Policy People is the newest podcast from the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcast Network (UC3P). In this series, we will be interviewing current MPP and MSCAPP students on their previous experiences, their background, and why and how they ended up in Harris! There are so many stories waiting to be unfolded, and we want you to be part of it!
Navigating the Policy Job Market with Nico Johnson | S2E10
In this episode of The Policy People, we are joined by Nico Johnson, a Las Vegan who started his professional journey in corporate strategy in the casino industry and transitioned to the public sector. Today, he serves as a Management Analyst for Arapahoe County, Colorado, translating high-level state and federal policy for local leaders.
During our conversation, we explored what it means to bridge data analysis with compelling narratives and navigate the policy job market. We also discussed what the day-to-day reality of county-level policy looks like, and how to effectively prepare for it.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro & Nico's Path to Harris
00:08:08 - What Nico Learned at Harris
00:14:29 - Experiences with Harris' Writing Center
00:22:03 - How to Communicate Data and Tell Stories As a Policy Analyst
00:32:01 - How Nico Navigated his Second Year at Harris
00:40:30 - Why Moving to Colorado
00:46:41 - Post-Grad Hustle & Getting the Job
00:57:22 - What His Day Looks Like at Arapahoe County
01:03:30 - One Last Share from Nico
16 Jun 2026
How to Break into and Build a Career in Local Government with Elliot Karl | S2E9
In this episode of The Policy People, we are joined by Elliot Gary Karl (Class of 2020), a first-generation college graduate whose decade-long career in the public sector spans from the West Coast to the Midwest. Elliot shares his unintentional path from grassroots organizing and affordable housing advocacy in California to returning to his hometown of Chicago. Today, he serves as the Assistant Deputy Bureau Chief of Operations and Administration for Cook County's Bureau of Economic Development.
During our conversation, we explored what it truly means to build a career as a "public servant". Elliot provides a masterclass on what the day-to-day reality of local government looks like, what to expect, and how to effectively prepare for it. This is a must-listen for those who are aspiring to be public servants or are curious about it.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:03 - First-Gen College & Early Career Path & '5-to-9'
00:12:19 - Why Grad School
00:16:40 - The UChicago Experience & What Education Means to Elliot
00:25:24 - Student Org: Harris Community Action
00:31:00 - How to Prepare for a Career in Local Government
00:46:34 - How a Non-Chicagoan Enters Chicago Government (or Any Local Government)
00:51:18 - Elliot's Current Job at Cook County
01:04:41 - Elliot's Lifetime Career Goals & Thoughts on Leadership
01:16:04 - What Type of Person is a Great Fit for the Public Sector
01:27:01 - One Last Share from Elliot
10 May 2026
Public Service in Chicago with Emily Metz | S2E8
In this episode of The Policy People, we are joined by Emily Metz (Class of 2010), a lifelong Chicagoan who has dedicated her professional life to fighting inequity and reimagining public education and policy. While she spent years embedded in education, she recently transitioned into broad systems change and philanthropy at the Michael Reese Health Trust. We cover everything from how having two college-educated parents contrasted with the stark socioeconomic realities of her extended family, to how an undergraduate English major found her way to Harris, and the profound questions she uses to guide her career.
In this episode, you will hear:
• The Roots of Mobility: How seeing the direct link between educational attainment and life outcomes among her aunts and uncles—ranging from entering the top 1% to experiencing chronic homelessness—fueled her drive to improve foundational stability for all Chicagoans.
• The Path to Harris: Why she chose to apply exclusively to the University of Chicago, realizing during a Ralph Nader-founded public interest fellowship that a graduate degree was the key to unlocking a civic career in her hometown.
• Navigating the Civic Ecosystem: Emily's journey through different levels of public service, exploring why national government contracts felt disconnected, the chaotic but direct impact of working inside a school district, and how flexible philanthropic funding supercharges local research.
• The Missing Metric in Policy: Why rigorous quantitative data and econometric models aren't enough, and why understanding history, coalition building, and "messy human dynamics" is crucial for enacting real-world change.
• Sacrifice vs. Suffering: Honest advice for new graduates on how to protect their well-being in social justice work, and how to know if a tough job is a worthwhile slog or just a path to burnout.
This episode is a masterclass for anyone interested in local government, educational equity, or the realities of translating academic evidence into tangible community impact.
12 Jan 2026
AI, Strategy, and Growth Marketing with Alejandro Cuauhtemoc-Mejia | S2E7
In this episode of The Policy People, joining the conversation is Alejandro Cuauhtemoc-Mejia, a Silicon Valley co-founder and strategist with a career path as unique as his name. Alejandro shares his journey from working at Televisa Univision to leading strategy for Didi, and eventually co-founding the Silicon Valley Certification Hub.
In this episode, you will hear:
• The Strategist’s Bridge: Why strategy is the essential link between where you are and your ultimate goal.
• Growth Marketing Decoded: How data-driven digital acquisition differs from traditional marketing and why public policy graduates are uniquely suited for it.
• The AI Shift: Alejandro’s perspective on "structural unemployment" and why he believes AI will build more jobs than it destroys.
• The "In-Between" Advice: Practical tips for new graduates navigating a tough job market, including how to build an online presence and maintain mental resilience.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to reshape their perception of what a Harris MPP degree represents and discover how to translate hard policy skills into the fast-paced tech ecosystem.
