Staff

Elizabeth Abraham

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Elizabeth joined the Tobin Project in 2012 as the Executive Assistant. At Tobin, Elizabeth supports the organization's leadership, and facilitates operations across the Tobin Project, including data management, accounting, event planning, and development. Her prior work includes extensive experience in administration, accounting, and finance in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She holds a B.A. in English from Scripps College, and a Masters in Business and Accounting from Northeastern University.

Email: eabraham[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2618

John Cisternino

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

John joined the Tobin Project in 2008, drawn by a desire to cultivate rigorous research and to improve understanding of important public problems. Currently, John leads the Tobin Project research team with responsibility across all major initiatives, overseeing programming and providing strategic direction. During his time at Tobin, John co-edited New Perspectives on Regulation (The Tobin Project, 2009) with David Moss, and worked closely with scholars across the network to develop new lines of inquiry. He holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Tufts University; a J.D. from Harvard Law School; and an M.A. and M. Phil in philosophy from Columbia University where he taught courses in formal logic, philosophy, and literature.

Email: jcisternino[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 301-8923

Yousef Gharbieh

PROGRAM MANAGER, GOVERNMENT & MARKETS

Yousef joined the Tobin Project in the summer of 2010 as a Research Analyst. Yousef works with senior scholars in researching, managing, and developing strategy for Tobin's economic regulation and democracy initiatives, including the forthcoming volume on Preventing Capture and an emerging research initiative on the corporation and American democracy. Yousef also co-leads the Graduate Student Forum and Fellowships program. With a background in venture philanthropy, microfinance, and interdisciplinary research, Yousef brings a zeal for combining early-stage strategic planning with intellectual rigor to his work at Tobin. He was a Robertson Scholar while at Duke University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B in both Political Science and Arabic.

Email: ygharbieh[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 301-8921

Paul M. B. Gutierrez

RESEARCH ANALYST, INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRACY

Paul joined the Tobin Project in the summer of 2011 to lead its democracy research initiative. He was drawn by the Tobin Project’s commitment to the public role of ideas in confronting the most difficult challenges to democracy. He has previously conducted research on Gross National Happiness (GNH) with the Royal University of Bhutan; worked to strengthen trade unions in the Philippines and Nepal while with the International Labour Organization (ILO); and undertaken field studies on local participatory planning structures in Cambodia while with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He holds a B.A. magna cum laude in government and economics from the College of William & Mary and an M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Email: pgutierrez[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2621

Timothy Lambert

RESEARCH ANALYST, INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRACY

Tim joined the Tobin Project in the spring of 2012 as a Research Analyst. He was drawn by its commitment to enlist innovative social science research to keep public policy in step with the increasingly complex challenges it faces. His research interests center on the intersections between the public and private sectors, both legitimate and illicit, and the impact these intersections have on modern democracies. Prior to joining Tobin, Tim was an Undergraduate Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, which sponsored his senior thesis research on political corruption and grassroots-led accountability campaigns in Kenya. He holds an A.B., summa cum laude, in Social Studies at Harvard College, with a secondary field in English and American Literature.

Email: tlambert[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2613

Katie Nihill

PROGRAM MANAGER, POLICY, DEVELOPMENT, & COMMUNICATIONS

Katie joined the Tobin Project in the summer of 2010 to expand and strengthen the organization’s development and operations capacities. Katie plays a leading role in designing development strategy and processes, conducts research and writing for development and policy projects, plans and oversees meetings and conferences, and manages the Tobin Project’s recruiting efforts. Previously, she worked as a grant writer at a non-profit arts center and served as a Public Interest Law Fellow at Harvard Law School’s Office of Public Interest Advising. Katie holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University, with a major in Government and American Studies and a certificate in Environmental Studies.

Email: knihill[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 301-8926

Howard Rudnick

RESEARCH ANALYST, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY

Howie joined the Tobin Project in the summer of 2011 as a Research Analyst, driven by his passion for interdisciplinary research and his desire to catalyze positive change in the public policy arena through academia. Howie was a fellow of the Merle Kling Undergraduate Honors Program at Washington University in St. Louis where he graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, with majors in Economics and History and a minor in Writing. Winner of the William Miles Prize for archival research, Howie has conducted research in numerous archives across the U.S. and the African continent. His undergraduate research culminated in both an article published in Washington University’s interdisciplinary journal, Slideshow, and a senior thesis that was awarded honors with distinction.

Email: hrudnick[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2621

Kendell Sadiik

PROGRAM MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS AND GRADUATE STUDENT INITIATIVE

Kendell joined the Tobin Project in 2010 to work in online and scholarly communications. In addition to managing print and online communications initiatives, Kendell is responsible for building community across the Tobin Project scholar network through innovative virtual platforms and regular communications. She also facilitates the Tobin Project's Democracy & Markets program for graduate students. With a background in community building and social science research, Kendell has previously applied her creativity and writing skills in several leadership positions with non-profit organizations in the U.S. and abroad. She holds a B.A. from Williams College in Political Economy, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with a concentration in Environmental Studies.

Email: ksadiik[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 301-8922

Sidharth Shah

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, NATIONAL SECURITY

Sidharth joined the Tobin Project in 2008 and leads the national security initiative. He collaborates with scholars to develop, manage, and execute strategic research programs, and assists with connecting this work to policy thought-leaders. Sidharth also manages the national security component of Tobin’s Graduate Student Forum. In 2010 he co-edited The Prudent Use of Power in American National Security Strategy (The Tobin Project, 2010) with Stephen Van Evera. He also has worked at a foreign policy think tank, where he conducted research on democratic transitions, and in investment banking. Sidharth earned a B.A., summa cum laude, in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Email: sshah[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2622

Sage Trombulak

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Sage joined the Tobin Project in 2008 and currently serves as Director of Operations, managing the organization’s budget, accounting, staff resources, investments, and development strategy and processes. Over her time at Tobin, Sage has streamlined and improved the organization’s operations capacities and has overseen Tobin’s administrative development through a period of accelerated growth. Prior to joining the Tobin Project, Sage pursued her interest in urban planning through her undergraduate thesis and research abroad, as well as through time spent working with town planning departments and boards. She holds a B.A. with honors from the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University.

Email: strombulak[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 301-8931

Melanie Wachtell Stinnett

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & POLICY

Melanie joined the Tobin Project in 2009, initially focused on building a network of policymakers to work with scholars at all stages of the research process. She currently manages Tobin’s communications efforts, policy network, and development strategy. Previously, she served as project manager for the TARP Congressional Oversight Panel’s special report on regulatory reform, as a voter protection attorney during the 2008 presidential campaign, and as an attorney in private practice. She holds an A.B., summa cum laude, from the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School, with academic and pro bono distinction.

Email: mwachtell[at]tobinproject.org

Phone: (617) 547-2611