McGeorge prides itself on providing students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to succeed, not only during their time as students but also in their careers. As such, alumna Vanessa Adame found that the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program was an investment in herself that paid dividends in her career and personal growth.
Today, the McGeorge alumna works as a consultant with Highlands Consulting, part of Accenture, where she manages projects involving FEMA public assistance and disaster-related grants, helping states recover funding after events like wildfires and COVID-19. Her work is rooted in a strong foundation of policy knowledge, strategic thinking, and technical expertise, all of which are central to building a successful policy consulting career.
Vanessa knew she wanted to pursue graduate school, but she didn’t know exactly what she wanted from it. “I had my undergraduate degree in policy from UC Davis, and I knew I needed something to bolster my career,” she recalls. “Then one day I heard a radio ad for McGeorge. The idea of getting law school experience while pursuing a master’s degree really clicked for me.”
Vanessa joined the first cohort of the MPP program in 2016 and graduated in 2018. From the beginning, she appreciated the program’s unique blend of law and policy. “It was fascinating to sit in classes that focused on legal analysis, then switch over to policy classes and see how the two intersected,” she says. “That integration really strengthened my policy analysis skills.”
Learning from Experts and Real-World Applications
One of the highlights of Vanessa’s MPP experience was learning from professors with extensive practical experience. Professor Jennifer Harder’s expertise in water law and Professor Marianne O’Malley’s insights into legislative analysis were particularly impactful for her. “These professors weren’t just teaching theory, they were giving real-world context, showing what a career in policy and consulting could look like,” Vanessa explains.
McGeorge incorporates hands-on projects to help classroom learning directly translate into tangible solutions. Vanessa’s included strategic planning exercises and a capstone group project on implementing new cannabis policies in Fresno. “It was exciting to know that our work could actually help guide policy and support the community,” she says. Experiences like these strengthened her technical expertise and practical policy analysis skills.
Building Strong Policy Analysis Skills
Vanessa credits the MPP program with sharpening her ability to quickly digest policies and statutes, understand budget cycles, and apply strategic planning frameworks. “Being able to read and interpret policy and statute quickly was huge, especially working with the state,” she says. “And being comfortable with not knowing everything at first, then figuring out what I need to learn? That mindset was invaluable.”
These policy analysis skills now support her daily consulting work, particularly in navigating FEMA guidelines, interpreting regulatory language, and advising state clients on complex funding structures.
From the Classroom to a Policy Consulting Career
After graduation, Vanessa applied her MPP knowledge in the California Department of Conservation’s Legislative Office, where she worked on bill analyses and saw firsthand how laws and regulations are developed. That real-world experience helped her move into consulting.
“The program helped me clarify my direction,” she says. “Talking with professors about consulting, understanding what to expect, and seeing how policy connects to real-world implementation made me confident this was the path I wanted to pursue.” Today, her policy consulting career allows her to bridge government systems, funding structures, and strategic implementation. It is work that directly reflects her graduate training.
The Value of Community and Networking
Vanessa says that the program felt communal and welcoming. “McGeorge really fosters a supportive environment,” she says. “Classmates, professors, and alumni genuinely want to see you succeed. Networking with both MPP and JD students opened doors I didn’t even know existed.”
Her advice to prospective students is to make the most of every opportunity! Talk to your professors, connect with classmates, get involved in projects, and don’t be afraid to explore different career paths. “It’s always good to invest in yourself,” she says. “It might be hard in the moment, but it’s going to be worth it once you graduate.”
For Vanessa, that investment led to a thriving policy consulting career grounded in strong policy analysis skills, real-world application, and a supportive professional network.
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