Cover Story

Over the past 46 years more than 34,000 men and women have come to SPEA with a passion to learn and then departed with the skills to chart their own unique course. SPEA Magazine wanted to learn what that voyage has been like and to share those recollections with fellow alumni who collectively have lived and worked in practically every corner of the world.

From Washington, D.C., to Wauconda, Ill., Anchorage, Alaska, to Ankara, Turkey, New York City to Nashville (TN and IN), and from Brooklyn to Bloomington, SPEA graduates have had boundless impact in their communities as leaders and innovators in professions as diverse as they themselves are. Symphony orchestras, national parks, investment firms, federal offices from the EPA to the White House, unique start-ups, service organizations, and higher education are but a handful of the workplaces that have benefited from the expertise and professionalism of SPEA alumni.

Response to SPEA Magazine’s request to learn “Where are you now?” was so strong that all of the stories could not be shared here in this edition, but a visit to the magazine’s website does offer a comprehensive look at the submissions. And if you weren’t able to share your story this go-around, it’s never too late as the experiences of SPEA alumni are just like the school itself, always getting better over time. So send us an email describing what you’ve been up to, along with a photo you’d like to share, and become part of SPEA history.

Bart Karwath
Carmel, Ind.
BSPA’88
I am a lawyer and a partner with Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, in Indianapolis. My practice includes many areas of civil litigation and is presently focused on government and municipal litigation, utility litigation, construction litigation, commercial and business litigation, and employee benefit litigation.

Jenna Larkin
Washington, D.C.
MPA-MSES’15
I’m in Washington, D.C., protecting human health and the environment at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency!

Stephanie Fowler Raeke
Arlington Heights, Ill.
MPA’13
I’m at HAVI, a global, privately owned company focused on innovating, optimizing and managing the supply chains of leading brands, as a Product Stewardship Manager, where I get the privilege to qualify food packaging products for McDonalds and Panera for safety and compliance. Each day we aim to exceed the expectations of our customers and bring a sense of responsibility and safety to our products.

Anthony Scott Teal
Plainfield, Ind.
BSPA’90, MPA’96
I am currently a senior special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. I currently work out of the Indianapolis Field Office and serve as the division’s tactical advisor. I have a passion for helping people and working with other agencies to find solutions to problems that affect our communities.

Kallan Picha
Malibu, Calif.
MPA’11
I graduated with an MPA focusing on comparative and international affairs, as well as with a Master of Arts in European Studies from the IU College of Arts and Sciences. After working in the IU Institute for European Studies for several years, I made the move to Malibu in 2015 and was soon after promoted to director of global programs for the Pepperdine University Business School, where I now manage a portfolio of study abroad programs and international student services.

David Paperman
Seward, Alaska
BS’94
I live with my wife Dana and two children – Sam, 14, and Edna, 7 – in a piece of paradise on Resurrection Bay, 120 miles away from the nearest stop light, in Seward, Alaska. I am finishing up my 11th year as the Residence Life Department Head of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center – the only statewide adult vocational training center in Alaska. I am very active in our local non-profit community, and serve as president of the Seward Little League, as well as a member of the boards of directors of the Seward Arts Council and the Seward Community Health Center, and as the founder of our local not-for-profit movie theater. In 1997 I was named the Seward Person of the Year by the Seward Chamber of Commerce and am hoping to find some time to visit Bloomington for the first time since 1996. My son Sam is finishing up his freshman year at Seward High School and maybe will be just as enamored with the IU campus and its opportunities as I was nearly 30 years ago!

Jeff McNish
Crozet, Va.
BSPA’92
Just over a year ago I joined the University of Virginia Darden School of Business as the assistant dean of the Career Development Center. So far I’ve spent half of my career in the private sector (the beginning) and the last half working at public universities. I leverage my public affairs/management degree daily in my current role. My wife and three kids love living in Charlottesville … it reminds me of Bloomington!

Damon Smith
Washington, D.C.
MPA’15
I currently work as a senior analyst in Global Trade Licensing and Compliance at Raytheon in Arlington, Va. In this role I ensure my programs have the proper licenses and authorizations to export defense articles, defense services, and technical data to allies around the world in accordance with the Department of State’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). At Raytheon I have managed licensing plans and authorizations to support our PATRIOT and NASAMS missile defense systems in Poland, South Korea, and Oman. More recently I have focused on ensuring compliance with the anti-corruption and transparency regulations of the ITAR across the company and initiated new programs to properly classify information systems and software applications under the Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations. In the SPEA MPA program, I concentrated in international development with a focus on international trade. I also earned a Master of Arts in Russian and East European Studies. These have complemented each other well as I work at the global intersection of the public and private sectors in the defense industry. My education at SPEA was foundational in beginning my career, succeeding in it, and enjoying it.

