GPIA Alumni by Region: Asia and Asia Pacific
Sector: Government, Urban Development, Asia
Name: Melissa De la Cruz
Degree: MA International Affairs 2017
Title: Special Projects Manager, Cebu City Government;
Interim Head Secretariat, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
Melissa R. De la Cruz is a civic researcher and designer crafting better experiences for the residents of her hometown, Cebu City. Since returning to the Philippines in 2020, she established CoLab, the country’s first Strategic Design Unit, and launched education pilots in the city. In her current role as Special Projects Manager and Head Secretariat for the City’s Disaster Council manages the interests of the City’s ₱2 billion peso Local Disaster Fund.
Sector and Region: Non-Governmental Organizations, Eurasia, and Asia Pacific
Name: Amanda Ghanooni
Degree: MA International Affairs 2013
Title: Program Manager, National Committee on American Foreign Policy
Amanda Ghanooni is a Program Manager at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy supporting public programs, Track II dialogues, and grant initiatives. Previously she was an associate at Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs where she oversaw and managed the outreach programs, operations, and international conferences for the Asia department. She currently serves as a committee member for the Young Patrons Council for Off-The-Record foreign policy forum.