Summer 2021 Young Global Professionals

Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs

Hezha just completed the third year of his undergraduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth University where he is double majoring in International Relations and Homeland Security. This past spring, Hezha had the honor of interning as a full committee intern for the majority staff of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he worked on pressing policy issues from all over the world. Prior to his time at the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Hezha interned for the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil, for US Congresswoman Susan Wild, the Wilson Center, and at the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States. Hezha is a proud Kurdish-American and the son of refugees. Hearing about his parents’ struggles inspired him to seek a career in public service.

Published work:
An uncertain future for Iran under a minority president
Can AgriTech entrepreneurs save the Middle East’s food supply?
Event recap: After the Insurrection: Domestic violent extremism and the intelligence challenge

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Foresight, Strategy, and Risks Initiative

Imran Bayoumi is a graduate student at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy where he is completing his Masters of Global Affairs. He received his B.A. in Political Studies from Queen’s University in 2020. He has taken an interest in emerging threats, especially from non-state actors throughout his studies and is excited to explore this further in depth during the summer. Outside of work, Imran loves to explore the outdoors and read!

Africa Center

Christopher Brew is a master’s candidate at Tuft University’s Fletcher School studying Law and Diplomacy. Prior to pursuing his degree at Fletcher, Christopher was a development officer with International Crisis Group and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in northern Togo focusing his work on English and gender equality education. Currently, he is a researcher on security, conflict, and politics in the Horn of Africa at the Sahel for the World Peace Foundation and the Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Christopher holds a BA in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and speaks English and French.

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Rimvydas Burba is a master’s candidate at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania studying Diplomacy and International Relations. He graduated from the same university in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Rim participated in two Erasmus+ programs which included a study exchange in the Czech Republic and an internship in Cyprus. In early 2020, he was an intern at the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Italian Republic. Rim grew up in a village in southwestern Lithuania and is inspired by nature and receptive to environmental issues. In his free time, Rim likes to spend time with his closest ones, exercise, travel, hike, cook, and read philosophical and psychological novels.

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Samantha is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and minors in both Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and Economic Policy. She is from New York City and grew up in Atlanta, GA, but now lives in Philadelphia.

Published work:
Conspiracy theories emerge in the wake of Haitian president’s assassination

Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs

Caroline Donnal is a master’s candidate in Security Studies at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and a certificate candidate in Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. Her graduate studies focus on international security, multilateralism, and human rights. Prior to Georgetown, Caroline served as an active-duty Air Force officer at United States Central Command, where she worked as an analyst, served on the staff of the Commander and Director of Intelligence, and deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Caroline received her undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University and has language coursework in Turkish and Spanish. She is currently an Air Force Reserve officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff and serves as the director of membership for “Command Purpose,” a non-profit designed to create a supportive community for veteran women.

GeoTech Center

In partnership with the US-Asia Institute’s IMPACT! Filipino American National Internship Program

Matthew Gavieta is a junior at Cornell University majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) with minors in Law & Society and Philosophy. He is the president and founder of the Cornell Intellectual Property and Ethics Club (CIPEC), a professional organization currently engaged in patent inequality research and a case competition addressing accessibility on campus. He is a brother of the Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, works as a peer mentor for the ILR School, and served as treasurer of the Cornell Filipino Association during his sophomore year. Matthew is also an intellectual property analyst for a quickly growing EdTech startup called rapStudy. As an Eagle Scout, he is also heavily involved in Cornell’s outdoor community as a guide for Outdoor Odyssey and a rock-climbing instructor. Matthew is mainly interested in intellectual property law and policy and cybersecurity and plans to write his senior honor’s thesis on the intersection of law, technology, and labor. His main career aspirations are to help shape intellectual property law and policy and work with entrepreneurs.

