Summer 2020 Graduate Archer Fellows
Nicholas Allen | UT Arlington
The Academy, Heritage Foundation Nick Allen is completing an M.A. in political science at The University of Texas at Arlington. A 2011 Westwood High School graduate, Allen was recruited to UT Austin where he was a top recruit on the elite Men's Swimming and Diving team with a specialty in backstroke. Allen was also a brother of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He graduated with a degree in government and a McCombs Foundation Certificate. He has held numerous positions related to Texas State politics and is currently a Communications Coordinator for the Government Relations Team at the North Central Texas Council of Governments. 
Manish Bhojwani | UT Health Science Center at Houston
Health Policy Practicum Manish Bhojwani is an M.D./M.P.H. student at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Bhojwani is originally from Kentucky, and he graduated with bachelor’s degrees in biology and neuroscience from the University of Kentucky. He is particularly passionate about the social determinants of health for LGBTQ+ and immigrant populations, stemming from his own experiences being part of both communities. Upon graduation, Bhojwani aims to become a physician to support and advocate for individuals in his communities. 
Tiancheng (Leo) Cao | UT Austin
Museum Computer Network | John W. Kluge Center Tiancheng (Leo) Cao is a first-year doctoral student from the School of Journalism and Media at The University of Texas at Austin. Cao, who obtained master’s degrees in arts and culture (Leiden University) and in media studies (University of Amsterdam), is currently researching the digitization of museum collections in the U.S. and the E.U. His research focuses on the role played by private technology companies and public policy in preserving cultural heritage and digital access for the public. 
Richard "Trey" Cinclair, III | UT Southwestern Medical Center
The White House Office of Kellyanne Conway Trey Cinclair is an M.D./M.P.H. student at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (B.S. biology), Cinclair was a Dallas ISD teacher and coach. Cinclair plans to use his experience with the Archer Center to continue his passion for increasing physician advocacy in U.S. healthcare policy. 
Ana Cristina Fernandez| UT Rio Grande Valley
The Kaizen Company Ana Cristina Fernández is an M.B.A. candidate with a concentration in business analytics at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. A 2013 graduate of the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (B.S. in bio-business engineering), Fernández has been working as a small business consultant and project manager. Fernández enjoys sharing the entrepreneurial mindset and passion for business with her peers. She is particularly interested in understanding the power of technology in business and entrepreneurship. 
Malleny Guajardo | UT Rio Grande Valley
The Program on Extremism at George Washington University Malleny Guajardo is pursuing a Master of Public Affairs degree with a concentration in global security and leadership studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is a member of Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc., a co-ed fraternity that promotes higher education among Latinos. Guarjardo enjoys reading books and spending time with her family. She hopes to secure a job following graduation within an organization that strives to make change within global security. 
Kenia Guerrero| UT El Paso
The Wilson Center - Mexico Institute Kenia Guerrero is an M.P.A. student at The University of Texas at El Paso. Guerrero, who earned a B.A. in multimedia journalism from UT El Paso in 2017, plans to pursue a career as a communications specialist for a think tank in Washington, D.C. 
Joseph Gurrentz | UT Austin
Energy Policy Practicum Joey Gurrentz is a Ph.D. candidate studying materials and inorganic chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. His research areas include developing new devices for renewable energy generation and improving the efficiencies of established chemical processes. Gurrentz is passionate about science, research about responsible energy resources, and civic engagement. He wants to help lawmakers make informed decisions about public policy problems that require specialized scientific expertise. 
Katelyn Hicken | UT Tyler
Lone Star Project Katie Hicken is completing a Master of Public Administration degree with a public policy concentration at The University of Texas at Tyler. Hicken graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from UT Tyler, where she also played on the women's golf team. Hicken plans to spend her career in policy or government, fighting for the marginalized communities that are systemically disenfranchised in many parts of the country. At the forefront of this is gender, racial, and LGBTQ equality. As a member of the LGBTQ community, Hicken feels a personal duty to use her leadership and advocacy skills to bring equality to her fellow queer Americans in every sector. 
Qiongdan (Olivia) Huang| UT Dallas
Engineering Policy Practicum Olivia Huang is a third-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas. Huang is also the vice president for public relations for the Graduate Student Assembly at UTD. Her research in Dr. Carl Sechen’s lab focuses on very large-scale integrated circuit (IC) design. Outside of the lab, Olivia loves drawing, playing tennis and kickboxing. 
Jooeun (Grace) Jeong | UT Health Science Center at Houston
Texas Hospital Association Grace Jeong is an M.D./M.P.H. student at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A biochemistry graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Jeong is passionate about improving healthcare access and coverage. She is involved in organized medicine and serves as the vice president in the UTHealth McGovern Medical School’s chapter of the American Medical Association. Jeong intends to be a physician advocate for healthcare equity and access for underserved populations. 
