2025 SMPA Newsletter
Message from the Director
School Spotlights
Department Kudos
Alumni Class Notes
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Message from the Director
Dear SMPA Alumni,
It has been great to hear from so many alumni over the past year and a half. You remain some of the smartest and most interesting people I know.
Our world hasn’t gotten any less complicated since I last wrote this note. Our politics and media are changing incredibly quickly. Many of you are at the forefront of that change, others are wrestling with the implications of it, and we are all living it. Our professors - your professors - study and teach those changes, preparing the next generation of SMPA alumni for success. Our students are navigating those changes in their jobs and internships. Together, we are all figuring out the what now, what next, and then what of our shifting political and media landscapes.
We do this in a lot of ways that will feel familiar. We host events and informal conversations with leaders in politics and media, many of whom are alumni. Your professors bring guest speakers to class (many of whom are alumni) to talk about the world beyond our walls. We have honest, sometimes difficult, conversations in our classrooms and hallways.
There is a Basque saying that fits our SMPA community well: “Because they were, we are. Because we are, they will be.” Thank you for being part of our community and helping ensure that SMPA continues to study, shape, and tell the stories that matter.
You can always reach me at ploge
gwu [dot] edu (ploge[at]gwu[dot]edu) - shoot me a note or drop by next time you’re in Foggy Bottom. I’d love to hear what you’re up to, find ways to get you involved, and brag a bit more about what we’re doing. In the meantime, do good and be well.
Best,
Peter Loge
Director, School of Media and Public Affairs
School Spotlights
How a GW Alumnus Inspires HBCU Students to Make Their Voices Heard
SMPA alumnus Tevon Blair, MA '21, turned his SMPA graduate capstone project into "Vote HBCU," a nonpartisan, national program empowering students to vote in the 2024 election. The program educates, mobilizes, and activates students through tour stops at HBCU campuses across the South, merging civic engagement with the vibrant culture of HBCU life.
For Journalists in 2024, Should Truth Trump Fairness?
New Republic Editor and Shapiro Fellow Michael Tomasky emphasized that in today's political climate, journalists should prioritize truth over fairness in a panel hosted by SMPA in September 2024. He argued that adhering too strictly to fairness can undermine democracy, especially when covering campaigns that spread false information.
Department Kudos
- SMPA welcomed our 2024-2025 Terker Fellows Marco A. Davis and David E. Sanger.
- Michael Tomasky joined SMPA as the Spring 2025 Shapiro Fellow in Media and Public Affairs.
- Eli Kintisch joined SMPA as Ted Turner Professor of Environmental Media.
- Babak Bahador was named the new Director of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC).
- Imani M. Cheers provided insights in CGTN TV’s "The Heat: US Politics."
- Matthew Hindman was quoted in the Washington Post article "Trump cranks up false, inflammatory messages to rake in campaign cash."
- Jesse J. Holland published a new book titled Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson.
- David Karpf was quoted in the Rolling Stone article "Trump tries to clarify that he and Vance 'are extremely normal people'."
- Steven Livingston co-organized and led an event titled "Religion, Politics and the 2024 Election" with SMPA, the GW Illiberal Studies Program, and the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice.
- Peter Loge authored "Perspective: What a great inaugural address can accomplish" for Deseret News.
- Jason Osder’s film "Let the Fire Burn" was named one of the 10 best documentaries set in Philly by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Patricia Phalen was quoted in the Variety article "Do ‘Blade Runner 2049’ Producers Have a Case Against Musk and Tesla Over AI Image? Legal Experts Weigh In."
- Ethan Porter’s research was discussed on the Scientific American podcast segment "Overconfidence Can Blindside Science and Society Alike. Here's How Not to Get Fooled."
- Steven V. Roberts published an Op-Ed in New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung titled "Hunter’s pardon makes Trump smile."
- Frank Sesno was quoted in the New York Times article "Under Trump, Voice of America Journalists Fear Politicization."
- Thom Shanker was interviewed for the RealClear Politics podcast segment "Trump Challenges ABC's Moderators, Will Trump and Harris Agree to a Second Debate? Is America United 23 Years After 9/11?"
- Janet Steele was awarded a Fulbright Specialist grant at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.
- Cheryl W. Thompson was awarded the Washington Association of Black Journalists 2024 Legacy Award.
