Sié Fellow Alumni

Alumni Sié Fellows

2021

• Anushka Bose

  Anushka is an MA candidate in International Security at Korbel, and she recently graduated from Purdue University, where she studied Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, along with minors in Sociology and Communication. During her time at Purdue, she interned at the Institute of Global Security and Defense Innovation, an interdisciplinary startup dedicated to promoting research and development in defense technology and capability in the United States. In addition to her coursework and relevant experience, Anushka cites her international upbringing as an instrumental force in driving her to the field of international security. Growing up as an Indian national and an expatriate and as a Third Culture Kid in Dhahran, a multicultural city in Saudi Arabia, Anushka was exposed to an arena of international affairs. She lived in Saudi Arabia during key events in history, such as the Arab Spring, the war in Syria, the rise of extremist groups, and the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This experience allowed her to have a new vantage point to understand international conflict, and inspired her to learn more about geopolitical challenges that arise from economic turmoil, political destabilization, and extremist ideologies. Anushka is also passionate about writing and has published articles on college and international newspapers, as well as on various blogs. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, photography, learning languages, and prioritizing health and fitness.

• Giulia Bova

  Giulia is excited to join Korbel as an MA candidate in International Development with a certificate of Global Health Affairs. She was born in Italy and grew up outside of Chicago prior to moving to Montreal, Canada to complete her Bachelor's in International Development Studies at McGill University. After her undergraduate studies, she moved to Boston, where she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer at a literacy non-profit. She then taught World History and ELA at charter schools in Boston, while also completing a Master's in Teaching. Giulia is a recently returned Peace Corps Rwanda volunteer (2016-2018). During her Peace Corps service, she taught English to secondary students and worked on public health projects related to malaria and sexual and reproductive health. After her Peace Corps service, Giulia worked at Guild Education at a Student Success Advisor. She is also a co-founder of The Now Exchange, a women's health organization aimed at increasing access to reproductive health services and knowledge for women working in the Read-Made Garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh.

• Zachary Lien

  Born and raised in Idaho, Zach earned degrees in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Idaho in 2018. An avid researcher and reader, he has dedicated most of his research to the role of religion in human rights, revolution, and international relations. Specifically, Zach focused on the human rights violations perpetuated by apostasy and blasphemy laws as well as the consequences those laws inflict on the lives of apostates. Zach continued this research as a Mount Vernon Leadership Fellow at the Library of Congress, as a Rangel Scholar at Howard University, as an undergraduate student studying abroad in Israel, and as a presenter at the Wheatley Conference for Religion and World Affairs. At Korbel, he plans to continue studying the nexus of religion and human rights by pursuing an MA in International Studies with a certificate in Religion and International Affairs. Zach also enjoys movie marathons, pub trivia, and eSports.

• Daniel Rinner

  Originally from Overland Park, Kansas, Daniel is an MA student in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration. In 2019 he earned a bachelor's in economics and international studies with a minor in mathematics from the University of Denver. As an undergraduate, Daniel conducted research on human-wildlife conflict mitigation in Kenya and wrote his thesis on the implications of the 2008 financial crisis for U.S. immigrants' remittance. Additional experiences include work in peer education for gender-based violence prevention and an internship with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet's Denver office. Daniel eventually hopes to produce research that improves development policy through a career in academia.

• Savannah Wallace

  Originally from rural Western New York, Savannah graduated from American University in 2016 with a BA in International Studies. As an undergraduate, she completed internships with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the U.S. Department of State's Office of International Religious Freedom, and Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26). She also studied abroad at Peking University in Beijing, China. Following graduation, she started working at the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service Institute. Savannah primarily planned cultural events, created and implemented administrative policies, designed a communications plan, and coded qualitative data. She also learned more about the conduct of American diplomacy and hopes to join the U.S. Foreign Service. Savannah is pursuing an MA in International Studies at Korbel and enjoys reading, traveling, and graphic design.

 

2020

• Deema Almoayyed

  Deema obtained her MA in International Development and centered her research on gender and development, with a primary focus on the Middle East. Originally from the Kingdom of Bahrain, Deema completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, where she majored in Finance and Commercial Law. She then returned home and pursued a career in research and management consulting for several prominent governmental organizations. Through this work, she familiarized herself with local development programs targeting women, students, farmers, and other segments of Bahraini society, and took an interest in international development. In line with her passion for women's rights, she also held a volunteer position as a crisis advocate for Women's Crisis Care International, where she provided advocacy services for victims of domestic and sexual abuse in Bahrain. Deema has been granted the Fulbright scholarship to study at the Josef Korbel School.

• Bilen Gurara

  Bilen obtained her MA in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration. She is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Bilen holds degrees in Economics from Addis Ababa University. She was involved in various research projects when she was working at the Ethiopian Development Research Institute. Her academic research interests include political economy, development in sub-Saharan Africa, economic integration and socio-economic policies in developing countries. She enjoys taking long walks and reading in her spare time.

• Caroline Holdren

  Caroline obtained her MA in International Studies and explored her interests in foreign policy and international security. Originally from Ohio, Caroline attended the University of Michigan where she received a BA in Public Policy in 2014. Upon graduation, Caroline commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer in the United States Army. Throughout her four years of service, Caroline completed multiple assignments with different units across the United States Army Special Operations Command and participated in training exercises and deployments to Southeast Asia, Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and Afghanistan. Living in the Pacific Northwest for the past three years, Caroline is excited to continue climbing mountains, pursuing outdoor activities, and enjoying a lot more sunshine while living in Denver.

• Amber Hunt

  Amber obtained her MA in International Security. Amber was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a BA in Political Science, Linguistics, and East Asian Studies and a minor in Spanish. During her time at UA, Amber studied Japanese politics abroad in Tokyo for a semester then taught English for a summer in South Korea. Following graduation, she spent two years teaching English in Himeji, Japan as a participant in the Phoenix Sister Cities Teach Abroad program.

• Micaela Iveson

  Prior to completing her MA in International Development from the Josef Korbel School, Micaela worked for the ONE Campaign in Washington, DC. At ONE, Micaela helped plan and execute advocacy campaigns that promoted the health, education, and economic empowerment of women and girls throughout sub-Saharan Africa - work that took her everywhere from the sidelines of rock concerts to the floor of the UN General Assembly. She has also held fellowships with the Andrew Goodman Foundation and the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, which included policy research on engaging youth living in poverty with educational and professional opportunities. Micaela graduated with Summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of Idaho, earning a BA in International Studies. She was born and raised in Reno, Nevada, and enjoys running, road-tripping, and performing stand-up comedy.

• Caitlin O'Brien

  Cait obtained her MA in International Development. She is a recently returned Peace Corps Zambia Volunteer and Teach for America Alumni. While in Africa she focused on rural education development and sexual reproductive health for youth and HIV/AIDS vulnerable populations. Her projects included electrifying the village's school, hosting multiple HIV testing and education events in the village, as well as leading female youth empowerment camps and clubs. Cait is a competitive marathon runner and outdoor enthusiast.

