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The German Marshall Fund works closely with more than 50 local coordinators on both sides of the Atlantic to provide the Marshall Memorial Fellows with invaluable local perspectives on domestic and international issues. The coordinators in turn rely on a network of more than 3,000 alumni to identify and build a comprehensive agenda.
If you are a newly selected Fellow, please feel free to reach out to all coordinators who will host you during your Fellowship to explore ways to enhance your experience.
If you are a Fellow who has already travelled on the program, you are more than welcomed to contact your local coordinator and find ways to be involved with the hosting of the Fellows or convening of alumni. Also, if your professional or contact details have changed since, please send your new details to leadershipprograms@gmfus.org; or update your profile on the online directory.
The United States
Anchorage, Alaska
Mara Kimmel is a faculty member at the Department of Political Science at the University of Alaska and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of the North. An attorney by training, her practice focused on immigration and human rights law of asylum seekers and immigrant victims of violence. Mara is a founding member and a board member of the Alaska Immigration Justice Project, Alaska’s only nonprofit legal service agency for immigrants and refugees. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, a master’s degree from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. Mara is currently a doctoral candidate, pursuing a PhD at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary in Environmental Sciences and Policy. Mara has been a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2003.
Boston, Massachusetts
Alex is Assistant Director of Academic and Development Coordination at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. Previously, he served as Senior Program Officer for the Southern California Leadership Network, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit-organization focused on civic leadership development in California. Alex was also Client Sales Assistant on the Latin American Institutional Sales at Lehman Brothers in New York City, New York. Outside of his professional career, Alex is a member of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and World Boston. As a student, he participated in several exchange and study abroad programs that took him to Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. Alex is fluent in Italian and Spanish, and speaks conversational French. He received his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Boston University in 2006, and his Master of Public Diplomacy from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California in 2010. Previously, Alex served as the Los Angeles city coordinator.
Bismarck, North Dakota
Sarah Nordby welcomes you to North Dakota. Her family ranches in the South West part of the state, where they raise cattle as well a small flock of sheep. They also run a bovine artificial insemination business. Quite by accident they have also found themselves in the midst of one of the world’s largest oil plays, the Bakken. Sarah received a B.A. in agricultural economics from NDSU and was an office manager/home loan officer after graduation. Her next job was that of research analyst for the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, where she worked on a wide array of issues. This diversified background has given her great intuition and insight into current events. Sarah had been hosting Marshall Memorial Fellows for 20 years now and enjoys the opportunity to connect with young leaders from overseas and give them grass roots perspective from people working the land.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Eleanor is a native of Chattanooga. She is the seventh generation of her family to live in this region at the foothills of the Appalachians and has a lot of family stories to tell, including when her great-grandfather refused to leave during the Civil War. She has some stories of her own, having traveled around the world by herself before she was 25. Eleanor was Executive Director of Chattanooga Venture during Re-Vision 2000 and Vice-President of the Lyndhurst Foundation, both positions contributing to the revitalization of Chattanooga. She was elected Commissioner of Ridgeside for one term, from 2002 to 2006. She has promoted international engagement and understanding in Chattanooga through many different voluntary organizations, including Children’s International Summer Villages, Sister Cities Association, and the Marshall Memorial Fellowship. She is a published author. Her book Grace: An American Woman in China 1934-74 has been translated and published both in the US and China. Eleanor is currently working on a doctorate in the Learning and Leadership Program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, using Chattanooga as a case study for community revitalization.
Chicago, Illinois
Ricardo (Ric) Estrada is President and CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, one of Chicago’s first and largest human services agencies. Prior to joining, Metropolitan Estrada served as First Deputy Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services. There he managed a $460 million budget, developing strategies to strengthen program services supporting Chicago’s vulnerable families, focusing on children, youth, seniors, and the homeless, as well as directing the department’s emergency services Division. Estrada served as executive director of Erie Neighborhood House, where his accomplishments included creating Erie Elementary Charter School and doubling the organization’s budget. His record of civic and community involvement spans two decades. Most recently he was appointed to Chicago Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel’s Transition Committee for Social Services and Healthcare, in March 2011. Estrada also was named a Trustee of the University of Illinois in January 2011. In addition, he serves as Vice President, Board of Directors, of Leadership Greater Chicago; Board member of the Woods Fund of Chicago. Estrada’s awards include being named an American Marshall Memorial Fellow, receiving the City Club of Chicago John A. McDermott Award for Distinguished Social Leadership. He also was selected as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ “40 under 40″ in 2002. Estrada’s holds an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, an M.A. in Social Service Policy and Administration from the University of Chicago, and a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University of Chicago.
Larry retired as an extension educator in community and economic development at the University of Chicago Countryside Extension Center, where he provided community-based leadership training, did research, developed educational programs on community leadership and volunteerism, and worked closely with community groups and grassroots organizations. From January to December 2006, Larry served as visiting educator for staff development, training, and mentoring at the University of Illinois Extension. From January 1999 to July 2000, he served as program coordinator for Rural Route 2 at the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, a confidential help system for farm families in need. Larry was as interim state specialist in leadership development for the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service from August 1995 to May 1996. He is a recipient of numerous awards and was inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Society, Lake Land College, Mattoon, Illinois in 2007. His professional affiliations include the National and Illinois Association of Community and Economic Development Professionals and the Association of Leadership Educators, where he has served as president, vice president, treasurer and program chair. He has also provided leadership to the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, Illinois Extension Advisers Association, Epsilon Sigma Phi, and Gamma Sigma Delta. Larry holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science and vocational education, a secondary education-teaching certificate, and master’s degree in extension education. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign College of Education in the field of organizational leadership and development.
