Current Fellows

Rakesh Goyal
Mr. Rakesh Goyal is currently a Director in Central Vigilance Commission, Government of India. He has worked professionally for 18 years. Of that time, four years was spent in the Central Vigilance Commission looking after corruption cases in the government department and creating systematic improvement for increasing transparency and accountability in public functioning. He also worked for ten years in the Power sector, advising the Government of India on overall development of the Indian Power sector and has spent another four years in the manufacturing industry. He earned his Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, India and was the winner of the National Talent Search Examination Scholarship, a national-level scholarship program in India that identifies and recognizes students with extremely high intellect and academic talent. During his fellowship year, he will focus on studying transparency and ethics in public dealing as well as effective implementation of public policy as a tool to avoid leakages of government funds.

Priya Ranjan
Mr. Priya Ranjan is currently the Assistant Inspector General of Forests, in the Ministry of Environment and Forests in New Delhi, India. He coordinates forestry research in India with a special focus on sharing research findings with the public. He is also responsible for the capacity building of various cadres in the forestry sector in India, particularly through planning and conducting mid-career and other training for officers. Previously, he served as an officer of the Indian Forest Service in various capacities, working in the areas of Protection, Conservation of Wildlife and Forests, and Watershed Management and Associated Natural Resources. He has a special interest in working with communities and involving them in the process of natural resource conservation. He earned a master in Science and Philosophy from Delhi University in Delhi, India. During his fellowship year, Mr. Ranjan will pursue a master of Public Affairs degree.

Narinder Khajuria
Mr. Narinder Khajuria is a Civil Servant and presently posted as Deputy Secretary to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (India), where he is providing staff support to the Governor in discharging education, executive, judicial and legislative functions of the State. During his 16 year career in public service, he has done a commendable job in the field of land survey/mapping, GIS and land records modernization, agrarian reforms and relations, disaster management, and the public grievance redressal system. Additionally, he has also played a key role during several elections in the largest democracy of the world. He is committed towards the delivery of a more citizen-centric and friendly service at the doorstep of the people. He holds a master degree in Business Administration and Bachelor in Science in Forestry. During his fellowship year, Mr.Khajuria will pursue a master of Public Affairs.

Meryam Annouz, Morocco
Dr. Meryam Annouz is the financial magistrate in the Court of Accounts of Morocco. She serves within the First Chamber in Rabat. As a financial judge and a public auditor, Dr. Annouz performs a double control: Jurisdiction control and management control based on the evaluation of results and performance. She holds a doctorate in public law and public administration from the University of Law, Economic and Social Sciences of FES (Morocco), a master degree in administrative law and administrative sciences and a bachelor’s in political science as well as several diplomas and internship certificates from Morocco and France in the areas of public administration and public sector reform. Through the Humphrey Fellowship Program, Dr. Annouz wants to enhance her leadership capacity as well as pursue her research in the areas of decentralization, democracy, and good governance at the local, national and international levels.

Jeyhun Atayev, Azerbaijan
Mr. Jeyhun Atayev is a Projects Director with the National Chapter of Transparency International in Azerbaijan where he works to shape government policy toward increased transparency, particularly the transparency of government communications, which he sees as a way to ensure accountability and reduce corruption in his country. He earned a master degree in Oriental studies from Baku State University and a certificate in political studies from the School of Political Studies (Strasbourg, France). During his fellowship year, Mr. Atayev will focus on NGO management, public and media relations, communications strategies, NGO-government partnerships and human resources management pertaining to the civil service selection process.

Samuel Coker, Sierra Leone
Mr. Samuel Coker is a Human Resource Manager with the Corporate Directorate in the Sierra Leone civil service. His main duties include developing drafts for policy recommendations on corporate issues, developing implementation strategies for new policies and providing periodic monitoring reports on the implementation of civil service policies in the government ministries and departments for policy evaluation and effectiveness. He received a master degree in public administration from the Institute of Public Administration and Management at the University of Sierra Leone and a bachelor degree in politics and history from the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. During his fellowship year, Mr. Coker will focus on public policy formulation and analysis, and human resources management and development.