Global Energy Center

Geronimo is a rising senior at Brown University concentrating in Economics and International & Public Affairs on the Development track. Originally from Mexico City, he has lived in the United States for a decade. A year before coming to university he interned for the Department of Economic Development in Bexar County, Texas, which led him to concentrate his studies on development. He also worked at the North American Development Bank assisting in the financing of renewable energy infrastructure. Geronimo’s academic interests lie in sustainable development, particularly as it relates to renewable energy, and in Latin American politics and history. Outside of class, Geronimo is the vice president of the Brown Model UN Club and president of the Brown International Scholarship Committee. Some of his hobbies include golfing, camping, and cooking barbeque. He will be living in New York City this summer.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Asia Security Initiative

Sanghyun Han is currently an M.A. candidate at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University(SNU). He received B.A. in International Studies and Cultural Management at the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul. He is the author of two book chapters, “The Outer Space of European Union: Focusing on Strategy, Norm, and Industries (In Korean)” and “US-China Technology Competition in Dual-Use Export Control Policy (In Korean).” Before joining Atlantic Council, he worked as a research assistant in the Institute of International Studies, SNU, Center for Foreign Policy Strategy, Korea National Diplomatic Academy(KNDA), and East Asia Foundation(EAF). His research interests include emerging technologies, economy-security nexus, technology control policy, and US-China rivalry.

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Hans Hanley is a first year PhD student in Computer Science Program at the Stanford School of Engineering. Hans is broadly interested in computer security, disinformation, statistics, and machine learning. Before coming to Stanford, Hans completed his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, and earned two master’s degrees in Computer Science and in Statistics at the University of Oxford through the Daniel M. Sachs Scholarship. Outside of research, Hans can often be found performing stand-up comedy, running 10Ks, listening to UK rhythm and blues music, and learning Mandarin Chinese.

Published work:
Misinformation regarding France’s COVID-19 “health passes” spread on Twitter
Iranian social media exploit US-based conspiracies regarding USS Liberty incident
China weaponizes discovery of graves at Canadian residential schools to avoid Xinjiang criticism
Pro-Kremlin media echo Chinese outlets that COVID lab leak theory is a U.S. disinfo campaign
Iranian accounts promote anti-Israel hashtags in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war
Nigerian Twitter users flock to VPNs amid dubious legal threats

GeoEconomics Center

William is a rising senior at Stanford University, where he studies economics and is a writing a thesis on U.S. economic relations with China. On campus, he’s involved in national security research and promoting public service careers. In the past, he’s worked in state politics and on voting rights, and he hopes to work in international economic policy after graduation. William is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and loves following the NBA in his free time.

Europe Center

Luka Ignac is a McHenry Global Public Service Fellow, a certificate candidate with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and an MA candidate in German and European Studies at Georgetown University. His studies center on transatlantic security cooperation and the dynamics of EU-NATO cooperation. Luka has a diverse background of transatlantic experiences across the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. He interned with the BMW Group Government and External Affairs, Croatian Embassy in the U.S., the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics, and the UCLouvain’s Center for comparative and political science (CESPOL). Luka graduated summa cum laude from DePauw University, where he holds a B.A. in Political Science and French. Additionally, Ignac is an alumnus of State Department Exchange Programs, One Young World, Clinton Global University, and Global-In-Fellowship. Luka is from Zagreb, Croatia.

Published work:
Policy memo: A digital agenda for the Three Seas Initiative Summit

Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center

In partnership with the US-Asia Institute’s IMPACT! Filipino American National Internship Program

Andrea is an undergraduate at Yale University majoring in Global Affairs. On campus, she serves as the political chair for Kasama: The Filipinx Club at Yale, executive producer at the Yale Daily News Podcast Desk, and peer liaison for first-year students with the Asian American Cultural Center. She also conducts research on housing inequality for Desegregate CT, contributing to zoning reform advocacy at both the state and local levels. Andrea is originally from Manila, Philippines but grew up between the Philippines and the US. She is deeply interested in the intersections of transnational migration, environmental justice, and infrastructure development in the Asia-Pacific.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Forward Defense

Alyxandra graduated with honors from New York University, where she majored in history and political science and was the recipient of the Founders Day Award. She has a MA in international history from Columbia University and an MSc in international and world history from the London School of Economics, where she graduated with distinction. Her dissertation focused the deployment of theater nuclear weapons to Turkey in 1960, looking at both bilateral considerations and their larger role in NATO’s nuclear sharing program. Prior to interning at the Atlantic Council, she was a legislative intern for Senator Barbara Boxer and a finance department intern for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign. She has recently worked as a researcher for Honest Ads, a nonprofit based in New York City that aims to bring truth to political advertising. Her research interests include the role of nuclear deployments in diplomacy, great power politics, and nonconventional influences on security policy.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Transatlantic Security Initiative

