Student Profiles

Rodrigo Barra, MPP

Specializations: Environmental Policy, Program Design and Evaluation

Rodrigo Barra is a civil hydraulic engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, from which he graduated summa cum laude in 2014. He has nine years of experience in sustainability- and water-related projects, in which he has led initiatives that combine social innovation, engineering and technology to address the challenges of climate change in water availability and communities’ adaptation capacity.

He was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to join the School of Global Policy and Strategy to pursue his Master of Public Policy. During his time at UC San Diego, he worked with Mandy Bratton in the Center for Global Sustainable Development, facilitating hands-on sustainability learning experiences for students, and with Gordon McCord as a researcher on Latin American governments’ response to dengue in the context of climate change.

He is married to María Fernanda Forttes, and they have two beloved children, Doménica and Constantino.

Matthew Burditt, MIA

Career Track: International Environmental Governance
Region: Latin America

Matthew Burditt graduated from California State University Long Beach (CSULB) with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and rhetoric and composition. While attending CSULB, he worked as a writing tutor at the University Writing Center, acted as the thesis tutor for the International Studies program, managed inbound study abroad students at the CSULB Study Abroad Office and conducted summer research on the level of curricular internationalization across CSULB’s departments at the Global Studies Institute. After graduating, he spent four years teaching English at secondary schools in Spain’s País Vasco region and serving as a permanent substitute teacher at his childhood elementary school in his hometown of Bakersfield, California. At UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, Burditt is pursuing a master in international affairs degree with a specialization in international environmental governance. He currently works at the SDG Policy Initiative collecting evidence for different policy interventions in the climate action plans of jurisdictions across the United States. He is an avid fan of science fiction, an amateur home cook and a video game enthusiast.

Benjamin Castro-Martinez, MIA

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

Benjamín Castro is a dean’s fellow in the Master of International Affairs program at the University of California San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS). He holds a degree in political science from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), where he graduated with honors.

Previously, Castro served as the director of statistics at the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of Baja California’s state government, where he worked to enhance foreign direct investment flows to Mexico in collaboration with academia, business and multilateral organizations. He has also worked as an economic consultant and government affairs specialist for Mexican multinationals in the agricultural, manufacturing, mining and energy industries. Additionally, he founded the Mínimo Necesario podcast, where he discusses current political and cultural trends in Mexico.

Castro received the Dean’s Merit Award at GPS and the Kyoto Scholarship in Arts and Philosophy from the Inamori Foundation. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

Yuchen Chen, MPP

Specialization: Program Design and Evaluation

Yuchen Chen majored in sociology during her undergraduate years at Shanghai University, China, and since then, she has volunteered in several social organizations and public welfare projects focusing on disadvantaged groups. In the summer of 2024, she interned at a senior service association and assisted in organizing a conference to empower presidents of elder-care homes in China. She is passionate about finding the improvement point by practicing and being on the front line, and she aims to apply techniques to analyze and develop solutions to improve social welfare.

Karen Dam, BA-MIA

Career Track: International Environmental Governance
Regions: China, Southeast Asia

Karen Dam received a bachelor of arts in international studies (economics) from the University of California San Diego, where she graduated in 2024. In the summer of 2024, she served as a teaching assistant for both math and quantitative methods at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, instructing students on statistical analysis, Excel workbooks and mathematical problem-solving while also gaining valuable experience in education and communication. Currently, Dam works at the Cowhey Center on Global Transformation, contributing to its mission of bridging academic research and policy. She plays an integral role in facilitating high-level collaboration between renowned Pacific Leadership Fellows and leading scholars, policymakers and business leaders.

Stephen Deyo, MIA

Career Track: International Management
Region: Japan

Stephen Deyo graduated from the University of Central Missouri in 2019 with a bachelor of science in history and a minor in international affairs. Before coming to the School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), he participated in the JET Program and taught English in Japan for two years before returning to the United States to continue working in education. After yearlong stints with both the Missouri Department of Higher Education and the University of Missouri, he shifted his career focus to the private sector and applied to GPS to facilitate the transition. While at GPS, Deyo interned at Mitsubishi Research Institute as both a business consultant and a public consultant primarily seeking solutions to Japan’s approach to international technology transfers and business digital transformation (DX) solutions. Beyond this experience, he is also a teaching assistant at GPS as well as the president of Asameshikai, GPS’ Japan-focused organization.

Skyler Fesagaiga, MPP

Specializations: Inequality and Social Policy, Program Design and Evaluation

Skyler Fesagaiga completed her bachelor of science in family life and human development, with a concentration in family services, at Southern Utah University (SUU). Before attending GPS, Skyler worked as a behavioral therapist in Orange County and Los Angeles and as a research assistant at SUU. Her longstanding commitment to volunteer work with Train 4 Autism — where she started volunteering at a young age — and her work with students with special needs inspired her pursuit of a career in special education policy. Her interests focus on national special education policy implementation in public school districts across Southern California. While attending GPS, she completed a virtual federal student service internship for the National Center for Special Education Research. Currently, Fesagaiga is a GPS representative for the campuswide Graduate Professional Student Association.

