2009-2010 Masthead Bios
One of the central drivers of the Journal of Politics & Society's success has been the Editorial Board's vibrant diversity. The editors' eclectic backgrounds and interests strengthen the Helvidius Group tremendously during the paper selection and vetting processes. Below, you will find the short biographies of the Twenty-first Editorial Board.
The Helvidius Group accepts applications at the beginning of each fall semester. For more information, visit the openings page, or contact us at helvidius@columbia.edu.
Anusha Sriram
Editor-in-Chief
Anusha Sriram is a Columbia College senior studying political science and visual arts. She is writing her thesis on economic voting in Indian elections. When not being a "petty dictator" at the Journal, she can be found in the printmaking studio indulging in all sorts of arts and crafts. (In her spare time, she studies benevolent despotism).
James Clinton Francis
Executive Editor
James Clinton Francis is a senior in Columbia College double majoring in African Studies (History) and Political Science. He enjoys running half-marathons, baking biscuits, and reading the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.
Mustafa Hameed
Managing Editor
Mustafa is a Columbia junior studying Philosophy and Linguistics in the College. He is also an executive board member of Columbia International Relations Council & Association and a representative on the Activities Board at Columbia. In his free time he is a cricket enthusiast, a mediocre guitar player, a tea drinker, and a heavy reader.
Amy Wang
Lead Senior Editor
Amy Wang is a junior in Columbia College double majoring in Political Science and History. She enjoys watching movies, has a love/hate relationship with the New York City subway, and aspires to one day talk like Rahm Emmanuel. Amy can usually be found daydreaming, procrastinating, or refreshing several news sites at once
Gillian Rose Kemmerer
Co-Publisher
Gillian Rose Kemmerer is studying Economics with mutually exclusive focuses on hooliganism and risk-loving behavior. When she is not shooting apples off of people's heads as a member of the Varsity Archery team, she is probably watching FC Barcelona win yet another championship title.
Maria Kucheryavaya
Co-Publisher
Maria Kucheryavaya is a junior in the College. She is studying Economics-Mathematics and currently works within the Public Finance division of J.P. Morgan. Among her interests are week-long ski trips, long tennis matches, and fierce fashion shows.
Nina Brochmann
Senior Editor
Nina Brochmann is a senior studying Political Science with a focus on international relations. She has recently found out that international bodies are not so interesting as she thought, and has therefore decided to go on to the real deal after graduation: human bodies. With this in mind, she hopes to be receiving stacks of articles on public health to the journal this year. And by the way, she is Norwegian.
Michael Gill
Senior Editor
Michael Gill is a senior in Columbia College majoring in political science. His interests include American elections, political development, conflict resolution, formal theory, and trying to locate "real America" on a map. This year he is writing his thesis on the escalatory logic of intrastate conflicts and hopes to continue his studies in a graduate program.
Emma Manson
Senior Editor
Emma Manson is a sophomore in the College. In her spare time, she reads, copy-edits, hosts a gospel show on WKCR-89.9 F.M., and walks very quickly, but very rarely all at once.
Kunaal Sharma
Senior Editor
Kunaal is a Columbia College senior majoring in political science. His interests include U.S. foreign policy and the law of war.
Tom Smejkal
Senior Editor
Tom Smejkal is a Columbia College senior studying History and Religion. He first joined the Helvidius Group as a freshman, and through this time his interests have centered around international order and human rights. In his free time, he enjoys reading history, playing squash, and traveling.
Javed Basu-Kesselman
Associate Editor
Hailing from Amherst, Massachusetts, Javed is a junior in the college studying American History and Psychology. He is also a Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COOP)leader, and enjoys playing club football and basketball.
Erica Berck
Associate Editor
Erica Berck is a junior at Columbia College. She is studying Political Science and Psychology and plans to attend law school after graduation. She grew up on Long Island, loves amusement parks, and hates spiders.
Puya Gerami
Associate Editor
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Serena Ho
Associate Editor
Serena Ho is a junior studying political science, with a focus on American politics. She is also interested in East Asian and cultures, and is currently studying Chinese. She enjoys good food, good fun and good friends.
Edward Krasniewski
Associate Editor
Edward Krasniewski is a first year in Columbia College studying international politics and human rights. Hailing from Santiago, Chile and Washington D.C., Edward's interests include Latin American militarism, development economics, cultural relativism and diaspora. Otherwise, Edward is fascinated by East Asia and enjoys learning Chinese in his spare time.
Alex Merchant
Associate Editor
Alex is a first year in the college and plans to study political science and anthropology. He took a year off before starting Columbia to work as a Field Organizer for the Obama Campaign and volunteer as an English teacher in Costa Rica. He enjoys travel, sailing, going to the movies, reading, Facebook, and often makes unintelligible analogies.
Ishani Mitra
Associate Editor
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Aseel Najib
Associate Editor
Aseel Najib is a sophomore at the College double majoring in Creative Writing and Middle Eastern Studies. In addition to being an associate editor of the Journal of Politics and Society, she serves as the vice president of Turath, and a senior editor of the Columbia Political Review. She is also an associate editor of the Faster Times, and a research assistant at the NYU Law School's Brennan Center for Justice.
Sam Niles
Associate Editor
Sam Niles is a senior majoring in both Religion and English. He enjoys fine French food and is continuing to grow (and grow (and grow)) since moving to New York. Current mood: inquisitive.
Sean Quirk
Associate Editor
Sean Quirk is a Columbia College junior majoring in Political Science with a focus on international relations. He worked in Virgina for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and was president of the College Democrats at the University of California, San Diego before transferring to Columbia. When not trying to change the world, Sean enjoys moonlit nights and long walks on the beach.
David Spencer Seconi
Associate Editor
David Spencer Seconi is studying History but is currently undecided between an additional Philosophy or Political Science major. When not stuck in Butler philosophizing why he is in Butler in the first place, Spencer delights in his playlists, workouts, and debating. He hopes to use his experiences in Helvidius when he becomes editor-in-chief of Foreign Affairs...
Divya Subramanian
Associate Editor
Divya Subramanian is a Barnard College first-year planning to study History and Political Science. She was on the editorial board of her school newspaper at Ithaca High School. Divya enjoys reading and is an avid tennis fan.
Noelle Williams
Associate Editor
Noelle Williams is a junior at Columbia College. She is also involved with Student Council and Model Congress on campus. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, shopping, and exploring New York City.