Cleveland, Ohio
Tracy is a Partner with the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where she concentrates her practice in the areas of Business, Employment and Public Law. Tracy frequently represents corporations, financial institutions and individuals in a variety of litigation and transactional business matters. She also counsels public and private employers in matters related to various types of employment discrimination allegations, corporate governance issues and litigation prevention strategies. Previously, Tracy served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Cuyahoga County where she gained her initial trial experience. Prior to practicing law, Tracy worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ohio Senate, and as Legislative Director within Cuyahoga County’s government. Given her strong interest and varied background in government and law, Tracy regularly serves as a political consultant in the areas of campaign management and fundraising. Tracy is also a proud Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2007.
Dallas, Texas
Chelsea is the Program Coordinator for the International Visitor Program and the Marshall Memorial Fellowship at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. In this capacity, she connects visitors from abroad with local resources, experts, and cultural experiences at home. Prior to joining the World Affairs Council in May 2011, Chelsea served as an intern for the International Education Program and an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the Tarrant Literacy Coalition in Fort Worth. She was also a member of the Fort Worth Sister Cities International (FWSCI), which enabled her to take part in a number of international exchange programs. Chelsea graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Southwestern University, and was a Gilman Scholar in Madrid, Spain and Muscat, Oman.
Denver, Colorado
Erin is Director of Admissions and Communications for the Institute for Public Policy Studies at the University of Denver. Prior to joining the University, Erin worked for several non-profits organizations including the American Lung Association and a Denver leader in indigent healthcare, Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN). As Program Director for a National Service Organization at MCPN, she excelled in grant management, recruitment, and organizational performance management. Erin received her M.B.A. from Colorado Christian University and graduated cum laude with her B.A. from Nebraska Wesleyan University, where she studied business administration and organizational development. She is a longtime volunteer and Team Mentor for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s fundraising organization, Team in Training. Erin also served as a 9 Health Fair Site Coordinator for three years in the Denver metro area and Class Mentor for Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.
Durango, Colorado
Laura is currently Assistant Director of the Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado. Prior to this she worked for several nonprofit organizations and the broadcast media. She has a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication and an M.B.A. As a 2005 Marshall Memorial Fellow, she was able to explore her love of journalism, nonprofit capacity building, community organizing, and economic development. Laura currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the Chair of the Colorado Association for Regional Organizations (CARO). She has been recognized by her southwest Colorado peers with the Economic Development Leader of the Year award in 2008, the Extraordinary Woman of the Year in 2004, and the Hidden Hero Award in 2000. Laura resides in Durango, Colorado with her husband and two sons.
Houston, Texas
Ronan is from Ireland, and he moved to the United States as a child. He has always had an ardent interest in international affairs, foreign policy, intercultural issues, and travel. His undergraduate degree is in international studies and history; and he has an MBA in international business. Before returning to his passion for international issues, he worked as a real estate broker for 10 years. At the World Affairs Council of Houston, he is a program officer coordinating upcoming events and the Young Professionals programs.
Lincoln, Nebraska
Gerry is an Investment Advisor and Certified Financial Planner in Lincoln. He serves individuals, retirement plans, endowments, foundations, and trusts. Gerry is also an active member in his local community as a program officer and board member of many civic organizations. He was selected a Leadership Lincoln Fellow in 1987. Garry is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty at the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska, where he teaches Finance and Investing. Garry is politically active as a member of the Democratic Party, and has served as chairman, campaign manager, or treasurer for several local, state, and national candidates. Garry is also the Treasurer of the Nebraska Democratic Party, a post he has held since 1995. Before moving to Lincoln, Gerry served as a fighter pilot in the U. S. Navy, logging 1800 hours in land and aircraft-carrier based flight operations. He holds a B.S. in engineering from the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and an M.B.A. in management from The George Washington University in Washington DC.
