Write a short paragraph that states the name you like to be called by, talks about your professional background and aspirations, your education (including the number of terms you have been at Baruch), and any other fun facts about yourself that you want to share.
28 thoughts on “Self-Introduction”
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Hi, I’m Sam. My background is in international relations and government. I have a BA in International Relations and have also studied international law. I’ve worked for the Finnish government focusing on security policy, international peacekeeping operations and human rights. I’ve also worked for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and done two tours in field-operations. My interest include international relations, international security, international development, human rights and women’s rights. I came to Baruch to update my skills and gain new insights into management of public and non-profit organizations. Outside Baruch, my interests include cooking, baking, and exercising, the last one mostly so that I wouldn’t feel guilty for my first two.
Hello. This feels a little uncomfortable to have to talk about myself. I feel more comfortable talking about other people. Well here we go. I like to be called Katherine instead of Kathy which is so common. I recently found out all of these years I have been spelling my name the wrong way. On my birth certificate it’s spelled Katheriene. Now I feel like I have never even known my true spirit all of this time. Anyway, a personal issue I still need to address. I have been an employee for the City of New York for over 30 years, working in various agencies.. I started to work at an early age. My mom and dad went to work every dad even if they were sick so I have a strong work ethic instilled in me even though I don’t go to work everyday and I stay home when I am sick. For the last 16 years I have worked at the Administration for Children’s Services. I am not a Social Worker. I work a Executive Assistant for an Associate Commissioner. This position and prior ones has made me very passionate about the policies in the child welfare system. They need to be strengthened because the consequences of the paperwork will impact someone’s life usually permanently some of the time negatively. I am working on a second Master’s degree which I am very proud of an MPA . I have always loved school. My aspirations definitely include seeking a Managerial position that I can’t name now but I aspire to be a more humble, kind and loving person rather than just aspiring for a larger pay check which “Uncle Sam” feels entitled to part of every two weeks. Although I have only been at Baruch two terms the staff have made me feel at home already. I started out at John Jay College but eventually graduated with my Bachelors and Masters from Queens College (I love CUNY). Now my youngest daughter is attending John Jay. Secretly I am living my first college thru her . I am a grandmother which I love. I love to crochet although I only know one stich I make blankets for my family. I used to enter talent show contests at Jones Beach in the 1970’s. Thanks for listening. This feels weird revealing myself to people I don’t know:)
My name is Shawnett Haywood.
Education Background: BA in Public Affair; AS in Science. I am currently in my second semester as a graduate student in the MPA program with a specialty in Healthcare Policy
Work Experience: Current job is a Vault Teller at JPMorgan Chase; Cash Room Associate at Jcpenney.
My aspiration is to be a Healthcare Administrator with the hope of being a part of a team researching and implementing health policy.
Fun fact about me is that I have the opportunity to travel to Japan where I had an amazing time, the people are very friendly and I would love to go back one day. I also love to dance, music have a way to make you feel you have no troubles in this worlds.
Hey everyone,
I’m Elora. I’m in my second semester at Baruch, working on the MPA likely on the nonprofit management track. I did my undergrad at Syracuse University, where I majored in journalism and minored in policy studies. I worked in communications at Teach For America for three years, and now I’m at a nonprofit child advocacy organization doing communications and public affairs. I hope to eventually work at an organization that focuses on education and empowerment of women and girls here and around the world. Fun fact: My name comes from a movie (Willow) that I’ve never actually seen!
Hi everybody! My name is Kathryn and this is my first semester at Baruch College. I’m the product manager of ReliefWeb jobs – reliefweb.int/jobs. ReliefWeb is a humanitarian information website, operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), that provides reliable and timely humanitarian information on global crises and disasters. ReliefWeb jobs offers a platform for job seekers and recruiters to fill job vacancies to strengthen the response capacity of the humanitarian community in responding to disasters and emergency crises. After 5 years of working in the UN, I realize that there is so much work to be done. I have a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and have worked for a number of for profit organizations in Singapore and Australia prior to moving to the US so my unexpected switch to the nonprofit sector is a big change. I decided to pursue the MPA program not only to gain an academic foundation and supplement my nonprofit work experience but to also expand my opportunities to be more involved in other aspects of OCHA’s work. Prior to my OCHA job, I worked for the Maltese Consulate and Permanent Mission to the United Nations for almost 3 years where I managed the citizenship and visa section. Fun fact about me is that I love to bake and experiment with substituting least healthy ingredients from a recipe to make desserts guilt-free!