• Dana Parke

  Dana completed her MA in International Development, as well as the Global Health Affairs Certificate. A native Michigander, she earned her Bachelor of Arts from Oakland University's Honors College with a triple major in International Relations, African Studies, and French. She also spent a semester at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal. Since 2013, Dana has been working at the Global Health Initiative at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. In her role as Capacity Development Coordinator, she leads GHI's medical education and training initiatives globally, including training Haitian medical students to conduct surveys on healthcare utilization in internally displaced communities in Haiti, leading an educational needs assessment of physicians in India, designing a nursing exchange program in Jamaica, exploring partnerships and the health landscape in Ethiopia and Ghana, organizing the Annual Global Health Symposium, and more. Her leadership in her career merited her one of Oakland University's 2017 "10 Within 10" Young Alumni Awards. She has over 10 publications in journals including the Journal of Developing Societies, Annals of Global Health, Malaria Journal, and European External Affairs Review. She plans to dedicate her career to strengthening African cities' capacities to provide equitable access to health.

• Brittny Parsells-Johnson

  Brittny obtained her MA in International Human Rights, while at the Korbel School, she explored her interests in transitional justice and conflict response. Brittny began her career in public diplomacy and international exchanges, first working at a university study abroad organization and then at the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She later moved to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, where she managed foreign assistance grants to promote and protect human rights abroad. Her portfolio included atrocity prevention, documentation, forensic anthropology, memorialization, and truth-telling initiatives. Brittny is interested in the different ways countries and communities address legacies of conflict and human rights abuses. She is looking forward to bolstering her previous work experience with theories and methods for becoming a stronger advocate for justice and accountability.

• Sinduja Raja

  Sinduja Raja obtained a Master's in Development Studies from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Through this five-year interdisciplinary engagement, she learnt to wed her interests in gender, conflict and foreign policy. Her early foray into research began with field-training at Kabadiwalla Connect (a Global Partnership for Sustainable Development funded social enterprise) in the realm of recyclable waste management and this nascent interest in sustainability led to project with the Ministry of External Affairs (India) on Financing Sustainable Development Goals from an Indian perspective. Her independent research however is grounded in Conflict studies – she studied the legal and political grey areas constructed by the Indian Peacekeeping forces in the Sri Lankan Civil War for her MA thesis.

 

2019

• Leah Breevoort

  A native of Acworth, GA, Leah obtained an MA in International Human Rights. She graduated with honors from the University of Georgia with a degree in broadcast journalism and minor in film studies. Post-graduation, Leah spent a year volunteering as an English teacher in Netanya, Israel where she developed a social entrepreneurship venture aimed at tackling societal stereotypes and discrimination within the Israeli culture. Upon returning to the U.S., Leah began a career in nonprofit marketing and communications with Magen David Adom, Israel's first-aid,blood-services, and disaster-relief organization. As her passion for human rights grew, Leah decided to move to Cambodia and volunteer with Minority Rights Organization working with ethnic Vietnamese and Khmer Krom communities. Most recently, Leah was a communications and advocacy associate with an international development organization in Washington, D.C. focused on economic growth in the developing world. At Korbel, Leah plans to focus her studies on refugee rights within the Middle East. 

• Kelci Burckhardt

  Originally from Alabama, Kelci graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2008 with a degree in global health policy and minor in chemistry. She spent eight years as an analyst in the federal government before beginning her master's degree in international studies at the Korbel School. Kelci's academic interests include conflict resolution, political psychology, institution building and development in post-conflict societies, and sub-Saharan Africa.

• Summer Downs

  Summer Downs obtained an MA in International Administration and a Colorado native. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Global Development Studies from Seattle Pacific University, complemented by numerous distinctions and awards. Summer has extensive experience working with NGOs in locations such as Ghana, Rwanda, northern Iraq, Greece, Guatemala, the Philippines, and Thailand. Her interests as an aspiring scholar-practitioner include complex emergencies, sexual violence, psychosocial trauma, health, and humanitarian assistance, with a regional focus on East Africa. 

• Chris Kallenbach

  Originally from Urbandale, Iowa, Christopher Kallenbach earned his bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and Religious Studies from Iowa State University. Following graduation, Christopher joined the United States Peace Corps as a secondary school English teacher in Cameroon. Outside of the classroom, Christopher devoted his service to public health and sanitation projects, including the development of a trash collection and disposal system across the Bamendjou sub-division. Since returning from Cameroon, Christopher has continued a career in international development in Washington, D.C. working with USAID contractors on countering violent extremism initiatives in South Asia and international public health projects in Southeast Asia. Christopher obtained his MA in International Studies with a certificate in Humanitarian Assistance.

• Shannon Payne

  Born and raised in England, Shannon has lived in Virginia and Florida since moving to the United States. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Anthropology and a minor in Diplomacy. During the summer of 2014, Shannon completed a State Department internship in the Cultural Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. After finishing her bachelor's, Shannon worked at the UCF Global Perspectives Office for two years. There, she facilitated a variety of programs designed to sharpen UCF's international focus, including a distinguished speaker series (with guests such as international journalists, government officials, and Bill Nye the Science Guy). Shannon obtained her MA in International Studies. She enjoys skiing, sunny days, and speculative fiction.

• Tasia Poinsatte

  Tasia graduated summa cum laude from American University in 2013 with a dual degree in International Studies and Environmental Studies, along with minors in French and Economics. As an undergraduate, Tasia studied abroad in Dakar, Senegal, where she taught English at a public primary school. Following graduation, she worked in Ghana as the site manager of an education-focused nonprofit before moving to New York City, where she received a Conservation Corps Fellowship to work for the NYC Parks Department Office of Green Thumb as a school gardens coordinator. For the past year, she has worked as a financial editor in Valparaiso, Chile. When she was 19, Tasia founded a scholarship program serving students from rural communities in Nicaragua, which she continues to direct today. She obtained her MA in International Development. She loves painting, hiking, riding her bicycle, learning languages and organizing co-ed soccer matches wherever she might be in the world.

• Josh Satre

  Josh Satre received a BA with Honors in Political Science from Swarthmore College in 2013. During his time at Swarthmore, he interned for a microfinance organization and studied abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, sparking an interest in conflict resolution. After graduation, Josh interned at Congressman Van Hollen's Office and worked as a legal secretary at the Distilled Spirits Council. He enjoys endurance sports and has completed two marathons, including the Right to Movement marathon in Bethlehem, which fused his interest in running with his interest in conflict resolution and human rights. An avid reader and researcher, Josh is particularly fascinated by stories and research describing the role of institutions in peacebuilding, development, and innovative public partnerships.