Christopher Carlson
Silver Spring, Md.
MSES,’91
I am nearing the end of my 13th year with the U.S. Forest Service in its Washington, D.C., headquarters. I started as the national groundwater program leader and currently serve as the assistant director for water and aquatic resources. I have run into Speons in a number of places, including on the Hill, at EPA, USDA, and the Forest Service. IU SPEA prepares its graduates to make a difference in government.

Sacha Tischler Urban
Saint Charles, Ill.
MPA’03
I’m the director of individual giving at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

Liz Clerkin French
Oberlin, Ohio
MPA’80
I am the associate dean for academic advising and registrar at Oberlin College. When Oberlin students ask me what path I took to get here, I joke that my degree was in public affairs with a concentration in public sector labor relations--it’s so obvious why I am now working for a private liberal arts college! But seriously, the knowledge I brought with me about managing operations (I am now responsible for 14 staff members and advising for over 2,000 students) and applying a union contract has been golden to me.

Emily Kasnak VLG
Chicago, Ill.
BSPA’13
Upon graduating in May of 2013, I headed to a place many SPEA grads go, Washington, D.C.! I held a number of different roles during my time there, from account manager at a logistics company to operations manager for a very successful restaurant group. I spent about four years in D.C. and enjoyed seeing the city evolve and change during my time there. I formed valuable friendships with and learned from people that I hadn’t quite experienced in the Midwest. I then came back to the Midwest, where I’ve been working for a food-tech startup called Farmer’s Fridge. I’ve transitioned to the marketing world and spend my day coordinating various events and developing community partnerships throughout Chicago and Milwaukee. I’m so happy to be back in the Midwest and I’m not yet tired of running into Hoosiers almost everywhere I go. I’ve found value progressing through different industries and challenging myself outside of my comfort zone. My time and colleagues at SPEA helped equip me with tools to succeed in many environments and I’m excited to see where my curiosity takes me next!

Noel Daniels
Scottsdale, Ariz.
MAAA’84
I worked for an arts festival in San Antonio, managed a 1923 movie palace/performing arts auditorium, was business manager for Opera Grand Rapids, and finally finance director for the Grand Rapids Symphony. I got pigeonholed into accounting and payroll, and never had contact with people or the creative process. Burned out and unhappy, I switched careers after moving to Arizona. I went to a school in San Francisco and became a certified tour director. I love it.

Tom Bredeson
Tucson, Ariz.
MPA’74
After 40 years of experience, I retired as Managing Director, Investments, for Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. My son, Andrew (now working for Standard and Poors), earned his SPEA MPA in 2015, making us among the very first legacy graduates.

Christopher Veneracion
Colorado Springs, Colo.
MPA’09
I graduated in 2014 and now manage one of Colorado Springs’ top-rated tourist attractions – Colorado’s first and only outdoor laser tag facility. We do both military training and civilian recreation and I love being outside and representing an amazingly successful small business. IU taught me a lot about managing people and finances and that formed me into a successful leader.

Amanda Lynn Shine Zambrano
Houghton, N.Y.
MAAA’10
In January of 2017 I left my adopted home state of Indiana to move to New York, where I took a job at my undergraduate almamater, Houghton College, serving as grant writer, researcher, and donor relations specialist. I was married in 2010 shortly before finishing my MAAA at IU, and my husband and I have a three-year-old son. It is eternally surprising to me that I’ve not remained in the arts, as I’d intended, but working at a small liberal arts college allows me to stay in touch with my musical roots and expand into other areas of interest as I pursue funding for projects across the campus.

Ann J. New
Bainbridge Island, Wash.
MAAA’81
I have applied my IU education through all of my work life. I just completed my most recent non-profit gig as development director for the Center for Courage & Renewal in Seattle and I’m now working full-time as a personal trainer on Bainbridge Island. I’m grateful for Indiana University and all it has offered me in my life and work.

Jennifer R. Geisenhaver
Indianapolis, Ind.
MPA’12
After graduation from SPEA, I became employed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management as an environmental manager in the Office of Air Quality. Since that time I’ve been promoted to a senior environmental manager and now facilitate the Great Lakes Air Deposition grant program, as well as help with other projects that deal with the implementation of U.S. EPA air regulations within Indiana, including the Clean Power Plan and other rules under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. I am happily engaged to my wonderful fiancé, Nicholas Villalobos, and we will be married on September 1, 2018, in Michigan.

