YPFP Fellowship Cohort

Jake McCarty
President

Jake McCarty is the 2023-2024 YPFP Presidential Fellow. He is passionate about making the professional foreign policy space more accessible; that is reflected in his responsibilities guiding the fellowship team in their efforts to achieve YPFP's mission. He hopes to, by the end of his tenure, reinforce YPFP's presence as a global network serving current and potential members as they pursue their professional dreams and interests.

He works as a Senior Operational Risk Specialist with BDO USA, LLC, a global accounting and consulting firm, in the office of the Chief Security Officer. There, he coordinates crisis response and oversees business continuity compliance while supporting Firm work as needed. Prior to that he was the American Foreign Policy Council's inaugural Fellow in Africa Studies and was a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Africa Policy Accelerator. He is a member of the Center for Naval Analyses’ Strategy Discussion Group. His opinions have appeared in The Hill, Janes Defence Weekly, and The National Interest, among other publications.

In his little free time Jake enjoys hiking, subjecting friends to recipe experiments, and scrolling Zillow while pretending he can afford a house.

Jake McCarty

Jake McCarty

President

Dhruti Tummalapalli
Membership & Operations

Dhruti Tummalapalli is the 2023-2024 YPFP Membership and Operations Fellow. She is passionate about the cross-section between law and policy in the international human rights space. She also loves everything recruiting related and hopes to use those passions to grow the YPFP network worldwide.

Dhruti just graduated from law school and will be working as an associate at Shearman & Sterling, LLP a global law firm based in New York City. Prior to law school, Dhruti worked as a college recruiter and hopes to bring those skills to her role in YPFP.

In her free time, Dhruti enjoys making candles, exploring the city, mentoring peers, and planning her next big trip. Feel free to reach out to her with any questions about YPFP or otherwise!

Dhruti Tummalapalli, Operations and Finance Fellow, 2023-2024 cohort of Fellows

Dhruti Tummalapalli

Membership & Operations 

Miriam Roday
Publications

Miriam Roday is the 2023-2024 YPFP Publications Fellow.In this role, she serves as the Director of the Rising Experts Program – a year-long initiative that gives emerging and under-represented voices the ability to publish articles in national media outlets and build a portfolio of work. This year, she will seek to create opportunities for young writers to establish credibility and form new connections with subject matter experts in their field. Leveraging her own experience publishing and producing analysis for senior decision-makers, Miriam will empower the cohort to become meaningful contributors to the discourse on foreign policy.

Miriam began her career at 19 in the U.S. Senate and has held various positions across the public and private sectors, including with NGOs, congressional committees, political campaigns, and research institutions. She is currently a graduate student at the London School of Economics pursuing a degree in Public Policy. She is also an adjunct researcher at the Institute for Defense Analyses where she focuses on Russia, disinformation, Transatlantic security, and U.S. security cooperation with allies and partners.

Outside of her studies and professional life, Miriam is a committed mentor for undergrads and early career professionals. She is involved in the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Girl Security, and Bard College’s Center for Civic Engagement (her alma mater). She enjoys running, yoga, theater, and creative writing.

Miriam Roday, Publications Fellow, 2023-2024 cohort

Miriam Roday

Publications

Keegan McCombie
Programs and Events

Keegan McCombie serves as the Programs & Events Fellow, after previously serving for 2 years as an Events Manager for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. In this role, he is tasked with preparation and management of high-profile programs and events to maintain and grow the organization's footprint and network, both in Washington, D.C., and around the world.

Additionally, Keegan is a Research Analyst at Global Security & Innovative Solutions (GSIS), as well as the President of Emory University's Washington, D.C. Young Alumni Council.

Keegan graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, concentrated in International Relations, and a minor in Religion. Many of his courses focused on war and terrorism, political institutions and democracy, and international law. Previous roles in Keegan’s professional career include an International Programs Internship for the international relations organization, Citizen Diplomacy International, as well as a Legislative Research Internship in Ireland's Parliament, the Leinster House. Keegan was also the President and Co-founder of Emory University's charter of a pre-existing, global club, European Horizons.

Keegan's extracurriculars include, having played for Emory's varsity soccer team, participating as a Council on Foreign Relations Young Professional, as well as acting as an Ambassador for the ocean conservation organization, 4Ocean.