• Noa Shapira

  Noa was born and raised in Israel. She served in the Israeli Defense Force for three years as a foreign affairs correspondent for the military radio and later worked for two more years as a journalist covering Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other conflicts around the world. She graduated summa cum laude from Tel Aviv University with a dual degree in Political Science and the Interdisciplinary Program in Humanities - Social Justice, Gender Studies and Judaism. Noa has a vast experience in human rights and conflict-related work, including with an Israeli-Palestinian initiative to resolve conflict, and as an intern with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Israel. Her experience led to an interest in the privatization of conflicts and the way it affects women rights in those conflicts, a subject she pursued at Korbel, with an MA in International Human Rights. She loves baking, travelling, and open-water diving.

• Tom Zolot

  Tom obtained his MA in Conflict Resolution. Tom was born in rural California and attended University of California, Davis. He received his BA there in Linguistics graduating with honors. Following graduation, Tom served two terms with Americorps VISTA in New Orleans. His first term was with the English language night school, Oportunidades NOLA, and the second was with the Center for Restorative Approaches (CRA). He then worked for several years with CRA providing training and facilitation of restorative justice circles. While in New Orleans, Tom also pursued and volunteered with a variety of initiatives including community-police mediation, various gardening programs and working closely with the Brazilian Cultural Arts Center, Arte Reviver NOLA.

 

2018

• Diego Bleifuss Prados

  Originally from Chicago, Diego attended Wesleyan University, where he majored in Neuroscience and Behavior. During and after college he conducted research on epilepsy at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Diego also spent a year teaching English in La Coruña, Spain, and he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso. While there, Diego taught Biology and English and worked to improve education and health in his community through workshops, a water pump project, and academic camps. After Peace Corps, Diego spent a year as a grant writer for SGA Youth & Family Services, a Chicago non-profit, before serving as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Sierra Leone, where he taught Biology and Physics and worked to improve his school's library. Diego graduated with an MA in International Development with interests in education, health, and sub-Saharan Africa. He enjoys reading fiction, playing soccer, and watching birds and the Chicago Cubs.

• Sarah Chasin

  Sarah graduated with an MA in International Development at the Korbel School of International Studies in 2018. Prior to pursuing graduate studies at the Josef Korbel School, Sarah worked with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in New York. There she provided strategic program guidance to cultivate and grow key partnerships supporting UNICEF's global mandate to protect and advance children's rights. Before joining the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Sarah managed field office operations for the Kyrgyz Republic Transition Initiative, a USAID-funded project supporting democratic transition and mitigating conflict in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Sarah served as an AmeriCorps volunteer on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina and graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University in 2009 with a BS in public health.

• Dennis DeBobes

  An undergraduate of Northwestern University, Dennis graduated with an MA in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration in 2018 from the Korbel School of International Studies. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2013 after serving in a variety of leadership, planning, and operational assignments throughout South & Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southwest Asia. He is currently an independent counterterrorism consultant and is also President of Over the Horizon, International, a firm specializing in overseas market entry and international business transactions. He enjoys exploring Colorado's outdoor activities with his wife and three wonderful children.

• Justine Lyons

  Justine Lyons graduated with an MA in International Human Rights in 2018 for the Korbel School of International Studies. She graduated from Barnard College in 2013 with a BA in Political Science and Human Rights and spent a semester in Rwanda with SIT's Post-Genocide Reconciliation and Peacebuilding program. She has worked on several political campaigns in New York City and upstate New York. Justine has also taught English in Taiwan, Palestine, and Cameroon, where she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the education sector from 2014 to 2016. In Cameroon, Justine lived in Bertoua, East Region, and worked with a local primary school to improve literacy rates, including supporting founding of a small school library and a tuition payment plan for parents. During service she also learned to make homemade tortillas and speak a few words of Fulfulde.

• Elise Mann

  Elise is currently completing a Global Health Corps fellowship in Neno, Malawi, where she works as a Community Health Specialist at Partners in Health. At Korbel, Elise focused her studies on human rights, comparative politics, and qualitative methodology; she served as a research assistant for multiple projects over her two years, completed an internship with a public health organization in Zambia, and was involved with student groups related to global health and the African continent. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked for four years at a think tank in Washington DC doing international reproductive health advocacy. Elise received a BA in Political Science and Gender Studies from UW Madison.

• Natália Maraschin

  A native of Passo Fundo, a small town in the south of Brazil, Natália graduated with honors from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in 2015, earning a BA in International Relations. During her undergraduate studies, Natália received a federal grant that allowed her to spend a year studying Iran's history and foreign policy and later conducted additional research on the Middle East and Ukraine. As an undergraduate, Natália also volunteered as a member of the Editorial Board of Perspectiva Magazine, the staff at UFRGS Model United Nations, and Secretary of Academic Affairs at UFRGSMUNDI, a Model UN for underprivileged high school students. At the Josef Korbel School, Natália graduated with an MA in International Studies in 2018 and explored her interests in conflict resolution, strategic studies, human rights, and history.

• Vahaken Mouradian

  Vahaken is from Nicosia, Cyprus. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Lawrence University with a BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. During his time at Lawrence, he conducted field research in Jamaica, interned at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington, D.C., and completed an honors project on the recent rise of radical right parties in Europe, combining empirical research with philosophical argument. Prior to his undergraduate studies, he served in the National Guard of Cyprus and was discharged as a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. At the Josef Korbel School, he graduated with an MA in International Security from the Korbel School and explored his primary interests in foreign policy, conflict resolution, terrorism and insurgency, and interstate war.

• Alexandra Smith

  Alex graduated Korbel in 2018 with her MA in International Development. Her studies focused on both inclusion and design thinking. Alex now works on Tetra Tech's Democracy and Governance team where she manages various USAID projects including a large women's leadership initiative in Afghanistan. While at Korbel, she worked as an Africa Program Officer at a WASH organization and a Research Assistant at the Sié Center. Alex also holds a BA with High Honors in Philosophy with a concentration in Gender Studies from Haverford College. Before Korbel, Alex spent nearly a decade working at the intersection of philanthropy, international development, health, and humanitarian assistance where her work brought her across East Africa.

• Jon Vreede

  A lifelong resident of Michigan, Jon earned a BA with distinction in Public Policy from the University of Michigan with a focus on the economics of foreign policy. As part of his studies, Jon spent a semester working at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he was able to further pursue his interest in countries of the former Soviet Union. Following graduation he worked for the National Democratic Institute in Washington D.C., supporting the promotion of credible and transparent elections around the world. At the Korbel School, Jon graduated with his MA in International Security in 2018.