Thomas Davidson
Carmel, Ind.
BSPA’05
I started a company in 2006 after leaving IU and we are now in our 13th year managing the logistics behind travel baseball tournaments around the country. The success of that company was covered in the 2014 edition of the Indiana Business Journal’s “40 Under 40.” We now see over 5,000 teams at our events from 25-plus states, and Canada, and host over 200 events a year. My passion for non-profits led me to become a managing partner of BreadBoost, which is a crowdfunding platform used by nonprofits around the country to maximize their fundraising efforts.

Jessica Harbison Weaver
Portland, Ore.
MPA’13
After graduating from IUPUI in 2013 I left the NCAA National Office in August for an assistant athletic director of compliance position at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. I was there for three years during which I used my MPA as a strong foundation in nonprofit management and policy analysis. After that I moved to Riverside, Calif., for a year and a half where I was the assistant athletic director for compliance services at the University of California, Riverside. Most recently I made the move into being the senior woman administrator for the Athletics Department at Concordia University in Portland, Ore., where I supervise baseball, men’s soccer, men’s golf, and women’s golf. I also serve as the associate athletic director for compliance and academic support, a member of the athletics department senior management team, and as the Title IX liaison for athletics. My foundation at SPEA has been what has given me the edge in achieving my career goals of being the senior woman administrator at a small private school on the west coast.

Matthew Doss
Markle, Ind.
MPA’96
I live in Markle and work in Marion, Ind., as the regional director of human resources and attorney for a nursing home management company. I am married to a great wife, Emily. My stepdaughter, Ciara, is currently a SPEA student. Since my time at IU Bloomington, I have not only graduated from law school, but I’ve also become more active in sports and sports administration. I recently retired from competitive rugby after playing for 13 years, mostly for the Fort Wayne Black and Blue RFC. I’ve been fortunate to play for various other teams worldwide, including the Queensland East Tigers RFC, Kapiti Coast Gorillas RFC, Michigan Select Sides, and the Farm Boys of Indiana. I coached high school and college rugby and then spent five years as the president of the Indiana Rugby Football Union. Currently, I am the midwest representative to the USA Rugby Congress. The Congress consists of 36 regional representatives and ten international rugby athletes. The Congress, in conjunction with the national office and the board of directors, develops and implements the strategic plan that shapes the experience of our Olympic and national team, as well as the experience for our youth, college, and senior athletes.

Mark Bowles
Indianapolis, Ind.
BSPA’78
With my SPEA degree from IU, I believe I have a very good understanding of how local, state, and federal governments operate. I worked one summer during college for the City of Indianapolis and also had an internship in business with Macy’s. Upon graduation, I chose to pursue a career in the private sector and the highlights of my career include eight years with American Greetings Corp. in sales and management and 23 years with Thermo Fisher Scientific in occupation safety product sales. I retired in 2015. I am proud that my daughter, Leigh Bowles, also graduated from IU in with a BS from SPEA in healthcare policy and management in 2015. She is employed with a healthcare technology company in Chicago.

Michael Wurzbacher
Washington, D.C.
MPA’14
Working for Sparkfund as an account manager. By driving the adoption of the Sparkfund Technology Subscription I’m working to change the way organizations access energy efficient technologies, allowing them to accelerate their transition to more reliable, energy-efficient systems with minimum effort and maximum impact on their sustainability and profit goals. Prior to Sparkfund, I was public sector senior associate at Grant Thornton working at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. When not at Sparkfund, I’m a mentor and associate board member for BUILD, an organization that helps high school students learn life skills through entrepreneurship.

Samir Rama Belagaje
Atlanta, Ga.
BSPA’00
I am a faculty member in the Department of Neurology at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta. My area of specialty is stroke and neuro-rehabilitation. I put my SPEA training and education in use as I am actively involved in advocacy efforts at the state and national level and represent the American Academy of Neurology on topics such as health care reform and other health policy related to neurology and our patients.

