Washington Fellows

Andrew Neciuk

Class of 2023
2022 Washington Fellowship - Fall

Lizzie Ong

Class of 2025
2025 Washington Fellowship - Fall

Lizzie Ong is a Filipino American student at UC Berkeley, majoring in History with an emphasis on Southeast Asia and a minor in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy. She was raised in Makati, Philippines where she volunteered at Philippine General Hospital. Her passions for equitable education opportunities and the U.S.-Philippine military and economic relations stem from these experiences.

In Spring 2020 at El Camino College, she was elected International Club President and Student Equity Advisory Council Member...

Phoebe Pham

Class of 2021
2021 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: Political Violence Lab Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Phoebe Pham is an Indo-Chinese-Vietnamese-Japanese American studying Political Science and Legal Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Growing up overseas on a military base, Phoebe was constantly surrounded by a community that always emphasized a higher calling to public service. She is dedicated to serving the communities she has been fortunate to be a part of, ranging from her time as a transfer student at Ohlone College, where she worked extensively in public policy and...

Jennifer Ramirez

Class of 2024
2024 Percy Undergraduate Grant
2023 Ken Burt Fellow
2023 Cal-in-Sacramento
2022 Washington Fellowship - Fall
2022 Democracy Camp Student Director
2022 Democracy Camp in DC
2022 Democracy Camp in Berkeley

Jennifer Ramirez is a first-generation Latina studying Economics and Public Policy at UC Berkeley from the Bay Area. Growing up in a mixed-status household, she experienced first-hand the hardships Latinx immigrant families faced, such as the struggle to assimilate, obtain basic needs, and become financially stable. The systematic barriers that limit the upward mobility of historically marginalized communities propelled her to become an advocate in her local community, and pursue a career in public service. After being selected to attend Harvard Kennedy...

Roberto Ramos

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: TBD Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Growing up in a family restaurant, I witnessed firsthand the power of capitalism, which was often hailed as a symbol of equality. From a young age, I took on responsibilities, standing on an upside-down milk crate to take orders. It became a norm for me, shaping my understanding of the world through the lens of immigrant labor and capitalism. However, as I grew older, I began to question the inherent injustices within this system, ones that had previously gone unnoticed. Seeking a path...

Monserrat Patino Real

Class of 2027
2026 Washington Fellowship - Spring

Monserrat Patino Real is a first-generation student at UC Berkeley pursuing a double major in Legal Studies and Psychology with a minor in Journalism. Her academic and professional interests center on immigration, educational equity, and community empowerment which has been shaped by her experience growing up in California’s Central Valley and her lived experience navigating systems as a first-generation student.

Monse’s commitment to advocacy extends across campus and throughout California. At UC Berkeley, she has supported student organizing and community-focused programming...

Daniela Rodas

Fall 2021
2021 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: International Law Institute Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Daniela Rodas is a public health and operations professional with experience spanning healthcare delivery, migration programs, and compliance-focused program coordination across U.S. government and UN entities. She has supported large-scale initiatives serving vulnerable populations, where she focused on case quality, reporting, and program execution.

Daniela brings both systems-level thinking and frontline perspective to her work. She is particularly interested in how operational...

Judy Saafein

Class of 2024
2023 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: TBD Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Judy Saafein is a rising third-year political science and media studies student at UC Berkeley. As an immigrant who knew no English, Judy grew up watching how US government policies affected her family in the United States and her extended family abroad. Activism and advocacy became part of her daily routines, working at CAIR in middle school and engaging in local politics during high school. She is interested in helping her American Muslim and Arab communities by educating them about US civil...

Carlos Santana

Class of 2025
2025 Cal-in-Sacramento Student Director
2025 Cal-in-Sacramento
2024 Washington Fellowship - Fall
2024 Cal-in-Sacramento
2024 Ken Burt Fellow
Placement: White House Internship Program, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Placement Location: Washington, DC

Carlos is a first-generation Latinx student at UC Berkeley, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Chicanx Latinx Studies. Born and raised in the California Central Valley, he is the son and grandson of farmworkers. His paternal grandfather was in the temporary agricultural worker program known as the Bracero Program, and first came to the United States in 1952. His maternal grandparents immigrated to the United States in...

Tamara Segura

Class of 2025
2024 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: Pending Placement Location: Washington, DC

Growing up as an immigrant in Northern California, Tamara has firsthand experience with the profound challenges that come with lacking immigration status. These include limited job opportunities, the constant threat of deportation, and financial insecurity. Despite these difficulties, her passion for immigration reform has only grown, fueled by her personal experiences and her academic journey at Berkeley, where she studies Political Science. She has been exposed to the difficulties that keep...