 

2017

• Emma Dunn

  Emma graduated magna cum laude from the University of San Diego with an honors degree in International Relations and minors in Mathematics and Spanish in 2012. As an undergrad, she discovered a passion for forced displacement issues and published an honors thesis that looked at social movements fighting for autonomy in oppressed populations. Since graduating, her freelance position as Policy and Research Coordinator at ADRS, an economic modeling consultant, has allowed her to travel the world and work for organizations such as Equal Education, a non-profit education advocacy group in South Africa, and the Unit of Attention and Reparation to Victims, in Medellín, Colombia. At Korbel, Emma pursued a concentration in International Human Rights and focused her studies on refugees’ rights and forced displacement.

• Christine Loftus

  Christine graduated with an MA in International Development. She graduated cum laude from Tufts University in 2011 with dual degrees in International Relations and Spanish. Following her graduation, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, working on projects ranging from English teacher training to sports therapy for the disabled. She completed her service in 2013 and moved to Honduras where she began working as a Program Associate for Global Brigades. In this role, she worked with the Public Health, Water, Architecture and Microfinance Programs. She soon developed a passion for microfinance and business development as a means of promoting gender equality and reducing poverty. She deepened her knowledge of the nexus between inclusion and economic development while at the Korbel School before pursuing a career in this field.

• Aaron Moritz

  Aaron graduated with his MA in International Development. He was raised in Wisconsin and earned a BA in English: Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, where he graduated with highest honors. He cites a summer of building hiking trails with the Student Conservation Association in Utah’s Manti-La Sal National Forest as the catalyst for his desire to experience the world, a desire which ultimately led to him studying abroad in Paris, working on a goat farm in Southern France, and serving in Peace Corps. In Peace Corps, Aaron was placed in Guinea’s Fouta Djallon region, where he was partnered with a small gardening cooperative. There he discovered an interest in food security, a subject he explored in depth at Korbel.

• Andrew Ortendahl

  Originally from Boston, Andrew earned his BA from Oberlin College, graduating in 2011 with departmental high honors in Politics, a minor in French, and a concentration in International Studies. Prior to attending the Korbel School, he worked at CRDF Global, a non-profit in Arlington, Virginia that focuses on nonproliferation and international science issues, and is an implementer for the U.S. Department of State’s Global Threat Reduction programs. He also previously interned at the Institute for Science and International Security, a nonproliferation and arms control think tank in Washington, D.C. Andrew’s fields of interest include international relations theory, international security, and nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. He graduated with his MA in International Security at Korbel.

• Patrick Pierson

  Patrick Pierson is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at Emory University. His research interests include conflict, human rights, comparative political economy of development, politics of informal governance, and non-state service provision. Patrick received his BA in International Affairs from the University of Georgia and was a member of the 2017 class of Sié Fellows at the Korbel School. Prior to graduate school, Patrick worked for a number of non-profits focused on issues of homelessness and community development in the American South.

• Trishna Rana

  Trishna was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal. She graduated with honors from Mount Holyoke College (Massachusetts) in 2010 where she majored in Political Science with a minor in Gender Studies. After graduation, she worked for a year as a volunteer English teacher at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. She then returned to Kathmandu, where she joined an English language weekly called Nepali Times as a reporter and editor. She wrote editorials and op-ed pieces on the country’s elections, the post-war reconciliation process, and women in politics. Trishna has also worked as a media fellow for PANOS South Asia and traveled across Nepal studying the accomplishments and limitations of the country’s transitional justice mechanism. The project culminated in a book chapter which examines the gendered narratives of Nepal’s decade-long conflict by looking at biographies and diaries of women. At Korbel, Trishna earned her MA in International Studies and explored her research interests in post-conflict societies and the gendered implications of violence.

• Adam Ratzlaff

  Adam Ratzlaff is a PhD student in International Relations at Florida International University. His research interests include U.S.-Latin American foreign policy, Sino-Latin American foreign policy, Pan-American cooperation, regional integration efforts, democratization, the defense of democracy in the Americas, and economic and social development in Latin America. Ratzlaff has worked with the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Commitment to Equity Institute, Charged Affairs, and Southern Pulse Correspondents. Both Adam's op-eds and academic work have been featured in various sources. He holds an MA in International Studies from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies (University of Denver), as well as a BA from Tulane University where he triple majored in International Relations, Economics, and Latin American Studies. Feel free to connect with Adam either via LinkedIn or on Twitter @adam_ratzlaff.

• Natalie Southwick

  Natalie earned an MA in International Human Rights. Born and raised just outside of Boston, she has all the defining characteristics of a Massachusetts native, including extreme emotional attachments to professional sports teams and serious candlepin bowling skills. She graduated cum laude from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and worked at The Boston Globe before beginning an AmeriCorps year of service with a program for middle-school students in Boston. After finishing AmeriCorps, she moved to Bogotá, Colombia, to spend a year as a volunteer English teacher with WorldTeach. She ended up staying for 2.5 more years, working with a USAID-funded development project, a human rights NGO focused on US policy in Latin America, as a freelance journalist and, most recently, as the editor of a website covering news in Latin America. She is interested in exploring the relationship between advocacy, communications and human rights in Latin America, and is perpetually counting down the days until she can go back to Colombia.

 

2016

• Matthew Bloise

  Matt Bloise is a fifth-generation Coloradan. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where he studied English, History and Philosophy, and interned for Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO 5). After graduation, he returned to Washington as a legislative reporter for the Congress, and would eventually become a freelance journalist. Matt moved to Southern California and wrote for a variety of publications, but focused his work on local government in Santa Barbara County. Deciding to change directions, he signed up for the Peace Corps and was delighted to receive an assignment in China. He spent two years teaching English at Chongqing University of Technology, in a sprawling metropolis in western China, learning to enjoy spicy food and trying to understand the Middle Kingdom. He graduated with an MA in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration program, and hopes to work in the private sector upon graduation. His hobbies include literature, travel, hiking and microbrew root beer. 

• Morgan Brokob

  Morgan graduated with an MA in International Studies with a concentration in gender. While at Korbel, she worked with Professor Rebecca Galemba as a research assistant studying wage theft among immigrant day laborers in the Denver area. She also worked as a volunteer translator for Human Rights Watch through her participation in the Humanitarian Assistance Applied Research Group. While traveling in Dharamsala, India, she studied Tibetan nonviolent movements and interned at the Center for Living Buddhist Art. Before studying at DU, Morgan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with degrees in International Studies and Arabic and a minor in Spanish.

• Catherine Clark

  A native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Catherine graduated with highest distinction from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill with a BA in International Studies, concentrating in politics, nation-states, and social movements.  After graduation, she spent two years serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines where she worked as an English teacher in a rural high school.  During her service, Catherine collaborated on several projects designed to promote English education in rural schools and organized activities to engage local youth in environmental service.  With her service completed, Catherine graduated with an MA in International Development at Korbel and explored her interests in human rights, education and global health.

