MASTPF ADVISORY BOARD AND COUNCIL » Scientific Citizenship Initiative

MASTPF Advisory Board

Karim Abdul-Matin

Ph.D.

Christie Hager

Christie Hager is a public health lawyer who focuses her teaching, research, and public service on health policy and practice to benefit publicly-insured populations. From 2019-2021, she was embedded at MassHealth as its chief of behavioral health, leading COVID-19 behavioral health emergency response and community-based behavioral health delivery system reform. Christie’s past public service includes leading early implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the six New England states as surrogate for Secretaries Sebelius and Burwell in the Obama U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, following her role as chief health counsel to the Speaker of the Mass. House of Representatives. She also has held senior executive roles at the former Beacon Health Options (now Carelon, an Anthem behavioral health company). Christie’s first post-graduate role was research assistant to the senior editorial leadership of the New England Journal of Medicine. Christie is an alumna of Smith College, the Boston University School of Public Health, and the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Ph.D.

Karim Abdul-Matin

Karim Abdul-Matin, Ph.D., is the Director of Operations for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, where he provides operational and administrative leadership to the Bureau. He also serves on the National Advisory Board for the Union of Concerned Scientists. Karim obtained an MPA from Suffolk University, doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, focusing on social and political theory, and a B.S. in biology with a minor in Philosophy from Bucknell University.

Aaron Kirby

Aaron Kirby, MSc., is the Director of Regulatory Affairs Operations for the Regulatory Foundations, Ethics, and Law Program at Harvard Catalyst and SMART IRB, where he collaborates with leadership at academic medical centers and the NIH to advance multisite clinical and translational science initiatives. Aaron has contributed to several projects focused on bioethical frameworks relating to IRBs’ responsibility to ensure the inclusion of vulnerable populations and oversees the timely execution of business outcomes, communication and marketing strategies, financial requirements, and multi-million-dollar grant and contract administration from pre-award to closeout. Aaron has guest lectured for the Harvard Clinical Trial Design course, presented at conferences for the Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research and the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, and collaborated with colleagues to develop an education module for the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative program. Aaron holds an MSc in Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology from the University College London, a BA in Communications and Psychology from Duquesne University, and has completed the Bioethics Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Drew Story

Drew Story, Ph.D., is Managing Director of MIT’s Policy Lab. In this role he guides MIT faculty to establish themselves as resources and advisors to policymakers, improving the potential for research to make societal impact. Prior to joining MIT, Drew served as a policy advisor in the US Senate on energy, environment, and scientific research policy issues, including a year as an AAAS/ACS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow. Following his tenure in Congress, Drew was the Global Change Science Lead at the US Global Change Research Program and the staff lead for two chapters of the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Drew received his PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering with a Designated Emphasis in Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside during which he served on advisory committees within the California Natural Resources Agency and as a consultant for the California Council on Science and Technology.

Klara Kuemmerle

Klara Kuemmerle is a climate research scientist and Ph.D. candidate at Harvard, whose work focuses on the effects of climate extremes on vulnerable populations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard College where she studied the intersection of climate science and policy at the local, national, and global levels. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Klara has developed a strong understanding of the state’s diverse political views and access to educational opportunities. While in high school and college, she interned for representatives in the Massachusetts House and Senate, where she saw how scientific expertise can meaningfully shape policy. Previously, she has worked as a research scientist at the Technical University of Munich and a Climate & Sustainability consultant for Boston Consulting Group. As a climate scientist with a background in policy, Klara is a champion for movements which advance civic science and empower scientists to work in partnership with society.

Ariel Horowitz

Ariel Horowitz currently serves as the Head of Policy Strategy at Eolian, supporting market development for innovative energy projects. Prior experience to joining Eolian in May 2025, Ariel was Deputy Director of Grid Modernization at the U.S. Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office, leading over $15B of programming. Ariel’s work at DOE included the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program and related analytical portfolios as well as programs supporting energy resilience in Puerto Rico and across the United States. Previously, Ariel held the position of Senior Program Director at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, leading tech-to-market, clean transportation market development, and grid innovation programming. During her five years of service to the Commonwealth, Ariel engaged with research institutions across Massachusetts to foster applied innovation and deepen the connection between academic research and policy outcomes. Ariel also worked closely with the Executive Office of Energy and Environment (EEA), the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), and the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to support analysis and implementation of climate policies across sectors. Ariel holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Swarthmore College.

