Professional Fellows Spring 2014 Program Book

Spring 2014 Professional Fellows Congress U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of Citizen Exchanges Professional Fellows Division

Economic Empowerment Legislative Process and Governance Rule of Law/Administration of Justice

June 4 - 6, 2014 Washington, D.C.

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Table of Contents Professional Fellows Program Overview

4

Area and Hotel Map

6

Program Notes and Social Media Guide

8

Agenda at a Glance

10

Professional Fellows Congress Infographic

11

Program Schedule

12

Workshops

20

Alumni Impact Awardees

25

U.S. Department of State and Panelist Biographies

31

Fellow Origin and Placement Map

38

Fellow Biographies

40

Partner Organizations

64

Notes

67

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The Professional Fellows Program provides targeted professional development and

support to emerging leaders working in the fields of Economic Empowerment, Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice, and Legislative Process and Governance. The Professional Fellows Program is designed to provide program participants with a four- to six-week practical Fellowship experience to broaden their professional expertise. Placed in private, nonprofit and government offices across the United States, Professional Fellows learn how issues in their respective fields are addressed in the U.S., interact with a broad network of professional colleagues, and develop a more nuanced understanding of Americans and American society. During the Spring 2014 program, 195 Professional Fellows from over 40 countries and territories participated in Fellowships across the United States.

In 2014, the Professional Fellows Program is supporting approximately 400 foreign Fellows coming to the United States and reciprocal visits by more than 130 American Fellows in the fall of 2014/spring of 2015. The Professional Fellows Program offers a unique opportunity for the foreign Fellows and their American colleagues to work together to address issues of mutual importance, develop new insights into professional approaches to common issues, and broaden their understanding of foreign working environments, practices and society.

Professional Fellows Congress At the conclusion of the Spring 2014 Fellowship program, the 194 Professional Fellows travel from their Fellowship placements to Washington, DC to participate in the ninth Professional Fellows Congress, June 4-6, 2014. The Fellows Congress marks the culmination of the program and provides a forum for Fellows to share their experiences with each other.

The Fellows Congress also provides opportunities for Fellows to network with program colleagues working within their professional sphere, learn about best practices and creative solutions in their respective fields, share key insights into effective leadership models, and explore ways to apply their learning and expertise to a concrete and innovative activities upon their return home. The Fellows Congress will focus on leadership development as it relates to civic engagement, addressing the themes of Economic Empowerment, Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice, and Legislative Process and Governance.

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U.S. Department of State The State Department is the United States’ federal executive department responsible for the international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries.

Created in 1789, the Department was the first executive department established. The State Department currently employs 19,000 U.S. - based employees and more than 50,000 people total in 190 countries.

The State Department operates the diplomatic missions of the United States abroad and is responsible for implementing the foreign policy of the United States and U.S. diplomatic efforts.

The Department is led by the Secretary of State, who is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and is a member of the President’s Cabinet. The current Secretary of State is John Kerry. The Secretary of State is the first Cabinet official in the order of precedence and in the presidential line of succession. For more information of the history of the State Department, U.S. diplomacy, and U.S. foreign policy, please visit history.state.gov or www.usdiplomacy.org/history/overview/statedept.php.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) U.S. Department of State The Congressional mandate of the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State is “to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and other countries...and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations” (Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchanges Act of 1961). ECA engages youth, students, educators, and rising leaders in the United States and more than 160 countries in both the developed and developing world through a range of academic, sports, cultural, and professional exchange programs.

To conduct the Professional Fellows Program in 2014, the Department of State has partnered with 14 organizations: American Council of Young Political Leaders, American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, Inc., Boston College, Business Council for Peace, Hands Along the Nile Development Services, Inc., International Center for Journalists, Inc., International City/County Management Association, Meridian International Center, Oklahoma State University, Partners of the Americas, the University of Michigan, the University of Montana System, the University of Oklahoma, and World Learning.

ECA has nearly one million alumni around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 350 current and former heads of state and governemnt. One-third of member states of the United Nations are currently led by ECA alumni. For more information, visit www.exchanges.state.gov and www.alumni.state.gov.

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Map of Hotel Area

Washington Marriott Georgetown 1221 22nd Street NW Washington, District of Columbia 20037 USA

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Hotel Layout

1 5

2

7 3 4

6

1

West End Ballroom

5

2

Dupont Ballroom

6

Elevators to 3rd Floor and sleeping rooms

3

Registration Area

7

Escalators to lobby level

4

Thomas Salon

2nd Floor Foyer

Georgetown I and II are located on the Lobby Level Meeting Rooms 3015, 3016, and 3017 are located on the 3rd Floor

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Program Notes Welcome One and All! We look forward to meeting and learning from each Professional Fellows Congress attendee. During the Congress, Fellows should contact staff from their U.S.-based organization should they have any needs, concerns, or questions. The information desk is staffed with World Learning and U.S. Department of State staff who are also available to assist with questions.

Map Exhibits: We have provided maps to demonstrate how geographically diverse our Congress is. On the world map, please find your country or territory and place a sticker on it. Then, on the U.S. map, place a sticker on the state where you completed your fellowship.

Dress Code: Dress pants, slacks, or dresses and collared shirts or professional blouses are the expected attire for the Congress. Please refrain from wearing jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or other casual wear.

Name Tag Color Codes: Economic Empowerment Fellows: Green Legislative Process & Governance Fellows: Blue Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Fellows: Yellow U.S.-Based Host Organization Staff: Maroon U.S. Department of State: White

Fellow Carina Reyder at the Travis County Office of Intergovernmental Relations. Photo provided by Partners.

Mansfield Center/University of Montana Fellows at the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes’ Forestry Greenhouse.

Photo provided by UMontana.

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Social Media Guide #ProFellows Connect via Social Media: While we ask that you respectfully refrain from using your phones, laptops and other devices

during workshops and presentations, we encourage you to post photos on Facebook and tweet about the Professional Fellows Congress on Twitter during breaks. Use the #ProFellows hashtag to join the conversation. Connect with other Fellows, speakers, and panelists.

Wifi is available in all hotel rooms and in the hotel lobby.

Find the Professional Fellows Division at www.facebook.com/ProFellows Find the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at www.facebook.com/ExchangesConnect

@

@ProFellows @ConnectStateGov @ECA_AS

Twitter Handles

Professional Fellows Division U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary of State ECA

Speakers and Panelists @alexmae Alex Dickinson @hkipnis Heather Kipnis @LauraAsialaCSR Laura Asiala @pyxeraglobal Pyxera Global @benewglobal The New Global Citizen @Tclayhouse4 Tanya Clay House @LawyersComm The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law @WorldBank T h e World Bank @SITGrad SIT Graduate Institute

Partner Organizations @AC_Global American Councils @ACYPL ACYPL @BpeaceHQ Business Councils for Peace @bpeitsch Barbara Peitsch @ICFJ ICFJ @ICMA ICMA @PartnersAmerica Partners of the Americas @MansfieldCenter Mansfield Center/University of Montana @MeridianIntl Meridian International @OKState Oklahoma State University @WorldLearning World Learning @um-isr UMich Institute for Social Research @umich University of Michigan

Don’t forget to sign-up for the International Exchange Alumni Website at alumni.state.gov International Exchange Alumni is a dynamic and interactive networking website for past and current participants of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. Here, you can build on your exchange experience and explore all the resources available to you as a member of the site.

Membership to this exclusive online community grants access and allows you to: • $33 billion worth of grant opportunities; • Professional development resources; • 20,000 online magazines and newspapers.

• Network with fellow alumni around the world; • Recruit fellow alumni for projects and competitions;

• Find the latest research in your field; • Develop plans for your alumni association, or find an association to join; • Share your experience with a global audience; and • Read alumni success stories, perspectives, and ideas.

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Agenda at a Glance June 4th 10:30 AM Congress Check-In for all Attendees 11:00 AM Administrative Meeting for Partner Organizations 12:00- 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM

Orientation 2:45-3:00 PM Break

3:00 PM

Pro Fellow Talk; Small Group Discussions 4:45-5:00 PM Break

5:00 PM

Pro Fellow Talk

June 5th 8:30 AM 9:00 AM

Announcements; Pro Fellow Talk Small Group Reports 9:45-10:00 AM Break

10:00 AM

Pro Fellow Talk; Small Group Reports; Speed Networking 11:15-12:30 PM Lunch

12:45 PM

State Department Visit 5:45 PM Dinner

June 6th 8:20 AM 8:50 AM

Electronic Library; Pro Fellow Talk; Announcements Workshop Session 1 10:20-10:40 AM Break

10:40 AM

Workshop Session 2 12:10-12:30 PM Break

12:30 PM

Ambassadors Luncheon 2:30-3:00 PM Break

3:00 PM 6:00 PM

Poster Show Farewell Dinner; Music and Dancing 10 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Pro Fellows by the Numbers 10

Themes Represented

Professional Fellows Congresses since

848

Legislative Process and Governance

2010

235

299

295

258 185

288

107

182

Africa East Asia and the Pacific

Economic Empowerment Women’s Empowerment

Europe and Eurasia

Near East

South and Western Central Hem. Asia

Number of Fellows by Region

Climate Change

87

Global Health

77

countries and territories

89

55

Food Security

46

Education to Employment

1,507

total participants

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39

Media

Program Schedule Wednesday, June 4, 2014: Please note that breakfast is on your own. You may eat in the hotel restaurant on the lobby level or enjoy breakfast at a restaurant or café nearby; please refer to the Early Arrival Guide for suggestions. Breakfast will be provided on Thursday and Friday on the second floor of the hotel outside of the ballroom.

10:30-11:30 a.m. – Congress Check-In Please take the elevator to the second floor of the hotel. The registration area will be easy to identify. Here, you will receive your program book and packet of information from World Learning and U.S. Department of State staff. Please visit the hotel front desk to receive new room keys.

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Time for Poster Preparation for Presenting Fellows Location: Dupont Salon, 2nd Floor Tables and supplies will be provided for Fellows to prepare and display their posters. Once posters are completed, they will be displayed throughout the 2nd Floor Foyer, and then moved back into the Dupont Salon for the Poster Show Friday afternoon.

11:00-11:45 a.m. – Administrative Meeting with Partner Organizations Location: Georgetown I, Lobby Level One representative from each organization should be present.

12:00-12:45 p.m. – Lunch provided in the West End Ballroom, 2nd Floor 1:00 p.m.

World Learning Welcome

1:10 p.m.

U.S. Department of State Welcome

1:15 p.m.

Orientation and Introduction of Distinguished Alumni Awardees

1:45 p.m.

Professional Fellows Program Overview

2:00 p.m.

Icebreaker Activity

Patricia Harrison, World Learning Michael Stanton, Chief, Professional Fellows Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State Adam Meier, Professional Fellows Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State Carol Herrera, Professional Fellows Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State Introduced by Patricia Harrison, World Learning

2:45-3:00 p.m. – Break 3:00-3:15 p.m. – Pro Fellow Talk featuring Nadia Rabbaa, “Yallah”.

Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd Floor

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3:15-4:45 p.m.– Fellowship Experience Small Group Discussions Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd Floor This session is designed to give you an opportunity to share your Fellowship experience with other Fellows in your field and to discuss together the impact of your Fellowship on your future work. Each group includes a mix of Fellows from different regions. The discussion will be moderated by a leader of one of the partner organizations. Your group number is on the back of your name tag.

West End Ballroom (Left) Group 1 Moderators: Martin Rozenberg and Penelope Group 2 Kim, Partners of the Americas Group 3 West End Ballroom (Center) Moderator: Shraddha Kharel-Pandey, Group 4 International City/County Management Association Group 5 Dupont Ballroom, Salon G Group 6 Moderator: Sal Pappalardo, Meridian International Thomas Salon Group 7 Moderator: Julia Hurley, HANDS Group 8 Meeting Room 3016, 3rd Floor Group 9 Moderator: Dan Bernard, International Group Center For Journalists st 10 Georgetown I, 1 Floor Group Moderator: Shelly Sitton, Oklahoma State 11 University Group Atrium Restaurant, 1st Floor Group 12 Moderator: Elanie Steyn, the University of 13 Oklahoma

West End Ballroom (Right) Moderator: Erin Conwell, American Council for Young Political Leaders Dupont Ballroom, Salon F Moderator: Laura Horsting, World Learning Dupont Ballroom, Salon H Moderator: Leslie Ryan, American Councils for International Education Meeting Room 3015, 3rd Floor Moderator: Marla Gitterman, Business Council for Peace Meeting Room 3017, 3rd Floor Moderator: Barbara Peitsch, University of Michigan Georgetown II, 1st Floor Moderator: Kelsey Stamm, the University of Montana

4:45-5:00 p.m. – Break 5:00-5:15 p.m. – Pro Fellow Talk featuring Lavell Kirby, “Bilateral Opportunities for Cultural Understanding, Entrepreneurial Development and Youth Exchange” Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd floor Evening Free – Dinner is on your own; you may select from a variety of options in the neighborhood around the hotel. Please refer to the Early Arrival Guide for suggestions or speak to the hotel concierge.

Poster Preparations may continue in the Dupont Ballroom, 2nd Floor.

5:30-6:30 p.m. – Alumni Awardee Office Hours, Nadia Rabbaa, Rachel Havrelock Alumni Awardees will be in the Thomas Salon for open conversations, questions, networking, and mentoring.

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Thursday, June 5, 2014: 7:00-8:45 a.m. – Breakfast provided in the West End Ballroom.

7:45- 8:30 a.m. Alumni Awardee Office Hours over breakfast, Lavell Kirby, Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov, and Germaine White 8:30 a.m. Brief announcements.

8:45-9:00 a.m. – Pro Fellow Talk featuring Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov, “Integrity, Transparency, Accountability” 9:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m. – Fellowship Experience Small Group Exercise Reports Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd Floor Fellows will report out from their small groups, selecting one Fellow to speak for each group to share with all the Congress attendees the two main takeaways from their Fellowship experiences. The presenter from each group will also share what his/her group found to be the most surprising about American culture.

9:45-10:00 a.m. – Break 10:00-10:15 a.m. – Pro Fellow Talk featuring Rachel Havrelock, “Resource Flows, Global Networks, and New Politics”.

Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd floor 10:15-11:15 a.m. – Speed Networking – Bring your business cards.

Introduced by Deborah Waggoner, World Learning.

Location: West End Ballroom, 2nd floor 11:15 - 12:30 p.m. – Lunch in the West End Ballroom.

Prepare for Visit to U.S. Department of State *Please meet in the lobby to board the buses. Departure time is 12:45 p.m. Please do not bring any large bags because everyone must pass through security screening.

YOU MUST BRING YOUR PASSPORT. If you do not bring your passport, you will be denied entry.

Left: Mansfield Center/UMontana Fellows at the Missoula Food Bank. Photo provided by UMontana.

Right: ECA fellow Dalia ElGebaly from Egypt, meets U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Richard Schmierer during a visit to the State Department. Photo provided

by U.S. Department of State.

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12:45-5:00 p.m. – Visit to the U.S. Department of State Board Buses and Depart for DOS 12:45 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

Arrival at DOS and Security Screening

1:30 p.m.

Welcome and Presentation of Distinguished Alumni Awards

Evan Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

2:00 p.m.

Regional Briefings with Q & A

See Below for Panelists

3:30 p.m.

Break

3:45 p.m.

Civil Rights Panel, Q & A

4:45 p.m.

Group Photo

5:00 p.m.

Board buses and return to the Hotel for Dinner

Tanya Clay House, Director of Public Policy, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, U.S. Department of State Moderated by Alumni Impact Awardee, Germaine White

Panelists for the Regional Briefing: Jeff Brown

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State

David Gilmour

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Mark Toner

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Judy Moon

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of East Asia and the Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Eileen O’Connor

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Larry Schwartz

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, U.S. Department of State

5:45 p.m.– Dinner provided at the Hotel in the West End Ballroom.

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Alumni Awardee Office Hours in the Thomas Salon, Lavell Kirby, Nadia Rabaa, and Germaine White.

Evening Free. Poster Preparations may continue in the Dupont Ballroom.

Friday, June 6, 2014: 7:30-8:30 a.m. – Breakfast provided in the West End Ballroom.

7:30-8:20 a.m. – Alumni Awardee Office Hours over breakfast, Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov.

7:50-8:20 a.m. – Outbound Planning Panel Discussion for Grantees.

Location: Thomas Salon, 2nd Floor.

8:20-8:30 a.m. – Introduction to the Professional Fellows Congress Electronic Library Karin L. Brandenburg, Professional Fellows Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

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8:30-8:45 a.m. – Pro Fellow Talk featuring Germaine White, “Connecting People and Places”.

8:45 a.m. – Brief announcements 8:50 a.m. Professional Workshops: These sessions will be interactive and feature a guest facilitator and a moderator. Fellows may choose which workshop they would like to attend.

Most workshops will be 1.5 hours in length, and Fellows may choose TWO workshops to attend.

Fellows choosing to attend shorter workshops will not be able to switch into a longer session during the break.

The 1.5 hour workshops are indicated in blue.

Workshop 1 8:50-10:20 a.m.

Break 10:20-10:40 a.m. (Fellows may choose a second 1.5 hour workshop to attend) Workshop 2 10:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

There will be two 3 hour workshops that will provide more in-depth discussion. Fellows will be able to attend only ONE if they select a 3 hour workshop, and will not be able to switch between workshops during the break. The 3 hour workshops are indicated in gold.

Workshop Part One 8:50-10:20 a.m.

Break 10:20-10:40 a.m. (Fellows may not switch to a new workshop) Workshop Part Two 10:40 a.m.- 12:10 p.m.

Meridian International Fellows from Zambia and Zimbabwe strike a pose. Photo provided by Meridian.

Fellows hosted by Oklahoma State University dressed to impress! Photo provided by OSU.

Left: Fellows hosted by the University of Michigan enjoy a tour of “The Big House”. Photo provided by UMich.

Right: Visiting the FabLab in Tulsa, Oklahoma to see the 3D printer. Photo provided

by UOK.

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Workshop 1 8:50-10:20 a.m.

Workshop 2 10:40-12:10 p.m.

Tapping Into the Power of the Public Speaker, Trainer, and Facilitator in YOU! Sui Lang Panoke, Founder, Women Politics Media Dupont Ballroom, Salon E, 2nd Floor

Tapping Into the Power of the Public Speaker, Trainer, and Facilitator in YOU! Sui Lang Panoke, Founder, Women Politics Media Dupont Ballroom, Salon E, 2nd Floor

Reaching and Empowering Marginalized Groups Steve Vetter, President and CEO, Partners of the Americas Dupont Ballroom, Salon G, 2nd Floor

Reaching and Empowering Marginalized Groups Steve Vetter, President and CEO, Partners of the Americas Dupont Ballroom, Salon G, 2nd Floor

Storytelling in Campaign Management Alexandra Dickinson, Account Manager, Beekeeper Group Thomas Salon, 2nd Floor

Storytelling in Campaign Management Alexandra Dickinson, Account Manager, Beekeeper Group Thomas Salon, 2nd Floor

Resource Management for Small and Medium Enterprises Heather Kipnis, SME Capacity Building Specialist Dupont Ballroom, Salon F, 2nd Floor

Resource Management for Small and Medium Enterprises Heather Kipnis, SME Capacity Building Specialist Dupont Ballroom, Salon F, 2nd Floor

Creating a Climate for Innovation Esperanza Lasagabaster, Service Line Manager, Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship, Finance and Private Sector Development, The World Bank West End Ballroom, Salon E, 2nd Floor

“Creating a Climate for Innovation� will not repeat.

Promoting Social Responsibility Across Sectors Promoting Social Responsibility Across Sectors Laura Asiala, Senior Director, Laura Asiala, Senior Director, Client Relations & Public Affairs, PYXERA Global Client Relations & Public Affairs, PYXERA Global Georgetown I, Lobby Level Georgetown I, Lobby Level 8:50-12:10 p.m.

Conflict Resolution Preeti-Shroff Mehta, World Learning SIT Graudate Institute Meeting Room 3015, 3rd Floor Women and Leadership. Learn It. Own It. Surry Scheerer, Leadership Development Coach, University of Michigan Meeting Room 3016-3017, 3rd Floor

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Workshops Tapping Into the Power of the Public Speaker, Trainer, and Facilitator in YOU! Dupont Ballroom, Salon E, 2nd Floor, 1.5 hours In this interactive workshop participants will receive practical skills training and gain hands-on experience. Participants will learn to be a better trainer and facilitator, mange nerves before giving a speech, as well as how to manage their message and people.

Sui Lang Panoke, MPA, is the Founder and Director of Women Politics Media, LLC, – a global media and public leadership training organization designed to prepare today’s public leaders to engage in traditional and new media and ultimately use the media as a vehicle to impact public policy. She is an op-ed author, ghost writer, and political/media strategist who has been published in the Washington Post and a number of local and state-wide publications throughout the country. WPM is committed to empowering women around the world to engage in the political process and ultimately run for public office.

Sui Lang Panoke currently serves as Chair of the Young Women Leaders Board overseeing the WeLEAD program - a nonpartisan political leadership training program sponsored by American University’s Women & Politics Institute that targets young women who are pursuing careers in public service. She also serves as Vice Chair of the National Governing Board of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Patsy Mink Project. Panoke earned her MPA from American University with a Graduate Certificate in Women, Policy, and Political Leadership and received the Outstanding Women & Politics Graduate Student award from the Women & Politics Institute. She earned her BS in Political Science from the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Reaching and Empowering Marginalized Groups Dupont Ballroom, Salon G, 2nd Floor, 1.5 hours Participants will share their experiences working to empower marginalized groups, (such as ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, women and children, those in rural areas), and best practices on how to engage these groups in civic activities, as well as educating them on their civil rights.

Stephen G. Vetter has served as the President and CEO of Partners of the Americas since 2008. With over 35 years of experience in international and domestic development, Vetter offers a rich background in international voluntary service, grassroots community leadership and developing public-private partnerships to reduce poverty and improve the economic and social development of disadvantaged populations. He has been especially active in supporting the long-term partnerships between universities, local volunteer organizations and development programs, and is leading the Partners of the Americas partnership with the Department of State and NAFSA to implement President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative in the Americas.

Prior to his arrival at Partners, Vetter held a number of executive-level positions at the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a public corporation dedicated to supporting the self-help efforts of grassroots communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. He also served as the President and CEO of Eureka Communities, a non-profit leadership program that provides fellowship support to inner city leaders working to improve the life conditions of children and families living in poverty. Vetter has an MA in Economics from Ohio University, where he also earned his undergraduate BA degree in Economics.

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Workshops Storytelling in Campaign Management Thomas Salon, 2nd Floor, 1.5 hours Participants will focus on utilizing storytelling to create a strong narrative around their message. This skill can be useful in both a political campaign context and in campaigns to raise public awareness.

@alexmae Alex Dickinson is an Account Director with Beekeeper Group and has been with the firm since April 2012. She is an experienced social media strategist and digital advocacy tactician who provides support, content guidance and other services to a wide variety of Beekeeper Group clients. She has created and managed a variety of successful digital accounts and web presences for associations, advocacy groups, coalitions, small businesses, and corporations. Dickinson also has a strong background in film and television production and grassroots political advocacy work.

Prior to joining Beekeeper Group, she worked for C-SPAN helping them to develop and launch American History TV. She also helped to build American History TV’s web brand and digital social presence.

Previously, she also worked on C-SPAN’s Abraham Lincoln bicentennial programming and The White House: Inside America’s Most Famous Home.

Dickinson attended the University of Michigan for her undergraduate studies in history and political science.

In 2011, she completed her master’s degree in Media and Public Affairs from George Washington University’s Columbian College, where she focused her studies on online political strategies, social media best practices and integration.

Resource Management for SMEs Dupont Ballroom, Salon F, 2nd Floor, 1.5 hours This workshop will cover best practices for managing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Topics will include utilizing current organizational resources, as well as access to capital. The group will also be asked to share their own experiences and innovations in resource management.

@hkipnis Heather Kipnis is an international development and gender finance specialist with 11 years of comprehensive experience in SME Banking, microfinance, private wealth management, and impact investing across Europe, Latin America & the Carribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Currently a SME Banking Consultant with the International Finance Corporation, she has worked with the Inter-American Development Bank, Guatemalan Ministry of Economy, Agora Partnerships, Count Me in for Women’s Economic Empowerment, Pro Mujer, Lehman Brothers and various commercial banks.

Kipnis holds an MBA in Global Development and Entrepreneurship from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

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Workshops Creating a Climate for Innovation West End Ballroom, Salon E, 2nd Floor, 1.5 hours Only offered during Workshop 1 This workshop will discuss the types of institutions that are needed to ensure that innovation and entrepreneurship is supported in the local economy. Topics will include: recognition of the informal sector, legal and regulatory structures, property rights, and sustainability.

@WorldBank Esperanza Lasagabaster received her Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University. Currently, she is the Service Line Manager at the Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Finance and Private Sector Development at The World Bank. Previously, she held the positions of Senior Economist for the South Asia Department and the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Departments of the World Bank. Dr. Lasagabaster has written extensively on pension systems, and more recently, on the areas of innovation and competitiveness.

Promoting Social Responsibility Across Sectors Georgetown I, Lobby Level, 1.5 hours This session will explore the importance of social responsibility in the private and public sectors. Participants will gain an understanding of the objectives, strengths and expectations of each and how this influences issues of ethics, transparency, and collaboration across sectors.

@LauraAsialaCSR Laura Asiala is the Senior Director, Client Relations & Public Affairs at PYXERA Global. Passionate about the power of business to solve - or help solve - the world’s most intransigent problems, she leads the efforts to attract more participation of businesses to contribute to sustainable development, through their people and their work. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Net Impact, a community of more than 40,000 student and professional leaders creating positive social and environmental change in the workplace. Asiala’s thirty-year career in international business included roles in finance, marketing, business development, HR, branding, and communications, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Prior to joining PYXERA Global, she was the Director of Corporate Citizenship at the Dow Corning Corporation where she led the development of their international corporate volunteer program (Citizen Service Corps) and oversaw CSR strategies and relationships, including the company’s public-private partnership with the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (a UN Foundation, US State Department & Clinton Global initiative). Asiala holds a BA in economics from Alma College and a MS in Organizational Development from Case Western Reserve University.

20 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Workshops Conflict Resolution Meeting Room 3015, 3rd Floor, 3 hours This workshop will provide you with the tools needed to discuss and debate controversial issues. These skills can be applied widely throughout any field and will help to form effective relationships, including coalition building.

@SITGrad Preeti Shroff-Mehta is Dean of the World Learning SIT Graduate Institute. She has over 25 years’ leadership, management, and teaching experiences in the field of democratic governance, civil society strengthening, and institutional capacity development. She has taught graduate courses at World Learning’s SIT Graduate Institute, and the School for International and Advanced Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins. She has worked on initiatives on Democratic Governance strengthening programs supported by USAID, the World Bank, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

She served as the global director for civil society and governance programs at World Learning in Washington, DC from 2004-2008. She has developed and managed projects in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

Dr. Shroff-Mehta specializes in grassroots leadership in civil society and governance sector capacity development, public policy advocacy and reform, multi-stakeholder coalition building, community driven development for local livelihoods and life-skills education, women’s economic and legal rights, and indigenous governance. She has lived and worked with indigenous communities around the world and has received numerous awards from leading academic institutions in India, England, and the United States of America.

Women and Leadership. Learn it. Own it.

Meeting Room 3016-3017, 3rd Floor, 3 hours Participants should expect to learn tools to establish and communicate their brand and build their reputation as well as tools to use influence effectively in their organizations. Discussions will include cultural perspectives and opportunities to share best practices for developing and supporting women as leaders.