• Aleksandra Egorova

  Aleksandra is from St. Petersburg, Russia. She graduated with honors from the Smolny-Bard College double diploma program, earning a BA in International Relations, Political Science, and Human Rights. During her studies at Smolny, she volunteered as a Russian language teacher to migrant children and worked as a faculty assistant helping with publications on African conflict minerals. She also studied abroad with the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program in New York City, where she interned with Seeds of Peace, a peacebuilding NGO. During her senior year, she wrote her thesis on conflict resolution and disaster diplomacy and co-authored a publication on the “New Silk Road” as part of the Stanford U.S.-Russia forum. At the Josef Korbel School, Aleksandra graduated with an MA in International Studies with a concentration in conflict resolution. She worked as a research assistant for the Project on Environment, Food, and Conflict at the Sié Center.

• Benjamin Evans

  A native of Dallas, Texas, Ben is a MA candidate in International Studies. Ben graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Rhodes College in 2014, earning his BA in History and International Studies. During his time at Rhodes, Ben published independent archival research on the 1878 epidemic of yellow fever in Memphis. Additionally, he has worked as an intern in the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, where he researched transatlantic maritime cooperation and security. At Korbel, Ben explored his research interests in the Middle East and North Africa, political Islam, and social movements. As a Sié Fellow, Ben was a research assistant for the Program on Terrorism and Insurgency Research with Dr. Erica Chenoweth.

• Sarah Friend

  Sarah is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated magna cum laude from Ohio State University, earning her BA in International Relations and Diplomacy, with minors in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. Following graduation, Sarah served as a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco. During her service, she ran after-school programs for youth, organized several day and overnight camps, and taught aerobics classes at a local women's associations. She graduated with an MA in International Development. 

• Christine Myers

  Christine graduated with an MA in International Security from the Korbel School, focusing on conflict issues with particular emphasis on Latin America and the Middle East. She holds dual BA degrees in International Politics and Spanish from Pepperdine University, where she graduated summa cum laude. Christine now works for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency as an International Project Manager. While studying at the Korbel School, Christine worked as a research assistant for the Program on Terrorism and Insurgency Research with Dr. Erica Chenoweth and completed an internship with the US Department of State. During her undergraduate career, Christine served as student body president and published and presented research reports on Intervention in Libya and Sex-selective Abortion in India in her undergraduate academic journal. Christine has performed research on counter-terrorism at a policy institute in Israel, and has contributed to Latin America regional programs as an intern at Vital Voices and as a project assistant at the National Democratic Institute.

• Brandon Parrish

  Brandon graduated with an MA in International Studies, with concentrations in security, political economy, and comparative politics. While at Korbel, he also explored interests in defense policy and terrorism. Prior to graduate school, he lived and worked in western Europe, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan as an aviation officer in the U.S. Army. A Colorado native, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and he has since returned to West Point as an instructor of International Relations and Comparative Politics.

• Molly Robbins

  Molly graduated with an MA in International Development. She holds a BA with High Honors in political science, sociology, and anthropology from Swarthmore College. Molly has worked with a number of development nonprofits, including Limitless Horizons Ixil, a Guatemalan organization where she now serves on the Board of Directors. She has also worked as coordinator for a human rights advocacy project in Salt Lake City, UT, as well as with nonprofits in Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina. Molly's research interests include community development and environmental issues, with an emphasis on project design and evaluation. A Maine native and lover of the Mountain West, Molly enjoys hiking, skiing, and ultimate frisbee. As a Sie Fellow, Molly was a research assistant for Korbel's NAVCO Data Project.

• Andrew Scott

  Andrew graduated with an MA in Global Finance, Trade & Economic Integration (GFTEI) with a geographic concentration in China and South East Asia. Originally from Maryland, Andrew earned his B.A. in 2011 from the College of William and Mary, where he studied international relations and economics. During his time at William and Mary, Andrew studied abroad in Beijing, China and volunteered with a Chinese organization advocating for people with disabilities. After graduation, he worked as a consultant for AidData in the Lao PDR and Uganda supporting the government-led implementation of development aid management tools to strengthen national aid effectiveness. In addition to studying for his M.A. he hopes to pursue research interests in non-traditional aid and microfinance. At Korbel, Andrew was a research assistant with the Program on Terrorism and Insurgency Research. In his spare time he enjoys photography, playing volleyball, and watching Chelsea FC.

 

2015

• Aldo Aguirre

  Aldo graduated with an MA in International Relations.  While at Korbel, Aldo focused on Conflict Resolution and Security Studies with a regional emphasize in Latin America.  Aldo participated in the Korbel in D.C. program, where he worked as a legislative intern in the Washington office of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet.  Aldo also worked in the State Department’s Western Hemisphere Affairs Office, were he collaborated closely with Foreign Service officers, and gained exposure to U.S. bilateral relations with Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.  Aldo is currently a Spanish Instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

• Mariana Alcoforado

  Mariana graduated with an MA in International Human Rights and Certificates in Humanitarian Assistance and International Law. Over the course of her studies, Mariana focused on refugees/IDPs, international humanitarian law, and civilian protection during conflict. At Korbel, she worked as a research assistant for Dr. Erica Chenoweth, contributing to the Nonviolent and Violent Campaigns and Outcomes (NAVCO) Data Project and researching campaigns in Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and Pakistan. She also interned with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Maputo, Mozambique, where she assisted the Protection Unit with programs for urban refugees. Before coming to Korbel, Mariana graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University (New Orleans) in 2011 with a BA in International Relations, History and French. Mariana is now working as an Awards Management and Donor Compliance Fellow with Save the Children International in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Ben Briese

  Ben graduated with a MA in International Security. While at Korbel, Ben worked on the Private Security Monitor research project and received a Rosenthal Fellowship to work with Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA). He earned his BA from Saint John's University in Minnesota, graduating summa cum laude. After his undergraduate education, Ben volunteered abroad for a year through the Benedictine Volunteer Corps. He went on to complete internships with the UN Development Programme in Bosnia-Herzegovina and an international NGO in Jordan. Since 2011, Ben has held several positions with ACTED, an international humanitarian NGO, working in Iraq, Yemen, Turkey and Syria. Ben is now working as a National Graduate Fellow with the Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence at the National Nuclear Security Administration.

• Kate Castenson

  Kate graduated with an MA in International Human Rights. At Korbel, she worked as a research assistant for Professor Oliver Kaplan on civilian protection issues. She also participated in the Geneva Program, interned with the International Committee of the Red Cross, and served as a research associate with Korbel’s Human Trafficking Center. Before coming to Korbel, Kate worked for Human Rights Watch in Washington, D.C. as the Coordinator of the Arms Division. She traveled to Geneva and Oslo to support the division's advocacy work at international treaty meetings, and most recently she assisted with the launch of a civil society campaign to ban fully autonomous weapons. Prior to this, Kate graduated summa cum laude from Claremont McKenna College (CMC) with a degree in international relations and a focus on Latin America. Kate plans to conduct research and advocacy for a human rights nongovernmental organization or international organization.