Lily Fitzgerald

Lily Fitzgerald is the Director for the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) at the state economic development agency Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech). As the Director of CAM, Lily oversees a team of seven and manages the division’s work to support manufacturing in the state of Massachusetts with initiatives, grant making, and ecosystem development. Prior to taking on the Director role, Lily served as the Senior Manager, Advanced Technology Programs, managing the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2). Prior to joining MassTech, Lily spent seven years at Ginkgo Bioworks, where she worked as an engineer in Ginkgo’s laboratories and founded the Public Policy team, advocating for policies that grow the bioeconomy and innovation ecosystem. She has an M.S. in Technology Policy from MIT and a B.S. in Environmental Science from UMass Amherst.

MASTPF Advisory Council

Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan

MMSc, MBA, MDS

Hannah Frye

Ph.D

Theresa Williamson

Dr. Sarah Chu

Dr. Sarah Chu is the director of policy and reform at the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law where she leads science and justice policy initiatives. Prior to this role, she spent 15 years leading forensic science policy work at the Innocence Project. Her research interests include oversight and accountability of criminal investigative and forensic science methods and technologies; their ethical, legal, and social implications; and capacity for just and equitable implementation. Dr. Chu is a member of the National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists, served on the Scientific Inquiry and Research Subcommittee of the National Commission on Forensic Science, and was the 2021 recipient of the Legal Aid Society’s Magnus Mukoro Award for Integrity in Forensic Science. She holds bachelor degrees in Biochemistry/Cell Biology, Communication, and a Masters in Biology from the University of California, San Diego; a Masters in Epidemiology from Stanford University; a doctorate in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY Graduate Center; and was a fellow at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.

MMSc, MBA, MDS

Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan

Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan, MMSc, MBA, MDS is Faculty and Visiting Scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he turns scientific evidence into policies advancing health equity, climate resilience, and ethical technology. On Beacon Hill, he helped secure legislation improving dementia care for 135,000 Massachusetts residents, working closely with legislators and community leaders to expand early diagnostic access. Nationally, he has influenced climate priorities in Congress, shaped national AI ethics standards through the NSF/MITRE federal AI Working Group, and worked with CalHHS and the Center for Data Insights and Innovation to create California’s first homelessness data integration system—now informing housing and health equity strategies nationwide. Globally, he advises the WHO on dementia and reproductive health in humanitarian settings and serves on the Wellcome Trust Climate and Health Expert Committee. Trained at Harvard Medical School in Global Health Delivery, with advanced degrees in healthcare management and dentistry, he brings strategic leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and mentorship experience to advance MASTPF’s mission of embedding STEM expertise in the Massachusetts State House and driving resident-focused, evidence-based policy.

Christin Monroe

Christin Monroe is an educator, researcher, and advocate with over six years of experience supporting historically underrepresented students in STEM, including low-income, first-generation college students, and neurodivergent learners. She serves as a Principal Investigator on an NSF-funded scholarship program and is an active member of the American Chemical Society, where she contributes nationally as part of the Chemists with Disabilities Committee. Christin’s work centers on inclusive curriculum design, mentorship, and the development of accessible, evidence-based teaching practices in biology and chemistry.

