The Harvard Project on Workforce is proud to welcome our 2022 cohort of Summer Fellows! The Project on Workforce Summer Fellowship Program is a summer opportunity focused at the intersection of research and practice on the future of the US workforce. The fellowship brings together an interdisciplinary cohort of students and recent graduates from across Harvard University. Summer Fellows work in cross-school teams alongside national and local partners and contribute to research on key strategic topics threading education, skills, labor markets, and equitable employment.
About the Fellowship
The Summer Fellowship Program is led and advised by Harvard faculty and staff at the Project on Workforce, spanning the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Managing the Future of Work Project at Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Fellows contribute to research projects in collaboration with leading organizations and agencies in the field, including the City of Boston, the US Department of Labor, the US Department of Education, the US Department of Transportation, the US Department of Commerce, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the Strada Education Network. This summer, our fellows will tackle a number of projects, including:
Analyze workforce program evaluation findings, building a dashboard of 25+ federal workforce development grant programs representing $4.6 billion in annual awards.
Update guidance related to the newly expanded access to Pell Grants for justice involved and incarcerated students.
Analyze federal data to identify disparities in access to CTE, conducting interviews with state and local actors to develop strategies to help inform federal policy, including a focus on equitable access across programs of study and dual enrollment.
Deepen the understanding of local hiring models being used across the country and the characteristics of the best programs that combine preferences for local or economically disadvantaged workers with workforce programs that help prepare people for construction jobs.
Investigate how to improve employer engagement with workforce systems and alignment of regional workforce development with economic development.
Better understand how employers are engaged with youth work-based learning and summer/out-of-school-time job opportunities and where and how students engage with these opportunities in and out of school.
Conduct field scans and interviews to better understand the landscape of skills and certifications required for key roles with some of the National Black Talent Bank’s early partners.
Review recommendations in increasing affordability and access to short-term credential programs and work-based learning opportunities, as well as existing approaches and recommendations for best practices in the area of measuring socioeconomic mobility/lift.
Meet Our Fellows
Priya Malhotra
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Priya graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) in 2022. As a graduate student, she focused her time on better understanding how government, higher education institutions and community organizations can work together to provide more accessible and equitable learning opportunities to individuals interested in starting or shifting their careers. She also interned for the the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) to help facilitate college and business partnerships to meet local labor demands in New England. Prior to coming to HGSE, Priya worked as a consultant and product manager for EAB, where she worked on projects to help universities and colleges across the country better leverage technology to meet their student success goals. She also worked as a college advisor in her home state to help underserved students in Atlanta, Georgia navigate the college application and matriculation processes. Priya is excited to be part of the Project on Workforce to help ensure that all individuals can be lifelong learners and dreamers.
Annie Lubben
Harvard Kennedy School
Annie Lubben is a current MPA/MBA dual degree student at Harvard Kennedy School and The Wharton School. Prior to graduate school, Annie taught elementary, middle, and high school in the midwest and the northeast. Most recently, she was the English Department Chair and 11th, 12th, and AP Literature teacher at a high school in Harlem, NY. As a Project on Workforce Summer Fellow, Annie is looking forward to better understanding the connection between education and the workforce. Annie has a BA in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a MEd in Elementary Education from the University of Missouri.
Claudia Maria Moreno
Harvard Kennedy School
Claudia is pursuing a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Master's in Public Administration (MPA) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Her studies focus on economic development, social impact investing, entrepreneurship, and the future of work. Claudia is a first-generation UC Berkeley Latina graduate. Upon graduating, she had the opportunity to intern for the White House Administration. An opportunity not only granted too few in her community but also an opportunity that exposed her to public service for the first time. Before HKS/MIT, Claudia's career-focused elevated the underserved communities' voices through entrepreneurship and proudly served the same community she grew up in, the Inland Empire. Upon graduation, her goal is to continue her career in creating equitable opportunities for historically marginalized communities through the economic development space. In her free time, Claudia practices yoga and jiujitsu. You will always see her enjoying a cup of coffee.
Sherry Seibel
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Sherry is an incoming Ed.M student in the Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her background is in technology, and she has worked as a software engineer at organizations including Harvard Catalyst and IQVIA. She is also a Visiting Scholar at Simmons University where she has spent the past five years researching educational pathways to computing careers with a focus on rapid reskilling programs. Sherry is passionate about workforce development, economic mobility, and empowering adult learners through upskilling and reskilling.
