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Our Leadership Team

Executive Team


Aubrey Cox Ottenstein 
Global Executive Director

Aubrey Cox Ottenstein joined as the Executive Director of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) in September 2019. Prior to joining YPFP, she served as the lead for youth programs at the United States Institute of Peace. In this role, Aubrey elevated the role of youth in peacebuilding and increased the inclusion of young people in peace and security processes.

Aubrey has spent most of her career working on issues of inclusion, peace and security. Prior to joining USIP, Aubrey worked in a double-bottom line impact investment fund focused on financial inclusion at Accion International. Earlier, she conducted field-based monitoring and evaluation research for Operation Smile. Aubrey holds a bachelor's degree from the Beatty Business School at the College of Charleston and a master's degree from the School of International Service at American University. She and her husband live in Washington, DC. 

Aubrey Cox Ottenstein

Global Executive Director


Kolby Keo
President

Kolby Keo has been a YPFP member and volunteer since February 2016, previously serving as DC Programs Director and Senior Vice President. As President, he supports YPFP's 100-plus volunteers around the world. 

Kolby is a senior associate at the  Harbour Group. He previously led external engagement for the University of California Washington Program (UCDC) and also worked as a legislative aide in the U.S. Congress. Kolby also serves as board secretary of YNPNdc, on the Fellows Executive Board of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), as vice president of the UC Irvine Alumni Association DC chapter, and has volunteered with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) since 2004.

He received his BA in political science from the University of California, Irvine, graduating summa cum laude with the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction.

Kolby Keo

President


Alexander Wilson
Managing Director

Alexander Wilson is Managing Director for YPFP and helps lead fundraising, partnerships, and finance efforts for the organization. He has been a YPFP member since 2016 and a staff volunteer since 2017. Alex is an Associate at Renaissance Strategic Advisors and RSPartners in Arlington, VA providing mergers & acquisition and strategy advice to clients in the defense, government services, and aerospace sectors. Alex is originally from Indiana and is a graduate of Indiana University-Bloomington. In his free time he enjoys cheering on the Washington Capitals, reading, and fitness.

Alexander Wilson

Managing Director


Dorena Dyrmishi
Operations Director

Dorena is a former Atlas Corps Fellow, serving as YPFP's Executive Program Coordinator from September 2017 until September 2018. After returning to her native Albania, she decided to continue volunteering with YPFP. Dorena is responsible for supporting YPFP's Executive Team in improving the organization’s human capital system and implementing organizational strategies, policies and practices.

Dorena has professional experience in project management, civil society empowerment, and administration. She earned both a Bachelor's and Master’s of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tirana, Albania.

Dorena Dyrmishi

Operations Director

Headquarters Team

Antoine Battle
Membership Director

Antoine Battle

Co-Membership Director


Maggie Carleen
Public Relations Manager

Maggie Carleen is a Washington, DC-based writer and editor who joined YPFP in early 2018.  She works as a grant writer for Living Goods, a community health nonprofit operating in east Africa. Maggie received her undergraduate degree from the George Washington University and is currently pursuing her master’s in communications at Georgetown University.  Maggie is passionate about bagels and the Washington Nationals.

Maggie Carleen

Public Relations Manager


Ben Goodrich
Outreach & Communications Manager

Ben Goodrich, Outreach & Communications Manager at YPFP, joined a member of YPFP in August of 2018.

Ben currently works in government affairs and communications at COSSA, an advocacy non-profit focused on social science and research funding in the federal government. He enjoys a wide array of responsibilities including supporting COSSA's federal advocacy efforts, curating COSSA's communications materials, and providing direct support to the Executive Director. Ben joined COSSA following a brief stint with Global Citizen, an international non-profit concerned with poverty alleviation, where he worked as a policy & government affairs assistant.

Born and raised in the Upper Midwest, Ben graduated with a Bachelor's in Political Science and History along with an African Studies minor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018. In his free time, he enjoys playing and listening to music and can play several different instruments including guitar, piano, saxophone, and clarinet.

Ben Goodrich

Outreach & Communications Manager


Thamar Harrigan
Youth Summits Director

Thamar Harrigan is an international trade attorney, legislative policy expert, and economic development advisor.  She holds both a Juris Doctorate and a Masters of Law in International Business, which she obtained in China from a joint program between the National University of Singapore and East China University of Political Science and Law.  She previously served as an Obama presidential appointee as the Senior Advisor for Intergovernmental Relations at the U.S. Department of HUD. Prior to this, she served as Senior Advisor to the Ambassador of the Republic of Haiti at the Embassy in Washington, DC.

Thamar Harrigan

Youth Summits Director


Caleb Herr
Technology Director

Caleb Herr is YPFP's Technology Director. He has 7 years of Information Technology and Web Development experience involving user management, Customer retention management and network administration. Caleb currently works as the Education Coordinator for the Association of Old Crows (AOC) where he works with individuals in the Electromagnetic Warfare community to find relevant course material for Professional Development Courses and Webinars. He is a graduate of Westminster College in Fulton, MO, where he studied National Security Studies and Transnational Studies with an emphasis in Eastern European security. Caleb has a passion for National Security and International Relations and enjoys the opportunity to bring together his two worlds of technology and international relations.