Itziar Salazar Caballero

Itziar Salazar Caballero holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies, with a specialization in Political Science and Public Administration, from Pompeu Fabra University. She also holds a Master of Science in Global Challenges for Sustainability from the European university alliance CHARM-EU. She currently manages the Hub for Global Sustainability at the University of Barcelona, where she promotes collaboration among academics and social and governmental actors. She is also a member of ECUSA, a nonprofit organization of Spanish scientists in the USA. She serves on the Career Development Commission and recently joined the Policy and Scientific Diplomacy Commission of RAICEX, the network of associations of Spanish

Andrea Boggio

Andrea Boggio is a Professor of Legal Studies at Bryant University. In 2025-26, Andrea will be the Fulbright-Lund University Distinguished Scholar in Public International Law at Lund University in Sweden. This position is given to Fulbright awardees and aims to foster collaboration between human rights scholars in the US and Sweden. His research focuses on science, technology, and innovation policy, with a particular emphasis on the legal and ethical aspects of biosciences. His most recent book is “The Human to Science: History, Development and Normative Content” (Oxford University Press, 2024), which includes a discussion of the human rights basis for recognizing citizen science. Andrea earned a law degree from Stanford Law School and completed his postdoctoral work in Geneva.

Shiran Dudy

Shiran Dudy is a Research Scientist at Northeastern University and part of the Responsible AI team at the Institute for Experiential AI (EAI). Her work centers on auditing AI systems—that is, evaluating them through the lens of fairness/bias, explainability, usability or other values that are required to deploy AI in a responsible fashion. She focuses on how AI systems grant or restrict access to real-world opportunities, and how well they reflect diverse cultural values and norms. She has been developing AI literacy curriculums as part of her community outreach efforts. In addition to research, Shiran advises industry partners on best practices for building AI systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable.

Ph.D

Hannah Frye

Hannah Frye, Ph.D. is a senior policy advisor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Washington Office, where she connects the MIT community with policymakers in Congress, federal agencies, and the White House. In addition, she coordinates the MIT Washington Office’s programming with MIT students and alumni science policy groups. Outside of her role at MIT, Dr. Frye serves as the Director of Programs and Events with the Journal of Science Policy and Governance, and she is Vice Chair on the Dean’s Leadership Council at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Dr. Frye received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis and her B.S. in chemistry from Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Dr. Valerie Williams

Dr. Valerie Williams is an assistant professor of philosophy at Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her PhD in philosophy from Boston University in 2018. She specializes in bioethics, and her most recent publications are on the ethics of obesity policies governing access to medical care.

Alham Saadat

Alham Saadat is a cross-sector leader with extensive experience in biomedical research, ethics, public policy, and nonprofit governance. At the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, she founded and led the Research Ethics Consultancy, embedding ethical foresight into high-impact science. Her earlier work includes research roles at Genentech, Novartis, and Penn State, contributing to projects in cancer, neuroscience, and cardiometabolic disease. Alham is also a civic leader, serving as Chair of the Arlington Libraries Foundation, three-term elected member of Arlington Town Meeting, and steering committee member for successful ballot campaigns that secured over $300M in local infrastructure investments. She brings a strategic, mission-driven approach to advancing ethical research, public health, and community impact.

Namrata Sengupta

Namrata Sengupta is the director of government relations and science engagement at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Sengupta facilitates Broad’s relationships with neighboring communities; local, state, and federal government; international delegations; and the general public. She is also responsible for overseeing the Broad Discovery Center and related public outreach and educational efforts. Outside of Broad, Sengupta serves as an adjunct professor of science communication at Clemson University. She is on the board of directors of The Innovation Trail of Greater Boston, and is one of the Kendall Square Association’s Emerging Leaders. She speaks at various career panels and gives invited lectures on STEM careers and science communication in the higher education community. Sengupta holds a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from Clemson University, an M.S. in biotechnology from Bangalore University, and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Calcutta.