• Daniel Bruno Davis

  Daniel grew up in Washington, D.C., and earned a BS in English from the University of Wisconsin Madison. While at Korbel, Daniel worked with Dr. Erica Chenoweth on a variety of research projects. Prior to attending Korbel, Daniel taught English in different parts of China for five years. He spent one year living in a small town in Xinjiang, in the far west of China, where he taught English to Uyghur and Kazak students. Daniel is now pursuing a PhD in Political Science at the University of Virginia.

• Brittany Franck

  Brittany graduated with an MA in International Development and a certificate in Global Health Affairs. During her time at Korbel, Brittany worked as a research assistant for the Project on Environment, Food and Conflict at the Sié Center. Previously, she graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a dual degree in English and American Studies from California State University, Fullerton. Upon graduation she received the American Studies Department Academic Achievement Award. She subsequently moved to Germany as a Fulbright Scholar to teach English and pursue her research interest in environmental literature. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia, where she trained primary school English teachers and worked to improve health care access and awareness for people with disabilities. She is working towards her PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology with a concentration in Medical Anthropology at the University of Arizona.

• Ashley Greve

  Ashley Greve graduated with an MA degree in International Studies with a concentration in Management and Administration. Previously, she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010 with her B.A. in Spanish Literature. She went on to serve two years in Peace Corps Ukraine, where she collaborated with IOM and local NGOs on counter-trafficking efforts. While at Korbel, Ashley served as Associate Director of Advocacy at The Human Trafficking Center at DU for two years and did policy analysis as an intern at the Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance. Additionally, she interned in the development office for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, where she now works as a Development Data Analyst.

• Nicholas Lightfoot

  Nicholas graduated with an MA in International Administration. He grew up in rural Northumberland, England and earned his BA in International Relations at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, graduating with First Class Honours. A semester of this was spent studying in French at the Science Po. de Strasbourg, France. Over the past five years, Nicholas has interned for the East of England Brussels Office, Norwich Green Party, and L'Association Pour La Démocratie Européenne. He has worked in environmentally sensitive areas on the remote West Coast of New Zealand, in the French Alps, and voluntarily for the UK National Trust. At Korbel, he had the opportunity to work for two inspirational researchers, including designing and conducting a research project in East Africa, and to work with two Colorado-based non-profit organizations.

• Sabrina Ragaller

  Sabrina graduated with an MA in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration. While at Korbel, she also explored her research interests in defense policy and political economy and completed two internships with the Colorado Department of Transportation and defense contractor Rockwell Collins. Prior to Korbel, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in international affairs and economics. She spent her undergraduate years completing internships with the Carl Vinson Institute of Local Government, the Center for International Trade and Security, and with the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. After receiving her BA, she moved to Colorado Springs to participate in El Pomar Foundation's two-year leadership development program. Her work at the private grant-making foundation included hosting international delegations in Colorado and organizing debates between local political candidates. Sabrina is now participating in the National Nuclear Security Administration Graduate Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. 

• Peter Rocco

  Peter Rocco graduated with an MA in International Studies with concentrations in statistics, comparative politics, and intelligence. While at Korbel, he worked with the Human Trafficking Center. A Brooklyn native, he has also worked in Washington, D.C., as a researcher at CQ Roll Call, a media company focused on U.S. politics and policy, where his work focused on homeland security, defense and foreign policy. He previously served as a legislative assistant for Congressman Michael E. McMahon (D-NY), a former member of the Foreign Affairs committee. He also worked as an associate at Edison Research, exclusive exit pollster of the U.S. presidential election for major domestic media outlets. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine with BA degrees in German and Sociology.

 

2014

• Kate Finn

  Kate graduated with her MA in international human rights. She has worked at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement, where she managed the Services to Survivors of Torture and Preferred Communities grant programs. Prior to that, Kate worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she managed discretionary and formula grants to police and sheriffs' departments, U.S. attorneys' offices, correctional facilities, and victims' advocacy organizations. Kate has been an active volunteer for the anti-human trafficking and anti-torture movements, as well as for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Prior to studying at Korbel, Kate also served as a volunteer reading mentor at a Washington, D.C., elementary school. Kate received her BA in economics from Randolph-Macon Woman's College.

• Hyshyama Hamin

  As a Fulbright scholar and Sié Fellow, Hyshyama graduated with an MA in International Human Rights. Hyshyama is currently the Coordinator for the global Campaign for Justice in Muslim Family Laws led by Musawah. She works closely with activists and groups from various Muslim majority and minority contexts, as well as UN experts engaged with human rights treaty mechanisms such as CEDAW, in advocating for egalitarian laws, procedures and practices in marriage and family matters. Her work also involves mapping of Muslim personal status laws and movements in family law reform globally, including researching trends and positive legislative developments.

  Hyshyama is also an activist pushing for reform of the discriminatory Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) in her home country Sri Lanka, where she co-founded the advocacy group Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG), currently at the forefront of the Muslim women's movement in the country. 

• Kyleanne Hunter

  Kyleanne is a PhD Student at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.  She earned her MA in international security from the Korbel School and her BS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Her research interests focus on the role of women in influencing tactics of political violence and shaping post-conflict societies. In addition to her own research, Kyleanne manages the project on Nonviolent Actors in Violent Conflicts hosted at the Sie Center and funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In addition to her academic work, Kyleanne works with Mountain2Mountain as in-field consultant for the Afghan Women’s National Cycling team.  She has served as both a mechanic and coach in Afghanistan, helping the grass-roots team to achieve international recognition. Prior entering academia, she worked for a tech start-up, a defense contractor, and spent more than a decade as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, serving as an AH-1W Super Cobra attack pilot on multiple deployments in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. She spent her last 3 years in the Marine Corps as the liaison officer to the House of Representatives. In addition to her liaison duties, she served as the military escort for several international congressional delegations for the chairman of the Armed Services, Rules and Veterans' Affairs Committees. Kyleanne lives in Denver, Co, where she continues to compete in elite-level mountain bike races.  

• Graham Miller

  Graham graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond in 2009 with his BA in history. Since graduating, he has worked at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C., as an analyst in the corporate strategy and development group. During his time at National Geographic his responsibilities included strategic planning and corporate integration, as well as business development functions with domestic and international partners across various media ventures. At the Korbel School, Graham pursued an MA in international security. 

• Jonathan Pinckney

  Jonathan Pinckney is a PhD student at the Korbel School in the fields of International Relations and Comparative Politics.  His research interests focus on extra-institutional means of political contention, primarily nonviolent civil resistance and political violence. Jonathan's work has been published in the Journal of Peace Research and the Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Jonathan received his BA in International Affairs from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, graduating summa cum laude with special honors, and was a 2012 recipient of the Korbel School's Sié Fellowship. Prior to entering graduate school Jonathan worked for study abroad programs in Egypt and India, and helped found BIRDS International, an NGO addressing issues related to rural poverty in South India. 

