Nicole Peisajovich Joins SIPA Faculty to Lead New Ethics in Public Policy Requirement

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Columbia SIPA is pleased to welcome Nicole Peisajovich as a lecturer in discipline, joining the School to lead its newly introduced Ethics in Public Policy core requirement. Beginning this coming academic year, all MIA and MPA students will be required to complete a 1.5-credit course in ethics, part of SIPA’s recent curriculum revision to ensure graduates are prepared to confront the complex moral and political challenges inherent in public policy leadership.

Peisajovich will teach the foundational lecture course starting next fall and oversee the course’s discussion sections, engaging students in questions of justice, responsibility, and the ethical implications of policy choices. 

“The goal of the new course is not only to provide students with theoretical tools for thinking critically about ethical dilemmas,” Peisajovich said, “but also to help them build the practical judgment and self-awareness they’ll need to navigate real-world policy challenges.”

Peisajovich, who previously taught a section of SIPA’s popular Inside the Situation Room course, focuses her scholarship on the role of leadership in democratic life, distinguishing democratic from autocratic forms of leadership. At a time of rising populism and democratic backsliding, her research offers timely insights into the challenges and responsibilities of democratic leadership.

“We are thrilled to have Nicole join the SIPA faculty,” said Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo. “She brings a wealth of experience in political theory, democratic decision-making, and the normative dimensions of policymaking.”

“As we train the next generation of global leaders, her new ethics course will play a vital role in equipping our students not just with the tools of policy analysis, but with the ethical judgment necessary to use those tools wisely and responsibly,” Yarhi-Milo added.

Peisajovich’s appointment reflects SIPA’s commitment to integrating ethical reasoning into its core training, ensuring that future public servants, analysts, and advocates are prepared to make principled decisions in an increasingly complex world.

Before moving to the United States, Peisajovich worked in the public and nonprofit sectors in her home country of Argentina. She will have completed her PhD in Political Science from Columbia University this coming summer.