PiP-sters

Founder

Katrina Hajagos began her career as a photojournalist, publishing her work in The New York Times, Newsweek, and Newsday. Her photographs of 9/11 were honored by the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and published in an anthology of the event, Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs. She was Hillary Clinton’s campaign Senate photographer from 1999-2000. Subsequently, she has photographed Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, State Senator Wendy Davis, as well as countless politicians across the board. During her career, she has documented the rising tide of women in politics.

SUMMER STUDENT COLLABORATORS 2023-2024

Summer Student Collaborators 2021-2022

Past Collaborators

Saher Al Khamash is a rising senior at Middlebury College. She is majoring in International and Global Studies with a focus in Global Security. Her passions include learning Spanish and Arabic, having tea with friends, and dancing.

Alisa Borozenets has intended to dedicate her time to causes that she believes have great potential to change lives and influence decision-making to strive for positive impact, and that is why she is part of the Power in Place project. Story-telling is a very powerful medium and can help us learn from each other and she feels passionate about amplifying the voices with the most extraordinary stories to share. She enjoys traveling, photography, and outdoor sports. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” - Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

Tamara Botteri is a rising senior at Brandeis University studying International and Global Studies. She was born and raised in Falls Church, VA where she played soccer and volleyball growing up. Her future goals are to work in humanitarian aid in the protection of vulnerable populations.

Ellie Broeren is a rising junior at Middlebury College, majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and minoring in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies. She is passionate about women's health, reproductive justice, and sex-positive education. In the future she plans to be an OB/GYN and will work to improve women's health for all.

Sophia Casten is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in Government with a certificate in Reproductive Health Rights and Justice. Sophia is a yoga teacher and a Community Health Organizer at the Smith College Wellness Center and is committed to spreading inclusive wellness practices. Some of her interests include reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights advocacy, and public policy reform.

Molly Conover is an Environmental Policy major at Middlebury College also studying Art History and Spanish. She is passionate about addressing climate change through policy, advocacy, and education. When she is not thinking, writing, and reading about the environment, she is enjoying it skiing, hiking, or watching the sunset.

Sarah DeCaro-Rincon is part of the Sarah Lawrence class of 2023 and her concentrations are Political Science and Pre-Law. Some of Sarah's passions are immigration reform and the rights of workers in the service industry (hotel, restaurant, etc.). Her favorite part about being a part of Power in Place is working with and hearing from strong, intelligent, inspiring women.

Mara Delta is a rising senior at Oberlin College majoring in Politics and French and minoring in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies. She is involved in Oberlin's Peer Advising Leadership (PAL) program and Oberlin College Democrats. She is passionate about civil rights advocacy and reforming the U.S. justice system.

Madeline Elkes is a rising junior at Middlebury College. She grew up in Westchester, New York with her two siblings and parents. Madeline is majoring in Economics and minoring in Math. She also studies French and is planning to do a semester in France. Her passions lie in women's rights, government, dance, and the outdoors. From a very young age, Madeline has competed in dance, traveling around the country and world for it. At Middlebury, she is still involved in dance through a club on campus and teaches at two local Middlebury dance studios. She participates in Debate Club and Middlebury Women on Wall Street at college. Having discourse around advocating for equality and justice is important to Madeline, and she is happy to be working at Power in Place to promote women in politics.

Sevval Ercin is a rising senior at Smith College majoring in both Government and Middle East Studies as well as completing a concentration in Poetry. She is involved in Smith Students for Social Justice and Institutional Change, Smith Students for Justice in Palestine, as well as a founding member of the Middle East and North Africa student organization for the Five Colleges. Her interests include intersectional feminism, Arabic literature, and the representation of Muslims in the media.

Jordan Farrell is a rising junior at Catholic University, majoring in Politics and Sociology and minoring in Philosophy. On campus, she is involved in the Student Government Association, the Women's Golf Team, the Pre-Law Society, and the co-President of Catholic University's chapter of Ignite. She is interested in service, climate action, and immigration policy.

