The School of Public Policy Alumni Chapter Board represents an expansive network of more than 3,000 SPP alumni.
Through professional development events, community service programs, social activities and support of the School’s various academic initiatives, the alumni network plays an integral role in advancing our mission. Join us at an alumni event or contact us to learn more about getting involved.
Manager of Government Relations and Registered Federal Lobbyist
Infectious Diseases Society of America
Co-Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee; Member, DEIB Committee
Amanda Woodson returned to the School of Public Policy Alumni Board in June 2024 for a new term. She graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in a dual major of Public Policy and Government & Politics, concentrating in International Relations and Foreign Policy. During her time at Maryland, Woodson was a member of the University of Maryland pre-law chapter of Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity and served as co-president of the University of Maryland chapter of the Roosevelt Network. She is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Global Communities living-learning program. Previously, Woodson worked as a Government Relations Specialist at the Amputee Coalition in Washington, DC. In this role, she represented the Amputee Coalition in five national multi-member coalitions, composed congressional commentary and position papers, developed grassroots and grass tops engagement strategies and authored articles for the Amputee THRIVE Blog and inMotion magazine. She was also registered as a lobbyist during her tenure. In her free time, Woodson enjoys volunteering as a member of the Junior League of Annapolis, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes and spending time with family and friends.
Fun Fact: Woodson was a competitive figure skater in middle and high school.
Manager of Government Affairs
Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington
Hugo E. Cantu was elected to the Alumni Board in June 2020 for a two-year term. He graduated in May 2020 with a B.A. in Public Policy and a minor in Real Estate Development, making Cantu the first president of the SPP alumni board to graduate from the undergraduate program. He was a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Engagement, and Steering committee. Cantu also holds an associate's degree in Business Administration from Montgomery College. In his time at the University of Maryland, Cantu served as a public policy ambassador, an orientation advisor, and an executive board member and co-founder of the UMD public policy professional fraternity Kappa Omega Alpha. He served on the Presidential Transfer Committee for President Darryl Pines as a member of the University Relations and Communications, and Alumni Association subcommittee. Formerly policy director to Prince George’s County Council Chair Tom Dernoga and former senior legislative aide to Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando, he now serves as manager of Government Affairs for the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington. In his free time, Cantu enjoys cooking, reading and watching sports.
Operations Officer
United States Army
Chair, Steering & Planning Committee; Member, DEIB Committee
Clayton Noble joined the School of Public Policy Alumni Board in June 2023 for a 2-year term. Noble graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and a minor in Army Leadership Studies. After graduating, Noble began his service as an army officer. His current assignment is at Fort Myer in Arlington, VA. During his time at UMD, Noble was the founding president of Sigma Alpha Mu, an on-campus social fraternity; vice president of the Interfraternity Council; and leadership development facilitator for the Terrapin Leadership Institute. During his free time, Noble enjoys playing rugby, kickball and ultimate frisbee.
Fun Fact: Noble has been on over 20 ghost tours.
Government Relations Associate
Secure Elections Project
Member, Steering & Planning and DEIB Committees
Elizabeth Kringer-Davis joined the School of Public Policy Alumni Board in July 2024 and is a member of the Steering and Planning Committee. Kringer-Davis graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a Master of Public Administration. Previously, she worked for Congressman Sanford Bishop doing Constituent Services and Colleges/Universities Relations. In her free time, she loves cooking, hitting the slopes in winter sports and spending time with family and friends.
Fun Fact: Kringer-Davis is a huge U.S. Presidential History enthusiast.
Competitive Intelligence Analyst
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Co-Chair, Steering & Planning Committee
Colin Olson was elected to the Alumni Board as an At-Large member for a two-year term in June 2023. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master of Public Policy degree in 2021 with focuses in international development and energy policy. In addition to his MPP from the University of Maryland, Olson holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Security from the University of Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude.
Olson is currently a competitive intelligence analyst at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He previously completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Denmark, working with policymakers on sustainable transitions in the Danish energy sector. Olson's research in Denmark was the culmination of several years of sustainable development policy work at the UN Environment Programme, the World Resources Institute and UMD’s Center for Global Sustainability. Colin has also worked as a policy director in the Maryland General Assembly, working on small business development, clean energy policy and Maryland’s innovation economy.
Olson spends his free time sneaking his miniature dachshund, Lincoln, into stores and restaurants in DC. He is an avid kayaker and Oklahoma football fanatic.
Contract Specialist
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee; Member, DEIB and Steering & Planning Committees
Temitayo Paul joined the School of Public Policy Alumni Board in July 2024 and is a member of the Steering and Planning Committee while chairing its Communications and Marketing Committee. Paul has been an active member of the UMD community for years starting when she completed her B.A. in Government and Politics and Economics in 2017 up to her graduation from the School of Public Policy in 2021. During her time at Maryland, she was a member of the College Park Scholars International Studies program and a volunteer for various nonprofits affiliated with UMD. In her time as a student, she mentored disadvantaged pre-k students at Little Lights Academy of DC and served as a judge for the Do Good Institute annual Do Good Challenge.
