WFPG - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director of the Women 's Foreign Policy Group
Alexa Chopivsky is the Executive Director of the Women's Foreign Policy Group. Previously, as the inaugural Executive Director of Ukraine House Davos, Ms. Chopivsky led the creation and elevation of Ukraine's platform alongside the World Economic Forum, both before and after the war. She serves as deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board at Ukraine Invest, and was an adviser to the Minister of Economic Development, Trade, and Agriculture of Ukraine. Since 2012, she has served as the Director of the Program on the World Economy at the Aspen Institute.
Job Titles:
- Dean of the Elliott School
- Dean of the Elliott School of International
Alyssa Ayres is dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. She also serves as an adjunct senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, where her work focuses primarily on India's role in the world and on US relations with South Asia in the larger Indo-Pacific. Before joining CFR, Ayres served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia (2010-2013), and prior to that was founding director of the India and South Asia practice at McLarty Associates, and prior to that served in the State Department as special assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs as a CFR international affairs fellow. She is the author of Our Time Has Come: How India is Making Its Place in the World (2018) and Speaking Like a State: Language and Nationalism in Pakistan (2009). She speaks Hindi and Urdu.
Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, a former US ambassador and career Foreign Service officer, is the inaugural vice provost for global affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She leads UNC Global and advances a pan-university strategy to enhance Carolina's global reach, impact and reputation. She is also a Professor of the Practice in UNC's Peace, War and Defense curriculum, where she engages the next generation of global leaders on topics such as conflict resolution and the ethics of government leadership. She was previously the dean of the Leadership and Management School at the Foreign Service Institute and served as US Ambassador to Panama from 2008-2010. She was the first woman to hold the position of chargé d‘affairs and deputy ambassador at the US Embassy in London. Originally from Florida, she earned her PhD, MA, and BA from the University of Florida, majoring in English literature with minors in Latin American studies and political science.
Job Titles:
- Ambassador
- Secretary
- Secretary / Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands
Ambassador Kathleen Doherty has had a distinguished diplomatic and international career. She is the Chief Strategy and Retreats Officer of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, which convenes experts from around the globe for meetings and retreats that address an array of diplomatic and societal issues. Prior to her work at Sunnylands, she was a career diplomat, serving as US Ambassador to Cyprus, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, and in leadership positions in Rome, London, and Moscow. Earlier in her diplomatic career, she served in Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Recognized with more than 15 State Department awards, Doherty has extensive experience working across the government and with industry, and has particular expertise on global economic issues including those related to energy, financial services and technology. She is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy; an advisory board member of the company sparks & honey; and a board member of the Cyprus-American Archaeological Research Institute.
Ms. Botti continues to participate as a consultant in foreign policy venues. From January 2018-January 2020, Ms. Botti served as the Interim Executive Director of the Exodus Institute, an NGO that mobilized private and international sector resources to address the forced migration crisis. Ms. Botti served for twenty-five years at the U.S. Department of State in roles of increasing responsibility. From 2009-2014, she served as Chief of Staff to the first-ever Secretary of State's Office of Global Women's Issues. Previously, she served as a Legislative Liaison Officer in the Department's Bureau of Legislative Affairs and developed and served as the first Congressional Coordinator for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and for the Under Secretary for Economic and Business and Agricultural Affairs. In 1997, Ms. Botti was seconded to President Clinton's Interagency Council on Women and served as Chair of the U.S. Interagency Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings. As Chair, Ms. Botti developed, coordinated, and promoted the Department's anti-trafficking strategy and policies. As Chair, Ms. Botti worked closely with Congress to gain bipartisan support for, and ultimate passage of, a new law entitled the "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000." Ms. Botti repeatedly represented the United States in all major domestic and international fora dealing with trafficking and other major international issues affecting women. Ms. Botti began her career at the Department of State in 1985, serving in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. As Director of the U.S. Refugee Reception and Placement Program, she had direct oversight of the cultural orientation, admission, and resettlement of over 100,000 U.S.-bound refugees annually. Ms. Botti has worked closely with the United Nations High Commissioner's staff to develop protection guidelines and programs for unaccompanied refugee minors living in refugee camps. Before joining the Department of State, Ms. Botti served with the Peace Corps both overseas and in the U.S., starting her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the British West Indies from 1968-70. From 1972-76, she worked as Desk Officer for the Caribbean, and as Deputy Director for the Latin American Region. In recognition of her performance, she was selected to serve as the Director of Management at Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington from 1976-78. Ms. Botti currently serves on the executive board of the Women's Foreign Policy Group. She has also served on the board of Private Agencies Cooperating Together (PACT), a U.S. NGO working in development worldwide. She has earned numerous awards for her service, including the Department of State's coveted Director General's Cup. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in demography. Ms. Botti is married to Paul Magid.
