Two GSPIA graduates were recognized on the Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 list: Jarah Doosé (MPA ‘22), government relations advisor for Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, and Kaitlyn Hendrickson (MPA ‘19) chief of staff for Allegheny Conference on Community Development.
When U.S. Congressman Mike Doyle, who represented much of the City of Pittsburgh for decades, announced his retirement at the end of his previous term, Jarah Doosé, who served as the congressman’s community outreach coordinator, knew she wanted to continue her work in public policy and community development.
Doosé now serves as government relations advisor at local law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. A native of Braddock, she uses her career as a lobbyist to advocate for resources and public policy that benefits those in western Pennsylvania’s underserved communities.
"As a Black woman from a town that has suffered through deindustrialization and ongoing environmental injustices, there is a constant place in my heart for advocating for the underserved," said Doosé. "Improvements to environmental policy and increased opportunities for blue-collar workers is what will help Pennsylvania move toward a more progressive future."
As chief of staff of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Kaitlyn Hendrickson works at the senior level, leading and providing support on a variety of important projects. Hendrickson’s work is primarily in research and communications, but she works collaboratively with board members, CEOs, university leaders and other key partners and was instrumental in leading the charge to secure $62.7 million in Build Back Better Regional Challenge grants for the region in 2022.
Hendrickson has been with the Allegheny Conference for four years, and prior to that she worked in finance at The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. However, she said a desire to fight injustice and lift up underserved communities led to her switching career paths to the nonprofit sector.
"After the murder of Michael Brown, I wanted to focus on doing whatever I could to improve the lives of those around me. That passion aligned perfectly with one of the first projects I worked on when I joined the Allegheny Conference, which was pushing forward a piece of criminal justice reform legislation that eventually became state law," said Hendrickson.
Read more about Doosé and Hendrickson in their 30 Under 30 profiles at the Pittsburgh Business Times: