Policy & Practice | Fall 2024

staff spotlight

Name: Raneem Karboji Title: Policy Coordinator

of Representatives, the El Paso Mayor and Council, and a local Domestic Violence Shelter. What I Can Do for Our Members: I coordinate peer learning with state and local agency practitioners in the areas of SNAP, TANF, Child Care, and Child Welfare. Best Way to Reach Me: You can reach me via email at rkarboji@aphsa.org. When Not Working: I am either reading with an iced coffee at hand, hiking, swimming, or (my favorite) chasing after my nephews and niece! Motto to Live By: “Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished.” —Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on anti-hunger and anti-poverty work to prevent involve ment in the justice system in the first place. Since then, I have worked on child nutrition, housing, and tax policy, as well as SNAP outreach and policy. What I Can Do for Our Members: I am always willing to listen to the needs and concerns of members to see how I can support them. I am also happy to provide insight on SNAP policy and outreach. Best Way to Reach Me: You can reach me via email at bturpin@aphsa.org. When Not Working: I enjoy cooking, reading (add me on Goodreads), watching movies and TV, playing video games, and going to farmers’ markets. Motto to Live By: “Dialogue cannot exist … in the absence of a profound love for the world and for people.” —Paulo Freire

Time at APHSA: I have been at APHSA almost one—amazing—year! Priorities at APHSA: My role at APHSA is to support the work of the

Policy team and respective Work Groups and Communities of Practice, as well as to monitor and analyze legislative, regulatory, and policy developments to create timely mate rials for meetings, reports, newsletters, and briefs. Life Before APHSA: I had just completed the Emerson National Hunger Fellowship prior to joining APHSA. Before the fellowship I worked for the Texas House

Name: Blake Turpin Title: Process Innovation Associate Time at APHSA: I have been at APHSA since April 2024. Priorities at APHSA: I wear a variety of hats across Process

Innovation projects, including our Aligned Customer Centered Ecosystem of Services and Supports (ACCESS), Connecting SNAP and Nutrition Supports (CSNS), and AI-Powered SNAP Modernization (APSM) projects. My priority is making programs and systems work better for agencies and customers. Life Before APHSA: I studied Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice with plans to attend law school and pursue a career as a public defender. However, I decided to pivot and focus my career

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