• Jessica Rettig

  Jessica graduated with her MA in global finance, trade and economic integration. She graduated cum laude from Georgetown University in 2009 with a BA in English and an honors certificate in Latin American Studies. As an undergraduate student, she was a member of The Pearl Project, a journalistic investigation into the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan in 2002. After graduating, she joined the politics and policy staff of U.S. News & World Report, where she reported on major national issues including foreign affairs, energy, and elections. She left U.S. News in December 2011 to travel to Colombia, where she worked as a freelance writer in Bogotá and in Cartagena at the Summit of the Americas. In addition to U.S. News & World Report, Jessica has contributed to The White House Bulletin, World Politics Review, City Paper Bogotá, The National (UAE), Café Abroad, The Hoya, and The Georgetown Independent. While at Korbel, she  served on the national board of directors for the Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS), and worked as a research assistant at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures. She now works as a communications strategist for Bang Australia, based in Sydney.

• Paul Tanghe

  Paul is a PhD candidate in International Studies at the Korbel School, and he teaches international relations and comparative politics at the United States Military Academy at West Point. His research interests include environmental governance, wildlife trafficking, and endangered species protection. A cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, Paul has led reconnaissance and tank units in Afghanistan, Iraq and Korea. Paul is a native of Edina, Minnesota, and graduated from West Point in 2004 with a BS in political science. In his free time, Paul enjoys conservation, firefighting, exploration, transportation, and design.

• Ying Hui Tng

  Ying Hui is from Singapore. Her upbringing there has inspired her to seek a career in journalism and become an advocate for freedom of the press. She earned her BA in political science at the National University of Singapore, and while a student also worked as an independent journalist for The Online Citizen, the most popular alternative news website in Singapore. After graduation, she worked at CNBC for almost a year. Ying Hui has also written for Al Jazeera and Asian Correspondent, reporting on sensitive issues such as human rights in China and Singapore. At the Korbel School, she earned her MA in international studies. She now works as a writer/researcher at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy's Institute of Policy Studies, based in Singapore.

• Matthew Walje

  Matt graduated from William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, where he earned his BA in international relations and political science. As a student at William Jewell, he was named the Outstanding Junior in Political Science in 2010 and Outstanding Senior in 2011. He also studied in Santiago, Chile, and Chania, Greece, through The Fund for American Studies. During his time as a student, Matt also served as a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves and remains a senior analyst for 24th Marines. He has been deployed in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to Norway with Operation Cold Response. For his work in Iraq, Matt received a Navy and Marine Corps' Achievement Medal. At the Korbel School, Matt earned his MA in international human rights. He now works as a Project Officer for the Oceans Beyond Piracy Project at One Earth Future.

• Matthew Wollmers

  Matthew was born and raised in the suburbs of New York, NY. He completed his undergraduate degree in sociology, with a minor in history, at St. Joseph's College. He went on to earn a master of public policy degree from George Mason University, with a concentration in regional economic development. During his graduate studies, Matt researched the effectiveness of long-term peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cambodia, and separately studied Denver-Boulder economic development strategies. For the last few years, Matt has directed the veterans affairs division at the law firm at which he works, advocating on behalf of disabled veterans in their claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has also worked as an organizer in the last two U.S. presidential elections. At the Korbel School, Matt concentrated his studies on international diplomacy and development. He is now a Presidential Management Fellow working in the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy with the U.S. Department of State.

 

2013

• Mayela Arbona-Montero

  Mayela is a native of Queretaro, Mexico. She completed her undergraduate degree in integrated social sciences from Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany, where she had the unique opportunity to live and study with students from more than 100 countries. While a student, she interned at the Embassy of Mexico in Berlin, and post-graduation interned at Pemex, the Mexican state-owned oil company. Mayela decided to enroll at the Korbel School to develop her theoretical and practical understanding of world politics.

• Hanna Camp

  Hanna earned her bachelor's degrees in Linguistics and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego. While an undergraduate student, Hanna spent a semester abroad at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, sparking her interest in the Middle East. She went on to serve as an intern at the Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program, and later moved to Syria to study Arabic and write for an English-language newspaper. At Korbel, she worked as a research assistant for the Pardee Center for International Futures and completed an internship with the Atlantic Council's Strategic Foresight Initiative. Hanna graduated Korbel in June of 2013 with an MA in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration, and worked with the Institute for Security Studies and the governments of the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces in South Africa on issues relating to provincial forecasting and policy planning. She now works as a data analyst at aWhere, Inc., an agricultural intelligence company in Colorado.

• Brian Patrick Ernst

  Brian received an MA in International Security from Korbel in 2013. He is now a Program Officer at the National Democratic Institute (NDI), an international development nonprofit focused on strengthening democratic institutions around the world. Prior to attending Korbel, he spent two years with the Peace Corps in Madagascar, serving in local communities to improve English-language programs and assisting with other capacity-building measures. Before his service abroad, Brian earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Vanderbilt University.

• Harrison Fried

  Harrison is originally from St. Paul, Minnesota. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2002, and upon graduation was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. Harrison lived and worked in South Korea for three years prior to moving to Denver, and while assigned to Denver was deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Harrison accepted the Sié Fellowship in 2011 and completed his MA in International Security in 2013. He was then selected for a special assignment at the Headquarters for U.S. Forces Korea in Seoul. He currently resides in Seoul and enjoys contributing daily to maintaining and strengthening the strategic partnership between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

• Pallavi Gulati

  Pallavi was born in New Delhi, India and moved to London, England at a young age. In 2009, she earned her undergraduate degree, with First Class Honours, in Politics and International Relations from the University of Manchester. She interned at the Parliamentary office of the former Minister of State for International Development, Gareth Thomas MP and on "The World Today" program at the BBC World Service. Upon graduation from Manchester, she worked as a political consultant at Insight Public Affairs, a London-based public affairs company. In addition to the Sié Fellowship, Pallavi has been awarded a US-UK Fulbright Scholarship and a scholarship by the British Universities North America Club Educational Trust. She now provides crisis, issues and reputation management support to national and international clients at Regester Larkin in London.

• Jeongsoon Jang

  Jeongsoon was born in South Korea, but spent most of her life in Malaysia and in China. As a result of her international upbringing, she speaks four languages (Korean, English, Chinese and Malay) and has a genuine interest in global issues, particularly in international business and cross-cultural awareness. After earning her BA from Korea University, Jeong became a certified financial consultant for Shinhan Bank in Seoul, where she was tasked with various responsibilities in the field of foreign investment. She also interned at the ASEAN-Korea Centre, an intergovernmental organization that aims to increase trade, investment, and cultural exchange between South Korea and ASEAN Member States. 