Yingcheng Guo, MCEPA

Disciplinary Specialization: Chinese Politics and Public Policy

Yingcheng Guo holds a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Arts and Science at New York University and an honors bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the GPS graduate program, he accumulated over five years of experience in catalyst research, chemical production management and visa consulting services in Northwestern China. His interest in international relations grew through interactions with international students and foreign trade representatives during business negotiations. After completing his undergraduate studies, he also worked in legal and immigration consulting in Canada and actively engaged in volunteer activities supporting the integration of Asian communities into Canadian society in Vancouver. The diverse work and study experiences across Canada, China and the United States motivate Guo to continually learn about and understand different cultures, aspiring to contribute effectively to a competitive and diverse environment in the future.

Roberto Hernandez-Rodriguez, MIA

Career Tracks: International Economics, International Development and Nonprofit Management
Region: Latin America

Roberto Hernández Rodríguez is pursuing a Master of International Affairs at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, specializing in International Development and International Economics with a regional focus on Latin America.

Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Hernández Rodríguez holds a bachelor of arts in international relations from El Colegio de México, a premier social science research institution in Latin America. His research has centered on the Mexican economic model based on the maquiladora industry and the political dynamics of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Before attending GPS, he worked professionally as a research assistant, political analyst and ultimately as a coordinator of strategic projects at the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature in Mexico. His professional experiences have cultivated a deep interest in economic development and managing international public policy projects aimed at bridging the socio-economic divides between the Global North and the Global South.

This past summer, he completed an internship at UNESCO’s world headquarters in Paris, contributing to the unit focused on the cultural and natural heritage sites of Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Hernández Rodríguez has been recognized with the 2024 Jeffrey D. Shorn + Charles S. Kaminski Scholarship from PFLAG San Diego and VIDA’s fifth annual LGBTQ+ Latinx Scholarship, reflecting his commitment to diversity and inclusion.

As he begins his second year of the master's program, Hernández Rodríguez aims to leverage his education and experience to foster equitable development policies and cross-border collaboration. He aspires to work with international organizations and NGOs that address socio-economic disparities and promote sustainable development in Latin America.

Daniel Hershfield, MIA

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

Daniel Hershfield (he/him) 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 bachelor of arts in political science, with a minor in global poverty and practice, from UC Berkeley, where he graduated in 2020. He is currently a global networks intern at the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA). There, he has supported initiatives such as the Africa Evidence Summit, CEGA Fellowship and Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research since the summer, and he will continue through the fall.

McKenna Maxwell, MPP

Specialization: Environmental Policy

McKenna Maxwell holds a bachelor of science in environmental science and management from UC Davis. Prior to enrolling at GPS, she worked in urban planning at a private consultancy and in disaster recovery at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). At Cal OES she supported cities and counties across California in accessing state and federal funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program in the aftermath of events such as COVID-19, the 2021 Caldor and Dixie fires and the 2023 winter storms. While at GPS, McKenna interned with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in their Loss and Damage Unit, contributing to the development of technical products on comprehensive risk management, slow onset events, non-economic losses and human mobility in the context of climate change. At UC San Diego, she is an instructional assistant, a member of the Committee on Campus Climate Change, a Green Grant recipient and a member of the sailing team.

Yuhe Mu, MCEPA

Disciplinary Specializations: Chinese Foreign Policy and Security, Chinese Politics and Public Policy

Jade Nettrour, MIA

Career Track: International Management
Region: Southeast Asia

Jade Nettrour spent two years earning her bachelor of arts in international studies at the University of California Irvine. She has a strong passion and interest in popular culture and the influence of politics on its representation, specifically for the East Asian and Pacific Island cultures. Her undergraduate honor thesis explored this topic, using Disney’s Southeast Asian, East Asian and Pacific Islands production content as examples to demonstrate how racial capitalism and orientalism triangulate these regions. Nettrour is also strongly engaged in social justice education; she works remotely at UC Irvine with the undergraduate dean in Students Activating Social Innovation to research how university education can be more engaged with social justice. At GPS, she is continuing to engage with these topics as she earns her Master in International Affairs on the International Management track, with a regional specialty in Southeast Asia. She also works for the 21st Century China Center as the media manager for the China Focus blog. She hopes to find career opportunities that will allow her to continue these interests by entering the entertainment industry or international business as a cultural and/or social justice consultant.

Sarah Pouladdej, MIA

Career Track: International Politics
Region: Korea

Sarah Pouladdej holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations, with a minor in Asian area studies, from the University of British Columbia (UBC), where she graduated with distinction. She was the recipient of the UBC Global International Learning Programs Award in 2019. In the summer of 2024, Pouladdej worked as a congressional intern at Scott Peters for Congress (through U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s Democracy Summer program), focusing on how to strengthen our democratic institutions. Additionally, she served as a graduate student researcher for professor Augustina Paglayan, translating parliamentary archival documents regarding the Finnish Education system. At GPS, Pouladdej serves as the president of the Korea-focused club Mannam and as the vice president of political programming for Women Going Global.

