Students of the Doctorate Program
Where are they now?
Ph.D graduates from the University of New Orleans work in a variety of academic and
professional settings including colleges and universities, non-profits, survey research
and policy institutes.
Sean F. Conroy is an ABD student. A veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Sean’s academic
and professional interests tend toward defense policy and nonproliferation. He is
writing about compliance with UNSCR 1540 (2004), a non-proliferation initiative mandating
domestic measures from member nations. Sean holds a position as a senior civilian
in the Department of the Air Force, is currently in residence at the United States
Air Force War College in Montgomery, AL, and remains a member of the reserve forces.
Courses taught at UNO included Constitutional Law and National Security Law. He has
degrees from the University of Maine (BA), St. John’s University (JD), and Stonybrook
University (MAPP). He and his wife have four children.
Jennifer L. Dumas is a PhD student with a concentration in International Relations. Her research interests
include civil and international conflict, particularly terrorism; the roles of norms
and values in state-society relations; and forms of inequality, particularly gender
inequality, that produce conflict. Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology from the
University of Louisiana at Monroe and her M.A. in International Relations from the
University of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Gina B. Holland is a Ph.D. student with a concentration in U.S. Politics. Her research interests
include the affects of Hurricane Katrina in St. Bernard Parish and on law enforcement.
She received her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University in
New Orleans and Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of New
Orleans. Gina is a part-time student who is a full-time law-enforcement officer.
Elizabeth Juhasz is a PhD student with concentrations in international relations and comparative politics.
Her research analyzes the politics of forced migration. Specifically, she examines
the political factors, which influence refugee status granting to asylum-seekers.
She received a M.A. in political science from the University of New Orleans, and a
B.A. in psychology and philosophy from Loyola University New Orleans. Elizabeth also
studied Hungarian language and culture at the Balassi Institute in Budapest from 2008-2009.
Anthony Licciardi, Jr. is a Ph.D. student concentrating in Public Administration and Voters and Elections.
His Master of Public Administration work at UNO focused on facets of election administration
and electoral methods. Licciardi earned his BA in History from Southeastern Louisianan
University in 1993. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, he served as a City Councilman
for eight years (1999-2006) in the city of Hammond, LA. He was appointed as chairman
of Hammond's Home Rule Charter Revision Commission from 2010-2011. Licciardi was appointed
as chairman of the Tangipahoa Parish Home Rule Charter Revision Commission in 2013.
In addition to public service, he has owned and operated a logistics and transportation
firm serving the business-to-business needs of the Gulf South since 1994.
Jessica Markstrom is a Ph.D. student with a concentration in International Relations. Her research
interests include conflict studies, mass political violence, and ethics and norms
in the international community. She received a B.A. in government and speech with
honors from McNeese State University in May 2008. In 2011, she received a J.D. from
the Texas Tech University School of Law. She was an eight year competitor in speech
and debate activities and was successful in state and national competitions. Jessica
has taught for the Louisiana Governor’s Program for Gifted Children.
Thomas Michael McQuaid is a PHD candidate (ABD) in comparative politics with a specialization on Africa.
His primary research interest focuses on how religion and food security in Africa
affect autocratic survival, the likelihood of social movements and democratization.
His secondary research interest focuses on the effects of educational language policies
in Africa on civic engagement, political knowledge and participation. He has done
field work in Africa to collect primary data. Before pursuing a PHD at the University
of New Orleans, he attained his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. He is a member
of the Louisiana State Bar association as well as the American Bar Association.
Scott N. Nolan a Ph.D. candidate with concentrations in American Politics and Public Law. His teaching
and research interests include public and constitutional law, judicial and litigation
processes, criminal justice, minority politics (particularly LGBT Politics), media
framing, and methodology. Mr. Nolan was employed full-time in the public and private
sector throughout his entire academic career. From 2001-2015 he worked as a litigation
paralegal in law firms doing complex civil litigation, trial and appellate work in
the legal fields of tortious/personal injury, family law, corporate formation and
transactions, taxation, real estate transactions, historic preservation, immigration
matters, medical malpractice and healthcare law. Since 2002, he has worked as a part-time
meteorologist for the U.S. National Weather Service and the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration at New Orleans International Airport. He received his B.A. in Political
Science with Pre-Law Concentration from the University of New Orleans in 2007 and
his M.A. in Political Science in 2013. He is a member of several academic honor societies
including Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science academic honor society, serving
as UNO Chapter President from 2012 to 2014. Since 2013, at the University of New Orleans,
he has taught courses in American Government, LGBT Politics, Criminal Justice, and
currently teaches Methods of Political Research. In 2015, he also joined the adjunct
faculty at Tulane University where he has taught American Government, LGBT Politics,
Criminal Justice, Courts & Politics, and Constitutional Law.
Jennifer A. Notariano is a Ph.D. student in International Relations and Comparative Politics. She is interested
in the causes of civil conflict, autocratic institutions, and democratization. Jennifer
received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Southeastern Louisiana
University and recently completed her Masters degree here at the University of New
Orleans.
Michael J. Pickering, Ph.D. student, concentrates in comparative politics. His research focuses on Latin
American issues such as immigration, drug cartels, state responses and media framing.
He received his first B.A. from Louisiana State University in political science with
a concentration in comparative politics and a minor in classical civilization. Additionally
he received his second B.A. in French with a concentration in French and francophone
political studies; both degrees earned in 2010. He received his M.A. in political
science at the University of New Orleans in 2012.
Maria L. Pisaneschi is a Ph.D. student with a concentration in International Relations. Her research
interests include political economy, and the European Union. She received her undergraduate
degree from the University of Tampa and Master's degree from the University of South
Florida. Before pursuing her graduate studies, she was an adjunct professor at St.
Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Tana R. H. Stevenson is a Ph.D. student concentrating in International Relations. Her research interests
include human trafficking, immigration policies and the role of Nongovernmental Organizations
and Intergovernmental Organizations in influencing government policymaking decisions.
Tana received her Master of Public Administration degree from UNO in 2010, specializing
in nonprofit leadership. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, a national multi-discipline
academic honor society, and a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science
academic honor society. She currently teaches Introduction to American Government
and serves as an officer in the Greater New Orleans Chapter of the American Society
for Public Administration.
Jason G. Waguespack is currently a Ph.D. student whose concentration is in American institutions. He
received a Bachelor's degree in English and a Master's in Political Science from UNO.
His research interests include American elections, the Presidency, Congress, and voting
behavior. His specific interests are focused on charting voting trends across the
country as it relates to the two major political parties. He is also a member of Phi
Eta Sigma Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha – The National Political Science Honor
Society.
Robert Worth is a Ph.D. student specializing in international relations. His research interests
include international regimes and the role of non-state actors, ethics, morals, and
norms in international society. He received a B.A. in political science with honors
from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2009. In 2011, he received an M.A.
in International Relations from the City College of New York, where he was nominated
for the Rubin Award and received the 2010-2011 Frank Owarish Prize in International
Relations.