Hello all! I am Viarlenis, but prefer to be called Vivi. This is my first semester of my MPA Program at Baruch and very excited. I completed my B.A in Business Management in Hospitality and Tourism in the Catholic University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. I currently work for NYC Small Business Services as a Community Associate in Cypress Hills/East NY, supporting economic development efforts for small businesses there. I aspire to continue to advance within the field and these efforts at a major scale in this great city and then internationally.
Fun facts: dancer at heart, tap and salsa are my favs, I enjoy writing poetry and traveled to a few fun countries and would like to increase my list (for work and play); Brazil, UK, Turkey, Abu Dabi, Qatar, Dubai, Canada, Dominican Republic
Hi everyone, my name is Yajing Stephens. Feel free to call me by Vivian. This is my 2nd Spring semester as a part-time MPA student at Baruch. I graduated from SUNY Binghamton with a BS in Financial Economics and minor in Urban Planning. I had humble experience in financial services, paralegal, municipal planning in the past and right now I work for NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD). Last September marked my 4th anniversary at HPD. While developing my passion in serving the City in housing, I believe one field that I always aspire to is HR management. As I was promoted to be a manager of four employees, I’ve realized the growing need for Public Management and Policy Analysis in the workplace. So that’s what got me started in this program.
Some fun facts about me: I was born and raised in China but my husband teased I’ve grown out of my “Fobbiness”. I traveled across 5 states in my Yellowstone trip last summer within 5 days. I’m a big fan of movies, singing, and podcasts. I believe my diverse background and openness can help me engage in discussions about various policy areas and perspectives. Looking forward to an insightful and productive semester with y’all.
Hello Everyone!!!
Please call me Kim. I currently work as a Program Coordinator for the Child Center of New York in South Jamaica, Queens developing and operating a program that provides tele-conferencing services for children with incarcerated parents. I have a B.A in Biological Anthropology (lol what is that?) from St. Lawrence University. I want to continue working with children with incarcerated parents but more with policies that impact this population instead of providing direct services. This is my second term in the MPA program.
Fun Fact: I spent 6 months studying in Australia and fed a Kangaroo.
Hi all. I’m Kyle Rectenwald, it’s my second semester at Baruch. I’m a part-time student, who for some reason decided to take three classes while working full-time this semester. I completed my undergrad at University of Pittsburgh, double majoring in Political Science and History. I currently work in Development at an international urban planning and sustainable transportation non-profit called the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP). The organization works in developing countries to help implement mass transit, cycling, and walking solutions to create greener and more people-centered cities. I really enjoy it and the job has made me want to improve and pursue non-profit work as a permanent career path, hence my studies at Baruch. Previously, I taught high school at a public school on Governor’s Island called the Harbor School and before that, at a school in my hometown in Pennsylvania.
My fun fact is that after college I attended a woodworking trade school in Rhode Island to learn how to build and restore wooden boats. I grew up sailing on Lake Erie and enjoy working on boats. I worked in woodworking and boat building for a few years, and still enjoy it as a side hobby. Looking forward to getting to know everyone during the semester!
Hey everyone! I’m Pedro. This is my second semester at Baruch within the MPA program. I grew up and live in the Bronx, NY. I graduated from Villanova University with a B.A. in political science. I currently work for the Department of Sanitation of New York under the Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability. Within the Bureau, I focus on commercial programs; educating businesses of all types on recycling laws and regulations. We also work on a variety of legislation that aims to make New York City cleaner and safer.
My fun fact is that I love professional wrestling (I know it’s not real). New York City actually has one of the biggest wrestling fan bases with some bars doing special happy hour events for Pay Per Views. Barclay Center frequently hosts many of WWE’s events and it’s a lot of fun!
Hi All! My name is Matthew Dvorin but you can call me Matt (or Matthew, I don’t have a preference). I’m in my second semester in the MPA Program at Baruch. I’m an administrator in the department of radiology research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, so I believe I’m on the healthcare track (but maybe it’s too early to say for sure?). I grew up in NJ and graduated from Rutgers. My fun fact is that I’m really into Greek and Roman history and literature. That’s not very fun, now that I think about it. I’ll think of a fun fact later.
Hi, my name is Quyen (pronounced: Quinn) Wong and I am a part-time graduate student in the dual masters (MS/MPA)program at Hunter/Baruch. This is my last semester and will hopefully be graduating this Spring. I went to Rutgers University and obtained a BSN about 15 years ago. I am a nurse and currently work at NYU Langone Medical Center as a Quality Improvement Manager. I hope be secure a position in hospital administration/operations one day, perhaps a VP of nursing or Chief Nursing Officer at a major teaching hospital. This is the second class I am taking with Professor Hoffman, and I look forward to improve my communication skills this semester.