• Tinúviel Lathrop Jette

  Tinúviel graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 2011 with a BA in Political Science and minors in Peace Studies, Arabic studies and Philosophy. As a student, Tinúviel was instrumental in assisting to establish a Peace and Conflict Studies Institute at UMass Lowell. At the Korbel School, in addition to her position as a Sié Fellow, Tinúviel worked as a Research Assistant at the Pardee Center for International Futures. She now works as a contract manager at the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery in New York.

• Boyeon Lim

  Boyeon is a native of South Korea and attended college at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, where she majored in Chinese Language and Literature. While completing her degree, Boyeon spent a year and a half in Beijing and Suzhou, China as an exchange student. This experience revealed to her the stark differences that can exist between societies, and sparked her interest in international relations. Upon returning to Korea, she declared a second major in political science and international relations, and following graduation enrolled in the MA program at the Korbel School to further study diplomacy and conflict resolution.

• Pedro Perera

  Pedro is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, but spent many of his formative years living and attending school in Muscat, Oman. In 2009, Pedro earned his BA from Northeastern University in Boston. He subsequently moved to Denver, Colo., to work for the Denver Biennial of the Americas as the assistant to the program director. Pedro now works at the U.S.-Mexico Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for the people of Mexico through effective philanthropy and binational partnerships. Pedro focused his studies at the Korbel School on Latin American and Western European politics. He now works as a GMDP Senior Associate at Avaya.

• Dyah Dinanti Puspitasari

  Dyah graduated with an MA in Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration (GFTEI) at the Korbel School of International Studies. Prior to coming to Korbel as a Fulbright Scholar and Sié Fellow, Dyah was a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, serving in the Office of the Director-General of ASEAN Cooperation. Her expertise is mainly in economic cooperation and integration in Southeast Asia, as well as democracy and political development in that region.

 

2012

• Marzia Borsoi-Kelly

  Marzia Borsoi-Kelly is a native of Rome, Italy. She completed her undergraduate degree in International Affairs with minors in History and Psychology at the John Cabot University. In 2007, she earned a second undergraduate degree, with First Class Honors, in International Relations from the University of Wales. Upon graduation, she was hired at the U.S. Embassy Rome as a Protocol Clerk. In 2008, she won a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where she earned an MA in History of the Contemporary Middle East. Upon graduation in 2010, Marzia was awarded a Sié Fellowship to pursue an MA in International Security at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Marzia focused her studies at the Korbel School on Middle Eastern and European diplomacy and intelligence studies. After graduation, Marzia was hired to work at a think tank in Washington D.C., where she further deepened her knowledge of Middle East issues and also developed her understanding of Asian international relations and security by working as a Program Assistant for the Regional Security Program (directed by Dr. Geoffrey Kemp) and the Asia and the Pacific Program (directed by Lt. Gen. Wallace Gregson USMC Ret.). Furthermore, Marzia was additionally promoted to be Gen. Charles G. Boyd (USAF Ret.) the Chairman of the Board's executive assistant, while continuing her work of program assistant to two programs.

• Katherine Goodman

  Katherine earned her MA in International Security and a Certificate in Global Health Affairs from the Korbel School in June 2012. A resident of the Bay Area, she has most recently worked as a freelance editor and as a humorous content writer for Shmoop, a digital publishing company. Katherine is now pursuing a Certificate in Web and Mobile Application Development at the College of San Mateo as part of her transition to a career in software development.

• Mickey Kupecz

  Mickey lives in Washington, D.C., and has consulted for clients across the Department of Defense. He currently works for CACI managing international programs for the U.S. Navy's Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ships. While at the Korbel School, he interned at the Center for Complex Operations at the National Defense University, as well as the New America Foundation's Middle East Task Force.

• Lai King Lam

  Lai was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States at the age of nine. Lai completed her undergraduate degree in International Affairs with a minor in religion at the University of Georgia. Before moving to Denver to pursue her MA in International Security at the Korbel School, Lai worked in Washington, D.C. for the Office of U.S. Senator Max Baucus, where she served as the Assistant to the Chief of Staff. While a student at the Korbel School, Lai focused her studies on East Asia, U.S. diplomacy, and intelligence and had the opportunity to intern for the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service.

• Balazs Martonffy

  Balazs Martonffy is a doctoral student at the School of International Service, American University. Prior to his current studies, he served as a counselor in the Defence Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence of Hungary. He was the recipient of the 2013 Hungarian Public Administration Scholarship, during which he worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest and at the Embassy of Hungary to France. Previously, Balazs interned with the International Staff of NATO in Brussels and was a Visiting Researcher at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Balazs holds an MA in International Security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, where he was an inaugural Sié Fellow. He earned his undergraduate degree as an Eliot Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis, graduating with honors in history from Phi Alpha Theta. Balazs has also completed graduate courses at the Geneva Center for Security Policy and at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

• David Mayen

  David is a native of South Sudan. He received his primary and secondary education there and attended college at Kampala International University, Uganda. David has extensive experience in the international arena, having worked as a logistician and storekeeper for Médecins Sans Frontières at the Dadaab refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya; as an operations specialist for the private security firm DynCorp in South Sudan; and most recently (and currently) as the Director for Legislation for the South Sudan National Legislative Assembly. After completion of his MA in International Security at the Korbel School, he returned to work for the government of South Sudan.

• Gretchen Peters

  Gretchen runs the Satao Project, a small wildlife trafficking consultancy. She previously conducted research and analysis on illicit networks in support of the U.S. Department of Defense. She has served as a subject matter expert (SME) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counter-Narcotics and Global Threats and CENTCOM's J2, and has supported SOCOM's Counternarcotics and Transnational Threats team. She is also an affiliate instructor at the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at George Mason University, School of Public Policy. She is the author of Seeds of Terror, a ground-breaking book that traces the role the opium trade has played in three decades of conflict in Afghanistan. An award-winning journalist, Gretchen covered Pakistan and Afghanistan for more than a decade, first for The Associated Press and later for ABC News. Gretchen holds a Masters' Degree in International Relations from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, where she was awarded the Sié Chéou-Kang security and diplomacy fellowship and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers Life's Choices Foundation Scholarship to examine illicit networks and transnational organized crime.

• Ambar Velazquez

  Ambar Velazquez is originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, and completed her undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Studies at New College of Florida in 2009. As a student at the Korbel School, Ambar pursued her MA in International Security, along with a Certificate in Global Health and a concentration in Humanitarian Assistance. Ambar's research interests focus on the ethics and implications of US military involvement in medical missions abroad.

• Jennifer Williams

  Jennifer Williams is a research assistant at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. Her recent publications include " ISIS vs. Al Qaeda: Jihadism’s global civil war," co-authored with Daniel Byman. She previously interned in the office of Colorado State Representative Jeanne Labuda and worked as a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She received her BA in international studies from the University of North Texas and her MA in international security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.