Los Angeles, California
April currently serves as the Associate Director of Development for the Southern California Leadership Network (SCLN). In her role, she identifies new clients, sponsors, and foundations to support the mission and work of the organization. April also oversees the annual recruitment and selection of more than 125 fellows who enroll in SCLN three core programs: Leadership L.A., Leadership Southern California, and California Connections. April also leads all event logistics for the annual Southern California Visionaries Awards, the primary leadership and fundraising event for SCLN. Her previous work experience includes management of events at Hornblower Cruises & Events and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the Chamber, April interned with Warner Bros. in the premiere and special events department and Special Occasions Inc., an event production company. She has a B.S. in television/radio, and a double minor in journalism and speech communications from the Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York. She is fluent in Cantonese and conversational in Spanish. Outside of the office, she serves as a volunteer at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles and is Corporation Relations Chair for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
Brian K. Williams
Brian was most recently the principal owner of the Brian K. Williams Law Group, a firm specializing in civil and criminal litigation. With over twenty years of legal experience, he has handled thousands of criminal and civil matters and has tried more than one hundred cases. Brian also worked for a decade in the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney. When the Los Angeles City Attorney James K. Hahn was elected Mayor, Brian was appointed Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles for Transportation, Environment, and Infrastructure. During his four-year tenure, his accomplishments were recognized by the International Environmental Organization with the coveted EVO award. Upon leaving the Mayor’s Office, Brian served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Pasadena, the General Manager for the City of Pasadena Department of Housing, and the Director of Government Affair for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). His civic involvement includes vice chairmanship of the Community Development Commission and memberships on the United Way Board of Directors, Ward A.M.E. Church Board of Trustees, The Boule’, State Bar of California, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Langston Bar Association. Brian is a 2009-graduate of South California Leadership Network’s Leadership Southern California program and has participated with National Urban Fellows. He lectured at numerous schools, universities, and programs, including UCLA. A two-time UCLA Chancellor’s Marshall, Brian earned a B.A. in political science at UCLA and received a Juris Doctorate from the UCLA School of Law. A native of Southern California, he is married with two children.
Memphis, Tennessee
David is a native Memphian. He joined Leadership Memphis as the President and CEO in November 2004. Since joining Leadership Memphis, the organization has expanded its programs from one to three – tripling the number of graduates each year from 50 to 150. In addition, Leadership Memphis launched and is leading the Memphis Talent Dividend: College Attainment Initiative, which received a $1.743 million grant from the Plough Foundation to establish a college resource center in the Memphis Public Library. Leadership Memphis recently launched Imagine Memphis, the Greater Memphis Diversity Collaborative and the Greater Memphis Leadership Collaborative. And the organization recently relocated offices to 365 South Main. David has an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado at Denver and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Memphis. He is a Healthier Community Fellow with the American Hospital Association, is a past board chair of Playhouse on the Square and is the current chair of the Memphis Public Library and Information Center board of trustees. David is also President and CEO of his own private consulting firm, which assists nonprofit organizations that serve disadvantaged populations.
Gwyn R. Fisher is the founder and CEO of Revolution Strategy, a firm dedicated to providing economic and community development guidance to organizations so as to help them thrive in today’s fast-moving world. She is the former Executive Director of MPACT Memphis, a nationally and internationally recognized organization dedicated to engaging and supporting Memphis’ diverse young professionals . Gwyn is a former attorney and served as Law Clerk to a federal judge for four years. She received a B.A. in French from Scripps College and a J.D. from the University of Memphis. She has published in legal journals and is currently a contributing author for Smart City Memphis. Gwyn is a recipient of the 2010 Memphis Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” award. She has been recognized as one of Memphis’ “Power Players” by Memphis Business Quarterly and listed in Memphis Magazine’s 2010 list of “Who’s Who.” Gwyn is also a participant in the British Council Transatlantic Network (TN2020). She currently lives in midtown Memphis with her ugly pug MoMo.
Steve is a native Memphian who found his way back to the city ten years ago. Steve is a 20 year employee and Senior VP with Raymond James/Morgan Keegan, a stock brokerage firm he joined in Pensacola, Florida his home for 31 years. Steve attended Florida State University, where he majored in marketing and Bobby Bowden football. Steve is a 1990 graduate of Leadership Pensacola and is a member of the 2005 graduating class of Leadership Memphis. He has been a Rotarian for 27 years, holding the distinction of being awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, achieving 26 years of perfect attendance, and serving as an officer and board member. He is also an avid tennis player, competing on the state and sectional levels with the USTA. Steve, has hosted the German Marshall Fellows in his home for 4 years, becoming more involved with the programming each year.
Miami, Florida
Luther is an Assistant Professor of Medicine & Society and Chief of the Division of Policy and Community Development at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida. He also serves as Community Director of Neighborhood HELP (Health Education Learning Program), which is a novel community based medical curriculum that assigns medical students to households in medically underserved areas. Luther has a broad background in community development that spans both the private and public sectors. Prior to his current position he has held academic positions at the City University of New York and the University of Michigan as well as several consulting positions including chief consultant for the expansion of the 125th Street business improvement district in Harlem, New York. Luther also serves as vice-Chair of the Miami Coalition for the Homeless and is a board member of Transition South Florida Workforce an ex-offender employment program. He currently lives in Miami, Florida with his wife Dr. Cheryl Brewster and son, London Brewster.
