Full Time Faculty

Ìý

Betsy Fischer Martin Executive Director, Women & Politics Institute and Executive in Residence SPA | Government

Betsy Fischer Martin is an Emmy-winning journalist and TV news executive. Currently she is Executive Director of AU School of Public Affairs' Women &…

Ìý fischerm@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-6149

Karen O'Connor Jonathan N. Helfat Distinguished Professor of Political Science SPA | Government

Karen O’Connor is the Jonathan N. Helfat Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Â鶹´«Ã½, where she previously served as Chair of the Department of Government. She is an expert …

Ìý oconn@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-6237

Vicky Wilkins Acting Provost PRO | Academics, Research & Awards

Vicky M. Wilkins is acting provost and chief academic officer at Â鶹´«Ã½ and professor of public administration and policy. Before assuming this role, she served as the dean of the School …

Ìý vwilkins@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-6443

WPI Course Instructors

Ìý

Amanda Fuchs Miller Adjunct Professorial Lecturer SPA | Government

Amanda Fuchs Miller has 25 years of advocacy, policy, research, and communications experience in and outside of government. As president of Seventh Street Strategies, Amanda consults with non-profits …

Ìý fuchsmil@american.edu

Lucy Gettman Adjunct Professorial Lecturer SPA | General Academics & Research

As an organizational leader, advocate and lecturer, Lucy Gettman supports women's political leadership at all levels. Gettman was a finalist for an unexpired term on Columbus City Council in 2023. She…

Ìý gettman@american.edu

Constance Morella Ambassador in Residence

Connie Morella served as U.S. ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris from 2003 to 2007. She represented Maryland’s 8th district in the U.S. House of R…

Ìý ac.morella@american.edu

Affiliated WPI Faculty

Ìý

Kimberly Cowell-Meyers Associate Professor SPA | Government

Kimberly Cowell-Meyers is an Associate Professor of Government and affiliated faculty with the Women & Politics Institute at Â鶹´«Ã½. Her work focuses on how representative democracy funct…

Ìý kcowell@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-6223

Ellen Feder Professor CAS | Philosophy/Religion

Ellen K. Feder is the William Fraser McDowell Professor of Philosophy and Social Policy. She works at the intersection of contemporary continental philosophy and feminist and critical race theory, par…

Ìý efeder@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-2931

Jane Hall Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Jane Hall is an associate professor in the School of Communication at Â鶹´«Ã½ in Washington, D.C., specializing in researching, writing and teaching about the intersection of media and pol…

Ìý jhall@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-2024

Diane Lowenthal SPA | Government

Diane Lowenthal joined the faculty at Â鶹´«Ã½ in 2000 to teach in the Washington Semester Program. From 2012-2019, she served as Associate Dean for Academic Programs and then Senior Associ…

Ìý diane.lowenthal@american.edu

Ìý (202) 895-4915

Gemma Puglisi Assistant Professor SOC | Public Communication

Gemma Puglisi is a full-time professor of Public Communication. She is an award-winning media strategist and producer with more than 25 years of experience. During her career she has worked in broadca…

Ìý puglisi@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-2153

Diane Singerman Associate Prof Emeritus

Dr. Singerman is an Associate Professor and comparativist whose research interests focus on political change from below, particularly in the Middle East, and more specifically Egypt. Her work examines…

Ìý (202) 885-2362

Jessica Waters Assistant Professor SPA | Justice, Law & Criminology

Jessica L. Waters, J.D., has 25 years of experience as a lawyer, scholar, teacher, and higher education executive. She is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of higher education leadership, s…

Ìý waters@american.edu

Ìý (202) 885-6300