Staying informed: Alum’s research helps Congress make important policy decisions

Wh​​en Kimberly Gianopoulos ’88, MA ’89 decided to major in mathematics, she never envisioned that one day she’d be testifying in front of Congress.

As a director in the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) International Affairs and Trade team, Gianopoulos is responsible for providing Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that helps lawmakers make important policy decisions.

“We provide recommendations that are 100% based on evidence and facts. Being able to lead this kind of work is very gratifying,” Gianopoulos says.

Her 30+ year journey with the GAO has brought her all around the world to take deep dives into topics ranging from nuclear power to cryptocurrency — all with a goal of providing the best information possible to our nation’s leaders. And it all began at Binghamton.

As Gianopoulos, a Chester, N.Y., native, studied math during her undergrad, she began to wonder how she could apply her love of numbers.

“I wanted to do something that would take my quantitative background and help me understand the world and solve its problems,” she says.

She credits an intro to world politics course with opening her eyes to options.

“I realized that what we do in the public policy realm has real implications, and if you could use data and facts and analysis to inform those decisions, then that could be a very powerful thing,” she says. “It really made me think I could make a difference.”

Gianopoulos moved on to the master’s program in public policy analysis and administration (the precursor to the Master of Public Administration program) and dove into public policy, which included an independent study on federal budgeting and an internship with the Orange County, N.Y., budget office. She met a recruiter for the GAO on campus and started working there shortly after graduating.

Originally starting out in the New York City office, her time with the GAO brought her everywhere from China to New Zealand to Hawaii to study a wide spectrum of topics.

“I’ve gotten to see the organization from very different perspectives, which I totally recommend to people,” she says. “Just doing something different gives you such a fresh perspective on your role.”

Now in Washington, D.C., Gianopoulos is responsible for a portfolio of trade-related subjects. She oversees teams that research topics such as intellectual property rights, free trade agreements, international investments and sanctions.

Tasked with taking complex, important issues and making them easier for others to understand, Gianopoulos has learned that a key element of leadership is mastering the skill of communication.

“Who is your audience? What do they need to know about this topic? You need to know what you can provide to them, and how that is going to meet a need,” she says. “Being able to communicate succinctly and directly, whether in written or oral communication, is absolutely critical.”

While her role has changed over the years, her core passion — finding the meaning in the numbers — is still integral to everything she does.

“You can look at a spreadsheet, but without context, it isn’t very meaningful. What we do is add that context and let people know what it all means,” she says. “That purpose is something I was looking for as far back as Binghamton. I didn’t want to just work in the theoretical. I wanted to take that and make it meaningful to the real world.”

As a leader, Gianopoulos is most proud when her employees can find ways to connect the theoretical and practical.

“The little ‘aha’ moments along the way, when our research teams discover something after working hard, are wonderful — especially when they’re so excited about what they found,” she says. “They are taking things to the next level, and it’s exciting. It’s terrific to see people succeed.”