They include former members of Congress, members of the state legislature and city councils, lawyers, professors, United Nations officials, ambassadors, a U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, a deputy director of the U.S. Treasury Department, and an individual who headed up the program in Afghanistan to improve their legal and judicial systems. Beyond politics, graduates of the program include business executives, actors, and even a vice-president for Columbia Records.
Grace is well-equipped for a career handling policy issues, thanks to a strong foundation at Whittier College that launched her into graduate studies at the University of Southern California.
In the City of Bell, she’s successfully developing and implementing programming and marketing initiatives to benefit the city, while collaborating with a wide array of partners. Every day, she’s applying what she learned at Whittier and USC to real-world situations—and she loves it.
She credits Whittier College with sparking her passion for public service, boosting her self-confidence, preparing her for graduate school, and equipping her with practical career skills.
“The well-rounded education and opportunities I got at Whittier have given me the flexibility and diverse skill set I need to succeed in the complex world of public administration and beyond!” she said.
After Whittier, Grace earned her Master’s in Public Administration at USC, with a certificate in City Management. During that time, she also interned with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, gaining valuable insight into how government supports small businesses and promotes equality.
At Meta, owner of apps like Instagram and Facebook, Erin manages high-profile incidents that affect the business and pose risks to its reputation.
Before that, Erin advanced U.S. foreign policy as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. Her assignments included the U.S. Embassies in Syria, Jordan, and Oman. She was also assigned to the State Department’s Office of UN Political Affairs, special assistant to a deputy secretary of state, and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York where she was the lead American negotiator in the UN Security Council on Syria and Burma.
In 2019, Erin received the State Department’s highest award, the Distinguished Honor Award, for her role in negotiating the evacuation and repatriation of over 400 members of the Syrian Civil Defense out of the country.
“I’m grateful every day for the world-class liberal arts education I received at Whittier College. Whittier equipped me to succeed in diplomacy by training me to be a compassionate life-long learner able to understand the interdisciplinary connections between the sciences, history, and languages across the human experience. My Whittier education is the bedrock of my success.”
With his in-depth knowledge of global politics and cyber security, Brandon has authored numerous articles and books on conflict and has made notable appearances on BBC Radio and MSNBC’s “Up with Chris Hayes.” He also lends his expertise as a reader at Cardiff University and as an advisor to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia.
After completing a double major in political science and history at Whittier, Brandon went on to obtain a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University. His time at Whittier’s Franklin Society also taught him “that one is often capable of more than they ever think possible.”
"Whittier taught me to question everything. This has been the foundation of my career and serves an important function in society."
