Navigating the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Directory: A Comprehensive Guide
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) boasts a vibrant and influential alumni network, fostering a community dedicated to public service. This article delves into the HKS alumni directory, exploring its significance, the individuals it connects, and the various avenues to becoming a part of this prestigious network.
The HKS New England Alumni Association
The HKS New England Alumni Association plays a crucial role in maintaining the school's public service mission. It provides programming designed to inspire graduates to expand their knowledge, build their networks, and increase their impact on the world. The association is guided by its By-Laws, and its Board Members actively support its mission through various activities throughout the year.
Featured Alumni Leaders: Shaping the Future
The HKS alumni directory is populated by individuals making significant contributions across diverse fields. Here are a few examples of alumni who serve at the HKS New England Alumni Association:
- Yingjing Deng: As Senior Program Manager at MIT, Yingjing Deng brings over a decade of experience in communications, media, and project management. Her background includes roles as a correspondent, chief editor, and chief producer for leading media groups in China (Phoenix and Sina). She is dedicated to uncovering the truth, amplifying the voices of the voiceless, and empowering refugees, immigrants, and children globally. Since 2015, she has initiated several non-profit projects to support the education of orphans in Cambodia and Syrian refugee children and youths in Lebanon.
- Zheni: Zheni is an Associate Director of Major Gifts at Harvard Law School, where she raises support for school-wide priorities and programs. She has dedicated her career and volunteerism to community building, connecting talent with resources, and empowering people through education. Zheni has spearheaded successful student and class-based fundraising campaigns and managed hundreds of volunteers. She holds a Master of Laws from Sofia University in Bulgaria and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from Harvard.
- Rob: Rob's career includes various roles in state government, such as General Counsel to the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, Chief of Staff and Deputy General Manager of the MBTA, and Executive Director of Commuter Rail for the MBTA. He is currently a Senior Advisor at WSP, working with transit agencies on organizational and funding strategies. Rob also teaches Local Government Law at Boston University School of Law.
- Qi (Cathy) Guo: Cathy Guo is the Executive Director of WinPlus Education and Technology, a Boston-based education services company focused on using technology to promote educational equity and empower students. Her previous experience includes roles at the United Nations Women, Anbang Insurance Group, and Oxford Economics. Since 2018, she has served as an advisory board member on fundraising and student-alumni engagement committees of Douglass College at Rutgers University.
- Eric: After graduating from the MC-MPA program in 1982, Eric served Harvard in various capacities, including as a Program Director (HKSSPPA) and Assoc. Director of Degree Programs. He has served three Presidents: Carter, Clinton & Obama, and directed a classified national security think-tank.
- Madeline Branch: As C.E.O., Madeline Branch is the Executive Director of the Pink Runway Project, a non-profit dedicated to facilitating breast cancer care in her home state of Maine. Her experience includes roles with the U.S. Department of State, managing criminal and gender justice programs in Afghanistan and Tunisia, working in the Department's crisis communications and operations center, and serving as a press and public affairs officer covering the Middle East.
- Dr. Mahek Shah: Dr. Mahek Shah heads WTM Global, an investment and advisory firm supporting clients globally on leveraging technology, especially AI, and scaling with innovative business models. He has advised Fortune 200 companies, world’s premier health systems, NGOs, the US government (Veterans Administration), and ministries of health in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Wilfred Mbah: Originally from Cameroon, Wilfred Mbah is the Vice President of the Somerville City Council. With a background in public policy, environmental science, and leadership, he has been at the forefront of initiatives promoting sustainability, food security, and inclusive community engagement.
- Bill: Bill was a newspaper journalist before becoming a state government official in communications, policy analysis, and program operations. He is now a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines in Connecticut and Rhode Island, and an adjunct professor.
- Alkistis Iliopoulou: Alkistis Iliopoulou is the Director of the Harvard Decision Science Lab. She also has experience with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
- Betsy Neptune: Betsy Neptune is the Regional Executive Director of BUILD Boston, an organization dedicated to teaching entrepreneurship to public high school students in Greater Boston. Prior to this, she led regional and municipal economic development initiatives in Boston and Latin America.
- Apefa: Apefa is the Chief Enterprise Applications Officer at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. She joined State government as Chief Information Officer for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance in 2007 after several years consulting to state and local government organizations.
- Rob Werner: Rob Werner is the New Hampshire State Director for the League of Conservation Voters, a national advocacy organization that works to turn environmental values into national, state, and local priorities. He formerly served as the National Field Director of Americans for Campaign Reform.
- Dana Masalimova: Dana Masalimova is a Fellow at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard. A career diplomat, she represented Kazakhstan in Washington, London, and at the International Maritime Organization.
- Clare Doyle Dowd: Clare Doyle Dowd brings two decades of experience bridging public policy, clean energy, and housing innovation. She is Vice President of Corporate Development at MicroEra Power and Chair of the West Hartford Housing Authority.
- Reuben Kantor: Reuben Kantor is Senior Policy Advisor at the City of Boston’s Planning Department, focusing on housing production, fair housing, data management, AI policy, anti-displacement strategy, office-to-residential conversions policy, and the agency’s Life Science agenda.
Pathways to Alumni Status: Degree Programs
Earning a degree from Harvard Business School (HBS) grants automatic alumni status. HBS offers a range of degree programs, including:
- MBA Program: A two-year general management program where students spend their first year completing the Required Curriculum with a section of 90 students to which they are assigned. During the second year, students choose up to five courses per semester from a broad list of course offerings to build their Elective Curriculum of choice.
- Doctoral Program (PhD): Offered jointly with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, these programs focus on various areas of business management, including Accounting & Management, Business Economics (includes Finance), Health Policy (Management), Management, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Strategy, and Technology & Operations Management.
- Joint Degree Programs: HBS collaborates with other Harvard University graduate schools to offer joint degree programs. These programs prepare individuals for complex leadership challenges that balance expertise with effective management skills. Examples include:
- The MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program: A two-year program building upon students’ existing biotech and life sciences knowledge and equips them with the latest business and scientific insights.
- The MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences Program: Equips leaders with a deep understanding of technology and management.
Pathways to Alumni Status: Executive Education
Harvard Business School grants alumni status with successful completion of any of the following programs:
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- The Advanced Management Program
- General Management Program
- Owner/President Management
- Program for Leadership Development (which has additional requirements)
- Three Senior Executive Leadership Programs
Other Programs and Alumni Status
- Harvard Business Analytics Program: This online certificate program, a collaboration between Harvard Business School, The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, does not grant alumni status.
- HBS Online: HBS Online offers certificate and credential programs on vital business topics, but these programs do not automatically confer Harvard alumni status. Some certificate programs - generally the really expensive ones - come with alumni status.
- Harvard Extension School (HES): HES certificates grant HES alumni status but not Harvard alumni status.
Accessing the Directory and Alumni Benefits
General Harvard University alumni status grants access to the alumni directory. Alumni are members of their school’s alumni association. Each school has different offerings, with some more valuable than others (for example, HBS has a robust alumni association). Alumni can attend events, but access to the facilities and libraries is typically limited to those in a degree program.
Alumni Directory: A Valuable Resource
The HKS alumni directory serves as a valuable resource for networking, collaboration, and staying connected with the Harvard Kennedy School community. It provides a platform for alumni to connect with each other, share their experiences, and contribute to the school's mission of public service.
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