Scottie Farrin is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College majoring in International Politics and Economics. She is interning at a law firm this summer to explore her interest in criminal justice reform in addition to collaborating with Power and Place. She is also involved in theater at Middlebury and passionate about sustainability.

Charlotte Geissler is a Senior at Bard College with a major in Global and International Studies. She is interested in global economics and politics, specifically in women’s rights and climate change.

Sage Geyer is a rising junior at Amherst College majoring in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought with a certificate in Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice. She is the president and co-founder of Protect Our Breasts, a club that spreads awareness about cancer causing chemicals in everyday products. She is also on the Amherst College field hockey team and a choreographer for Amherst Dance. She is interested in women's rights and voting reform.

Haley Glover is an English and Political Science major at Middlebury College. Originally she is from a small town in Ohio and is particularly interested in the Midwest's political stage. She hopes to aid communities throughout middle America in a future law career.

Hailie Goldsmith is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and minoring in Spanish. She is involved in Penn Civic Scholars, Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, Penn Appetít, and is a tour guide for Penn's Kite and Key Society. She is interested in climate justice and health care reform.

Kari Henken recently graduated from Middlebury College with a major in English and American Literatures and a minor in Spanish. She is interested in journalism and storytelling, and worked at Middlebury’s newspaper, The Middlebury Campus, for three years. Last summer, she reported for the Idaho Mountain Express, based in Ketchum. In her spare time, Kari enjoys reading, drawing, and doing The New York Times crossword puzzle.

Sofia Hernandez Perilla is a rising sophomore at Amherst College with a prospective double major in Mathematics and Economics. At Power in Place she coordinates resources for the Black Lives Matter team, and is a part of both the Politics & Arts Instagram Live Series team and the Instagram team.

Laryssa Horodysky is a rising senior at Wellesley College majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics. She is involved in the Wellesley Globalist, the Albright Institute, the Knapp Social Science Center, and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. She is interested in foreign policy research in the post-Soviet sphere as well as social justice advocacy.

Cathleen Huang is a rising senior at Middlebury College, double majoring in Political Science and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. She's been a teaching assistant for physics and cell biology. She's passionate about mental health, and volunteers for Crisis Text Line and has helped create her school's chapter of Active Minds. She's also a member of the American Sign Language Club at Middlebury. In addition, she’s concerned about the environment and was previously an intern at Middlebury’s Sustainability Solutions Lab.

Shanizea Husain is a rising sophomore at Hunter College, New York City. Majoring in Political Science with Public Policy and Human Rights minors, Shanizea is passionate about the intersection of culture, history, and activism. With Power in Place, Shanizea plans to use art to amplify the voices of womxn of color in office, as well as spotlight Muslim womxn in politics. Shanizea has previously been involved with organizations that promote art education, intersectional gender justice, and intersectional racial/immigrant justice.

Keerthi Jayaraman is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania double majoring in International Relations and Hispanic Studies and minoring in Legal Studies and Urban Studies. She is involved in the Civic Scholars Program, Penn’s Kite and Key Society, the Programming Committee for OWN IT (a female empowerment conference), and runs her own social justice focused radio show entitled “Let’s Talk” at Penn’s WQHS station. Keerthi co-founded EdGift Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational, leadership and empowerment training to disadvantaged children. She is interested in gender inequity issues, particularly in education, and social justice advocacy.

Kara Jensen is a rising junior at Vassar College majoring in International Studies and minoring in Hispanic Studies and English. She is involved in the Vassar Alliance of Women in Foreign Affairs, Project Period, and is the Social Coordinator for her Disney-themed a cappella group. She is interested in international development, foreign policy, and human rights.

Imogene Johnson is a rising junior at Wellesley College pursuing a degree in Political Science. When not studying in Massachusetts, she calls Monterey, California her home.

Anika Kalra is a rising sophomore at The University of Pennsylvania from Forest Hills, NYC. She is studying Biology and Entrepreneurship and wants to pursue patent law in the future. Some of her on campus commitments include tutoring at the Marks Family Writing Center, coordinating alumni relations at Sigma Kappa, or hosting college MUN conferences with The International Affairs Association. She has loved meeting new people from across the country through Power in Place this summer and is excited to see how the Time Capsule project will turn out!