Montgomery, Alabama
Cheryl Carter is currently Executive Director of Leadership Montgomery, an organization that trains forty of the community’s top leaders each year from a field of over 120 applicants. Cheryl spent 29 years in public education, first as a teacher and then as director of the Carver Creative and Performing Arts Center; next as the founding principal of the Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery, Alabama, followed by nine years as Director of Development for St. James School. Cheryl was the founder of the Alabama Governor’s School for Arts and Technology and was instrumental in writing a Magnet Schools Assistance Grant that netted the Montgomery Public School System approximately $7 million in federal funding for seven of the first magnet schools in Montgomery. She has served as a consultant to a number of school systems and educational institutions throughout the United States. She holds a master’s degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Troy State University and a doctorate degree in education from California Coast University.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Alea is Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Education at the University of New Orleans. With over twenty years of administrative practice in international education, she heads the university’s study abroad, international student services, and language study. She also assists the Chancellor and other UNO leaders in their efforts to internationalize the campus and curriculum, expand international student services, and increase international opportunities for students and faculty. Alea’s portfolio includes programs in several European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, and Turkey, and in 1995, she founded UNO’s Intensive English Language Program. Her passion for international education began as an AFS high school exchange student in Thailand and continued with her junior year abroad at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. Since then, she has assumed numerous leadership roles in professional associations that serve international education and has presented papers and presided over workshops, presentations and conferences in the United States, Mexico and Europe. Additionally, Alea serves on advisory boards at the state and national level. She holds an M.A. in International Relations from Tulane University.
Pierre, South Dakota
Dan retired as Director of Human Resources and Judicial Education for the South Dakota Supreme Court. His wife Rebecca, is an Art teacher in the Pierre Jr. High School. Dan has a varied past as a Rodeo participant, Polo Player, hunter, fisherman, motorcyclist (big Harley) and traveler with his wife (mostly in Southeast Asia). He is a Viet Nam Veteran who served there as a Special agent in Counter Intelligence. You will find him to be very open and very welcoming with a good sense of humor. They have two dogs, Philip and Steve.
Phoenix, Arizona
Lizabeth (Beth) Thomson-Gorman
Beth joined the ACLU of Arizona in July 2011 and is responsible for ensuring the smooth daily functioning of the ACLU of Arizona office. She has worked for the non-profit sector for the past 25 years, most recently as the Program Manager of Valley Leadership, where she coordinated teen and adult leadership development programs, organized events and volunteers, supported the organization’s Board of Directors and committees, and oversaw office operations and finances. Prior to Valley Leadership, Beth worked as a Business Manager for the West Valley and Chris-Town Branches of the Valley of the Sun YMCA, where she managed the organization’s office operations and supported the Board of Directors and Board committees. Beth is an alumna of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where she studied Business Administration.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mark is university editor and adjunct professor of journalism at Robert Morris University, a private institution with 5,000 students in suburban Pittsburgh. For 14 years he was a reporter with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, writing about crime and the justice system, immigration, education, and high-tech research and business. His stories exposing systematic racial bias in Pittsburgh criminal jury selection led to statewide reforms, and received both state and national journalism awards and the Texthauptpreis from the Hamburg-based Koerber Foundation’s USAble contest. Houser is a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2002 (Hamburg/Turin/Warsaw) and he received a GMF Journalism Fellowship in 2005 to report on European counterterrorism and Muslim integration (Rotterdam/Paris/Madrid). He has a master’s degree in Slavic and Eastern European studies from Ohio State University and spent time as a student in Sarajevo, Kharkiv, and Novokuznetsk.
Portland, Oregon
Liani serves as General Counsel to State of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, M.D. She serves as his chief legal advisor and oversees a portfolio that includes review of all laws presented to the Governor for signature, public safety policy, tribal relations and tribal gaming, clemency petitions, extradition warrants, and judicial appointments. Prior to the Governor’s Office, Liani was Deputy Chief Trial Counsel at the Oregon Attorney General’s Office where she specialized in defending the State of Oregon in civil lawsuits. She also worked as a Staff Attorney for the National Crime Victim Law Institute where she specialized in victim’s rights, trafficking and violence against women issues. Her personal interests include promoting access to justice for women, minorities and communities of color. Liani is one of the many hundreds of thousands of children who were adopted from South Korea to a Western family. She is a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2012.
San Francisco, California
Jan is Director of Legal Education Opportunity Program and Adjunct Professor at University of California Hastings College of the Law. She works on equalizing opportunities in the law with the recognition that traditional academic admission criteria might not be the best indicators of academic potential for students from nontraditional backgrounds. Jan is also a consultant to the American Bar Association. As a practicing attorney, she advises entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and non-profit institutions. Prior to entering the law, Jan had a career in educational administration at the federal and collegiate levels. She is a member of the California Bar and a graduate of the University of California Hastings College of the Law (J.D.), Chapman University (M.B.A.), and Virginia State University (B.S.). An avid reader, Jan collects early 19th century historical documents and renovates historical properties.
Spanish Fork, Utah
Seth is the Assistant City Manager for Spanish Fork City and has been with the City since 2004. Seth is responsible for Human Resources and Risk Management for the City. Prior to Seth’s time at Spanish Fork City, he worked for a neighboring community with direct responsibilities over the Communities emergency preparedness operations. Seth received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Brigham Young University. He is married and has 3 daughters.
