Meet Your Representatives: Get to Know the 2026-2027 GPSA Board

President: Nicholas J. Brennan

Nicholas Brennan is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in physics who studies light-induced spin torque in a magnetic semiconductor and how optical systems can be used to control magnets for performing computation using ultrafast spectroscopy techniques.

As a GPSA member, Brennan has helped to expand the assembly as a forum for graduate student discussion and debate and a mechanism for maximizing resource access for graduate and professional students. Some of the accomplishments he has contributed to so far include lowering the student activity fee, reviewing and funding community-proposed initiatives, and leading contributions to university policymaking. Brennan looks forward to expanding access to collaborative event funding, expanding the GPSA’s reach across campus, and building new partnerships to better serve graduate student life.

“I joined the GPSA with the goal of finding a community of students who loved Cornell as much as I did. I succeeded in that and made a lot of friends along the way.”

Executive Vice President: Ezra Snell II

Ezra Snell is a second-year master of public administration student whose concentration is in public and nonprofit management. He has interests in public policy, social impact strategy, and community development with an emphasis on building effective leadership and civic collaboration as avenues for social change.

“I joined the GPSA executive committee because I wanted to help ensure graduate and professional students have a strong voice in university decision-making while creating more opportunities for connection across Cornell’s many schools and programs. I’m excited to work with students and campus leaders to make the graduate experience stronger for everyone.”

Vice President for Communications: Jordan Deskins, M.P.H. ’26

Jordan Deskins, M.P.H. ’26, is a first-year doctoral student in nutrition whose past research focused on climate adaptation in smallholder farming systems and its impact on household nutrition outcomes.

“I decided to join GPSA because I am passionate about improving the graduate student experience at Cornell as we have so many amazing resources and people to lean on! As an M.P.H. student, GPSA funded one of our organizations that would have otherwise been unfunded due to budget cuts. GPSA really strives to ensure that student groups and organizations are able to succeed year to year, and I am so excited to be part of that.”

Vice President for Operations: Zander Lynch

Zander Lynch is a fourth-year doctoral student in linguistics whose research focuses on the crosslinguistic grammaticalization pathways of conjunctions.

“I decided to join the GPSA executive board again because I have really enjoyed my time working with this organization, and I have seen the great things that it can do. I also wanted to continue to provide leadership representation for the social sciences and humanities because the fields within these divisions are often small and vulnerable to being overlooked.”

Student Advocacy Commission Chairperson: Cecily Cox

Cecily Cox is a second-year master of business administration student studying leadership, strategy, and the sports, entertainment, and media industries. Throughout her program, she has enjoyed exploring how these industries bring people together, shape culture, and create opportunities for business innovation.

“Throughout my time at Cornell, some of the most rewarding experiences have come from getting involved outside the classroom and working with people from different backgrounds. Joining the GPSA leadership board was a chance to give back to the graduate student community and help make a positive impact beyond my own college. I’m excited to work with students from across the university, advocate for issues that matter to graduate students, and help strengthen the sense of community across Cornell.”

Finance Commission Chairperson: Claire King

Claire King is a third-year doctoral student in plant breeding who studies flax and hemp breeding, genetics, and genomics.

“I decided to join the GPSA leadership board to give my time and effort back to Cornell graduate students to ensure that we can continue to nourish the wonderful community those before me have established.”

Graduate and Professional Student Programming Board Chairperson: Izzet Kosar

Izzet Kosar is a second-year master of health administration student who studies healthcare operations and strategy.

“I joined the GPSA leadership board because I want to create more opportunities for graduate and professional students to connect and build a strong sense of community.”

Faculty Advising, Teaching, and Mentorship Award Committee Chairperson: Andi Garcia-Ortiz

Andi Garcia-Ortiz is a doctoral student in biomedical engineering who studies the impact of sclerostin monoclonal antibody treatment on in vivo osteocyte mechanosensitivity—how bone-building drugs used to treat female osteoporosis impact the ability of certain bone cells to respond to mechanical loading.

“During my time with GPSA, I have seen the Faculty Advising, Teaching, and Mentoring Award Committee transform from a committee that went largely unrepresented to a crowning jewel and staple of GPSA. As a Ph.D. candidate, I have had the pleasure of serving as a teaching assistant for several undergraduate and graduate courses and know the long-lasting impact quality mentorship can have on students.”

Diversity and International Students Committee Chairperson: Kritika Dahal

Kritika Dahal is a second-year master of public administration student with a concentration in data science who studies data science, public policy, and infrastructure and is also completing certification in infrastructure policy management and finance.

“As an international student from Nepal, I understand how important it is to have a supportive community and strong student representation. I joined the GPSA leadership board because I wanted to help create a more inclusive and engaging experience for graduate and professional students, advocate for their needs, and organize initiatives that bring people together. It has also been a great opportunity to develop my leadership skills while giving back to the Cornell community.”