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Humanity in Action is pleased to announce the 2015 Humanity in Action Diplomacy and Diversity Fellows. Humanity in Action Fellows are young professionals and future leaders who are dynamic, entrepreneurial and passionate about changing the world.
The Diplomacy and Diversity Fellowship was a transatlantic Humanity in Action program about the changing international dynamics of diplomacy and diversity. The program served to increase awareness of the importance of diversity in diplomacy and other international fields and to encourage the careers of professionals from minority backgrounds in foreign affairs. The program was offered in the summer, 2014 – 2016.
Humanity in Action is an international educational organization. We educate, inspire and connect a global network of students, young professionals and established leaders committed to promoting human rights, diversity and active citizenship—in their own communities and around the world.
Humanity in Action supports all Fellows financially for the duration of their programs, allowing for the merit-based selection of diverse applicants.
The 2015 Diplomacy and Diversity Fellows
Aasha Abdill
Princeton University
Aasha Abdill is an independent evaluation and strategy consultant and manages organizational efforts to assess and enhance the significant impact of programming. She holds an MA in quantitative methodology from Columbia University and a PhD in sociology from Princeton University with a concentration in organizational theory and race and ethnicity. Currently, Aasha is a Research and Evaluation Consultant with The Annie E. Casey Foundation working on an initiative to increase the diversity of researchers and evaluators providing valuable skills, insights and scholarship to philanthropy, policy and nonprofit practice. Prior to this position, Aasha was awarded a fellowship at the Buckminster Fuller Institute which, through their prestigious annual international competition, recognizes and curates comprehensive solutions to pressing global challenges. Aasha was born and bred in Brooklyn, New York.
Analicia Carpio
American University
Analicia Carpio is a MA candidate in international communication exploring the nexus between international education, peacebuilding and diplomacy at American University’s School of International Service. She served as a 2011-2012 Fulbright ETA in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and also interned for International Justice Mission and the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She obtained her BA from George Mason University where she double-majored in music and conflict analysis and resolution. As an undergraduate, she co-founded an international justice student organization, conducted policy research on global navigation satellite systems for the US Department of Transportation, and undertook study abroad and fieldwork in China, Taiwan, Israel and the West Bank. Analicia is an accomplished flutist and a 2002 Winter Olympics Torchbearer. Salvadoran and Korean in heritage, she grew up in Vienna, Virginia.
Carly Goodman
Temple University
Carly Goodman is a doctoral candidate in history at Temple University. Her dissertation, “Global Game of Chance: The U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery, Transnational Migration, and Cultural Diplomacy in Africa, 1990-2015,” is the first in-depth examination of the green card lottery that blends immigration and international relations history. She has received several grants and fellowships to support her work. Prior to graduate school, Carly worked at the non-profit organization Human Rights First, where she focused on US interrogation and detention policy as well as refugee and asylum issues. She earned her BA in modern European history from Columbia University in 2004. She grew up in Washington, DC’s Maryland suburbs, spent about a decade in New York City and has now made Philadelphia home.
David Bargueño
King’s College, London
David Bargueño is a Foreign Service Officer with the US Department of State currently serving as Vice Consul at the Consulate General of São Paulo, Brazil. He previously worked as a Presidential Management Fellow in the US Secretary of State’s Office of Global Food Security, where his portfolio focused on US strategic partnerships with Brazil, India, and South Africa. His doctoral research at King’s College, London focuses on development diplomacy in these three countries. David earned his MA from the Council on African Studies at Yale University and BA from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He grew up in the United States and Spain.
David Esarey
University of Denver
David Esarey received his master’s in international human rights from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, as well as a graduate certificate in international law and human rights from the Sturm College of Law. During his graduate studies he was the Project Manager for the Human Trafficking Center in Denver, where he oversaw their global index assessing human trafficking around the world. His primary research interests include genocide and issues pertaining to the rights and treatment of the Roma, stemming from the time he spent working in a Roma community in Romania. David was raised in Bloomington, Indiana.
Fabrice Guerrier
Eastern Mennonite University
Fabrice Guerrier is the youngest member on the board of directors for Coming to the Table, an organization that works across the United States to address the legacies of slavery. Fabrice is a MA candidate in conflict transformation at Eastern Mennonite University. Previously, he founded and directed the Leehg Institute for Foreign Policy for four years. He has research experience working with Fambul Tok International in postwar communities in Sierra Leone. Fabrice has interned in the Front Office Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the US Department of State. He received his bachelor of science in international affairs and a leadership studies certificate from Florida State University. Fabrice was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He speaks French and Kreyol.
Iulianna Romanchyshyna
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
Iulianna Romanchyshyna currently works as a lawyer at Ernst & Young in Kyiv, Ukraine. She received a master’s degree in law science from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, one of the leading Ukrainian universities. Iulianna is a member of European Business Association and American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. She also volunteers as a coach of her university’s team preparing for the ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO Law. She is also a captain of the team participating in a youth project “Youth Will Change Ukraine” intended for conducting research in a selected country (Norway) in order to further implement its success formula in different areas of reforms in Ukraine. Iulianna was born and raised in Ukraine.
Katie Hahn
New York University
Katie Hahn is a master of social work candidate concentrating in macro practice and international social work at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University. She is also an intern at the Center for Evidence Based Implementation and Research where she conducts program evaluations and assists with evidence based model implementation. Katie has previously worked in the mental health and education fields both in the United States and abroad. She received her undergraduate degree in social studies from Harvard University. Katie was born and raised in New York City.
Kayeromi (Romi) Gomez
North Dakota State University
Kayeromi “Romi” Gomez is a Statistical Consultant for North Dakota State University. He is also a Founder and Strategic Advisor of the Center for International Media Ethics, a center that has offered a platform for media professionals worldwide to take on a proactive role toward better ethical practices and responsible journalism since 2007. Romi obtained his BA in journalism and public relations before pursuing an actuarial science graduate degree and a PhD in applied statistics. He is interested in applying statistics to effective policy and decision-making and he believes his diverse background will enable him to do just that. Romi, a native of Benin, has lived in the United States since 2000.
Lauren Reese
American University
Lauren Reese is a student at American University’s School of International Service pursuing a MA in global governance, politics and security. She also coordinates the MA program in ethics, peace and global affairs. Previously, Lauren worked as a Government Relations Analyst for an international defense firm. In 2010, she received the Boren Scholarship to study Hindi and conduct research in India. Lauren now serves on the Board of Directors of the Boren Forum, a non-profit organization that supports the professional development of Boren award recipients. She also has a background in and passion for diversity education. Lauren received her BA in sociology and justice and peace studies from Georgetown University. She was raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is an avid yogi.
Lukas Goltermann
Free University of Berlin, Humboldt-University of Berlin, University of Potsdam
Lukas Goltermann works as a Team Leader and Project Manager for the Partnership with Africa Foundation based in Potsdam, Germany. He is responsible for the foundation’s COMENGA Programme, which has projects and activities focused on civil society, schools and higher education. Initiated in 2012, this program is dedicated to building and strengthening civil society partnerships between Germany and African countries. Lukas studied international relations and politics in Sheffield (UK), Berlin and Potsdam. He lives in Berlin and is active in community garden projects in his neighborhood.
Martha Böhrt
University of Texas at Austin
Martha Böhrt is a graduate student at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. As the Diversity Fellow in the Lower Rio Grande Water Quality Initiative, she supports Mexican and American officials in the development of a joint binational pollution prevention and water quality improvement plan. Her policy interests include the interaction between nonprofits and government agencies in the identification of social needs, as well as the perpetuation of structural and institutional violence faced by migrants worldwide. Prior to enrolling in graduate school, Martha worked for private, public and nonprofit organizations. She was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. She has been living in the United States for the past 13 years.
Nadiya Kostyuk
University of Michigan
Nadiya Kostyuk is currently a doctoral student in the political science/public policy joint program at the University of Michigan. Prior to her studies, she worked as a Program Coordinator for the EastWest Institute’s Worldwide Cybersecurity Initiative, where she currently serves as a Fellow. Her field experiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia and the Czech Republic provided her with a better understanding of each country’s unique political climate and ultimately helped Nadiya discover her research passion: relationship of cybercrime to international security, interdependence and cooperation and state sovereignty. Nadiya holds her master of science in global affairs from New York University and her bachelor’s from John Jay College (CUNY) where she was a McNair Scholar and Vera Fellow. She grew up in Berezne, Ukraine.
Neil Oculi
University of Connecticut
Neil Oculi is a PhD student in geography at the University of Connecticut. He received his MA in international studies at UConn and his undergraduate degree in human ecology at College of the Atlantic. Previously, Neil studied farm management and rural development at the United World College in Venezuela. He has also conducted research in Mexico and Tanzania. For the past five years, Neil has been part of Saint Lucia’s delegation at the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change. His areas of interest include adaptation, finance, and loss and damages as they relate to Small Island Developing States. He was born and raised in Saint Lucia and is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow (2012).
Nikhil “Sunny” Patel
Harvard University
Nikhil “Sunny” Patel is completing a masters of public health in global health with interdisciplinary concentrations in humanitarian studies, ethics and human rights and public health leadership at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. He is also a final year medical student at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota. He has worked with Somali and Bhutanese refugee populations domestically and most recently worked at a refugee camp at the Thai-Burma Border doing public health capacity building. He is interested in the intersection of international diplomacy and public health for vulnerable populations in conflict settings. Sunny has a BS and MS in biology and physiology, respectively, from UCLA. He was born in Nandurbar, India and raised in Burbank, California.
