DEICE Committee

The DEICE Committee invites grant proposals that advance diversity, inclusion, social justice, and equity in light of the Committee’s mission in one or more of the following areas:

• Representation: Enhance the recruitment, retention, and support of students, faculty, and staff from diverse and historically under-represented backgrounds.
• Community-Building: Create opportunities for community-building; foster an inclusive climate respectful of diversity and increased cross-cultural understanding, and enhance collaboration among diverse groups at SIPA and across the Columbia campus.
• Network: Build a sustainable network among students, faculty, administration, alumni, and policy practitioners to work together to further the Diversity Committee’s mission.
• Discourse: Provide forums for robust, academic discourse and dialogue at SIPA and the greater public policy community surrounding issues of diversity and inclusion (including the integration of local/global diversity), social justice, and equity in the fields of international affairs and public policy.
• Education: Provide opportunities for enhanced learning, discourse, and research, both inside and outside of the classroom, that challenge students think critically about concepts related to the intersectionality of identity, social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to consider their implications on policy and international affairs.
• Policy Formulation and Practice: Create innovative ideas and share best practices around diversity and inclusion, equity, and social justice as they relate to professional practice.
• Outreach and Advocacy: Develop activities and strategies for outreach and advocacy that engage students, faculty, staff, and alumni with the greater community in support of SIPA’s mission of advancing social justice and addressing structural inequalities, including increased support for historically and socially marginalized communities.

For submission guidelines and to apply, please visit SIPA CampusGroups.

"Immigration, Detention, and Resistance Through Art"

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Immigration policy and mass incarceration represent today one of the main sites of human rights abuses and violations in the US. The panel brought together community-based artists and organizers, academics, immigration advocates and attorneys to discuss insights and intersections between their work and explored the ways in which community art can be mobilized as a form of resistance. The event was organized by SIPA's Concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy and the Humanitarian Affairs Working Group, RISE, SSOC, LASA, and Migration Working Group.

"Come Learn about Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color" - Performance and talk by Alok Vaid-Menon

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

The event was organized by SIPA's Spectrum. Co-sponsored by GPP, GPWG, RISE, and the SIPA Diversity Committee.

SIPA Story Slam

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

The SIPA Story Slam showcased our community's defining experiences through live storytelling around the theme "Lost in Translation." This event featured student and faculty storytellers performing 5-minute stories alongside music and dancing.

South Asia Association (SAA) Multi-Cultural Event

Thursday, March 28, 2019

The event gave students from outside the South Asian community the opportunity to interact with and experience the diverse cultures and perspectives from countries within the South Asian region (namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and The Maldives).

SIPA Intersectionality Conference

Friday, April 20, 2018

The first annual SIPA Intersectionality Conference organized by SIPA Students of Color (SSOC) was held on April 20. The Conference examined the intersectional role of identities in social, economic, and political inequities in the U.S. with the keynote given by Melissa Mark-Viverito, senior advisor to the Latino Victory Fund and former speaker of the NYC Council. Co-Sponsored by the SIPA Diversity Coalition and SIPA Diversity Committee.

Interactive Electoral Workshop

Monday, April 16, 2018

The workshop was facilitated by policy experts from the Brennan for Justice and SIPA faculty members, Prof Fuchs and Prof Shapiro, with the goal of addressing low voter turnout in U.S. elections. Co-Sponsored by Citizen American Voter and the SIPA Diversity Committee.

David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Policy

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After serving almost 15 years in the Philadelphia City Council, Michael A. Nutter was elected the 98th Mayor of his hometown, where he served in office from 2008 until 2016. During his time as Mayor, he also served as the President of the United States Conference of Mayors from June 2012 to June 2013.