2 Dec 2025
S2E6: Amber's Academy
Amber Mercier, class of 2010, has dedicated her career to supporting students on their exchange education journey. She strongly believes in the power of education,especially one that is globally diverse. In this episode with dive deeper into what she has done with IES and other volunteer activities for the betterment of youth and children and why she does it.
7 Oct 2025
S02E05: Not a mistake, but an experience
Sarah Guminski, class of 2017, is currently head of startup experience at 1871, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs.
She comes from a heavy research background, thinking she would do a Ph.D only to later change her perspective and goal completely.
Our conversation with her has one big takeaway: you never make mistakes in your 20s; you gain experiences and whatever you choose was the best thing you could have done at that very moment!
21 Sept 2025
S02E04: The flip side
Jihan Varisco (Class of ‘14) has built something truly impactful during his time at Harris.
Through The Flip Side (https://www.theflipside.io/), he is pursuing his mission of bridging the gap between liberals and conservatives. With more than 20,000 subscribers, the platform has grown into a space for uncovering perspectives beyond what mainstream media often presents.
This special episode follows the assassination of Charlie Kirk (1993–2025), a man who dedicated his life to spreading his ideas and practicing freedom of speech.In memory of Charlie—and with the hope of restoring tolerance toward differing ideologies.
1 Sept 2025
S02E03: For health, for friendship
Adam Nation, class of 2015, is our guest for the third episode of Policy Podcast. Adam has done extensive work in public health, and in this episode, he shares his journey of trying to make people healthier in body and mind.
He also shares with us fond recollections of his classmate Jim Howes, who recently passed. In Jim's memory, we are sharing resources for those wishing to make contributions to his scholarship, or those who are going through a hard time.
The donations can be made to a few different places:
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at https://afsp.org (https://afsp.org)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Wood County at https://namiwoodcounty.org (https://namiwoodcounty.org)
Or to the “James Coleman Howes Memorial” at Bowling Green State University (may need to send details of this)
By mail: Checks made payable to BGSU Foundation, Inc. - Memo: James Coleman Howes Memorial
BGSU Foundation, Inc.
Mileti Alumni Center
Bowling Green, OH 43403
By Phone: 419.372.7648
Help is available, talk to someone today: 988 Suicide and Crisis LifelineLanguages: English, Spanish ,Hours: Available 24 hours
#PublicPolicy #UniversityofChicago #Mentalhealth #PublicHealth
9 Aug 2025
S02EP02: Comedy to Policy
Robert Callahan (Class of 2016) has joined us for the second episode to discuss his current position at the Office of New York City Comptroller as the Director of Policy Analytics and the logistical, financial, social, and personal challenges that he faces related to his work.
In addition, we discuss what led him to Harris and his eclectic past of careers and hobbies. Formerly, Robert was an aspiring Chicago-based improv comedian, campaign staff for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and budget analyst. Currently, he raises chickens as a hobby in his place of residence in New York City.
We hope you enjoy what Robert has to share with us, and look forward to seeing you for the next episode!
28 Jul 2025
S02 EP01: Flashback
To start our second season, where we will be interviewing alumni, we have asked Alberto Ramos (Class of 2013) to be our first guest. He was this year’s convocation speaker and did a wonderful job graduating us!
Since graduating from Harris, and even before that, Alberto has had both an interesting life and turn of events that led him to that same life.
We hope you enjoy listening to what Alberto has to share as much as we did!
9 Jun 2025
EP07: End of beginning
The host reflects on the podcast's two-year journey, highlighting personal growth and shared experiences, as they conclude this chapter.
5 Jun 2025
EP06: One of a Kind
Melodie Angel Slaughter and Karan Kapoor discuss finding faith and kindness amidst life's challenges, highlighting the unifying power of belief despite differing perspectives in this interview episode.
28 Apr 2025
EP05: Courageous Cursious
Neil Stein MPP’ 25 and Lauren Schmidt are my guests for the fifth episode. They both have had very different backgrounds and paths but what make them an amazing duo are their curiosity and their courage.
We will discuss how taking a hard decision can change your life for good and learn more about the challenges of these hard decisions!
18 Feb 2025
EP 04: P like Patriot, P like Person
We’re kicking off the new year with a special episode featuring two incredible guests—John (Jay) Parish and Madison Moreau. John served in the U.S. Army for 13 years before coming to Harris, while Madison grew up in a military family as the daughter of Navy Admiral Jack Moreau. Together, they share both the extraordinary and everyday experiences of life in and around the military—offering firsthand insight into what it truly means to be affiliated with the U.S. Armed Forces.
31 Dec 2024
EP03: Home Away From HOME
In the last episode of 2024, I had Omar Ansari and William Wu, two second-year MPP students talk about their solo journeys. They both moved to the States by themselves at a young age and throughout this episode, we will talk about the feeling of home now that the holiday season is on.
4 Dec 2024
EP02: For the People
MPP students Ralph Valery Valiere and LaVontae Brooks share their insights on the role of officials in government, drawing from their experiences in Haiti and the US.
18 Nov 2024
Cherry on Top
Policy People is the newest podcast from the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcast Network (UC3P). In this series, we will be interviewing current MPP and MSCAPP students on their previous experiences, their background, and why and how they ended up in Harris! There are so many stories waiting to be unfolded, and we want you to be part of it!
In the first episode, we will be interviewing two of the most well-known students here, Shivani Patel – MPP ’25 and Joaquin Pinto- MSCAPP ‘2025 on their journey so far. These two are focusing on Data science, economics, international development, and public finance.
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