Hey Everyone!
My name is Adilene but I’d prefer to be called Adi. I am originally from California, I attended San Francisco State University for undergrad and majored in International Relations. This is my second semester at Baruch. I currently work for the Human Resources Administration as an Outreach Specialist. I would like to work in public policy focusing on Immigration policy.
A fun fact would be that I have a two-year-old crested gecko, I know reptiles are not known to be aesthetically pleasing but she’s pretty cute.
Hi Everyone! My name is Francesca Littman and I am a second semester MPA student at Baruch. My academic interests include international governments, sustainability and development. After graduating undergraduate at Binghamton University, I went to live abroad for a few years due to the recession. When I came back to the states, I ended up working various administrative jobs and eventually move to New York when my husband started graduate school. I know to progress in my field, I would need a Masters, and I have finally found a full time job that is accommodating of me earning a degree, so I started up at Baruch earlier this year.
Some fun facts about me are that I love animals. I currently have two cats, Zohara and Coby. Zohara is a sweetheart and Coby is still integrating into our family. I used to volunteer at the City Shelter, but I had to stop because all of my free time is going into graduate school. Another cool fact about my family is that my husband is from Canada, which give me lots of exposure from his family about international prospective of the United States from foreigners.
Hi there! My name is Lucy Christensen and I am in my first semester of the MPA program at Baruch. I currently work at the New York City Economic Development Corporation on the minority and women business team. I work to advocate for minority and women owned businesses in New York and to assure that they have opportunities on city projects. Prior to that I was a project manager at Planned Parenthood where I mostly focused on the roll out of the Affordable Care Act along with other advocacy efforts related to reproductive health and rights. I graduated from Bucknell University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s in political science, Spanish, and international relations.
Some fun facts about me are that I lived in Spain for almost a year and can speak Spanish. I am named after the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and am a huge Beatles fan (apple didn’t fall too far from the tree on that one)
Hello my fellow Bearcats!!
My name is Ryan Young and I am in my first semester as a full time MPA student, specializing in urban development and sustainability. I graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. The majority of my professional experience has been within the marketing discipline, with my last position being a Marketing Assistant of a Midtown architecture firm. In the future, I would like to work with government agencies to explore new methods of empowering marginalized communities in rural and urban environments.
In my spare time, I run an online platform that works with local thrift stores in expanding their online visibility and ecommerce capabilities. Aside from that I am a sports fan and a music junkie, currently fixated on rare disco cuts.
I look forward to a great semester with everyone!
Hello everyone,
I am Jim Banton. I am a nurse and my practice is in pediatric and neonatal transport medicine. I am in the MSN/MPA Program and I am in my 5th semester at Baruch. I am in this program with hopes to be in a leadership position someday to help tackle health disparities in maternal and child health. I was extremely lucky to have seen the swiss alps from a helicopter last year.
I was in Professor Hoffman’s class last summer and found his videos and readings very enlightening and engaging. I am excited to be part of this class.
Hello Everyone!
I’m Leah and this is my 4th semester at Baruch. My professional background is with Professional Development & Workforce Training programs; for nine years I worked for Hunter College coordinating these programs throughout NY State. Before that, I worked as a Case Worker for a large foster care agency after obtaining my Bachelor’s degree in Child & Family Studies from Oneonta State College.
Currently, I work part-time here at Baruch on a mentorship program for undergraduate students that are in Finance related majors. I love Jeopardy, and all things trivia.
Hi Everyone! My name is Bernide (Ber-need) and this is my third semester at Baruch. I am an MPA student specializing in Health Care Policy and Non Profit Administration; I have a BS in Health Services Administration. I am really interested in implementing change in health delivery systems. I currently work in a not-for-profit health insurance company. In my role, I foster relationships with our hospital providers and community partners. My department focuses on reducing hospital admissions and readmissions.
My goal as an MPA student is to learn and gain an understanding of policy making and skills that can be applied as a future administrator or director.
Fun Fact: I love to dance and I love music. From the time I wake up I have music playing!
I look forward to a great semester with you all
Hello,
My name is Lauren. This is my second semester working on my MPA in health policy here at Baruch. At Hunter College I studied sociology and French for undergrad. When I moved to NYC four years ago I started teaching yoga (which I still do every Tuesday). Health and wellness and the many ways in which they are/can be addressed both in policy and personally has always been of interest to me. Professionally, I hope to work with a gov’t agency like Health and Human Services or an organization like Planned Parenthood to affect positive change in the health care delivery systems of the U.S.. I am particularly passionate about behavioral and reproductive health.