- Rebekah Tromble is one of four people nationally who has been named a 2024 "Science Defender" by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
- Silvio Waisbord’s book Public Scholarship in Communication Studies, which he co-edited with SMPA alum TJ Billard, received the Sue DeWine Distinguished Scholarly Book Award given by the Applied Communication Division of the National Communication Association.
- William Youmans provided commentary in the WNYC-FM segment "Digging into the Data About Media Bias in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict."
- Nina Gilden Seavey authored her new book, "The Documentary Filmmaker’s Workbook: Producing Documentary and Directing Documentary," in the Vervante Press.
- Anneliese (Lisa) Palmer was featured in the segment "World Press Freedom Day: Journalism For The Planet."
Alumni Class Notes
Kevin Best, MPA '94, is a solo practitioner representing municipalities in Maryland, practicing before every level of court in Md. including reported cases in the appellate courts of Md.
Sezen Birol, BA '10, moved to Los Angeles in 2023 to work as a creative producer at Netflix, directing talent such as Kevin Hart, Jennifer Garner, Nicole Kidman, as well as the cast of Bridgerton in London, and Emily in Paris in Paris.
Conn Carroll, BA '00, wrote Sex in the Citizen: How the Assault on Marriage is Destroying Democracy, published in October by Bombardier Books. Sex and the Citizen is a powerful and urgent exploration of one of the most overlooked forces shaping the political landscape today: the rapid decline of marriage. Conn Carroll is currently the commentary editor for the Washington Examiner. He served as a communications director in the U.S. Senate for seven years before returning to journalism.
Manuel Dussault, MPA '91, is director general of the Financial Institutions Division of Finance Canada.
Darren Goldberg, BA '96, is the CEO of Atlantic Pictures, which produces high-quality films, television, and branded content. He also leads Backlot, an innovative platform that manages the process of productions shooting in commercial properties.
Kathryn Hash, BA '06, signed a two-book deal with Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Her debut novel, "Gracie Harris is Under Construction," hits shelves on July 29, 2025, and is available for preorder. She is represented by William Morris Endeavor.
Sonia Holstein, BA '22, is now a chef, food writer, recipe developer, and photographer. She lives in Napa, CA, attending a culinary program at the Culinary Institute of America. She also works at an olive oil farm, in the kitchen and marketing department.
Dillon Lewis, BA '16, joined Carnegie Science as an executive writer in June. He's also a critic for Washington City Paper and received the American Theatre Critics Association 2024-2025 Helbing Fellowship to examine Thornton Wilder's dramatic work through a queer lens.
Henry Long, BA '23, moved to Austin, TX, and leveraged his skills in journalism to climb the ranks in software sales at CS DISCO. As a Sales Rep, he set company records for first-year revenue and as a newly promoted analyst, he's transforming their go-to-market strategy.
Tony Palermo, BA '91, MPA '93, was elected Vice President of Membership and Outreach Services for the American Planning Association Florida Chapter.
John Perrino, BA '15, is now a senior policy and advocacy expert at the Internet Society.
Becky Whetstone, BA '80, first nonfiction book, "I (Think) I Want Out: What To Do When One of You Wants to End Your Marriage," published by HCI books, is available on preorder and will be released Feb 4, 2025.
Jeffrey Wiener, BA '96, is the managing partner of a thriving lobbying and strategic consulting firm, Milne, Wiener & Shofe Global Strategies, in Washington, DC. He and his family live in Bethesda, Maryland.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
The Sesno Series: Disruption, Discord, and Democracy: The Road Ahead
As we witness dramatic events reshaping our government and democracy, join SMPA for a rare and candid conversation with a Republican who has been on the frontlines of politics. This is a true #OnlyatGW and #OnlyatSMPA opportunity. Former NH Governor Chris Sununu will discuss Donald Trump's tumultuous first 100 days, the impact of the administration's sweeping cuts, and the status of the checks and balances fundamental to American democracy. What are the implications of Elon Musk's unprecedented power to slash government programs and personnel? What's ahead for politics? What happens if the president ignores the courts? This conversation will explore the most pressing questions confronting the country at a pivotal moment in American history. RSVP here.
Classrooms to Careers: SMPA Career Week – Alumni Support Needed
SMPA is excited to host a Career Mixer on Friday, April 4, and we would love your involvement. This event will feature a traditional career fair format, as well as exclusive opportunities for alumni to mix, mingle, and network with future leaders of SMPA. If you or your organization would like to participate, reach out to us at smpagwu [dot] edu (smpa[at]gwu[dot]edu). Let’s make this event a success together!