| Adam Andresen—President | Adam Andresen—President | <p>Adam Andresen is a Ph.D. student in the Disaster Science and Management program. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences with a concentration in Meteorology and a minor in GIS/Emergency Management from California University of Pennsylvania. During this time, he completed internships with the American Red Cross and City of Pittsburgh Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security that helped shape his interests in natural hazards and vulnerability. He also holds a Master’s degree in Sustainability from Arizona State University. There, he worked on projects on heat adaptation strategies to climate change in the Phoenix metropolitan areas and assisted with outreach events regarding extreme heat education and safety. His interests include climate change adaptation, climate change policy and planning, infrastructure, vulnerability, and natural hazards.<br></p> | andresen@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/Andresen_Headshot (1).jpg | | | |
| Damon Peruso—Vice President | Damon Peruso—Vice President | <p>Damon Peruso is a Junior Organizational and Community Leadership major with minors in Social Entrepreneurship and Anthropology. Throughout his time at Delaware, he has worked and consulted with various local nonprofits surrounding issues regarding food insecurity and plastic waste. For the Blue Hen Leadership Program, he works as a Peer Mentor for incoming Freshman looking to develop their leadership skills. He is also an Oral Communication Consultant for the Arts and Sciences Writing Center, where he tutors students in public speaking and speech writing. After college, he is very interested in exploring the non-profit sector, in particular for a non-profit consulting firm. His interests include event planning, entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management.<br></p> | dperuso@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/DamonPeruso.jpeg | | | |
| Mekenna Montgomery—Secretary | Mekenna Montgomery—Secretary | <p>Mekenna Montgomery is a current senior International Relations Major with a concentration in Diplomacy and Global Order and a European Region Specialization. She also has dual minors in Organizational and Community Leadership and Global Studies with French Language. During her time at the University of Delaware she has been a Peer Mentor for the University's First Year Seminar Program, hosts weekly study sessions for the Spectrum Scholars on campus, and was on the Executive Board as Executive Administrator last year for her sorority, Alpha Phi. She has also been a member of University of Delaware Alternative Breaks, where she spent last year's spring break in North Carolina at the Autism Society's Camp Royall. Mekenna also works full time at the University of Delaware's Student Engagement Center, where she serves as a Supervisor for our Call Center. When she is not doing the above activities, you can find her in a coffee shop on Main Street doing homework, or hanging out with her friends on her porch!<br></p> | mekmonty@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/MekennaMontgomery.jpg | | | |
| Catherine Gilman—Treasurer | Catherine Gilman—Treasurer | <p>Catherine is a second year undergraduate student studying Energy and Environmental Policy. Her interests include renewable energy, environmental ethics, and climate change policy. <br></p> | cgilman@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/C Gilman (1).jpg | | | |
| Elliot Dobson—Public Policy (BA) Representative | Elliot Dobson—Public Policy (BA) Representative | <p>Elliott Dobson is a third-year undergraduate student in the Public Policy program. Outside of the Biden School Student Association, he is involved within Student Government, the HenLaw Society, Blue Hen Ambassadors, UDance, UDress Magazine, and Alpha Phi Omega. He is a current Public Administration Fellow at the Institute for Public Administration. Elliott's interests within public policy include transportation, environmental, and community development.<br></p> | elldobs@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/ElliotDobson.jpg | | | |
| Alyssa Wentzel—ENEP (BS) Representative | Alyssa Wentzel—ENEP (BS) Representative | <div>My name is Alyssa (they/them) and I am a energy and environmental policy representative for BSSA. I’m majoring in marine science and energy and environmental policy with honors. Outside of BSSA, I’m president of the Aquatic Project as well as a Climate and World Scholars. I am incredibly excited to connect and build a community with other undergraduates and graduates within the Biden School.<br></div> | alywentz@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/AlyssaWentzel.jpg | | | |
| Casey Schaeffer—Leadership Representative | Casey Schaeffer—Leadership Representative | <p>Casey Schaeffer is a first-year undergraduate student studying Leadership. She is involved in the Blue Hen Leadership Program, Community Engagement Program, and other clubs on campus. Her interests include volunteering, organizing charitable events, and advocating for community involvement by kids.<br></p> | caseys@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/CaseySchaeffer.jpg | | | |
