Alumni Events

Professors Harleen Singh, Women’s Studies Research Center (WSRC) director and associate professor of South Asian Literature and Women's Studies and Rajesh Sampath, associate professor of the Philosophy of Justice, Rights, and Social Change at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis, had a discussion about the role of Dalit women in India's Anti-Colonial movement; the participation by members of what once was called the “untouchable” caste in modern Indian government and their conflicted status in Indian society. Explore gender inequality, the caste system, and their intersections in India and the pursuit of justice and equality today. This event is co-sponsored by the Brandeis Women’s Network and a Brandeis Alumni College 2021 event. Watch the recording.

This event featured a panel of alumni and a current student for a discussion of Latina/o/x students at Brandeis. The panel shared their experiences on campus spanning 50 years including student activism - off and on campus - and a history of the student organization, GRITO. The moderator is Heller alum Fernando Torres-Gil, MSW'72, PhD'76. Panelists include undergraduate alumni Naomi Vega '73, Norma Sanchez '84, Blanca Elizabeth Vega '98, Cesar Ramirez '04 and Irma Reyes '21. If you have any questions, please reach out to Elsie Morales Ramos '72. Hosted by the Brandeis Alumni of Color Network. Watch the recording.

The Biden Administration has prioritized the rapid scale up and administering of the COVID vaccine as a key part of the strategy to deal with the virus and create conditions conducive for reopening the economy. At the same time global efforts, through the Covax initiative as well as at country levels, are trying to use collective actions to make the COVID vaccine available to billions of people living in low and middle-income settings. The Biden administration has signalled its commitment to the global effort through a financial commitment in the billions of dollars. The domestic and global responses have come with questions on the rollout itself but equally with issues around ensuring equity and the responsibility of high income countries to low and middle-income countries. This panel brought together representatives from various sectors, domestic and global, to share their perspectives and discuss the issues. Moderated by Dr. Maria Madison, Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity and Director, Institute for Economic and Racial Equity.

Panelists included Senator Jo Comerford, Massachusetts State Senator for Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester Districts; Dr. Oneeka Williams, MD, MPH, Practicing surgeon, St. Elizabeth Medical Centre, Boston; Assistant Clinical Professor of Urology, Tufts University School of Medicine; Founder and CEO at Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo, LLC; Vice Chair, Board of Advisors, Museum of Science, Boston; Ms. Sangita Patel, Director Health Office, USAID India; Dan Kress, Vice President for Health Systems Innovation, Management Sciences for Health; Christian von Stolk, Vice President, RAND, & co-author, RAND vaccine nationalism study. This event is co-sponsored by the Institute of Global Health and Development and Institute for Economic and Racial Equity. Questions? Email Monica Jordan. Watch the recording.

In this Conversation with the Dean, David Weil spoke to Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut about her commitment to creating good middle class jobs, promoting employee and union rights, expanding the child tax credit and more. DeLauro became the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee in 2020 and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and she is the Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where she oversees our nation’s investments in education, health, and employment. Read about the event and watch the recording here.

Read more about Rep. DeLauro, her expertise, and biography here.

Calling all alumni in Africa!  Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz and his wife Jessica hosted a Zoom Reception and Q&A for Heller and Brandeis Alumni, Parents, and Friends in Africa. "Brandeis in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond" Moderated by Heller alum and Board of Advisors member, Charles Nalyaali, MA SID’98, P’20. Heller Professor Joseph Assan joined as moderator for the Q&A portion of the program. Watch the recording.

The 5th Annual Stanley Wallack Distinguished Memorial Lecture featured special guest speaker Chris Jennings, Founder and President, Jennings Policy Strategies Inc. Mr. Jennings served as Senior Advisor to the President for Health Policy under Presidents' Clinton and Obama and most recently appointed to represent President Biden on the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force. Heller’s Stuart H. Altman, PhD, Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy, moderated the discussion and David Weil, Dean and Professor, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, gave opening remarks. The event recording will be posted soon.

To make a gift to the Stanley Wallack Distinguished Memorial Lecture Series, you can make a gift online by including “Stanley Wallack Distinguished Memorial Lecture” to the “Please indicate your preferred designation(s)” field.

David Weil, Heller Dean and Professor, hosted our very first Heller Alumni and Friends Virtual Town Hall featuring the panelists below. Topics included an overall update about Heller, our plan for addressing systematized racism, an update on the student experience during COVID-19, and many ways alumni and friends can interact with and help the Heller School. Even though the Heller School looks different this year compared to previous years, we push forward with hope and vision for a better world. Watch the recording.

