Graham Staff

J.M. Conway (they/them) is Manager of Innovation Programs with the Graham School. In this role, they help to plan new educational programs, support new and existing partnerships, and serve as a resource for prospective and enrolled students. You can contact Conway at jmconway@uchicago.edu.

Conway has led as a diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner and administrator within higher education for two decades. They have worked with non-profits such as Day One NY, Interfaith Youth Core, College Track, and institutions of higher learning including DePauw University, Loyola University Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, and Michigan State University. Conway earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology from DePauw University and a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Loyola University Chicago.

Conway enjoys participating in Chicago’s rich Arts and Cultural scene by attending events throughout the city. They keep a daily journal, are endlessly curious about collaborative art making and collect one-liner jokes.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Conway would like to take Writing the One Act Play via the Writer’s Studio. They love watching live theater and have always been curious about what it takes to be a successful playwright.

Zoë Eisenman is Director of Academics at the Graham School, overseeing the non-credit programs including the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults, Open Enrollment, and Writer’s Studio. Zoë is also an instructor in the Basic Program (since 1992) and served as the Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program from 2015 –2020. She holds a BA in Greek from Vassar College and an MA in Classics from the University of Chicago where she has also done advanced graduate work. You can contact Zoë at zme1@uchicago.edu.

Outside of work Zoë enjoys hiking trails in Michigan with her husband and their two dogs.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

She hopes one day to take Claudia Traudt’s course on Ulysses by James Joyce since she’s never managed to finish it by herself.

Seth Green was appointed Dean of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies on July 1, 2021. You can contact Seth at sethgreen@uchicago.edu.

Before joining Graham, Green served as Founding Director of the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility at Loyola University Chicago. During his tenure, the Center launched a top-ranked specialty MBA program, a globally significant award for social innovation in business, and an array of educational programs that annually engage more than 4,000 learners. Green also served as an Executive Lecturer in Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business, teaching classes on social entrepreneurship and receiving recognition as the Mission-Driven Faculty Member of the Year in 2021.

Prior to Loyola, Green led Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.), a nonprofit organization that prepares low-income youth for post-secondary and life success. At Y.O.U., Green oversaw the fourfold expansion of programs and a $16.4 million fundraising campaign to build a state-of-the-art youth center. He also spearheaded two strategic planning processes, resulting in an enhanced program model and deepened impact. Alongside Y.O.U., Green taught courses on nonprofit management as an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University.

Earlier in his career, Green worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, guiding private sector clients through strategy development and change management. A recipient of McKinsey’s Community Fellowship, he spent one year of his time at the firm supporting nonprofit clients, including the Gates Foundation and United Way.

Green speaks and writes on social innovation. His commentaries and research have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Fortune Magazine, the Journal of Business Research, and the Social Innovations Journal, and he serves on the Editorial Review Board of the Business and Society Review. Green has been a featured guest on Slate Podcasts, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, MSNBC, and CNN, and his efforts have been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2008, Utne Reader named him one of 50 “Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.”

Green is civically engaged in Chicago, serving on the Campaign Cabinet of the United Way of Metro Chicago, the Impact Investing Advisory Council of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, the Advisory Board of Concordia Place, the Reception Committee of the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Advisory Board of the Executives’ Club of Chicago.

A Marshall Scholar, Green holds a J.D. from Yale University, a master’s in women’s studies from Oxford University, a master’s in development studies from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University.

Tim Murphy serves as Director of the Master Liberal Arts program and has been with the Graham School since 2015.  A lifelong Chicagoan, Tim completed his undergraduate studies at the UChicago studying American history and later earned an MA from UChicago focused on twentieth-century American political history. You can contact Tim at timmurphy@uchicago.edu.

In his spare time, he enjoys taking advantage of the tremendous resources available through UChicago’s library, pursuing a hodgepodge of historical interests.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Tim would most like to take any of the music courses taught by John Gibbons in the Open Program. He took a class with Gibbons on Beethoven a few years back, and is looking forward to learning about the other giants of Western music from him.

Fiona O’Connor is the Executive Assistant for the Dean’s Office at the Graham School. Prior to joining Graham, she was at University of Illinois Chicago, where she worked in the Honor’s College and then with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The connections she made at UIC brought her to the University of Chicago. You can contact Fiona at fiona3@uchicago.edu.

She holds a BA in English from University of Illinois Chicago and certificates in project management from the Graham School. The Project Management course at Graham has been invaluable to Fiona’s work at the school.

Fiona recently moved to Rogers Park and in her spare time has really been enjoying checking out all of the restaurants, shops, and many beaches. She’s also looking forward to getting back into traveling internationally for pleasure.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Fiona would love to take any of the travel study programs offered by the Graham School.

Diana Petty designs and oversees leadership development programming to help senior executives prepare for their next chapters in leadership, service, and philanthropy. She builds collaborations across the University’s Schools and Divisions and with civic partners to deliver a distinctive higher education experience supporting accomplished leaders committed to using their talents toward creating positive societal impact. You can contact Diana at dpetty@uchicago.edu.

