Bob Graham Center for Public Service

Matt Jacobs is an associate professor of U.S. and international history as well as the director of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service. He earned his Ph.D. in History at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 2002, and he joined UF and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) in 2003. His research focuses on U.S.-Middle East relations, a field in which he has published one book (Imagining the Middle East: …

Marianne Vernetson is the associate director for the Bob Graham Center for Public Service. She helps oversee the day-to-day management of the Center, develops and manages the Center’s public programs, and organizes residency programs for visiting scholars. Additionally, she oversees the selection process for the Bob Graham Citizen of the Year Award and the Brian Dassler Young Floridian of the Year Award, and develops partnerships and shared programming among those interested in public leadership, public …

Timothy Karis (Ph.D. University of California, San Diego, 2013) is the undergraduate coordinator for the Bob Graham Center, and a lecturer in the International Studies Program at the University of Florida. As undergraduate coordinator, Karis will help integrate the Center's focus on civic engagement, public leadership, and public service with the International Studies program and curriculum. International Studies offers a vibrant, dynamic undergraduate program with approximately 275 students who pursue careers in government service, with …

Teresa Cornacchione, PhD, possess nearly 20 years of teaching experience at both the secondary and the postsecondary levels. She is excited to serve as the Center's Civic Engagement Coordinator, overseeing student voting efforts. She earned her doctorate in political science from Florida State University in 2018. Her research focuses primarily on legislative behavior of women, and on radical and anti-establishment political parties. She has publications in The Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy and Political …

Kevin Bird, Ph.D., serves as the Center's Experiential Learning Coordinator and Lecturer. He works with students selected for the Gainesville City Government, Tallahassee Internship and Washington Internship programs. Dr. Bird has guided students’ experiential learning as a part of his advising and student support in UF's Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering, and the Warrington Professional MBA programs. He has also taught for multiple departments at Santa Fe College and UF. Dr. Bird …

Onursal Erol is the international experiential learning coordinator and a lecturer focused on the Middle East and North Africa. He graduated with a doctoral degree in political science from the University of Chicago in 2020. Prior to joining the Bob Graham Center, he taught for three years at the University of Southern California’s Department of Middle East Studies. His research and teaching interests include the Middle East and North Africa, social movements, urban and environmental …

Rebecca Burton is the program coordinator for the University of Florida Gulf Scholars Program, which supports Gulf of Mexico region colleges and universities in preparing undergraduate students as the next generation to address critical challenges in the region related to the focus areas of the Gulf Research Program – community health and resilience, environmental protection and stewardship, and offshore energy safety. Participating schools engage students from across the sciences, engineering, medicine, humanities, arts, and beyond …

Formerly the communications director of the Florida Sea Grant College Program, Dorothy Zimmerman has been a communications professional at the University of Florida since 1999. Her professional and personal accomplishments demonstrate an enduring interest in advancing citizens’ awareness of issues, increasing their ability to make knowledgeable decisions and engage with their community. She led one of the national Sea Grant network’s most impactful communications programs, consistently recognized for its innovation and cost-effectiveness. She has also …

Isabella is a fourth-year political science major with minors in history and public leadership. As an Events and Programs student assistant, she works on planning and executing the Center's public programs, civic engagement opportunities, and co-hosted events. Isabella currently serves as the Director of Logistics for the Future of Florida Summit and previously held the Chairwoman position for the Freshman Leadership Council, one of the Center's student groups, from 2023-2024. As she concludes her studies …

Leah Edwards is a second-year student studying political science and African-American studies here at the University of Florida. As a first-generation American and college student from Broward County, she is interested in topics involving institutional power imbalances, race relations, and democratic rights. Within the Center, Leah works under Dr. Teresa Cornacchione to facilitate civic engagement on and off campus, prioritizing voter education and registration. Outside of the university, she interned for the Alachua League of …

Reed Jeffries is a third-year political science major with minors in mass communications and religion, and a certificate in political campaigning. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she is passionate about issues affecting the American Southeast. In her role as a research assistant, Reed offers administrative support for the Center's research programs and assists Dr. Jacobs in various CLAS initiatives. She researches grassroots movements in American politics as a Reubin Askew Scholar, advocates for civic engagement through …

Radhika is a third-year economics and psychology double major and John V. Lombardi Scholar at UF. She initially became involved with the Bob Graham Center through the Future of Florida Summit, a student-run public policy conference held at UF each year. She now serves as the Director of Logistics for the summit, working with a team of 15 to coordinate venue, catering, and hosting operations. Radhika supports the Center in other ways as well. In …

Andrew is a third year honors student majoring in international studies and minoring in leadership and entrepreneurship, with a certificate in global leadership and change. He is part of the UF Men's Club Lacrosse Team and is involved in Gator Diplomats and the Public Leadership Society. He is assisting Dr. Jacobs on research analyzing Florida’s influence on the broader world. He plans to attend law school after graduation.

Sanay is a second-year political science and international studies student. With the Graham Center, Sanay works alongside Dr. Onursal Erol to facilitate student engagement in international experiential learning, including through the Global Interns Fellowship and the 2025 UF in Istanbul study abroad program. Having grown up in Istanbul, she is particularly passionate about the complex intersection between the Middle East and the West. She is also a John V. Lombardi Scholar and a Foreign Language …

Amelia Packham is a junior pursuing a double major in political science and women's studies with a minor in public relations. Within the Graham Center, she is the Vice President of Communications for the Graham Center Student Fellows and a competitive member of the LitiGators Mock Trial Team. Within her time at UF, she has also participated in the Civic Scholars research program. At the Center she develops promotional campaign ideas and manages social media. …

Bryn is a third-year political science major with a minor in environmental justice and policy and a certificate in political communication. Bryn was a Gulf Scholar last year and recently completed a summer congressional internship in Washington, DC, as part of the Bob Graham Center's Washington Internship Program. She now serves as the Experiential Learning student coordinator, working alongside Dr. Kevin Bird to promote and facilitate student internship opportunities in Gainesville, Tallahassee, and Washington, DC. …