Nicholas Connon
Pasadena, Calif.
BSPA’87
For over 27 years I’ve represented multinationals, major corporations, and businesses, partnerships, and executives in a wide variety of industries, including the entertainment, defense, financial services, energy and chemicals, and manufacturing sectors. My practice focuses on high-stakes litigation in a variety of arbitral, judicial, and governmental forums and jurisdictions throughout the United States and abroad. I’m founder and managing partner of the Connon Wood LLP and also serve as chair of the firm’s Middle East Practice Group, recognized as 2015 Middle East Litigation Law Firm of the Year in California. I travel to the Middle East and Europe to assist clients with legal and business matters abroad, am actively involved in a number of international bar associations, and I’m the former chair of the International Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Natalie Clayton
Indianapolis, Ind.
BSPA’09
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, and I’ve spent my career advocating for Indy, including its downtown, local businesses, and nonprofits. My background as a realtor, a marketer, and a fundraiser has created a career and life that I truly enjoy. I spend a lot of my time working in residential real estate in Indy and volunteering via board service for Indy nonprofits. My husband, Blake, and I reside on Indy’s east side in the Community Heights neighborhood, with our two dogs, Jack and Jamison. Fun fact: I am the founder of Bourbon Women Indy, a branch of Bourbon Women (where I am also a current board member). I always love connecting to other SPEA grads, so please reach out!

Geoff Paddock
Fort Wayne, Ind.
MPA’88
I’m in my second term as a city councilman in Fort Wayne and I’ve been a chairman of the City Council Finance Committee. In 2018 I’ve been working on a number of projects to bring economic development and jobs to Fort Wayne. A few of these projects are: repurposing and renovation of the 1.2 millionsquare-foot General Electric factory campus in the center of the district in which I represent. This is one of the largest public/private partnerships ever in the history of Indiana and is estimated to cost over $400 million. Phase I is hoped to be completed by late 2020 and could bring in more than 1,500 jobs. I’m also working to bring passenger rail service back to Fort Wayne that would also create jobs and economic development.

Terry Lynne Babcock-Lumish
Newark, Del.
MPA’99
I founded Islay in 2005 to advise leaders committed to effecting positive change, from local to global. Representative clients include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, and Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Recent year’s academic affiliations include the University of Arizona, CUNY, University of Delaware, Harvard, Oxford, and the United States Military Academy, where I cocreated West Point’s civilian-military partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. I previously served as the founding director of public policy at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, dedicated to education, research, and civic engagement, in the historic New York City home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. I’ve worked in local, state, and federal government. Upon leaving the White House in 2001, I served as a researcher for two books by Vice President Al Gore. I recently moved from the 50th state, Hawaii, to the first, Delaware, as a visiting scholar at the soon-to-be-named Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. In my free time, I’m a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who may be found experimenting with new recipes, practicing yoga, or participating in occasional tests of endurance by foot or by bicycle with my husband, U.S. Army Major Brian Babcock-Lumish.

Toby Fox
Phoenix, Ariz.
MPA’04
After spending nearly 18 years working in the nonprofit sector, primarily in fund development, in 2016 I landed my dream job working for Nationwide Insurance with the Office of Corporate Citizenship team. In this role I lead Nationwide’s philanthropic, workplace giving, and volunteerism initiatives for the Phoenix/ Scottsdale market. This includes working with our local, nonprofit partners and creating meaningful opportunities for associates to give back to the community in which they live, work, and play. My role allows me to continue advocating for the nonprofit sector while encouraging others to do the same!

David Barton
McFarland, Wis.
MPA’78
Enjoyed my time in SPEA and met my better half, Mary Wagner, in an economics course. Spent 30-plus years in pharmaceuticals and medical devices and am currently president of two medical device start-ups. SPEA was a good place to learn about government bureaucracies and how to wind your way through them. It helped me down my path.

Dee S. Owens
Bloomington, Ind.
MPA’94
I left the IU Bloomington Dean of Students office, reluctantly, to work for the Department of Health and Human Services in the Washington, D.C., area at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, where I serve as special assistant to the director of the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. Earning the MPA took me in a direction I did not anticipate, and I learned much from my time in government service, be it state or federal, as well as in nonprofit management and academia, and even in another country. SPEA students, stick with it! Your IU degree will lead you to adventures you never imagined and open doors worth stepping through. Simply be open to the possibilities!

Nichole C. Davis
Brooklyn, N.Y.
MPA’13
As director of programs at the Office of Financial Empowerment within the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs I lead the development and implementation of programs and services designed to assist New Yorkers and communities with low and moderate incomes increase their access to high-quality, free financial counseling, and coach safe and affordable banking products and income-boosting tax credits and savings. After graduating from SPEA I moved to New York City and took a job at Single Stop, a New York-based anti-poverty nonprofit, where I oversaw program development and new partnerships across the northeast United States. My work at Single Stop focused on promoting access to public benefits, financial counseling, free tax preparation, and community resources for college students with low incomes. I often speak about SPEA and I’m doing exactly the work I’d hoped for!