Since leaving public service, Mayor Nutter has remained active in public policy, government, and civic life, in critical areas of education, media, public policy, political campaigns, the corporate community, and academic institutions across the country. In addition to his appointment as the Inaugural David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Policy at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) by the Columbia University Board of Trustees, Mayor Nutter has been appointed as a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council; political commentator at CNN; Senior Fellow and national spokesperson for the program “What Works Cities” at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Executive Fellow in Leadership (ISL) at the Lebow College of Business Institute for Strategic Leadership (ISL) at Drexel University; Chair of the first Mayor’s Advisory Council at Airbnb; Executive Fellow at the University of Chicago Urban Labs; Member of the Economic and Community Advisory Council at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and Distinguished Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. Mayor Nutter received his Bachelors in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs: Co-Director, Economic and Political Development Concentration

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Eugenia McGill is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs and the Co-Director of the Economic and Political Development Concentration at SIPA, where she directs the Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice and teaches courses in Methods for Development Practice and Gender, Politics and Development. Her teaching and research interests include the social impacts of globalization, development interventions and development finance, particularly gender-related impacts, as well as innovative and inclusive approaches to development planning.

A lawyer and development specialist, Professor McGill also advises development agencies, governments and nongovernmental organizations on social policy, law and development issues, and on addressing gender and other social concerns through development plans, programs and projects.

Professor McGill serves on the board of directors of the East-West Management Institute, and the oversight council of The School at Columbia University. She has also served on the National Screening Committee for the Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowships. Previously, she was a senior officer at Asian Development Bank and practiced law with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton in New York and Hong Kong.  She has a JD from the University of Pennsylvania, MIA from SIPA, MAT from Northwestern University and BA from Williams College.

Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Director, Management Specialization; Director, Global Ed Tech Entrepreneurship Program at the Center for Development Economics & Policy

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Sarah Holloway has worked in the NYC education sector for two + decades with a focus on K-12 education, equity and technology. Sarah is cofounder of Mouse.org and CSNYC. Since 2007, she has served on the faculty of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and is a Senior Fellow for Social Entrepreneurship at Columbia. Most recently, Sarah co-founded E Lab, an online fellowship aimed at bringing together problem-solvers, experts and entrepreneurs in K-12, higher education and workforce to rethink the systems that educate our planet to help ensure equality and equity of access. Sarah sits on the Board of CSforALL, n-Powered, Five One Labs, Eat Offbeat, BenefitKitchen, Open StartUp and Gotham Gives. Sarah received a Bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from SIPA.

Lecturer in Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Director of Urban and Social Policy Concentration for Executive MPA

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Yumiko Shimabukuro's core research and teaching interests lie in the areas of comparative political economy and social welfare policy with a regional expertise in Northeast Asia. She is the Director of the Urban and Social Policy concentration for the Executive MPA program and serves as the faculty director of the Global Leadership Development Training initiative.

Beyond her academic work, Professor Shimabukuro leverages her two-decades long professional experience straddling the financial, non-profit, and academic sectors and offers advanced professional development training for the mid-career MPA program in Economic Policy Management, Columbia Business School, and numerous other venues throughout the country.  She is the creator of the 5S Method, a comprehensive guide to effective knowledge management and transfer derived from the fields of cognitive science, data visualization, psychology, neuroscience, anatomy, linguistics, education, and voice science. 

Professor Shimabukuro received an MIA in International Economics from Columbia University, a PhD in Political Economy from the Department of Political Science at MIT, and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Harvard University.  She is the recipient of the Harvard Teaching Excellence Award and the Columbia University Outstanding Teaching Award.

More information coming soon.

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Executive Assistant, Office of the Dean

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Laura is the Manager of Executive Education and Training at the Picker Center for Executive Education and previously worked in the in the Office of the Dean at SIPA, where she assisted with special projects and events, including support for the DEICE Committee. In addition, Laura has worked as a research assistant for the International Peace Institute (IPI) Center for Peace Operations; for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation Office in Tanzania; the Carnegie Corporation of New York; for Interfaith, Youth, and Adult Diversity and Inclusion and Police-Community Relations initiatives at the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion; and for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Women’s Leadership initiatives at Accenture and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Anthropology from Wayne State University in Detroit and a Master’s of Science by Research (MSc) degree in Social Psychology from the University of Edinburgh, where her research focused on social cognition and conflict resolution. She is also a recent graduate of the Executive Masters of Public Administration (EMPA) program at SIPA, where she focused on International Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. Her SIPA capstone project examined mechanisms for "Combating Racism and Discrimination Through the United Nations."