Panelists included Benny Belvin, Assistant Dean, Career Development; Ravi Lakshmikanthan, MA SID'99, Assistant Dean, Academic and Student Services; Maria Madison, Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity and Director of the Institute for Assets and Social Policy; and Nicole Rodriguez, MPP'14, Heller Alumni Association Board President.

With the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, what does the road ahead look like in terms of progressive social policies and socio-political movement trends? Dean David Weil facilitated a discussion among four panelists who bring a wealth of experiences and perspectives to this question. Watch the recording.

Panelists: David Weil, Dean and Professor (Moderator); Archon Fung, Professor, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Robert Kuttner, Meyer and Ida Kirstein Professor in Social Planning and Administration, The Heller School at Brandeis and Co-founder and former editor of the American Prospect; Chris Lu, Senior Fellow, University of Virginia Miller Center and Former US Deputy Secretary of Labor, Obama Administration; and Carmen Rojas, President and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation and Founder of Workers Lab.

In the words of John Lewis, "Democracy is not a state. It is an act." The Heller Dean, David Weil, facilitated a panel discussion of democratic participation, civic engagement, and voting access in advance of Election Day. Panelists included David Weil, Dean and Professor, The Heller School, Brandeis University; Anita Hill, University Professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Brandeis University; Fernando Torres-Gil, MSW'72, PhD'76, Director, Center for Policy Research on Aging and Professor of Social Welfare and Public Policy, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California; and Daniel Kryder, Louis Stulberg Chair in Law and Politics, Brandeis University. Watch the recording.

A second Conversation, "Politics and Policy: The Path Forward," will take place after the election and information on that event will be shared in November.

As a community dedicated to the pursuit and diffusion of knowledge advancing social justice, we are launching our first Heller community reading initiative this academic year. Throughout the year, beginning with incoming students at Orientation, we will read and discuss From #Black Lives Matter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, published in 2016. This ongoing conversation will include everyone in the Heller community: faculty, researchers, administrative staff, students and alumni. 

Dr. Taylor is Assistant Professor and Charles H. Mcilwain University Preceptor, Department of African Studies at Princeton University. She writes and speaks on Black politics, social movements and racial inequality in the United States. Dr. Taylor was recently named among the first cohort of Freedom Scholars, an initiative supporting progressive academics who are at the forefront of movements for economic and social justice. Learn more about Dr. Taylor by watching her TedxBaltimore presentation.

Following the conversation with Dr. Taylor, attendees were invited to join a Bridge to Beloved Community with Joy von Steiger from the Brandeis Counseling Center. This short, informal and interactive session is intended intended to help deal with the many pressures we are all facing in these difficult times.

Watch the recording.

Access to the book is remains available free of charge to members of the Heller community. For information to access the book, alumni can email helleralumni@brandeis.edu.

This was a cross-disciplinary discussion on racism as a public health and economic crisis, with a focus on action. Presenters included Leah Wright Rigueur, PhD, Harry Truman Associate Professor of History, Brandeis University; Bill Rodgers, PhD, Chief Economist, Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University; Anita Hill, JD, Professor of Social Policy, Law and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies, Brandeis University; and moderated by Maria Madison, ScD, Associate Dean, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, The Heller School, Brandeis University. Watch the recording.

As we approach the next presidential election, we are reminded of the people helping to pass voting rights through the 15th, 19th and 26th Amendments to the Constitution. Fannie Lou Hamer captured the frustration with her famous quote we use for the title of this session. We are also mindful of the role of the political and moral determinants of health and financial equity. These variables partnered with our outrage over continued violence by police against black and brown bodies, fuels our desire for this conversation now across multidisciplinary scholars. This session highlighted the historical and current context of racism in the United States. Carrying forward the legacies for activism established throughout history, participants discussed structural, systemic and personal methodologies, for social justice activism.

This event is sponsored by the Institute on Assets and Social Policy, the Heller Students Association and the Office of the Dean at the Heller School, and by the Department of African and African American Studies and Brandeis Black Graduate Student Association, Brandeis University.

This was a special briefing call for members of the Brandeis Alumni of Color Network hosted by the AOC committee. Hear from President Ron Liebowitz and Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mark Brimhall-Vargas about the impact of the #BlackLivesMatter protests and COVID-19 on the AOC community. We discussed how Brandeis is responding as well as opportunities for advancing social justice against systemic racism. Watch the recording.

