Alumni Council
The School of Public Policy (SPP) Alumni Council helps current and future students connect with alumni to explore the wide variety of career opportunities available to UConn SPP graduates. Alumni Council members also connect and network with their former classmates.
History
In 2019, the UConn MPA Alumni Council combined with the Survey Research Alumni Council to form the Department of Public Policy (DPP) Alumni Council, supporting alumni of all DPP programs. In 2022, the DPP became the School of Public Policy (SPP). The MPA Alumni Council was established more than a decade ago to support both the MPA program and its students. Over the years, Alumni Council members have served as mentors and role models for our aspiring administrators. Alumni are willing to talk with students, review resumes, and set up job shadows in order to help students have the same great opportunities as the people who went before them.
UConn SPP graduates have taken jobs both in Connecticut and throughout the country in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Connecting our alumni with students – and with each other – is at the core of the Council’s mission.
2024-2025 Council Members
NC = Nominating Committee members | AC = Awards Committee members
President: Tara Downes '20 MPA
Vice President: Matt Pellowski '13 MPA
Secretary: Kory Mills '17 MPA
Term Expires June 30, 2025
Melissa Appleby '13 MPA, NC
Budget Director
Town of Simsbury & Simsbury Public Schools
Christopher Brechlin '18 MPP
Director of Data and Digital Systems
COMPASS Youth Collaborative
Kory Mills '17 MPA, Secretary
Assistant City Treasurer
City of Hartford (CT)
Heath Fahle '15 MPA
Assistant Secretary of Finance
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bill Craven '15 MPA
Senior Financial Analyst
Yale University, Yale Divinity School
Olivia Hall '18 MPA
Performance Auditor
Connecticut Auditors of Public Accounts
Term Expires June 30, 2026
Matt Pellowski '13 MPA, Vice President
Principal Budget Specialist
State of Connecticut, Office of Policy & Management
Alissa Johnston '07 MPA
Lead Performance Analyst
Capital Workforce Partners
Jennifer McDermott '13 MPA, NC
Vice President, Senior Underwriter, Public Sector Finance
Webster Bank
Tina Prakash '07 MASR, '21 MPA
Special Assistant to the Deputy
Secretary of the State of Connecticut
Ron Schack '93 MPA
Director
The Charter Oak Group, LLC
Maureen Goulet '20 MPA
Principal Program Manager
CRCOG
Term Expires June 30, 2027
Tara Downes '20 MPA, President
Deputy State Comptroller
Connecticut Office of the State Comptroller
Parashar Patel '91 MPA
Vice President
McDermottPlus
Tony Patelunas '19 MPP
Director, Global Health Initiatives
Velsera
Ryan Scala '22 MPP
Auditor 1 - Performance
Connecticut Auditors of Public Accounts
Megan Andrews '22 MPP
Legislative Liaison
State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services
Dave Denuzzio '13 MPP
Associate Director, University Business Services
University of Connecticut
Alternates
Yara Medawar '23 MPP
PhD Student, Environmental Engineering
University of Connecticut
Kasia Purciello
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Manchester (CT)
Vanessa Maturo '13 MASR/MPA
UX Researcher
Google
School Representatives
School Director
Angela Eikenberry
angela.eikenberry@uconn.edu
Director of Graduate Programs
Eric Brunner
(959) 200-3795
eric.brunner@uconn.edu
Student Representative
Chase Prentiss
GAPPS-ICMA
gapps.icma@gmail.com