Noam Schimmel
Oxford University
Noam Schimmel is currently completing a master’s in international human rights law at Oxford University, researching the human rights obligations of NGOs. Noam previously attended the London School of Economics where he earned a master’s in philosophy, policy and social value and a PhD in communication (with a focus on political science and public policy). He was a 2014 O’Brien Fellow in Residence at McGill University’s Centre for Human Rights researching reparative justice for survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Since 2008, Noam has been involved in human rights research and advocacy in this area. In 2014, Noam was also a faculty member on the IHP comparative human rights study abroad semester in Nepal, Jordan, and Chile. A native of Boston, Noam is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow (2001).
Pelin Ekmen
King’s College, London
Pelin Ekmen is a PhD student at the School of Law at King’s College London. A scholar to the German National Academic Foundation, Pelin graduated with distinction in German law, English law and international law and subsequently travelled to Iraq in preparation for her doctoral thesis. As an undergraduate student, a placement with the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia formed her keen interest in post conflict international law. Based around a case study on Iraq her doctoral research thus examines the legal framework governing the allocation of natural resources in post conflict states. Her research interests lie in war law and state building after violent conflict, as well as in constitutional law and asymmetric state design.
Robert Alvarez
University of Arizona
Robert Alvarez is a dual-degree candidate at the University of Arizona pursuing a master of public administration (MPA) and an MA in Latin American studies. His thesis research examines the impact of the 2014 Brazil World Cup on sex trafficking in Northeastern Brazil. Previously, Robert served three years in the United States Peace Corps as a Youth and Community Development Specialist in El Salvador. During his service, Robert developed projects focused on disaster relief coordination, HIV/AIDS education, leadership and recreational programs for at-risk youth. He then spent three years working at a San Diego community mental health clinic with immigrant and refugee families as well as with low-income students through a local program to increase educational attainment. Robert earned his BA in psychology from Northern Arizona University. He was born and raised in Southern California.
Sandrine Gil
Institut d’études politiques (Sciences Po Paris)
Sandrine Gil is a graduate from Sciences Po Paris, France’s leading political studies university. She holds a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in public affairs. Sandrine previously worked at the French Ministry of Defense within the Bilateral Cooperation Cell of the Air Force Headquarters. She is currently pursuing an advanced degree in Latin American studies and aspires to work as a civil servant in the French government. Sandrine’s main research interests include defense and security, energy, international development and women’s rights. She was born and raised in the south of France and moved to Paris in 2009.
Thijs van Lindert
University of Amsterdam
Since 2013, Thijs van Lindert has been a research fellow at the Strategic Studies Project of Amnesty International. Currently, he is also an active contributor to an innovative news start-up that presents different views on global events. Thijs participated in the Diplomatic Studies Programme of the Clingendael Institute, The Hague. He has experience working in the European Parliament as a Pat Cox-Humanity in Action Fellow. Thijs holds a masters of science in both sociology and international relations and has a particular interest in emerging states, global governance issues and cultural change. He is co-editor of The Future of Human Rights in an Urban World and Shifting Power and Human Rights Diplomacy: Brazil (Amnesty). Thijs is from Amsterdam and is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow (2012).
Umut Pamuk
Ankara University
Umut Pamuk works at Research Turkey, a Turkish think-tank in London, as the Publication Officer. Prior to this position, he worked at Yasar University European Union Center as the EU Project Expert. Umut received his MA in war studies from King’s College London as the Jean Monnet Scholar and his undergraduate degree in international relations from Middle East Technical University in Ankara. Umut has recently won a full PhD scholarship that will allow him to obtain a second PhD in Brazil. Following his PhD, he intends to join the academic team of Ankara University, where he is currently completing his doctoral work. Born and raised in Turkey, Umut has worked at several local and international civil society organizations that focus on democratic governance and youth participation.
Usra Ghazi
Harvard University
Usra Ghazi is a Policy Fellow at the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians and a MA candidate in religion and politics at Harvard Divinity School. At Harvard, she has served as a Junior Fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions and a Policy Fellow for the Rappaport Institute of Greater Boston. Prior to her graduate studies she worked at Interfaith Youth Core as a Campus Outreach Manager where she served on the organizing team for President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. She previously worked as a research associate with the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre under the auspices of HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad. Usra received her undergraduate degree in religious studies at DePaul University. She was born in Pakistan and raised in Skokie, Illinois.
Valeria Munt
City College, City University of New York
Valeria Munt is currently working at the office of New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera as a member of his community affairs team. She is completing her MA in international affairs at City College (CUNY) where she is writing a thesis on sports and diplomacy. She has previously held internship positions with the US State Department, UN Women and at the office of US Senator Charles Schumer. Valeria received her BA in political science, French and Spanish literature from Brooklyn College. She speaks English, Spanish, French and is learning Portuguese. Valeria was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and moved to New York a decade ago.
William Schomburg
Johns Hopkins University
William Schomburg is completing a master’s in economics and international relations at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University between its campuses in Italy and Washington, DC. His main interests relate to the Middle East and specifically economic development, conflict management and identity politics.