エピソード

  • Navigating the Policy Job Market with Nico Johnson | S2E10

    Navigating the Policy Job Market with Nico Johnson | S2E10
    2026/08/28
    In this episode of The Policy People, we are joined by Nico Johnson, a Las Vegan who started his professional journey in corporate strategy in the casino industry and transitioned to the public sector. Today, he serves as a Management Analyst for Arapahoe County, Colorado, translating high-level state and federal policy for local leaders.
    During our conversation, we explored what it means to bridge data analysis with compelling narratives and navigate the policy job market. We also discussed what the day-to-day reality of county-level policy looks like, and how to effectively prepare for it.

    Chapters:
    00:00:00 - Intro & Nico's Path to Harris
    00:08:08 - What Nico Learned at Harris
    00:14:29 - Experiences with Harris' Writing Center
    00:22:03 - How to Communicate Data and Tell Stories As a Policy Analyst
    00:32:01 - How Nico Navigated his Second Year at Harris
    00:40:30 - Why Moving to Colorado
    00:46:41 - Post-Grad Hustle & Getting the Job
    00:57:22 - What His Day Looks Like at Arapahoe County
    01:03:30 - One Last Share from Nico
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 8 分
  • Public Service in Chicago with Emily Metz | S2E8

    Public Service in Chicago with Emily Metz | S2E8
    2026/05/10
    In this episode of The Policy People, we are joined by Emily Metz (Class of 2010), a lifelong Chicagoan who has dedicated her professional life to fighting inequity and reimagining public education and policy. While she spent years embedded in education, she recently transitioned into broad systems change and philanthropy at the Michael Reese Health Trust. We cover everything from how having two college-educated parents contrasted with the stark socioeconomic realities of her extended family, to how an undergraduate English major found her way to Harris, and the profound questions she uses to guide her career.

    In this episode, you will hear:
    • The Roots of Mobility: How seeing the direct link between educational attainment and life outcomes among her aunts and uncles—ranging from entering the top 1% to experiencing chronic homelessness—fueled her drive to improve foundational stability for all Chicagoans.
    • The Path to Harris: Why she chose to apply exclusively to the University of Chicago, realizing during a Ralph Nader-founded public interest fellowship that a graduate degree was the key to unlocking a civic career in her hometown.
    • Navigating the Civic Ecosystem: Emily's journey through different levels of public service, exploring why national government contracts felt disconnected, the chaotic but direct impact of working inside a school district, and how flexible philanthropic funding supercharges local research.
    • The Missing Metric in Policy: Why rigorous quantitative data and econometric models aren't enough, and why understanding history, coalition building, and "messy human dynamics" is crucial for enacting real-world change.
    • Sacrifice vs. Suffering: Honest advice for new graduates on how to protect their well-being in social justice work, and how to know if a tough job is a worthwhile slog or just a path to burnout.

    This episode is a masterclass for anyone interested in local government, educational equity, or the realities of translating academic evidence into tangible community impact.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 28 分
  • AI, Strategy, and Growth Marketing with Alejandro Cuauhtemoc-Mejia | S2E7

    AI, Strategy, and Growth Marketing with Alejandro Cuauhtemoc-Mejia | S2E7
    2026/01/12
    In this episode of The Policy People, joining the conversation is Alejandro Cuauhtemoc-Mejia, a Silicon Valley co-founder and strategist with a career path as unique as his name. Alejandro shares his journey from working at Televisa Univision to leading strategy for Didi, and eventually co-founding the Silicon Valley Certification Hub.

    In this episode, you will hear:
    • The Strategist’s Bridge: Why strategy is the essential link between where you are and your ultimate goal.
    • Growth Marketing Decoded: How data-driven digital acquisition differs from traditional marketing and why public policy graduates are uniquely suited for it.
    • The AI Shift: Alejandro’s perspective on "structural unemployment" and why he believes AI will build more jobs than it destroys.
    • The "In-Between" Advice: Practical tips for new graduates navigating a tough job market, including how to build an online presence and maintain mental resilience.

    This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to reshape their perception of what a Harris MPP degree represents and discover how to translate hard policy skills into the fast-paced tech ecosystem.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 12 分
  • S2E6: Amber's Academy

    S2E6: Amber's Academy
    2025/12/02
    Amber Mercier, class of 2010, has dedicated her career to supporting students on their exchange education journey. She strongly believes in the power of education,especially one that is globally diverse. In this episode with dive deeper into what she has done with IES and other volunteer activities for the betterment of youth and children and why she does it.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 7 分
  • S2E5: Not a mistake, but an experience

    S2E5: Not a mistake, but an experience
    2025/10/07
    Sarah Guminski, class of 2017, is currently head of startup experience at 1871, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs.

    She comes from a heavy research background, thinking she would do a Ph.D only to later change her perspective and goal completely.

    Our conversation with her has one big takeaway: you never make mistakes in your 20s; you gain experiences and whatever you choose was the best thing you could have done at that very moment!
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 15 分
  • S2E4: The flip side

    S2E4: The flip side
    2025/09/21
    Jihan Varisco (Class of ‘14) has built something truly impactful during his time at Harris.

    Through The Flip Side, he is pursuing his mission of bridging the gap between liberals and conservatives. With more than 20,000 subscribers, the platform has grown into a space for uncovering perspectives beyond what mainstream media often presents.

    This special episode follows the assassination of Charlie Kirk (1993–2025), a man who dedicated his life to spreading his ideas and practicing freedom of speech.In memory of Charlie—and with the hope of restoring tolerance toward differing ideologies.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    57 分
  • S2E3: For health, for friendship

    S2E3: For health, for friendship
    2025/09/01

    Adam Nation, class of 2015, is our guest for the third episode of Policy Podcast. Adam has done extensive work in public health, and in this episode, he shares his journey of trying to make people healthier in body and mind.

    He also shares with us fond recollections of his classmate Jim Howes, who recently passed. In Jim's memory, we are sharing resources for those wishing to make contributions to his scholarship, or those who are going through a hard time.

    The donations can be made to a few different places:
    • The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at https://afsp.org
    • The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Wood County at https://namiwoodcounty.org
    • Or to the “James Coleman Howes Memorial” at Bowling Green State University (may need to send details of this)
      • By mail: Checks made payable to BGSU Foundation, Inc. - Memo: James Coleman Howes Memorial
        • BGSU Foundation, Inc.
        • Mileti Alumni Center
        • Bowling Green, OH 43403
      • By Phone: 419.372.7648

    Help is available, talk to someone today: 988 Suicide and Crisis LifelineLanguages: English, Spanish ,Hours: Available 24 hours

    #PublicPolicy #UniversityofChicago #Mentalhealth #PublicHealth
    続きを読む 一部表示
    58 分