Faculty and Instructors

Meet the Fels faculty

Taught by high-level practitioners and distinguished Penn scholars, our curriculum brings the Fels approach of context, analysis, and practice to life with real-world applications. Meet our expert instructors and learn what ignites their passion for public policy.

Sade Olanipekun-Lewis

"I absolutely love teaching. Engaging in the discourse and talking about ideas and seeing folks have these ‘Aha!’ moments, and all in the space of good government? I’m in my bliss. I love hearing what the younger generation is thinking about, exchanging ideas, providing guidance—and then seeing them go off and do great things."

Sade Olanipekun-Lewis, Master of Government Administration ‘96, Vice President, Operating & Community Partnerships, Vantage Airport Group

John Lapinski
  • Faculty Director
  • Robert A. Fox Professor of Political Science
  • Faculty Director of the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program
photo of Lauren Russell
  • Faculty Director
  • Professor of Practice
Photo of Claire Robertson-Kraft
  • Faculty Co-Director
  • Core Instructor
Photo of Andrew Buss
  • Core Instructor
Dylan Hayden
  • Associate Professor of Practice
Sean Kates
  • Core Instructor
Samantha Sangenito
  • Core Instructor and Capstone Advisor
Photo of Elizabeth A. Tuleja, PhD, ACC
  • Core Instructor
Capstone Advisor
  • Capstone Advisor
Anjali Chainani
  • Capstone Advisor
Tim Crouch
  • Capstone Advisor
Michael DiBerardinis
  • Distinguished Fellow
Tine Hansen-Turton
  • Instructor
James C. Harris
  • Capstone Advisor
John Kromer
  • Instructor
Lauren Lambie-Hanson
  • Core Instructor
Rachel Meadows
  • Capstone Advisor
Joe Moorman
  • Capstone Advisor
Melissa Neuman
  • Core Instructor
Robert A. Nixon
  • Instructor and Capstone Advisor
Ami Patel
  • Capstone Advisor
Joseph Pierce
  • Distinguished Fellow
Samantha Porter
  • Capstone Advisor
Janet F. Rosenzweig
  • Core Instructor and Capstone Advisor
Matthew Stitt
  • Distinguished Fellow, Instructor, Capstone Advisor
Nicholas D. Torres
  • Instructor
Elizabeth Vale
  • Distinguished Fellow
Naomi Wyatt
  • Instructor

News

photo of Claire Robertson-Kraft
Fels Appoints Claire Robertson-Kraft as Faculty Co-Director of the Executive MPA Program

The Fels Institute of Government is thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Claire Robertson-Kraft as Faculty Co-Director for the Executive MPA (EMPA) program, effective July 1, 2025.

Events

Photo of Mark K. Updegrove
Fels Public Policy in Practice Speaker Series with Elizabeth Vale featuring Mark K. Updegrove
ET

Join us for a lunchtime Public Policy in Practice event as we welcome Mark K. Updegrove, president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation and the presidential historian and political analyst for ABC News.

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