 Kristi M. Rogers, Co-Chair Kristi Rogers is a leading executive and former senior government official with extensive international leadership experience in the public and private sectors. Today, she is the managing director and co-founder of Principal to Principal, a strategic positioning company assisting operating at the most senior levels of business and government. A recovering start-up CEO, Rogers successfully launched two companies with overseas operations. In addition to the WFPG, she also serves on the Boards of Directors of Qualys Inc., NowSecure, and Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and the Advisory Councils for ForgePoint Capital and George Mason University’s National Security Institute. She was recognized by WomenInc. as a member of their 2019 Most Influential Corporate Directors. In 2020, she was appointed to the BENS Commission on the National Response Enterprise, chaired by former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky. Rogers is also the President of the State Society of Michigan and a regular speaker at Michigan State University and other institutions. @1KristiRogers
Lois Romano, Co-Chair Lois Romano has had a distinguished career as a political journalist at The Washington Post, Newsweek and POLITICO. She now serves as a strategic advisor at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. Romano was most recently the editor of Washington Post Live, the news organization's editorial events platform. In early 2015, she returned to the Post where she had a long career as a political correspondent and profile writer. Previously, she was a senior political reporter and the first editorial director of POLITICO events. She had been instrumental in shaping live editorial programming and content for the organization's dozens of issue-driven events. During her first career at the Post, she covered seven presidential races, served as a columnist, and was a regional correspondent based in Tulsa. Romano serves on the board and on executive committee of the International Women's Research Center. She holds a Masters degree in international relations from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. @loisromano
Theresa Loar, Vice Chair Theresa Loar has been working at the nexus of business, human rights and diplomacy for over thirty years. She is currently a Senior Advisor for Business for Social Responsibility helping corporations prevent and address modern slavery. She is also a Lecturer in International Affairs at the Elliott School of George Washington University. She served as Senior Vice President for Global Corporate Affairs at CH2M, a Fortune 500 engineering firm where she worked with governments around the world on the political issues related to major infrastructure programs. During the Clinton Administration, Ms. Loar worked at the highest levels of the US government to promote and protect women’s human rights, supporting the commitment of Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright to put the advancement of women at the center of US foreign policy. She was also a co-founder and founding president of the Vital Voices Global Partnership and a Foreign Service Officer with diplomatic postings overseas and in Washington, DC. @TheresaLoar
Anita Botti, Treasurer Anita Botti, a consultant, previously served as chief of staff in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. Before that, Botti served as a legislative liaison officer in the Department’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs and as the first congressional coordinator for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and for the Under Secretary for Economic and Business and Agricultural Affairs. In 1997, Botti was seconded to the President’s Interagency Council on Women and served as chair of the US Interagency Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings. Botti worked closely with Congress to gain bipartisan support for, and ultimate passage of, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. Botti also represented the US in domestic and international fora dealing with trafficking and other global issues affecting women. Previously, Botti was as director of the US Refugee Reception and Placement Program (1992-1997). She began her career serving with the Peace Corps, both overseas and in the US.
Jennifer Clinton, Secretary Jennifer Clinton has devoted her career to the fields of international education and business and recently joined Cultural Vistas as their president and CEO. Previously, as president of Global Ties US, she has worked to help strengthen the reach and capacity of member organizations, particularly in board governance, partnership and resource development, and strategic communications. She has also led a comprehensive effort to raise awareness in Congress and the public about the importance of public and citizen diplomacy. Previously, Clinton served as executive vice president of The Washington Center, special assistant to the president of OPIC, manager of international marketing for the Telecommunications Industry Association, and program manager for the STS Foundation, an international academic high school exchange program. Clinton holds an executive MBA from the UMD, a PhD from the UC Davis, BA from Marquette University. @CDJClinton
Carmiel Arbit Carmiel Arbit has worked at the intersection of foreign policy and government relations for nearly two decades. She is a nonresident Senior Fellow for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. As co-founder of Key Bridge Strategies, she has consulted for non-profit organizations around the world, advancing government relations, public diplomacy, and community engagement strategies on four continents. She has worked as a government relations professional for AIPAC, AJC, and Thomson Reuters, and as a researcher at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy. Carmiel earned her BA from George Washington University and her MS from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She has been recognized as a top Foreign Policy Influencer by Diplomatic Courier; she is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Truman National Security Fellow. @c_arbit
Alyssa Ayres Alyssa Ayres is dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. She also serves as an adjunct senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, where her work focuses primarily on India’s role in the world and on US relations with South Asia in the larger Indo-Pacific. Before joining CFR, Ayres served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia (2010-2013), and prior to that was founding director of the India and South Asia practice at McLarty Associates, and prior to that served in the State Department as special assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs as a CFR international affairs fellow. She is the author of Our Time Has Come: How India is Making Its Place in the World (2018) and Speaking Like a State: Language and Nationalism in Pakistan (2009). She speaks Hindi and Urdu. @ayresalyssa
Mary Brady  Mary Brady is President and CEO for The Economic Club of Washington, DC, a premier forum for speakers, with a membership roster of senior executives representing over 800 businesses with offices in the Washington Metropolitan region. Since its founding in 1986, the Club has served as a global forum for the world’s government and international business luminaries who share insights about the critical issues of the day. Since 2008, Brady has directed the Club's scholarship program with annual giving of more than $1m each year. She is a 2014 winner of the Washington Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award, and a member of the Board of the Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital, and the Women's Foreign Policy Group.