Emily Kanter is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania. She is studying Political Science with a concentration in Political Economy and a minor in Statistics. At Penn, she is an editor for the Penn Political Review and a member of the International Affairs Association. Emily is part of the grants and finance teams for Power in Place, and she is excited to help Power in Place grow over the next few weeks!

Rachel Kanter is a rising junior at Syracuse University majoring in advertising and minoring in Information Management and Technology. She is involved with the Syracuse on-campus advertising agency and she runs the social media accounts for a restaurant near campus. Rachel is on the social media and marketing teams for Power in Place and she is looking forward to helping grow the project.

Emma Kenney is a rising senior at Brandeis University majoring in Economics and Sociology, and minoring in History. She is a member of Chabad Club, volunteers with Waltham Group, and is an orientation leader. Emma is interested in social justice advocacy and women’s rights.

Emily King is a rising sophomore at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Letters and International Studies and minoring in French. She is involved in OU's delegation of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature and Model United Nations. She is passionate about women's rights and international relations and, in the future, hopes to pursue a degree in law.

Eliza King Freedman is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College. She intends to major in International Politics and Economics with a minor in Architectural Studies. In addition to Power in Place, she also works for a horse therapy organization that specializes in the rehabilitation of veterans. She is most passionate about the study of nonproliferation and prison reform.

Zoe Klein is a rising senior at Brandeis University majoring in History and Education with a minor in Economics. At Brandeis, she is an orientation leader, a volunteer with the admissions office, and a co-host of a weekly radio show on the student-run radio station. She is passionate about education reform and policy.

Simi Kolodka is a rising sophomore at the University of Georgia. She is double majoring in International Affairs and Russian and minoring in Francophone studies. During her freshman year, she was involved with undergraduate research projects and had a campus job. She is most interested in criminal justice reform, education reform, and foreign policy.

Sharon Lee is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Political Science and minoring in Legal Studies. She is a University Scholar conducting research on the political economy of financial regulation and a research assistant at the Wharton School's Business Ethics and Public Policy Department. She is involved in the Penn Policy Consulting Group, the Back to Bach Project, Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, and the Daily Pennsylvanian. She is passionate about public policy, education reform, and advocating for women in academia, politics, and law.

Melanie Leider is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College, majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Environmental Studies and Spanish. She is passionate about environmental justice, global health, feminism, and all of their intersections; she finds that an interdisciplinary approach to learning provides unique insight into the interconnectedness of the core issues we face today. Aside from interning with PiP, Melanie is spending her summer working on a peony farm in Alaska. In the future, she plans to pursue a career that combines her interest in environmental anthropology with her love of photojournalism; she believes storytelling and photography to be the most powerful media in amplifying oppressed yet crucial voices.

Bella Levavi is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in Government and English. She is involved in Smith's newspaper the Sophian and the college radio station. She is passionate about vegetarian co-ops, writing, and social justice.

Sophie Lovering is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and minoring in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. She is involved in the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, Penn Special Olympics, Penn's Beyond Arrests: Re-Thinking Systematic Oppression, and Penn Women's Rowing. She is interested in criminal justice reform and social justice advocacy.

Paige MacKinnon is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in Russian, Eastern Europeans and Eurasian Studies and Government. She is involved in Smith’s Varsity Rowing and Residence Life. She is interested in national security, restorative justice, and social justice advocacy and reform.

Elsie Mares is a rising senior at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Political Science and Economics. She is the newly elected Student Body Vice President and hopes to utilize her term by advocating for better support and resources to serve students of color and students from low income backgrounds. Elsie is passionate about the intersection of public policy and social justice—especially in examining legislation from a feminist perspective. She hopes to pursue a career in policy guidance and campaigns, with the vision of supporting more women of color's election to public office.