More information coming soon.

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Sebastian McAteer is undertaking the Master of Public Administration program with a concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy and a specialization in International Conflict Resolution.

He joined SIPA after relocating from Ireland, where he completed his undergraduate in political science and history at Trinity College, the University of Dublin.

Prior to enrolling at Columbia, he worked for Amnesty International and spent five years in the Irish Parliament working as an advisor to an independent senator.

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Jasmine McClam is an MPA candidate, concentrating in Urban and Social Policy and specializing in Gender and Public Policy. Prior to SIPA, Jasmine earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Spanish at Spelman College. While at Spelman, Jasmine was an advocate for diversity and inclusion through her roles as the president of the Mu Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the U.S. Department of State’s campus coordinator for Spelman College, and as a lead PAL for the Peer Assistant Leaders Program. In addition, Jasmine is a 2020 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs fellow.

As a member of the Diversity Committee and the vice president of SIPASA, Jasmine will work to ensure that SIPA is a safe space for all students. After graduating from SIPA, she will enter the U.S. Foreign Service to become a diplomat to serve American citizens and diverse communities overseas.

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More information coming soon.

Email Meyris »

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Emily is an MIA candidate concentrating in Human Rights Policy, and specializing in Conflict Resolution and Data Analysis. Prior to attending SIPA, she worked on transitional justice and human rights projects in Australia, Sri Lanka and Colombia. She received a B.A. in 2018 from Yale University, where she ran trust-building workshops with students affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict, and advocated for students with disabilities. Emily is a Rotary Scholar for Peace and Conflict Prevention.

As a member of the DEICE Committee, Emily is committed to making SIPA an inclusive institution that applies a DEI-lens to all its activities. She seeks to advocate against policies and customs that perpetuate the disadvantage of students from underrepresented backgrounds. Emily also serves as Co-President of the Conflict Resolution Collective, working to address bias and inequality in the peacebuilding field.

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More information coming soon.

Email Kathy »

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Shahir is a Master of Public Administration student concentrating in Human Rights & Humanitarian Policy and specializing in Technology, Media & Communications. Prior to their studies at SIPA, they received a degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. For the past four years, Shahir has served the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) as an Associate Analyst by assessing the credit risks and financial vulnerabilities of the non-financial corporate sector. Aside from their professional job, Shahir has been actively engaged in social justice movements and human rights-related events in Malaysia.

Currently, Shahir is the Communications & Community Outreach Director of Spectrum, SIPA’s LGBTQIA+ student organization which advocates for and celebrates students of diverse gender identities and expression, and sexual orientations. They look forward to working with the Diversity Committee to promote a greater sense of belonging and a safer space for queer students at SIPA through inclusive programs and diverse faculty and student engagements. Shahir identifies as a non-binary and uses they/them/theirs pronouns.

Email Shahir »

More information coming soon.

Email Caleb »

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Vincent Tang is a first-year MPA in Development Practice candidate, specializing in Gender and Public Policy. Vincent received a B.S. in Business, with concentrations in finance and marketing, from New York University's Stern School of Business. His academic and professional focus is on social and financial inclusion. Prior to SIPA, Vincent worked in corporate finance. However, wanting to focus more on social impact, Vincent then joined the Peace Corps as Business Development Specialist and worked with local NGOs in Western Ukraine focusing on community development and organizational capacity building. He was also part of Peace Corp Ukraine's Intercultural Competence, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group, where he developed training materials and led workshops on diversity and inclusion.

Currently, Vincent serves as the Treasurer for RISE: Working Group on Race, Income, Solidarity, and Economics, the President for CERV: Community Engagement and Recruiting Volunteers, and is an intern at The Opportunity Network, a NYC non-profit focused on addressing the inequitable structures of access, college opportunity, and professional mobility that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income communities.

