We are pleased to introduce the 2010-2011 SPIN
Fellows:
Kate Skolnick, '11
Teach for America
Kate Skolnick received her B.A. in History from Stanford in
2005. She hails from New York and is excited to be back on
the East Coast. She is currently working as a Recruitment
Fellow at Teach for America, where she is pleased to engage
with questions of social justice. While at school, Kate was
active with the Stanford Community for Peace and Justice and
the Stanford Coalition for Investment Disclosure. Her other
significant work experiences include interning at The
Innocence Project and The Children's Defense Fund-New York,
and coaching low-income students through Let's Get Ready!,
an SAT and college preparatory program. After her year as a
SPIN Fellow, Kate hopes to pursue public interest law.
Kate Pedatella, '11
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
Kate Pedatella spent five years at Stanford, completing a
double major in Biological Sciences and Political Science,
and she is excited to return to her hometown of New York.
While at Stanford, she conducted research related to both
majors, resulting in one honors thesis on neural stem cell
transplantation and one on an important facet of Botswana's
HIV/AIDS policy. She hopes to some day find a vocation that
unites many of her seemingly unrelated interests. Kate was
also involved in a wide range of activities at Stanford,
including working on staff at the LGBT center, serving as an
RA in an all-freshman dorm (Rinconada, for those who care),
working as a Production Editor of Six Degrees: A Stanford
Journal of Human Rights, and helping to plan Admit Weekend
as an AW Coordinator.
Stella Aslibekian, '11
New York Health and Hospitals Corporation
Stella Aslibekian graduated from Stanford in June with a
B.A. in Human Biology with Honors and a minor in Economics.
Driven by her passion for public health and especially
women's issues, throughout college she has volunteered at a
local Planned Parenthood, worked for a reproductive rights
group in Washington, DC, wrote a health column for the
Daily, and TA'd a class on international women's health.
Stella also has a secret obsession with developmental
biology, which culminated in her senior thesis on the
mechanisms of congenital heart disease. She now works for
the Health and Hospitals Corporation and lives right across
the bridge in Brooklyn. After finishing her SPIN Fellowship,
she hopes to pursue graduate studies in public health.
Amit Patel, '11
NYC Economic Development Corporation
Amit Patel, a Texas native, graduated from Stanford
University with a B.A. in International Relations, a B.A. in
History, and a minor in Spanish. Amit was actively involved
in Sanskriti, Stanford's South Asian student group, and
served as its co-chair. He also contributed to the Stanford
Daily as a weekly political affairs columnist. During his
time at Stanford, Amit focused on international politics,
particularly concerning Latin America, and race and
ethnicity issues. Amit now works on the Strategic Planning
team of the NYCEDC. His long-term plan is to become a civil
rights lawyer.
Diana Csank, '10
NYC Economic Development Corporation
A native Hungarian, Diana Csank has worked and studied in
her country of origin, France, and the U.S. She completed a
degree in international relations and would like to continue
exploring ways to combine her penchant for languages and
intercultural exchanges with her concerns about economic
development. Now working at the NYCEDC, Diana hopes to make
the most of her cosmopolitan surroundings. She plans to
obtain a joint degree in law and public policy in the New
York area and welcomes opportunities to discuss meaningful
employment alternatives on both sides of the Atlantic
(especially in French, Hungarian, or Spanish).
Sarah Lustbader, '11
Shelter Network
Sarah Lustbader graduated from Stanford in 2005 with honors
in International Relations. At Stanford, she worked as a
writer and an editor for The Stanford Daily, served as a
tutor and a tutor coordinator at East Palo Alto Tennis and
Tutoring, and went to a lot of concerts. Sarah has also
interned as a reporter for a daily journal focused on New
York City news and policy. Her honors thesis evaluated
contending theories modeling the impact of international law
on the behavior of states. Originally from New York City,
Sarah now lives in San Francisco and writes grants for
Shelter Network. Her plans for the future include attending
law school and entering the field of international law,
among other things.
Cicely Smith, '11
Shelter Network
Cicely Smith graduated from Stanford University in 2005 with
a B.A. in Human Biology and a minor in Cultural and Social
Anthropology. Within Human Biology, she focused her studies
on women's health and labor issues. While at Stanford,
Cicely worked with the student group Colleges Against Cancer
to organize the annual Relay for Life, a team event to fight
cancer. In addition, she was active in the Stanford Foster
Care College Project and served as a Research Assistant in
the Psychiatry Department. Cicely now works as the
Communications Assistant at Shelter Network. Her career goal
is become a pediatric dentist and help children in
underserved communities.
2010-2011 SPIN Fellows:
Daniel Doktori, '10
NYC Economic Development Corporation
Daniel Doktori was born and raised in Soho New York. He
graduated from Stanford with a degree in International
Relations, while also contributing to the Stanford Daily
with his weekly political affiars column. Daniel played
rugby during all four years on campus, and served as a
co-captain of the team. He now works at the NYCEDC and lives
in New York's East Village. After finishing his SPIN
fellowship, Daniel has his mind set on a joint program in
law and international affairs.
Jessica Gray, ’10
New York Health and Hospitals Corporation, Metroplus
Jessica, a Massachusetts native, obtained a B.A. from
Stanford in Human Biology, with a concentration in Health
Policy and Disease Management. While in college, she
conducted her own research in tracking public funding for
nutrition and obesity prevention, and also concentrated on
collaborative efforts in addressing community health
problems. She has experience both as an employee of the NYC
Department of Health and the National Academy of Social
Insurance. She is an avid sailor, and hopes to lead
groundbreaking research in the field of health.
Skye Mathieson, ’10
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
Skye graduated from Stanford with a degree in Political
Science, focusing on International Relations. Throughout
college he worked on issues of North Korean nuclear security
and African democratization, taking him to posts in China
and Southern Africa. Focusing on issues closer to home, his
current job at the DA's Office involves investigating and
prosecuting cases of felony child abuse / homicide occurring
in New York County. After finishing his SPIN fellowship,
Skye plans to reenter the world of international
policy-making.
To contact any of the fellows, please email us at spin@stanfordalumni.org.
