The Student Advisory Board (SAB) provides leadership and a critical student voice at the IOP.
Yasmin Ali is a fourth-year student at the University of Chicago double-majoring in Global Studies and Middle Eastern Studies. Before serving as the co-chair of SAB, she held multiple roles with the IOP Pritzker Fellows Program—including ambassador, team lead, and program intern. Outside the IOP, she enjoys rooting for the Minnesota Timberwolves, going for runs, traveling, and language-learning.
Ava is a fourth-year student majoring in Religious Studies and pursuing a joint BA/MA degree in Political Science. Outside of her role as co-chair of the Student Advisory Board, Ava is the editor-in-chief of the IOP's political review, The Gate, and she previously worked at the IOP as a communications intern. Ava is interested in pursuing a career in political communications, campaigning, and advocacy. She’s from Washington, DC, and in her free time she enjoys strength training, thrifting, and listening to podcasts about movies and politics.
Zeennah is a fourth-year student at UChicago pursuing a major in Political Science and Public Policy. Zeennah is from Antioch, IL! At the Institute of Politics, she has been an IOP house intern and participated in UChiVotes and Leaders of Color. She is currently the leadership development coordinator for Leaders of Color and a fellows ambassador.
Vera Chaudhry is a fourth-year student double-majoring in Economics (standard track) and Law, Letters & Society. At the Institute of Politics, she has worked with the Speaker Series team as an ambassador and intern and has won the IOP Policy Challenge. You can find her around campus at a student coffee shop or running by Promontory Point!
Ben is a fourth-year Law, Letters, and Society major in a joint-degree BA/MPP program. He's from Pocatello, Idaho. He has been a fellows ambassador and fellows team leader, as well as a house manager intern.
Lindsay is a third-year student in the College majoring in Political Science and French from Herndon, Virginia. In addition to serving on SAB, Lindsay is one of the co-chairs of UChiVotes. Previously, she was the outreach director for UChiVotes and a fellows ambassador for Natalia Pelevina. Outside of the IOP, Lindsay loves to run, bake, and explore restaurants in Chicago.
Neha is a fourth-year undergraduate from Boston, Massachusetts. She is majoring in Public Policy and Business Economics. She discovered the IOP in her first year of college as an event ambassador and then worked for the Speaker Series team as a logistics intern her second year. Since then, she has been involved with the Fellows program as an ambassador and a team lead.
Gina Montagna is a fourth-year double majoring in Political Science and Creative Writing, with a focus on non-fiction. For the past four years, Gina has been a writer and editor at The Gate, where she's currently the World Section Editor. She's also at ABC News and NPR’s WBEZ Chicago. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she's interested in pursuing a career in political journalism.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Simone Nelson is a fourth-year in the College studying Law, Letters, and Society and Political Science. Simone first got involved with the IOP by participating in W+ Winter Institute and designing the IOP/GenForward Youth Poll. For the past two years, she has also been a communications intern at the IOP.
Alina is a third-year Public Policy student on the pre-medical track. As chair of Spectrum at the IOP and undergraduate research coordinator at the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination on campus, she’s passionate about bridging medicine and policy to advance health equity. Outside of academics, she enjoys listening to music and playing late-night basketball.
Eduardo is a second-year student majoring in Economics and Political Science. Born and raised in Brazil, he came to the University of Chicago looking to debate ideas, think critically, and pursue the American Dream. Before joining SAB, he served as an ambassador for fellows Jon Tester and Chris LaCivita. Outside of the IOP, Eduardo is interested in pursuing a career in finance and enjoys talking about cinema and history.
Madeleine is a second-year student from Spokane, Washington, studying political science and economics. In addition to being on SAB, Madeleine is Institute co-chair for W+, a member of the International Policy Program board, a member of the UChiVotes comms team, and a Career Development ambassador. In the past, she was an event ambassador as well as a fellows ambassador for Pete Buttigieg.
Jacob is a fourth-year student studying Political Science and working toward a Master’s in International Relations. Beyond serving on the Student Advisory Board, he is the co-chair of the student event committee Chicago Style and a former fellows ambassador team lead. He is from New York City.
Davis Turner is a fourth-year undergraduate studying environment, geography, and urbanization (CEGU) and economics. He is proud to call Burlingame, California, home. At the IOP, Davis has served as a fellows intern, fellows ambassador, fellows team lead, and was formerly the co-chair of UChiVotes. Outside of the IOP, you can find him running the lakefront trail or photographing Chicago.