Junichi Lockett | UT Arlington
The National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement Junichi Lockett is Ph.D. student in educational leadership and policy studies at The University of Texas at Arlington. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Lockett graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. After being honorably discharged, Lockett enrolled at UT Arlington, where he earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in community and public affairs, and a master’s degree in urban affairs and public policy. Lockett has served as a teacher, consultant, advocate, and youth development trainer. The author of three books, Lockett has also been active in political campaign management, organizing, and canvassing. He is passionate about education and plans a career in higher education that includes helping organizations implement and evaluate programming and projects for community improvement and social justice and empowerment. |
Yisel Lopez| UT Health Science Center at Houston
The Office of US Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA 36) Yisel Lopez is an M.P.H. student at the Austin Regional Campus of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Being raised in an immigrant family only 15 minutes from the U.S./Mexico border greatly shaped Lopez's desire for service and her understanding of the various socio-economic barriers to healthcare that such families face. At Concordia University Texas, Lopez played a key role in the university's development of its first Latino Student Association and Hispanic Serving Institution designation. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelors in global public health, Lopez worked for State Senator Lucio, Jr. (TX 27) during the Texas 86th Legislative Session. Currently, Lopez is a graduate teaching assistant in the Maternal and Child Health Training Program at UT Health. She is focused on a career in public policy with a focus on expanding access to healthcare for Americans across the country. 
Courtney Matthews | UT Arlington
Feminist Majority Foundation Courtney Matthews is a New Orleans native pursuing a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies at The University of Texas at Arlington. Matthews is a 2012 Gates Millennium Scholar and completed a B.A. in communications (Northwestern State University of Louisiana) and master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education (University of Florida). Her research focuses on the experiences of Black female college presidents. Matthews seeks a career in higher education administration, with the goal of returning to New Orleans to open her own non-profit organization for young girls. 
Caitlin O'Connor | UT Southwestern
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs Caitlin O'Connor is an M.D./M.P.H. student at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in biology and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, O’Connor plans to practice medicine and work in public health, applying the experiences gained from being a Graduate Archer Fellow to promote beneficial healthcare policies that improve individual and community health. 
James Ramsey|UT Dallas
The Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas Jim Ramsey is completing dual master’s degrees in innovation & entrepreneurship and healthcare leadership & management at The University of Texas at Dallas. Ramsey is embarking on a second career after accepting an early retirement offer from Xerox Corporation, where he held a number of key leadership positions in sales, finance, administration, and operations in both US and international businesses. His roles included VP Finance & Controller; VP Cash Operations & Strategies (in a Xerox Joint Venture with GE Capital); Director, Investor Relations; and Operations Controller. 
Madison Ray | UT Arlington
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services office of the Inspector General Madison Ray is a graduate student at The University of Texas at Arlington pursuing a master’s degree in communication. She also obtained her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from UT Arlington. She is currently a graduate research assistant in the Department of Communication and works for the Honors College on campus, where she has gained experience in social media management and marketing. Her career and research interests include environmental communication, mass media, and public policy. 
Fatou Sahor | UT Southwestern Medical Center
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fatou Sahor is an M.D./M.P.H. student at The University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (B.A. in neuroscience), Sahor is a passionate advocate for healthcare access and equity. Her work experience at a family medicine clinic raised her awareness of the gap between what people need to address their healthcare needs and what is actually available to them based on insurance status and income. As a future obstetrician-gynecologist, Sahor is focused on providing affordable and accessible healthcare. 
Danielle Sanders | UT Health Science Center at Houston
Center for Science in the Public Interest Danielle Sanders is currently pursuing an M.P.H. degree in health promotion & behavioral science at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A Nutrition and Dietetic Technician Registered (NDTR), Sanders previously worked as a dietetic technician at Baylor University Medical Center, which sparked her interest in public policy. Sanders’s policy and career interests focus on food insecurity, sustainable food systems, chronic disease prevention, and health disparities. She recently completed her dietetic internship and will be eligible to sit for the Registered Dietitian examination following graduation. She plans to pursue a career working to improve food access and advocating for health equity. 
Fatema Shipchandler | UT Health Science Center at Houston
The Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute at the University of Houston Fatema Shipchandler is an M.D. student at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A graduate of the University of Houston (B.S. in nutritional science), Shipchandler’s passion for women and children’s health have informed her goal of becoming a prevention-minded physician. As a Certified Community Health Worker and former Albert Schweitzer Junior Fellow, Shipchandler has seen the value of grassroots health programs and strives to further explore their scope. Through academia and advocacy, Shipchandler aims to improve the health of both her future patients and society at large. 
Maidhili Tantravahi | UT Rio Grande Valley
Both Ends Believing Maidhili Tantravahi is an M.B.A. candidate with a focus on international trade at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Originally from India, Tantravahi moved to the United States when she was nine years old. Growing up as an immigrant has given her a deep appreciation for diversity and different cultures. She graduated from Texas A&M University (B.S. in renewable natural resources) and is passionate about protecting the environment. She plans to work on sustainable international development after graduation and enjoys volunteering at the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, TX. She believes that practicing compassion is essential to becoming an effective leader and advocate. 
Delina Zapata | UT Austin
Excelencia in Education Delina Zapata is a doctoral student in the Educational Policy and Planning program at The University of Texas at Austin. Zapata’s personal life and academic experiences as a student and teacher’s aide in Chicago public elementary schools fuel her research interests in Dual Language Programs as an academic intervention for Latino English Language Learners (ELLs). Her career goals are to produce equitable educational research and be at the forefront of education policy making. |