Keegan McCombie, Publications Fellow, 2023-2024 cohort

Keegan McCombie

Programs and Events

Agnes Pompos
Communications

Agnes Pompos serves as the 2023-2024 YPFP Communications Fellow. With a keen interest in international relations and foreign policy, Agnes is particularly drawn to climate diplomacy, sustainability, and South Asian affairs. 

In her role as Communications Fellow, Agnes is committed to crafting and delivering a top-tier communication experience that empower members to fully leverage your YPFP membership. By creating a robust and inclusive communication strategy, she aims to facilitate growth and engagement across the organization. 

Hailing from a diverse professional background spanning Europe, South Asia, and the US, Agnes brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her multifaceted expertise encompasses diplomacy, immigration policy, corporate social responsibility and communications.  She holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and another Bachelor’s in International Communications.

In her spare time, Agnes enjoys traveling, interacting with pets, going to the gym and experimenting with healthy dessert recipes.

Feel free to reach out to Agnes at agnes.pompos@ypfp.org, she is eager to hear from members how she can better serve you!

Agnes Pompos, Communications Fellow, 2023-2024 cohort

Agnes Pompos

Communications

Nahjae Nunes
Global Coordination

Nahjae Nunes is the 2023-24 Global Coordination Fellow. He is an internationally acclaimed youth activist deeply dedicated to shaping the future landscape of international relations. With a keen focus on foreign policy, diplomacy, global governance, and the pursuit of social justice, Nahjae's academic endeavors intricately dissect the inner mechanisms of multilateral institutions. Anchored in a fervent dedication to social change and an insatiable appetite for research, his mission is to enrich scholarly dialogues centered around refining multilateral approaches to contemporary socio-economic and developmental challenges.

A recent MS in Global Affairs (with Distinction) graduate and Dean’s Scholar from New York University (NYU), Nahjae was a Policy Adviser at the United Nations and Caribbean Community, where he harnessed astute policy analysis to introduce pivotal resolutions, driving positive change on critical global challenges such as equitable access to quality education and healthcare infrastructure in developing nations. In the Summer of 2022, he became NYU’s first Harold W. Rosenthal Fellow in International Relations, where he worked at the US Department of Labor, conducting research and providing reports on international forced, indentured, and child labor.

Nahjae is now on his doctoral journey in International Relations at the University of Oxford, where he is an All Souls Scholar. You may reach him at nahjae.nunes@ypfp.org

Nahjae Nunes, Global Coordination, 2023-2024 cohort

Nahjae Nunes

Global Coordination

Washington, DC Team


Phillip Davis
Deputy Director, Global Operations

Phillip R. Davis II joined YPFP in June 2020 and currently serves as the Deputy Global Operations Director at YPFP. In this capacity, he helps maintain relationships between YPFP’s headquarters team located in Washington, DC, and its branches around the globe. During the day, Phil is a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) at the U.S. Department of State working on issues pertaining to the Near East and international security. Previously, he gained experience in international affairs and government working for the U.S. House of Representatives, Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), and the United Kingdom Parliament.  Phil received a BA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. He recently graduated with a MA in International Security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies - University of Denver.  In his free time, Phil enjoys all aspects of music (especially The Weeknd), travel, and brunch. He’s happy to be back in the DMV.

Phillip Davis

Deputy Director, Global Operations


Evelyn Heck
Newsletter Editor

Evelyn Heck joined YPFP summer 2019 when she moved to D.C. after graduating from the University of Notre Dame in May. She works for the Rumsfeld Foundation, a non-profit focused on free economic and political systems within the U.S. and abroad. She assists in facilitating the many activities of the Foundation, including the Central Asia-Caucasus Fellowship Program and the Graduate Fellowship Program, as well as with relations with the Foundation’s network of partners, Fellows, military charities and more. She gained experience in public policy and diplomacy through internships with the U.S. Senate, UK Parliament, and the U.S. Department of State. She loves to run, explore new places in D.C., and has a passion for chocolate chip cookies and football.