British A. Robinson has more than 20 years of experience in international and domestic health, corporate social responsibility, public-private partnerships, government relations, and advocacy and policy development. As the Coordinator for Prosper Africa, Robinson furthers the mission of strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and African countries. Robinson previously served as President and CEO of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, as Founding CEO of the Women's Heart Alliance, and in leadership positions at Women for Women International and Susan G. Komen. Her tenure at the Department of State included leading public-private partnership efforts for PEPFAR and Secretary Clinton's Office of Global Women's Issues. Robinson holds an MA from Johns Hopkins, a BA from George Washington University, and an honorary doctorate from Fairfield University. She serves as a Senior Advisor for Concordia; as a member of the XPRIZE Racial Equity Alliance Brain Trust; on the boards of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and Leadership Roundtable; on the advisory council of the Inter-American Foundation; and on the advisory boards of the Women's Foreign Policy Group, Arlington Partners International, and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. In 2022, Robinson was named one of Forbes' 50 Over 50 for Impact - a list of social entrepreneurs and changemakers who are helping to make the world a better, more equitable place.
Capricia Penavic Marshall is Ambassador-in-Residence at the Atlantic Council and author of "Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You" (2020). She is also President of Global Engagement Strategies, which advises international public and private clients on the nexus of business and cultural diplomacy. From 2009 to 2013, she was Chief of Protocol of the United States, bearing the rank of Ambassador and setting the stage for diplomacy at the highest levels. She also fostered connections between the foreign Diplomatic Corps and US civil society through the new Diplomatic Partnerships Office. Previously, she served as Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary (1997-2001) and Special Assistant to First Lady Hillary Clinton (1993-1997). She holds a BA from Purdue and a JD from Case Western Reserve. In 2013, she was awarded the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award. She serves on several boards including the Blair House Restoration Fund and Council of American Ambassadors.
Carmiel Arbit has worked at the intersection of foreign policy and government relations for nearly two decades. She is a nonresident Senior Fellow for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. As co-founder of Key Bridge Strategies, she has consulted for non-profit organizations around the world, advancing government relations, public diplomacy, and community engagement strategies on four continents. She has worked as a government relations professional for AIPAC, AJC, and Thomson Reuters, and as a researcher at the Brookings Institution's Center for Middle East Policy. Carmiel earned her BA from George Washington University and her MS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. She has been recognized as a top Foreign Policy Influencer by Diplomatic Courier; she is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Truman National Security Fellow.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Counsel With Microsoft
Ms. Anderson is a Sr. Corporate Counsel with Microsoft responsible for managing critical trade, supply chain, and national security compliance and policy as a member of the Corporate Legal Affairs Global Trade team. Ms. Anderson launched her career at the King County Prosecutor's Office in Seattle, Washington, where she tried over 100 criminal and jury trials. Ms. Anderson transitioned to corporate practice, joining AT&T (then Pacific Bell Telephone Company) in San Francisco, California. Ms. Anderson's 22-year career with AT&T took her to Washington, D.C, where she played a critical role securing global competition and regulatory approvals for significant company mergers, led the implementation of sweeping regulatory requirements across the enterprise business portfolio, and represented AT&T in global policy discussions, including participating in panels at the Internet Governance Forum and on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. She also directed domestic and global regulatory policy, trade, and compliance strategies and managed social justice and racial equity policy engagement nationwide. Ms. Anderson retired from AT&T and joined Microsoft in 2021. Throughout her career, Ms. Anderson has promoted diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and pro bono efforts in her community. Ms. Anderson also serves on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL). After joining the Board in 2021, she was recently appointed to the organization's Executive Committee. She has previously received the organization's Virginia S. Mueller Outstanding Member Award in 2020 for her work advancing the NAWL mission through advocacy and programming. Ms. Anderson received her J.D. at Hastings College of Law in San Francisco (now UC Law, San Francisco) and her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. Ms. Anderson and her family are based in Seattle, WA.
