PANELISTS BIOS

Jose Altamirano is an analyst at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). During his time at GAO, Jose has worked on issues ranging from the FAFSA to federal-tribal agreements. He has previously worked in nonprofit advocacy and higher education roles. Jose is a proud PPIA alumnus, having finished his JSI at Carnegie Mellon in 2016. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Harvard Kennedy School. Jose is from Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Marcela Correa is a social impact leader dedicated to expanding opportunity for underserved populations. She has worked in the non-profit and corporate sectors devising strategies and implementing programs that improve educational outcomes, create jobs and exports, and improve livelihoods. She is currently the Vice President of Global Strategies at First Book, where she leads efforts to uplift and upskill educators that serve children in need around the world. At First Book, she is particularly focused on the power of changemaking and how empowering changemakers can transform schools and communities. Prior roles include Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, Director of Operations for CARANA Corporation, and owner of her own real estate investment ventures. Her sweet spot is serving as a thought partner to leadership and supporting teams to transform mission and strategy into realizable objectives and work plans. Marcela earned an M.S. in international economic development from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown in 2004 and an A.B. in sociology from Harvard in 2000. She is the Board Chair of The Esperanza Education Fund, an organization that supports immigrant students to realize their dreams of a college education. She is also a proud Fellow or alum of education and career opportunity programs including Oliver Scholars, Milken Scholars, Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program, and International Career Advancement (ICAP) Program. 

James-Christian Blockwood was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Academy of Public Administration in January 2025. The Academy is a congressionally charted nonpartisan, nonprofit that helps leaders build more effective, efficient, accountable and transparent organizations. Most recently he was Executive Vice President at the Partnership for Public Service where he helped with overall strategy and management of the organization, and oversaw its programs dedicated to improving the federal government. He is deeply committed to nonpartisanship and organizational excellence, and is passionate about serving others and his country. He is a former career member of the Senior Executive Service in the U.S. Government and has broad experience in leadership and management, strategic planning, intelligence, national security and foreign affairs. He has helped transform and build new capabilities at the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs as well as the Government Accountability Office. He is also an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He has earned degrees in Government, Business Administration, Strategic Intelligence, and International Relations.

John Jankovic is an experienced operations and community engagement professional who drives large-scale initiatives across public policy, political campaigns, and government programs. Currently as the Director of Youth Programs, John runs programs for the Senate Minority Leader and administers the Senate Page program for the Democratic Caucus. A lifelong New Yorker, John graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s in political science and international relations in 2020, and immediately got involved in New York State’s Contact Tracing Initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. John received his Master’s in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, where he undertook his fellowship as a Public Policy Coordinator at Meta. Most recently, John spent last election cycle at the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President campaign, helping devise, scale and implement the National Coordinated Campaign. Outside of work, John can be found enjoying a coffee, picnicking, or with his competitive trivia team.

Dr. Vicki Johnson is Founder and Director of ProFellow™, the world’s leading online resource for professional and academic fellowships. She is a four-time fellow, public speaker, and an award-winning social entrepreneur. Dr. Johnson speaks globally on application secrets to achieving competitive fellowships and funding opportunities. She is also the creator of the Fully Funded Course and Mentorship Program, an online course and group coaching program for graduate school applicants that has helped more than 300 students enter top PhD and Master’s programs and collectively win more than $30 million in graduate school funding awards. 

Before founding ProFellow, Dr. Johnson worked for 15 years in the field of public health preparedness and policy. At the age of 30, she was appointed Policy Director of the Obama Administration's National Commission on Children and Disasters. She is an alumna of the New York City Urban Fellows Program, the German Chancellor Fellowship, the Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship, and the Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy (Fulbright New Zealand). She holds a BA from Cornell University, an MSc from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK), and a PhD from Massey University (New Zealand).

Stevie B. Hamilton, II. serves as the Senior Advisor for Africa at the State Department's Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R). Mr. Hamilton's primary responsibilities are advising Front Office Principals on Africa-related U.S. government and partner nation initiatives supporting countering adversarial foreign information manipulation and influence. Before joining R, Mr. Hamilton most recently served as a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Africa at Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy; Senior Strategic Communications Advisor at the Bureau of Counterterrorism, Office of Countering Violent Extremism; Deputy Coordinator at the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications; and as the Team Lead for the Overseas Security Advisory Council in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and as a member of the Special Operations Forces community. In 2021, after 22 years of service, Mr. Hamilton retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves, serving as a Foreign Area Officer for the Middle East and Sub-Sahara Africa at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He is a 2021 Nathanson Public Diplomacy Fellow, Aspen Institute’s Socrates Program and Council on Foreign Relations, Term Member (2014 -19). He attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he was an Earhart National Security Fellow, and received his Master of Law and Diplomacy in 2002 and Morehouse College where he received his BA in Political Science in 2000 and was a PPIA Fellow, UC Berkely Cohort of 1999.

Esther Owolabi (she/her) is an Education Outreach Manager at Google. In her role she manages partnerships and investments to expand STEM pathways for historically marginalized learners in the DC metro area. Prior to this role Esther was a DEI Program Manager on the hiring team. Before joining Google almost 5 years ago, she was a consultant at Deloitte and worked at DC Public Schools supporting Central Office strategy and operations. Esther graduated from Georgetown University (BA) and Harvard University (Ed.M). Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors, spoiling her baby nieces, and cheering for her hometown Chicago sports teams.

Ashanta Williams is currently the Director of Analyst and Auditor Training Programs within the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Learning Center, providing impactful learning and development experiences that enhance individual, team, and organizational effectiveness. Ashanta joined GAO in 2005 and has spent much of her career in the Education, Workforce, and Income Security (EWIS) Team. In this area, she led projects focused on a range of issues, including higher education, at-risk youth, Native American schools, workforce programs, and veteran services. Ashanta also played a key role in developing and maintaining an onboarding program for new EWIS employees, ensuring they felt supported and prepared for success. In 2019, she became a certified adjunct faculty instructor with the Learning Center and holds certifications as an Internal GAO Coach, InsideOut/GROW Coach, and Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach. Ashanta earned degrees in Social Work and Public Administration from Syracuse University in New York and is a proud PPIA alum (UC Berkeley). Originally from Northern California, she enjoys travel, sports, and spending time with loved ones.