President: Mary Ellen Kustin:

Mary Ellen is a second year masters student in the CONS (Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology) and Environmental Policy programs. She received her BS in math from the University of South Carolina (go gamecocks!) before moving up to Maryland to study policy inside the beltway. Her career will most likely focus on environmental issues on the community level in some way. Mary Ellen helps to organize the Ecological Economics Student Group (EESG) seminar in addition to her work with GWiPP. She is currently a graduate research assistant for the Center for Integrative Environmental Research. During the rare hours when she's not on campus, she enjoys camping, cycling, and generally being outdoors.

Vice-President: Alankar Bandyopadhyay

Alankar Bandyopadhyay is a second year Masters student in the School of Public Policy with a specialization in International Development. She received her BA in Economics from Banaras Hindu University, India and a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, India. Alankar’s work experience includes several years with the Telecommunication and Computer Networks (TeNeT) Group at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), a research think tank that builds low cost technology and relevant services to promote development in India’s rural sector. She hopes to use her Masters to get involved in technology-related poverty alleviation projects. She is currently a graduate research assistant for the Office of Federal Relations at UMD. Besides pretending to work hard, she enjoys music, reading, watching The Office and generally being outdoors.

Secretary: Christine Uhlmansiek

Christine Uhlmansiek is a second year Masters student with a specialization in Social Policy

Treasurer: Sharon Bollers

Sharon Bollers is a joint MBA/MPP with a concentration in Management Finance and Leadership.  She received her BA in Finance and Banking from Lincoln University in Lincoln, PA. Before returning to school she worked as a Credit Product Analyst at Bank of America.   Over the summer she interned with Community for Self-Help a non profit CDFI as a commercial lending intern.  Sharon hopes to use her dual degree to pursue a career in community and economic development.  During her free time she enjoys reading, dining out with friends and spending time with family.

Diversity and Outreach Chair: Ya-Ting Chuang

Ya-Ting is a second year IDEV (International Development) student.  She received her BS in Economics from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan before joining the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.  Her career interests will more likely focus on microfinance or similar poverty alleviation issues in developing countries.  She is currently a data analyst intern at FINCA International, a US-based microfinance NGO.  Besides the curriculum, she likes sports, dancing, and trekking

First-year Liaison: Christine Gallagher

 Christine is a first year masters student in the MEPP (Masters in Engineering and Public Policy) program, and she plans to concentrate on environmental and infrastructure policy.  She received a BS in Materials Science and Engineering as well as a BA in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh.  She loves da 'burgh, but remains loyal to Buffalo, from where she hails, and all its sports teams.  Christine is currently a graduate assistant in the School of Engineering researching bamboo in hopes it can be better utilized as a construction material in developing countries.  She is also interning with Energy Solutions Center, a non-profit promoting energy efficient natural gas technology.  In her spare time, when it exists, Christine is the contradictory combination of an avid sports fan, a bookworm, and supporter of all arts that she can discover.