Communicating Policy

Jordyn Kafka '19, '20G

Current position:  Social Innovation Intern, NH Small Business Development Center
Responsibilities include:  Develop resources for small businesses to focus on sustainability.
Previous position: Social Media Marketing Intern, UNH Prevention Innovations Research Center
Carsey Degree: Master in Public Policy

"I found [the Washington, D.C., Colloquium] to be the most valuable aspect of the program because I got to apply classroom skills to the real world of policymaking."

What was the focus of your capstone project?

My capstone project focused on the opioid epidemic in New England. As part of my project, I created a comparative analysis of each New England state's efforts to combat the epidemic, gathered "best practices" based on state results, and created a recommendations sheet.

Where have you interned during the MPP program?

Currently, I'm doing an internship at the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center. I am helping them advance their business sustainability program by developing resources for small businesses to prioritize sustainable practices.

What are one or two career goals you have for yourself?

One career goal that I have is to work on the communication side of policymaking. I’ve always been intrigued by strategic communications, which I was able to focus on during both my undergraduate and graduate studies at the Carsey School. More specifically, I’m interested in taking complex policy topics and boiling them down into something that the general public can understand and relate to. At the end of the day, policies and policymaking cannot be effective if they are not translated in a concise, clear, and relatable manner.