CHICAGO, IL — The Center for Effective Government (CEG) at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy announced its first cohort of Effective Government Fellows, who join the Center for the yearlong program. The Effective Government fellowship, a partnership between POPVOX Foundation and the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government, engages rising public servants on modernization efforts for our democratic institutions.
The fellowship places graduate students in the University of Chicago Harris School’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) program on projects that demonstrate new uses of technology to strengthen congressional capacity and improve the effectiveness of legislation. By engaging UChicago MPP students on issues of democratic modernization and effective governance, this fellowship equips future leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to make pivotal reforms to our institutions.
“The Effective Government Fellowship provides a meaningful opportunity for students to contribute to CEG and get hands-on policy experience with POPVOX Foundation,” said Sadia Sindhu, executive director of the Center for Effective Government. “By supplementing their education as UChicago MPP students with practical experience as institutional reformers, fellows will emerge into the workforce knowledgeable about how to best advance change.”
The 2024-25 CEG Effective Government Fellows are:
Uchenna Offorjebe: Uchenna Offorjebe is pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Prior to graduate school, he held various roles in the Tech sector at several firms with his most recent being a Senior Product Manager. Combining his passions and interests in technology and public policy, Uchenna hopes to leverage his experiences from tech in order to help modernize government and act as a bridge in support of decision makers within Tech Policy. Originally from San Jose, California he holds a B.S. in consumer Behavioral Sciences from The Ohio State University.
Kathryn Luedke: Kathryn is a passionate problem solver and enjoys helping leaders and organizations realize their full potential. She is a current Masters of Public Policy Candidate at the University of Chicago focusing on data analysis and leadership development while also serving as a board member with SheVotes Illinois, a coalition working to promote women and femme issues in policy. Prior to her studies, Kathryn worked in various nonprofits in Minneapolis emphasizing the effective use and administration of programmatic information. She holds a background in Cultural Anthropology and International Studies from the University of Missouri.
Nick Dokoozlian: With extensive experience in local, state, and federal government, Nick is dedicated to enhancing governmental responsiveness. He focuses on addressing community needs and navigating governmental systems to support constituents effectively. Born and raised in California's San Joaquin Valley, Nick understands the critical importance of prompt and attentive responses to rural issues. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy at the University of Chicago’s Harris School.
"POPVOX Foundation's partnership with the University of Chicago Center for Effective Government has been truly rewarding,” said Marci Harris, cofounder and executive director of the nonpartisan nonprofit POPVOX Foundation. “We’ve been so impressed with the dedicated students that were selected, and are honored to give them a behind-the-scenes tour of how policy happens, from constituent engagement to the legislative process and onto rulemaking and implementation. Their fresh insight and ideas have been an asset to our team and our work, and we look forward to continuing to support them in their future careers.”
The Effective Government Fellowship was created with the generous support of CEG advisory council member Galen Hines-Pierce (MPP’17). By combining on-the-ground work in DC with the rigorous academic setting of UChicago, Hines-Pierce saw an opportunity to further CEG’s efforts to build bridges between scholarship and the practitioners working to enact reform.
“I'm thrilled to support this fellowship in concert with the Harris School's evolving focus on the intersections of democracy, technology, and society. For American democracy to retain its edge in geopolitical competition, it is essential that it modernizes and adapts. The Center for Effective Government is on the ground not just thinking, but working and doing, to confront these challenges. Because of my engagement with the CEG, I already knew that students would benefit from interacting with their outstanding work,” said Galen Hines-Pierce (MPP’17). “While the summer component of this program in DC will give accepted students essential experience regarding democratic modernization and reform efforts, CEG as a whole will continue to serve as a critically important space for fellows to grow as leaders, policymakers, and scholars.”
Press contact: Megan Busbice, Program Associate, Center for Effective Government