I attended the full-time one-year Mid-Career MPA master’s degree program at what is often considered the world’s top policy school. Along with an amazing cohort of classmates from over 50 countries, professionals representing governments, NGOs, and the private sector, I designed a course of study focused on technology in society, economics, democratic institutions, human flourishing, and organizational leadership. My courses included:

Recessions, Growth, and Macroeconomic Policy (Karen Dynan) API 121

Comprehensive macroeconomics syllabus with focus on recessions, monetary/fiscal policy, and inclusive growth. Professor Dynan served as Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy and Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and is currently senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Deliverable: Economic Policy Memo: “AI Job Displacement and the Black/White Wealth Gap in the U.S.”

Public Problem Solving with Generative AI: Challenges and Opportunities (Jeremy Weinstein and Sharad Goel) DPI 681

Centers the technical foundations of generative AI and its policy questions in domains including education, healthcare, media, and scientific innovation. A blend of hands-on coding and policy case studies, DPI 681 is taught by Jeremy Weinstein (HKS Dean of Faculty) and Sharad Goel (Professor of Public Policy and computer scientist with a doctorate in applied mathematics).

Politics and Policies: The Impact of Data and AI (Deborah Hughes Hallett) API-205

Quantitative curriculum covering statistical research methods, data analysis, and policy implications of autonomous vehicles, generative AI, and other major technologies.

Becoming a Policy Entrepreneur in the United States (David King) DPI 122

Tools and frameworks for identifying and advancing policy agendas in the United States. Professor King is Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Faculty Chair of Harvard’s Bi-Partisan Program for Newly Elected Members of the U.S. Congress. Deliverable: “AI Policy Accelerator Retreat Proposal.”

Big Tech and the Importance of Competition: Public Policy in the 2020s (John Haigh and Jonathan Sallet) BGP 215M

Applies antitrust legal principles to key issues surrounding the world’s largest tech companies. Professor Haigh is Co-Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government and Professor John Sallet was general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission and represented Colorado in a landmark 2025 Google antitrust suit. Deliverable: “Corporate competition, regulation, and AI safety.”

Policy Memo Writing for Decision Makers (Lauren Brodsky) DPI 820M

Intensive writing workshop on the research, structure, and crafting of policy memos for high-stakes issues, taught by Professor Lauren Brodsky, Lecturer in Public Policy. Deliverable: “How Governors Are Protecting Against Catastrophic Risks from Artificial Intelligence.”

Power and Influence for Positive Impact (Julie Battilana) MLD 340M

Covering conceptual models, tactics, and assessment tools to develop influence styles and understand political dynamics. Julie Battilana holds professorships at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School and is author of the book “Power, For All.”

Scaling Up and Systems Change (Isabel Guerrero and Michael Walton) DEV 320M

Teaches approaches to scaling international development initiatives, drawing on nonprofit strategy, design thinking, and lean startup methods. Guerrero served as World Bank country director for multiple Latin American countries and Walton held roles at the World Bank including Director for Poverty Reduction. Deliverable: “A Scaling-Up Analysis of Evidence Action’s ‘Safe Water Now’ Program.”

Exercising Leadership: The Politics of Change (Hugh O'Doherty) MLD 201C

Diagnostic and strategic framework for leading with and without authority, grounded in the Adaptive Leadership discipline developed by Ron Heifetz. Cultivates tools for mobilizing systems through complex change, orchestrating conflict, regulating disequilibrium, and building adaptable cultures. Professor O'Doherty directed the Inter-Group Relations Project in Northern Ireland and holds an M.Ed and Ed.D from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Nonprofit Management and Leadership (Arthur Brooks) MLD 802M

Covers organizational structure, strategic planning, fundraising, communications, and leadership in nonprofit organizations. Arthur Brooks holds professorships at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, served for ten years as president of the American Enterprise Institute, and his numerous books include Build the Life You Want with Oprah Winfrey. Deliverable: “The Center for Humane Technology – a five-year strategic plan and impact evaluation for new Civic Advising Initiative.”

Threats and Challenges Facing American Democracy (Alex Keyssar) DPI 307

Examines contemporary threats to American democracy in historical and comparative perspective, covering constitutional design, voting rights, electoral systems, and the fragility of democratic institutions. Professor Keyssar is the Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy at HKS. His book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

AI, Ethics, and Society – Harvard Divinity School (David Lamberth and Richard Geruson) HDS 3267

Research seminar examining the ethical, religious, and social implications of AI, drawing on theology, philosophy, sociology, and economics. Professor Lamberth is Professor of Philosophy and Theology at HDS. Co-instructor Geruson served as CEO of Fortune 500 company Lexmark and AI startup VoiceSignal and holds graduate degrees from Oxford University. Deliverable: “AI and Human Relationships.”

Compassion and Heart Cultivation: Buddhism and the Clinical Approach – Harvard Divinity School (Chris Berlin) HDS 3053

Integrates Buddhist compassion teachings and mindfulness with Western clinical psychology, examining contemplative approaches to mental health, end-of-life care, and the resilience of clinical providers. Professor Berlin is Instructor in Spiritual Counseling and Buddhist Ministry at Harvard Divinity School, a lay teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and formerly an interfaith chaplain at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.