Evelyn Heck

Editor, Newsletter


Courtney Powell
Head of Special Events

Courtney Powell

Director, Special Events


Tia Potskhverashvili
Director, Discussion Groups

Tia Potskhverashvili currently works as a Deputy Director for the Office of The United States Trade Representative, Office of Environment and Natural Resources. 

In this role, she provides her team with support and research on a variety of environmental trade policy issues, including illegal logging, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, wildlife trafficking, and marine litter.  Additionally, Tia’s portfolio includes monitoring the environmental obligations as written in the Free Trade Agreements between the U.S. and Chile, Bahrain, and Oman.  Prior to her assuming this role at USTR, Tia worked at the U.S. Senate and U.S. Treasury, developing her skillset in policy research and analysis, as well as press and communications.  

Tia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Economics from The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in addition to fulfilling coursework at Institut d'études politiques de Paris and London School of Economics.

Tia Potskhverashvili

Director, Discussion Groups


Jeffrey Nahm
Deputy Director, Programs

Jeff is the Deputy Director of Programs at YPFP where he helps create, manage, and moderate various events with foreign policy thought leaders and organizations. Previously as his day job, Jeff was an IBM senior associate consultant contracted to the USDA's Foreign Programs Team (FPT). As a leader of FPT, he helped manage the USDA's foreign loan portfolio which includes resolving debt disputes, participating in interagency initiatives, and providing debt restructuring to disadvantaged countries. Jeff has since transitioned to a Strategy Consultant position at Deloitte where he will continue to apply his foreign affairs and business acumen in the public sector. He holds a BA in Economics and BS in Finance at the University of Maryland.

Jeffrey Nahm

Deputy Director, Programs

Brussels Team


Marija Sulce
Managing Director, Brussels

Marija has been leading the YPFP Brussels team as the Managing Director since February 2023, having previously served as the Director of the Security and Defence team. She is responsible for strategy implementation oversight, coordination, and team management for the whole Brussels branch. Outside of YPFP she is specialised in European security and defence as well as corporate communication with experiences at the EU and NATO. Originally from Lithuania, Marija has also lived in Japan, UK, France, and now Belgium.

Marija Sulce

Managing Director, Brussels


Petra Grech
Director of Programmes, Brussels

Petra, who has recently completed her MA in International Political Economy at the Brussels School for International Studies within the University of Kent, is currently working as a Project Adviser for EISMEA (an executive agency within the European Commission). She has a passion for policy-making and economics, which is one of the main reasons why she decided to pursue her Masters in this area within the heart of Brussels! By profession, Petra is an Accountant with numerous years of experience within the field of Audit and Accounting in well-renowned global companies. However, last year, she decided to make a career change and instead focus on chasing her passion for policy. Petra has always had a passion for student activism and over the years, she has been heavily involved in numerous student organisations and unions in her home country, Malta. When she moved to Brussels last year, Petra continued to be involved in as many student initiatives and organisations as possible, so, you will always find her keeping herself busy with different projects. Petra has also been working for Wetlands International Europe, as their Communications and Project Management Assistant.

Petra Grech

Director of Programmes, Brussels


Matteo Tomasina
Director of Security & Defence

Matteo joined the Executive Team as Security & Defence Director in February 2023. In this capacity, Matteo is responsible for developing a portfolio of initiatives that provide professional development opportunities to YPFP members interested in security and defence topics. Outside of YPFP, Matteo works as a strategy consultant for international organizations and corporate clients. At the beginning of his international career, Matteo completed an internship at the NATO Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk (VA), USA. He holds a M.A in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs. He is fluent in English, French and Italian.

Matteo Tomasina

Director of Security & Defence, Brussels


Laura Ponikelska
Director of Communications & Marketing

Laura is currently working as a Communications Officer in the renewable energy sector in Brussels. She holds Master's degrees in Communications and Digital Humanities, and a Bachelor's degree in English and Russian languages. Previously, she has worked as a Communications Manager in an NGO and Schuman trainee in DG COMM of the European Parliament. Of Swiss and Czech nationality, she is a German native speaker and fluent in English, French, Czech and Russian.

