Alumni Award Winners

The School of Public Policy (SPP) Alumni Council, in collaboration with School faculty and staff, solicit nominations for and select Alumni Award recipients. Graduates from the then-Department of Public Policy (DPP) and School of Public Policy (SPP) are eligible for nomination annually. Please note - alumni who've previously received an award are not eligible to win that same award a second time.

History

Though the amount of awardees has shifted periodically over the last twenty five years, the goal remains the same - to honor the efforts of DPP/SPP alumni for their work in academia, the public sector, nonprofit sector, and beyond. At present, there are two existing Alumni Award categories:

  • Distinguished Alumni Award: Recognizes an SPP alumnus who has made broad career achievements in their field, and has demonstrated strong leadership and influence while maintaining high ethical standards.
  • Alumni Impact Award: Recognizes SPP alumni at any stage in their career who have made a significant contribution to their field within the last 12 months. Examples may include but are not limited to: driving an meaningful program outcome, contributing to new legislation, innovating a process or program, achieving a fundraising goal, brokering a partnership, etc.

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

2025: Alyssa Goduti (MPA '02) 2024: Shawn Morris (MPA '12) 2023: Chief Lynn Malerba (MPA '08) 2022: Natalie Braswell (MPA '02) 2021: Admiral Karl Schultz (MPA '92) 2020: Damara Cockfield (MPA '05) 2019: Seth Brohinsky (MASR '7) 2019: John Simoncelli (MPA '13) 2018: Melissa McCaw (MPA '14) 2017: Jason Jakubowski (MPA '01) 2017: Stephanie Marken (MASR '09)
2015: John Destafano (MPA '79) 2015: James Hannigan 2014: Paul Potamianos (MPA '90) 2014: Ignacio Calceran (MA '91) 2014: Maria Capriola (MPA '03) 2013: Tara Spain (MPA '08) 2013: Scott Simoneau (MPA '94) 2013: Lydia Said (MA '97) 2012: James C. Trainor Sr. (MPA '93) 2012: Chrissy Rocco-Carvolo (MPA '04) 2012: Holly Heline (MA '95) 2011: Julie Savin (MPA '04) 2011: Christopher Johnson (MPA '82) 2011: Brad Fay (Ma '11) 2010: Mark McGovern (MPA '96)
2010: Lynn Malerba (MPA '08) 2008: Barry Simon (MPA '92) 2008: Bob Ross (MPA '04) 2008: Chase Harrison (MA '95) 2007: Patrick McMahon (MPA '94) 2006: Matthew Hart (MPA '98) 2005: David Crompton (MPA '77)

Alumni Impact Award Recipients

2025: Andrea Comer (MPA Fellows '23), Kristen Dudanowicz (MPA Fellows '23), Trever Rogers (MPP '21) 2024: Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens (MPA '17), Dana Begin (MPA Fellow '20), Michael Keyes (MASRDA '23) 2023: Jessica Muirhead (MPA Fellow '20), Chelsea Ross (MPA '11), Shub Dhakal (MPP '19) 2022: Kelly McElwain (MPP '19), Yahaira Escribano (MPA '19), Tara Downes (MPA Fellows '20), Christopher Barnes (MASRDA '98)  

Interested in Nominating an Alumnus?

School Representatives

School Director

Angela Eikenberry
angela.eikenberry@uconn.edu

Director of Graduate Programs

Eric Brunner
(959) 200-3795
eric.brunner@uconn.edu

Chair - Alumni Council Awards Committee (AC) (25-26)

Christopher Brechlin '18 MPP
Director of Data and Digital Systems
COMPASS Youth Collaborative