Ciaran McQuiston
Indianapolis, Ind.
MPA’15
I am currently the director of operations and outreach at a Indianapolis arts nonprofit called Cat Head Press: Printshop and Artist Cooperative. In addition, I am the camp director and a teaching artist at the Indianapolis Art Center. I also serve in the Indianapolis chapter of Impact 100 Women’s Charitable Giving Circle as a member of the Education Committee. I have been so blessed to be able to combine my love of nonprofit management, philanthropy, education, and the arts so seamlessly!

Victor Serveiss
Vienna, Va.
MPA’84
In 1981 I enrolled in the Indiana University MBA program but after going through MBA orientation realized that was not for me. Lucky for me, I learned about SPEA and switched programs. I was fortunate that SPEA helped me get a one-semester paid internship with a U.S. Army facility in St. Louis. I graduated a semester late to do the internship, but upon graduating got hired back as a permanent federal government employee. My passion was to work for the environment so a few years later I found a job as a management analyst with EPA. I worked on the EPA budget for several years and then went back for more schooling and earned an MS in environmental science. I completed course work for a doctorate but in the process got a temporary promotion to a management job at EPA. Several years ago I left EPA to join the U.S. State Department where I now work with Canada on environmental policy and science issues to provide advice and recommendations to help protect and restore the Great Lakes.

Angela Coe
Indianapolis, Ind.
BSCJ’98
I am an attorney here in Indianapolis. I attended law school here and becoming an attorney was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I love to help people in the community and help solve problems. I appreciate the education and programs offered through SPEA and the advisors who helped along the way. If I can inspire anyone, my message is to never give up on your goals and dreams and to keep your vision in front of you. They will become a reality!

Adriene First Tynes
West Palm Beach, Fla.
MPA’12
My dual degree program at IUPUI-SPEA and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy set me up perfectly for my current position as director of accreditation at Nonprofits First in Palm Beach County. I am also proud to serve on the board of directors for Community Greening, a collective effort to improve our environment for people and nature, and also Youth Making Ripples, a nonprofit marine science film festival for K-12 students. In a few months, I’ll graduate from the Leadership Palm Beach County program. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to work with incredible leaders who are making our community a better place, and I’m grateful for the education, scholarships, and friendships that led me to this point.

Dan Zbinden
Yorkville, Ill.
MSES’92
I am the health, safety & environmental manager at the BP R&D Facility in Naperville, Ill. I became a certified industrial hygienist in 1995. I have been married to Jean for 30 years. My daughter Laura is 25, graduated from Drake and is teaching business English at a university in Guilin, China. My son Ben is 22 and a senior at Texas Tech (math major). Life is good. We are in year three of our “dogless decade.” We can go wherever and whenever we like with no hassles. We love canoeing and kayaking, and all the associated outdoor activities. Love the North Woods. Hate ticks.

Rob Dreiman
Vincennes, Ind.
BSPA’03
My wife Meredith and I currently reside in Vincennes with our three children. In the past six months I’ve obtained my Project Management Professional Certification, began a new career at Duke Energy as a project manager, and coached in the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s 1A Girls Basketball State Finals. My family visits Bloomington on a regular basis to attend different events on campus.

Devin Galloway
Solsberry, Ind.
MSES’78
Back home again in Indiana. Since graduating from SPEA in 1978, I have been a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey working throughout the nation and internationally while stationed in Illinois, Colorado, and California. Currently, I am with the Earth Science Processes Division in the Water Mission Area of the USGS, and celebrate 40 years with the USGS this May. Our family – wife Sharon, grandson Zion, Max the dog, and me – moved from California to near Bloomington five years ago to help my mother and raise our grandson. Congratulations to SPEA on the 46th anniversary of the school! It has been great to see SPEA grow and thrive over the years, and I am very grateful for the education and opportunities afforded me as a graduate student during the “early years.” I look forward to future opportunities to reconnect with the school and local colleagues.

Joel Wagner
Lakewood, Colo.
MSES’80
After receiving my MSES degree from SPEA I began my career as a hydrologist at Everglades National Park. After eight years at Everglades I moved to Denver to join the National Park Service’s Water Resources Division, where I established a wetlands program. Thanks go to SPEA and especially to the late Dr. Dan Willard, my mentor. Time flies by, I have two grandkids!