Emma McKee is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College. She is majoring in Environmental Studies with a focus on Environmental Justice and is considering minoring in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies or Spanish. At Middlebury, she plays Club Water Polo, is a member of Sunday Night Environmental Group, and is a part of Community Friends, a mentorship program for local elementary school kids. She is passionate about the environment, racial justice, gender equality, and all of their intersections.

Amanda McShane is a rising senior at The Catholic University of America. She is majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Anthropology. She is involved in Best Buddies, Bethlehem House, The Tower Newspaper, and The Khollected. She is interested in art, health, and social justice. She is also interested in advocacy for disabilities, the arts, and the environment.

Amanda Melo-Nieves is a rising junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a Legal Studies major with a minor in Psychology and a letter of specialization in Constitutional Law. Amanda is passionate about many things including immigration issues and women and gender issues. She wants to eventually lead a career in law and wants to become a District Attorney.

Shirley Merino is a rising senior at Bard College who is currently studying and striving to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Literature and expects to graduate in May 2021. Because of her passion for writing she took the initiative to launch her own literary magazine at Bard College by the name of Sonnet, after realizing that there weren’t many publications on campus that were by and for students. She is passionate about criminal justice reform and the overall fight for equity.

Caitlin Muldowney is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in International Relations and Modern Middle Eastern Studies. She is involved in Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed national community service fraternity and works as a research assistant studying the effectiveness of international organizations. She is passionate about international human rights and learning new languages.

Taegan Mullane is a rising senior at Smith College double majoring in Government and Economics. She is a member of the Smith Rowing Team, the Sports Committee for Inclusion and Diversity, and the Smith Orchestra and is a research assistant in the economics department. She is interested in political and economic development and will be pursuing a Master in Development Studies following her graduation from Smith.

Caroline Pitman is originally from the Boston area. She is a student at Catholic University in Washington, D.C, where she studies Politics, History, and Theology. At Catholic University, she is the President and founder of Ignite CUA, an organization that aims to increase the number of women in elected offices. She is also the sophomore representative to the Student Philanthropy Council, which aims to cultivate a culture of giving on the campus of Catholic University and involved with the Student Treasury Board (a branch of student government). She is passionate about increasing the number of women in elected offices and in government positions. In her free time, she loves to read historical non-fiction books, spend time with her yellow lab, and explore Washington, D.C.

Paige Reddington is a rising senior at Amherst College majoring in English. She is an Arts and Living Writer for the campus newspaper The Amherst Student, a staff editor for the commentary magazine The Indicator, a member of the Reproductive Justice Alliance, and runs cross country and track for Amherst. Her interests include writing, social justice, and intersectionality.

Sheneil Riley is a University at Albany alumni and is passionate about social injustices. She plans to live a life standing up for those who others seem to forget.

Angelise Rivera is a sophomore at Kennesaw State University majoring in Political Science. She is involved in a community initiative on campus called OwlSwap. She is interested in non-profit, environmental organizations, and NGO’s. Her passions include sustainable outreach programs, conservation efforts, and conscious consumerism.

Maryanne Roughton is a rising senior at Sarah Lawrence College and majoring in Economics with concentrations in Feminist and Environmental Economic Studies. She is a resident advisor on SLC's campus and works in the college's campus library. Maryanne is extremely passionate about social justice, labor law, the Green New Deal, and Michigan's Great Lakes.

Olivia Sabates is a rising sophomore at Loyola Marymount University. She is majoring in Political Science, plays soccer, and is involved in politics club and fashion society. She pursues a music career outside of her academics and is interested in criminal/entertainment law.

Daleelah Saleh is a native New Yorker, Posse Scholar, and rising sophomore at Middlebury College. She intends to major in International Global Studies with a focus on Gender Studies in the Middle East. She’s passionate about writing as a form of activism and challenging dominant oppressive narratives by creating positive representation of and for people in her community. On campus, Daleelah co-hosts monthly open mics with the organization Verbal Onslaught and has her own radio show. She is also a writer and Opinions Editor for The Middlebury Campus. This summer, she looks forward to exploring the intersection of sexism with other social justice issues such as Islamophobia and racism and uplifting womxn of color in politics through her work at Power in Place.