Lauren Bedula Lauren Bedula is a Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies, a strategic advisory firm specializing in international policy, defense, cyber, intelligence, and homeland security. Bedula currently serves as the Chair of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS) Technology and Innovation Council, and a Visiting Fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Prior to joining Beacon, Bedula served as the Director of Emerging Threats Policy at BENS and previously worked for a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. She also previously worked as a Research Associate for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency and served on the Board of Directors for the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. Bedula graduated from the American University, with a double major in Public Communication and Interdisciplinary Studies CLEG: Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government.
Elisabeth Bumiller  Elisabeth Bumiller is Washington Bureau Chief of The New York Times. Previously she was The Times' Washington Editor and Deputy Washington Bureau Chief. Before that she covered the Pentagon, the White House, John McCain's 2008 campaign and New York's City Hall for The Times. She also worked for The Washington Post in Washington, New Delhi, Tokyo and New York. In 2006 and 2007, Bumiller was a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund. She has published three books, the most recent of which was Condoleezza Rice: An American Life. @BumillerNYT
Gloria Story Dittus Gloria Story Dittus, chairman of Story Partners, is a trusted communications strategist to CEOs, business executives, Congress, and Administration officials. She built three successful companies working with leading companies including Shell, HSBC, Home Depot, Exxon, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, General Motors, Airbus, Southern Company, Noble Energy, British Telecom and Clear Channel. Wired Magazine called her the nation’s first “technology Public Affairs maven.” She has been awarded multiple Silver Anvils and recognized as Public Affairs Executive of the Year. She serves on numerous boards, including Ford’s Theater, the Arthur Page Society, the Public Affairs Council, and the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF). An active mentor, she works with emerging global leaders. Dittus splits her time between Washington and Aspen where she is actively involved with the Aspen Institute. A native of Augusta, Georgia, she is a passionate golfer and world traveler. @GloriaDittus
Ambassador Kathleen Doherty Ambassador Kathleen Doherty has had a distinguished diplomatic and international career. She is the Chief Strategy and Retreats Officer of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, which convenes experts from around the globe for meetings and retreats that address an array of diplomatic and societal issues. Prior to her work at Sunnylands, she was a career diplomat, serving as US Ambassador to Cyprus, as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, and in leadership positions in Rome, London, and Moscow. Earlier in her diplomatic career, she served in Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Recognized with more than 15 State Department awards, Doherty has extensive experience working across the government and with industry, and has particular expertise on global economic issues including those related to energy, financial services and technology. She is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy; an advisory board member of the company sparks & honey; and a board member of the Cyprus-American Archaeological Research Institute. @kdtraveler
Keri M. Lowry Keri M. Lowry is currently a Senior Executive Consultant for National Security at Guidehouse (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers Public Sector). Previously, Lowry served as the Director of Government Affairs & External Relations at the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. She is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Private Sector Exchange at the Department of State; Regional Director for Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa at the US Peace Corps; Senior Policy Advisor at USAID; Director for Development, Democracy & Humanitarian Affairs as well as Deputy Executive Secretary at the National Security Council; and, she has held numerous other senior positions at USAID. Prior to her career in government, Lowry managed an international exchange program at a NGO, was an after-school teacher at a homeless shelter, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso. Lowry serves on the boards of the Children’s Guild Alliance and the Peace Corps Advisory Council of Future.
Michele Lynch Michele Lynch is a Senior Policy Advisor at TMG, an ICT regulatory consulting firm, advising clients on global digital policy issues. She is also an Adjunct Professor with the Duke University Science and Society Initiative, focused on advancing technology policy cooperation through international organizations. Previously, Lynch led strategic engagement with the diplomatic community and international organizations as a member of Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy team. Prior to Google, she managed a global technology project at the American Red Cross which explored the use of emerging technology for disaster response and served as Director of the Office of the Chairman of the Board of Governors. She also worked at the British High Commission in Malaysia, USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance and the White House Office of Presidential Advance. Lynch holds a MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London and a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. @michmlynch
Shaista Mahmood Shaista Mahmood, originally from Pakistan, has been a leading figure in Washington’s philanthropic, diplomatic, ecumenical and political circles for over twenty years. She has devoted her considerable talents to encourage bipartisan bridge building among cultures and faiths and support for global efforts to promote the empowerment of women and girls. In response to 9/11, Shaista Mahmood and her husband Ray were moved to promote a better understanding of their Muslim faith through dialogue and their discussions have continued and expanded with the active participation from leaders from across the political spectrum. She serves on the International Advisory Board of USIP, the board of the World Affairs Council of Washington, DC and the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. She was instrumental in advocating for the creation of the US Pakistan Women’s Council launched at the UN in 2012.
Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall Capricia Penavic Marshall is Ambassador-in-Residence at the Atlantic Council and author of "Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You" (2020). She is also President of Global Engagement Strategies, which advises international public and private clients on the nexus of business and cultural diplomacy. From 2009 to 2013, she was Chief of Protocol of the United States, bearing the rank of Ambassador and setting the stage for diplomacy at the highest levels. She also fostered connections between the foreign Diplomatic Corps and US civil society through the new Diplomatic Partnerships Office. Previously, she served as Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary (1997-2001) and Special Assistant to First Lady Hillary Clinton (1993-1997). She holds a BA from Purdue and a JD from Case Western Reserve. In 2013, she was awarded the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award. She serves on several boards including the Blair House Restoration Fund and Council of American Ambassadors. @AmbassadorCPM
Gebe Martinez Gebe Martinez, founder and principal of GM Networking, was a journalist for 33 years for news organizations including the Los Angeles Times, Politico and Congressional Quarterly. She also served as a news analyst for networks including PBS, NPR, and BBC. Martinez entered the issue advocacy arena as a writer and policy analyst for the Center for American Progress. Beginning with the 2012 election season, she has focused her communications work on campaigns to engage the Latino vote. Martinez has provided strategic communications services for groups such as National Immigration Law Center, Mi Familia Vota, and Voto Latino, to promote commonsense immigration reform policies and to advance Hispanic civic engagement including voter registration and voter turnout. She also works with Diane Guerrero, an actress who is a cast member of “Orange Is the New Black” and “Jane the Virgin.” @gebemartinez
British A. Robinson British A. Robinson is a thought leader and social entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in international and domestic health, corporate social responsibility, public-private partnerships, government relations, and advocacy and policy development. As President and CEO of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Robinson leads their efforts using technology and innovative programming to build a stronger, more equitable America. Robinson previously served as Founding CEO of the Women’s Heart Alliance, and in leadership positions at Women for Women International and Susan G. Komen. Her tenure at the Department of State included leading public-private partnership efforts for PEPFAR and Secretary Clinton’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. Robinson holds a MA from Johns Hopkins, a BA from George Washington University, and an honorary doctorate from Fairfield University. She serves on the board of the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA; advisory councils of the Inter-American Foundation and Worldreader; advisory board of Arlington Partners International; and on the Brain Trust for the XPRIZE Racial Equity Alliance.
Ambassador Barbara Stephenson Ambassador Barbara J. Stephenson, a former US ambassador and career Foreign Service officer, is the inaugural vice provost for global affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She leads UNC Global and advances a pan-university strategy to enhance Carolina’s global reach, impact and reputation. She is also a Professor of the Practice in UNC’s Peace, War and Defense curriculum, where she engages the next generation of global leaders on topics such as conflict resolution and the ethics of government leadership. She was previously the dean of the Leadership and Management School at the Foreign Service Institute and served as US Ambassador to Panama from 2008-2010. She was the first woman to hold the position of chargé d‘affairs and deputy ambassador at the US Embassy in London. Originally from Florida, she earned her PhD, MA, and BA from the University of Florida, majoring in English literature with minors in Latin American studies and political science.
The Honorable Andrea Thompson Andrea Thompson has a distinguished career in international policy, national security, intelligence and leader development. Ms. Thompson is Vice President for International Programs at Northrop Grumman, a leader in global security. She was confirmed as Under Secretary of State in 2018, following service as National Security Advisor to the Vice President. Prior to government roles, Thompson led the McChrystal Group Leadership Institute. A proud military veteran, Thompson served for over 25 years in the US Army, including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also served as the National Security Advisor to the Chairman, House Homeland Security Committee, and the Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee. Thompson is also the Professor of Practice at Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Dakota State University in her home state of South Dakota. She co-authored the book Achieving Victory in Iraq: Countering an Insurgency, is a Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and serves on the advisory board for the UK AI company, Adarga.