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Hamna Tariq is an MIA candidate at Columbia SIPA concentrating in International Security Policy. Prior to joining SIPA, Hamna was a Junior Fellow with the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center, researching South Asian geopolitical and security dynamics and serving as Associate Editor of South Asian Voices. She also interned with the South Asia program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Summer 2019. Hamna completed her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Urban Development at Trinity College Connecticut, where her thesis examined how the permanent liminality of Gilgit-Baltistan in Kashmir affects the region’s socio-political fabric. During her undergraduate studies, Hamna also researched the socio-economic and cultural impacts of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and had her findings published in the European Financial Review in 2018. She has published her analysis in several security publications, including 9DashLine and South Asian Voices. She is fluent in Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi and proficient in Spanish.

At SIPA, Hamna is involved with the Digital and Cyber Group, the United Nations Association, the Progressive Security Working Group, and the Morningside Post.

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Leselle Vincent is a first-year MPA in Development Practice candidate with a specialization in International Organizations. Leselle, a Trinidad and Tobago national, received a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was committed to establishing a community for Caribbean students to gather, support each other and share their culture with other students.

As a member of the Diversity Committee, Leselle hopes to contribute to measures that ensure greater representation and support for marginalized communities and nationalities among the SIPA student body and faculty, and more diverse course offerings that take into consideration alternative perspectives for policy and development. Leselle also serves as a co-academic chair on the SIPA Student Association (SIPASA) and a General Steering Committee member on the Working Group on Race, Income, Solidarity, and Economics (RISE).

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Student Organization: SIPA Students Association (SIPASA)

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Macire Aribot is a first-year MIA student from Atlanta, GA, concentrating in Economic and Political Development and specializing in Africa studies at Columbia SIPA. Prior to SIPA, Macire worked at the National Democratic Institute to strengthen government transparency, electoral processes, and youth leadership in Central and West Africa and Southern and East Africa. She was also selected as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Emerging Leader and worked in the office of Senator Tammy Duckworth. Macire received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs and Global Development Studies at Mercer University. During her undergraduate tenure, she served as the President of the Mercer International Affairs Organization, Treasurer of the Iota Eta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Opportunity Scholars Ambassador. In addition, she was a recipient of the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. Macire enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with loved ones in her free time.

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Student Organization: SIPA Students of Color (SSOC)

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Allison Chen is a 2021 Rangel Fellow and a first-year in the International Security Policy concentration and in the Gender and Public Policy specialization. She recently graduated from Yale University with a double-major in economics and political science. Previously, she interned at the Congressional Research Service's Asia Section in the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division and at the United Nations, working on financing for sustainable development. She has also focused on gender issues, through investigating women's economic empowerment at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and creating and teaching a standardized sex education curriculum to students in rural China through Yale Building Bridges. She is originally from Arizona.

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Student Organization: SIPA Pan-African Network (SPAN)

More information coming soon.

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Student Organization: Gender and Public Policy Working Group (GPWG)

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Nishtha Gupta is an MIA candidate pursuing a degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy with a minor in Technology, Media, and Communications.

Originally from India, she completed her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Delhi and then proceeded to work as a digital journalist in one of India's leading newsrooms.

She is deeply passionate about human rights advocacy, the future of democracy, and the role of media in it all.

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Student Organization: Women in Leadership (WIL)

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Aranzazú Jorquiera Johnson (She/her) is an ’23 Master in Public Administration in Development Practice with concentrations in Gender and Public Policy and Technology, Media, and Communications. She is also the Women and Gender in Global Affairs Intern at Columbia University, as well as, a University Life Ambassador. Before coming to SIPA she helped launch GenderLab, an innovative Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting firm in Lima, Peru. Aranzazú worked mainly mainstreaming gender across industries and sectors and most recently in the implementation of a sexual harassment prevention platform called ELSA (Espacios Laborales Sin Acoso). 

