Urban Refuge Alumni Reunion Highlights Careers and Impact
On November 18, the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies hosted a career networking roundtable as part of Professor Dr. Noora Lori’s Urban Refuge Reunion Initiative, bringing together alumni from the 2016 Forced Migration and Human Trafficking class with the 2024 cohort. Six distinguished alumni—Meaghan Delaney, Sara Lopez Gonzalez, Ellie Hitt, Raina Kadavil, Victoria Kelberer, and Taylor Resteghini—shared how they transformed a classroom innovation into a lasting humanitarian initiative.
The alumni began their journey in 2016 in Lori’s IR 500 course, where they developed a smartphone app to map aid organizations for Syrian refugees in Jordan. What started as a class project grew into Urban Refuge through a successful $17,000 crowdfunding campaign and partnerships with Microsoft New England and BU’s Initiative on Cities. The alumni now hold influential positions: Delaney in corporate affairs at KPMG, Lopez Gonzalez as an Analyst at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Hitt as Director of Operations for Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Kadavil as Senior Analyst at Mastercard, Kelberer as Agile Senior Manager at Vanguard Charitable, and Resteghini as Design Producer at Curriculum Associates.
The alumni shared how their experiences with Urban Refuge shaped their diverse career paths. Kelberer, who began as Professor Lori’s graduate assistant and became the organization’s first CEO, discussed her transition from international relations to leading data science and technology teams. “Urban Refuge really set me on a different course in my own career,” she reflected. “Technology is a place for me too.”
Kadavil shared her journey from international relations to the private sector, highlighting how she transitioned into Mastercard’s philanthropy department. Under her leadership as CEO from 2018 until last year, the platform expanded to California and New York, while also initiating projects in Beirut and Cairo. “If you’re very passionate about something, it doesn’t have to be your 9-to-5,” Kadavil advised. “You can still continue impacting that change in the 5-to-9 that you have after you leave that job.”
The roundtable event featured three rotating discussion-based Q&A sessions, where alumni shared key insights:
- Identify your niche: Tailor your elevator pitch so employers can envision you in the role
- Network actively: Maintain strong connections; they often lead to the best opportunities
- Align with your values: Ensure career choices resonate with your moral compass
- Leverage transferable skills: Advocate for yourself, even if your major doesn’t directly align with traditional requirements
The event resonated deeply with current students. Zora Browne (Pardee ’25) noted, “It was very inspiring to talk with these women and hear how they are working in roles they never expected but feel so confident in.” Olivia Price (Pardee ’26) added, “It was a refreshing networking event—each alum shared genuine and relatable advice. It made me feel lucky to be part of a major and school that fosters such well-rounded people.”
The project’s evolution continues through current students’ work—recently at BostonHacks, the Pardee Executive Board guided teams in developing a new website platform for mapping refugee resources in Boston, with Marvin Hoang (BU ’27) and his team winning the challenge.
For updates on future Pardee career events, follow @bu_pardee_student_services on Instagram or check Pardee career newsletters and Handshake.