This program provides a platform for young leaders across the country to highlight local impacts of international affairs, global development, and diplomacy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) is announcing the 2023 class of the Next Generation (Next Gen) Global Leaders Network, a year-long program that will engage a group of diverse, bipartisan young professionals in leadership, skills training, and mentorship in support of their own engagement on global development and diplomacy in their communities.

This class of young professionals from 25 states will participate in series of sessions with USGLC leaders and special guests to immerse themselves in global policy issues while strengthening advocacy and engagement skills. Throughout the year, they will interact with policymakers and opinion leaders, have opportunities to share and publish their own stories and perspectives, and will ultimately become members of USGLC’s State Advisory Committees at the end of the program.

This year’s class includes 70 participants from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, representing a broad spectrum of political affiliations and emphasizing the bipartisan nature of this program. The program is free of charge to participants, who were selected through a rigorous written application process.

Here is the 2023 class of USGLC’s Next Gen Global Leaders Network (with titles and affiliations listed for identification purposes only).

Arizona

• Jean-Paul Beleshay; Senior Project Engineer, Clearway Energy Group; Mesa, AZ
• Aaron Kane; Policy Director, City of Phoenix – Office of the Vice Mayor; Phoenix, AZ
• Sarah Michael; Strategy Unit Business Analyst, Food for the Hungry; Phoenix, AZ
• Jacob Weinberg*; Senior Manager, Deloitte; Scottsdale, AZ

Florida

• Rachel Hendrix; Director, International Affairs, University of West Florida; Pensacola, FL

Georgia

• Maya Allaf; Senior Consultant, Aerospace, Defense & Intelligence, Capgemini Government Solutions; Suwanee, GA
• David Gerald Scott; Lead Pastor, Highlands Marietta Church; Marietta, GA

Illinois

• Juliana Kerr; Senior Program Director, Migration and Immigrant Communities, Walder Foundation; Chicago, IL
• Nick Powers; Chief Operating Officer, UNCOMN, LLC; Saint Jacob, IL
• Cedric Volkmer; District Manager, Komatsu America Corp.; Edwards, IL
• Jane Yang; Impact Fellow, Federation of American Scientists; Chicago, IL

Indiana

• Rachel Svetanoff; Foundation Partnerships Consultant, UNICEF USA; West Lafayette, IN
• Abbey Titzer; Manager of Client Services, Site Selection & Incentives, Sikich LLP; Indianapolis, IN

Kansas

• Anne Dewvall; Associate Vice President, Kansas Global Trade Services; Derby, KS
• Julie Stimson*; Director, Sedgwick County Emergency Management, Sedgwick County Government; Peck, KS

Kentucky

• John F. Cox; Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Lexington, KY

Maine

• Marpheen Chann; Community Impact Manager, Good Shepherd Food Bank; Portland, ME
• Makengo Nzeza; Production Technician, Abbott Lab; Saco, ME

Massachusetts

• Alen A.; Management Consultant

Michigan

• Wendy Ekua Da’Cruz; Co-founder, Virtual Global Consultant Group & The Mushroom Angel Company; Detroit, MI
• Tariq Fanek; Programs Director, Global Detroit; Ypsilanti, MI
• Bilal Hammoud; Director of Government Relations and Public Engagement, Hammoud Consulting Group; Dearborn Heights, MI
• Maria Willett; Chief of Staff, City of Rochester Hills; Hazel Park, MI

Minnesota

• Ceallaigh Smart; Founder and Executive Director, Print the Love; Minneapolis, MN
• Anna DeWitt; International Student Engagement Manager, Global Minnesota; Plymouth, MN
• Tasneem Issa; Research Assistant, Washington University in St. Louis; Spring Lake Park, MN
• Kayla Meyers; Research & Evaluation Manager, Children’s HeartLink; Minneapolis, MN
• Sasha Nicolle; Founder & CEO, Emanate International; Advancement & Operations Officer, Lift Up the Vulnerable; St. Paul, MN
• Tyler Vogel; Impact Program Manager, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA; Minneapolis, MN