@umich Surry Scheerer, LMSW, is a leadership and organizational culture consultant, trainer and coach in both the public and private sectors. Scheerer is a consultant coach for custom programs at The University of Michigan Ross School of Business Executive Education Program. She has also coached Ross students in the Executive Skills Program and the Tauber Institute for Global Operations. Scheerer serves as a leadership development trainer, coach and team facilitator for the International Professional Fellows Exchange, a program sponsored and implemented by the U. S. Department of State and The University of Michigan. Scheerer is a Lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Gerald Ford School of Public Policy, where she teaches a course on “Pathways to Professional Development” to undergraduate and graduate students. Scheerer also consults with private firms on leadership development and organizational culture. Scheerer speaks and consults nationally and internationally on leadership development, communication, coaching skills, social styles and building effective relationships in the workplace. Scheerer received her BS degree in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan.

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12:10-12:30 p.m. – Break to prepare for Ambassadors Luncheon 12:30-2:30 p.m. – Professional Fellows Ambassadors Luncheon Location: West End Ballroom Ambassadors to the United States and local embassy staff from fellows’ countries and territories are invited to dine and network with the Fellows. Please note that some will not be in attendance due to prior engagements.

Welcome to Diplomats and Fellows – Michael Stanton, Chief, Professional Fellows Division, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State 2:30-3:00 p.m. – Break to prepare for the Poster Show 3:00-5:30 p.m. – Poster Show Location: Dupont Salon, 2nd Floor The Poster Show is an opportunity for Fellows to share their professional work and interests with other Fellows, the State Department, and invited guests. Participants in the Poster Show should be prepared to stand near their poster and explain the elements of the poster. All others are invited to walk around to view the posters and ask questions of the presenters.

Please note that a contest will be held. All attendees may cast ballots to determine the award for the Best Poster representing the following categories: Community Development/Empowerment Business Development/Sustainability Accountability/Transparency/Law The winners will be announced at dinner.

A photo contest will also take place during the Congress with voting on Friday afternoon for the photo that best captures the Professional Fellowship experience.

5:30-6:00 p.m. – Break to change for dinner 6:00-7:30 p.m. – Farewell Dinner at the Hotel; Music and Dancing to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Location: West End Ballroom

Saturday, June 7, 2014: Departure Day Breakfast is on your own.

Evaluations and Certificates must be turned in to the World Learning desk before 11 a.m.

12:00 p.m. – Everyone must be checked out of their rooms by 12 p.m. unless other arrangements have been made with the hotel.

Bon Voyage!

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Fellows Jamshed Sultan and Muhammad Saber enjoy one of their first dinners with their homestay family in Chicago.

Photo provided by World Learning.

Fellows with Oklahoma State University visit the Food and Agricultural Products Center. Photo provided by OSU.

Fellow Yaowalak Srikhampha (pictured) and Ratana Oeurn meet with Mr. Bob Zimmer, Water Program Coordinator from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.

Photo provided by Oeurn.

Fellow Ana Cabera meets Indiana’s secretary of state. Photo provided by Partners.

Fellows from Ireland and N. Ireland with Mairead Healy’s host organization the Maritime Apprentice Programs for at risk youths. Photo provided by BC.

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Rodrigo Hurtarte, hosted by BPeace, at Signature Cabinets in PA. Photo provided

by BPeace.

Mostafa Attia, hosted by HANDS, at his fellowship with Access Living. Photo Provided by Attia.

Fellows hosted by ICMA learn how the blind measure. Photo provided by Koes.

Tunisian Fellows pose by the river in Chicago, IL. Photo provided by HANDS.

Fellows with Meridian take in the great outdoors. Photo provided by Phiri.

Fellows Lozano and Figueroa spend some free time bike riding. Photo provided by Figueroa.

Fellows Tinatin (Georgia), Vladimir (Russia), Zhanna (Ukraine), Alkim (Turkey) and Elena (Russia) show some love for their host organization. Photo provided by American Councils.

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Alumni Impact Awardees

The U.S. Department of State selected the winners of the Professional Fellows Alumni Impact Award, an award recognizing the positive contributions of alumni of the Professional Fellows Program. For the Spring 2014 Professional Fellows Congress, two international Fellows were selected from over 60 applicants, whose participation in the program contributed to their ability to make a positive impact on their communities, countries, territories, or regions. In addition, three American Alumni were also selected as Impact Awardees out of a pool of numerous candidates.

The Award includes round-trip travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the Professional Fellows Congress as a guest of honor. Awardees also have been invited to share and connect with current Fellows and inspire them to meet their goals for positive change. Please congratulate the Spring 2014 Winners!

International Award Winners

Nadia Rabbaa, Morocco

Professional Fellows Participant: Legislative, Spring 2012

Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov, Kyrgyzstan Professional Fellows Participant: Legislative, Fall 2011

American Award Winners

Rachel Haverlock, Illinois Lavell Kirby, Pennsylvania Germaine White, Montana 25 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Alumni Awardee Biographies Rachel Havrelock

U.S. Host Organization: Dickinson College Foreign Placement: Israel, West Bank, Jordan, and Egypt Year of Fellowship: 2011 Rachel Havrelock is Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and author of River Jordan: The Mythology of a Dividing Line (University of Chicago Press, 2011).

After writing about how the conflicted borders of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict formed and congealed in Palestinian and Israeli cultures for River Jordan, Havrelock became invested in water sharing as an approach to Middle East peacemaking. She serves on the International Advisory Committee and works with the trilateral NGO, Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), to link communities supported by the same watershed in order to promote regional culture premised on equitable water distribution and shared resource planning. In 2011, she traveled to the region as a Fellow. With the knowledge acquired from the Fellowship, she has implemented a series of programs for students, colleagues, and professionals. She stated, “Where I had previously focused on issues of religion and culture in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Fellowship motivated a new approach focused on the ways in which oil pipelines influenced the national development of the Middle East and how water pipelines can entrench nationalist commitments or link communities according to new configurations.” In fall 2013, Havrelock helped launch the international “Save the Jordan” campaign on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea. In addition to the Middle East, her work addresses the Great Lakes of the United States as a trans-border water system both abundant and imperilled. She has been awarded a Global Midwest grant from the Mellon Foundation in order to explore the common challenges of international trans-border water systems.

Germaine White

U.S. Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Foreign Placement: Laos Year of Fellowship: 2012

Germaine White is the Information and Education Specialist for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation. In this role, White develops informational and educational materials on natural resource management and conservation issues for dissemination through printed materials and the media. White is often called upon to introduce non-native people to tribal culture, history, and tradition, with a particular emphasis on the traditional relationship between tribal people and their long and intimate connection to the natural and cultural resources that they manage. This ability to communicate across cultures has been a tremendous asset to the Professional Fellows Program, as White, with great enthusiasm and sensitivity, communicates between the international participants of the Program, tribal members, and the non-tribal member residents on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Since her participation as a U.S. Fellow when she traveled to Laos, she has embraced global understanding as a priority for her community. This is evident in her interactions with international visitors from around the world. White especially noted the sisterhood she felt when traveling to Laos:“the Fellowship Program connected minority women across boundaries to establish long-term partnerships that will continue to exist between Laos and the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes.”

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Alumni Awardee Biographies Lavell Kirby

U.S. Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Foreign Placement: Brazil Year of Fellowship: 2012 Lavell Kirby currently works in Youth Development at Girard College, a residential education facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His previous professional experience includes working with Rotary International on a Group Study Exchange program to Brazil which focused on volunteerism, community service and cultural exchange capacity.

He traveled to Porto Alegre, Brazil as a Legislative Fellow, where he had the opportunity to work with Canta Brasil and co-facilitate performing arts, English language training, entrepreneurship, and cultural understanding workshops for at-risk youth from impoverished communities. Kirby stated, “My fellowship experience in Brazil showed me how they were able to do so much with their resources and inspired me to become more involved in similar activities in my local community.�

After returning from Brazil, Kirby created the Future Entrepreneurs of America Club for middle school students to teach the basics of small business development to youth. In addition, he established the College Access and Career Exposure Program as a partnership with West Chester University to help at-risk youth gain access to higher education and an understanding of the possibilities associated with college life. Kirby has been a consultant on the development of entrepreneurship programs at two Philadelphia High Schools and continues to mentor former students interested in business. His most recent project, The Entrepreneurship Expo (www.The-E-Expo.com), was created to bring together young aspiring entrepreneurs for a day of business education workshops, networking and resource sharing to help start their own businesses. He plans to use this event to create a network that connects young entrepreneurs to one another and help facilitate bilateral exchanges for students at universities interested in entrepreneurship and community service throughout the Western Hemisphere. His forthcoming publication, The Young Entrepreneur’s Guide to Opportunity and Success, will detail his personal experience in business, provide insights for new entrepreneurs, and be made available to students in English, Spanish and Portuguese. His ultimate goal is to use entrepreneurial training as a method to impact youth and create positive social change.

Kirby holds a BS degree in Elementary/Special Education from Temple University and a MS in Business Marketing Management from Wilmington University. He is certified in multiple areas including event planning, project management and domestic product exporting. He plans to further his education in 2014 and 2015 in International Relations with a concentration in Entrepreneurial Development and Poverty Reduction for the purpose of curriculum development and workforce training.

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Alumni Awardee Biographies Nadia Rabbaa Media Consultant

Paris, France and Casablanca, Morocco E-mail Address: nadia_rabbaa@hotmail.com U.S. Host Organization: Legacy International U.S. Placement Organization: US Congress – Office of Dave Camp, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Date of Fellowship: April 2012 Fellowship Program Theme: Legislative Fellows Program Nadia Rabbaa, a dual citizen of France and Morocco, is a freelance communication specialist who has served as a spokesperson, reporter, editor-in-chief of a television program, social media specialist, radio host, and media consultant. She worked to launch a television program for women in Mali before that project was interrupted by the coup of 2012. She has also served as the Communication Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Trade for the Kingdom of Morocco. She completed her BA in Political Science at the Institute of Political Sciences (IEP) of Toulouse, France and earned her MA in International Journalism from l’Université Laval, Canada.

As a Professional Fellow, she was placed with a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Working in his office, she realized how communicating with constituents virtually and in-person provided basic transparency and accountability that is the heart of democracy. When she returned to Morocco, Rabbaa decided to adapt some of the best practices she had learned in the U.S. to improve Morocco’s democratization process. She noted, “I wanted my project to show that social media was not just a way to promote defiance of government, but can also be a tool to increase dialogue, transparency, and accountability between representatives and constituents. If media can be an actor of a conflict, then it can also be part of conflict resolution.”

Her project, “Social Media for Democracy” was designed to fill the gap between elected representatives and constituents by training Moroccan female members of parliament (MP) on how to use social media. The goal was to improve the MP’s communication with the public through daily postings on a Facebook page (a public profile) as well as responding to comments and posts on their page. A dozen MPs were able to come to the training; in addition, a representative of the Parliament and a representative of NDI also attended. The discussions focused on how important it is to communicate to the public and be accountable to the people as an elected representative and how to face criticism by constituents and/or the press. One solution that was mentioned during the discussion was the idea that the MPs could visit with their constituency on market day, set up a table and chairs and let the people know that they will be sitting there all day, ready to listen to issues and concerns. The MPs agreed to the idea and they implemented it! Furthermore, during the training, the MPs started to coalesce as a group; they exchanged numbers and started talking about future meetings, which is unusual for Morocco where political parties rarely interact.

As a result of her Fellowship, Rabbaa senses a new chapter in her professional life has begun, one focused on women’s empowerment, youth participation and political accountability. On a final note, Rabbaa stated, “The impacts of my project are there to be seen; they may seem small, but to change something as complicated and old as a political culture will take a long time. One thing I am sure of is that these women trust me and will come back to participate in any future training I will organize.”

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Alumni Awardee Biographies Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov

Assistant to Member of Parliament, Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic) E-mail Address: yusupkhanov@gmail.com U.S. Host Organization: World Learning, Washington, DC U.S. Placement Organization: Colleagues International, Kalamazoo, Michigan Date of Fellowship: September-October 2011 Fellowship Program Theme: Legislative Fellows Program Ahmadhon Yusupkhanov began his career in civil service following his father’s advice that it was “better to begin one’s career working for the public.” Yusupkhanov first worked in the Investments Department of the Ministry of Economy for the Government of Kyrgyzstan. His work at the ministry was primarily focused on developing proposals to improve the business environment in the country. One of his prime achievements in this role was the adoption of a law that allowed Kyrgyzstan to join the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention).

In 2010, Yusupkhanov began serving as the Assistant to Dastan Bekeshev, Member of Parliament (MP). Since Mr. Bekeshev is blind, Yusupkhanov has a wide array of assignments, ranging from helping in legislative processes, to taking photos at the events attended by the MP, to describing their surroundings.

In 2011, Yusupkhanov took part in the Legislative Fellows Program which gave him new insights on how an MP’s work should be organized. After coming back to Kyrgyzstan, he proposed several ideas to his MP which have now been successfully implemented.

Some of his ideas were the following: the launching of the MP’s personal website, actively using social networks, publishing reports about the MP’s work, introducing tours in the Parliament for schoolchildren and students, starting a YouTube channel, and establishing the MP’s personal regional office. These were all ideas that Yusupkhanov gained during his Fellowship experience in the U.S. He noted, “Watching U.S. Senators and Representatives addressing their constituents via YouTube led me to talk my MP into opening his own YouTube channel to deliver weekly reports about our work. I believe that’s a unique example that has never been seen in any of the other Central Asian countries.”

Other achievements that he has been involved with are: “Thanks to the law that we introduced, since January 1, 2014 people in Kyrgyzstan can send emails to state agencies and their emails will be received as official requests.

Although it is a regular practice in the U.S., it is a cardinally new approach to dealing with people’s letters in our country. In addition, we introduced a new bill on elections that, if adopted, will allow citizens to vote for particular candidates rather than continuing the current practice of requiring individuals to vote for a particular party from a list that can be amended afterwards without any consent of constituents.”

And on a final note, Yusupkhanov stated, “I can say for sure that my visit to the U.S. and communication with local politicians, community workers, and ordinary citizens has had a tremendous effect on my work and will impact it for long into the future.”

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U.S. Department of State Evan Ryan Assistant Secretary of State, Educational and Cultural Affairs On September 26, 2013, Evan Ryan assumed her position as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). In this capacity, she oversees a wide range of academic, cultural, private sector, professional, youth, and sports exchange programs to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries and promote peaceful relations. ECA exchange programs engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in more than 160 countries and in the United States. ECA has had over one million program participants to date, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and over 350 current and former heads of state and government.