Caleb Herr

Technology Director


Marc Larance
Programs Director

Marc volunteers as Programs Director organizing events and developing partnerships with various international organizations in DC. When he’s not wranglin’ speakers for events, he sits at a desk at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs begging people not to click on the phishing links they receive. Beyond that, you can find him taking silly pictures of his dog or reading obscure history books.

Marc Larance

Programs Director


Benjamin Lutz
Membership Manager

Ben has volunteered with YPFP since October 2018 and he joined as a member in September 2018. As Membership Manager, he works with all of YPFPs global members by making data-driven decisions. He also is in charge of the technical database, Wild Apricot, which manages all aspects of the membership experience. Ben received his BA in International Politics from Elon University and his MA in Middle East Security and Peace Studies from the University of Bradford. He speaks Arabic and enjoys the vibrant cultural scene of DC.

Benjamin Lutz

Co-Membership Director


Sean McGuffin
Director and Managing Editor

Sean is the Director & Managing Editor of YPFP’s fellowship program, having started with the fellowship in 2017. During the day he works in finance at Booz Allen and graduated from Old Dominion University in 2016 with a BA in International Studies and Political Science. Sean’s greatest interests are travel and history, and he is determined to always have visited more countries than he is years old.

Sean McGuffin

Director and Managing Editor, Fellowship Program


Colleen Moore
Communications Director

Colleen joined the YPFP team as Communications Director in May 2019. During the day, she is the Digital Engagement Manager for Beyond the Bomb and Global Zero, creating content to promote the message of eliminating nuclear weapons. Colleen has experience in campaigning for justice and peace issues, including ending U.S. support for the war in Yemen, promoting human rights and justice in Indonesia and East Timor, working for a peace treaty between North and South Korea, and ending the occupation of Palestine. Colleen received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations and Political Science from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from American University's School of International Service.

Colleen Moore

Communications Director & Chief of Staff


Jenn Perron
Director, Discussion Group Program

Jenn is the Director of the Discussion Group Program, where she leads a division of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy comprised of over 20 discussion groups, each holding monthly meetings on current topics in foreign affairs.

She currently works on international affairs & climate change at a think tank in Washington, and previously worked at MIT, the University of Michigan, and in non-profits. She has worked on climate change for nearly decade, and her areas of focus include U.S. and international climate policy, the nexus of climate change and international development, and climate change adaptation. Broadly, her interests include furthering international cooperation on climate, stakeholder and civil society engagement in climate policy, and the role of networks in advancing multilateral environmental governance processes.

Jenn holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, camping, kayaking, the ocean, yoga, gardening, & meditation. You can find her on LinkedIn.

Jennifer Perron

Director, Discussion Group Program


Michael Sexton
Managing Editor

Mike Sexton is an Associate Director at the Qatar-America Institute and Managing Editor at Charged Affairs. Previously he has served as a Senior Analyst at the Chertoff Group and Data Manager at the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. He received his MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University and his BA in Mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Michael Sexton

Managing Editor, Charged Affairs


Paul A. Sherman
Global Operations Director

Paul A. Sherman is Global Operations Director at YPFP. Currently, he is the Senior Programs Manager at the Society for International Development, Washington Chapter. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in public policy, focusing on European affairs and French. He served as Co-Managing Photo Editor at The Michigan Daily and Contributing Writer/Online Journal Editor at the Michigan Journal of International Affairs. He also gained experience in diplomacy and American foreign policy through internships with the Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray, the American Embassy in Paris, France, and the Wilson Center.

Paul A. Sherman

Global Operations Director


Shane Szarkowski
Editor-in-Chief

Shane Szarkowski is the Editor-in-Chief of Charged Affairs, the in-house foreign policy digital journal of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He has four years of editorial experience involving heavy volumes of research and writing around EU institutions, renewable energy and financial policy. Shane is a recently conferred PhD (International Relations) from Oxford Brookes University where he wrote on the convergence of identity and state-building policy in Afghanistan. He is well-traveled, having lived in six countries in the past two decades, and is looking forward to settling somewhat permanently in the DC area to help cultivate the next generation of foreign policy thought leadership.

Shane Szarkowski

Editor-in-Chief, Charged Affairs


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

Newsletter Editor

Brussels Team


Georgiana Dragomir
Executive Director, Brussels

Georgiana is the Executive Director of YPFP Brussels. She leads the long-term planning and strategic development of the branch while overseeing and coordinating with the Programmes, Security and Defence, Membership and Communication teams. In addition, Georgiana represents the branch within the wider Brussels community. She is a strong supporter of multiculturalism, lifelong learning and of YFPF’s mission to inform and strengthen the voices of young professionals across the globe.