Job Titles:
- Communications
- Communications Intern
Clarice LeBow is a fourth-year undergraduate student at George Washington University studying International Affairs with a concentration in International Economics and a second degree in Spanish Language and Literature. She previously interned at FTI Consulting in the Public Affairs department, as well as at the Virginia Small Business Development Center as an International Market Research Associate. She also works at the GW Smith Athletics Center as a Building and Events Manager. Clarice is interested in corporate communications, especially for companies with cross-border operations or who are looking to expand abroad. She is excited to learn more about strategic communications and international affairs during her time as a Communications Intern at Women's Foreign Policy Group.
Job Titles:
- Social Media As a Revolutionary Force
Job Titles:
- Communications
- Communications Intern
Emily Blair is a recent graduate from American University, where she earned her MA in strategic communication. She previously received her BA in history and international relations from King's College London. Her interest in the Women's Foreign Policy Group stems from a lifelong passion for international studies and a desire to support and learn from women in leadership roles. Her academic interests lie in Cold War history, propaganda studies, and intercultural relations. Before her internship with WFPG, Emily worked as a freelance writer, a middle school instructional assistant, and a yoga instructor. She is excited to learn more about nonprofit management and to continue honing her communications skills this semester.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President of Axios
Evan Ryan, executive vice president of Axios, previously served as assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs (2013-2017) and in the White House as assistant to the Vice President and special assistant to the President for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement (2009-2013). Ryan was a consultant for the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, deputy chair for the governance track of the Clinton Global Initiative, and deputy director of scheduling for First Lady Hillary Clinton and special assistant to the first lady's chief of staff (1994-2000). Ryan has also worked on numerous political campaigns including Senator Joe Biden's 2008 presidential campaign, John Kerry for president campaign, and Hillary Clinton's 2000 senatorial campaign. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and holds a BA from Boston College and an MIPP from the Johns Hopkins SAIS. @EvanMRyan
Job Titles:
- Founder and Principal of GM Networking
Gebe Martinez, founder and principal of GM Networking, was a journalist for 33 years for news organizations including the Los Angeles Times, Politico and Congressional Quarterly. She also served as a news analyst for networks including PBS, NPR, and BBC. Martinez entered the issue advocacy arena as a writer and policy analyst for the Center for American Progress. Beginning with the 2012 election season, she has focused her communications work on campaigns to engage the Latino vote. Martinez has provided strategic communications services for groups such as National Immigration Law Center, Mi Familia Vota, and Voto Latino, to promote commonsense immigration reform policies and to advance Hispanic civic engagement including voter registration and voter turnout. She also works with Diane Guerrero, an actress who is a cast member of "Orange Is the New Black" and "Jane the Virgin."
Gemma Tolomeo is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, double majoring in History and Political Science. As an aspiring historian, she focuses her studies on American history, foreign relations, and campaign financing, and is a member of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society. Gemma spent her Spring 2023 semester studying in London, where she worked as a legal intern for Legal Action Group, a non-profit focused on providing legal assistance for all. Additionally, she served as a finance intern for Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin's campaign and held intern positions at Badger Meter and the Washington County Community Development Department. Gemma is excited to work as a Programs Intern at the Women's Foreign Policy Group to expand her foreign policy knowledge and develop her planning, communication, and research skills.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Story Partners
Gloria Story Dittus, chairman of Story Partners, is a trusted communications strategist to CEOs, business executives, Congress, and Administration officials. She built three successful companies working with leading companies including Shell, HSBC, Home Depot, Exxon, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, General Motors, Airbus, Southern Company, Noble Energy, British Telecom and Clear Channel. Wired Magazine called her the nation's first "technology Public Affairs maven." She has been awarded multiple Silver Anvils and recognized as Public Affairs Executive of the Year. She serves on numerous boards, including Ford's Theater, the Arthur Page Society, the Public Affairs Council, and the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF). An active mentor, she works with emerging global leaders. Dittus splits her time between Washington and Aspen, where she is actively involved with the Aspen Institute. A native of Augusta, Georgia, she is a passionate golfer and world traveler. @GloriaDittus
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Global Public Policy at Mastercard
