Woodrow Wilson Award 2017
Po-Ya Chang, BSPH ’74
Dr. Po-Ya Chang, a Bloomberg School alumna, has served as the President of the Control Yuan, one of the five branches of government in Taiwan, an independent “watchdog” agency mandated to investigate allegations of malfeasance or criminal acts committed by public servants to agencies. It has the authority to censure or impeach, and is also empowered to launch its own investigations. She was among the first to recognize the health problem emerging in Taiwan from rapid socioeconomic development and demographic transition, and initiated research on occupational exposure of workers to lead and the resulting problems of lead poisoning. She was among the few health scientists in Taiwan to identify the risk of exposure by traffic police to automobile exhaust fumes. She was also among the pioneer advocates for women’s health in Taiwan. She has led cities as mayor, served as the head of the National Department of Health for Taiwan, and as the Minister of the Interior. She also served concurrently as the Governor of Taiwan Province (200-2002). Dr. Chang founded the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union, a political party in Taiwan, and served as its first Chairperson. She also served as President of the China-yi Community University, as the Senior Advisor to the President of Taiwan, and as the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission of the Executive Yuan.
John DeMaggi, Engr ’94
John M. DeMaggio has had an illustrious career in forensic science, technical service support and electronic surveillance, dedicating the majority of his career supporting U.S. Government criminal an counterintelligence investigations; his latest role was Special Agent in Charge, Director of Forensic and Technical Services from which he retired 13 years ago. Prior, Mr. DeMaggio served a Special Agent and Technical Services Program Manager for Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) where he was accountable for planning, coordinating and implementing technical services support to the Defense Criminal Investigative Service criminal fraud investigations in the areas of Radio Communications, Telecommunications Intercepts, Electronic/Video/Audio/ Photographic Surveillance, and Forensic Sciences. He also served as the System Control Officer (SCO), on the Treasury Enforcement Communications System (TECS), and Terminal Agency Coordinator, National Crime Information Center (NCIC). He began his civilian career as a Special Agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) where he conducted criminal and counterintelligence investigations. He has served as the Co-chairman of the Investigative Support and Forensic Subgroup for the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), which conducts interagency counterterrorism technology research and development and has been detailed to the FBI to support the implementation of the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). Mr. DeMaggio was also a decorated Captain of the U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence Command serving over 30 years on active duty and in the reserves. He served as the Deputy Assistant Reserve Commander for the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Deputy Reserve Intelligence Area Commander, Washington, DC and was responsible for the restructuring of the ONI Reserve HUMINT (Military Human Intelligence) program. Presently, he consults in the areas of counterterrorism, forensic science and investigations. He also conducted counterterrorism training of foreign government police officers for the U.S. State Department. He qualified as an expert witness in Forensic chemistry and electronic surveillance in State and Federal courts. Mr. DeMaggio published numerous articles including "Mitigation of Terrorist Effects on Victim's Motivation" in the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency (COIN) Center's August 2010 Journal "Colloquium." Mr. DeMaggio holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Forensic Science from John Jay College and a Master’s of Science in Technical Management from the Johns Hopkins University.
Robert Ford, SAIS ’83, A&S ’80
Ambassador Robert S. Ford, a proud graduate of both Homewood and SAIS exemplifies every quality for which the University strives in its students. During a distinguished career in the Foreign Service, including as U.S. Ambassador to Algeria and Syria, and Deputy Ambassador to Bahrain and Iraq, Ford advanced bilateral ties, led landmark trade negotiations, and developed a reputation for a strong commitment to supporting human rights and the rule of law. During his three tours in Iraq as senior political advisor to the U.S. Ambassador, Ford actively participated in U.S. efforts during elections and the creation of a new, permanent Iraqi government. He served in frontline diplomatic posting in times of peace and war, including during the Algerian Civil War (1994-1997), U.S. involvement in Iraq (2003-2010), and Syrian Civil War (2011-2014). During his time in Syria, Ford earned widespread acclaim and the State Department’s highest award for his unrelenting support of human rights and his visits to the opposition of the Syrian regime despite threats to his life. After his resignation from the State Department in 2014, Ford returned to Johns Hopkins to teach a tremendously popular course on the Arab Spring to undergraduates, and has since addressed the Foreign Affairs Symposium and the Aronson Center for International Studies.
Melissa Hyatt, Ed ’09
Chief Melissa Hyatt is a second generation Baltimore police officer and has served with the Department for over 20 years. She is a prominent leader in the Baltimore community and currently oversees the special operations and development division. Her previous assignments include chief of staff to the police commissioner; chief of patrol; area commander; district commander of the central district; executive officer of the southeastern district; special weapons and tactics, district patrol, and citywide operations. She has held positions overseeing the Central District and has served in various districts including being a SWAT officer for three years. She received the Bronze Star for Valor for saving a victim from a car-jacking, and also has been awarded a Unit Citation. She was also named one of the 50 WOMEN TO WATCH by the Baltimore Sun and Baltimore Magazine 40 UNDER 40 in 2013. Hyatt was selected to take part in a United Nations training program in Sweden with law enforcement officers from around the world. She is an active, involved alumna and this past April was the featured speaker for a lecture night at the Hopkins Club discussing the topic, "Baltimore- Looking Back to Move Forward". Hyatt received a master's in management from the School of Education in 2009 and undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware.
John A. Lepper, SAIS ’59
John Lepper is an American politician who represented the 2nd Bristol District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1995-2009. He had previously served as a member of the Attleboro, Massachusetts City Council from 1987-1993. During the 1957-58 year at SAIS he took an Indonesian class that performed an Indonesian candle dance (of the klutzes) at the Indonesian Embassy. After John graduated from SAIS in 1959, he went to Attleboro, MA and had a long career in the Massachusetts House of Delegates where he was a senior Republican when Governor Mitt Romney passed Romney-care with the Lepper provision that kids could be covered under their parents or grandparents health plan.