Tag: public policy

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MORA NAMDAR ’08

MORA NAMDAR ’08

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Political Science, International Studies; Minors in Human Rights, Philosophy, and Fine Arts (2008)

American University Washington College of Law: JD (2011)

American University School of International Service: MA in International Affairs (2011)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Mora served as President of Amnesty International, SMU Student Senate’s Organizations Committee Chair, and Alpha Chi Omega. She was one of the first graduates of the SMU Human Rights Program and also authored and passed Student Senate’s first legislation to urge SMU’s administration to offer a human rights major.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Before returning to private practice, Mora was appointed by the President of the United States to perform the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs. Prior to taking that role, Mora served as the Vice President of Legal, Compliance, and Risk at the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of State working on a variety of global issues. Mora worked closely with the White House National Security Council and other interagency counterparts to create and implement effective policy supporting US national security and international human rights interests. Previously, Mora worked for Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), a Fortune 500 company, reporting directly to the V.P of Government Affairs and for the Voice of America advising on National Security and Policy.

Mora has worked with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and has extensive experience in domestic and international issues. She has successfully represented clients which include individuals, corporations, political candidates, nonprofit organizations, and businesses. Mora is licensed to practice law in Texas and Washington D.C. and was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the American University’s National Security Law Brief. She has been published in the Hill, the National Interest, 1945, and other publications. 

Mora currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. She has worked on human rights issues for many years and was invited to speak about human rights during the United Nations General Assembly by the U.S. State Department in New York City in 2018. Mora founded BAM Beauty Bar, which enables giving back to hundreds of charity organizations and worthy causes in North Texas. She was named by Modern Luxury Magazine as a “Dynamic Women” in 2018 and “Power Player” in 2021.

Learn more about Mora’s post-graduation journey through the following links: 

Updated January 2022

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TANNAH OPPLIGER ’20

TANNAH OPPLIGER ’20

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, Public Policy; Minor in Advertising (2020) 

University of Southern California: MPP in Public Policy (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: Tannah’s academic achievements at SMU include her selection as a Hunt Leadership Scholar, Dedman College Scholar, Mustang Scholar, and Phi Beta Kappa Honoree. Through her research on college access and immigrant youth, she also served as a Cooper-McElvaney Peace and Justice Fellow, SMU Engaged Learning Fellow, and Undergraduate Research Assistant. She was the Executive Director of the SMU Human Rights Council from 2019 – 2020. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Fueled by her research interests in education, juvenile interactions with legal systems, and the prison industrial complex, Tannah went on to pursue a master’s in public policy at USC. She aspires to craft equitable public policies through collaboration with marginalized communities. 

Updated January 2022

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GREG GUGGENMOS ’19

GREG GUGGENMOS ’19

Educational Background:
Southern Methodist University: BS in Statistical Science, Minor in Human Rights; MS in Applied Statistics (2019)

SMU Accomplishments: Greg traveled globally with the SMU Human Rights Program to Latvia and Lithuania through the program’s Holocaust education trip focused on Eastern Europe. At SMU, he was an Engaged Learning Fellow and a Resident Assistant. Through the SMU Human Rights Fellowship, Greg launched his own nonprofit, the Community Bail Fund of North Texas, which provided grants to indigent defendants awaiting trial in the Dallas County justice system and drew from best practices of organizations in other cities such as the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund (which Greg visited as part of a Richter Fellowship). In recognition of his service to the university, Greg received the prestigious “M” Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following graduation, Greg continued to engage his passion for criminal justice reform as a Statistical Consultant with the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU Dedman School of Law. Through his research on AI and pre-trial detention, he was selected as a Landecker Democracy Fellow with Humanity in Action.

Learn more about Greg’s post-graduation journey through the following links:

Updated January 2022