Lena Andrews graduated from TuftsUniversity in 2009, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude, with a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy. As a Tisch Scholar of Citizenship, she organized a high school art-mentoring program, and oversaw the Freshman active citizenship initiative at Tufts. Lena spent her summers as a fellow at HarvardLawSchool's Office of Public Interest Advising, and as a research assistant at the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She has spent much of the past year researching and teaching political theory for her senior thesis and as a TA for an introductory politics course, and is excited to get re-acquainted with the hands-on aspects of public affairs.
Chelle Buffone
Chelle Buffone was born and raised in Pittsburgh. She attended performing arts conservatories in Manhattan, received her BA in Political Science from AdelphiUniversity with the distinction of Magna Cum Laude. At Adelphi she was an active leader on campus and was honored for her service with the “Best New Senator” and “Hugh A. Wilson Social Justice Award”. During college, she completed The Washington Center’s Political Leadership Program where she interned for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. Upon her return to Pittsburgh, she volunteered on Senator Casey’s Campaign and received a Graduate Certificate in General Practice from the Paralegal Institute at DuquesneUniversity. She recently participated in the pilot program of “SponsorChange.org”, taking on a role as a Volunteer Leader. Chelle has “passion for helping others”, and is interested in learning about urban planning, economic development, and public policy formation. She wants to apply what she has learned to transform her community, and aspires to one day have a seat in the United States Congress.
Curtis Martell Eatman
Curtis has been an advocate for equal education for lower-income urban students. He has exemplified his advocacy by interning with the lobbyist organization called the Council for Opportunity in Education, where he tracked federal policy concerning the Upper Bound Program and served in a position of leadership for the National Student Leadership Congress (2008, 2009). He has also helped further the cause of urban students in the academic world by presenting at the National Conference of Race and Ethnicity (NCORE), and the New Jersey Association for College Admissions and Counseling.
Kira Fatherree
A proud product of Berkeley, California, Kira Fatherree graduated from OccidentalCollege with a degree in Politics and a minor in Urban and Environmental Policy. During college, Kira studied in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she also worked with local youth and gained a deeper connection to public service. Following graduation, Kira joined City Year Los Angeles’ founding corps and served for two years as a mentor and tutor to youth in Los Angeles, as well as developed engaging curriculum for after school programs. Kira plans to pursue a career in public policy to address the pressing issues in our local communities.
Michael R. Fitzgerald
Michael recently graduated with honors from Carnegie Mellon in English and US History. During school, he was awarded a Buerger scholarship to study abroad at the University of Edinburgh, produced short films for CMU’s comedy troupe, belonged to the Phi Alpha Theta honors society, and won a policy competition for a paper exploring the economic impacts of gambling. An award-winning contributor to the campus newspaper, he expanded coverage of national affairs and the arts. Off campus, he developed standardized testing and tutoring programs for students from under-served communities. Originally from the Philadelphia area, he has worked in market research, set records as a fundraiser for PennPIRG, and scoured the American South arts and literature landscape for Oxford American Magazine.
Jonathon Harmatz
Jon is a recent graduate of OberlinCollege with a double major in psychology and politics and a minor in philosophy. Jon is interested in lobbying and advocacy to increase access and opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities.His dream job is to become a policy writer and advisor who is charged with drafting legislation to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act.Jon values the opportunity to become a leader in society and to make a difference in the lives of Americans.
Mykia Long
Mykia is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in sociology and philosophy. She has a strong passion for social justice and education equality that is driven from her personal experiences growing up in Detroit, Michigan. During her studies at the University of Michigan, Mykia was the leader of Intellectual Minds Making A Difference (IMMAD), a student organization that empowers Detroit high-school students to pursue higher education. After Coro, Mykia will remain committed to social justice and hopes to pursue a legal career in urban education policy.
Maxine Markfield
Maxine Markfield graduated from HaverfordCollege in 2007 with a BA in Economics and a minor in Growth and Structure of Cities. As a varsity athlete, Maxine captained her cross country team to the NCAA meet, and was selected to the NCAA All-Academic Track and Field team. After graduation, Maxine worked as a research analyst in the Provost Office. She explored both the academic and administrative sides of higher education, while investigating novel ways to improve Haverford among its peers. While working full-time, Maxine was also an assistant coach for a high school girls’ cross country and track teams.
Zach Morris
Zach graduated summa cum laude from the honors college of the University of Pittsburgh. He holds a bachelor of philosophy degree in both Urban Studies and Politics and Philosophy. The title of his honors thesis was the “Feasibility of a Conditional Cash Transfer Program in Pittsburgh.” Zach studied urban policy in cities in Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand, and researched human migration patterns in Mongolia as a David Lawrence Memorial Award recipient. He has interned with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and with the Chief Executive of Allegheny County. He currently volunteers as a mentor with the Pittsburgh Somali Bantu community. In the future he plans to apply to PhD programs in Public Policy. Zach hopes to bring to CORO his enthusiasm and vision for accomplishing high quality public policy.
Dave C. Voll
Dave graduated in 2008 from the OhioStateUniversity with a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He joined Phi Kappa Psi and worked at their AmericanLeadershipAcademy in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Each year around 800 undergraduates meet with leaders in business, politics, medicine etc. to learn about how succeed in life. Dave served two years on the national Executive Council of PKP during which he co-founded Phi Psi’s national mentoring program. Dave was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His interests include reading, learning, exercising and problem solving through creativity and collaboration.
Colin White
After graduation from DuquesneUniversity with a B.A in Political Science and a Paralegal Certificate, Colin White served two years as an AmeriCorps member. During his term he oversaw the Pittsburgh office of National Student Partnerships, a non-profit which works to alleviate poverty by engaging college students to work with low-income community members in assisting them address immediate needs then by providing comprehensive, long-term support designed to help families break the cycle of poverty. In the two years, White recruited and trained over seventy volunteers who provided services to over eight hundred Pittsburgh residents.
K. De'Sean Woods
De'Sean Woods is a 2009 graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations. During his time at Cornell De'Sean was, and continues to be a firm believer in building communities. De'Sean has honed his interests through several experiences including, interning at the US Capital and being at the forefront of initiatives aimed at increasing diversity at Cornell. After Coro, De'Sean hopes to pursue a Masters in Public Policy and eventually a Juris Doctor to futher bolster his understanding of law, policy and public affairs. De'Sean wishes to excel in his respective profession while building and maintaining community relations.