Hera Abbasi is Vice President, Global Public Policy at Mastercard. She is the international trade and economic lead in the company's Washington, DC office.Previously, she a Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive at IBM, where she advised internal business units on risk reduction and advocates externally on global trade & market access issues on a range of priorities, such as cross border data flows, digital trade, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital services taxes, supply chain, privacy, and 5G. Prior to IBM, she was the bicameral, bipartisan Hill strategist and lobbyist for the Coalition of Services Industries-a trade association that represents U.S. companies from the technology, financial services, express delivery and logistics, direct selling, electronic payments services, and e-commerce sectors. Previously, Ms. Abbasi was a White House Appointee in the State Department's Bureau of Legislative Affairs, where she served as Congress's point of contact on all Europe issues, including TTIP, Russia, Ukraine, Brexit, Turkey, NATO, the European Union, Ambassadorial nominations, and Congressional Delegations. Ms. Abbasi also worked on Capitol Hill for nearly a decade, including with House leadership. She has served as a board member of Women in International Trade (WIIT) and a co-chair for the Africa and Middle East section. She is also a member of the U.S.-Asia Institute's Congressional Circle, a co-chair of the Coalition of Services Industries' Digital Trade Committee, and was the chair of Information Technology Industry Council's India Committee. In 2017, she was selected as a Fellow for the Next Generation National Security Leaders Program at the Center for a New American Security. Ms. Abbasi received her bachelor's degree from Harvard College and her master's degree from the Naval War College. Her languages include Spanish, Hindu/Urdu, Arabic, and Latin. She is the recipient of the Secretary's Meritorious Honor Award and the Secretary's Superior Honor Award; while on Capitol Hill, she was cited as a "Hill Staffer to Watch" in Foreign Policy's blog, The Cable. She is a native of Boston, MA and lives in Northern Virginia with her son.
Job Titles:
- Dakota State Applied Research Corp
The Honorable Andrea Thompson has a distinguished career in international policy, national security, intelligence and leader development. Ms. Thompson is Vice President for International Programs at Northrop Grumman, a leader in global security. She was confirmed as Under Secretary of State in 2018, following service as National Security Advisor to the Vice President. Prior to government roles, Thompson led the McChrystal Group Leadership Institute. A proud military veteran, Thompson served for over 25 years in the US Army, including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also served as the National Security Advisor to the Chairman, House Homeland Security Committee, and the Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee. Thompson is also the Professor of Practice at Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Dakota State University in her home state of South Dakota. She co-authored the book Achieving Victory in Iraq: Countering an Insurgency, is a Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and serves on the advisory board for the UK AI company, Adarga.
Job Titles:
- Chief Government Affairs Officer at Rebellion Defense
Jane Lee is the Chief Government Affairs Officer at Rebellion Defense. She previously served as the U.S. Senate Majority Leader's senior adviser on budget, appropriations, and economic policy where she helped steer the successful passage of the bipartisan CARES Act and COVID-19 economic rescue packages, the 2019 Bipartisan Budget Act, 2017's budget resolutions and reconciliation vehicles for tax reform, and over 50 full year appropriations bills.Jane has also served as a conference whip adviser to the Senate Majority Whip and held senior positions in the Senate, House, and the White House - as a senior policy adviser and subcommittee director on the Senate Appropriations Committee and as policy director and defense analyst at the House Budget Committee. She also held senior roles at the White House Office of Budget and Management, as a principal spokesperson on procurement, digital technology and financial management policy, and as a budget examiner for DoD's Defense-Wide programs. Jane was a Jacob Javits Fellow on the Senate Commerce Committee and worked in the private sector in consulting and business development for start-ups. She is the founder and chair of the board for the Software in Defense Coalition, an industry group of almost 40 American defense emerging tech start-up companies and small businesses. She is also the chair of the Pacific Northwest Mission Acceleration Center Industry Council.She received her BA in International Relations from Stanford University and her MPA and MS from Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- Program Associate
- Program Manager
Jillian Bendlak is the new Program Associate at Women's Foreign Policy Group, where she is excited to promote women leadership in global affairs and to help create meaningful networks and mentorships. Previously, Jillian served as a Marshal's Aide at the Supreme Court of the United States, where she supported the Justices through effective management of oral arguments. She offered administrative support to various Court departments by reviewing citations of petitions of writ of certiorari and editing transcripts of oral arguments for accuracy. She has an extensive history in Model United Nations and worked at Best Delegate as the BDMUNC Program Manager. In this role, she created monthly conference programming for hundreds of students grades 5-12 and trained staffers to lead engaging committees and effectively mentor MUN skills to students. Jillian graduated summa cum laude from the George Washington University in January 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Political Science. She is interested in foreign service, conflict resolution, and US-Europe relations. In her free time, Jillian enjoys reading fantasy and science fiction novels and baking a new creation in her kitchen. Jillian currently lives in Washington, DC, where she loves to go to museums and explore what the city has to offer.