Joshua Finkelstein

Joshua Finkelstein is the Executive Director of the Biological Design Center at Boston University, which brings together approximately 160 graduate students/post-doctoral fellows and 21 faculty from multiple fields and departments to conduct groundbreaking, collaborative research in biological design. As the Executive Director, he is the scientific, strategic, operational, and financial advisor for the center’s faculty and is also responsible for grant writing, scientific communications, organization of all internal and external events, professional development activities for our trainees, and industry engagement on behalf of our center. Prior to this, Joshua was the Deputy Director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University (2016–2021) and a senior editor and team leader at the scientific journal Nature (2004–2016). He received a B.Sc. in chemistry from McGill University, a Ph.D. in chemistry & chemical biology from Harvard University, and an M.P.H. with a focus on international public health from Johns Hopkins University. Some of his main professional interests include graduate student professional development, STEM education and outreach activities, education and workforce development initiatives, and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) within STEM disciplines.

Theresa Williamson

Theresa Williamson, MD, is a neurosurgeon and surgical ethics researcher who cares for people with all types of spine disorders as well as brain and spinal trauma. Her research focus is neurosurgical decision-making and patient-doctor communication as well as health care disparities. She combines bioethics theory with empirical data science to tackle complex decision-making problems in neurosurgery. Dr. Williamson is a member of the Center for Outcomes and Patient Safety in Surgery (COMPASS) at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Williamson completed a neurosurgery residency and intramural fellowship at Duke University, where her clinical skills were recognized when she was named the Resident Clinician of the Year (2017) and her leadership skills were recognized with the Leadership Award (2020). She completed the University of Chicago Maclean and American College of Surgeons Surgical Ethics Fellowship (2021). She is a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine (2014) and Yale College (2009) where she was a varsity soccer player.

Avital Percher

Avital Percher left the bench to work in policy after obtaining his PhD in molecular biology from Rockefeller University. He is a co-founder of the National Science Policy Network, a national non-profit that supports the engagement of early career scientists in policy making. Particular interests include data and analytics, evidence-based policy making, and advancing an equitable scientific enterprise.

Dr. Holly Mayton

Dr. Holly Mayton currently leads Research Partnerships and Science Policy for John Deere and is a founding co-director of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN). Holly previously served as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Agriculture Policy, sponsored by the American Institute of Physics. Her science policy experience also extends to the state level where she has co-developed the Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Policy Fellowship and, more recently, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Science and Technology Policy (COPA-STEP) Fellowship. Holly earned her Ph.D. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering with a Designated Emphasis in Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside in 2018. She is currently based in Philadelphia where she enjoys seeking out new flavors of water ice and tending to her urban garden.

Dr. Monika Chitre

Dr. Monika Chitre received her PhD from UMass Chan Medical School in August 2022, where her thesis work focused on the molecular biology of neurodegenerative disease. Her subsequent postdoctoral research focused on non-immune cell biology pathways of systemic lupus erythematous and autoimmunity. In July 2025, she joined the I-Corps Program to aid researchers in translating their science to design and implement potential biotech startup ventures. Throughout her PhD and postdoc work, she has been extremely passionate about bringing scientists to public policy. She co-founded and directed Paths2Policy at UMass Chan, a science policy interest and career development group for research trainees. One of the group’s interests was to advocate for the formation of a Massachusetts state level science policy fellowship. She is thrilled to be involved in the early stages of the MASTPF and serve on the MASTPF Advisory Council.

Kathi Crow

Kathi Crow is a mathematics professor at Salem State University. Her professional interests include science policy, institutional capacity building, and the role of minority-serving institutions in the dynamic landscape of higher education. She was a 2023-2025 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation and a 2016-2017 Fulbright Scholar at the University of Jordan.

Julie Lin

Julie Lin is an engineer and tech policy entrepreneur passionate about the intersection of technology and social impact. She served in the United States Senate as a TechCongress Congressional Innovation Fellow, focusing on AI and emerging technology policy. Prior to her time in public service, she was a hardware engineer at Microsoft. Her journey into civic tech was featured in the PBS documentary Tech For Us, which explores the evolving role of technology in shaping a future that serves the public good.

Mayank Chugh

Mayank Chugh (he/him) is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He directs the Applied Molecular Biology (AMB) Lab and Graduate Program and is the founder and director of The ReForm Lab, an interdisciplinary metascience research group that uses evidence-based approaches to inform higher education and science policy.