From 2009 to 2013, Ms. Ryan served in the White House as Assistant to the Vice President and Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement. In this role she served as the Vice President’s liaison to elected officials and constituency groups. Prior to this, she served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for the Biden for President Campaign. Previously, Ms. Ryan was a Consultant for the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.

In 2006, Ms. Ryan was Political Director of Unite Our States, and she was Deputy Chair in Governance for the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005. From 2003 to early 2004, she served as a Deputy Director of Communications for the John Kerry for President Campaign, and before that she was the Director of Scheduling for Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senatorial campaign.

Ms. Ryan previously served in the White House from 1994-2000, including as Deputy Director of Scheduling for First Lady Hillary Clinton and as Special Assistant to the First Lady’s Chief of Staff. Ms. Ryan served on the Board of Directors of Peace Players International from 2003 to 2008. She was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations from 2008 to 2013.

Assistant Secretary Ryan, a Virginia native, holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.I.P.P. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Chris Miner Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Professional and Cultural Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State.

Miner oversees a broad array of professional, youth, cultural and sports exchange programs for U.S. and foreign audiences, including those supported by the Offices of International Visitors and Citizen Exchanges. Since 2007, she has managed the Fortune/U.S. State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. She has held program and management positions within ECA since 1993. These include: chief of the Europe/ Eurasia Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, where she oversaw the administration of grants in the Newly Independent States, Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe, and Deputy Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges. In 2011, she received the U.S. Department of State’s Ilchman-Richardson Award in recognition and appreciation for her sustained outstanding performance, leadership, vision and integrity in advancing the mission of mutual understanding around the world.

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Biographies Mary Deane Conners Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Conners is a member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor.

Prior to this assignment in Washington, she was the Country Public Affairs Officer in Pretoria, South Africa (2007-2010). She has also served as the Director of Public Diplomacy/Public Affairs for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2004-2007), and as Public Affairs Officer in Guatemala and Mauritius. Other foreign assignments include positions in India, Argentina, South Africa (twice), the Netherlands, and Washington postings in the Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) Bureau and ECA (twice). Prior to joining the Foreign Service in 1980, Conners worked in publishing in her home town of Philadelphia.

Marta Elena Linares, hosted by BPeace, at MZ Wallace in New York City. Photo provided by BPeace.

American Councils Fellow, Zhanna Solovyova, at a screen printing workshop at YouMedia Chicago Public Library. Photo provided by Solovyova.

Israeli Fellow Daniella Segal’s First day on the job at Dell’s Center for Entrepreneurs.

Photo provided

by UMich.

Elanie Steyn and Fellows hosted by UOklahoma enjoy an outdoor concert.

Photo provided by UOK.

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U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division Michael Stanton Michael Stanton assumed his duties as Chief of the Professional Fellows Division in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in August 2011. A career Foreign Service Officer, he previously served as Deputy Director of the Office of Western European Affairs. His assignments include tours of duty in Iraq, the United Kingdom, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. He also served a year as a Congressional Fellow on the National Security staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, 1979-82. Stanton joined the Foreign Service in 1992.

Linnéa Allison Linnéa E. Allison is a Program Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division working on a global portfolio of exchange programs. Her career has been spent in the field of international education and development with a special emphasis on higher education. Allison served with the first Peace Corps Group in the Republic of Moldova. In addition to her volunteer service, Allison spent three years as the Moldova Country Director for a large non-profit organization. Allison has an undergraduate degree in history from Muhlenberg College and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Georgetown University.

Brent Beemer Brent Beemer is currently a Foreign Affairs Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division. He has worked on various international exchange programs for the U.S. Department of State since 1994. From 2010-2012, Beemer was the Cultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. He also served as the Acting Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2009. Beemer holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Xavier University of Ohio and a master’s degree in international affairs from the American University in Washington, D.C. Karin Brandenburg Karin Brandenburg is a Program Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division and works primarily on the South and Central Asia programs. Prior to coming to the State Department, she worked in the field of international development pertaining to rule of law technical assistance in the regions of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet region. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis on Soviet politics from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and completed a master’s degree in government at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in West Germany and has studied Russian and lived abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia.

David Gustafson David Gustafson is a Program Specialist in the ECA Professional Fellows Division. He has been with the U.S. Department of State since 2002. Gustafason earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northwestern University. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali and spent 10 years in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Carol Herrera Carol Herrera is a Program Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division and has worked in ECA’s Office of Citizen Exchanges since December 2001. At the core of her responsibilities is the evaluation of grant proposals and the management of professional exchange programs involving participants from dozens of Latin American and African countries. Prior to joining the Professional Fellows Division, she managed Fulbright programs for American senior scholars and students going to sub-Saharan Africa. She received a master’s degree in French language and literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. Herrera put her language and teaching skills to good use as an instructor at the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. In addition to her volunteer service, Herrera served as Peace Corps Country Director in both the Comoros and Guinea-Bissau.

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Curt Huff, Ph.D. Curt Huff is a Program Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division with special interest in exchanges with African countries. Huff was previously an Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer (ACAO) for two years at the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria.

Prior to that role, Huff was a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria for four years. Huff received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Antioch College and master’s and doctoral degrees from Michigan State University. He studied for one academic year as an undergraduate at the University of Besancon in France.

Sue Levenstein Sue Levenstein is a Program Specialist in ECA’s Professional Fellows Division and in the Youth Programs Division, working on projects involving East Asia and the Pacific. Prior to coming to the State Department, Levenstein worked at the Wilson Center’s Asia Program where she conducted research and coordinated events on social, political, and economic issues in Northeast, South, and Southeast Asia. She has a master’s degree in international relations and communications from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts University. A California native, Levenstein spent her formative years in Taipei, Taiwan, and traveled extensively through China and parts of Western Europe. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and French.

Inga Litvinsky Inga Litvinsky is a Program Officer in the Professional Fellows Division currently working on professional exchanges with the Middle East and North Africa. She has been a career Foreign Service Officer for over ten years, and has served as Cultural Affairs Officer in Lahore, Pakistan; Public Affairs Officer in Almaty, Kazakhstan; Economic Officer in Baghdad, Iraq; and Vice Consul in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to joining the State Department, Litvinsky worked for USAID and the U.S. Department of Commerce on economic development and trade and investment issues. Litvinsky has a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College, an M.A. in International Economics from George Mason University, and speaks fluent Russian.

Adam Meier Adam Meier is a Program Officer in the ECA Professional Fellows Division. He has worked for the State Department for more than a decade, first in the Office of the Spokesman, and then in ECA as the Bureau’s primary Press Officer. Meier now works on exchanges with East Asia and the Pacific, as well as global exchanges. He holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University, and has taught English at a college in China through the Peace Corps.

Alana Rudkin Alana Rudkin is a Program Coordinator in ECA’s Professional Fellows Division. She is responsible for managing public affairs outreach across programs, working closely with partnering grantee organizations, U.S. embassy colleagues, and ECA’s strategic communications team to elevate the profile of the Professional Fellows’ exchange programs around the world. Alana holds a bachelor’s degree in public communications and international relations from American University (AU), and is currently completing her master’s degree in strategic communications at AU.

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U.S. Department of State Eileen O’Connor is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia and Senior Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy in the office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. In those capacities, Ms. O’Connor manages strategic communications and supports critical foreign policy goals through approximately $220 million in public diplomacy programs that build capacity in civil society and government institutions, counter violent extremism, expand information access, and improve education. She served in a similar role in Embassy Kabul from May 2011 to July 2012. Previously, Ms. O’Connor worked as an attorney specializing in legal crisis management for high profile litigation, investigations, and controversies both in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. O’Connor also served as President of the International Center for Journalists, a nonprofit that trains journalists in emerging democracies. Prior to that, Ms. O’Connor spent 24 years as an award-winning on-air reporter, producer, and Bureau Chief for ABC News and CNN, covering the White House and conflicts in Bosnia, Chechnya, Northern Ireland, Israel, Ossetia, Ingushetia and the fall of Communism from bases in London, Moscow, Tokyo and Washington. Her pro bono work centered on human rights issues for individuals and various non-governmental organizations, such as the Center for Justice and Accountability, the Women’s Refugee Commission, and Vital Voices. Ms. O’Connor has a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, a post-graduate Diploma in World Politics from the London School of Economics, and B.S. in Business Administration from Georgetown University. Ms. O’Connor is an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University Law Center, and a member of the Atlantic Council.

Jefferson Brown, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. From April 2010 to June 2013, Mr. Brown was the Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Mr. Brown has previously served as Director for Multilateral Affairs at the National Security Council in the White House and the Director of the Office of UNESCO Affairs at the Department of State. He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador from 2005 to 2008. Brown’s other overseas assignments include Minister Counselor for Press and Cultural Affairs in Mexico City; Cultural Attaché in Brazil, and Press Attaché in Paraguay, El Salvador, and Portugal. From 1995-97, Mr. Brown served as Executive Assistant to the Counselor of the U.S. Information Agency, the ranking career officer responsible for U.S. government public diplomacy operations abroad. From 1999 through 2000, he was a senior advisor in the State Department’s Office of Policy Planning, working on democracy initiatives. He spent the following two years as Director of the Washington Foreign Press Center, responsible for the coordination of U.S. Government outreach to and support for U.S.-based and visiting foreign correspondents.

Mr. Brown was born in Boston and raised in New Jersey. He received a B.A. in Modern European History from the University of Chicago.

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Panelist Biographies Mark Toner is currently a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. He had served most recently as the State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson. He is a career Foreign Service Officer who has served overseas in West Africa and Europe. Mark was the Information Officer in Dakar, Senegal; the Public Affairs Officer in Krakow, Poland; and the Spokesman for the US Mission to NATO, in Brussels, Belgium. In Washington, Mark has worked as a senior advisor for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; as a Senior Watch Officer in the Department’s Operations Center; and as the Director of the European Bureau’s Press and Public Outreach Division. Mark has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a graduate degree from National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Prior to joining the State Department, Mark was a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, West Africa, and carried out graduate work in Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley.

Larry Schwartz is a career Foreign Service officer serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) since June 2014.

Until recently, Mr. Schwartz served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Middle East Transitions, the State Department unit coordinating U.S. assistance to the “Arab Spring” countries of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. The Office has since expanded to cover the Syrian civil war, Jordan and Yemen. In prior Washington assignments, Mr. Schwartz served as Director for Policy, Programs and Resources in the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy (R/PPR); he served tours as the Public Diplomacy Office Director (PDOD) for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, respectively; he held several other assignments at State and the former U.S. Information Agency. Mr. Schwartz is a vigorous and creative field officer. He served as the Strategic Communications Director at Embassy Islamabad during a period of heightened engagement and tension between the U.S. and Pakistan. Through his prior assignment as Public Affairs Officer in New Delhi, Mr. Schwartz built on strengthening bilateral ties to negotiate Indian contributions to the Fulbright program, strengthen American Centers, and model creative outreach and engagement activities.

In prior assignments, Mr. Schwartz served as Press Spokesman in Tel Aviv during a previous extraordinary era of Middle East diplomacy. He served in Pretoria during South Africa’s historic transition to democracy, where he helped fashion nationwide transitional broadcasting reforms and partnerships. He also served in the Philippines, in Islamabad and in Brussels. Before joining the Foreign Service Mr. Schwartz was an energy economist at TRW, Inc., and taught at the University of Washington in Seattle.

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U.S. Department of State Judith (Judy) A. Moon is a career Foreign Service Officer and the Director of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Public Diplomacy Office. She joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1984 and most recently served as the Counselor for Public Affairs for the U.S. Mission in Canberra, Australia, where she played an integral role in welcoming the President to Canberra and Darwin in 2011 and the Secretary of State to Melbourne in 2010.

Prior to her assignment in Canberra, Judy was Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania from 2006-2009. From 2001-2005, she worked as Information Officer/Press Spokesman at the U.S. Mission in Pretoria, South Africa. From 1998-2001, Ms. Moon served as the Information Officer/ Press Spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan. From 1993-97, as the Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, she managed the cultural and educational exchanges portfolio for the U.S. Mission in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1989 she headed to the U.S. Embassy in Suva, Fiji, where she led the Public Affairs Office until 1992. From 1988-89, Judy worked in Office of Latin American Affairs as the Desk Officer for Bolivia, Columbia, Peru and Ecuador. From 1984-85, she served as the Deputy Desk Officer for Southern Africa, before going to Yaoundé, Cameroon, where she directed the Cultural Affairs Office from 1986-88.

Ms. Moon is the recipient of three Meritorious Honor Awards from the Department of State. She received her BA summa cum laude from Madison College [now James Madison University], Harrisonburg, Virginia in 1977 and then studied at the Pushkin Institute of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

David Gilmour was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs in August 2013. Previously, he was the Africa Bureau’s Director of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, directing the deployment of public diplomacy personnel andresources at 48 U.S. embassies and consulates in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Gilmour was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Panama (2008-2011), where he managed the operations of 22 U.S. federal agencies and over 500 employees, and coordinated the work of a large interagency law enforcement team focused on the security of the Panama Canal, illicit trafficking, money laundering and counter-terrorism. Mr. Gilmour served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’ Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Malawi (2004-2007), where he oversaw U.S. assistance programs that totaled nearly $100 million annually, including Millennium Challenge, President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Peace Corps, emergency food aid and peacekeeping programs. His other overseas assignments include Geneva, Switzerland; Sydney, Australia, where he worked on projects including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games; San Jose, Costa Rica; Pretoria, South Africa, where he managed a large program of exchanges during South Africa’s transition to democracy; Douala, Cameroon and Dakar, Senegal. Mr. Gilmour joined the Foreign Service in 1986 and attained the rank of Minister Counselor in 2010. He is a recipient of the State Department’s Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award. Mr. Gilmour holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Civil Rights Panelist Biographies Judith Heumann is an internationally recognized leader in the disability community and a lifelong civil rights advocate for disadvantaged people. She has been appointed Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State. She previously served as the Director for the Department on Disability Services for the District of Columbia, where she was responsible for the Developmental Disability Administration and the Rehabilitation Services Administration. For more than 30 years, Heumann has been involved on the international front working with disabled people’s organizations and governments around the world to advance the human rights of disabled people. She represented Education Secretary Richard Riley at the 1995 International Congress on Disability in Mexico City. She was a U.S. delegate to the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. She has been active with Disabled Peoples’ International, Rehabilitation International and numerous Independent Living Centers throughout the world. She co-founded the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California and the World Institute on Disability in Oakland, California.