Demetrios is pursuing a Master of Arts in Security Studies at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, with a concentration in International Security. His coursework has covered US National Security Policy, Grand Strategy, and European and Latin American security issues. Demetrios served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps for over 11 years where he piloted UH-1Y “Huey” helicopters. He later served as a liaison officer for diplomatic security with the State Department working in the US Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany. Demetrios graduated from Northeastern University in 2009 with a bachelor’s in Journalism and a minor in Spanish. He spent one semester at the Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain, completing a Spanish language immersion program. He speaks Spanish and Greek and has traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, and Asia in both a personal and professional capacity.

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Felipe Félix Méndez is a senior at Brown University studying International & Public Affairs (Development) as well as Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Felipe completed internships in diversity and inclusion strategy at Panasonic Corporation North America, as well as in public relations consulting and journalism in Panama City, Panama. At Brown, Felipe has worked as the teaching assistant for the course “Economic Development in Latin America” and as a student assistant for the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Brown Political Review. Previously, he founded and led the Spanish-language publication of The College Hill Independent, volunteered with the Brown Refugee Youth Tutoring and Enrichment program, and was a founding member of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs Student Advisory Council. Felipe is from Panama and Uruguay, is a native Spanish-speaker, speaks fluent English, and is proficient in Portuguese.

Published work:
The steep costs of missing US ambassadors in Latin America and the Caribbean

Maia is a recent graduate of Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and an Honors Certificate in International Business Diplomacy. She became passionate about technology and cybersecurity while working at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, a Georgetown-based think-tank, and decided to learn more about this field. Her master’s project focused on U.S.-Russia cyber relations, analyzing their cyber/information security policies and discussing the prospects of cyber cooperation between the two countries. Previously, Maia attended Clark University and graduated with double highest honors in Political Science and Economics. Additionally, she is a Young Professionals Network Fellow at Eurasia Foundation and currently lives in Washington, DC. Maia is from Tbilisi, Georgia.

Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center

Kirian is a rising senior at the University of Southern California, where he is majoring in International Relations and the Global Economy and concurrently pursuing a master’s degree in Public Diplomacy. Growing up with a German-Spanish mother and an American father in the Bay Area inspired Kirian to study international issues, focusing particularly on global climate change. On campus, Kirian is the vice president of Glimpse from the Globe, an international relations publication, and is co-director at the Global Policy Institute, a student-run think tank.  

GeoTech Center

Sana Moazzam is a recent graduate from American University’s School of International Service. She majored in International Studies with a concentration in Global Economy and minored in Finance. During her four years in undergrad, she had the opportunity to intern for Congress, U.S. Department of the Treasury and other entities. Sana’s proudest achievements of 2020 were presenting her senior capstone on water purification in Pakistan and completing her first 8k run. On her days off, Sana enjoys traveling, spending time with her family (and new puppy!) in Washington State and hiking national parks in the Pacific Northwest. She is Pakistani American.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Global Strategy Initiative

Audrey Oien is a recent graduate of Coastal Carolina University where she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Intelligence & National Security Studies and Language & Intercultural Studies, concentrating in Mandarin Chinese and Russian. In 2019 and 2020, Audrey was awarded the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ China Government Scholarship to study Chinese in Beijing, China. Her main research interests include great power competition, international relations, and national security. Audrey has previously interned at the Institute for the Study of War and the United States Military Academy.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Forward Defense

Raphael Piliero is a 2020 graduate of Georgetown University, with a bachelor’s degree in government. During his time at Georgetown, Raphael managed a debate coaching company in the e-learning industry, and also worked with the House Foreign Affairs Chairman and United Nations Association. He also participated in College Policy Debate, where he was a top 16 debater in the nation. Raphael has had numerous publications featured in outlets such as The Diplomat, Political Wire, and US-China Perception Monitor, and co-authored a study report on space arms control.