To roll with the whole animal and alligator “fun fact” theme of class, an alligator peed on me once in the Everglades. I was told it’s just like 7-up. It wasn’t.
Hello all my name is Tinesha Keane. I am currently in my second semester here at Baruch pursuing my MPA. I also did my undergrad at Baruch with a major in finance and investment. I am currently employed by NYC HRA. I am an eligibility and budgeting specialist. My ultimate goal is to become the Commissioner of the social services department. I see som many New Yorkers going without healthcare because our system is not uniformed and a large number of our staff are not trained in new procedures and policies. I would like to make a change. A fun fact about me that I enjoy letting others know is I graduated from Baruch with my undergrad 9 months pregnant I get excited every time I tell people of my story.
Good evening, my name is Fabian (or Fabian for short). This is my second semester in the MPIA Program with a concentration in Public Management. Currently I am an intern with MTA NYCT who endeavors to become a a full-time employee at its conclusion. In addition my employment background consist of clerical, administrative and some teacher experience.
I went paddle boarding with in Mexico, last summer with my family. It is not as easy as it looks
Hello everyone.
My name is Diana Masabanda. I would like to be call by my name Diana. I am a part time student. I am part of the MPA-MSN program at Hunter college. This is my third semester at Baruch. I graduated in 2011 from BMCC with my Associates in Nursing. After that I attended Lehman College to finish my BSN. I work as a Registered Nurse at Jamaica Hospital. I recently started to work at Surgical Critical Care Unit. I really enjoy my job. In the future as see myself in a administrative position either in the hospital sector or in the public such as the department of health. A fun fact is that actually live with four Siberian huskies. They are the best pets ever, they are family.
Hey all,
My name is Michael, most people call me Michael. I am a full-time student in my second semester at Baruch. I graduate last May from NYU so I haven’t really quite begun my career, but I currently work as a graduate research assistant. Prior to becoming a research assistant I interned for a Congresswoman and worked on several political campaigns. I’ve always been interested in politics and policy, and would like to maybe run for public office someday, but recently I’ve become passionate about urban development issues and city planning.
Hello everyone, my name is Sonyarles but I prefer to be called Sony, because most people cannot pronounce my name the correct way 🙁 plus Sony is short and sweet-who doesn’t have a Sony TV or a Playstation? It is easy to remember 🙂
I’m a part-time graduate student in the MPA program, specializing in Non Profit Administration. This is my second semester at Baruch, last semester I took 1 class, trying 2 classes this semester-hoping I can do it. I obtained my BS in Computer Information Systems over 10 years ago. Currently, I work at Mt Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital, as a Divisional Program Manager. I decided to pursue my masters degree to expand my knowledge base in Non Profit Administration and to be able to continue to climb the professional ladder. But, most importantly, to be able to provide a better future for my daughter.
I’m married, with a 4 year old and a little dog, I work full time in NY and live in NJ-as I said, I hope I can do it all. Wishing all of us a wonderful semester 🙂
Hi All!
My name is Kaitlyn but you can call me Kate 🙂 I am in my third year of the dual Masters program from Hunter and Baruch for my MS in nursing administration and MPA. I currently work full time as a nurse in the Burn ICU and New York Presbyterian- Weill Cornell. My experience with program evaluation is limited to projects that have been conducted and analyzed for both the hospital and Burn Unit. I am interested in formally learning about program evaluation and better understanding the process.
I join the group of animal lovers in the group. My husband and I have a Shi-Poo puppy that we consider our child, haha!
I Look forward to this semester with you all!
-Kate
Hi,
My name is Mahogany (or Moe ), this is my fist semester at Baruch and I am very excited to begin studying with you all. I graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a BA in international relations. I currently work at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs in the recently established office of labor policy and standards. My main aspiration right now is to continue to gain experience in my department and to work hard towards my masters degree. I also aspire to one day work for the Mayor’s Office in some capacity.
Fun fact- I spent 4 months in London and fell so far in love with the city that the day I was supposed to return home I spontaneously decided to not return for additional 3 months.
My name is Majeed, I’m a safety director for my organisation with a five year experience, also have experience in sales and marketung. This is my second semester at Baruch pursue MPA. My goal is to become a policy analyst and to do more consultancy with government and non governmental organization.