Alumni Relations
GMF’s Alumni Relations offers a number of opportunities for our alumni to stay engaged with our networks and continue efforts to strengthen transatlantic cooperation.The GMF’s Alumni Relations team and Alumni network offer a dynamic array of events and resources for its 4,000+ global leaders spanning 40 countries and various sectors. We provide a space for alumni to connect, learn, and engage with GMF experts and their peers. Alumni can access a wealth of knowledge through webinars, conferences, and workshops, and collaborate with experts on pressing global issues. Our network also fosters ongoing connections among alumni, creating a powerful community for knowledge-sharing and meaningful dialogue.
Are You in the Loop with the GMF Alumni Network?
With more than 4,000 leaders across 60 countries and four decades of programming, the GMF alumni network is one of the most dynamic communities in transatlantic affairs and it is only as strong as its connections. From your city to across the Atlantic, below are a few easy ways to make sure you are plugged in with your fellow alumni.
Use this page as a central hub for alumni resources, upcoming events, engagement opportunities, recordings, and ways to stay involved with GMF Leadership Programs.
To learn more about Leadership Programs current programming, please click on the link.
Staying Engaged
Expand AllGMFConnect
Explore GMF’s alumni directory and engagement platform to reconnect with fellows, discover leaders across sectors and regions, share opportunities, and stay connected to the broader transatlantic community.
Alumni WhatsApp Community
Traveling abroad and hoping to connect with fellow alumni? Looking to expand your professional network or exchange ideas with leaders across sectors and countries? The Alumni WhatsApp Community is a space to stay connected with the broader GMF network, engage in conversation, and hear about upcoming opportunities and events.
Alumni Leadership Council
GMF’s Alumni Leadership Council (ALC), is a platform designed to connect alumni across sectors, generations, and borders to engage in timely conversations, exchange ideas, and collaborate on solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the transatlantic relationship. Through this membership, you will gain exclusive opportunities to stay connected to GMF’s work, access insights from leading experts, and participate in virtual and in-person convenings that foster dialogue, learning, and action.
The ALC builds on a proud tradition of alumni giving back to the fellowship programs that shaped their leadership journeys. All funds collected through ALC will support current fellowship programs and expansion of alumni engagement efforts. GMF is working toward expanding alumni-led initiatives, such as grants and projects, but this relaunch focuses on reconnecting the network through meaningful engagement, virtually and in person.
Membership for the 2026 ALC is closed. If you are interested in registering for the 2027 membership benefits, please contact [email protected].
Submit an ‘Alumni Spotlight’ for the Quarterly Alumni Newsletter
Have a new role, recent publication, or project you would like to share with the GMF community? Highlight yourself as an alumni making an impact across sectors and regions while creating opportunities for connection and collaboration across the network. Each quarter, the Leadership Programs team selects six alumni to feature. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.
Update Your Personal Information
Your professional or personal information has changed? Please fill out the form below if you would like to update your information with us.
Get Involved in the 2026 MMF Travel
Expand All2026 Marshall Memorial Fellowship Travel
As part of the 2026 MMF programming, our fellows will be travelling from September 23 to October 16, 2026. Our fellows will be travelling to the following cities:
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September 23 - 26 Washington DC, USA
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September 27- October 1
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October 1 - 7
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October 7-13 Copenhagen, Denmark; Brussels, Belgium; Madrid, Spain
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October 13-16 Lisbon, Portugal
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September 23 - 27 Washington DC, USA
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September 27- October 1 Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Phoenix, AZ
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October 1 - 7 San Antonio, TX; Detroit, MI; Cleveland, OH
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October 7-12 Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; Nashville, TN
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October 13-16 Lisbon, Portugal
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Newsletter
Expand AllSubmit an ‘Alumni Spotlight’ for the Quarterly Alumni Newsletter
Have a new role, recent publication, or project you would like to share with the GMF community? Highlight yourself as an alumni making an impact across sectors and regions while creating opportunities for connection and collaboration across the network. Each quarter, the Leadership Programs team selects six alumni to feature. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.
Support Our Programming
Expand AllFinancial Support
Are you interested in supporting an alumni activity? Contribute directly via the donate button on the GMF website. Ensure you select our program as your place of designation.
Other Support
Are you an alumnus/a of the GMF programs? Are you interested in giving back in other ways?
We encourage alumni to remain engaged with us and our current cohorts, whether as a city coordinator, hosting a reception or offering your time in any other way.
For all inquiries, please direct them to [email protected].
