UNH Today

The Carsey School of Public Policy is proud to count not one but two alum on this year’s prestigious Union Leader “40 Under Forty” list. They include Sarah Wrightsman G’17, a graduate of the Master in Public Policy (MPP) program, and Kathryn Lilly Mone G’07, who graduated from the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program.

Wrightsman serves as the executive director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast and the housing planner for the Regional Economic Development Center. The Nottingham, New Hampshire, native earned her associate of applied science in culinary arts and nutrition and her Bachelor of Science in nutrition: dietetics from UNH before completing her MPP at Carsey.

“My career has had a couple iterations, but it was when I was a student at the Carsey School that I fell in love with local government and housing policy. And it was the Carsey School that helped me find my current home at the Workforce Housing Coalition,” said Wrightsman. “I started as an intern two summers ago and it’s become the dream job I didn’t know I was dreaming about.”

Wrightsman’s work in the community has earned her a slew of accolades already, including being named to New Hampshire’s 2019 “It List” and the Seacoast Media Group/Catapult Seacoast’s 2019 “10 to Watch” list. Wrightsman was also Stay Work Play/NH Public Radio’s “Civic Leader of the Year” at the 2018 Rising Star Awards. She keeps busy as cohost of the Creative Guts podcast, a contributing writer for the Stay Work Play New Hampshire blog, and a member of the Durham Planning Board and Economic Development Committee.

"It was serendipitous that Carsey’s MPP program showed up when it was time for me to return to graduate school, and I feel lucky to have been able to stay in New Hampshire and focus my education on the state."

“My work is truly fueled by my love for New Hampshire and my desire to ensure the Granite State is a welcoming home to all who want to put their roots down here,” Wrightsman added. “It was serendipitous that Carsey’s MPP program showed up when it was time for me to return to graduate school, and I feel lucky to have been able to stay in New Hampshire and focus my education on the state.

Durham native Mone serves as chief of police of the North Hampton Police Department. A graduate of Oyster River High School, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and political science from UNH before completing her MPA at Carsey. In 2017, she graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. She worked as an officer for the Durham Police Department for 17 years prior to joining the North Hampton department as chief of police in 2018.

Mone’s volunteer work includes serving as the president of the board of directors of the childcare nonprofit Growing Places.

"The knowledge continued to build upon my undergraduate studies of political science and allowed me to focus on the diverse details of the public sector."

“I was fortunate to be able to complete my Master of Public Administration degree while working full time in my chosen field of law enforcement,” said Mone. “The knowledge continued to build upon my undergraduate studies of political science and allowed me to focus on the diverse details of the public sector.”

“I believe that law enforcement has a diverse and far-reaching impact on our local communities in New Hampshire, and it is my goal to further develop policies and cultivate relationships that strengthen the public trust in those of us entrusted with public safety,” Mone added. “Trust in law enforcement and the safety provided is a building block of success in our communities. This relationship building includes outreach to our younger population, including my own two young sons, through education and approachability.”