| Jonathan Jackson—DISA MS Representative | Jonathan Jackson—DISA MS Representative | <div>Jonathan Jackson is a first-year master’s student in the Disaster Science & Management program. His interests include urban and coastal environments, devastation from armed conflict, as well as pandemic issues. Jonathan earned his undergraduate degree in Literature from University of California, Berkeley, and graduate degrees in (MA, MFA) from Cornell University. Before entering the Biden school, Jonathan worked as an artist based in New York City and Fair Hill, Maryland. He hopes to bring his background in creative solutions and experience in narrative theory to the field of Emergency Management.<br></div> | jxn@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/jonathanjackson_headshot_med_a.jpg | | | |
| Matthew Van—DISA PhD Representative | Matthew Van—DISA PhD Representative | <div>Matthew Van is a second year student in the PhD in the disaster science and management program at the University of Delaware. He currently works in the Enrico Quarantelli Resource Collection at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center and is involved in several research groups including the COVID Collections Project with New York University, the Homelessness, Housing Precarity, and Disasters Network group, and the Disaster Justice Network. Although he is relatively new to studying hazards, disasters, and emergency management, Matthew has found that these disciplines align with his unending academic interests which seem to grow in number every day. The gap between practitioners and academics in the field of disasters is one that has been commented on many times, and Matthew hopes to someday be of some use in supporting both sectors.<br></div> | mlvan@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/MatthewVan.jpg | | | |
| Walker Schwartz—ENEP/MEEP Representative | Walker Schwartz—ENEP/MEEP Representative | Walker is a first year master's student in the Energy and Environmental Policy program. He has conducted research pertaining to the offshore wind where much of his interest lies. Walker's research interests also include energy transition, energy infrastructure, renewable energy and ESG. He graduated with a bachelors of science in Meteorology & Climatology from University of Delaware in 2020 where he conducted previous research analyzing which synoptic weather patterns result in major coastal flooding events in the Delmarva region. After graduating he obtained a graduate certificate in sustainable business and is from Moorestown, New Jersey.<br> | walkerhs@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/Walker Schwartz.jpg | | | |
| Meghan Lapointe—MPA Representative | Meghan Lapointe—MPA Representative | <div>Meghan Lapointe is a Master of Public Administration student within the Biden School, having completed her undergraduate degree at UD in 2021 in Public Policy with minors in Legal Studies, Educational Studies, and Organizational & Community Leadership. She is serving as the Judicial Fellow within the Institute for Public Administration for her 2nd year, working with the Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts on fees and fines reform.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Meghan is also a Co-President of the UD ICMA Chapter, which works to connect students with careers in local government. This membership allowed her to work as a Local Government Management Fellow in Smyrna, Delaware last summer.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Outside of the classroom, Meghan is often found at the ice arena; she is the Treasurer of the UD Figure Skating Team, currently ranked 2nd among intercollegiate teams in the country. She is also an official Silver Singles and Bronze Dance Judge within U.S. Figure Skating.<br></div> | meghanl@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/MeghanLapointe.jpg | | | |
| Bradley Moore—MPP Representative | Bradley Moore—MPP Representative | <p>Bradley is a first-year graduate student in the Masters of Public Policy (MPP) program. He received his bachelor's degree from The George Washington University in International Affairs, with concentrations in Security Policy and International Politics. He spent 15 years as a litigation paralegal at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP in Washington, D.C., a law firm focusing on scientific/engineering patent law. His interests include study of labor movements and U.S. policy, comparative international politics and processes, and international sports regulation (specifically soccer regulation). <br></p> | bjmoore@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/BradleyMoore.JPG | | | |
| Madeline Morris—UAPP MA Representative | Madeline Morris—UAPP MA Representative | <p>Madeline is a first year Urban Affairs and Public Policy MA student. She graduated from the University of Delaware in 2020 with a BA in International Relations with an American Foreign Policy focus. After graduating, Madeline worked as a Staff Assistant for Senator Chris Coons in his Washington, DC office for over a year, where she drafted memoranda and attended briefings for the Senator while also managing casework and correspondence with constituents until deciding to pursue her degree. Madeline is interested in the study of affordable housing and community development, as well as the sociology of housing and the relationship between housing instability and juvenile recidivism. In her free time, Madeline enjoys drinking coffee, playing basketball, watching Criminal Minds, traveling and photography. <br></p> | madmorr@udel.edu | https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/Student Association/MadelineMorris.jpg | | | |
