Team | Cooper Center

Leadership and Staff

Laura Hennessey

Acting Executive Director

Cooper Center

lhm8q@virginia.edu

434.243.9345

Alexandra Rebhorn

Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement

Cooper Center

aa6g@virginia.edu

(434) 243-6073

Mary Beth Witherell

IT Director

Cooper Center

meh4q@virginia.edu

(434) 982-5707

Allen Saunders

IT Specialist

Cooper Center

aws8f@virginia.edu

434.982.5937

Amy Muldoon

Project Manager

Cooper Center

amy.muldoon@virginia.edu

Robierre Nderitu

Fiscal and Project Manager

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

rn4t@virginia.edu

434.924.1970

Allie Cognata

Executive Assistant

Cooper Center

allie.cognata@virginia.edu

Claire Downey

Digital Media Manager

Cooper Center

ced7z@virginia.edu

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

João Ferreira

Acting Director

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

brn3wh@virginia.edu

(434) 982-5819

Elizabeth Marshall

Senior Program Manager

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

emm2t@virginia.edu

(434) 982-5552

Terry Rephann

Regional Economist

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

trephann@virginia.edu

(434) 982-4501

Matthew Scheffel

Economist

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

matt.scheffel@virginia.edu

Emily Lien

Academic Consultant

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

egl6a@virginia.edu

Kathryn Crespin

Research Consultant

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

kathryn.crespin@virginia.edu

434-326-5531

William Shobe

Consultant, Emeritus Research Professor of Public Policy

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

shobe@virginia.edu

Marzieh Ronaghi

Research Scientist

Center for Economic and Policy Studies

ccr6sa@virginia.edu

Center for Survey Research

Kara Fitzgibbon

Director

Center for Survey Research

ksf5fe@virginia.edu

(434) 243-5224

John Curtis

Data Research Analyst

Center for Survey Research

wjc2c@virginia.edu

Sean Johnson

Project Manager

Center for Survey Research

smj3ms@virginia.edu

(434) 243-5229

Alayna Panzer

Project Manager

Center for Survey Research

cqx8dv@virginia.edu

Beverley Kerr

Lab Supervisor

Center for Survey Research

bak6n@virginia.edu

(434) 243-5226

Ulises Verde

Lab Supervisor

Center for Survey Research

sbu7xq@virginia.edu

Thomas Guterbock

Senior Survey Consultant

Center for Survey Research

tomg@virginia.edu

434.760.0909

Demographics Research Group

Qian Cai

Director

Demographics Research Group

qian.cai@virginia.edu

(434) 982-5581

Hamilton Lombard

Estimates Program Manager

Demographics Research Group

hl2qs@virginia.edu

(434) 982-5698

Sol Baik

Senior Researcher

Demographics Research Group

avv5zh@virginia.edu

Zach Jackson

School Enrollment Projections Manager

Demographics Research Group

ten2se@virginia.edu

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation (IEN)

Tanya Denckla Cobb

Director

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

td6n@virginia.edu

434-924-1855

Elizabeth Andrews

Distinguished Law & Policy Fellow

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

eaa6m@virginia.edu

Kelly Altizer

Associate Director of Operations

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

kaltizer@virginia.edu

434.924.6569

Ian Baxter

Senior Associate

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

ib7jx@virginia.edu

Franklin (Frank) Dukes

Distinguished Fellow

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

ed7k@virginia.edu

434.924.2041

Ozlem Edizel-Tasci

Senior Associate and Proposal Writer

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

umk4dz@virginia.edu

Mike Foreman

Special Projects Manager

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

jmf2py@virginia.edu

Sierra Gladfelter

Senior Associate

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

sg6us@virginia.edu

Meredith Keppel

Senior Associate

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

mkeppel@virginia.edu

Blair Blanchette

Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute Program Manager

Institute for Engagement & Negotiation

brb6eb@virginia.edu

Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership

Larry Roberts

Director

Sorensen Institute

lr9wm@virginia.edu

Sarah Campbell

Director of Programs

Sorensen Institute

sc9ef@virginia.edu

Rebecca Popp Stewart

Programs and Development Coordinator

Sorensen Institute

rap5wpn@virginia.edu

Samuel Barndt

Recruiting and Development Assistant

Sorensen Institute

srb6dp@virginia.edu

434.982.3849

Elle Smith

Outreach and Engagement Specialist (Starting March 2026)

Sorensen Institute

Virginia Institute of Government

Charles Hartgrove

Managing Director

Virginia Institute of Government

charles.hartgrove@virginia.edu

(434) 297-5942

Molly Harlow

Associate Director, Leadership Development

Virginia Institute of Government

mjh3a@virginia.edu

(434) 987-0331

Jennifer Nelson

Assistant Director, Membership and Engagement

Virginia Institute of Government

jenn@virginia.edu

(434) 297-5945

Beth Bennett

Assistant Director, Certification Programs

Constitutional Officer Education Program

eaw3f@virginia.edu

(434) 982-2144

Bryan David

Program Director, Southern Virginia/GO Virginia Region 3

Virginia Institute of Government

rbd7g@virginia.edu

(540) 395-6504

Shirley Hamblet

LEAD & SEI Coordinator

Virginia Institute of Government

smh2dr@virginia.edu

(727) 744-0573

Mike Scheid

Team Support Coordinator

Virginia Institute of Government

ms6df@virginia.edu

(804) 371-0202

Alysse Dowdy

Leadership Development Operations Coordinator

Virginia Institute of Government

ald5zm@virginia.edu

(434) 995-8242

Sarah K Campbell

Administrative Operations Coordinator

Virginia Institute of Government

sarah.k.campbell@virginia.edu

Stephanie Tharp

Temporary Administrative Assistant

Virginia Institute of Government

saw9h@virginia.edu