Katie Conti is a practitioner of public diplomacy with a passion for the arts and youth empowerment. At Meridian International Center, she coordinates implementation of the Department of State's Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program and supports organization-wide strategic planning and communications initiatives. Previously, she provided support to executives and development teams at Brookings and CSIS; protocol and public affairs as a Youth Ambassador to the USA Pavilion at the 2015 Expo (World's Fair) in Milan; international development program support, M&E, and communications at the Near East Foundation; and social & traditional media monitoring with the Department of State's Africa Regional Media Hub in Johannesburg. Katie holds a BA in International Relations, Public Communication Studies and Geography from Syracuse University and was a Pan Am 103/Lockerbie Remembrance Scholar. She speaks French and Italian, some Spanish, Russian, and Wolof, and recently began studying Arabic.
Born and raised in Mexico, Aline Guzik recently received her MPA from Columbia University SIPA, specializing in Social Policy and Gender. Her studies focused on the interdependency between the urban and social disciplines by analyzing global policies primarily focused on boosting collective well-being. Her passion for international affairs led her to the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, where she supports the Children in Armed Conflict, Colombia, and Haiti files within the Security Council. She also assists with matters of cybercrime, and humanitarian situations. Before moving to New York, Aline worked as a public servant at two chief social protection and public housing agencies in Mexico (IMSS and INFONAVIT). She's also a Youth Associate of the Mexican Council of Foreign Relations. She holds a BA in International Relations from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.
Job Titles:
- Senior Executive Consultant for National Security at Guidehouse
Keri Lowry is currently a Senior Executive Consultant for National Security at Guidehouse (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers Public Sector). Previously, Lowry served as the Director of Government Affairs & External Relations at the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. She is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Private Sector Exchange at the Department of State; Regional Director for Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa at the US Peace Corps; Senior Policy Advisor at USAID; Director for Development, Democracy & Humanitarian Affairs as well as Deputy Executive Secretary at the National Security Council; and, she has held numerous other senior positions at USAID. Prior to her career in government, Lowry managed an international exchange program at a NGO, was an after-school teacher at a homeless shelter, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso. Lowry serves on the boards of the Children's Guild Alliance and the Peace Corps Advisory Council of Future.
British Robinson is a thought leader and social entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in international and domestic health, corporate social responsibility, public-private partnerships, government relations, and advocacy and policy development. As President and CEO of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Robinson leads their efforts using technology and innovative programming to build a stronger, more equitable America. Robinson previously served as Founding CEO of the Women's Heart Alliance, and in leadership positions at Women for Women International and Susan G. Komen. Her tenure at the Department of State included leading public-private partnership efforts for PEPFAR and Secretary Clinton's Office of Global Women's Issues. Robinson holds a MA from Johns Hopkins, a BA from George Washington University, and an honorary doctorate from Fairfield University. She serves on the board of the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA; advisory councils of the Inter-American Foundation and Worldreader; advisory board of Arlington Partners International; and on the Brain Trust for the XPRIZE Racial Equity Alliance.
Kristi M. Rogers is an executive and former senior government official with extensive international leadership experience in the public and private sectors. Her strategic advice and counsel are regularly sought on issues relating to risk management and mitigation, security and disaster response, federal government contracting, the role of business in complex and challenging environments, public-private partnerships, and strategic and crisis communications. Rogers is presently the co-founder and managing partner of Principal to Principal. A recovering start-up CEO, Rogers successfully launched two companies with overseas operations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Qualys Inc. and the Advisory Council for ForgePoint Capital. Rogers was the founder of the Women in National Security group within Business Executives for National Security. She is also the President of the Michigan State Society, a regular speaker at Michigan State and a frequent speaker on business and security issues.
