Program Assistant Introduction: Diana Slobodian MPA ’26

Diana is a second year Master of Public Administration (MPA) candidate at Columbia University concentrating in International Security Policy (ISP) and specializing in Technology, Media, and Communications (TMaC). She is from Rochester, New York, and graduated from the University at Albany with her B.A. in Public Policy and Management. Throughout undergrad, Diana interned at various government and legislative offices across New York State government, and worked as a law clerk. Before starting at SIPA, she spent nearly two years at KPMG supporting State, Local Government, and Healthcare clients as an Advisory Associate. 

What attracted you most to Columbia and SIPA? 

When I was exploring potential degree programs, SIPA’s programs stood out to me initially was  the variety of security and conflict resolution courses that were offered. As I was reading course descriptions and trying to understand the different degree requirements, I found it difficult to choose just one concentration that I would have been interested in pursuing if I had applied, which to me was a good sign that the coursework would be engaging. When I began looking further into SIPA’s faculty and their research, I knew Columbia was the right place for me.

Did you choose to attend SIPA to change careers, or to gain experience in a career path you already had experience in? 

I chose to attend SIPA for a variety of reasons, but primarily because I wanted to build an internationally focused policy toolkit that I could use in my career. While I already had an existing background in state and local government, I recognized a desire to explore federal and international level decisionmaking from a policy and business perspective. I figured the opportunity to dive deeper into a variety of topics that interested me would allow me to bring a new knowledge set to the workforce as I develop expertise across these areas in the long run.

Have you taken classes at other Columbia Schools? 

Yes! I cross-enrolled in a class at Columbia Law School during the Spring 2025 semester called Computers, Privacy, and the Law. This was a very eye-opening experience for me as someone who has always been interested in pursuing a J.D., but was unsure about the rigor and style of a law school course. It was great to be able to make friends with students at other schools at Columbia, while making meaningful connections with new professors outside of SIPA. 

How did you find the core curriculum at SIPA? 

I honestly think that it was a nice bonding experience for all first year students to be going through the same courses together at similar times. This gave us the ability as new students to build connections in our own cohort as we navigated the course material, prepared for exams, and engaged in class discussions. I also found that the faculty who lead these classes and their TA’s have been incredibly helpful in making sure each student is successful in the course through review sessions, office hours, and willingness to meet with students one-on-one. 

What has been the most challenging part of your experience at SIPA? 

Time management has been the most challenging part of my experience at SIPA so far. The challenge is never finding events or opportunities, it’s sorting through and prioritizing which you can fit into your schedule. Between the student groups, schoolwide events, networking opportunities, New York community events, research and internship opportunities, learning to say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that will serve me the best in my long-term career has certainly been a huge learning curve. Mastering the art of creating a schedule that balances personal, professional, and academic life has been a rewarding byproduct of the challenge of choice in SIPA’s offerings. 

What kind of work do you hope to do when you graduate? 

Throughout my time at SIPA, I discovered that I have a strong interest in the technology policy space. I would love to work at the intersection of tech, security, and policy, advising business leaders on navigating the regulatory processes as they grow their networks across international markets, while managing relationships with government stakeholders. This would allow me to combine the skills I’ve been building in leadership, research, and international-scale decision making, with the knowledge in trust and safety, governance, privacy, and security that I gained through my coursework.