Between class and the networking reception on Friday, we are hosting an EMPA Alumni Career panel on "Leveraging your Fels MPA & Network to Advance Your Career." Learn more about the panelists below.
Francisco (Cisco) Garcia ‘18
Director of Investments at JustFutures
Cisco Garcia started his career in financial services, conducting economic and equity research at a New York-based financial media startup before working on institutional client implementation at Goldman Sachs. Shifting his focus to building more resilient and equitable cities, Cisco learned community development, lending, and investment strategies with Reinvestment Fund, Center City District, and GoodCompany Ventures. He went on to serve in the City of Philadelphia government, overseeing investments in job creation and growth through technology and innovation sectors. In 2020, Cisco helped manage national operations for the Biden for President campaign.
Joseph Lee ‘17
Deputy Chief of Staff at Office of Governor Josh Shapiro
Joseph Lee is the deputy chief of staff for the Office of Governor Josh Shapiro where he oversees a government operations and finance portfolio. Formerly, he served as the acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, the deputy secretary for administration at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, a management consultant for North Highland, and an intelligence analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he supported the production of the President’s Daily Brief as a member of the President’s analytic support staff.
Ami Patel ‘20
Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Philadelphia City Council
Ami is the deputy chief financial officer for the Philadelphia City Council, working in the Council President’s office. She also serves on the board of Young Involved Philadelphia (YIP) as the director of volunteer engagement. In her community, she was elected as a committeeperson in the 29th ward, 16th division in 2022. Ami has also been involved with two local tree planting groups since 2017 and does four tree planting per year in the lower North Philadelphia and Kensington/Fishtown neighborhoods.
Emily Shulman ‘18
Manager at North Highland
For over five years, Emily has worked with North Highland, a management consulting firm, to support clients across the transportation sector, including tolling, transit, and departments of transportation. Emily arrived at consulting through her time at Fels, where her understanding of good governance and effective management came into focus. Prior to Fels, Emily worked for a family foundation in Washington, DC, providing family engagement services to the District of Columbia Public Schools. She also spent a year with AmeriCorps as a soccer coach and volunteer coordinator.