As the violent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others have shown us yet again, entrenched systemic racism threatens the very lives of Black people in the United States. United by both our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and as a community that considers social justice central to our mission, this event examined this issue in the larger society and at Brandeis itself. Moderated by Chad Williams who is the Samuel J. and Augusta Spector Chair in History and the Chair of the African and African American Studies department. This panel brought together University Professor Anita Hill, Daniel Kryder who is the Louis Stulberg Chair in Law and Politics, and Leah Wright Rigueur who is the Harry Truman Associate Professor of History, for an in-depth discussion from multiple scholarly perspectives of this moment, its historical precedents, and possible outcomes. This discussion was sponsored by the Department of African and African American Studies; Department of Politics; Department of History; Heller School for Social Policy and Management; Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Office of the President; and the Office of the Provost. Watch the recording.

Racism is not an isolated incident, but rather a belief and system entrenched in American society. Brandeis and Heller alumni are invited to join us for a student center Zoom conference to advance racial justice. Each author will discuss the core points of their paper and propose a solution to the racial issue they identified in their paper. Watch a video about the event. Topics discussed include: COVID-19 and Race by Dr. Callie Watkins Liu, PhD'16; Racialized Disability: A New Framework of Rights by Anna Clements, PhD candidate; Restorative and Transformative Justice Towards Truth and Racial Reconciliation (The need for reparations) by Ona Wang, MA COEX'20; and Survival within Inequality (Two interwoven personal narratives about two people of color who grew-up in the Boston area) by Milan Friedman, Stonehill College '20.

For more information, contact HellerSankofaConference@gmail.com. Learn more about the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. The recording will be posted in the near future. Read more about this event.

The third and final event in the COVID-19 and its Social Policy Implications: Heller Perspectives event series.

• Stuart Altman, Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University
• Maria Madison, Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion & Diversity, Heller School, Brandeis University
• Christine E. Bishop, Atran Professor of Labor Economics
• Diana Bowser, Associate Professor, Heller School, Brandeis University
• A.K. Nandakumar, Professor of the Practice, Director, MS Program in Global Health Policy, and Director, Institute for Global Health and Development, Schneider Institutes for Health Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University

We know a US job search for international students may present challenges. Yet, many international Heller alumni have successfully connected to a job or other professional opportunities in the US. How did they do it? What strategies and tips made them successful? What resources were helpful? What were some of the challenges in connecting to opportunities in the US? Attendees learned about key tips, strategies, and resources for navigating a job search in the US by hearing from 4 alumni and 1 current student who have made connections and opportunities work in their favor.

Bryan Kanney, Assistant Director, Heller Career Development Center, moderated the panel which included Samira Bari, MA SID'20, Staff Planning and Support Lead (COVID Response), American Red Cross; Martins Francis, MS'19, Senior Associate, Policy Analytics, Avalere Health; Nittaya Saenbut, MA SID'14, Program Associate & Administrator, True Costs Initiative; Ye (Zhang) Pogue, PhD'19, Research Public Health Analyst, RTI International; and Davron Mirsagatov, MA SID'16, Program Manager, American Councils for International Education.

The second event in the COVID-19 and its Social Policy Implications: Heller Perspectives event series.

• Lisa Lynch, Provost, Brandeis University
• Robert Kuttner, Meyer and Ida Kirstein Professor in Social Planning and Administration, Heller School, Brandeis University
• Dolores Acevedo-Garcia, Samuel F. and Rose B. Gingold Professor of Human Development and Social Policy; Director, Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University
• David Weil, Dean and Professor, Heller School, Brandeis University

Read more Heller COVID-19 stories. Watch the recording.

• Jerome Kim, MD, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute, Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
• Mike VanRooyen, MD, Professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Chairman, Brigham & Women's Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
• Maria Madison, Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion & Diversity, Heller School, Brandeis University
• Alain Lempereur, Alan B. Slifka Professor and Program Director, MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, Heller School, Brandeis University and Harvard Program on Negotiation

Racial composition shocks during the Great Migration (1940-1970) lowered black upward mobility in the northern United States. The Migration’s effects on children are driven by location factors, not negative selection of families. Migration led to persistent segregation and higher police spending, crime, and incarceration from the 1960s onward. The changes induced by the Migration explain 27% of the region’s racial upward mobility gap today. Co-sponsored by the Heller School and Economics Department Joint Seminar Series. Listen to the recording.

Ellora Derenoncourt is an economist who works on labor economics, economic history, and inequality. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Industrial Relations Section at Princeton University Department of Economics. In July 2020, she will join the faculty at UC Berkeley, in the Economics department and the Goldman School of Public Policy. She received her PhD in Economics from Harvard University.