Missouri

• Brian Barlay; Principal Consultant, Barlay Consulting; Saint Louis, MO
• Andrew L. Caudle; Filed Teams Leader, Convoy of Hope; Springfield, MO
• Jami Cox Antwi; Assistant Vice President, Project Manager Associate, U.S. Bank Community Development Corporation; Saint Louis, MO
• Che-Pei (Pat) Kung; Staff Scientist in Brest Cancer Research, Washington University in St. Louis; Ballwin, MO
• E’lisa Moss; Co-founder and Chief Resource Officer, GRO Farm; Saint Louis, MO
• Carter Quirk; Senior Project Manager, H&R Block; Kansas City, MO
• Luke Tyburski; Grants Manager, Building Tomorrow; Saint Louis, MO

Montana

• Cierra Powell; 2021 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellow, Master of International Affairs Candidate, Pennsylvania State University School of International Affairs; Helena, MT

Nebraska

• Mia Azizah; Assistant Director of Marketing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln, NE
• Caleb Fjone; Execuitive Director, Ashland Area Economic Development Corporation; Ashland, NE
• Melanie Petersen*; Masters of Social Work Student, University of Nebraska-Omaha; Omaha, NE

New Hampshire

• Zackaria Bazzi*; Regional Director, Middle East & Central Asia, Spirit of America; Manchester, NH
• James Noronha*; Director of Investments, AgGrandize Global; Portsmouth, NH

New Mexico

• Abigail Olvera; Affiliate, Rethink Priorities; Foreign Service Officer (Sabbatical); Albuquerque, NM

North Dakota

• Thomas Stromme; Vice President, Commercial Lender, First Western Bank & Trust; Fargo, ND

Oklahoma

• Paul Menye; Digital Engagement Specialist, Percepta; Warr Acres, OK
• Constanzia Nizza; Chief of Staff, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs; Moore, OK
• Kelli Norton; Communications Specialist, Oklahoma State University, OSU Global; Stillwater, OK

Pennsylvania

• Jessica L. Cronauer; Executive Director, Leadership Northeast; Wilkes Barre, PA
• Noorulhaq Hadi; Employment Case Manager, HIAS PA; Philadelphia, PA
• Judy Mahoney; Regulatory Performance Analyst II, Independent Blue Cross; West Chester, PA
• Marlee McCadden; Removal Defense & Asylum Staff Attorney, HIAS PA; Chalfont, PA
• Michael P. O’Rourke; Manager, International Business Attraction & Retention, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development; Lititz, PA
• Giftie Edet Umo; Founder, Girls Leading Africa; Ph.D. Student, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University; Philadelphia, PA
• Trevor Waldron; Litigation Associate, Cooper Levenson, P.A.; Philadelphia, PA

South Carolina

• Ian Hunter Dyke; Advocacy Communications Specialist II, World Vision USA; Greenville, SC

Tennessee

• Bev Flatt; Global Grower Advocacy and Activation, Bayer Crop Science; Mount Juliet, TN

Texas

• Michael Bailey; Senior Program Manager, Leadership Programs, George W. Bush Institute; Dallas, TX
• Bassel Bashour; Foreign Language Leader, The Bush School of Government and Public Service; College Station, TX
• Kat L. Khosrowyar; Manager, Global Partnerships, Texas International Education Consortium; Sugar Land, TX
• Rajan Nathaniel; Visiting Fellow, Better Regulation Delivery Office; Austin, TX
• Lesley Robinson; Founding Director, Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, University of Texas-Austin; Austin, TX
• Phylicia Teymer; Social & Thought-Leadership Orchestration, IBM; Leander, TX
• Jennifer L. Thurman*; China Analyst, U.S. Air Force; San Angelo, TX

Utah

• Natalie Bowen; Public Policy Coordinator, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce; Centerville, UT
• Allison Kaluwa; Management Analyst, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; Orem, UT

Virginia

• Nate King; Director, Congressional Affairs, International Justice Mission; Alexandria, VA
• Pascal Rathle; Associate, Council for Inclusive Capitalism; Alexandria, VA
• Henry Yuan; Business Development, MPOWER Financing, Venture Partner, VU Venture Partners; Fairfax Station, VA

Washington

• Andrew Ikechukwu Ashiofu; Community and Civics Consultant, Washington State Coalition of Community Leaders; Seattle, WA
• Heather Maher; Grassroots Organizer, World Vision UA; Gig Harbor, WA

*Indicates Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces

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