Ada Gallegos, Peru
Dr. Ada Gallegos is the president of the National Interuniversity Commission for Education on Sustainability Development for the National Assembly of Chancellors of Peru, and Director for South America on the International Network of Teacher Education Institutions for the UNESCO Regional Centers of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development. Dr. Gallegos has held various leadership positions in public management with the government of Peru and has been the advisor to the Minister of Education. During the last 12 years she has promoted cooperation and coordination on initiatives benefitting national education among the national government, the private sector, non-profit organizations and universities. In addition, she is a professor and researcher. She holds a doctorate in government and public policy, a master degree in public administration, and a bachelor degree in education. During her fellowship year Dr. Gallegos will focus on management of public policy and leadership in the interests of good governance, sustainability, development and women’s rights within Latin America.

Jun Kim, South Korea
Mr. Jun Kim has been a police officer for more than 15 years and has had a variety of leadership experiences in the field of law enforcement. He is the Chief of Beo-rang Police Station in the Gwa-Cheon Police Department, where he has established a crime control center, analyzes crime patterns and provides safety information to local government branches, schools and opinion leaders in order to bolster their voluntary efforts in community crime prevention. He has recently turned his focus to the prevention of crimes against children, which are on the rise nationally in Korea. Mr. Kim believes that the National Police Agency’s relatively young policies on crimes against children are in great need of improvement. He earned a bachelor degree in public administration from Korean National Police University (Yong In City, Geong Gi Do). During his fellowship year Mr. Kim will focus on strategies for crime prevention, child protection laws and policies, and public policy formulation.

Veerendra Mishra, India
Dr. Veerendra Mishra is a senior police officer with more than 18 years of experience in India and Assistant Inspector General of the Crime Investigation Department for the Madhya Pradesh State Police. He has also worked in challenging situations for upholding human rights and peace building, serving as part of the UN Peacekeeping Missions in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as on a study visit to East Timor. He earned a doctorate in psychology and a master degree in sociology from Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya (Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh). He completed a bachelor degree from Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar). He has authored two books; in particular, his book on community policing has received rave reviews. During his fellowship year Dr. Mishra will focus on the rule of law, human rights, human trafficking, conflict resolution, media management and good governance.

Thulani Mkhaliphi, Swaziland
Mr. Thulani Mkhaliphi has served local government in Swaziland for more than 18 years. He is the Director of Decentralization for the Swazi government’s Ministry of Tinkhundla in Mbabane, where he provides policy development support and handles issues of governance at a local level, particularly as it relates to Swaziland’s traditional form of government led by local chiefs. He regularly interacts with traditional authorities, urban local authorities, members of parliament, government Ministers and Swazi citizens to lead the process of decentralizing government in his country. He earned a master degree in public and development management from the University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa) and a bachelor degree in public administration from the University of Swaziland (Manzini). During his fellowship year Mr. Mkhaliphi will focus on local governance, policy development and implementation, and citizen participation.

Huong Nguyen, Vietnam
Dr. Huong Nguyen is the Director of the Macroeconomics and Strategy Department of Development Strategy Institute, a national think tank in Vietnam. She is responsible for formulating projects on national socio-economic development strategies and doing macro-economic analysis and forecasts. She earned a doctorate in development economics from the Development Strategy Institute and a master degree in development economics from a joint program by the Institute of Social Sciences (Netherlands) and the National Economics University (Hanoi). She also has a bachelor degree in banking and finance from NEU. During her fellowship year Dr. Nguyen will focus on public investment and political and economic development.

Phuntsho Norbu, Bhutan
Mr. Phuntsho Norbu currently works as the First Secretary/Senior Desk Officer in the Department of Bilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Prior to this, he served for three and half years as the First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations in Geneva and other international organizations during which time he was responsible for, among others, the Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. He has a master degree in international studies (peace and conflict resolution) from the University of Queensland (Australia) and post-graduate certificates in advanced security cooperation from the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies (Hawai’i), international trade from Sogang University (Seoul, South Korea), and human rights and international humanitarian law from National Law School of India University (Bangalore, India). He completed his bachelor degree in geography (honors) from Sherubtse College (Bhutan). During his fellowship year he will focus on international relations, human rights and law.

