SUMMER 2023 LEAD AND PARKE FELLOWS
Diego Diaz De La Vega (he/him) is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Politics. With a specialization in Comparative Politics, emphasizing Latin America and Political Economy, he has effectively applied his analytical skills honed as a Logistics Specialist in the U.S. Navy. His proficiency in data analysis is evident from his significant contribution to the Restaurant Opportunities Center United. Diego, bilingual in English and Spanish, holds a Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University. His commitment to community service as a Licensed Minister further accentuates his professional persona.
As a LEAD Fellow, Diego will be working with People For the American Way to combat misinformation through the Grandparents for Truth program. He will also provide database maintenance and research analysis for initiatives related to the American Way (democracy) and Justice (public safety reform and judgeships) campaigns.
Tavana Farzaneh (she/her) is an MPA-PNP student at NYU Wagner specializing in Political Action and Advocacy. She recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with her Bachelor of Business Administration. Growing up in Oklahoma as the daughter of Iranian immigrants, Tavana found an interest in promoting a representative, equitable, and accountable democratic system in order to honor the sacrifices of her family. She hopes to utilize the skills and knowledge gained at NYU Wagner, particularly through her time as a LEAD Fellow, to make a meaningful contribution towards building a stronger democracy.
As a LEAD Fellow, Tavana will be working with Public Wise. She will be supporting a new platform that will make it more accessible for constituents to identify local elected leaders who believe in harmful misinformation and/or conspiracies about elections.
Meagan Pe is a Senior at NYU studying Politics, hoping to pursue a Master’s degree in Political Analytics after graduation. She is passionate about politics and worked throughout the 2022 midterm elections last summer and fall. She will be working for HeadCount this summer as a Voter Engagement Fellow and is excited to prepare for the 2024 election while bridging her love for music and politics. In her free time, Meagan enjoys cooking and unwinding with her cat, Deena!
As a LEAD Fellow, Meagan will be working with HeadCount to research pending voter legislation, take part in educational social media campaigns for voters, and help prepare for 2024.
Rosalie Wells (she/her) is pursuing an MA in Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU Steinhardt. She is studying how new and traditional media impact political discourse and public opinion about nationalism, gender equality, and civil liberties. Rosalie has also taken several courses at NYU Wagner to learn how progressive organizations can effectively utilize strategic communications and marketing to achieve their advocacy goals. Before coming to NYU, she held digital communications and media relations roles at education and employment nonprofits in London, where she grew up.
As a LEAD Fellow, Rosalie will be working with Make the Road NY this summer, where she will be creating communications content for press and social media campaigns for immigrant justice, with a focus on immigrant civic engagement and voting rights.
Divya Sasidhar (she/her) is a second-year Master’s student studying Comparative Politics, with a focus on refugee migration and race-gender intersectionality. Her research interests include racial justice, immigration activism, and combatting political extremism.
As a LEAD Fellow, Divya will be working with the Jewish Partnership for Democracy to conduct research and participate in trans-partisan voter mobilization work, with a specific focus on inter-faith networks and mobilization of the Jewish community.
Eleni Sefanit (she/her) is an undergraduate studying sociology at NYU. Her research, academic pursuits, and interests center on urban inequality, labor issues, and public funding and infrastructure for arts and culture. Eleni wrote her senior thesis on public art in Accra, Ghana, where she studied for a semester. She has pursued multiple research fellowships and programs at NYU, including but not limited to the NYU Dean's Undergraduate Research Fund's Research+ Program, the NYU Urban Humanities Fellowship, and NYU Gallatin Fellowship in Urban Practice.
As a LEAD Fellow, Eleni will be working with HeadCount where she'll be responsible for handling community outreach, recruiting, and research efforts.
Danielle D. Casale (she/her) is an MPA-PNP candidate specializing in Public Policy Analysis. She holds a BA in Sociology and Peace and Justice Studies from Fordham University. She is the Chair of the Wagner Policy Alliance and the Vice-Chair of Wagner City Government.
As a Parke Fellow, Danielle will work with the redistricting program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Nathan Naimark (he/him) is thrilled to join the Brennan Center after graduating from NYU Wagner in May 2023. Last year, Nathan worked with VoteRiders as a LEAD Democracy Fellow, assisting citizens in obtaining Voter ID ahead of the 2022 midterms. Nathan previously worked in policy and compliance at two DC-based nonprofits and as a caseworker at Senator Gillibrand’s Manhattan office. Nathan’s work emphasizes the importance of equitable social and economic policy. He is originally from Phoenix, AZ, and holds a BA in Economics and Public Policy from Sarah Lawrence College.
As a Parke Fellow, Nathan will work on voting rights at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Amisa Ratliff (she/her) is an MPA-PNP candidate specializing in Public Policy Analysis. She spent over four years working as a researcher at Issue One, focusing on money-related issues in politics, election administration, and congressional capacity. Amisa grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Political Science and minors in Mathematics and Hispanic Studies.
As a Parke Fellow, Amisa will work in elections at the Brennan Center for Justice.