Briana Scott, MPP

Specialization: Inequality and Social Policy

Briana Scott is a second-year graduate student at the University of California San Diego, pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree with a concentration in Inequality and Social Policy. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and African American studies from the University of California Davis. With a diverse background in policy analysis, project management and urban development, Scott has contributed to numerous initiatives aimed at addressing inequities in marginalized communities. Her experience spans multiple sectors, from her work as a policy analyst at Growing Greatness Now Policy & Urban Design Consulting, to her role as an administrative manager at Team Rubicon, and more recently her engagement with the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, where she has helped to shape utilities policy and research.

Scott is dedicated to fostering educational opportunities for underserved communities, having engaged in advocacy for the California Community Colleges and child support reform. Her work reflects her passion for creating equitable access to essential services and driving systemic change in the public sector. Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, she enjoys reading, attending concerts and staying involved in civic and community-driven initiatives.

Matthew Tillyer, BA-MIA

Career Track: International Development and Nonprofit Management
Region: Latin America

Matthew Tillyer is a Master of International Affairs candidate and holds a bachelor of arts in political science as part of the BA/MIA concurrent degree program. He is passionate about sustainable development and how we can make our cities more resilient, accessible and enjoyable places to live. During his time at UC San Diego, he has worked with GPS professors who are investigating the actions of poll monitors in developing countries elections. He has also developed solutions to mitigate wildfires at a local military base through the Hacking for Defense program and conducted research on the homelessness crisis through the Urban Studies Department courses. Tillyer was honored to represent UC San Diego at the annual Association of Pacific Rim Universities’ Undergraduate Leadership Program, hosted in 2024 in Shanghai. He is currently a student fellow in the office of the County of San Diego District 3 Supervisor Terra Lawsom-Remer and serves as the vice president of finance on the GO GPS Board.

Jessica Villatoro, MPP

Specialization: Peace and Security

Jessica Villatoro graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science, with a global concentration, from California State University San Marcos. Her recent role as a graduate analyst intern at the Government Accountability Office involved conducting data analysis for the Lobbying Disclosure Review and contributing to government reports. Her work emphasized collaboration, qualitative research and data-driven policy analysis.

Villatoro is actively engaged with Underground Scholars at UC San Diego, supporting formerly incarcerated students, and she contributes to the office of Outreach, Access, Recruitment and Retention, where she works at the RAZA Resource Centro, leading retention initiatives for graduate Latinx students.

Yuxuan Wu, MIA

Career Track: International Economics
Region: Latin America

Yuxuan Wu holds a bachelor of arts in Spanish language from East China Normal University and spent a year studying in Spain before pursuing her studies at GPS. She is dedicated to applying economic tools and energy expertise to explore trade and energy dynamics between the United States, China and Latin America. In 2024, Wu and her team won first prize in the GPS Policy Competition for their analysis of global supply chain data. That same summer, she interned at the United Nations in New York City, where she focused on sustainable development and innovative financial solutions. Currently, she works as an Assistant at the California Energy Commission and serves as editor-in-chief of China Focus at the 21st Century China Center. She is also actively engaged in energy conferences and research projects on decarbonization across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Teresa Yacaman Mendez, MIA

Career Tracks: International Economics, International Development and Nonprofit Management
Region: Latin America

Born and raised in Mexico City, Teresa Yacaman Mendez is passionate about applying her economics and development expertise to research that deepens the world’s understanding of her home country. She holds a bachelor of arts in international affairs from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Before GPS, Yacaman Mendez worked as a research assistant at the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies, focusing on U.S.-Mexico economic and social relations. She has experience as a political consultant and researcher at institutions like the Council on Foreign Relations and COMEXI. Currently, she is a teaching assistant for the Globalization course and a research assistant to professor Gordon McCord. She is also a yoga instructor who believes discipline and self-knowledge are the best ways to bring peace into our surroundings.

Ling Zhou, MIA

Career Track: International Economics
Region: China

Ling Zhou holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Jiaxing University in China. Prior to UC San Diego, she worked as an administrative supervisor in a state-owned enterprise (SOE), where she witnessed the contrasting decision-making processes between SOEs and private companies. Since the company’s project was located in a national-level poverty-stricken county, she observed how local governments managed to attract investment and improve local people’s livelihoods under China's poverty alleviation initiatives, and she also witnessed the stark disparities in the country. These experiences motivated her to embark on her journey at GPS. During the summer of 2024, she worked as a research assistant at the 21st Century China Center, studying the relationship between foreign missions of China’s Ministry of Finance and outbound investments. She also served as a researcher at the International Land Coalition, where she explored the motivation, global distribution and local welfare impacts of China's global large-scale land acquisitions.

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.