“By Staying Near, We Can Go Far.” How Stony Brook Laid the Foundation for the Success of Czareena Dotchev, MA ’13 

Since obtaining her master’s degree in public policy at Stony Brook University, Czareena Dotchev, MA ’13, has been advocating for legislation and building coalitions to drive meaningful change on Capitol Hill. She was recently featured in City & State’s 2025 “Who’s Who in Government Relations.” With this honor, Dotchev is thrilled to have a larger platform to share her voice. “I feel like this is the beginning of a new chapter in my life to amplify the advocacy that I’m currently working on at the International Trademark Association,” said Dotchev. “Being highlighted by this prestigious organization gives me a megaphone to show how public policy impacts the economy and people’s lives.”

While at Stony Brook, Dotchev interned in the Long Island regional office of New York Sen. Charles Schumer. That internship landed her a full-time role as a representative for Schumer’s Long Island regional office after graduation. Currently, Dotchev works in government relations at the International Trademark Association (INTA), where she focuses on strategies that influence trademark legislation and policy on national and international fronts. “Because of my thorough understanding of public policies, I am now able to advocate for those policies and use my government experience — and what I learned at Stony Brook — and put that all together in my role at INTA,” said Dotchev.

Dotchev recently attended the annual INTA meeting in San Diego, California, where she joined intellectual property (IP) professionals, business leaders, government officials and solutions providers to explore the latest trends and advancements in the trademark and IP world. She took time out of her busy schedule to speak with SB Matters about her time at Stony Brook and her future career goals.

What was your time like at Stony Brook? What are your favorite memories?

I went straight into the master’s program at Stony Brook after I got my undergraduate degree at Queens College in three years. When I got there, I knew a lot of undergraduates still on campus. I was a commuter, but I spent a lot of time at Stony Brook with my friends, getting involved in fun activities like the Roth Regatta. I would stay on campus pretty late, studying with my fellow classmates. I also spent a lot of my time with my cohort in the public policy program, as we helped each other navigate pursuing internships and full-time jobs. One of my favorite memories was while we were studying for finals, we saw little notes scattered across campus. The note said, “SBU accepted you because they knew that you would succeed. Prove them right. Good luck on finals.” That really motivated me to focus and study harder.

My favorite moment, which is cliche, was graduation. At the time of graduation, I was interning with Sen. Schumer, and he was the main commencement speaker. I was asked to assist with getting him in and onto the stage and then off the stage! This was my first glimpse into what it’s like to staff an elected official and how large events are organized. It was very cool to be backstage with him at my own graduation. 

How did the public policy program prepare you for your career?

The public policy program was such a great foundation. I had two mentors, who have since passed, who were very instrumental in teaching me what I needed to know for my first job with Sen. Schumer. Professor Lee Koppelman’s course on urban planning opened my eyes to what it takes to actually build a community or even a place like Long Island, and what planning is instrumental to keep people happy in their day-to-day lives. I had never really thought about how, if you thoughtfully plan a community in the right way, people will stay there from when they are born to when they pass away. 

I also really enjoyed Professor Irving Like’s course on the Fire Island National Seashore. I took the class around the time that Superstorm Sandy hit Long Island. We were able to learn, in real time, about the importance of having Fire Island as a barrier island to protect Long Island from an ecological standpoint. Most people view Fire Island as a beautiful place to spend the summer, but Long Island wouldn’t be protected without it. The course focused on what the Army Corps of Engineers does and how to leverage public policy to strengthen the barrier island.

While working in Sen. Schumer’s office, I was responsible for collaborating with FEMA and dealing with the aftermath and recovery post-Sandy. If I didn’t have an understanding of how to get financing for the Army Corps of Engineers studies, I would have struggled to get things done. I’m so grateful to Professors Koppelman and Like for giving me the basic knowledge to be able to succeed, not just in my first roles but in my career.

What are some of your career highlights?

Since it was my first job right after graduation, working for Sen. Schumer was definitely a highlight for me. I served in different roles over the five years I worked with him. I acted as his liaison during press conferences, worked on regional policy research on drug abuse, pedestrian safety and aviation noise, and eventually managed the internship program. I really enjoyed recruiting and mentoring interns — a lot of them from Stony Brook. Since I was an intern, I knew how eager I was to just learn and soak everything in, so when I started managing the program, I wanted to give the interns a great experience. It’s been such a blessing to watch them come in green and blossom. I consider it a great accomplishment of mine to hear about former interns going into different sectors of government and having successful careers.

Another career highlight is my current role in government relations for the INTA. The association has brand owners, trademark practitioners and IP practitioners. I speak with different sectors, understand what their brand is about and distill down what they would need as far as legislation.

I’m responsible for the Capitol Hill office, where I work with government officials and industry leaders to advocate for IP rights. And I work to make sure that there aren’t roadblocks to protect creators and trademarks and make sure their voices are heard by elected officials in terms of policies on IP, trademarks and copyrights.

How does it feel to be featured in City & State?

I’m at a loss for words. You have to be nominated to be featured, and the people who nominated me were colleagues and former interns whom I mentored. It’s truly an honor to be recognized. I put my heart and soul into my work, and I just want to be able to help people and shape the future. I was never really looking for any recognition. And I’m happy to have a bigger platform to share policies and legislation that’s important in the work that I’m currently doing at INTA. I know that it’s a big hill to climb — literally and figuratively — but I know that is just the beginning to getting our voices heard.

What are your future career goals?

For my role with INTA, I split my time between Long Island and Washington, D.C., and I can’t help but see the similarities in what some elected officials do. As I think about my future, I often wonder if this experience is training me to understand what it takes to get things done on Capitol Hill. I think back to when I was a student at Stony Brook, and how Professors Koppelman and Like dedicated their lives to making sure that Long Island was livable for everyone, and how they would stand up for what they believed in. In 10 years, I could see myself holding an elected position, perhaps in Congress, continuing to fight for what I believe in and bringing back good work to Long Island.

What advice do you have for students and recent graduates?

By staying near, you can go far. When I first chose Stony Brook, I was worried I was missing out on something by staying close to home. But looking back, I’m in a better position because I chose Stony Brook. I feel like I’ve accomplished so much in my career in almost 15 years. You don’t need to travel across the country to get a good education. You can travel across campus and get everything you could possibly want at Stony Brook. So, I would tell both students and recent grads to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way — both on campus and in your careers — because those opportunities shape your future, and you never know where they will lead.

-Christine McGrath