Harriette Williams – President
hew2109@columbia.edu
Harriette is from Sierra Leone and is a sec6nd year MIA student concentrating in Economic and Political Development. Prior to SIPA, Harriette worked with the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in Durban, South Africa. She worked on strategic planning for the organization and was Internship Coordinator. Harriette has published articles on the case of displaced women in Africa and the role of women in post-conflict reconstruction. She is a keen photographer and enjoys hiking and dancing.
Sachin Gathani – Vice President
sg2553@columbia.edu
Sachin Gathani was born and grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. He earned a B.Sc from the University of California, Berkeley in Business and Political Economy. He worked for three years in management consulting after a short stint working for a non-profit in San Francisco. He is now working towards his Master of International Affairs degree at SIPA, concentrating in International Economic Policy and Africa regional concentration.
Eleanor Blomstrom - Treasurer
eb2484@columbia.edu
Eleanor is pursuing a Master of International Affairs, with a concentration in Environmental Policy Studies. She is interested in climate change and urbanization in developing countries, particularly sustainability issues related to transportation, waste management and
water quality. Prior to graduate school, Eleanor taught a bilingual Spanish fourth grade in California. She has worked on community development projects in Latin America and Africa. In Nicaragua, Eleanor worked in education, public health and organic farming. In
Port Harcourt, Nigeria, she analyzed and evaluated a women's empowerment program.
Tatiana Chkourenko – Social Chair
tc2329@columbia.edu
Tatiana is a Masters student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) concentrating in International Finance and Policy. She was born in Vladivostok, Russia. She graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs, and spent a year studying at Université de Genève and HEI in Geneva. Prior to attending SIPA, she worked in the legal and finance fields on project finance, securities offerings and M&A transactions as well as post-merger restructuring for clients in Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, Central Asia and Latin America. As an intern at the UN in Geneva, she worked on micro-finance and micro-insurance issues. She researched UN involvement in East Timor as an intern at the International Crisis Group. Tatiana’s interests include private sector investment, finance, and transitioning and developing economies.
Willow Hunt Heske – Events Chair
whh2106@columbia.edu
Willow Heske is a sec6nd year, MIA student studying International Security Policy with a focus on Conflict Resolution in Africa and the Middle East. She graduated from Rutgers University, Newark, with a B.A. in History. Her regional interests include women’s participation in political processes, state formation and democratic transitions. Willow has a background in gender-specific public health and non-profit management. Most recently, she has worked as a consultant for The Goddess Fund, an organization dedicated to women’s cerebrovascular health.
Victoria Okoye – Communications Chair
voo2101@columbia.edu
Victoria is pursuing dual Masters degrees in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and Urban Planning from the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) and is focusing her studies on African urban development. While at SIPA, Victoria interned with the United Nations Development Group Office. Prior to her graduate study, Victoria worked with uKnow, an educational services program providing after school programs to inner-city schools in Washington, DC. She also interned with Africa Action, a political advocacy organization that focuses on influencing U.S. foreign policy toward Africa. She completed her undergraduate studies in Journalism and International Studies at the University of Missouri.
Neda Sobhani – Curriculum Chair
nvs2104@columbia.edu
Neda is a Masters student at SIPA, concentrating in Economic and Political Development. Neda studied at Universite Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar while completing her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College. Upon graduation, she worked as a Small Enterprise Development Agent with the Peace Corps in Mali. She extended her Peace Corps service to work with Catholic Relief Services before returning to the United States for graduate school.
Brandon E. Woods – Liberty Mentors Program
bew2110@columbia.edu
Brandon is currently pursuing a Master of International Affairs, with
a concentration in International Finance. Prior to attending Columbia,
he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, and participated in Operation
Iraqi Freedom while assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. Brandon
grew up in New Rochelle, NY, and received a B.A in Foreign Affairs with a concentration in the Middle East from the University of
Virginia. His interests include finance, domestic politics, and
matters related to U.S. foreign policy.
