Colleen (Bowman) McRann
University of Maryland, School of Public Policy
CLASS YEAR: 2024
DISCIPLINE: Master's of Public Policy
Colleen (Bowman) McRann is completing a Master’s of Public Policy at the University of Maryland’s (UMD) School of Public Policy, while also interning at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Political Military Affairs. She joins UMD after serving as the Director of Network Engagement at The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. In this role, she developed and executed the strategy to activate the Institute’s network of 40,000 public innovators. Her work supported the Institute’s mission of creating a more hopeful, just, fair and equitable society. Prior to joining The Harwood Institute, she worked as the Northeast Regional Outreach Director at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), where she expanded and strengthened the USGLC’s network of businesses, political, civic, faith-based, academic, and military leaders. Colleen worked to protect U.S. development and diplomacy programs by hosting local events and leading constituent meetings with members of Congress.
Her passion for foreign affairs was ignited during her undergraduate studies when she was selected to participate in the College of the Holy Cross’ Washington Semester Program. She interned for then-Senator John Kerry, who was serving as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She also wrote a thesis analyzing U.S. involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process and was later selected to represent Holy Cross at the Student Conference on U.S. Affairs at the U.S. Military Academy of West Point. Through these undergraduate experiences and advocating for development and diplomacy programs in her career, she cultivated a deep appreciation for how international affairs programs can advance U.S. economic and security interests.