Georgiana Dragomir

Executive Director, Brussels


Alicia Jensen
Managing Director, Brussels

Alicia is our new Managing Director of YPFP Brussels, taking the reigns from February 2019. She was previously a member of the Security and Defence team. Her background includes a focus on nuclear weapons, and on transatlantic security perspectives and she has worked at the US embassy in Helsinki and as OSINT Analyst in Brussels. In her current position outside of YPFP she focuses on European defence policy analysis.

Alicia Jenson

Managing Director, Brussels

London Team


Gurjinder Dhaliwal
Executive Director, London

Gurjinder Dhaliwal is Executive Director of YPFP London, where he is responsible for overseeing the growth and sustainability of the location. He was previously Managing Director and has primarily focused on securing and fostering partnerships with embassies, think tanks, politicians and corporates.

Gurjinder is a Management Consultant at Deloitte in which he specialises in Public Sector Business Model Transformation. He has prior experience working for the Cabinet Office and is a graduate of International Politics from King’s College London.

Gurjinder Dhaliwal

Executive Director, London

Hannah Hill

Managing Director, London

New York Team


Chris McCarthy
Executive Director, New York

As the Executive Director of YPFP New York, Chris McCarthy sets the strategic direction for the group, ensuring it remains as vibrant, ambitious, and engaging, as it has been throughout its 10 year history in the city. It is a responsibility he is familiar with, having served in the same role for YPFP in London before moving to the U.S. in 2016.

Chris's background is in politics and public affairs having worked as Senior Adviser to a former British foreign secretary. He has supported and led projects providing additional capacity to international NGOs helping victims of conflict and sexual violence, as well as tackling the illegal international transportation of wildlife goods.

After leaving the public sector he moved into public affairs and political risk, helping clients better understand, and navigate, volatile markets and uncertain geopolitical environments. His work has reinforced to him the vital importance of YPFP's mission to amplify NextGen voices to help address many of the critical challenges in foreign affairs today.

Chris McCarthy

Executive Director, New York


Alexandra Calloway-Nation
Director of Business Development,
New York

Alexandra Calloway-Nation is the YPFP - New York Director of Business Development. She is a financial crimes consultant and has worked at the likes of J.P. Morgan Chase, Société Générale, and KPMG. Alexandra received her M.A. in International Trade and Economic Diplomacy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and B.A. in International Economic Development from Portland State University. Alexandra is originally from Montana, and enjoys reading, spending time in the outdoors, and writing articles on international affairs in her free time. 

Alexandra Calloway-Nation

Director of Business Development, New York


Colin Wolfgang
Communications Director, New York

Colin Wolfgang is the Communications Director for the New York branch of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, overseeing both internal and external communications with the New York membership. Colin is an independent political and communications consultant with experience working on issues such as healthcare, gun control, and labor, as well as directly on political campaigns. He has published foreign policy blogs and a weekly newsletter, as well as contributed to the Huffington Post. He received his Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Boston University.

Colin Wolfgang

Communications Director, New York


Andy Laub
International Chapters Liaison, New York

Andy Laub is the International Chapters Liaison for the New York branch. He is also the Director of Outreach and top DPRK Analyst for a new media start-up, Political Insights. Before transitioning to foreign policy, Andy was active in politics volunteering on the campaigns of John Kerry and Barack Obama. Andy also served as Staffer for three years for Congressman Eliot Engel (NY-16), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He recently received his Master's in International Relations from NYU.

Andy Laub

International Chapters Liaison, New York


Dylan Johnson
Finance Director, New York

Dylan is a senior at New York University Stern completing his degree in Business and Political Economy. Half of his university education was spent abroad, first studying in London for sophomore year and splitting junior year in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. While in the Middle East, Dylan worked as an analyst intern for Le Beck International, a security risk consulting firm. He has done institutional research on Yemen and Egypt, at research centers in Tel Aviv and Washington D.C.
 
As the Finance Director for YPFP's New York branch, Dylan handles expenses and budgeting, working with the executive team to ensure that YPFP's vision in the city is financially sustainable.
 
In his free time, Dylan enjoys practicing Arabic, watching films, playing music, and cooking new recipes.

Dylan Johnson

Finance Director, New York

San Francisco Team

Toronto Team


Jesse Lin
Executive Director, San Francisco

Jesse has been a member of YPFP since 2016. Currently, Jesse works as the business operations lead at Returnbase, a YC start-up in the logistics industry. Previously he worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in software and internet companies. Originally from Lakewood, California, and Taichung, Taiwan, he obtained a BA in Economics & Accounting and Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He speaks Mandarin, English, and conversational Spanish. In his free time, Jesse can be found looking at maps, baking soufflés, and diving into horology.

Jesse Lin

Executive Director, San Francisco

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Kristen Csenkey

Acting Executive Director, Toronto

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