SUMMER 2025 LEAD AND PARKE FELLOWS

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Makenzie Rodrigues will graduate from NYU in May with an MA in Politics (American Politics) from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. During her time at NYU, she served as a copy editor for the Journal of Political Inquiry and played on the Women's Soccer team in the 2023 season. She previously earned a BA in Political Science with a double minor in French and Legal Studies through the Baccalaureate Honors Program at Rider University on a full-tuition scholarship. Her interests and expertise include American politics, gender and racial justice, and progressive policy.

As a Parke Fellow, Makenzie will work with the Brennan Center for Justice, designing and administering surveys on public opinion and                                                              democracy.

 

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Daniel Zaydman is pursuing an MPA with a specialization in Financial Management and Public Finance at NYU Wagner. Before coming to Wagner, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in Economics with a Mathematical Emphasis and Political Science and worked as a Legislative Aide in the Wisconsin State Senate and on two political campaigns. While growing up in Wisconsin and working in politics under gerrymandered legislative maps, he developed a passion for issues pertaining to democratic representation, political competition, and electoral reform.

As a Parke Fellow, Daniel will work with the Brennan Center for Justice’s Redistricting Team.

 

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Jacob Olander (he/they) is an MPA-PNP candidate specializing in Public Policy Analysis. Before enrolling at Wagner, Jacob worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Technology and Civic Life, where he collaborated with a team of researchers and technologists to push reliable, nonpartisan election information to voters. They also contributed to the Reflective Democracy campaign, an initiative that analyzes the representativeness of political power in the United States. Jacob holds a BA in Political and Social Thought and Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies from the University of Virginia.

As a Parke Fellow, Jacob will work with the Brennan Center for Justice                                                    on projects relating to elections and governance.

 

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Zarina Dhillon (she/her) is passionate about using quantitative techniques in unique ways to contribute to the fight for justice. She holds accessibility and intersectionality at the core of her work. Zarina is currently earning her Masters in Applied Statistics, concentrating on data science for social impact. She earned her Bachelors in Mathematics from Claremont McKenna College as a proud transfer student from Santa Barbara City College. Her previous work includes measuring racial segregation in Los Angeles County using random walks, evaluating methods used to quantify racial segregation, psychological research on the effects of social justice, and various other projects in the realm of advocacy.

As a Parke Fellow, Zarina will continue to work with the Brennan Center for Justice.

 

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Briana Mancilla (she/they) is a recent graduate from NYU’s Wagner School for Public Service where she earned her Master’s of Public Administration in Public & Non-Profit Management & Policy, specializing in Advocacy and Political Action. Their interests include a range of areas that are interconnected, such as education, migrant rights, gender-expansive policy, and more. Prior to her time at Wagner, she interned at HeadCount as a Field Fellow where she focused on fostering partnerships with community organizations to host collaborated events that offered voter registration, voter rights information, and civic engagement opportunities. 

As a LEAD Fellow, Briana will support VoteRiders' policy, advocacy, and digital media teams by researching state voter ID laws and helping adapt                                                      educational materials for diverse audiences.