In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Professor Anita Hill hosted a virtual gathering of Heller School alumni and students. The webinar involved a panel of experts comprised of Heller alumni who have contributed significantly to advocating for greater gender equity. Panelists included: Odgerel Dashzeveg MA SID'07; Seraphine Mukankubito, MA SID/COEX'12; Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson '80, PhD'06; Chhoeki Penjor, MA SID'11. Professor Hill lead the discussion on reducing gender disparities and areas where greater emphasis needs to be placed during this new decade. Listen to the recording.

Over 150 Heller alumni, students, faculty, and staff gathered in Washington, DC to socialize, reconnect, network and enjoy light refreshments. This event was co-hosted by Heller Alumni Relations and the Heller Career Development Center as part of their annual Washington, DC Career Trek. The event included concurrent panel sessions focused on domestic and international policy, chaired by Michael Doonan, PhD'02, Associate Professor and Director, MPP Program and Ravi Lakshmikanthan, MA SID'99, Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. Domestic alumni panelists included Elle Chang, MA SID'15; Sarah Leonard, MA COEX/MS'19; Phoenicia Lewis, MA SID/COEX'17; Brett Jordan, MPP'16; and Darley Tom, MA SID'11. International alumni panelists included Amira Abouhussein, MA SID/COEX'17; Pertula George-Redd, MA SID'08; Burhan Razi, MA SID'15; Prapti Sherchan, MBA'13; and Indalecio Vallejos, MA SID/COEX'13. Panel sessions were followed by an alumni and student networking reception.

Welcoming remarks and presentation by Alain Lempereur, SJD, Director, MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence Program. Professor Lempereur, wrote "The First Move. A Negotiator’s Companion," a bestseller that sold tens of thousands of copies in 15 languages, presented a series of first moves to invite you to do first things first in negotiation, increase your power as a negotiator and also enjoy everyday dealmaking and conflict resolution.

Candidates are running on a platform of change, specifically in the way our nation delivers and pays for health care. As the 2020 elections approach, we heard from a panel of experts who outlined and discussed the major healthcare policy challenges and opportunities and their potential impact on our country, our commonwealth, and ourselves. Panelists include Dr. Carole Allen, Executive MBA’17, Vice President, Massachusetts Medical Society; Michael Doonan, PhD’02, Associate Professor and Director, Masters of Public Policy Program; and Cindy Friedman, Massachusetts State Senator. Moderator: Elana Margolis ’97, senior director of state government and regulatory affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Hosted by: Doug Rosner ’88, Goulston & Storrs, Boston, MA. Read full biographies.

The United States is in the midst of an opioid crisis: More than 100 Americans die every day from overdosing on opioids. Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Heller School faculty member, medical director for OPRC, a national expert on the opioid crisis and an outspoken critic of Purdue Pharma and other opioid makers, discussed how a flood of prescription opioids resulted in an epidemic of addiction and what’s needed to bring the crisis to an end.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Ford Hall anniversaries, Sankofa Community Conversations presented by the Heller Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity offered a two day event, titled "Ford Hall: Closing the Disparity Gap." On Tuesday, January 21, 2020 was "Ford Hall Commemorative Community Discussion & Film" with Kwesi Jones '21. On Wednesday, January 22, 2020 was "Revisiting the 'N-Word': Intent vs. Impact in Communication" presented by Liz Pryor, Associate Professor of History at Smith College followed by "Charge to Remember" presented by Heller PhD candidate Jarvis Williams.

Welcoming remarks: Ravi Lakshmikanthan, MA SID'99, Assistant Dean, Academic and Student Services

Presentation by: Alain Lempereur, SJD, Director, MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence Program

Ravi Lakshmikanthan and Alain Lempereur were in Mumbai, India and hosted this event to bring together Brandeis and Heller alumni and prospective students. Alain Lempereur, who wrote "The First Move. A Negotiator’s Companion," a bestseller that sold tens of thousands of copies in 15 languages, presented a series of first moves to invite you to do first things first in negotiation, increase your power as a negotiator and also enjoy everyday dealmaking and conflict resolution.

Sarah LaMorey, MA SID/COEX'19, Program Coordinator, Graduate Program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, hosted alumni and prospective students at the Camellia Restaurant in Kigali, Rwanda.

Sarah LaMorey, MA SID/COEX'19, Program Coordinator, Graduate Program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, hosted alumni and prospective students at the Holiday Inn in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.