Author: WAI Staff

Jeff has worked with various nonprofits, companies, and an association in D.C. Originally from upstate New York, Jeff graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2019. After graduation, he moved to the D.C. area and worked as a legislative intern for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer.

His experiences on Capitol Hill—together with his campaign volunteering, classes, and policy research at Columbia—have cemented his passion for working on tax and economic policy that tackles America’s income and wealth inequalities. He enjoys watching stand-up comedy and comedy TV. He is of Armenian heritage, and likes reading about Armenian history, as well as other cultures, and languages.

Meron has been working as an Operations Temp at a D.C. philanthropic association since September 2021. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Health Science, Public Health in 2014 and a Master of Public Health – Community Health in 2017. GO SEAWOLVES!!!

She moved from New York City in June 2021 and is excited to explore new opportunities in the DMV area. She’s most passionate about women’s health and wishes to pursue a career in women’s reproductive health issues. She’s enjoying her time with the association, developing skills and learning a great deal from an awesome team of experienced professionals.

Fun facts: Meron is trilingual, speaks fluent Amharic, French and English and is known as every kid’s auntie!

C hails from New Hampshire and graduated in May from Georgetown University. In their free time, they enjoy sewing, reading, and cooking with friends. Although C does not know what the long-term future holds, they are excited to see what path they choose.

Claire moved to Washington, D.C. and joined the Whitman team after graduating with a degree in Marketing. While working in commercial property management, she is pursuing an MBA with a concentration in Data Analytics.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outdoors. Claire is looking forward to continuing her career in property management in Washington, D.C.

With a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an MA in Theater/Live Event Production from San Diego State University, Makaya has a professional interest in problem solving and logistics. This interest has led her to produce a number of events including corporate conferences, networking and social events, and a city-wide DJ Battle at the House of Blues in San Diego. Makaya hopes to continue growing her career in special event management.

During her free time, Makaya enjoys dancing and traveling. She has studied modern dance, west-african dance, hip-hop dance and acrobatics. So far, her travels include Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Senegal, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Trinidad and 22 states. A New York native, Makaya has lived in Washington DC for a total of 9 years and enjoys living in a city with so much to explore and learn.

Millie is a graduate of Oberlin College with a degree in Creative Writing with minors in Hispanic Studies and Comparative American Studies. Prior to working with Whitman Associates, she was a legal assistant serving the immigrant community.

She is currently training to become a yoga teacher and hopes to one day teach yoga to children. She also hopes to pursue her passion for creative writing by continuing her education through a Master’s in Fine Arts program.

She moved to DC two years ago, and in her free time she enjoys walking in Rock Creek Park and playing Taylor Swift songs on the guitar. In college she was on the bowling team, and she found out recently that her skills still hold up.

Sydney is a recent graduate of Tiffin University, earning two Bachelors of Criminal Justice in Homeland Security and Terrorism and Forensic Psychology and a Minor in Latin American Studies.

While in college, Sydney focused her studies on the psychology of terrorism and counterterrorism. She competed on the university’s varsity equestrian team for three years and served as a captain in her last year. Sydney completed an internship at the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs.

She authored articles on US relations with Russia, Russia’s nuclear proliferation, and Venezuela’s humanitarian and political crisis. Additionally, she completed an internship with the National Defense University, where she assisted with the Terrorism and Crime course. She is planning to earn her Master’s degree in the future in the field of security studies, international development, or international security policy. Sydney hopes to pursue a career in terrorism-related intelligence and eventually a career in foreign policy.

Sydney recently moved to the DC area and is enjoying her time exploring the area.