Diana has spent her career helping mission-driven organizations deepen impact in their communities, with expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and program evaluation. She brings extensive experience working in municipal government and public-sector consulting, particularly leading cross-sector, cross-functional partnerships. Diana received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Media Studies from Macalester College, and is a graduate of the New York Urban Fellows Program, the New York University Wagner School’s Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service, the StartingBloc Fellowship for Change Leaders, and the University of Chicago Booth School’s Executive Program for Emerging Leaders.

In her spare time, Diana enjoys exploring Chicago by bike with her family and playing cards with friends, specifically bridge, euchre, and cribbage.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

When she has the chance, Diana hopes to take Graham’s course “A Poem A Day” as a creative outlet, opportunity for reflection, and to refine her voice in writing.

As Chief of Staff, Andriana Scaramella is responsible for facilitating and implementing strategic initiatives that support Graham’s mission. Her efforts are focused on sustaining the School by broadening our philanthropic support; embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within our community; and supporting our operational capacity. Andriana’s work intersects with a number of areas including activities related to administration, advancement, and institutional partnerships, among others. She leads projects and initiatives at the direction of the Dean and works in close collaboration with other leaders at Graham and the University. You can contact Andriana at ascaramella@uchicago.edu.

Prior to joining Graham, Andriana led Macedonia2025, a non-profit organization focused on educational advancement and economic development for members of its diaspora, working in partnership with the board of directors and with businesses, governments, and universities to generate opportunities.

Andriana holds a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Indiana University.

In her spare time, Andriana enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, attending cultural events, and visiting art museums.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Andriana would be most interested in attending one of Graham’s travel study programs as they are experiences that blend her love of travel, learning, history, and culture.

Kendall Sharp is currently the Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. He holds a PhD from the Committee on Social Thought and a BA from the College at the University of Chicago. Formerly, he was Assistant Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Western Ontario, and he has taught also at DePaul University (history), the University of Illinois-Chicago (classics), and in the College (humanities). He rejoined the Basic Program in 2019, having last served on the staff from 1999–2000. His research and publishing focus on Plato's dialogues as literary expressions of the philosophical life. His teaching has included Greek and Latin languages, classics in translation (literature, philosophy, history), and both classical mythology and ancient Greek science. He is currently preoccupied with the chilly reception Western Civilization gave to the ancient Greek values of political freedom and equality. You can contact Kendall at krsharp@uchicago.edu.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

There are no courses at Graham Kendall would prefer to any others, for he loves them all equally.

Briana Shemroske is the Website and Design Specialist for Graham’s Communications and Outreach team. She develops messaging, graphics, and webpages for the Graham site and manages Graham’s social media accounts. You can contact Briana at bshemroske@uchicago.edu.

Prior to joining Graham, Briana worked as a marketing associate for Booklist Publications, the book review journal of the American Library Association. She holds a BA in English-Writing from Lake Forest College, where she also minored in art history. In her spare time, Briana enjoys discovering new books, recipes, and restaurants.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Briana would like to take Writing and Walking in Essays and Memoir because it combines three of her favorite pastimes: reading, writing, and wandering.

Jan Watson is the Associate Director of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults, a four-year certificate program in the liberal arts, and she directs the annual Study in Oxford travel programs, along with the Basic Program’s Spring Break in Greece. Jan has been with the University of Chicago for over 15 years and appreciates supporting and being a member of the incredible community of committed learners at Graham. You can contact Jan at janwatson@uchicago.edu.

Jan holds a BA from Florida State University and an MS from Illinois State University, both degrees in Theatre, and is a graduate of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults at UChicago. She is also a member of the so-called Sunday School, a group focused on critical analysis of plays and opera scores.

For over 25 years Jan worked as an arts administrator, production manager, and stage manager, touring internationally with dance companies, running music festivals, and organizing events for the City of Chicago, Ravinia Festival, Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Chicago Humanities Festival, various corporations, and many other arts organizations. Jan is an avid traveler and enjoys baseball and opera.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

The literature seminar during the Study in Oxford programs. Jan welcomes the challenge of reading multiple texts by a few authors and then learning from the wonderful University of Oxford tutors and her fellow students.

Nikki Yagoda serves as the Director of Partnerships and Innovation, forging new connections with external partners to expand the scope and reach of Graham programming and University scholarship. You can contact Nikki at nyagoda@uchicago.edu.

For the past twelve years, Nikki has worked in higher education with an emphasis on arts and culture programming in professional and volunteer capacities at the Hyde Park Art Center, Morpho Gallery, Culture Coast Network, Chicago Children’s Museum, and of course, the University of Chicago Graham School.

Nikki received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in English literature and art history, with a focus in European modernism. She is currently completing her thesis in the Graham School’s MLA program. In her free time, Nikki enjoys trips to the dog park, gardening, and DIY.

Which Graham course would you most like to take and why?

Nikki would love to take so many of Graham’s creative writing courses, but one that has recently caught her eye is “Writing and Walking in Essays and Memoir.” The course encourages active exploration of your surroundings as part of your writing practice, perfect for curing writer’s block.