Maureen White  Maureen White is a Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS. She was the Senior Advisor on Humanitarian Issues in the Office of the Special Representation to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Department of State (2009-2013). In the Clinton administration, she represented the US at the United Nations Children’s Fund (1997-2001). In addition, she was National Finance Co-chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign 2008 and served as National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Prior to that, she had a career in international economic research in New York, London and Tokyo. She serves on the boards of numerous organizations involved in global issues including the IRC, NDI, the Center for Global Development, International Women’s Health Coalition, and the American Academy in Berlin. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Atlantic Council. She has a BA from Mount Holyoke and an MSc (Econ) from the London School of Economics. @MaureenWhite
STAFF
Shaz Akram Shaz Akram is the executive director of the Women's Foreign Policy Group, a non-profit organization which promotes women’s leadership and amplifies their voices in international affairs through substantive global issues programming and mentoring to support the next generation of women leaders. Shaz comes to WFPG from the Fulbright Association where she served as Deputy Director. She is recognized as a leader in international education and academic exchanges with expertise in US higher education, alumni, and international affairs. She is an accomplished and experienced program developer with expertise in member and advisory board development, financial planning, contract negotiation and fundraising. Prior to joining the Fulbright Association, Shaz served as an Assistant Director at the international office and the Diversity Center at Mississippi State University, where her name had become synonymous with the word “international.” Shaz also served as faculty and student adviser for the Fulbright Program at Mississippi State University. She has extensive knowledge of J, F and H1-B visa regulations, academic exchanges, and study abroad programs, and served as an adviser to international students. Shaz also chairs NAFSA's Embassy Dialogue Committee Member Interest Group, which facilitates communication between embassy representatives in Washington, DC and the US higher education community.
Shaz was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and has lived in her home country, Pakistan. She was part of the Civil Services of Pakistan and worked under the Auditor General of Pakistan’s Office as Deputy Controller Military Accounts and Deputy Director Commercial Audit for several years before moving to the US. Shaz holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and French, a Masters in English Literature, and a Master’s in Business Administration. She speaks Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Yoruba, and some French. Contact: sakram[at]wfpg.org | @shazakram
Kim Kahnhauser Freeman Kim Kahnhauser Freeman currently serves as a senior advisor at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group. During her 15 years with the organization she has led numerous initiates to highlight women leaders and to expand the organization's impact. From September 2017 to July 2021, she served as the WFPG's executive director. In this capacity she led frequent global issues discussions, expanded the WFPG’s mentoring program, and launched its Young Professional Network and its virtual professional development series. Prior to joining the WFPG team in 2006, Kim completed a Fulbright teaching fellowship in Tirol, Austria and researched public housing for the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University. She was a 2011 State Department Young Turkey/Young America Fellow and has also studied at the University of Vienna, the Warsaw School of Economics, and the University of Silesia in Cieszyn, Poland. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in International Politics from Georgetown University and an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown's McCourt School of Public Policy. Kim frequently moderates global issues and career-focused programs and has also served on the advisory boards of MasT Analytics and the social enterprise Casement Unlimited. She is a member of the Washington Institute of International Affairs, DACOR, and WIIS. Contact: kahnhauser[at]wfpg.org | @KimKFreeman
Megan Darlington Megan Darlington is a Program Assistant at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, where she manages the internship program, 1:1 mentoring programs, and logistics for the WFPG’s global issues events. Her previous professional experience includes editing and project coordination for digital learning programs at Avallain; providing event support and research assistance at the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute; and teaching English as a Fulbright ETA at the Perm National Research Polytechnic University in Perm, Russia. She received a BA in Anthropology and Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures from Indiana University in 2017. She speaks Russian and some German. Contact: darlington[at]wfpg.org
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Patricia Ellis Patricia Ellis is President Emeritus and Co-Founder of the Women's Foreign Policy Group. She is also the President and Founder of Ellis Global Issues Forums LLC. In her 22 years leading the WFPG, she developed and moderated programs with high-profile speakers and developed career events for thousands of next generation leaders. Before founding the WFPG, she was a foreign affairs reporter and producer for the MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour and a producer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Washington bureau. Patricia taught at AU’s Washington Semester Program specializing in news coverage of foreign affairs. She also conducted research at the US UN Mission and the Center for International Studies at MIT, and was awarded a fellowship at the Joan Shorenstein Center at Harvard's Kennedy School. Patricia was part of the MacNeil-Lehrer team that won the George Peabody Award for the documentary series on South Africa, “Faces of Apartheid” and an Emmy Award for coverage of the Grenada Crisis. She participated in the European Community Visitors Program and received the Netherlands Universities’ Foundation for International Cooperation Scholarship for graduate study in The Hague. She is a founding board member of the International Women’s Media Foundation, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Cosmos Club’s International Affairs Committee. She holds a BA from Wheaton College, an MA from NYU, and a graduate diploma in international relations from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague.
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