Kate Michaels
Harvard Kennedy School
Kate is a Master in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School studying social and urban policy. Prior to HKS, Kate worked as a Program Manager at a higher education association collaborating with colleges and universities on improving student access, success, and equity. She is interested in the intersection between educational opportunity, workforce needs, and pathways to economic mobility. As a Project on the Workforce Fellow, Kate is excited to further explore the college to career connection and work-based learning opportunities with the City of Boston.
Vance T. Stephens
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Vance is a recent graduate of the Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he also pursued a concentration in Higher Education. His interests lie in addressing the U.S. racial wealth gap and studying the ways that postsecondary education policies and practices, such as institutional funding models and financial aid eligibility, can be reformed to create pathways toward more equitable generational outcomes post-education. Prior to Harvard, Vance worked for ten years in graduate and undergraduate admission and financial aid roles at Princeton University. He has also clerked for the NJ Superior Court. Vance earned an A.B. in sociology from Princeton University and a J.D. and MBA from Rutgers University.
Tyler Barnett
Harvard Business School and Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Tyler recently graduated from HBS and the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) with his MS/MBA. Before Harvard, Tyler worked for two years as an Education Pioneers Impact Fellow at the education nonprofit Read Charlotte. Prior to this his background was in software development. Post graduation, Tyler plans to work full time on his startup Integrated Learning: a tutoring technology company whose mission is to close that achievement gap in higher education. As a Project on Workforce fellow, he is excited to build his understanding of the workforce development ecosystem and see how he can best position Integrated Learning to help close the skills gap.
Tanya Budler
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Tanya a people-centric problem solver with a passion for developing communities where everyone can thrive, not just survive. She started her career building youth empowerment programs in the private sector and has since worked with elevating diverse voices in workforce development non-profits and in building programs and coalitions within state level government. Tanya recently moved to Cleveland, Ohio to launch an impact firm that focuses on developing policy, coalitions and programs that mutually benefit the international newcomer, workforce and economic development communities. As a Project on Workforce Summer Fellow, Tanya is excited to tie together all of her previous professional experiences while exploring workforce development at the federal level. She is particularly eager to work on an interdisciplinary team in hopes of identifying innovative and resilient local ecosystems that can inspire change across the nation. Tanya holds a BA (Middle Eastern Studies) from Dartmouth College and an Ed.M. (International Education Policy) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Selma Ismail
Harvard Kennedy School
Selma Ismail is currently a candidate for a Master’s in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School who is hoping to specialize in International and Global Affairs. Before attending the Kennedy School, Selma attended Arizona State University, where she earned a B.A in Business with a concentration in Public Policy and a B.A in Global Studies. After university, she lived and worked in Malaysia as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, where her proudest achievement was her joint coordination and execution of Saya Malaysia//Kita Malaysia, a national storytelling conference in Kuala Lumpur. This conference addressed racial/ethnic tensions in Malaysia and how young people can use their voices to celebrate the diversity of Malaysian identity. In the future, Selma is most interested in a career that involves human and civil rights and hopes soon in the future to apply her formal education in public policy to law and eventually become a human right and civil rights lawyer. As a proud Black woman and daughter of Sudanese immigrants, Selma is passionate about providing resources to Black and Brown communities, especially the youth, so that they can thrive and realize their full potential.
Michael Roque Sanchez
Harvard Kennedy School
After finishing his undergraduate education in Economics, Michael Sanchez was accepted into the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he is learning the dynamics of public policy. Additionally, he is also taking courses at Harvard Business School to strengthen his economic and monetary understanding. He hopes to become an elected official to help his community through inspiring others and solving issues associated with economic disparities.
Marlee Stark
Harvard Kennedy School
Marlee Stark is a Master in Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government with primary interests in labor and housing policy. Prior to graduate school, she worked in financial services consulting focused on financial crimes compliance and for a nonprofit focused on expanding vocational opportunities for neurodiverse adults. Marlee currently conducts research for a local economic development consultancy, focusing on the intersection of commercial development, affordable housing, and labor market readiness in the Boston metropolitan area. A native of northwest Arkansas, Marlee is committed to advancing the pursuit of economic equity and more prosperous rural communities.
