This evening UConn’s School of Public Policy (SPP) will induct 54 students into Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA), which is the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. Tonight’s festivities will include:
- Master of Ceremony Welcome – Douglas Shipman, MPA ‘ 16 & President of Pi Alpha Alpha’s CT Chapter
- Public Policy Welcome – Professor Nina Brooks, Pi Alpha Alpha Faculty Advisor
- Keynote Introduction – Professor Mohamad Alkadry, SPP Director
- Keynote Speaker – Commissioner Michelle H. Gillman, CT Department of Administrative Services
- Pi Alpha Alpha Induction – Douglas Shipman and Professor Nina Brooks
- Business Meeting & New Officer Induction
- Closing Remarks – Jessica Seabrook, Pi Alpha Alpha incoming Vice President
Our 2023 inductees include:
Scott Ackley • Saah Agyemang-Badu • Daniela Alejandra Alvarez • Marisa L. Anopolsky • Molly Aunger • Franklyn Oscar Barrueco • Dorota Bateman • George S. Bernocco • Ashley D. Born • Zoe Laurel Butchen • Mekaila Marie Carey • James D. Cokorinos • Andréa Comer • Cristian Corza Godinez • Sarah Crescimanni • Anatolie Criucov • Danielle A. Cross • Alejandro Gabriel Dávila-Hurtado • Isaiah Tyre Davis • Anthony N. Diaz • Kylee Anne Dostie • Kristen E. Dudanowicz • Patrick John Faria • William J. Fricke • William J. Garcia • Amanda-Marie Goode • Vasiliki Gournaris • Sydney Gray • Mary Josephine Greenwell • Cristian Daniel Guerrette • Raymond Hagan • Tyler A. Havens • Sophia C. Kammerman • Mica Knox • Kelly A. Leppard • Jared Tyler Lynch • Ghammam Monsoor • Ligia Marroquín-Soto • Alexandria J. McCormick • James McGennis • Delaney S. McGovern • Yara Medawar • Nicolette Niedzwiecki • Berkeley Nowosad • Mark J. Penney • Kaleigh M. Pitcher • Phoebe E. Ploof • Sean T. Roach • Elizabeth Sanderson • Alexander L. Taylor • Joseph Vazquez • Kyle N. Warseck • Kristin Winot • Michelle Woods Matthews
2022-2023 PAA Board Members
President—Douglas Shipman, MPA ‘16
Vice President—Paula Norato, MPA ‘22
Treasurer—Beverne Cordner, MPA ‘22
Secretary—Jessica Seabrook, MPP ‘18
Douglas R. Shipman, MPA ‘16, Executive Director, Windsor Historical Society
A Connecticut native, Doug Shipman grew up in Glastonbury and has spent much of his life living and working in the Connecticut River Valley. However, his love of history drew him to Virginia and to military service – he holds a BA in Politics from Washington and Lee University and an MA Ed. from The College of William and Mary, and an MPA from the University of Connecticut. Following his tour of active military service Doug worked in a variety of positions of progressive responsibility at both the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, before returning home to lead the Wethersfield Historical Society in 2003. As an Army Reservist Doug served in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, retiring after 30 years of active and reserve service in 2011. Before assuming the role of Executive Director at Windsor Historical Society, Doug worked as a Senior Program Officer with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and is proud of the fact that he is the only person to have directed the historical societies in both of Connecticut’s “first towns”!
Professor Nina Brooks, UConn School of Public Policy
Nina Brooks is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut. Her research interests lie at the intersection of environment, health, and development economics. Nina received a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University. She also holds an M.A. in Economics from Stanford University, a Master of Public Policy from Duke University, with a certificate in International Development, and a B.A. in International Political Economy from UC Berkeley. Prior to academia she worked as a Senior Research Analyst at NORC at the University of Chicago and Manager of Global Affairs for Global Footprint Network.
Keynote Speaker – Michelle H. Gilman, Commissioner CT Department of Administrative Services
Michelle Halloran Gilman serves as the Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Administrative Services (DAS). She was appointed by Governor Ned Lamont and has been serving in her position since February 2022. As Commissioner, Gilman oversees approximately 1,000 employees and a $250 million+ budget providing centralized human resources, technology delivery, procurement support, and construction management primarily to Connecticut’s Executive Branch. Under her tenure, Gilman has stabilized the Connecticut’s state workforce in a competitive, postpandemic economy in order to meet the service delivery needs of Connecticut residents. Additionally, she has initiated numerous recruitment and retention efforts, with a particular focus on the healthcare, engineering, and information technology sectors.
Gilman has also prioritized centralizing the state’s IT apparatus making resources and knowledge more accessible to state agencies, has begun development of a statewide digital equity plan to ensure all residents have access to the education and hardware necessary to participate in our digital economy, and has oversight on ambitious climate sustainability measures across the department. Further, working in collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners, Gilman has continued to expand agency capacity to support small and minority businesses seeking to do business with the state. As Commissioner, Gilman serves on several policy boards including the State Bond Commission, the Connecticut Paid Family Leave Authority, and the IT Capital Investment Committee.
Previously, Gilman served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer to Governor Lamont. In that role, she successfully managed COVID-19 initiatives including the alternate hospital mobilization, the nationally recognized free testing program for vulnerable populations, and the mass vaccination implementation.
Prior to joining the Lamont Administration, Gilman served as an advisor to numerous elected officials including U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd and State Comptroller Kevin Lembo. A life-long resident of Connecticut, Gilman is a proud graduate of Central Connecticut State University. In her free time, you can find Gilman cheering on the Boston Red Sox, hiking with her dog Harper and husband Tim, or spending time with her two teenaged boys.