Washington, District of Columbia
Megan Doherty is a Program Officer for the Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives team at GMF. Megan manages Fellowship selection, communications and alumni outreach, and works on related TLI Programs such as Marshall Forum, the Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network, and the new Transatlantic Leadership Seminar. Megan has devoted her career to understanding and furthering cross-cultural communication. She completed a Ph.D. in twentieth century intellectual History at Columbia University, where her research on international writers’ networks took her to Germany, France, Norway, and Britain with the generous support of the DAAD, the Mellon Foundation, and the Norwegian government, and other funders. Before graduate school she worked in grantmaking in New York for Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisers, which shaped her interest in understanding the types of leaders and institutions that best shape thriving civil societies. Megan first became immersed in the challenges of cross-cultural communication as growing up overseas, where she completed a B.A. in History and languages at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
Rachel is the Operations Assistant of Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives in the Washington office. In this capacity she works with Marshall Memorial Fellows and the TLI team to coordinate logistics during Fellowships; her other roles include providing support during hosting and alumni outreach. Prior to joining GMF, she worked in finance at the Super PAC, American Crossroads, where she worked on donor relations and outreach. Rachel relocated to Washington, DC from Los Angeles, where she was involved in contracts and purchasing for ITT Exelis, a government defense contractor. Rachel is fluent in Vietnamese and proficient in Spanish and German; she received her B.A. in Political Science and German from the University of Notre Dame.
West Palm Beach, Florida
Jan is Director of Grants of Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, whose funding priorities are grants to cultural organizations, artists and nonprofit organizations serving children’s culture and/or multiculturalism. Before joining the Council, Jan spent 9 years establishing and growing a grantmaking program for a healthcare foundation. Prior to that, she spent 10 years securing gifts and grants for health focused organizations as a professional fund raiser in northeast Ohio and southeast Florida. She is extremely active in her community as a representative of the Council as well as a leader through her personal involvement and volunteerism. She serves on several boards and committees for organizations such as The Carbonell Awards and Leadership Palm Beach County’s Songwriters in the Round. Jan is an alumnus of the German Marshall Fellowship Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in public administration both from Kent State University.
Wilmington, North Carolina
Kevin is Chief Financial Officer for McGeever LLC and Vice President of Operations for its subsidiary, SalesForce4Hire. McGeever provides venture capital to medical device companies and utilizes SalesForce4Hire to accelerate the value of these investments to exit. As an active member of the Wilmington, North Carolina community, he serves as President of the NC Coastal Land Trust, a conservation organization protecting over 50,000 acres of eastern North Carolina. He is also a national director for the captive insurance entity, Terrafirma, a subsidiary of the Land Trust Alliance, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Wilmington Investor Network, a Business Angel investor network. Previously, Kevin was President of the North Carolina World Trade Association, a state-wide entity advocating for North Carolina’s exporters and importers. He is an Eagle Scout, a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2009, and holds the Certified Global Business Professional® designation. Kevin graduated with a degree in Economics and Psychology from Wake Forest University in 1990. His wife, Louise, is Executive Director of Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids stay in school and graduate. Their three sons are active in sports and the Boy Scouts.
Mike Rhoades is the Chief Operating Officer for RHA Health Services, a nationwide conglomerate of hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient clinics. With over 20 years in the health care industry, Mike serves as a consultant for the Secretary of NC Department of Health and Human Services/Medicaid on health care finance and operational policy. Mike is currently researching comparative health care financing models and their impact on quality and labor portability.
Europe
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bram is Director of the Netherlands Atlantic Association since 1996. Previously, he had an academic career firstly as Coordinator and then Assistant Professor at the Department of European Studies at the University of Amsterdam (1982-1996). Bram studied history and received his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Amsterdam in 1992.
Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece
Elizabeth is Deputy Director of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), and General Coordinator of the Halki International Seminars. She joined ELIAMEP as a coordinator for activities and development, but quickly rose in rank. Her field of expertise includes international and non-profit project and organizational management and Easter European politics and economies. Elizabeth graduated with an MA from the University of Essex, where she was also a Research Fellow. Since 2007, she is s Senior International Fellow at the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at the City University of New York.
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Laura Foraster i Lloret is Executive Director at Patronat Catalunya Món, a public-private consortium that carries out public diplomacy activities to promote Catalonia. Before joining Patronat, Laura served as Chief of Cabinet of the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise and of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs of the Government of Catalonia. She was also Parliamentary Assistant to Catalan Members of the European Parliament and an employee of the Committee of the Regions, the European Commission, and the Catalan Government Delegation to the EU. Laura holds a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration, a B.A. in Humanities and a M.A. in European Studies. Laura has been a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2012.
Belgrade, Serbia
Snezana is a Program Coordinator at the Balkan Trust for Democracy, a project of German Marshall Fund, United States Agency for International Development, and Charles Stuart Mott Foundation. Her responsibilities include grantmaking and the Marshall Memorial Fellowship. Snezana graduated from the Department of International Relations at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade, where she is currently completing her M.A. During her studies, she took part in several competitions, and has been active in the U.N. Association of Serbia, as a member of the organizing committee for the Belgrade International Model United Nations.
Berlin, Germany
Melanie is Program Associate at GMF’s Berlin Office. In this capacity she works on the MMF program, Bundestag Relations, and a broad spectrum of ad-hoc events. Melanie joined GMF in 2001 as Office Manager in Berlin. Prior to joining GMF, she worked in the hotel industry, holding various managerial positions in Germany, England, and the United States. Melanie obtained a B.Sc. in Politics and International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is fluent in German and English, and proficient in French.
