental Governance
Region: Japan

Mo Ta, a graduate student from China, studied environmental resources engineering in Japan and later earned a Ph.D. in geophysics in the U.S. Her academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of technology and policy, with a particular focus on advancing international cooperation in the energy sector. She is currently interning with the Office of Governmental and International Affairs at the California Energy Commission and with the United Nations Global Compact.

Yixuan Wang, MCEPA

Specializations: Chinese Politics and Public Policy

Wang is the Class of 2026 student representative of the MCEPA program, cooperating with the GO GPS student organization to support student welfare at GPS. Wang is also a certified inclusive professional, trained through the equity, diversity and inclusion program jointly organized by GPS and the Rady School of Management. Prior to attending GPS, Yixuan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and economics from Boston University. While at BU, Yixuan served as a member of the BU Chinese Students and Scholars Association for three years, dedicated to enriching the lives of Chinese international students. In summer 2025, Yixuan interned at Syntao Co,. Ltd, the leading ESG consultancy in China, promoting sustainable development and social responsibility in China's private sector.

Abraham Wu, MCEPA

Specialization: Chinese Politics and Public Policy

Abraham Wu earned his undergraduate degree in international studies and philosophy at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he developed a strong foundation in political economy and international relations. His research interests focus on authoritarian governance, state capacity and innovation policy, with particular attention to how states engineer institutional frameworks to drive technological development and sustain political power. He is currently a research assistant working with professor Tai Ming Cheung at the 21st Century China Center, where his work examines China’s whole-of-nation approach to innovation. His ongoing research explores the role of state-led innovation consortia in shaping China’s industrial and strategic capabilities.

Zilu Zhang, MPP

Specializations: Health Policy, Program Design and Evaluation

Zilu Zhang graduated from Peking University with a bachelor’s degree in clinical medicine. As an undergraduate, he conducted neuroscience research and worked on the clinical frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. After completing his clinical rotations at Peking University First Hospital, he shifted his focus to the social sciences, later interning at a provincial research institute before joining the School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) at UC San Diego.

Zhang is committed to connecting medical expertise with quantitative policy analysis, aiming to balance specialized depth with interdisciplinary breadth. He is currently participating in research projects on continuous glucose monitoring and health data analysis. At UC San Diego, he has engaged in wide-ranging coursework in policy and methods, and his research interests include cross-national comparisons of health care systems and data-driven approaches to health policy.

Henry Zhou, MIA

Career Track: International Economics
Region: China

Henry Zhou holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Michigan, where he graduated with the highest honors. As an undergraduate, he spent a year as a visiting student at the University of Oxford, where he conducted an independent research project on sanction coordination between the U.S. and its European allies. He also completed an internship at the World Bank, where he worked on development-related topics such as central bank capacity building, reserve management and emerging currencies.

At GPS, Zhou has focused his research on economic statecraft, industrial policy and international security. He has undertaken various projects on European Union sanctions politics, China’s industrial strategy, and the politics of overseas evacuation operations. Beyond academics, Zhou is also a certified snowboard instructor.

Anna Misenti, MIA '25

Career Track: International Politics

Anna Misenti graduated from Occidental College in 2017 with a B.A. in diplomacy and world affairs. As an undergraduate, she studied abroad in Nepal, where she conducted an independent research project on community-based finance systems in Lower Mustang. She also completed an internship at the United Nations Foundation and conducted research on human trafficking to support Occidental professor Laura Hebert's publication of "Gender and Human Rights in a Global, Mobile Era." After graduation, she received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant and spent 10 months teaching and leading community engagement projects in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Since 2019, Misenti has worked at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, supporting democracy and governance programs across Southeast Asia.

Eugene Parrish, MPP '25

Jackson Rice, MIA ‘25

Career Track: International Economics

After growing up in San Diego, Jackson Rice attended UC Berkeley and graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in Society and Environment with the highest distinction. During his time at UC Berkeley, he worked as a writing tutor at the university's Student Learning Center. After graduating, he received a scholarship to study Mandarin in Taiwan from 2021-22. His background working in education and love for his time studying abroad solidified his desire to pursue an international career in public service. Jackson comes to GPS with a plan to specialize in China and, upon graduation, utilize his Mandarin skills and training to work in diplomacy and policy analysis on U.S.-China relations.

Daniel Hershfield, MIA '25

Career Track: International Politics
Region: Southeast Asia

Daniel Hershfield graduated from UC Berkeley in 2020 with a B.A. in political science and a minor in global poverty and practice, following his transfer from Glendale Community College. At UC Berkeley, he served as a research assistant with the Program on Security Institutions and Violent Instability. Hershfield also researched communal violence in India while interning abroad at the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism in Mumbai. Post-graduation, he contributed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the Jewish community as a member of the nonprofit UpStart's inaugural Jews of Color Career Development Program. As a senior research assistant at ACLED, Hershfield led the analysis of political violence, civil unrest and domestic extremism in regions such as North America and Oceania. After graduation, Hershfield aims to help build a more peaceful and democratic world by shedding light on critical issues relating to good governance and security through a career in research.