Alumni Achievement Award

Every year, the Graduate School of Political Management gathers to celebrate the success of our alumni. We honor those who exemplify GSPM’s values through their career accomplishments, contributions back to their communities, GSPM, or GW.

NOTE: No Alumni Achievement Awards were conferred in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 Alumni Achievement Award Winners

Anne Rancourt

Anne Rancourt, MPS, serves as communications director for the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest global funder of addiction research. She has worked in communications at NIH for more than a decade, including at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases overseeing communications on HIV and immunology; as communications director for the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health; and at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute where she led media and digital strategy for The Heart Truth campaign to raise awareness of heart disease in women.

Previously, Ms. Rancourt was a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, where she led communications strategies on the Department’s $167 billion Recovery Act investment. She has also worked in brand management and behavior change campaigns on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and began her career as a journalist at The Washington Post and NBC News. Ms. Rancourt has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in strategic public relations from George Washington University.

Jordan Bernstein

As the Chief Operating Officer of Cassidy and Associates, Jordan Bernstein manages day-to-day operations while also representing his clients who are as diverse as global brand names to national non-profits, large integrated health systems, universities and trade associations. He specializes in devising and executing comprehensive legislative strategies directed at promoting clients’ specific federal policy and funding objectives in Washington.

Jordan’s ability to create and grow relationships between the federal government and public and private entities was grounded in his tenure as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. In this role, Jordan had unique inside-access to the legislative process, but also was an essential participant in the determination of congressional policy and appropriations.

Jordan provides trusted advice and counsel to many of his clients as their general representative in Washington relying on his keen awareness that client issues don’t fall neatly into a single category and that the best solutions come from having a deep understanding of the entire legislative and political process.

He earned a bachelors degree in Political Science from Michigan State University and an M.A. in Political Management from George Washington University.

Julius Hobson

Julius W. Hobson, Jr. is Senior Policy Advisor at Polsinelli, where he concentrates on assisting clients with legislative and regulatory advocacy concerning health care, appropriations, budget, taxes, financial services, and other public policy issues. With more than 50 years’ experience working with the U.S. Congress and the Federal Executive Branch, he has served as Director, Division of Congressional Affairs, American Medical Association (AMA) where he managed the AMA’s interaction with the Congress.

Mr. Hobson previously served on the staff of Senator Charles Robb [D-VA] and the Committee on the Budget, and in the Executive Office of the District of Columbia Mayor where he was responsible for coordinating the city’s relations with the Congress and the Federal Executive Branch. Mr. Hobson served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a subcommittee Staff Director and as Chief of Staff.

Mr. Hobson served a four-year term as an elected member of the D.C. Board of Education, during which he served a term as Vice President. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at GSPM where he teaches the course on lobbying and also the Legislative Writing and Research course. He is a graduate of Howard University (BA, History) and The George Washington University (MA, Legislative Affairs).

Previous Alumni Achievement Award Winners

2019

Jennifer Giglio, Class of 2014, Vice President of Communications for the Washington Nationals

Rohini Kosoglu, Class of 2010, Domestic Policy Advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris

Megan Whittemore, Class of 2010, President of the Senate Press Secretaries Association (SPSA)

2018

Rochelle Dornatt, Class of 1981, Former Chief of Staff for former Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and former Rep. Tom Sawyer (D-Ohio)

Ben Fallon, Class of 1998, Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Legislative Affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Raul Damas, Class of 2002, Partner at Brunswick Group; Former Senior Director of Worldwide Media Relations and U.S. Policy at Pfizer

2017

Lindsey Schuh Cortés, Class of 2007, CEO of BlueLabs; Former Director of Strategic Partnerships and Deputy Political Director at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Barrett Karr, Class of 2000, Government Relations Manager at Silver Lake; Former Chief of Staff for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

Elizabeth "Liz" Reicherts, Class of 2000, Vice President of Government Affairs at Siemens

2016

Janelle Brevard, Class of 2001, Director of Communications and Government Affairs at the Institute of Museum and Library Services; Senior Advisor and Speechwriter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice

Stephanie Schriock, Class of 1997, President of EMILY's List; Former Campaign Manager for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.)

Paul Jung, M.D., Class of 2006, Senior Advisor to the Indian Health Service; Former Acting Director of the Commissioned Corps Headquarters at the Office of the Surgeon General

2015

Traci Scott, Class of 1996, Senior Advisor for Strategic Communication at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Robert Hoopes, Class of 1992, President, VOX Global; Former Chief of Staff to Vice President Joe Biden during the 2012 Democratic National Convention

E. Ivan Zapien, Class of 1995, Founder of Zapien Ventures; Former Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica

2014

Karen Makishima, Class of 2001, Representative of the Kanagawa 17th District, House of Representatives, National Diet of Japan

Matthew Chase, Class of 1998, Executive Director, National Association of Counties

Todd Webster, Class of 1996, Vice President, Cornerstone Government Affairs; Former Chief of Staff for Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.)

2013

Anne Caprara, Class of 2003, Chief of Staff for Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.)

Matt Rhoades, Class of 1999, Co-CEO of CGCN Group; Campaign Manager for the Mitt Romney 2012 Presidential Campaign