Students
PhD Students
Ana L Alejandro, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in Sociology, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine; Master of Social Work, University of New Hampshire
Country of Origin: Uruguay
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish
Human Rights Area of Interest: Immigrants and Refugees, Sexual Assault Advocacy, Veterans, Social sector micro-franchising
Ali Bahrani, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BS, mechanical engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; MA, human rights, UMass Boston School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Country of Origin: Iran
Languages Spoken or Used: Persian, Arabic, English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic and social rights evaluation, human rights and big data, global health and human rights.
Shelley M. Brown, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
Previous Degrees: Master of Public Health, Boston University; BA, Emory University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Spanish
Human rights Area of Interest: Maternal health and mental health
V. Miranda Chase, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
Previous Degrees: BA in International Relations; Msc in Integrated Water Management Global Governance and Human Security (MA)
Country of Origin: Brazil
Languages Spoken or Used: Portuguese and English (fluent), Spanish and German (basic)
Human Rights Area of Interest: Indigenous rights, community rights, environmental justice, rights of nature
Odgerel Dashzevag, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MA in sustainable international development, Brandeis University; BA in economics, Institute for International Business and Economics, Mongolia
Country of Origin: Mongolia
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Mongolian, Russian
Human Rights Area of Interest: Women's rights, child rights, reproductive rights, right to health
April Jakubec, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in sociology, Arkansas Tech University; MSc in equality studies, University College, Dublin, Ireland
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Mental health policy and service development using international human rights standards to promote the voice, participation, and dignity of adults in long-term mental health programs
Lydia Landim, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in cultural anthropology and Middle East studies, Bridgewater State University; MS in global studies and international affairs, Northeastern University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese
Human Rights Area of Interest: Women's rights, CEDAW implementation
Ashka Naik, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: Bachelor’s degree, interior architecture/design, master’s degree, sustainable product design
Country of Origin: India
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Hindi, Gujarati
Human Rights Area of Interest: Environmental justice; Indigenous rights; Right to sustainable livelihood and land; Women’s rights; Right to water and sanitation; Right to cultural heritage
Uchenna Nwangwu, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BSc in microbiology, University of Calabar Nigeria; MSc in environmental management, University of Hertfordshire UK
Country of Origin: Nigeria
Languages Spoken or Used: Igbo, English
Human Rights Area of Interest: The application of a human-rights based approach into program design, implementation and monitoring for advancing inclusive development
Stephanie Pena, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in Gender, Women, and Intersectionality Studies at the University of Washington; MA in International Educational Development at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Country of Origin: USA
Languages Spoken or Used: English & some Spanish
Human Rights Area of Interest: Disability rights, women's rights; intersectionality; the right to education; social justice; human rights-based approaches.
Mario S Portugal-Ramirez, Global Governance and Human Security Ph.D. program - Department of Conflict Resolution and Human Security - McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
Previous Degrees: Master's degree in sociology (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales- FLACSO ECUADOR), BA in sociology (Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno- Bolivia)
Country of Origin: Bolivia
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish (maternal language) and English
Human rights Area of Interest: Right to health, participation in health policy-making, decolonial studies in the Global South.
Adriana Rincon Villegas, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
Previous Degrees: MA in geography, University of Georgia (USA); Bachelor of Laws, Universidad de Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano (Colombia)
Country of Origin: Colombia
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish, English
Human rights Area of Interest: Decolonial feminism; critical peace studies; feminist critical discourse analysis, transitional justice in Latin America
Michael L. Scanlon, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
Previous Degrees: BA in international relations, Indiana University, Bloomington; MA, global governance and human security, UMass Boston; MPH, epidemiology, Indiana University School of Medicine
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Kiswahili (kidogo)
Human Rights Area of Interest: The development and implementation of human rights (specifically the right to health and science) in the production of and access to health goods, specifically pharmaceuticals for communities in the Global South; conditions of work, fair compensation, and the right to organize through trade unions for health professionals in the public health sector, using Kenya as a case study.
Shahrzad Sajadi, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA, Law, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran; MA, Journalism, Emerson College, Boston, MA
Country of Origin: Iran
Languages Spoken or Used: Farsi, English, Italian, Written Arabic (Fos-ha)
Human rights Area of Interest: Social justice, disability rights
Ashley Stone, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BS in recreation, parks, and leisure administration with a concentration in therapeutic recreation and a minor in psychology, Central Michigan University; MA, UMass Boston School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights area of interest: Disability rights, the right to education, the right to political participation
Dadasaheb J Tandale, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: Master in Social Work with specialization in Dalit and Tribal Rights
Country of Origin: India
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Hindi and Marathi
Human Rights Area of Interest: Health Rights, Advocacy, Social Policy & Planning
Prisca Tarimo,School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in sociology, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; MA in human development, Washington State University
Country of Origin: Tanzania
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Swahili, Chaga
Human Rights Area of Interest: The right to health and healthy well-being of vulnerable populations, in particular, vulnerable women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal health, HIV health, and the right to be free from violence
Sue Telingator, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MA/MS in International Public Services Administration, DePaul University, BA in English, Barnard College, Columbia University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English and French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Gender and development, women's empowerment, women's leadership and governance, gender equality
Thalia ViverosUehara, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MSc, Environmental Policy and Regulation, London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom).