Laura Ponikelska

Director of Communications & Marketing, Brussels


Lena Eisenreich
Director of Membership & Benefits

Lena joined the executive team as Memberships & Benefits Director in February 2023. Within this role, she oversees our YPFP Brussels members. Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in international business and a master’s degree in European studies. She has worked across various industries and has experience in various NGOs and youth-led organizations. She previously completed a traineeship within the European Commission. Furthermore, she is passionate about building meaningful relations, engaging communities, and social impact. Based in Brussels but originally from Bavaria, Lena has worked and lived in Spain, the United States, Costa Rica, France, and Poland. She loves to explore the world.

Lena Eisenreich

Director of Membership & Benefits, Brussels

London Team

Annabelle is the Managing Director at YPFP London, responsible for driving the chapter's sustainability and growth.

Annabelle works as an Investigator at the Mintz Group, focusing on anti money laundering, asset tracing, political risk and due diligence issues in Latin America and the Middle East. Previously, she was an Analyst at the Tactical Opportunities and Competitive Intelligence department at Linklaters and a Threat Intelligence Analyst at Hozint Intelligence.

Annabelle holds a Masters in Middle Eastern Studies from King’s College London and a BA in International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.

Annabelle Saba

Managing Director, London


Ian Perrin
Director of Programming, London

We are currently recruiting a Director of Programming. If you'd like to apply please follow: https://www.ypfp.org/build/join-our-volunteer-team/london-director-events/

Vacancy - currently recruiting

Director of Programming, London


Livia Godaert
Director of Communications, London

Livia Godaert is the communications director for YPFP London. She is also a nonresident fellow and former assistant director with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, where she managed portfolios on the European Union, the United Kingdom, Southern Europe, and the Western Balkans, and was responsible for the Europe Center's communications strategy and digital content.

Livia has a BA in Political Science from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, and is currently pursuing a MSc in Media and Communications Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

For any YPFP London comms and media queries please contact Livia at livia.godaert@ypfp.org

Livia Godaert

Director of Communications, London

New York Team


Sepideh Behzadpour
Managing Director,
New York

Sepideh Behzadpour

Managing Director, New York


Deysi Flores
Programming Director,
New York

Deysi Flores

Programming Director, New York


Laurne McCranie
Editor In Chief, Emerging Voices,
New York

Lauren McCranie

Editor In Chief, Emerging Voices, New York


Vacant role
Communication and Marketing Director,
New York

VACANCY: Currently recruiting

Communication and Marketing Director. Click here to learn more & apply. 


Vacant role
Membership and Partnerships Director,
New York

VACANCY: Currently recruiting

Membership and Partnerships Director. Click here to learn more & apply. 

Toronto Team


Angie Khayan Rojas
Managing Director, Toronto

Angie received her Hons. B.A. in Political Science and Statistics from the University of Toronto where she specialised in issues of international security. Alongside her undergraduate studies, she served as delegate for the 63rd United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for VOW Canada and was the News and Politics Correspondent at Acta Victoriana. Originally Colombian-Venezuelan, Angie grew up across the Americas and Caribbean, East Asia, and the Middle East before moving to Canada for her undergraduate studies. Her passion lies in blockchain and its potential for humanitarian work and volunteers as an interpreter for Canadian Government-Assisted Refugees and Refugee Claimants.

Angie Khayan Rojas

Managing Director, Toronto


Jeff Dexter
Deputy Managing Director, Toronto

As a director with Control Risks, Jeff protects clients from crippling regulatory fines with due diligence, corruption / fraud investigations, and AI solutions to mitigate risk from third parties. He has more than twelve years of experience advising clients on anti-bribery and anti-corruption regulations, anti-money laundering laws and conventions, and sanctions compliance. Previously with PwC and Kroll, he was awarded 35 under 35 by Consulting® magazine for excellence in client service. He has deep experience and knowledge of the Middle East, with a specialization in the Levant. Jeff lived in Syria in 2009 and 2010 where he studied Arabic. He holds a graduate degree in international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Rhode Island. During his education, he interned with US Congressman James Langevin, the Rhode Island Human Rights Commission, and International Crisis Group (intern for Rob Malley). Before moving to Toronto, he was a member of YPFP DC.