Kristi Rogers is a leading executive and former senior government official with extensive international leadership experience in the public and private sectors. Her strategic advice and counsel are regularly sought on issues relating to global supply chain resiliency, security and disaster response, federal government contracting, the role of business in complex and dynamic environments, and crisis communications. Today, she is the managing partner and co-founder of Principal to Principal, and P2P Strategies, strategic positioning companies operating at the most senior levels of business and government. Their objective is to bring constructive approaches to today's multifaceted public policy issues and assist organizations with successfully addressing complex challenges. P2P manages a Global Forum and a Global Supply Chain Task Force. A recovering start-up CEO, Kristi successfully launched, managed, and grew two companies with overseas operations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Qualys Inc. (a publicly traded company), chairs its Nomination & ESG Committee and serves on its Compensation & Talent Committee; and NowSecure (a private mobile app security company), serving on its Audit and HR & Compensation Committees. Kristi also serves on the Board of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), co-chairs the Women's Foreign Policy Group Board, and serves on the Advisory Councils for ForgePoint Capital, George Mason University's National Security Institute, and the Silverado Policy Accelerator. She was recognized by WomenInc. as a member of their 2019 Most Influential Corporate Directors. In June 2020, she was appointed to the BENS Commission on the National Response Enterprise, chaired by former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary, the Honorable Jeh Johnson, and the Chairman & CEO of Johnson & Johnson, Alex Gorsky. Previously, Kristi was a senior executive within the US government serving at the Departments of Transportation, Defense, and Homeland Security. She spent just under a year in Iraq while at Defense, also traveling extensively in the Middle East and Africa. Today she is the State Society of Michigan's President and a regular speaker at Michigan State University's College of Social Science and other organizations.
Laura Cox Kaplan is the creator and host of the "She Said/She Said" podcast, and is an adjunct professor in the School of Public Affairs at American University. She has more than two decades of experience in communications, corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and public policy strategy. Kaplan spent almost 12 years as the Partner-in-Change of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and a decade on the firm's executive management team. She also served in senior positions at the SEC, the Treasury Department, and on Capitol Hill. She serves as a corporate director at CoStar Group and The Hunt Companies, Board co-chair of Running Start, and on the Board of the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M. Kaplan holds a MA from American University and a BA from the University of Texas at Austin. @LauraCoxKaplan
Job Titles:
- Vice - Chair
- Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies
- Senior Vice President at Beacon Global Strategies
Lauren Bedula is a Senior Vice President at Beacon Global Strategies, a strategic advisory firm specializing in international policy, defense, cyber, intelligence, and homeland security. Bedula currently serves as the Chair of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS) Technology and Innovation Council, and a Visiting Fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School. Prior to joining Beacon, Bedula served as the Director of Emerging Threats Policy at BENS and previously worked for a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. She also previously worked as a Research Associate for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency and served on the Board of Directors for the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. Bedula graduated from the American University, with a double major in Public Communication and Interdisciplinary Studies CLEG: Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government.
Lois Romano has had a distinguished career as a political journalist at The Washington Post, Newsweek and POLITICO. She now serves as a strategic advisor at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. Romano was most recently the editor of Washington Post Live, the news organization's editorial events platform. In early 2015, she returned to the Post where she had a long career as a political correspondent and profile writer. Previously, she was a senior political reporter and the first editorial director of POLITICO events. She had been instrumental in shaping live editorial programming and content for the organization's dozens of issue-driven events. During her first career at the Post, she covered seven presidential races, served as a columnist, and was a regional correspondent based in Tulsa. Romano serves on the board and on executive committee of the International Women's Research Center. She holds a Masters degree in international relations from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Job Titles:
- President and CEO for the Economic Club of Washington
Mary Brady is President and CEO for The Economic Club of Washington, DC, a premier forum for speakers, with a membership roster of senior executives representing over 800 businesses with offices in the Washington Metropolitan region. Since its founding in 1986, the Club has served as a global forum for the world's government and international business luminaries who share insights about the critical issues of the day. Since 2008, Brady has directed the Club's scholarship program with annual giving of more than $1m each year. She is a 2014 winner of the Washington Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award, and a member of the Board of the Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital, and the Women's Foreign Policy Group.