Hari Paudel, Nepal
Dr. Hari Paudel is the Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare in the Government of Nepal. He is responsible for initiating and coordinating the formulation of policies and plans to combat human trafficking as well as the formulation and implementation of policies related to women and children. He has a total of 25 years of experience in the government sector and has worked in diverse areas from public sector reform to development strategies. He earned a doctorate in development studies from University of Bonn (Germany) and a master degree in public administration from the University of Bergen (Norway). Additionally, he has master degrees in political science and public administration and a bachelor degree in law and education from Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu, Nepal). During his fellowship year Dr. Paudel will focus on trafficking in persons, policy and prevention.

Kalpana Shrestha, Nepal
Ms. Kalpana Shrestha is the Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies for the Government of Nepal. She is responsible for dealing with trade related issues, especially in regards to India and China in order to facilitate trade promotion and policy formation. Previously she worked in the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and in the Ministry of General Administration. Her main goal is to include the concerns of citizens in public policy and to lessen the gap between policy and implementation. She earned her master degrees in international studies (development cooperation) from Ewha Womans University (Seoul, Korea), and in public administration from Public Administration Campus and in sociology from Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, both part of Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu, Nepal). During her fellowship year, Ms. Shrestha will focus on public policy analysis and policy formulation using the perspective of women’s empowerment, gender equality, and social inclusion. She also will focus on human resource management.

Magteld Smith, South Africa
Dr. Magteld Smith is a medical-social researcher, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Free State, Republic of South Africa. She has 19 years of experience in the field of disabilities and the founder of  various community projects. Her research compares the cost effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for persons with disabling hearing impairment, including multiple disabilities associated with hearing impairment, making it possible for more people to have access to a wider array of rehabilitation options. She is a doctoral candidate in development studies, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, and she holds a master degree in governance and political transformation and a master degree in development studies, all from the University of the Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa). During her fellowship year Ms. Smith will focus on public health policy management.

Alexey Khlebnikov, Russia
Mr. Alexey Khlebnikov most recently worked as a consultant for the Executive Office of the Russian President in Nizhni Novgorod. He was previously the assistant to the Foreign Languages Chair in the International Relations department at Nizhni Novgorod State University. He earned his master and bachelor degrees in International Relations from the Lobachevsky State University of Nizni Novgorod in Russia. His area of interest and research is Middle Eastern politics and great power policies towards this region. During his studies, Mr. Khlebnikov interned in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Consulate Department, and made several research stays and internships in the Middle East (Syria, Israel, Egypt). He is doing his PhD, which is focused on Egyptian and Syrian foreign policy.

Andrew Gordon, United Kingdom
Mr. Andrew Gordon has been a UK civil servant since 1997 and is currently the Head of the Enforcementand Compliance Secretariat in HM Revenue and Customs. He has held various posts in HM Revenue & Customs and the Treasury including Private Secretary to a government minister, head of Freedom of Information policy and leading the development of channel strategy for individual customers. Andrew attended St. Andrews University from 1989-1993 and was awarded a master (Honors) in Economics and Modern History. He has continued formal study since leaving university, achieving an Extra Mural Certificate (Distinction) in Ecology and Conservation at Birkbeck College, London. During his time in Minnesota as a Fulbright scholar, Andrew will study how to increase transparency of the tax system; the effect this has on individual perceptions of tax and the role government plays in society; and whether this impacts levels of citizen participation in the policy making process.

Yoon-Taik Kim
Mr. Yoon-Taik Kim currently works at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, as a human rights officer that investigates discriminatory practices and complaints, and handles international
cooperation with foreign human rights institutions. Previous to this, he worked for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of Korea, formulating policies and programs to support (marriage) immigrant’s families' sustainable adaptation and inclusion in the community. During the fellowship year, he will focus on human rights issues related to immigrants, business, and pursue a master degree in public administration.