The annual School of Public Policy Fall Kickoff took place on Friday, September 6th. SPP welcomed Mavis Nimoh as the keynote speaker. Nimoh is the CEO of Tapestry Health, a community-based health care non-profit operating in western Massachusetts that provides healthcare services to underserved populations. Nimoh discussed the impact of using influence and data to make meaningful social change, specifically regarding how health and the criminal legal system interact. “Our responsibility is to always connect those dots… those numbers have people, families, and communities behind them. The data is one of the last standard barriers of truth that we have.”
Along with Nimoh, SPP welcomed four alumni speakers for a panel discussion on their public service and data-related career paths. Alfonso Hidalgo (MPP ’19), Kazmiera Breest (MS DACSS ’21), Wendy Dagle (MPPA ’14), and Jerin Jacob (MS DACSS ’24) each commented on how their respective programs prepared them for the varied challenges and opportunities they have faced in their careers.
SPP was delighted to open the year with record attendance from all our programs, with students and faculty from the MS in DACSS, MPA, MPPA and Public Policy major joining the event. With ever-expanding program offerings and a growing community full of the next generation of changemakers, SPP is excited to begin the 2024-2025 academic year.