Heumann graduated from Long Island University in 1969 and received her Masters in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975. She has received numerous awards, including the first Henry B. Betts Award in recognition of efforts to significantly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Long Island University in Brooklyn, an Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Illinois, Champaign, and an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from the University of Toledo.

Tanya Clay House joined the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law as director of the newly established Public Policy Department in October 2009.

She works closely with all Committee projects, including Voting Rights, Employment Discrimination, Fair Housing and Fair Lending, Educational Opportunities, Community Development and Environmental Justice, and other racial diversity issues such as affirmative action and criminal justice. As director, House serves as the principal Lawyers’ Committee representative on Capitol Hill and in state and local legislative bodies. She coordinates the Lawyers’ Committee’s communications efforts with the White House as well as with federal, state and local agency officials. She is responsible for preparing testimony for Congressional Committee, state and local hearings and panels, and represents the Lawyers’ Committee in coalitions organized to advocate for civil rights priorities. House is also a principal liaison to the Lawyers’ Committee’s sister organizations across the country. Former public policy director at People For the American Way (PFAW), she also oversaw the Democracy Campaign which comprises the organization’s efforts on voting rights issues, including the nonpartisan Election Protection 365 program.

While at PFAW, House served as the chief legislative lobbyist on Capitol Hill and with the Executive Branch and focused on various issues, including judicial nominations, education, the Religious Right, civil rights and liberties, immigration, church/state, electoral reform and affirmative action. She also served as the policy liaison for the African American Ministers Leadership Council, a program of PFAW Foundation.

She developed numerous reports on education, voting rights and other civil rights matters. House, formerly of Louisville, Kentucky, earned her B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan, where she graduated cum laude and excelled as a varsity track athlete. She earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1999, where she was executive editor of the Texas Journal of Women and the Law and attorney general for the Rocky Mountain Black Law Students Association.

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Spring 2014 Where in the World?

Algeria 1 Armenia 3 Azerbaijan 2 Bangladesh 6 Brazil 4 Burma 6 Cambodia 2 Colombia 4 Dominican Republic 4 Egypt 22 El Salvador 9 Georgia 3 Guatemala 5 India 4 Indonesia 8

Ireland 5 Northern Ireland, UK 8 Israel 4 Jordan 1 Kazakhstan 4 Kenya 4 Kuwait 1 Kyrgyzstan 5 Laos 2 Malaysia 3 Moldova 3 Morocco 1 Nepal 5 Oman 3 Pakistan 5 Palestinian Territories 3

Philippines 3 Russia 4 Saudi Arabia 1 South Africa 4 Sri Lanka 3 Thailand 3 Timor-Leste 6 Tunisia 4 Turkey 2 Uganda 4 Ukraine 3 United Arab Emirates 1 Vietnam 4 Zambia 6 Zimbabwe 6

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Professional Fellows Where have they been in the U.S.?

Arizona Arkansas California Colorado District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Illinois Indiana Iowa

Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Montana Nevada New Jersey New York North Carolina

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Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin

Spring 2014 Algeria Yasmine Bouchene Head of Digital, Into Waves Email: yasmine@intowav.es Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Center for Investigative Reporting Motivation: To learn about the link between entrepreneurs, digital content and innovation in a digital context.

Armenia Gegham Gevorgyan Chief Lawyer, State Agency ‘’National Center for Legislative Regulation PIU” at the RA Government Staff Email: geghamgevorgyan@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: State of California Office of Legislative Counsel Motivation: To learn about legislative processes, education policy, and comparative law.

Dianna Mirzoyan Head of the International Relations Department, State Food Safety Service Email: mirzoyandi@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Office of Program Policy Analysis and and Government Accountability Motivation: To learn about U.S. food safety legislation and implementation

Tigran Tshorokhyan Team Leader, Tetra Tech ARD / Support to the Armenian National Assembly Program Email: t.tshorokhyan@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Office of PA Senator Mike Brubaker Motivation: To learn about the status, structure and products of parliamentary research and information services as well as effective Committee practices in the U.S. legislature.

Azerbaijan Firdovsi Aghashirinov Leading Advisor, State Insurance Supervision Service of Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan Email: firdovsi.agashirinov@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: RMA USDA Regional Office Motivation: To learn about crop insurance laws and their implementation.

Ilkin Hajiyev Humanitarian Assistance Program Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Azerbaijan International Development Agency Email: ilkinhajiyev@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Global Kids Motivation: To learn about U.S. lobbying practices and youth NGO work.

Rashad Huseynov Executive Director, Social Services Initiative (SSI) Email: rashadhuseyn@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities Motivation: To learn about advocacy for people with disabilities, de-institutionalization of PWD and vocational training.

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Professional Fellows Nazmul Ahmed Founder & CEO, Ennovision Email: najm@ennovision.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Liquidfish Motivation: To learn about the best practices in small business management and to explore new markets for branding and web services.

Bangladesh

Afshana Choudhury Program Manager, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED), BRAC University Email: a.choudhury@bracu.ac.bd Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (CCEW) Motivation: To get exposure on setting up an incubation center for entrepreneurs (especially SME and tech based endeavors).

Farhad Hasan CEO and Founder, 19 (Nineteen) Email: farhad@weare19.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Trifecta Communications Motivation: To receive training for professional skill development & business networking.

Shaheen Rashid

Prito Reza CEO, Wedding Diary / Host, ATN News/ photographer ambassador, Fujifilm Email: pritoreza@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Candid Color Systems Motivation: To learn about small business management, implement best practices and develop a business method to improve chances of success.

A.K.M. Zabed Managing Director, Sthapottik Limited Email: zabed@sthapottikltd.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: McKinney Motivation: To gain exposure to diversified people, cultures, and different business models and to learn best practices to develop & run a sustainable business model.

Brazil

Adriana Bacci Program Manager, American Cancer Society Email: adri.bacci@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Hope Cancer Resources Motivation: To learn about best practices to become an agent of change.

Managing Partner, Orange Solutions Email: rashid.shahinur@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: SportsTalk 1400 AM “The Ref �

Motivation: To make international contacts and learn how workplaces in the First World are run.

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Burma Carina Reyder Legislative Technical Advisory Coordinator, Government of the State of Minas Gerais Email: carina.justice@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Travis County Office of Intergovernmental Relations Motivation: To understand the functioning of the American legislative process and the institutional relationship between the Executive and the Legislative, and what kind of policies the government has used to promote the improvement of the quality of legislation; to learn the contributions of the Judiciary in interpreting laws and its policies to ensure judicial efficiency.

Danielle Todeschini Senior Lawyer, Todeschini Law Firm Email: danielle@todeschini.adv Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Indiana State Government, Legislative Services Agency Motivation: To learn about the legislative system in the U.S.

Leticia Zenevich Research Assistant, NUPSEX Email: leticiazenevich@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Immigration Equality Motivation: To learn about how LGBTT rights are being advocated within the civil society.

Htin Aung Kyaw Deputy General Manager, Myanmar Microfinance Supervisory Enterprise (MMSE) Email: hakmof@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Small Business Administration (SBA)/Native American Development Corporation (NADC) Motivation: To gain exposure to best practices in microfinance, focusing on poverty alleviation and sustainability; to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience in micro-finance; and to contribute Burma/ Myanmar’s experience with micro-finance and income generation.

Swe Zin Le Business Development Director, Bella Interiors Co., LTD Email: stellabeth@bellainteriors.biz Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Montana West Economic Development Motivation: To gain better guidance in business development; to gain ideas of and connections with U.S. markets; and to gain experiences that will help support job creation in rural areas in Burma/Myanmar.

Mon Mon Myint Thu Managing Director, AcePlus Solutions Co., LTD Email: monmonmyintthu@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Oracle/RightNow Technologies Motivation: To build networks and share information and knowledge; explore opportunities to create economic growth; to gain new experiences and learn best practices to improve working culture and environment in Burma/Myanmar.

Oeurn Ratana Executive Director, Community-based Integrated Development Organization (CIDO) Email: ratana.cido@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Geyser Farm Motivation: To learn about value chains of organic food in the U.S. and to learn from other participants with the goal of setting up a successful business plan for organic vegetables and rice in Cambodia.

42 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Thant Zin Soe Writer and Editor, The Voice Newspaper Email: thantzinsoe1987@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: PhilaPosh Motivation: To learn how to manage a non-profit/ civil society organization and bring back those lessons to Myanmar so that we can strengthen our civil society and government.

Kyi Pyar Trainer, National League for Democracy Youth Development Program Email: makyipyar1@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Politial Leaders Fellowship Placement: Office of Mayor Michael Nutter, City of Philadelphia Motivation: To learn about American government at all levels, including how legislation is drafted and moves through committees; to experience political campaign organizing for the November elections.

May Myo Myint Khaing Township Organizer, Union Solidarity and Development Party Email: maymyo904@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: Motivation: To gain professional development experience in policy making and leadership skills; to learn more about community organizing and democratic practices.

Cambodia

Chhon Chheayudh Founder/Director, Angkor Walkers Email: yut@angkorwalkers.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Montana Association of Conservation Districts Motivation: To learn from business owners about growing tourism organizations; better understand how to market a small tour company to North American customers; enhance personal leadership and management skills; and to build strong relationships with all program participants, with a view to potentially expand the company to other Southeast Asian countries.

Colombia Maria Paulina Domínguez Research Assistant, Corporacion Excelencia en la Justicia Email: mariapaulinadominguez@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Due Process of Law Foundation Motivation: To observe best practices that help make justice more efficient, speedy and timely.

Catalina Caicedo Garzón Journalist, Revista GENTE, Editorial C&P – Televisa Email: ccaicedo.garzon@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Youthrive Motivation: To develop skills on citizen participation, leadership and public accountability in order to become a journalist multiplier that encourages others to be empowered.

Lorena López Legal Advisor, Attorney General of Colombia Email: llopezs.esq@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: DC Office of Human Rights Motivation: To learn about how the human right system works in the U.S. in order to exchange ideas, contribute my experiences in the field and bring new ideas applicable in my current position in Colombia.

Lauren Lozano Altamiranda Project Coordinator, Fundación Germen de Paz Email: lauren.lozano@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Youth Bridge Motivation: To learn about strategies to empower communities that have been affected by violence and poverty.

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Dominican Republic Ana Cabrera Vidal Attorney, Attorney General of the Dominican Republic Email: anamcabrera19@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Office of Indiana Governor - Mike Pence Motivation: To learn about how the United States promotes economic development.

Liddy Kiaty Figueroa Chief Executive Officer, Fundación Paréntesis 20.11 Email: dralkiatyf@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Community Clinic Northwest Arkansas Motivation: To learn about integral services to adolescents with vulnerable conditions, and deepen knowledge in global health and sustainable community projects.

Egypt Moustafa Mohamed Kamal Attia Managing Director, Ahl Masr Association for Development Email: mostafa.kamal@ahl-masr.org Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: Access Living Motivation: To learn about best practices related to the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities as well as micro finance projects that could be beneficial to them.

Amr Deabes CEO/Founder, Ability Contact Center Email: amr@abilitycc.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: The Chicago Lighthouse Motivation: To learn more about successful projects to be adopted and used in Egypt to support employment projects for persons with disabilities and build partnerships with organizations doing similar work in the US.

Juan C. Saladín Project/Planning Management, Funcreemos Email: juancsaladin@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Youthprise Motivation: To learn about best leadership practices to improve human values that I can apply in my work with the Monción community in the Dominican Republic.

Noha El Sehrawy Founder, Damg Association for the Inclusion of Egyptians with Disabilities Email: noha.sehrawy@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: Aspire of Illinois Motivation: To learn about best practices in early intervention, inclusive education and integration for persons with disabilities.

Luis Alberto Santiago Arias Information Technology Advisor, Dirección General de Ética e Integridad Gubernamental Email: luis.santiago@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: Partners of the Americas Fellowship Placement: Webitects Motivation: To learn the best practices the U.S. is undertaking in the fields of Open Government, Open Data, Transparency and Civic Participation

Philip Habib Computer Instructor, DAESN Email: philip2100@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: 2nd Sense Motivation: To identify successful experiences in the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, particularly through assistive technology to support them in a working environment.

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Nabil Ezzat Halim Khalil Rehabilitation Programs Coordinator, CEOSS Email: nabil.ezzat@ceoss.org.eg Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: El Valor Motivation: To learn more about the disability movements in the U.S., policies, and related strategies which support the rights, especially economic rights, of persons with disabilities, while also learning about the roles of NGOs.

Dalia ElGebaly Human Development Trainer and Coach, Intentions Training & Consulting Email: daliaelgebaly@outlook.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Edelman Motivation: To learn about the media practicalities and systems in the U.S. also to be connected to the civil society, their community involvement and the media coverage with its best practices to determine my future career as a media person and social activist, to become a real agent of change.

Sherifa Ragheb Social Worker, DAESN Email: shereefadaesn@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: 2nd Sense Motivation: To explore modern methods of empowering persons with disabilities so that they can be better integrated into the labor market and community.

Ahmed El Shamy Investigative and Video journalist, Shorouk News Email: shamy309@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: AlMas TV and Radio Motivation: To learn about investigative journalism, video and audio recording and editing, human rights especially women’s issues, and best practices to become an agent of change.

Abeer Shakweer Advisor to the Minister of Social Affairs, Ministry of Communications and Information Email: afshakweer@mcit.gov.eg Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: Great Lakes ADA Center Motivation: To understand and get acquainted with the policies and regulations to empower persons with disabilities utilizing ICT and to understand mechanisms for cooperation between the government and civil society.

Youssra El Sharkawy Journalist, The Egyptian Gazette Newspaper Email: youssraelsharkawy@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Sarasota HeraldTribune Motivation: To develop my communication capabilities, have a better understanding of the workings of digital media, and to visit prestigious journalism institutions; to learn about modern arts and culture in the U.S. and attend some events and performances; to learn about best practices to become an agent of change, as well as about civil society and community involvement.