Bilbao, Basque, Spain
Paul joined the start-up Innobasque (the Basque Innovation Agency) as Project Manager of Internationalization in 2008. Previously, he served as the Secretary General of the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs – Pax Romana based in Geneva (2004-2008), and as Director of the UNESCO Centre in the Basque Country, UNESCO Etxea, (1993-2004). At UNESCO, he was actively involved with both local and international projects, and was elected President of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (1999-2003). Born in Bilbao, Paul studied Law at the University of Deusto. He is a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 1999 and the MMF Bilbao City Program Coordinator since 2004. Paul is a regular contributor in media (fortnightly in radio and occasional columnist in newspapers) and blogger in “Thought in Euskadi”. He is also an active member of many local community organizations and initiatives, such as the Basque Group of the Club de Rome.
Brussels, Belgium
Filip Vojvodic Medic is a Program Officer at the Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives Department of the German Marshall Fund. He manages programming for leadership development fellowships and alumni programs, including the Marshall Forum on Global Leadership and the Transatlantic Leadership Seminar. Previously, Mr. Medic was a Program Officers at the Balkan Trust for Democracy, where he worked on grant making in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and fellowship programs in the Balkans. Before joining the Balkan Trust, he was an Assistant Manager at Red Art Workshop, a radio, film, and television production company. Mr. Medic graduated in history and politics from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Stephanie joined the TLI Team in October as a program coordinator for Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives in GMF’s Brussels office. In this role, she works on Fellowship hosting, communications, and alumni relations in Europe. Prior to joining the TLI team, Stephanie served on the Major Conferences team at GMF where helped coordinate two high-level conferences for over 400 government officials, business leaders, and academics. Before moving to Brussels, Stephanie was a Fulbright Scholar to the Netherlands. Her research focused on the evolution of legislation pertaining to honor crimes in the country. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Political Science from Davidson College as well as a M.A. in European Studies from the University of Maastricht.
Madeleine is Program Assistant in GMF’s Brussels office. She works with Ian Lesser, Executive Director of the Brussels Office, and supports GMF’s Wider Atlantic and Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives programs. Prior to her current position Madeleine worked as Program Assistant in GMF’s Berlin office. Before joining GMF, Madeleine was Program Coordinator at the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and interned for the Department of Western Europe/North America of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, a German political foundation. Madeleine holds a B.A. in Contemporary German Studies, History and International Development Studies from McGill University in Montreal, and an M.A. in European Studies from the University of Bath.
Bucharest, Romania
Ana Aelenei is Black Sea Trust’s Program Coordinator; she manages the Confidence Building program and BST’s activities in Bulgaria and Ukraine, as well as the MMF programming in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. Ana has an M.A. in Security Studies from the University of Bucharest and a Certificate d’Etudes Politiques from the Institute of Political Science of Lyon. Ana is also a fellow of the Japan Foundation. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish in addition to her native Romanian.
Budapest, Hungary
Enikő is a program manager at the Active Citizenship Foundation and Vice President of the Hungarian Women’s Lobby, a member of a broader umbrella organization, the European Women’s Lobby, which works on promoting women’s rights and gender equality across the continent. Enikő works on issues of violence against women, especially awareness raising and prevention. Her career includes a consultancy for the United Nations and the European Commission. Enikő graduated in law from the ELTE University in Budapest, and participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Having spent her childhood abroad, Kristina took her education in Germany, Switzerland, and England. After extensive travel experience in Europe, Northern America, Africa, and Asia, she developed a profound interest in international and transatlantic relations. Since 1999, Kristina has been working as the Marshall Memorial Fellowship hosting and selection partner in Denmark. Apart from her engagement on MMF, Kistina is the PA for Princess Benedikte of Denmark.
Peter is working as a reporter at the Copenhagen editorial office of the national Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, where he primarily covers urbanisation and the city of Copenhagen. He has also covered health, the defence forces, and the wars in Afghanistan and Libya. In 2008, he received the “Digger Prize” by the Danish Association of Investigative Journalists (FUJ) for the best example of investigative journalism in the newspaper category, and he is the author of the book “Soldier for Denmark” published in 2006. Prior to this Peter served the Danish forces as a squad leader in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993 and in Iraq 2004-2005 as a press- and information officer. Peter lives in Copenhagen and has a son aged 4,5 years.
Freiburg, Germany
Wiebke is Director at the National Building Agency Headquarters as of July 15, 2010. Prior to joining the National Building Agency, she worked as Head of Division South of Department of City Planning of the City of Freiburg. She was responsible for the land use plan, zoning planning, and several major of the Department of City Planning before the Freiburg City Council. After her studies, Wiebke worked as a project architect in several architectural bureaus. She graduated in architecture and city planning from the Technical University of Karlsruhe, and holds “Staatsexamen” and “Bauoberrätin” titles of the Federal Government of Germany. She is fluent in German and English and proficient in French and Spanish. Wiebke was a John McCloy Fellow in 2004 and is a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2008.
Istanbul, Turkey
Ceylan Akman (On Leave)
Ceylan is Program Officer at the German Marshall Fund’s Ankara Office. Before joining the GMF, Ceylan worked for the International Organization for Migration and the World Bank. Ceylan is a graduate of the Political Science and International Relations Department of Bogazici University and holds a Master’s Degree in Political Economy from Essex University.