As the President of Women in Leadership, Aranzazú looks forward to providing women in all their diversity with tools to excel as leaders, encourage more men to realize their potential as agents of change towards gender equality, as well as representing their interests to the DEICE Committee. 

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Student Organization: Working Group on Race, Inequality, Solidarity, and Economics (RISE)

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Roohi is a Diversity Coalition member of the DEICE Committee and serves as the Co-President of RISE. She is currently in her first year pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration; concentrating in Urban Policy with a specialization in Management as well as Technology, Media, and Communication.



Prior to attending graduate school, Roohi was working as a Development Associate at an Oakland-based nonprofit and venture-capital community development financial institution (CDFI), at ICA.Fund. In her role, Roohi was responsible for managing all things fundraising, supporting raising equity capital for investment activities, copywriting for annual impact reports, and managing ICA’s social media accounts. Roohi has held other positions at Kiva, World Business Chicago, and the U.S. Commercial Service. Roohi graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and International Studies in 2017.

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Student Organization: SPECTRUM

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Noa Tann (they/them) is a first-year Master of International Affairs student at SIPA concentrating in International Security Policy and specializing in International Conflict Resolution. Prior to SIPA, they earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of Central Florida and embarked on a Fulbright English Teaching Grant to Brazil. Besides being a Fulbrighter, Noa is also a National Merit Scholar and an International Fellow at SIPA.



As the President of SPECTRUM, SIPA's LGBT+ student organization, Noa is excited to represent SIPA's vibrant queer community and advocate for its concerns on the DEICE committee. 

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Empowering Asian Women (EAW) - The purpose of Empowering Asian Women is to encourage further dialogue on the topic of diversity and inclusion by fostering leadership development of Asian female students and professionals.

Gender and Public Policy Working Group (GPWG) - GPWG hopes to facilitate the integration and exposure of a gender perspective at SIPA and promote useful discussions and events.

Migration Working Group (MWG) - The Migration Working Group aims to promote dialogue, awareness, and community involvement on national and international migration issues.  

SIPA Pan-African Network (SPAN) - As its mission, SPAN creates a vibrant community of support for students within SIPA and Columbia concerned with Africa and its Diaspora. SPAN’s core objectives are to create a platform for African students and all other students interested in Africa to share ideas beneficial to development in Africa; leverage opportunities within SIPA and Columbia University, and collaborate with other student groups for increased visibility; organize events focused on development and connect members with organizations for internship and post-graduation employment opportunities; and participate in orientation of new students and ensure equal opportunities for all members.

SIPA Students of Color (SSOC) - SSOC is a diverse community of students, alumni and faculty that focuses on the support and advancement of underrepresented students becoming future policy leaders and development professionals. Our core belief is that the world is best served by policymakers and leaders who represent a wide variety of cultural traditions, political worldviews and life experiences. The organization’s primary function is to assist its members in achieving their academic and professional goals. SSOC seeks to leverage its broad network to assist Columbia SIPA in the recruitment of underrepresented students and faculty while advocating for the inclusion of diverse and dynamic perspectives within Columbia SIPA’s course curriculum and cultural climate.

SIPA Women in Leadership (WIL) - SIPA WIL is an organization at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), consisting of Columbia students, alumni, administrators, friends, allies and mentors. SIPA Women in Leadership’s mission is to prepare its members for success and leadership in all sectors and professional endeavors. We aim to bring awareness to the barriers women face as leaders today and the importance of having women serve in decision-making positions, with the overall goal of achieving gender equality.

SPECTRUM - SIPA Spectrum is an organization within which SIPA's LGBTQ+ and allied students may network, build a community, and hold dialogue on international and domestic issues, through which community members may access relevant resources and information.

Working Group on Race, Inequality, Solidarity, and Economics (RISE) - The mission of RISE is to create a safe environment for students to engage, in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity, in co-learning, discussions and activities towards solutions to diverse problems of social inequality, such as wealth and income inequality, poverty and racial, gender and economic disparities.