FDD Announces New Class for Its 2021 National Security Fellows Program

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 15, 2020 – The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) announced its class of 2021 National Security Fellows. The class comprises bipartisan, mid-career national security practitioners with a wide range of experience in government, the military, journalism, and the private sector.

FDD’s National Security Fellows Program (NSFP) provides exclusive opportunities to mid-career national security professionals, combining mentorship by FDD experts with year-long programming that includes off-the-record conversations with high-level government officials, policy experts, and ambassadors; leadership development skill-building workshops; and networking opportunities. The fellows discuss pressing national security issues, such as global terrorist networks, cyber warfare, great power competition, and the U.S. role in the Middle East, and they participate in practical skill-building workshops.

This year’s class includes congressional staffers, executive branch officials, members of the military, national security attorneys, consultants, and experts from think tanks. They join FDD’s distinct National Security Alumni Network community of nearly 500 mid-career national security practitioners.

“We are proud to welcome this exceptionally talented group of bipartisan national security practitioners into our fellows program and national security community,” said FDD’s Founder and President Clifford D. May. “The members of this year’s class come from diverse professional and political backgrounds, and each fellow has a commitment to U.S. leadership and national security. Investing in mid-career national security practitioners is a key component of FDD’s strategic mission, and we look forward to providing them with opportunities that will help them rise through the ranks in their careers.”

More information about FDD’s NSFP can be found at https://www.fdd.org/national-security-fellows-program/  

2021 National Security Fellows

1. John-Paul Adrian, U.S. Air Force
2. Jason Baker, U.S. Air Force
3. Tiffany Batiste, U.S. Army
4. Meghan Biery, U.S. Department of Commerce
5. Trace Biskin, U.S. Department of the Treasury
6. Caroline Brown, Crowell & Moring
7. Rebecca Burgess, American Enterprise Institute
8. Brigid Calhoun, U.S. Army
9. Joseph Clark, U.S. Air Force
10. Hunter Deeley, U.S. Department of Justice
11. Peter Feldman, Dentons U.S.
12. Candice Frost, U.S. Army
13. Benton Gammons, U.S. National Guard
14. Emmanuel Gfoeller-Volkoff, U.S. Army
15. Steven Haines, U.S. Department of State
16. Andrew Hardy, U.S. Air Force
17. Nick Harlambakis, Amazon Web Services
18. Sheila Helke, U.S. Department of Justice
19. Omar Hossino, House Republican Study Committee
20. Matthew Jenkins, U.S. Air Force
21. Rebecca Law, Research Innovations
22. Shaun Lee, U.S. Air Force
23. Abby Lorfeld, U.S. Navy
24. Tim Maurer, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
25. Tony Morash, Lockheed Martin
26. Charlie Murphy, U.S. Air Force
27. Drew Nickels, U.S. Department of Energy
28. Thomas Pledger, U.S. Army National Guard
29. Daniel Punaro, U.S. Army Reserves
30. Carri Salas, U.S. Air Force
31. Shira Siegel, Office of Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA)
32. Nicholas Starr, U.S. Marine Corps
33. Shestin Thomas, Office of Representative Bill Keating (D-MA)
34. Kay Wakatake, U.S. Army
35. Riley Walters, The Heritage Foundation
36. Brittany Weightman, U.S. Army
37. Thomas Williams, U.S. Army

To contact FDD media relations, please email [email protected].

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About the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan policy institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. Connect with FDD on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.