Outside of the board, Paul works as a contract specialist for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Procurement Operations (OPO). Paul joined the federal service in 2019 as a Pathways Intern for the United States Secret Service (USSS). She served as a Human Resources representative during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and was instrumental in transitioning her office to virtual operations. Paul was promoted to DHS headquarters in 2021 as a procurement officer and since then has assisted several critical contracts ranging from information technology installations to critical infrastructure projects.
In her free time, Paul enjoys traveling around the country and collecting pieces of local artwork.
Fun Fact: Paul is an avid Attack on Titan fan.
Becky Rosansky joined the UMD SPP Alumni Board in June 2023 for a two-year term. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland in the second-ever graduating class of undergraduate public policy majors. While she was a student, Rosansky was heavily involved in student leadership on campus. She served on two Student Senate committees, the Stamp Advisory Board, co-chaired Hillel’s Committee for Jewish Collaboration, was the inaugural SPP representative to the SGA and helped to create the SPP Dean’s Student Advisory Board. Rosansky was also a Rawlings Fellow and the first undergraduate to join UMD’s chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha honors society. During the summer of 2017, Rosansky interned with the Dean and Director of Undergraduate Studies to help create opportunities for students joining the new major.
After receiving her B.A. in Public Policy, Rosansky worked for 2.5 years at the National Housing Trust. She is currently living in Los Angeles and working toward a Master of Public Administration at the University of Southern California to further her mission of growing the availability of affordable housing in the U.S. She interns at the Price School’s Homelessness Policy Research Institute and volunteers on the boards of Mentorship for an Accessible Price and the Graduate Policy and Administration Community. In her free time, she and her fiancé foster kittens with a local animal rescue.
Special Advisor to the COO
Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
LinkedIn
Secretary; Chair, DEIB Committee; Member, Marketing & Communications Committee
James Turner Jr. joined the UMD SPP Alumni Board in June 2023 for a two-year term. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy in May 2022. During his time at SPP, Turner focused on writing papers concerning Black wealth through homeownership and other programs, minority community development and other persistent issues surrounding uplifting marginalized communities. During his senior year, Turner was selected for the 2021 Mayoral Fellowship cohort under the newly elected Brandon M. Scott Administration. Assigned to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT), Turner leveraged knowledge learned at SPP and applied it in real time to serve the citizens of Baltimore.
Turner is continuing to work for the City of Baltimore as special advisor to the Chief Operating Officer at DHCD. In his role, Turner supports the COO in special projects that help progress housing operations and plans in the City. Turner loves to watch football, play video games and travel.
Fun Fact: Turner includes fun facts in all his agendas at work to help grow knowledge, understanding and make sure people are reading the agenda!
Grant Program Manager - YouthBuild
Rockville Housing Enterprises
Treasurer; Member, Steering & Planning Committee
Kurt Turnier began serving on the School of Public Policy Alumni Board for a two-year term in July 2022. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy with a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management & Leadership. While completing the program, Turnier served as a member of the NASPA: Region II – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Public Policy Work Group where he recruited policy experts for monthly panels that advanced regional members' interest in public policy. Upon graduation from UMD, Turnier secured a summer internship as a Research & Development intern at Joe’s Movement Emporium where he established a marketing strategy for intentional donor outreach and conducted research on improving literacy development strategies among students of color ages 5 – 24. Recently, he served as a program coordinator at the Montgomery County Collaboration Council where he supported the procurement, contract compliance and fiscal management of 20+ public and private service providers delivering services such as out-of-school time programs and job readiness training to young adults experiencing housing insecurity. Currently, he manages a YouthBuild grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide workforce development programming to youth in and surrounding Montgomery County, MD.
Holding identities as a first-generation Haitian-American and college graduate, Turnier comes to UMD School of Public Policy Alumni Board transitioning from a career in higher education administration and into education policy. He has led various bridge programs aiding first generation, low-income high school graduates into college matriculation and career exploration; created initiatives supporting the retention of collegiate students holding marginalized identities; along with identifying and dismantling factors leading to attrition for these communities. Personally, Turnier enjoys traveling, watching sports, and exploring beaches, hiking trails and the menus of restaurants.
Wei Xu, also known as Victoria, has a unique background in the private sector and a STEM education among SPP alums. Before she joined SPP in 2014, Xu had 10+ years of experience in Fortune 500 corporations in the telecommunications industry. Her education at UMD furthered her mid-career transition from technology development to early-stage startup investment with a broader innovation ecosystem approach. She invested, advised and co-founded various tech startups with her passion for improving the world with technology for good and addressing challenges in climate change. She is also actively involved in initiatives addressing gender equality issues in STEM and tech entrepreneurship. Xu currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, and serves as CEO of miRoncol, a biotech startup developing a technology to screen multiple cancers with one blood test.
Fun Fact: Victoria self-claims to be a 95% vegan, 95% EV mileage, and 110% tech dork.
She proudly owns a license plate that says, “Go Terps.”