Alumni Event Updates
Expand AllRecent and Upcoming Alumni Events
Upcoming Events:
May 29, 2026: Poland Alumni Get-Together with GMF President Dr. Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer in Warsaw, Poland.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Hanna Kovhan at [email protected]
June 7-12, 2026: Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network (TILN) in Prague, Czech Republic.
September 23-October 16, 2026: 2026 Marshall Memorial Fellowship travel across US and Europe.
September 24, 2026: 2026 MMF Welcome Reception in Washington, DC.
This year, all alumni are welcome to travel to DC to attend the 2026 MMF welcome reception. Programming information and save-the-dates are forthcoming.
September 29, 2026: Brussels Alumni Reception in Brussels, Belgium.
RSVP details coming soon.
Recent Events:
January 21-22, 2026: FutureScape: Empowering Europe through Bold Leadership in Copenhagen, Denmark.
January 22, 2026: Copenhagen Alumni Reception in Copenhagen, Denmark.
February 11, 2026: Off-the-record Pre-MSC Alumni Roundtable in Berlin, Germany.
February 27, 2026: Denver Happy Hour, USA.
March 23-25, 2026: EU-US Young Leaders Seminar in Brussels, Belgium.
April 29, 2026: GMF Colorado Alumni Reception with President Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer and GMF Board Member Tad Kelly in Denver, Colorado.
May 5, 2026: Europe’s Strategic Future Panel Discussion in Berlin, Germany.
May 7, 2026: Cleveland Alumni Reception in Cleveland, Ohio.
May 8, 2026: Strengthening the Transatlantic Partnership in Turbulent Times A Conversation with Dr. Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, President, GMF at the City Club Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio.
2026 Schuman Challenge
GMF was proud to support the 2026 Schuman Challenge, reinforcing our commitment to policy innovation and the next generation of transatlantic thinkers.
During the preliminary rounds, over 25 GMF alumni from both the US and Europe served as judges, evaluating policy proposals from over 100 undergraduate students on strengthening EU-U.S. security cooperation in the year of America's 250th anniversary.
This year's finalists brought rigorous analysis and forward-looking proposals on shared transatlantic priorities. Macalester College took first place with a compelling proposal for an "Atlantic Cable Infrastructure Program" — outlining how the EU and the United States can cooperate to monitor, maintain, and defend transatlantic undersea cable systems using new technologies. The winning team will travel to Brussels to present their proposal directly to EU officials. Patrick Henry College and Stanford University, placing second and third respectively, were also commended for their strong and thoughtful work.
A special thank you to our final round judges — including GMF's own Daniel Kliman — for their time and engagement with the finalist teams. GMF was pleased to serve as an implementing partner alongside GOPA Consultants, the EU Delegation to the United States, and W!se, whose collaboration was central to making the 2026 Schuman Challenge a success.
Engaging the next generation of transatlanticists is central to GMF's mission — and the Schuman Challenge is a reminder that fresh policy thinking will be essential to the future of the transatlantic community.
Thank you to all our alumni, supporters and GMF staff that functioned as preliminary judges:
Sebastian Seidel, Senior Manager, BW Consulting; Yuri Stechyshyn, Deputy Councilor, Lviv, Ukraine District Council; Annika Vollmer, Policy Officer, GMF; Amir Samandi, Executive Director, Students of Service; Alexander Kleibrink, Senior Policy Officer, Federal Ministry of Education and Research; Simone Guerrini, Special Advisor, Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Sophie Dembinski, Managing Director, Norrsken, Brussels; Julia Hamilton, Staff, Congressman Brad Schneider, US House of Representatives; Lavinya Stennet, CEO, The Black Curriculum; Carl Strikwerda, President (Retired), Elizabethtown College; Milos Djukelic, CEO, Film Producer and Director RED Production; Lejla Nuhanović, Political Officer, OSCE Mission to BiH; Saima Makhdoom. Attorney, US Patent and Trademark Office; Tariq Fanek, Founder & Executive Director, Detroit Center for International Affairs; Jack O'Connor, Research Assistant, Public Sector Capabilities Index; Racien Nowak, Strategy and Policy Lead, Shell Deutschland GmbH; Sarah Jones, Managing Director, Leadership Programs, GMF; Tarsi Dunlop, Senior Program Officer, GMF Cities, GMF; Adrienne Goldstein, Senior Program Coordinator, GMF Tech.
2026 EU-US Young Leaders Seminar: The Future of Skills and Leadership
From March 23–26, Brussels welcomed the ninth edition of the EU-US Young Leaders Seminar (YLS), bringing together 50 beneficiaries of EU and U.S.-funded education exchange programs for four days of expert exchange, workshops, and peer dialogue.
