February 10, 2022 | Press Release

FDD ANNOUNCES NEW CLASS FOR ITS 2022 NATIONAL SECURITY FELLOWS PROGRAM

February 10, 2022 | Press Release

FDD ANNOUNCES NEW CLASS FOR ITS 2022 NATIONAL SECURITY FELLOWS PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 10, 2022 – The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) announced its class of 2022 National Security Fellows. The class is comprised of bipartisan, mid-career, national-security practitioners with a wide range of experience in government, the military, communications, 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 role of the U.S. in the Middle East. They also participate in practical skill-building and leadership development workshops.

This year’s class includes congressional staffers, executive branch officials, members of the military, national security attorneys, political commentators, consultants, and experts from think tanks. They join FDD’s distinct National Security Alumni Network community of over 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. Each fellow has a unique 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/

2022 National Security Fellows

  • Lance Adsit, U.S. Air Force
  • Frederico Bartels, The Heritage Foundation
  • Derek Bernsen, U.S. Navy
  • Thomas Boodry, Office of Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX)
  • Max Castroparedes, Harvard Belfer Center
  • Katelyn Christ, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Claire Chu, RWR Advisory Group
  • Katherine Close, Office of Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL)
  • Alyssa Farah, CNN Political Commentator
  • Anthony Ferrara, U.S. Air Force
  • Gavy Friedson, United (Rescue) Hatzalah Israel
  • Corrine Geiger, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Jordan Gray, U.S. Army
  • Kerri Gray, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Cody Griner, Deloitte
  • Mena Hanna, Office of Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)
  • Haisam Hassanein, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  • Dylan Jones, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Laura Keenan, U.S. Army
  • Brian Leitzke, U.S. Air Force
  • Hannah Lincoln, Thresher Ventures
  • Kimberly Mallard-Brown, U.S. Army
  • Anthony Pandolfi, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Nick Polk, Office of the Federal CIO at Office of Management and Budget
  • Ryan Raybould, Office of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
  • Libbie Shah, U.S. Air Force
  • Gregory Smith, American Global Strategies
  • John Speed Meyers, IQT Labs
  • Alexa Walker, U.S. House of Representatives – Republican Study Committee
  • Treston Wheat, Milestone Technologies
  • Nadia Zarinkia, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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.