Esin is a Program Assistant at the German Marshall Fund of the United States’ office in Ankara, Turkey. Prior to joining GMF, she worked as an intern at several think-tanks and political parties in Ankara. Esin received her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University, and pursued for a few years doctoral studies in Political Science Department at Bilkent University. Currently she is a Ph.D. Candidate at Sociology and Anthropology Department at Simon Fraser University.
Lisbon, Portugal
Miguel joined the Luso-American Foundation in 1998. Since then, he has served as Program Officer, Deputy Director, and now Director for Culture. Only briefly in 2004, he left the Foundation to serve as Board Member of Centro Cultural de Belém. Previously, Miguel was Chief of Staff for the Secretary of State for Culture (1995-1997), National Commissioner for the Commemorations of the Portuguese Discoveries (1991-1994) and Portuguese National Commissioner at the Seville Universal Exposition (1991-1994). He also served as Public Relations, Protocol, and Information Advisor to Minister of Republic of Azores. Miguel is a graduate of history and is a native of Lisbon.
Meggie heads the regional office of public radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in Lübeck since 2006. She is responsible for a staff of 20 and reports on issues and events in Lübeck and the surrounding regions of Ostholstein and Herzogtum Lauenburg. Prior to taking up this position, Meggie lived in Kiel and worked a a reporter for the NDR (1998-1999 and 2001-2006), a private television station SAT.1 (1997-1998), and a private radio station R.SH (1991-1995). She was also an Assistant to the Director of NDR Schleswig-Holstein (1999-2001) as well as the Chief Executive Officer of R.SH (1995-1997). Meggie studied journalism, publishing, German philology, and sociology at the Christian Albrechts University in Münster and got her PhD at an early age of 25 in 1989. She volunteers for the German Journalist Trade Union – DJV, for which she served as Second Head of the National Board and still serves as Head of the Commission for Equal Opportunities and Work-Life-Balance. Meggie is a board member of her congregation at the Catholic Herz Jesu Kirche in Lübeck, and has been a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2002 and an MMF coordinator in Lübeck and Kiel since 2005.
Paris, France
Martin, a native of Lyon, France, is currently Research and Program Coordinator at the Paris office of The German Marshall Fund of the United States. With the German Marshall Fund since January 2012, Martin specializes in American foreign policy, strategic and geopolitical affairs, American domestic politics, transatlantic relations and the studies of think tanks. He is a graduate of Sciences Po Lyon, where he studied international relations and European affairs, including a year at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, USA). His previous experiences include the Brookings Institution (Washington D.C.), where he served as a research assistant, and the French National Assembly, as parliamentary assistant. Martin has written for GMF on French politics and American power, and has appeared on France 24 to discuss American domestic politics. He has also conducted extensive research on the sociological aspects of the American think tank community and the separation of powers on economic matters in the American political system.
Podgorica, Montenegro
Daliborka is Executive Director of the Centre for Civic Education and a part time consultant at various domestic and international organisations. Previously, she worked as Political and Media Adviser at the Office of the Council of Europe in Montenegro, and a local producer for BBC World. Her career also included a post at the OSCE Mission in Montenegro and International Foundation for Election Systems from Washington D.C. in Serbia and Montenegro. During her undergraduate studies, Daliborka was a participant and spokesperson for the student protests in Serbia in 1996 and 1997 which were triggered by allegations of mass electoral fraud. She graduated in international relations from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade, attained her masters degree in European and East European Studies from the University of Montenegro, and is currently pursuing her MLL. Daliborka has been Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2007.
Prague, The Czech Republic
Tom is an associate of the Prague Global Policy Institute, also known as Glopolis, for which he also used to be the head of finance. Prior to working for Glopolis, Tom was a project manager at the Franz Kafka Center. He rejoined the Center again last year as manager of its publications. Apart from working for civil society organizations, Tom also works as a freelance analyst on U.S. national security and foreign policy issues. In this capacity, he has covered a wide variety of topics, from the Gulf War to Afghanistan, and has consulted with various domestic and international bodies. Tom is a recipient of the Bundeswehr fellowship for the first European Manfred Wörner Seminar in 2010. He graduated with a degree in history, politics, and international relations from the Charles University, Prague.
Rome, Italy
Dennis F. Redmont
Dennis is a veteran foreign correspondent and news executive. He currently heads the Communications, Media, and Development Department of the Rome-based Council for the United States and Italy, a business forum and think tank dedicated to strengthening the cooperation between the United States and Italy. During his career, he reported from over 80 countries, covering guerrilla warfare and dictatorships in Latin America, Middle East crises, and three traveling popes, before working as a Rome based executive for the Associated Press for the Mediterranean area, handling news, photos, television and multimedia coverage and distribution for over 25 years. Fluent in six languages, he has written for magazines and other periodicals besides broadcasting for public and private television networks, commenting on such subjects as European politics and culture and the U. S. presidential elections. In 1978 he was Pulitzer Prize finalist for his Vatican and papal coverage. In 1983 he won one of Italy’s most prestigious prizes, the Carlo Casalegno award for distinguished journalism for the coverage of Italy and the Vatican,the first time the honor was granted to a foreign news professional. He has served four times as president of Italy’s Foreign Press Association (Stampa Estera), which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Born in the United States, Redmont graduated with honors from the Graduate School of Journalism at the Columbia University.
