Next cohort of fellows will bring expertise in local government, housing, clean energy, and healthcare
Fellows will work closely with Rockefeller Institute experts on timely public policy issues
Albany, NY — The Rockefeller Institute of Government announced a new cohort of scholars and experts as part of its Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellowship. The five fellows will work on timely issues across the public policy spectrum.
Each year, as part of its Nathan Fellowship, the Rockefeller Institute welcomes researchers and practitioners interested in a public policy problem to explore that project with the support of the Institute’s policy experts. Nathan fellows bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the Institute while becoming more familiar with the state and local government apparatus.
“We thoroughly enjoy the exchange of ideas that is intrinsic to our Nathan Fellowship program,” said Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna. “This new cohort brings a set of questions and projects that will help improve governance across housing, healthcare, energy, and more.”
The 2026-2027 Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellows:
- Saquib Ahmed is a nanophysicist whose expertise spans quantum-scale materials physics through device design, process integration, and manufacturing. He is a tenured associate professor of engineering technology at SUNY Buffalo State University and received his PhD in materials science engineering at Rutgers University.
As a Richard P. Nathan public policy fellow, he will examine how gaps in federal clean energy incentives—including the exclusion of emerging battery technologies like sodium-ion—affect New York State’s ability to capture the manufacturing jobs and supply chain investment of its own clean energy transition. - Yanjun Dong is a PhD candidate in social work at the University at Albany and an incoming postdoctoral scholar at Boston University. Her research focuses on aging, family caregiving, end-of-life care, and the social and policy contexts that shape older adults’ access to care.
As a Richard P. Nathan public policy fellow, she will examine how environmental emergencies disrupt essential care for older adults in New York State and develop policy options to strengthen coordination and care continuity across healthcare, aging services, and emergency management systems. - David Eichenthal served as a senior advisor for policy implementation and delivery in the Biden White House, and spent 30 years working in and with state and local governments. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and New York University Law School.
As a Richard P. Nathan public policy fellow, David will examine the changing roles of two key government positions: mayoral chiefs of staff—where he’ll look at their evolving responsibilities—and inspectors general—where he’ll detail potential reforms that can modernize government oversight to make it more effective. - Milica Milic-Kolarevic is a medical anthropologist and public health researcher whose work examines how health and social policies are translated into everyday practice, and is currently a Levitt community research fellow at Hamilton College and a research affiliate at Colgate University. She received her PhD in anthropology from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.
As a Richard P. Nathan public policy fellow, Milica will examine how local governments, nonprofit organizations, and health agencies across New York State work together to address housing instability, homelessness, and substance use disorders, with particular attention to the often-invisible labor required to sustain collaborative systems of care. - Stuart L. Rabin has served as the village manager of Port Chester since 2020, bringing over 15 years of municipal government experience to Westchester County’s dynamic community. He holds a master of public administration from Marist University.
As a Richard P. Nathan public policy fellow, Stuart will examine the infrastructure, fiscal, and municipal impacts of rapid housing growth in density built communities, using the Village of Port Chester as a case study to develop policy strategies that align housing production with local capacity and sustainable capital investment.