Bachelor of Laws, University of Veracruz (Mexico).
Bachelor of Environmental Engineering, University of Veracruz (Mexico).
Country of Origin: Mexico
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish, English, German and French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic, Social, Cultural, & Environmental Rights, Social Inequality, Environmental Justice, Climate Change, Sustainable Development
Human Rights Alumni
Gabrielle Angevine, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degree: BA in government, Harvard Extension School
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Criminal justice reform as a human rights imperative
Natalia Salcedo, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in sociology, UMass Boston
Country of Origin: Ecuador
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Spanish, French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Inclusive policy focusing on the right to gender equality and indigenous rights.
Sandra Cabrera, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in International Relations
Country of Origin: El Salvador
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish, English, and French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Youth development, rural development, immigrants' rights, global health, and human rights.
Esther Kamau, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MA in sustainable international development, Brandeis University; honors degree in development studies, University of South Africa; bachelor of commerce in business administration and management, Daystar University, Kenya
Country of Origin: Kenya
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Swahili, Kikuyu
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic, social, and cultural rights, right to health, right to education, right to development
Rachel Scarpino - MA in GISD
Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies, Geography, and Political Science from Hofstra University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights Area of Interest: systemic change; gender equity in health, education, and politics; empowering underrepresented voices
Konstantinos Koutsioumpas, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BSc in physical education and sports science, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece: MSc in sports therapy, Teesside University, UK; MA in Global Inclusion and Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston
Country of Origin: Greece
Languages Spoken or Used: Greek and English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic, social, and cultural rights; right to sport, physical activity and play; right to health; human rights cities; human rights-based approaches to sport, physical activity and play to improve the well-being of communities in post-conflict contexts; human rights education; children's rights in sports
Matthew Annunziato, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in international relations, University of Delaware
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English and French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic and social rights and economic inequality
Ali Bahrani, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BS in mechanical engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Country of Origin: Iran
Languages Spoken or Used: Persian, Arabic, English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Economic and social rights evaluation, human rights and big data, global health and human rights
Nicole Ballou, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degree: Bachelor of Individualized Study – political science; gender, women, sexuality studies; and family social science, University of Minnesota
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, some French
Human Rights Area of Interest: Modern slavery, child labor, and corporate social responsibility
Marian Taylor Brown, PhD, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MA in global inclusion and social development, UMass Boston; EDM in education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; BA in studio art and education, Colorado College
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Health, education, art access, and equity
Jessica Doonan, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous degrees: BS in theater and American Sign Language, Northeastern University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: ASL (American Sign Language), English
Human Rights Area of Interest: The intersection of the disability and LGBTQ community, disability rights within municipalities.
Abigail Green, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degree: BA in writing, literature, and publishing, Emerson College
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Specifically interested in looking at mental health as a human right and the ways in which we can promote this globally
Anne McDonnell, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in Spanish language and literature, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Spanish
Human Rights Area of Interest: Global health, the right to health, and human rights
Lisa Morgan-Small, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: Associate's in business administration, BA in women and gender studies; sociology, MA in global inclusion and social development with a human rights concentration, UMass Boston School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, ASL (American Sign Language)
Human Rights Area of Interest: Unaccompanied youth in Massachusetts and sex/human trafficking across the United States and the process of immigrant assimilation and labor
Ashley B. Romero, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BS in geography and environmental studies, Southern Connecticut State University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English, Spanish
Human Rights Area of Interest: Policy research, urban public goods applying a human rights framework
Ana Maria Sanchez, PhD, Public Policy
Previous Degrees: MS in public policy and public affairs, UMass Boston; MSc in management for non-governmental organizations, London School of Economics and Political Science; BA in political sciences, Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Mexico
Country of Origin: Mexico
Languages Spoken or Used: Spanish, English and Italian
Human Rights Area of Interest: Human rights-based approaches, disability rights, women’s rights, intersectionality, non-discrimination and economic and social rights.
Maggie Schneider, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BA in Afro-American Studies, Smith College
Country of Origin: United States (Boston)
Languages Spoken or Used: Basic French, Xhosa, and Tamil
Human Rights Area of Interest: The intersection of human rights, self-advocacy, and storytelling
Ashley Stone, MA, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: BS in recreation, parks, and leisure administration with a concentration in therapeutic recreation and a minor in psychology, Central Michigan University
Country of Origin: United States
Languages Spoken or Used: English
Human Rights area of interest: Disability rights, the right to education, the right to political participation
Elena K. Taborda, PhD, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development
Previous Degrees: MEd in higher education administration with a focus on culturally responsive education, Suffolk University; MS in management and a double concentration in project management and marketing, Lasell College; BA in philology with a major in romance and germanic philology, Ural State University, Russian Federation
Country of Origin: The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (RSFSR, USSR)
Languages Spoken or Used: Russian, English
Human Rights Area of Interest: Employment rights, rights of youth, right to education