Development Advisory Team Fall 2014

Chris GermannI am a junior at Saint Mary’s College majoring in Global Studies with a concentration in International Development and minoring in Justice Education. I am focusing my studies on education and empowerment of women in the developing nations. My leadership experience includes in-depth work with the Girl Scouts organization. I have participated in the strategic planning phases of the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana council and served as delegate to the National Convention in Houston. As a non-traditional student my life experience also enhances my perspective of problem solving and the pursuit of realistic solutions. My many years in the financial field has enhanced my skills in data management, personnel management and efficiency, but my passion is development issues, especially in Africa, which is why I am spending next semester in Tanzania learning Swahili, taking courses in rural development, East Africa education issues and performing field research with Foxes NGO.

Brianna Leon Originally from Grayslake, Illinois, I am a senior at the University of Notre Dame studying Finance and Spanish, with a minor in Poverty Studies. I have a broad base of experiences ranging from microfinance work at Accion Chicago to international business at the Cannes Film Festival and corporate finance at Procter & Gamble. From these experiences and my coursework I have developed my interpersonal and analytical skills and gained exposure to a number of industries and issues. For example, this summer I conducted internal and competitive research to benchmark the efficiency of our operations to create promotions strategies and growth plans. I look forward to applying these research skills to the development context this semester. My leadership experience includes involvement in Student Government, serving as Vice President of my residence hall and now as director of programming for the Student Union Board. Additionally, I also serve as an AmeriCorps member at the Robinson Community Learning Center, which has helped cultivate an interest in education issues. I plan to explore my interest in education as well as women’s empowerment for my Poverty Studies capstone research project this spring.

Emmie Mediate I am a senior at the University of Notre Dame pursuing a double major in Africana Studies and Pre-Medicine and a minor in International Development Studies. Having conducted several independent research projects, worked for three international non-profit organizations and pursued an extraordinary amount of scholarship in my field, I have developed an expertise in assessing international HIV/AIDS interventions in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Uganda. My strongest skills are in quantitative analysis and strategic planning as it relates to international health issues. In particular, my experience working with Save the Children UK’s Policy and Advocacy Department will bring a unique perspective to this development advisory team. After graduation, I intend to pursue graduate work in health policy evaluation and research at the University of Oxford.

Claire DonovanI am a senior studying French and Francophone Studies, International Development Studies, and Peace Studies. My interest lie most strongly in policy related to public health in developing countries. I spent the summer of 2013 in Gulu, Uganda working with a community-based AIDS organization and researching the provision of health care as related to HIV/AIDS in a post-conflict society. I spent spring semester 2014 in Dakar, Senegal studying French, Wolof, and International Development and then spent part of the summer in Dakar and surrounding regions studying iron and folic acid supplementation as related to maternal health in Senegal. I am looking forward to a continuation of working with issues related to women empowerment and maternal health as well as learning how a large international organization carries out domestic advocacy.

Szymon BarnasI am a senior studying Economics with a minor in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). I have a developing expertise of public policy, economic development, and governmental affairs . In the Fall of 2013, I studied in Washington D.C. where I took intensive coursework in public policy, law, and lobbying. I have experience working in both the public and private sectors. I have conducted extensive research on political institutions and philanthropy both individually and as a research fellow at the Center for Global Prosperity in Washington. I have experience working on the “lobbying days” of groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Running Start, a non-profit that seeks to get more women involved in politics. My Economics degree informs my analytical and modeling skills that compliment my communication skills gained through my cross-disciplinary minor. My interests in the development sector include women empowerment, project evaluation, and private philanthropy.

Angela GomezI am a graduate student in the Global Health program at the University of Notre Dame and am interested in further understanding the role of policy in the world of Global Health and International Development. For my undergraduate degree, I went to Clemson University and received a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences with a minor in Fine Arts and Humanities. Being raised by a single mother has led me to become a proponent of realizing women’s rights and I hope to understand how to imbue women with a sense of confidence to fulfill their potential. Although my professional background has been focused more on basic science research, I bring a different perspective to the team and aim to combine my experiences to expand my ideas through this CARE project.