Juliet Schulman-Hall is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in English Language and Literature, minoring in Sociology, and concentrating in Poetry. At Smith, she is involved in Emulate Magazine as the Assistant Editor to the Poetry Section, the club volleyball team, and the Sophian Newspaper. She is passionate about animal rights and advocacy and is the Communications Lead for an animal nonprofit called Global Strays.

Kenzie Smerjac is a rising junior at Kennesaw State University majoring in Criminal Justice. She is interested in criminal justice reform and helping abused/neglected children recover and not be forgotten in the system.

Hakima SmithStone was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia but grew up in New York City. She is a senior and Written Arts Non-Fiction major at Bard college in upstate New York. Her passions are human rights and woman's health. She hopes to be a professional writer and content creator once she has graduated! Hakima is a Power in Place intern because she believes having woman in politics and woman of color in politics is the only way our communities and country as a whole can truly be heard. Hakima is so excited to be apart of something that highlights and uplifts women in power.

Evelyn Smyth is a rising sophomore at Smith College majoring in Government and minoring in Spanish. She is member of the Smith Rowing team and has been rowing since her freshman year of high school. She is interested in public policy and social justice advocacy.

Yang Sun is a rising Sophomore at Amherst College intending to major in Theater and Dance. She is involved in visual art and performing art groups on campus. She has volunteered for theaters and performing groups in China. Her passion lies in the art and its connection with humanity.

Sophia Swidey is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and minoring in Fine Arts and Design. She is involved in the Penn International Affairs Association and co-founded a nonprofit that provides art classes for the children of patrons at a regional food pantry. She is interested in using art as a way to tell stories and to advocate for social justice and equality.

Tallulah Taylor is a rising sophomore at Loyola Marymount University with a double major in Women's and Gender Studies and Political Science, with a triple minor in Journalism, Studio Arts, and International Relations. She is passionate about criminal justice reform, environmental policy, and Women's rights, and is interested in working as a political advisor. Tallulah is so happy to be a collaborator with Power in Place, and is excited to engage with and learn from the intelligent and hard-working women that are dedicated to positive change.

Shania Thomas is a rising senior at Brandeis University, double majoring in Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP) and Politics with minors in Social Justice Policy and Legal Studies. She is also an Associate Justice for the Student Union and a Central Massachusetts Organizing Lead for the Every Voice Coalition. Shania works as a Roosevelt Fellow and an Undergraduate Department Representative for the Politics department. She has a passion for all things healthcare policy and believes the injustices against Black Americans to be one of the greatest public health crises of her time. She is currently writing her honors senior thesis.

Natalie Tran is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College majoring in Political Science and Education Studies and minoring in Italian. She is involved in Asian Students in Action and the International Student Organization. After graduating, she plans on attending law school.

Kimoyia Walters is a rising senior at UMass Amherts double majoring in Political Science and Journalism and pursuing a certificate in Culture, Health, and Science.

Lydia Wiener is a recent Middlebury College graduate with a degree in Environmental Policy, and minors in Geography and African Studies. She is fascinated with the social, economic, and political nexus that underscores environmental issues, and hopes to create tangible environmental change.

Oona Wood is a rising sophomore at Brandeis University majoring in Politics. She is involved with The Right to Immigration Institute, Brandeis Hillel and Model United Nations. She is interested in immigration reform and international diplomacy.

Emma Zack is a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Policy. She also attended UMass as an undergraduate, where she studied political science, legal studies, and Arabic. At UMass, she is a member of the Pre-Law Society and the Political Science Honors Fraternity. She is interested in immigration and refugee policy, as well as criminal justice reform and voting reform.

Alice Zhao is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Growing up in Beijing and transitioning to a boarding school in Connecticut, the cultural shock and discrimination she has experienced continue to motivate her to bringing more inclusion and justice to our society. Supporting Power in Place through fundraising and creating illustrations, she hopes to be inspired by the stories of female politicians and spread their experience to more people.