Kerry McKittrick
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Kerry is a recent graduate of the Education Policy and Analysis master’s program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she was a Leadership in Education Fellow. During her time at Harvard, she worked as a Research Assistant at the Project on Workforce and Co-Lead of the Cross-Harvard Study Group on the Future of Work. Prior to graduate school, she was a Senior Manager at Jobs for the Future, where she worked with the CEO and Chief of Staff on cross-organizational program, policy, and communications initiatives. She also spent five years working for Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-chair of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus and champion of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). As a senior policy advisor for the Congressman, she led a portfolio comprised of education, workforce, child welfare, and civil rights issues. Kerry is passionate about leveraging education and workforce policies to build stronger college and career pathways for every student. She is excited to partner with the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education this summer to identify best practices in addressing disparities in CTE programs to inform federal policies.
Kenny Nguyen
Harvard Chan School of Public Health
Kenny is a recent masters graduate, completing courses in education statistics, social sciences research methodology, data science, and econometrics at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Graduate School of Education, and Kennedy School. Kenny loves statistics and enjoys working with and leveraging data to drive important decision making in education and social policy. He has a strong passion for education equity and for working with scholars and stakeholders to create opportunities that can enhance the academic, socioeconomic, and career outcomes of vulnerable students through rigorous research. For the Harvard Project on Workforce, he hopes to contribute to projects that focus on improving access and availability of key academic and career resources for low SES high school students.
Kayla Waysome
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Kayla is a recent graduate of the Master’s in Education Policy & Analysis (Ed.M) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is passionate about engaging in policy and advocacy that promotes racial and social justice. She thas focused her studies primarily on the educational and career experiences of students who come from historically underserved communities. A trained Consultant, Kayla has worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from advocacy organizations to federal government agencies. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems from Howard University, in Washington D.C. As a Project on Workforce Summer Fellow working with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Kayla hopes to continue interrogating how various organizations can collectively contribute to the closing of the racial wealth gap.
Julia Paolillo
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Julia is a recent Master’s in Education (M.Ed) graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in learning design, innovation, and technology. Prior to graduate school she worked in higher education in Mauritius, Rwanda, and Kenya, developing, teaching, and scaling an entrepreneurship curriculum for first year students at the African Leadership University. During her five years living and working abroad Julia witnessed the emphasis that many of global education systems place on workplace readiness, and became convinced that this type of transformation in higher education is possible even in the most stagnant systems. She brings a global perspective to issues of workforce development, and looks forward to researching and developing solutions to support Americans from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve financial stability through higher education or alternative career pathways.
Jenny Zhou
Harvard Business School
Jenny is a recent graduate from the Harvard Business School. During her time at HBS, she was heavily involved in the Education Club and did several projects working with the Boston Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District. She is committed to building and supporting systems that enable high-quality, equitable student learning, and is especially interested in the operational side of public districts. Prior to HBS, she worked in management consulting, partnering with clients to address strategic and operational issues. At the end of the summer, she will be joining the Harlem Children's Zone as the HBS Leadership Fellow.
Jake Boyd
Harvard Kennedy School
Jake is a product manager and educator focused on building partnerships between companies, cities, and schools to develop innovative talent pipelines. Jake started his career as a middle school science teacher with Teach For America and has seven years of experience at the nexus of technology, education, and public policy. He most recently worked in product marketing at Salesforce. He is currently pursuing an MPA at Harvard's Kennedy School and has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. In addition to his work at the Project on Workforce, Jake is a research assistant Harvard’s Technology and Public Purpose Initiative.
Anna M. Guadarrama
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Anna is a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), where she studied Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology (LDIT). Prior to HGSE, Anna worked for 7 years in education and workforce development in the United States and abroad. She taught conversational Spanish and strategized workforce development and employment solutions in the San Diego region. She also actively engaged in Mexico’s public and private education sector as a Fulbrighter and an English professor. Anna understands the need to be an innovative thinker and is excited about collaborating across sectors to advance the upskilling of the US workforce ecosystem through the Harvard Project on Workforce Summer Fellowship.
Hisa Tome Streim
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Hisa is a recent Ed.M. graduate dedicated to empowering adult learners and the practitioners and programs who support them. As an adult developmental educator, Hisa brings experience in multi- subject and Spanish bilingual program development from community college, correctional, and nonprofit settings in her home state of California. As a researcher for college access and philanthropic organizations, she has analyzed adult development through the lens of student support, literacy, and nurturing relationships, synthesizing evidence from neuroscience, policy, and impact measurement with quantitative methods and through healing-centered frameworks. Hisa joins the project to champion the assets unique to adult developmental education and analyze how they can shape postsecondary program design. Deeply grateful to each student and colleague who has entrusted their story, Hisa is excited to research how postsecondary pathways can better support the goals of adult learners who’ve been structurally excluded from opportunity.