This year's theme — the Future of Skills and Leadership — reflected one of the most pressing challenges facing young people on both sides of the Atlantic. As new technologies reshape labor markets at an unprecedented pace, the skills acquired early in life must be continuously renewed. Participants explored how education systems can build more flexible learning pathways, equip young people to "learn how to learn," and better connect with the needs of a rapidly evolving workforce.
Artificial intelligence featured prominently throughout the discussions — both as a tool for adapting education systems and as a driver of entirely new skills demands. Through panels, workshops, and a simulated learning exercise, participants engaged with these questions not just as policy challenges, but as ones that will define their own careers and communities.
2026 Alumni Reception in Copenhagen
GMF alumni from across Europe gathered for a reception on January 22 in the Danish capital. The event brought together multiple generations of leaders from GMF’s flagship programs—including the Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF), the Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network (TILN), the Manfred Wörner Seminar, the Asmus Policy Entrepreneurs Fellowship, and the Tremezzo Young Leaders—to reconnect, exchange perspectives, and reaffirm a shared commitment to strengthening the transatlantic partnership. The event also highlighted the continued impact of GMF’s leadership programs in cultivating informed, resilient, and collaborative leaders at a time of profound geopolitical change.
A central feature of the evening was a high-level panel discussion with distinguished alumni and GMF leadership that focused on the evolving challenges facing the transatlantic community and the role of political, security, and private-sector leadership in sustaining democratic resilience. Speakers included former Danish Minister of Defense and Member of Parliament Gitte Lillelund Bech (MMF’03); Stephan Engels (MMF’99), Novo Nordisk board member and former Danske Bank and Commerzbank chief financial officer; and GMF Trustee General (ret.) and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis M. Scaparrotti.
Jesper Packert Pedersen (Asmus ’13), Danske Bank head of EU public affairs, and Sarah Jones, GMF Leadership Programs managing director, delivered opening remarks.
The panel discussion, “Consensus Under Pressure: Leadership and the Transatlantic Alliance in a Fragmenting Global Order”, examined how the transatlantic alliance is responding to one of the most complex strategic environments in decades. Moderated by Sudha David-Wilp, GMF vice president for external relations and senior fellow, the conversation explored the implications of Russia’s war against Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, intensifying systemic competition with China, and rapid technological and economic transformation. It also delved into emerging developments reshaping the geopolitical landscape, including the growing strategic importance of the Arctic and Greenland, Europe’s leadership gaps, and the need for a shared transatlantic long‑term vision for addressing all these challenges.
The event provided an opportunity for alumni to strengthen connections among GMF leadership programs and continue contributing to policy‑relevant dialogue at a time when informed leadership and trusted networks remain essential.
2025 Marshall Seminar, Detroit, USA
At the 2025 Marshall Seminar in Detroit, over 80 GMF Leadership Programs alumni from across the United States and Europe gathered to explore what it will take to strengthen the transatlantic partnership for the next generation.
Through candid dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, the 2025 Marshall Seminar participants identified five core ideas to renew democracy, belonging, and leadership for the 21st century.
At a glance:
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Move Beyond Complacency to Rebuild a Shared Vision
Alumni emphasized that post–Cold War optimism led to a false sense of security about democracy’s endurance. Renewing the partnership requires teaching democratic values, strengthening civic networks, and building a forward-looking strategy to confront today’s geopolitical challenges.
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Treat Migration as a Systemic Opportunity
Rather than viewing migration as a crisis, participants reframed it as a catalyst for redesigning systems around belonging. Speakers underscored that immigrant leadership is essential to democratic renewal and that pragmatic pathways for labor, representation, and civic inclusion are central to resilient societies.
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Learn From the Midwest’s Model of Transformation
Detroit, along with other heartland cities like Cleveland and Chicago, demonstrated how place-based renewal emerges through honest assessment, public-private partnerships, cultural investment, and networked collaboration. These cities offered a blueprint for how local actors can drive democratic resilience and inclusive growth.
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Build a Faster, More Inclusive Transatlantic Economy
To remain competitive, the transatlantic community must make decisions with greater speed and align strategies across markets. Participants stressed the importance of innovation, people-centered investment, and coordinated responses to disinformation, protectionism, and economic fragmentation.
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Activate the GMF Network Through Ground-Up Engagement
Alumni highlighted the power of GMF’s 4,000-strong network to drive change locally. Strengthening ties with cities, community organizations, and civic actors—and turning connections into collective action—will be essential to renewing the transatlantic relationship in an era of democratic stress.
Read the full 2025 Marshall Seminar read out here.
Alumni Opportunities
If you have any questions, please direct them to [email protected].