Letizia has been working as Assistant to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Council for the United States and Italy since 1989. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Rome La Sapienza. Letizia lived in Brazil, Greece, Kenya, Tunisia, and Spain before returning to Italy in 1982. Thanks to this invaluable experience she speaks six languages (alongside her native Italian, Greek, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish).
Skopje, Macedonia
Biljana is Director of the Macedonian Institute for Media – the largest membership-based media – organization in Macedonia, involving over 60 media outlets nationwide. Biljana is one of the founders of the Institute, for which she has worked since 2001. She was initially the program manager and is also the founder of the Institute’s School of Journalism and Public Relations. Previously, Biljana served as a program executive for the Macedonian Press Centre (1998-2001), and a journalist for the daily newspaper Makedonija Denes and the weekly magazine Focus. Her current responsibilities include strategic planning and sustainable development, alongside day-to-day management. Biljana earned her B.A. in journalism from the St. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and has subsequently completed several international programs in organizational management, media development, media communication and public relations.
Sofia, Bulgaria
Yasen is Executive Director at the Economic Policy Institute, Sofia (EPI) – a non-governmental, non-partisan, and non-profit organization for interdisciplinary research and analyses of key economic and social trends in Bulgaria and South Eastern Europe. Yasen joined EPI as a Research Fellow in 2006. Previously, he briefly worked for the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense and Bulgarian branch of Beiersdorf. Yasen graduated with a B.A. in international relations from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia and studied strategic marketing at the University of St. Kliment Ohridski, also in Sofia. In 2010, he was awarded a young-executive fellowship by the Robert Bosch Foundation. As a result, he spent nine months in Berlin, working for the International Department of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and the European Policy Directorate-General of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
Stockholm, Sweden
Ebba is the City Coordinator for the Marshall Memorial Fellowship in Stockholm, Sweden. She holds an LL.M. degree from Lund University in Swedish and International Criminal Law. Ebba is currently working for the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) in Stockholm and has previously worked on security sector reforms in India as a Program Officer at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in New Delhi, India.
Tirana, Albania
Erisa currently works as National Program Coordinator for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. Before joining the United Nations, she worked for ten years in the civil society, focusing on such issues as human rights, conflict resolution, and democratization. Erisa graduated with a B.A. in British and American Studies from the University of Tirana and a Master Degree in Democracy and Human Rights in South-eastern Europe from the University of Bologna and University of Sarajevo. Her graduate thesis focused on women’s rights from the perspective of Doris Lessing’s work. Erisa is also a specialist on political transitions and democratization processes, and is well respected in civic circles.
Suela is a lawyer in private practice. Alongside private clients, she also works with several law firms from the European Union to provide legal and project development assistance to Albanian ministries. Suela joined forces with a number of her colleagues to promote arbitration as a form of alternative dispute resolution to litigation among private businesses. Civically, she is also active in advocating for a free and fair market competition in Albania. Suela teaches international organizations at a private university in Tirana. She was also an active member of the civil society. She holds a B.A. in European Studies from the University of Malta and an LL.B. in Business Law from the University in Tirana. Additionally, she has a M.A. from the European College of Parma.
Turin, Italy
Born in Mexico and raised in California, Maria Elena first studied at the University of California in Santa Cruz and then at Stanford University, where she received her MA in 1990 and her PH. D. in 1995. Since then she has taught Italian Literature and Cinema at the State University of New York SUNY in Buffalo. She began as an assistant professor from 1994-2000 and then in 2000 she became an associate “tenured” professor. Throughout her career she has received numerous awards and acknowledgements, including the Cesare Pavese award for her doctoral thesis and the Milton Plesur Award of Excellence for university teaching. Her area of research in literature is Surrealism, a theme about which she has published many articles, including a book dedicated to the work of Alberto Savinio. Maria Elena spends part of her year in Turin, where she teaches film at the University with the program known as “Re-entry of the Brains / Brain Re-entry.” She is also the artistic director of the View Conference and directs the Turin edition of Resfest, the international festival of avant-guarde cinema.
Zagreb, Croatia
Sandro is a Research Fellow at the Department for International Economic and Political Relations at the Institute for Development and International Relations. His scientific work focuses on international relations, especially international and European security, the EU and NATO enlargement, and its impact on the region of Southeast Europe. Sandro holds a B.A. in International Relations, and M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Comparative Politics from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Zagreb. He is also a member of various international networks and expert groups, and teaches international relations. Sandro has been a Marshall Memorial Fellow since 2008.
Warsaw, Poland
Aleksandra is Program Assistant at GMF’s Warsaw Office. She is responsible for coordinating MMF activities in Poland, but also works on various foreign policy and civil society projects, especially in the field of energy policy and security. Previously, Aleksandra was a production assistant and post-production coordinator for several film production and advertising companies. Aleksandra holds two M.A. degrees – in International Relations and Film & TV Production – as well as a B.Sc. in Computer Graphics. She is fluent in Polish and English, proficient in French and Spanish, and has a basic knowledge of Dutch.