Ahmed Ebeid Digital Archive Consultant, masralarabya.com Email: ebeid2011@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Twin Cities Public Television Motivation: To pursue my experiences and skills in the field of Digital Media Asset Management (DMAM) and its new technological trends through connecting with established American journalism work environments and through contacting professionals and experts from U.S.

Mostafa Fathi

Managing Editor, United Journalists Center Email: mostafathi@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Freedom House Motivation: To learn about the newest tools used by the media, to learn about the civil society and best practices to become an agent of change, to have new experiences, and to learn how to make a successful project.

45 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Rehab Gouda Vice Managing Editor, Al-Ahram Newspaper Email: rehabgouda@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: CNN Motivation: To explore the latest methods and practices of news journalism that can enrich experiences and help to develop the newsrooms in my home country.

Mustafa Mahmoud Journalist, Al-Gomhuria Newspaper Email: mostapha98@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Sunlight Foundation Motivation: To learn about the legislative and judicial systems of the U.S. and other countries, civil society and community involvement, and best practices to become an agent of change; to utilize digital tools to secure sustained profits and to attract higher viewership.

Hanan Solayman Founder and Editor, Mandara Local Digital Portal Email: hanan.solayman@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Texas Tribune Motivation: To learn about community engagement and promote a sense of ownership and an entrepreneurial spirit in workplace so that employees turn into entrepreneurs.

Doaa Soliman

Digital Communicaton Officer, The Anna Lindh Foundation Email: doaasoliman123@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Miami Herald Motivation: To get a better understanding of the media scene in the U.S., with a focus on social media, as it originally started in the States.

Yomna Atef NU 100 Project Coordinator, Nile University Email: yomnaa.atef@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement:Dell Center for Entrepreneurs Motivation: To learn how universities in the United State support and promote entrepreneurship among students, especially engineering students.

Esraa Ebrahim

Relationship Manager, Plan International Email: esraa2911@yahoo.co.uk Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: COTS Motivation: To learn different ways to support under-privileged youth, especially girls, by empowering them through entrepreneurship.

Noha Fathi Student/Teacher, Ain Shams University/Roots International School Email: nohafathi90@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Airfoil Public Relations Motivation: To develop better tools to improve communication and English language skills among young professionals

planning.

Asmaa Mustafa Marketing and Strategy Consultant, Self-employed Email: asmaa.mustafa@live.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Tech Town Detroit Motivation: To learn new techniques and approaches to marketing and business strategic

Eman Nasar Graduate Student/Founder and CEO, American University Cairo/NOOON Email: eman.nasr23@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Impact Engine Motivation: To learn best practice in marketing to promote entrepreneurs and start-ups Alia Shadeed Owner, Trainer, Training Content Developer, Learn2Learn Email: aliachedid@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: ZingTrain/CEED Motivation: To learn how to grow my business into a scaleable enterprise that employs a lot of people. To experience other training methods and access to materials.

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El Salvador Mauricio Méndez CEO, American Doors Email: gerencia@abriendopuertas.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Chase Doors Motivation: To improve production practices, project management practices and branding.

Josselyn Coreas Sales Manager, Pronavid, S.A. de C.V Email: jscoreas@pronavid.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Vitamin Shoppe Motivation: To learn about ISO 9000 certification and to improve her brand image and marketing strategy.

Christian Guevara Executive Account Manager and Co-founder, Grupo Plan B S.A de C.V. Email: christian@grupo-planb.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: BGT Partners; Havas Motivation: To look for ideas for new products and services for the Central America market and to create a great work environment that promotes creativity among staff.

Mario Guzman Purchases/Sales, Muebles Nuvesa Email: mariomeg@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: American Furniture Manufacturing Motivation: To learn how to improve production processes, collect ideas for new products, find out about state of the art machinery and learn how to produce foam padding.

Marta Elena Linares C. Production Manager, Industrias Americanas, S.A. de C.V. Email: santacroce09@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: MZ Wallace; Rag & Bone Motivation: To learn how to rebrand her business and learn about the process for producing environmentally friendly high fashion leather hides.

Michelle Linares Business Development Manager, Tech Americas S.A. de C.V. Email: mlinares@tech-americas.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Ci&T; Unosquare Motivation: To learn how to position Tech-Americas as a competitive outsourcing alternative for U.S. firms that currently outsource administrative and technical support from Asian firms; to get ideas for improving HR strategies, brand image and negotiation skills.

Margarita Reyes Commercial Manager, NR CONSA S.A. de C.V. Email: mreyes@nrconsa.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Tara Solutions; U.S. Department of Agriculture Motivation: To learn how to improve and standardize production and operation processes,improve product formulation knowledge, learn new trends, and strengthen sales channel distribution strategies Rhina Schmidt

General Manager, Fuenteclara, S.A. de C.V. Email: rtrigueros1@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Seventh Generation Motivation: To focus on product innovation, improving production processes, developing new marketing strategies, and learn how to improve packaging and brand image.

Andre Francisco Zelaya Alvarez Operation Manager, Grupo Razel Email: azelaya@gruporazel.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Vitamin Shoppe Motivation: To learn how to manufacture soft gel caps, learn new trends to develop products that will differentiate Razel from its competitors, and how to improve their brand image.

Georgia

Tamar Gabisonia Executive Director, NPO ‘Article 42 of the Constitution’ Email: t.gabisonia@article42.ge Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Planned Parenthood Motivation: To learn about US Judicial system and Pro Bono Programs.

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Tinatin Pareishvili Social Worker, Social Service Agency, Khashuri Regional Department Email: tinatinip@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: UCAN Chicago Motivation: To learn about the social services system in the U.S. Giorgi Tshekhani

Head of Administration, The Higher School of Justice of Georgia Email: gtshekhani@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: New Mexico Supreme Court Motivation: To learn about U.S. government branches and the system of check and balances.

Guatemala Adela Bermudez Giron CEO, Transportes Paloblanco Email: abermudez@donmundyalimentos.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Delgrosso Foods Motivation: To learn how to redesign packaging and brand image, improve production processes and get ideas for new products.

Jose Carvajal Alvarado Chief Operation Officer, Manufacturas en Madera/Muebles Madeira Email: jrc@mueblesmadeira.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: AMC Millwork and Cabinetry Motivation: To look for ideas to improve their production processes, marketing activities and human resource management.

Rodrigo Hurtarte Cordon CEO, Everhill, S.A. Email: rhurtarte@everhill.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement: Signature Cabinets Motivation: To learn how to improve production and operational processes while expanding manufacturing, and to learn about different design software and how to use it.

Juan Carlos Ruiz CEO, Comunicaci贸n Interactiva Email: jc@mnc.gt Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Bpeace Fellowship Placement:GTB/PwC; Havas Motivation: To learn how to cost and manage projects; to improve their operational processes, and understand how U.S. start up technology firms plan their growth and raise capital.

India Abdul Rashid General Secretary, Indian National Congress (JKPCC); Chairman, Earth Foundation International Email: arashid08@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Representative Michael Curtin, The Ohio State House of Representatives Motivation: To seek guidance, gain expertise, explore new opportunities, enrich my experiences, and foster alliances of mutual interests with organizers and participants, for making the world a better place to live in.

Anar Bhatt

Consultant Researcher, Okapi Research and Advisory Email: anarbhatt@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) Motivation: To learn about social enterprises, civil society, and community involvement in the policy-making process in the US and other participating Asian countries.

48 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Vinod Rana Political Secretary, Office of BJ Panda, Member of Indian Parliament Email: vinod@bjpanda.org Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of the Speaker of the House - Representative William Batchelder, The Ohio State House of Representatives Motivation: To learn everything, but especially about the legislative and judicial departments, and to develop a strong relationship with other people participating in the program.

Deepti Rawat Bhardwaj Spokesperson and Secretary, Uttarakhand State, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Email: rawatdeepti31@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Representative Michael Stinziano, The Ohio State House of Representatives Motivation: To learn about the community education system, legislative system, social networking, and media of the United States.

Indonesia Benyamin Leu Public Service Officer, Center for Information and Regional Studies (PATTIRO) Email: leu_benyamin@rocketmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: Coconino County, Arizona Motivation: To learn about public services dealing with transparency, accountability of local government and Freedom of Public Information system in the US and other countries, Civil Society and Community involvement, and best practices to become an agent of change.

Irma Mutiahsari Head of Inter Institutional and Overseas Relation Sub Division, Pangkalppinang Municipality Email: irmahutadjulu@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Oak Ridge,

Tennessee Motivation: To explore how to optimize communication with other agencies, how to city plan through cooperation and coordination of all parties with attention to the environment and human interests.

Hera Nugrahayu Head of Local Revenue Agency of Palangka Raya City Local Government Email: ayafialisha@yahoo.co.id Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Oak Ridge,

Tennessee Motivation: To broaden global insights about local government issues, especially for municipal government problems: local economy development, fiscal capacity and public service delivery.

Putut Purwandono Staff, Yogyakarta City Government Email: pututpurwandono@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Mount Dora, Florida Motivation: To learn about the government and legislative process in U.S. especially local economic and investment policy development and best practices on how the U.S. Municipalities collaborate with politicians and higher level of government and societies to improve local economic performance.

Anna Kus Saparti Staff, Public Relation and Protocol of Bontang City Government Email: annakussaparti@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Austin, Texas Motivation: To learn and gain any information related to public service delivery and citizen participation program in the U.S. Yudi Saptono Head of Spatial and Urban Infrastructure Planning Subdivision City Planning Agency of Bekasi Municipality Email: idoey_0910@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Mount Dora, Florida Motivation: To know more about the concepts of urban renewal, particularly through participatory planning and public private partnership (PPP) program.

49 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Antoni Tsaputra Staff/Planner of Social Service and Rehabilitation, Department of Social Affairs and Labors of Padang City Local Government Email: antonthetranslator@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Austin, Texas Motivation: To learn how legislative and judicial systems, civil society and best practices at the level of local governments in the U.S. could ensure full citizen engagement of minority groups such as persons with disabilities in all regional development processes to become an agent of change to help Padang.

Yudhistira G. Yewangoe

Sub Division Head of Data Management and Evaluation, Regional Development Planning Board of East Nusa Tenggara Email: gresko0106@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: Coconino County, Arizona Motivation: To compare the budgeting and planning process at the local government in The United States to practices in Indonesia and to study the best practices from both countries.

Ireland

Ashling Golden Youth Justice Worker, SWAN Garda Youth Diversion Project Email: ashlinggolden@hotmail.coma Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Roca Motivation: To support young offenders make the transition from criminal involvement to a positive and fulfilling life.

Gavin O’Reilly Sergeant, An Garda Síochána Email: gavoreilly1@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Boston Police Department Motivation: To strive to provide personal commitment, dedication and leadership in the interest of Public Service.

Mairead Moore Executive Director, Future Voices of Ireland Email: director@futurevoicesireland.org Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Hull Lifesaving Museum Motivation: To contribute towards achieving equality and greater democratic representation in Ireland within our legal structures and political systems.

Yvonne Murphy Sergeant, An Garda Síochána Email: yvonne.a.murphy@garda.ie Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Boston Police Department Motivation: To make a positive contribution towards Irish society through active engagement in and encouragement of collaborative community policing initiatives.

Sile Rooney Solicitor, Private Practice Email: silerooney@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts Motivation: To achieve excellence in practice of the law, good governance and charitable endeavour.

Israel

Hoda Khalila Attorney, LegalAdvisor, NGT Incubator Email: hodakhalilia@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone Law Firm Motivation: To learn how American lawyers work with technology-oriented entrepreneurs, and how they help them to raise capital.

50 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Kazakhstan

Amanie Brik

Integration Manager/Master’s Student, Tsofen/Haifa University Email: amaniebrik@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Sensei Change Motivation: To learn more about organizational strategy and management, and how to empower minority entrepreneurs.

Jaimbayev Daniyar Expert of Investigation Department, The Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for competition protection Email: jd_production@mail.ru Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Senator Chris Widener, The Ohio State Senate Motivation: To gain a deeper knowledge of legislative and political systems, to learn about culture, society, traditions of the US, and to get to know the other country participants.

Or Kaner

Account Manager, BI Science Email: kaner.or@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Dell Center for Entrepreneurs Motivation: To learn more about empowering women and under represented groups though entrepreneurship and training

Daniella Segal Executive Assistant and Manager, PICO Jerusalem Email: segal.daniella@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Dell Center for Entrepreneurs Motivation: To gain exposure to incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces in the US to be able to share my experiences and learn from theirs.

Jordan Hiba Falhat Senior Coordinator, Tagheer Email: heba_falahat@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Motivation: To learn about social entrepreneurship in the U.S., meet with social entrepreneurs to learn more from their experiences; learn about women’s empowerment in communities and the workplace; learn about the higher education system in the U.S.

Amina Kulzhanova Head of the Legislative Department, Kazakhmys Corporation; Assistant to Member of Parliament Email: aminazhez@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Senator Frank LaRose, The Ohio State Senate Motivation: To better understand issues from the perspective of the government, to learn how to work with stakeholders during the legislative process, to learn about techniques used to engage the government and the community.

Nik Kuzmin IT Engineer (Programmer) and Project Manager, ECHO Email: nikita_kouzmin@rambler.ru Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: State of Illinois Department of Employment Security Motivation: To gain a better understanding of U.S. legislation, to get insightful information about U.S. society, culture, and people, and to learn about the societies and cultures of people from other countries.

Vyacheslav Murtazin

Project Manager, International foundation for protection freedom of expression “Adil SoZ” Email: slava@adilsoz.kz Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Motivation: To learn how American non-governmental organizations protect human rights and freedom of expression.

51 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Kenya

Kuwait

Nathan Kariuki Business Teacher, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Email: natmwangi@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Meridian Tech. Center, Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, OSU Student Start Up Business Center Motivation: To learn the advantage, challenges, and costs of various business incubator models and the steps involved in implementing them.

Mohammad Al Shaiji Self-Employed Enterpreneur Email: shaiji@me.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Motivation: To gain knowledge and experience from the top experts in the industry of media and learn how to apply this knowledge and experience to enrich our media culture.

