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PPIA Fellows/Alumni Profile

Impact of PPIA Program:

PPIA exposed me to the many opportunities that are available within the field of public policy, and the skills that are needed to be successful. I also made lifelong friends who have been a wonderful support network.

Biography:

Tam Ma is a Policy Consultant for California State Senator Sheila J. Kuehl. In addition to staffing the Senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tam advises the Senator on issues relating to social and human services, mental health and aging, child development and child care, housing and tenants rights, animal welfare, violence against women, human trafficking and related state budget issues. She has also worked as a committee consultant for the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife. Tam was recently selected to be a Water Leader, a one-year Water Education Foundation program that educates young professionals about water resource issues. Tam came to the State Capitol through the California Senate Fellows program.

Prior to coming to Sacramento, Tam worked at the National Economic Development and Law Center (NEDLC) in Oakland, CA where she organized community forums on welfare reform and economic self-sufficiency for low income families. She was a contributing author on a report entitled Shifting Into Gear: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating a Car Ownership Program for low-income people.

As an Americorps volunteer, Tam ran a literacy program at a juvenile probation camp in Alameda County. She received a BA in Political Science and City Planning from UC Berkeley and is an alumnus of Princeton University’s Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) summer institute. Tam serves on the boards of several local community organizations, including My Sister’s House (a domestic violence shelter for APIA Women) and the Sacramento Chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.

Awards and Memberships:

Fellowships
- 2005 Water Leader, Water Education Foundation
- 2002-03 California Senate Fellow
- 2001 Junior Summer Institute in Public Policy and International Affairs, Princeton University

Community Activities
- Board President, My Sister’s House (2004-present)
- Co-Chair, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Sacramento Chapter (2003-present)
- Trainer, Women’s Policy Institute, The Women’s Foundation of California (2003-present)
- Volunteer, Friends of the Sacramento Public Library

Awards
- Legislative Staffer of the Year, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (2007)
- Legislative Staff Person of the Year, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (2006)
- Kenneth Priestly Leadership Award, University of California, Berkeley (2002)
- Chancellor’s Community Service Award, University of California, Berkeley (2001)
- Pioneer Woman Award, Los Angeles City Council (1998)

Advice and/or Recommendations:

- Let go of the issues and focus on the skills: This is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve received. Each individual has an issue or cause that they are passionate about and want to spend their lives working on it. It’s important for young professionals to not let their commitment to this one issue limit their opportunities for professional development. Consider taking jobs and internships that will help you to develop a new skill, even if means working on an issue that may not be immediately interesting to you. Once you acquire these skills, you can work on whatever issue you feel passionate about, and be more effective at it.

- Get fiscal policy experience: Fiscal policy drives public policy. Find opportunities to work on budget and fiscal issues.

- Get work experience before going to graduate school.

- Have fun!

Contact Information: tam.ma@berkeley.edu