Published work:
Pentagon Deputy Hicks should say ‘yes’ to nuclear modernization, ‘no’ to a ‘no first use’ policy
100 ideas for the first 100 days, #69: Modernize the Ground Leg of the US Nuclear Triad
100 ideas for the first 100 days, #81: Maintain a Technological Advantage Over Adversaries

GeoTech Center

Benjamin Schatz is a junior at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service where he studies Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA), concentrating on security. He also minors in Latin American Studies and Computer Science. His coursework focuses on the intersection of technology and international development and he intends to continue learning about how new technologies can solve global issues.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Cyber Statecraft Initiative

Frances is a current undergrad at Stanford studying in Symbolic Systems, an interdisciplinary major that combines Computer Science, Psychology, and Linguistics, and minoring in International Relations with a focus on International Security. As a result of working with the NSA through the Hacking 4 Defense course this year, she developed an interest in the intelligence community and hopes to pursue a career after graduation within the IC focusing on cybersecurity. Frances is originally from Texarkana, Texas, a small town on the border of Texas and Arkansas but will be spending the summer between New York and DC. 

GeoEconomics Center

Varsha Shankar is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania studying International Relations with minors in Japanese, Economics, and Survey Research & Data Analytics. Although from India, she grew up around the world, having lived in Singapore, the Philippines, and Japan. This experience helped form both her personal and academic interests. Within the International Relations major, Varsha is pursuing the International Political Economy track, which looks at the interaction between states and markets. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Varsha interned at the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, where she most recently served as lead research assistant for a book on the Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice. On campus, she is the lead project manager of Consult for America, a small-business consulting organization. In her free time, she enjoys podcasts, cooking, and hiking.

Europe Center

Michaela Shapiro is originally from São Paulo, Brazil and grew up in the suburbs of New York City. After graduating from Northwestern University in 2018 where she studied European History, Michaela spent a year teaching English in a small village outside of Paris. She is currently based in London where she is completing a master’s in Global Politics at the London School of Economics. Michaela is particularly interested in US-EU relations and how to strengthen transatlantic relations in the areas of human rights and international migration.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—New American Engagement Initiative

Warisha Siddiqui is an undergraduate student in her third year at Tufts University pursuing a degree in International Relations and Arabic. On campus, she is a student leader for the South Asian Political Action Community where she organizes events and discussions regarding political issues facing South Asia and its diaspora. She is also an active member of the Tufts Women in International Relations and the University Chaplaincy. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Warisha completed an internship with Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards where she handled housing policy and created research memos to inform current legislation. Warisha is deeply interested in gender, security studies, and US foreign policy.

Global Energy Center

Nadia Udochi is a graduate student at Sciences Po’s Paris School of International Affairs and the London School of Economics, pursuing her MA in International Energy and MSc in Development Management with concentrations in African Studies and African Development. She received her BA in Government from Cornell University in 2020 and studied with Cornell in Washington in Spring 2019 where she wrote and presented her policy paper, “Fighting Oil Corruption in Nigeria.” Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Nadia interned at Results for Development (R4D), and worked on the Leveraging Transparency to Reduce Corruption project (LTRC), a global action-research initiative led by R4D’s Accountability and Citizen Engagement practice and the Brookings Institution’s Governance program. On campus, Nadia is the Women in Energy Representative of the Sciences Po Energy Association and president of the Women in Energy Initiative. She is also a participant in the 2021 McKinsey & Company Next Generation Women Leaders program.

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security—Forward Defense

Vikram Venkatram is a recent graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he studied Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a minor in Biology. He is also currently a second-year graduate student in Georgetown’s Security Studies Program. Originally from San Jose, California, his main interests lie in biosecurity issues, ranging from pandemic preparedness to emerging biotechnology to environmental security to bioethics.

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Avani Yadav is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, studying Applied Mathematics and Economics with an English minor. She is passionate about the intersection of technology and human rights and has been working as an OSINT researcher and lab manager at the Human Rights Center at Berkeley Law for the past 3 years. Through the lab, she has worked with a variety of legal, academic, and journalism organizations on projects spanning the globe. She is particularly interested in protests and elections, and recently co-led a team of over 60 graduate and undergraduate researchers monitoring the 2020 US Presidential Election in collaboration with the Associated Press, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, and Amnesty International. In her free time, Avani loves hiking, traveling, and a good book.

Published work:
How pro-democracy activists in Myanmar keep their movement alive with hashtags
Eight trends in online militia movement communities since the US Capitol Riot
Tucker Carlson NSA claims spread in right-wing media ecosystem, amplified by radio networks on Facebook