Kyrgyzstan Christine Mburugu Capacity Building Officer, Kenya Livestock Producers’ Association Email: drchristinekendi@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service; OSU’s Food and Agricultural Products Center; Ralph’s Circle R Brand Motivation: To examine the array of Oklahoma pork production, processing, marketing, and extension education practices for possible use in a for-profit business.

Anita Owora Managing Director, Freshome Alchemy Limited Email: anita@freshomealchemy.co.ke Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: OSU Food & Agricultural Products Development Center & HOPE Food Science Motivation: To learn best practices, gluten-free product development and marketing strategies from university and private industry baking and cereal leaders.

Robert Wang’ombe Environmental consultant, Projects engineer, Self Employed-Essentia Kanan Limited Email: robertkariuki46@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Rolling Plains Agricultural Compost; Riata Center for Entrepreneurship; Stillwater Compost Education Program; Indian Territory Farms; Anichini Moore Ranch & Farm Motivation: To gain skills in formulating, producing, packaging, and marketing organic bio-fertilizers that meet the needs of potential investors, producers, and customers.

Zalina Abdulkhafizova Lawyer/Project Coordinator, Public Fund “Civil Initiative on Internet Policy” Email: abdu.zalina@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Rhodes Hieronymus Jones Tucker & Gable Motivation: To learn about social media, mass media law, the judicial system of the US, personal data protection in the US and other countries, peace building, and how people overcome interstate conflicts.

Dastan Akunov Assistant to Member of Parliament Bodosh Mamyrova, Jogorku Kenesh; Lecturer on taxation and financial systems of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz State Law Academy Email: dastan.akun@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Senator Chris Widener, The Ohio State Senate Motivation: To learn about the legislative processes at the legislative bodies (Senate, House of Representatives), how laws are initiated and prepared, the legal expertise of drafting laws, the role of civil society in legislative processes, and how laws are made in practice.

52 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Chingiz Maatkerimov Project Specialist, Business Advisory Services Programme, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Kyrgyz Republic Email: maatkerimov@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Community Service

Council Motivation: To increase my capacity in the local government, to learn about small business development, NGO management issues, as well as renewable energy to gain the necessary skills in advocacy and policy making to be able to contribute to sustainable development in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Maatkulova Bermet Anataevna Public Advisor to Member of Parliament, Jogorku Kenesh Email: maatkulova.bermet@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of the Speaker of the House - Representative William Batchelder, Ohio State House of Representatives Motivation: To become familiar with the United States’ and other countries’ experiences with developing public and educational systems, free mass media, improving the legislative environment, civil society, and community involvement.

Elgiza Raeva Assistant to Member of Parliament Email: raevaes@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Senator John Eklund, The Ohio State Senate Motivation: To learn about the legislative and judicial system of the United States.

Laos

Sousada Chanthasiri Team Leader, Development Environment Community Association (DECA) Email: csoutsada@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Host Organization: Mansfield Center/University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Montana Department of Commerce Motivation: To gain knowledge about the approaches of improving community livelihoods through income generation in the U.S.; to expand my network of community development professionals on a regional and international level; and share lessons learned with other professionals in the field of community development.

Vansy Senyavong Director, Maeying Huamchai Phattana (MHP) Email: senyavongvansy@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Montana Department of Commerce Motivation: To exchange experiences on best practices for women entrepreneurship; build networking contacts in the U.S. and with other participants; and improve personal knowledge of entrepreneurship to apply to MHP’s work with rural and urban women’s groups.

Tai Zee Kin

Malaysia

Chief Operating Officer, NajibRazak.com (Office of the Prime Minister) Email: taizeekin88@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: Sunlight Foundation Motivation: To learn how the American political parties and US Government at the national, state, and local level utilize technology and tech strategies to achieve effective communication between each other and US citizens.

Sadina Suffian Project Data Manager, Voter Activation and Coordination Secretariat (VACS) Email: sadinasuffian@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: Truman National Security Project Motivation: To build a network with other participants and mentors in order to learn lessons from their experiences and expertise; to identify a range of novel initiatives in fields of social media, political communication and capacity building for female politicians.

53 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Jesselynn Min Government Affairs Manager, American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Email: jesselynnlai@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: US Chamber of Commerce Motivation: To improve leadership skills and learn how to better navigate the intricacies of democratic governments; to increase understanding of international relations and public diplomacy.

Morocco

com.

Taha Amiar Senior Editor, EXP3/Massolia.com Email: amiar_taha@massolia.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: Splash Media Group Motivation: To strengthen my ability to use the full scope of social media to develop Massolia.

Nepal

Moldova

Ion Guzun Legal Officer, The Legal Resources Center from Moldova Email: ion.guzun@crjm.org Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Motivation: To learn about human rights and judicial system; the role of lobbying and advocacy activities of NGOs in the judicial system.

Natalia Iuras Director, The Center for Continuous Electoral Trainings and Research by the CEC Moldova Email: nat.iuras@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: DC Board of Elections Motivation: To learn about US voting system and voters’ education.

Olga Rujanschi Adviser to the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Email: olga.rujanski@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Office of HI Sen.

Chun Oakland Motivation: To learn about US legislative processes, as well as gender representation in politics

Pavitra Gautam Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Karkhana Email: pavitra@karkhana.asia Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Techjoynt Motivation: To expand my professional network and learn the best business practices in technology and education sector from US based business.

Shailaja Pradhanang Executive Director, Thagu chhen, A boutique Hotel Email: shailajapradhanang@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Several hotels in the Norman/Oklahoma City area Motivation: To learn about the best practices in operation management of the U.S. hospitality sector(small scale), and also to learn about the booking handling systems.

Pratish Palikhe Managing Director, Binayek Fresh House Pvt. (Binayek Supermart) Email: pratishhh@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Native Roots Motivation: To learn how to use experiences and professional guidance to guide me in business operations.

54 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Ajay Shrestha Chairman and Managing Director, iCapital (P) Ltd Email: ajay@icapital.com.np Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: Fountain Ventures Motivation: To gain hands on experience in small and medium level businesses in the US; to learn the work culture, accounting standard, method of operation and management practices in such companies.

Anmol Singh Cosmic Electrical Engineering Associates P. Ltd - Director Commercial; Asia Pacific Power Technology Nepal P. Ltd.- Director & Promoter Email: singh.anmol77@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: The University of Oklahoma Fellowship Placement: CH Guernsey Motivation: To Learn & manage small business enterprise through efficient and innovative techniques.

Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Ciaran Shannon Head of Policy and Good Relations, Groundwork Northern Ireland Email: ciaran.shannon@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Groundwork Somerville Motivation: To continue working with partner organisations to promote peace and reconciliation across our community, to increase confidence in the rule of law and the judicial system and to encourage more young people to get involved in community activism.

Maura McCallion Division Head, Attorney General for Northern Ireland Email: maura.mccallion@attorneygeneralni. gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Office of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Division Motivation: To develop my leadership, analysis and advocacy skills to ensure that the legal service provided by the Office of the Attorney General is of the highest quality and contributes to the growth of an effective and just devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Peter Luney Head of Court Operations, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Services Email: peter.luney@courtsni.gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Suffolk County Juvenile Court Motivation: To learn about the provision of quality court services which meet the needs of all court users, in particular victims and witnesses.

Rebecca Rowan Constable, Police Service of Northern Ireland Email: rowan780@btinternet.com Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Boston Police Department Motivation: To progress my career within an organisation that continues to develop strategies for Community Engagement and within one which continues to build trust and confidence in local policing.

Karen McMillan Principal Legal Advisor, Solicitor’s Office Email: Karen.mcmillan@dfpni.gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Suffolk County Juvenile Court Motivation: To achieve a high ranking international posting within the administration of justice that has the potential to facilitate equanimity in the application of the rule of law.

55 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Tara Caul Head of Legal Services Office, Northern Ireland Assembly Commission Email: tara.caul@niassembly.gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Office of Senate Counsel, Massachusetts State House Motivation: To contribute to the corporate vision of my employer, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, which is to be at the forefront of providing outstanding and progressive parliamentary services, by ensuring that legal services are provided to the highest professional standards.

Sean O’Neill Public Prosecutor, Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland Email: O’Neill.Sean@ppsni.gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Committee for Public

Counsel Services Motivation: : To use all the knowledge and skills gained from both Defence and Prosecution work to become a Judge; to utilise the skills and knowledge gained from the Professional exchange in this role.

Stephen Donaldson Senior Public Prosecutor, Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland Email: Stephen.Donaldson@ppsni.gsi.gov.uk Fellowship Focus: Rule of Law/ Administration of Justice Host Organization: Boston College Irish Institute Fellowship Placement: Suffolk County Juvenile Court Motivation: To build upon knowledge of best practice as regards treatment of young offenders in the criminal justice system in order to be considered an expert in this field and to enable me to maximise my potential to influence and shape policy development in this area.

Oman

Mulkie Al Hashemi Marketing Director, National Business Center Email: mulkie@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Detroit Creative Corridor (DC3) Motivation: To learn about the different marketing strategies used in the US to support small business growth.

Dhafar Al Shanfari Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Sultan Qaboos University Email: dhafir@squ.edu.om Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Farley Center for Entrepreneurship, Northwestern University Motivation: To gain exposure to best practices in entrepreneurship education and learn how to better promote innovation and creativity in the process.

Basma Al Said Counselor and Pyschotherapist, Wispers of Serenity Clinic Email: basma.alsaid@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: ACCESS, Iraqi Refugee Program Motivation: To have the opportunity to observe the various psychotherapy approaches and treatments used in the United States and compare them to what we are doing in Oman

Pakistan

Fatima Saeed Program Officer/District Livelihood Officer, SAWERA; Executive Board Member, Vice Chairperson, Aware Girls Email: fatimasaeed.psw@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: NNADV Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence Motivation: To gain new leadership skills, campaigning skills, the use of social media, and other innovative strategies, and to network with human rights activists from other countries.

Muhammad Saber Chief Executive Director, Proactive Humanitarian Program, PHP Email: shoaibm1947@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Heartland Alliance Motivation: To learn about the legislative and judicial system and the role of civil society in the United States.

56 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Rabail Qurban Solangi Program Coordinator, PEACE Social Welfare and Educational Organization Email: rabail.peace@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma Motivation: To learn about the work of civil society organizations and the policy making initiatives of the government in the United States.

Jamshed Sultan Program Specialist, Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Email: Jamshed080@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Alderman George Cardenas Motivation: To learn about the role of civil society and the community in legislative, judicial, governance, and public procedures in the United States and other countries.

Syed Nisar Ahmad Executive Director, Society for Community Development (SCD) Email: snisaragha@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: The Children’s Cabinet Motivation: To avail the opportunities that ensure the platform of learning, good practices, and knowledge of the United States and other countries in such areas as legislation and governance.

Palestinian Territories Asmaa Abumezied Research and Business Plan Trainer, Gaza Small Business Center Email: amezied2010@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Detroit Creative Corridor (DC3) Motivation: To learn new approaches to small business training and promotion.

Hani Alami Managing Director, Coolnet Email: hani@coolnet.ps Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Dell Center for Entrepreneurs Motivation: To gain new ideas in web-based solution to business problems, to learn best practices in promoting entrepreneurship in under-represented groups.

Raya Awajna Program Manager, Tova Scherr Email: rayadahdah@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: University of Michigan Fellowship Placement: Embassy 2.0 Motivation: To learn better and more efficient techniques for project management.

Philippines

Maria Concepcion Hernandez-Beloso Member, Lipa City Council Email: councilorconcon@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: City of Alexandria Motivation: To gain fresh perspectives on seemingly common political situations and regain confidence in civil society’s non-partisan participation in the political processes; to enhance my skills in conceptualizing, foresight, and persuasion.

Powell Del Rosario Member, Roxas City Council Email: powelldel@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: City of Alexandria Motivation: To learn different approaches to various local problems in the government and in the community; to widen my knowledge and perspective in leadership and governance through the Fellowship.

Gelacio Bongngat Member, Kalinga Provincial Board Email: balligi_gelson@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Council for Young Political Leaders Fellowship Placement: National Urban League Motivation: To increase team building and leadership skills; to gain a better understanding of the political process of the US and learn about how to tackle complex issues like healthcare and inclusion of minorities to take back knowledge to my community.

57 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Russia

Elena Gavrilova Project Consultant, Head of Center for Technology Transfer, INGRIA Business Incubator, Technopark of St. Petersburg Email: e.y.gavrilova@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Office of Technology Management, University of Illinois Chicago

Technology Park Motivation: To learn about technology transfer, start up funding, evaluation and development in the U.S.; developing and maintaining business relations with the relevant U.S. stakeholders (VCs, corporations, mentors, startups and infrastructure).

Guzel Mullayarova Head of the Investment Projects Development and Expertise Department, Tatarstan Investment Development Agency Email: mullayarova.guzel@yandex.ru Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: CONNECT Motivation: To learn about venture capital and other sources of funding, as well as US incubators.

Irina Talalaeva Leading Expert on Interactions with International Partners, Technopark of Novosibirsk Academgorodok (Academpark) Email: talalaevaia@academpark.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute,University of Maryland Motivation: To learn about US startups and overall US entrepreneurial environment.

Vladimir Volkov Leading Specialist at the Department for Innovation Activities, Kaliningrad State Technical University Email: vladimir.volkov@klgtu.ru Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity of Entrepreneurship Motivation: To learn about US innovation policies, innovation support systems and mechanisms at the regional and high school level.

Saudi Arabia

Maysa Alamoudi Executive Director, Rasil Specialized Media Consulting Services Email: me@maysaa.co Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: WDIV-TV/ ClickOnDetroit.com Motivation: To learn and understand how media supports and changes social behavior.

South Africa

Nozuko Dlamini Founding Director, Educubed Foundation NPC Email: nozimzamo@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: OK CareerTech System; Meridian Tech. Center; Central Tech. Center; Oklahoma Department of Education; OSU, CASNR Motivation: To expand skills in developing and implementing a private, for-profit career advisement business by examining successful Oklahoma advisement models.