Job Titles:
- Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS
Maureen White is a Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS. She was the Senior Advisor on Humanitarian Issues in the Office of the Special Representation to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Department of State (2009-2013). In the Clinton administration, she represented the US at the United Nations Children's Fund (1997-2001). In addition, she was National Finance Co-chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign 2008 and served as National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee (2001-2006). Prior to that, she had a career in international economic research in New York, London and Tokyo. She serves on the boards of numerous organizations involved in global issues including Refugees International (Chairman of the Board), the International Rescue Committee, National Democratic Institute, the American Academy in Berlin and the Women's Foreign Policy Group. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She received a BA from Mount Holyoke College and an MSc (Econ) from the London School of Economics.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Member of the Public Policy
- Senior Policy Advisor at TMG
Michele Lynch is a Senior Policy Advisor at TMG, an ICT regulatory consulting firm, advising clients on global digital policy issues. She is also an Adjunct Professor with the Duke University Science and Society Initiative, focused on advancing technology policy cooperation through international organizations. Previously, Lynch led strategic engagement with the diplomatic community and international organizations as a member of Google's Government Affairs and Public Policy team. Prior to Google, she managed a global technology project at the American Red Cross which explored the use of emerging technology for disaster response and served as Director of the Office of the Chairman of the Board of Governors. She also worked at the British High Commission in Malaysia, USAID's Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance and the White House Office of Presidential Advance. Lynch holds a MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King's College London and a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Job Titles:
- President of the Cohen Group
Ms. Megan Ortiz serves as President of The Cohen Group. Previously, Ms. Ortiz served as The Cohen Group's Chief Operating Officer from 2017 to 2022. Before that, she managed multiple client engagements for the firm in defense, healthcare, technology, and other sectors, and helped clients to build and execute business development strategies in the US, Middle East, and Asia. Earlier in her career, Ms. Ortiz worked at the US Department of the Treasury in the Office of International Affairs, as well as at Cross Match Technologies, a provider of biometric identity management systems. Ms. Ortiz graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, and received her MBA from the Yale School of Management. She was also a graduate fellow at the Free University of Berlin. Ms. Ortiz currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Headstrong Project, a non-profit mental health organization providing PTSD treatment to veterans, service members, and associated family members. She is also the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Child Research Center, and a member of the advisory board for the Global Forum for Freedom and Justice. She has also been a Women's Global Leadership Fellow and a Strategy and Statecraft Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Job Titles:
- President Emeritus and Co - Founder of the Women
- Retires As WFPG President
Patricia Ellis is President Emeritus and Co-Founder of the Women's Foreign Policy Group. She is also the President and Founder of Ellis Global Issues Forums LLC. In her 22 years leading the WFPG, she developed and moderated programs with high-profile speakers and developed career events for thousands of next generation leaders. Before founding the WFPG, she was a foreign affairs reporter and producer for the MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour and a producer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Washington bureau. Patricia taught at AU's Washington Semester Program specializing in news coverage of foreign affairs. She also conducted research at the US UN Mission and the Center for International Studies at MIT, and was awarded a fellowship at the Joan Shorenstein Center at Harvard's Kennedy School. Patricia was part of the MacNeil-Lehrer team that won the George Peabody Award for the documentary series on South Africa, "Faces of Apartheid" and an Emmy Award for coverage of the Grenada Crisis. She participated in the European Community Visitors Program and received the Netherlands Universities' Foundation for International Cooperation Scholarship for graduate study in The Hague. She is a founding board member of the International Women's Media Foundation, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Cosmos Club's International Affairs Committee. She holds a BA from Wheaton College, an MA from NYU, and a graduate diploma in international relations from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague.
Job Titles:
- Sector Vice President and General Manager of the Global Battle Management & Readiness Division for Northrop Grumman 's Defense Systems
Rebecca Torzone is Sector Vice President and General Manager of the Global Battle Management & Readiness Division for Northrop Grumman's Defense Systems sector, a leading global provider of defense solutions to enable decision-making and defeat advanced threats, while supporting military operations and readiness. In this role, Torzone leads a business focused on transforming mission readiness and battle management for the Defense Department and global partners. In her portfolio are programs that help customers prepare for tomorrow's battle space today through enhanced decision making and force readiness. Torzone has more than 20 years of experience within the aerospace and defense industry, working a broad set of programs across multiple domains and locations. She recently served as the sector vice president and general manager of the Combat Systems and Mission Readiness division and as the chief growth officer of Defense Systems, where she led the strategy, business development and customer engagement activities across the sector's global customer and industry partner communities. Prior to these roles, Torzone led the Missile Products business, an industry leader in the development and production of tactical rocket motors for a variety of air, space, sea, and land-based systems, and served as the vice president of engineering and sciences for the Airborne Sensors and Networks division. Torzone earned a bachelor's degree in engineering physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a master's degree in computer science from Colorado Technical University, and a master's degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She has also completed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Executive Strategy program. She serves on the board of directors for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation and Women's Foreign Policy Group. She and her husband together have five children.
