Associate Spotlights of the Week

Junior Associate: Keerat Pannu

Where do you come from?

I’m from Northern Virginia and just graduated from Georgetown University.

Why did you choose UELIP?

Living just outside the beltway for most of my life and spending four years going to college here, I’ve developed a strong connection to the District and its young people. I believe this city has great potential and I wanted greatly to be part of an effort to create better opportunities for its students.

What are you working on during your time here?

I’m working on a variety of activities aimed at improving the exchange of information and ideas between DCPS and D.C. Council.

Name one interesting fact about yourself.

I literally lived steps away from Tower Bridge for a year.

What was your favorite subject growing up and why?

Math, because it was the easiest to understand.

What is your dream job?

I think it’d be awesome to be a travel blogger.

What’s your favorite UELIP memory thus far?

Sharing a cubicle with Rebecca Scaife.

Senior Associate: Max Tuchman

Where do you come from?

I’m a dual citizen of Miami and New York City and am currently up in Boston doing a joint degree at Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Why did you choose UELIP?

I’ve had some experience with the Miami, Boston and NYC school districts and hope to one day return home to Miami to work for the 375,000 schoolchildren in our district. I realized I'd better learn from the best, and decided to come down to DC to learn everything I could about Michelle Rhee.

What are you working on during your time here?

I work in the Office of Secondary School Transformation and am working on creating a competitive grant to encourage schools to think about their time in a more innovative manner (i.e. extend the school day or year, mandatory after school tutoring, swing shifts, etc)

Name one interesting fact about yourself.

I love to watch world destruction movies. My favorite is The Day After Tomorrow, but I’m happy with a “what would happen if a meteor hit the earth” miniseries on the Discovery channel. Apparently, the other senior associates find this disturbing, yet wildly interesting.

What was your favorite subject growing up and why?

I’ve always been in art magnet programs and so I’d have to say my favorite subject was fashion design in high school.

What is your dream job?

Growing up, I wanted to be an international spy/ ninja. Now I want to be an urban superintendent. I’m not sure which is harder to achieve.

What’s your favorite UELIP memory thus far?

UELIP Retreat: Getting to know more UELIPers and hear Kaya speak was amazing! Watching people try and eat an Oreo off their forehead was a close second.