Jeff Dexter

Deputy Managing Director, Toronto


Reena Manjania
Director of Events and Partnerships, Toronto

Reena has experience in the not-for-profit and public sectors, including working as a policy advisor in both the federal and provincial governments.  Currently, Reena is working with the Government of Ontario to support the uptake of low carbon vehicle technology within the province. Over the past two years, she has been working with the Government of Canada, where she has supported work to increase inclusivity and diversity in federal procurement and developed program advice to advance renewable energy capacity within Canada. Reena’s passions lie in supporting climate change mitigation efforts and advancing gender equity.  Reena holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto.

Reena Manjania

Director of Events and Partnerships, Toronto


Xinhua (Tina) Yang
Director of Communications and Marketing, Toronto

Tina has spent most of her career in government where she provided expertise and advice to senior management on the implications of investment projects, federal decisions (e.g., the accelerated phase-out of coal), and new policy tools (e.g., new tax incentives). She has led and assisted on specially referenced projects such as:

Phase-out of coal power plants,

Economic impact analysis for investment proposal. In her personal time, she started learning the guitar to fight her mid-age crisis. She also enjoys spending time with her dog, a three-year-old girly looking little boy.

Xinhua (Tina) Yang

Director of Communications and Marketing, Toronto


Surriya Z Khan
Membership Coordinator, Toronto

Being raised in South Asia, the Middle East and North America, I was eager to understand how national law and policies impact global relations. From one state having a strong interest in maintaining a monarchy and the other in promoting a democracy, I was stunned to see how states with differing values collaborated on global issues. As I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, I realized how tightly intertwined law and policy issues are and how much of an impact they have in addressing global inequalities. I attained my BA (Hons.) in Legal Studies with a minor in Forensic Psychology and a specialization in Alternative Dispute Resolution and began working in the legal field through an immigration firm. Being an immigrant myself, I passionately defend and advocate for the immigrant community. I have worked as a Research Assistant for organizations seeking to reform Canadian immigration laws in hopes of making them more inclusive. I also have experience in international human rights advocacy with the United Nations Association of Canada Toronto Branch (UNACTO). My interest in a career in international law and policy drove me to pursue an LLB degree from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Thus, I am currently an international student who is very passionate about legal and judicial development in developing countries, refugee law and human rights issues. 

Surriya Z Khan

Membership Coordinator, Toronto

San Francisco Team


Timothy McGuire
Executive Director, San Francisco

Tim is the Executive Director of YPFP San Francisco, where he is responsible for overseeing the growth and sustainability of YPFP activities in the Bay Area. He is focused on securing partnerships and amplifying public-private sector dialogue. In his day job, he works on data analytics and engagement at the Defense Innovation Unit in Silicon Valley, accelerating commercial technology for national security. Tim is a U.S. Air Force veteran with more than 10 years of experience in the fields of logistics, linguistics, cyber operations, and in offices of inspectors general. Before joining YPFP in 2018, Tim was a fellow with Veterans in Global Leadership.

Timothy McGuire

Managing Director, San Francisco

Tokyo Team

Lauren Power

Managing Director, YPFP Tokyo Branch

Professor of Global Humanities, Temple University Japan

Researcher and Ph.D. Candidate, University of Tokyo

Lauren is an award-winning researcher, author, speaker, and migrant advocate. She is an Adjunct Professor of Global Humanities at Temple University Japan and a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Tokyo with a focus on understanding the economic and social lives of highly skilled migrants. Lauren is the Founder and Managing Director of YPFP Tokyo Branch. Lauren is currently a contributing researcher to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR) and is the Co-founder of the University of Tokyo Violence Against Women Working Group (UT-VAW).

Lauren was the Founder and Country Leader for the Japan Migration Working Group of the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN-MGCY), leading comprehensive international research and publications on youth and migration and was selected as a civil society spokesperson for the United Nations Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the Global Compact for Migration in 2021. In 2020, Lauren was appointed Head Delegate of the American Delegation to the G20 Youth Summit (Y20) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and was selected for the Global Dialogue Fellowship. Lauren has subsequently served as a member of the C20 Working Groups on the 2030 Agenda and Education and Global Citizenship for the 2021 G20 Summit in Rome. Lauren previously worked as an Official for the OECD, an entrepreneur starting her own consultancy, and a member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal for Human Security Studies Special Edition and the Refugee Review.

Lauren Power

Managing Director, YPFP Tokyo Branch

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