Riley Sullivan is a third-year undergraduate student at George Washington University double majoring in Political Science and International Affairs with a concentration in Gender in International Affairs. Riley works as a field organizer for political campaigns in the local DMV area and serves as a Community Engagement Assistant for Campus Living and Residential Education at GW. She plans to integrate her passion for gender equality and equity in her higher education pursuits when she begins her accelerated MA in Security Policy Studies at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs in the Fall of 2024. She hopes to work in security policy formation and help to provide the gendered perspective that is critical for comprehensive policy, especially during conflict. Riley is excited to learn from her colleagues, members, and speakers during her time as a Programs Intern this semester at the Women's Foreign Policy Group.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant at APCO 's DC
Rosalind Reischer is a senior consultant at APCO's DC-based Public Affairs Advisory practice. She has a background in China policy and previously worked in government relations and business advisory consulting with the Asia practice at McLarty Associates. She has advised clients from a variety of sectors and on topics ranging from navigating the US-China trade war to the business implications of geopolitical shifts. Previously, Rosalind worked with the Project 2049 Institute, a research organization promoting American security interests in Asia, as well as the Nicobar Group in Shanghai, a consultancy focusing on US-China civil nuclear engagement. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins SAIS Center in Nanjing, where she concentrated in energy, resources and the environment, holds a BA from UVA, and she is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.
Job Titles:
- Security Analyst at CNN and a Senior Advisor
Samantha Vinograd is a National Security Analyst at CNN and a Senior Advisor at the Biden Institute. Named a Woman of the Future by Newsweek in 2018, Vinograd began her career in Iraq as the Deputy Attaché for the US Department of the Treasury and subsequently served on President Obama's National Security Council in several roles including Director for Iraq, Director for International Economics, and Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor. She joined Goldman Sachs in 2013, where her work focused on building public-private sector partnerships across a broad range of policy and business issues, and later led Global Public Policy at Stripe. Vinograd is deeply engaged in social impact work and serves as an advisor to the US Fund for UNICEF. She was named a David E. Rockefeller Fellow at the Trilateral Commission and a Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council. @sam_vinograd
Sarah Haacke Byrd is a philanthropy and social impact leader, currently serving as the CEO of Women Moving Millions where she has mobilized more than $160 million in new funding to date. With over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, Sarah has a deep understanding of the complex issues facing women and girls globally and a strong commitment to driving large-scale social change. For over two decades, Sarah has been building, guiding, and leading nonprofit organizations in Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York dedicated to strengthening democracy, expanding human rights, and advancing gender equality. Previously, Sarah worked for notable organizations, including the Joyful Heart Foundation, where she led the campaign to eliminate the backlog of hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits in the U.S. Sarah has been recognized throughout her career for her ability to build and lead high-performing teams and drive strategic growth in mission-driven organizations. She has been an advisor to various philanthropic initiatives and is known for her ability to mobilize and inspire the public and private sector to make significant investments in social change. Sarah served as a founding board member for Hive Gender Climate Justice Fund, is a current Ambassador Board Member for NextGen America, an Advisory Board Member at the Diverse Investing Collective, and is an Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellow. She lives in New York City with her husband.
Sierra Jones is a sophomore at Arizona State University enrolled in Barrett, the Honors College, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies alongside a certificate in Human Rights. Previously, Sierra served as a Junior Fellow at Arizona State, where she collaborated with Dr.Henry Sivak and various social impact organizations across the Phoenix Valley area to develop a service-learning capstone class for the School of Politics and Global Studies. Additionally, Sierra volunteered at the International Rescue Committee Asylum Seeking Welcome Center and served as a WorldPackers volunteer in Tanzania and Costa Rica. Currently, Sierra is studying in Washington, D.C. for a semester, where she is learning about diplomacy through her classes with former Ambassador Roderick Moore. Passionate about law, international affairs, and human rights, Sierra aims to integrate these interests into her future career. She is eager to expand her knowledge and gain practical experience in international affairs, policy communication, and research during her time as a Programs Intern at the Women's Foreign Policy Group this spring.