Malixole Gwatyu Managing Editor, Intsika AgriMedia Email: mgwatyu@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: OK. Farm Bureau & OK Assn. of Electric Cooperatives Motivation: To gain US media strategies that can promote current and forward thinking farming practices as an expansion of agriculture information and publishing business.

William Mugal Small Business Owner Email: william.mugal1@webmail.co.za Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Red Rock Bakery & Deli; Braum’s Inc. Motivation: To examine selected Oklahoma food business models to acquire product, marketing, and management training for use in establishing a yogurt and fresh fruit retail business.

58 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Faith Nene Director, Abaqulusi Wellness Centre Email: faith.nene@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: OSU’s Food and Agricultural Products Center; Stillwater Farmers’ Market; Custar Farms; Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Motivation: To attain food gardening, management and produce marketing strategies that could be implemented to enhance women’s agricultural production plans.

Sri Lanka

Emmanuel Arnold Member of the Provincial Council - Coordinator for Sports & Youth Affairs of Northern Province, Provincial Council Email: earnoldgoal@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Tulsa County

Commissioners Office Motivation: To learn about the legislative and judicial systems in the United States and other countries.

S. Janakan Muthukumar Programme Officer, Legal Aid Commission; Law Lecturer, Open University of Sri Lanka (Department of Law) Email: janakan.lac.psu@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: Office of Representative Michael Stinziano, The Ohio State House of Representatives Motivation: To understand the judiciary and legislative system of the United States and to learn about the involvement of civil society organizations and community policy making.

Nishad Upendra Media Secretary, Parliament of Sri Lanka Email: nishadslrc@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: World Learning Fellowship Placement: State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Motivation: To learn about the system of organizations that is responsible for providing information about the legislative system of the country to the public, and to learn how civil society youth organizations and the community can affect policy making.

Thailand

Ornprapa Anugoolprasert Lecturer, Major of Organic Farming Management, Thammasat University Email: ornprapa@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Garden City Harvest Motivation: To learn and share knowledge in organic farming management; apply knowledge gained in Thailand; and to create an international network of leaders in organic agriculture among the participant countries.

Arunee Namamuti Chief of Social Work and Welfare, Vieng Ping Children’s Home, Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security Email: saothais@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Youth Homes Motivation: To gain knowledge of how to empower young people; obtain ideas to apply to current job; learn about new cultures; learn about Americans; and to gain new friends.

Yaowalak Srikhampha

Researcher, Mae Jo University/Foundation for Culture and Environment Southeast Asia (FCESEA) Email: tin-yaowalak@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Geyser Farm Motivation: To learn American perspectives on community enterprises; share experiences; and to learn how to organize communities to support community enterprises.

Timor-Leste Jose De Jesus Director, Action for Change Foundation Email: acf.timor10@actionforchangefoun dation.info Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: Pitkin County Motivation: To learn about Leadership Education, Democracy and Governance Process, Communication, Transparency and Institutional Development skills.

59 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Angela Tavares De Jesus Assistant of Peace and Capacity Building and T ransparency, Community Development Interest (CDI) Email: anilaeufraim@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Dubuque, Iowa Motivation: To gain various skills, abilities, knowledge related to good governance practice to monitor the work of the government, and to have a better understanding of cooperating with civil societies and local communities.

Dulce Guterres Junior Director of Operational Management for National Program for Village Development, Ministry Of State Administration Email: adu_dulce@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Dubuque, Iowa Motivation: To explore professional leadership and capacity building, in the hopes of furthering my career.

Luís Casimiro Lopes Sub-district Administrator, Ministry for State Administration Email: lopesluis955@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: Pitkin County Motivation: To improve my skills for identifying problems affecting my local community, improving implementation strategies to promote positive outcomes.

Januario Soares Senior Program Officer, The Asia Foundation (TAF) Email: januario.rsoares@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Tulsa, Oklahoma Motivation: To study and learn more about the U.S. system of governance, as we prepare for our decentralization program at home.

Lino de Jesus Torrezao National Director for the Secretariat for the Implementation of Local Government, Ministry for State Administration Email: linodejesus_torrezao@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: International City/ County Management Association Fellowship Placement: City of Tulsa, Oklahoma Motivation: To improve knowledge in local governance and skills; define strategies for solving concrete and critical problems affecting the daily lives of the people of Timor-Leste

Tunisia Faten Jaouani Psychologist, Higher Institute for Specialized Education Email: faten.jaouani@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: UIC Special Education Motivation: To learn about the legislative and judicial systems of the US and how they support the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities to become an agent of change.

Mohamed Limem Laywer Email: limemmed@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Motivation: To identify new ways of working with persons with disabilities in theory and in practice that can be translated to legislative action to support their economic empowerment.

Manel Mhiri Project Manager, Handicap International Email: manelmhiri@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: Anexter Center Motivation: To learn best practices in development in the field of disability, which can be duplicated in Tunisia.

Sarra Raddadi Owner/Manager, Hands of Hope Email: raddadi_s@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Hands Along the Nile Development Services Fellowship Placement: JJ List Motivation: To gain skills that can enhance the involvement of persons with disabilities in civil society and business.

Turkey

Alkim Karaağaç Expert - City Planner, T.R. Ankara Development Agency Email: alkimkaraagac@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Congress for New Urbanism Motivation: To learn about cooperation between public, private sectors and academia.

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Mustafa Yıkılmaz Parliamentarian Counselor, The Grand National Assembly of Turkey Email: musty08@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process and Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Office of WI Senator Lena Taylor Motivation: To work towards becoming a politician; to learn about local level governance and its processes.

Joyce Nabisaalu Junior Lecturer, Kyambogo University Email: joycesaal@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: OSU Department of Design, Housing, & Merchandising; Formal Fantasy; Joann’s Fabrics Motivation: To gain skills in garment industry production, packaging, branding, and marketing strategies for generating income by vulnerable, marginalized individuals.

United Arab Emirates

David Haddad Founder, Publiseek Email: david.haddad@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: International Center for Journalists Fellowship Placement: MIT Center for Civic Media Motivation: To understand the world of U.S. media and journalism from the inside by meeting journalists and understanding their changing needs within the current pressures brought by the internet; to understand the interaction between journalists and the public as well as editorial decision making; to understand the need of government institutions and think tanks in shaping public opinion.

Uganda

Jonathan Kisakye Field Coordinator, Environmental Conservation and Agricultural Enhancement Uganda Email: jonamayanja192@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Oklahoma Seed Stock Foundation Motivation: To acquire seed industry management, marketing, extension, and cooperative farming strategies upon which to base a training and retail for-profit business.

Marcus Kwikiriza Director/Proprietor, Self Employed-Kassa Agro Input Dealers Email: marckassa@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Lincoln County Cooperative Extension; Oklahoma Seed Stock Foundation; Anichini Moore Ranch & Farm; OSU’s Department of Plant & Soil Sciences Motivation: To examine modern collaborative farming models that could enhance agricultural seedling distribution methods including training, marketing, and resource management.

Sebastian Ssebowa Western Region Coordinator, Uganda Federation of Hard of Hearing Email: sebozseba@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Oklahoma State University Fellowship Placement: Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Mpower Inc.; OSU Poultry Specialist; Texas A&M University Poultry Science Research, Teaching, and

Extension Center Motivation: To acquire knowledge and skills in expanding his poultry operation to include a successful hatchery division that can employ and support individuals with disabilities.

Ukraine Daria Pistriak Deputy Head of Division for Humanitarian Rights, Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine Email: daria_pistryak@inbox.ru Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Law Library of Congress Motivation: To learn about US legislative processes.

Zhanna Solovyova Director and Head of the Board, Zhitomir Youth Civic Organization “Modern Format” Email: mgo.sformat@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: Chicago Public Library’s You Media Chicago Program Motivation: To learn about US civic engagement as well as the role of media in civic education.

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Nataliya Stranadko Environmental Specialist, Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services Email: natalia_stranadko@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Legislative Process & Governance Host Organization: American Councils for International Education Fellowship Placement: METRO Motivation: To learn about environmental laws and regulations.

Vietnam

Ho Duong Dong Lecturer, Faculty of Project Management, Danang University of Technology Email: hoduong.dong@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Office of Technology Transfer/University of Montana Motivation: To gain knowledge in economics and employment; improve communication and teaching skills; introduce Vietnam’s culture and business to others; build relationships with Fellows; and introduce American culture to Vietnamese students.

Tran Thi Kim Dung Program Officer, Economic Empowerment Program with Gender Perspectives Email: lotuseco@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Jefferson Local Development Corporation Motivation: To learn about and exchange experiences in economic empowerment; broaden knowledge and awareness of American culture; share Vietnamese culture; and build a network and relationships with American counterparts.

Nguyen Thu Huong International Programs Advisor, Mekong 1000 Project, Can Tho University Email: nthuhuong@ctu.edu.vn Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: TRiO Student Support Services and Office of International Programs/University of Montana Motivation: Enhance capabilities in leadership; better understand U.S. culture; and network with colleagues in other countries.

Do Thi Thu Thao Business Development Manager/Program Manager, Green Innovation and Communication Company (GreennoCom)/Young Entrepreneurs and Sustainability Education (YESE) Email: dothuthao1710@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Mansfield Center/ University of Montana Fellowship Placement: Office of Technology Transfer/ University of Montana Motivation: To strengthen expertise and leadership skills in the fields of economic empowerment and sustainable development; broaden network by connecting with American and international Fellows; and develop relationships with U.S. businesses and organizations.

Zambia Vwanganji Bowa Business Development Manager, Vwaganji Enterprises Ltd Email: v_bowa@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Microfarm Organic Gardens Motivation: To learn how to scale-up production, incorporate technology and business management best practices

increasing market share.

Martin Phiri Director, MASOPHI ENTERPRISES Ltd Email: martinphiri19@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Milgard Motivation: To build management skills while learning techniques for scaling his business and

Virginia Chitengu Rice Closed Loop Feedback Champion & Analyst, MTN Zambia Email: Virginrice03@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: R&R Parters Motivation: To work with a marketing firm in the US to learn how to conduct market research and analysis and engage stakeholders.

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Kayula Mulenga

Managing Director, Luapula Farming and Transport Logistics Ltd Email: kayula90@yahoo.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: EcoCycle Motivation: To build skills in marketing in the agriculture industry as well as learning best practices in managing agribusiness.

Kakoma Mutenda Managing Director, Quantum Oils BioEnergy Ltd. Email: kmutenda@hotmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Waste Farmers Motivation: To gain the technical knowledge to increase his processing capabilities and develop his business management skills Mbozi Tatila Accountant, High Definition General Dealers Email: tmbozi@yahoo.co.uk Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Pesta Finne and Associates LLP Motivation: To learn about US business and accounting standards in order to work with internationally recognized companies.

Zimbabwe

Tawanda Chikosi Chief Operating Officer, Chikosi Technology Corporation Email: chikosi@electronicsystems.co.zw Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Venturprise Motivation: To work with a technology development company to learn how they are developing and marketing their systems.

Rinesh Desai Company Director, Computer Troubleshooters Email: rineshdesai@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Rev Tech Labs &

Tafadzwa Makura Founder, The Openbook Project (Private) Ltd Email: tafadzwamakura@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: UNC at Charlotte Digital Scholarship Department and the J. Murrey Atkins Library Motivation: To learn about business models, technology generation, marketing and general leadership skills.

Nonto Masuku Executive Partner, Aurafactor Email: nonto.masuku@aurafactor.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Communications Strategy Group (CSG) Motivation: To learn how to transform and build brands, develop world class marketing campaigns, and develop event management skills.

Gerald Mangena Founder and Executive Chairman, Great Mountains Email: gerrymangena@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: Isabelle Farms Motivation: To develop skills in process management, modern crop production strategy and technology, and sustainable agriculture initiatives.

Moreblessing Sigauke Managing Director, SANNING TRAVEL Email: sigaukemoreblessing@gmail.com Fellowship Focus: Economic Empowerment Host Organization: Meridian International Center Fellowship Placement: OneSeed Expeditions Motivation: To learn how to market to US travellers, expand offerings, capture the online market and increase sales.

Microsoft Motivation: To learn about technology which can be adapted for use in Zimbabwe to help the country achieve greater development.

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Partner Organizations

Erin Conwell econwell@acypl.org

Ivana Smucker ismucker@handsalongthenile.org

Leslie Ryan lryan@ameicancouncils.org

Dan Brenard dbernard@icfj.org

Shraddha Kharel-Pandey skharelpandey@icma.org

Marla Gitterman mgitterman@bpeace.org

Robert Mauro robert.mauro@bc.edu

Micaela Thurman mthurman@meridian.org

64 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

Partner Organizations Melissa Golladay mgolladay@partners.net Deena Mansour deena.mansour@mso.umt.edu

Elanie Steyn elanie@ou.edu

Shelly Sitton Shelly.sitton@okstate.edu

Amanda Bischoping Amanda.Bischoping@worldlearning.org Professional Fellows Congress Team: Patricia Harrison Deborah Waggoner Mary Ann Aabye Lauren Ettinger

Barbara Peitsch bpeitsch@umich.edu

profellowscongress@worldlearning.org

65 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014

South and Central Asia Legislative Fellows enjoy a fun evening together with World Learning Manager, Vladimir Spencer, and U.S. Department of State Program Officer, Karin Brandenburg, during the program orientation. Photo provided by World Learning.

Fellows from Zambia and Zimbabwe with Meridian International visit the Lincoln Memorial. Photo provided by Meridian.

Sean Gonzalez, left, explains how the incubator 1776dc.com promotes innovation by providing office space and other resources to start-ups. Gonzalez gave a tour of 1776’s incubator in Washington, DC, to ECA Professional Fellows managed by ICFJ on May 9, 2014. Photo provided by ICFJ.

Fellows enjoy a welcome lunch at the University of Montana. Photo provided by UMontana.

Left: Yudhistira Yewangoe, a Fellow hosted by ICMA, meets with the Coconino CountyExecutive Team.

Photo provided Yewangoe.

Right: Fellows take a “selfie” with the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir who was visiting Boston to sign a sister city agreement with Martin Walsh, Mayor of Boston.

Photo provided by BC.

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Notes

67 Professional Fellows Congress Spring 2014