Mael-Sanh Perrier

Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Aaron Bailey

Texas A&M University, Bush School of Government & Public Service

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Aaron Bailey is a Master of International Affairs candidate at Texas A&M University’s Bush School, specializing in international development and economic policy. He brings a background in wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism research in African nations, and leadership experience gained through prior service in the U.S. Army. Proficient in Russian from language immersion programs in Latvia and Armenia, Aaron graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in International Studies and Environmental Science. He combines quantitative skills and field experience to address global development challenges and environmental sustainability.

Brooke Wright

Texas A&M University, Bush School of Government & Public Service

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Brooke Wright, a 2024 graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (MD), acquired a BA in Political Science. She was awarded the department’s Outstanding Student Award, received security studies and Honors College certificates, and double minored in modern languages and linguistics with concentrations in French and psychology. Moreover, Brooke was active on campus, serving as captain of the Retriever’s NCAA Division 1 women’s cross country and track and field teams. Her most rewarding academic experience was participating in West Point’s Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA). Brooke will pursue the national security and diplomacy track in the MIA.

Julia Liebell-McLean

Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Julia Liebell-McLean is earning a dual master’s degree in public administration and international relations (MPA/MAIR) at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Born and raised in central New Jersey, Julia studied abroad in France in high school, sparking an interest in global affairs.

Julia attended the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University (’22) where she studied Culture and Politics with minors in French and Francophone Studies and African Studies. At Georgetown, Julia was involved with the University Honor Council, the Georgetown Writing Center, and Georgetown Moot Court. She also completed internships with the Senate Office of Cory A. Booker, the French Institute: Alliance Francaise, and the U.S. Department of State.

After university, Julia received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award and spent 9 months living in Saint-Louis, Senegal. She later returned to Senegal as a freelance English teacher. Julia’s academic and professional interests include diplomacy, security studies, the francophone world, and west and central Africa.

Rene Zeevat

University of Maryland, School of Public Policy

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Rene Zeevat is pursuing a Master of Public Policy with a concentration in International Security and Economic Policy. Rene recently graduated from Bishop’s University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Studies and a minor in Political Studies and English. His time at Bishop’s University was distinguished by his academic and athletic leadership. As a Linebacker, Rene was named captain during the 2023-2024 season but also garnered recognition with the Bishop’s University Athletic Male Leadership Award and the Bishop’s University Golden Mitre, the highest non-academic honour awarded to graduating students, emphasizing his profound impact within the university community.

In the summer of 2023, Rene interned in The Hague, The Netherlands, as a Parliamentary Assistant for the Boer Burger Beweging (BBB). He had the opportunity to shape BBB’s international vision and the party’s 2023 election program foreign affairs section. This international experience, coupled with his role as part of the National Youth Advisor with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has provided Rene with a global perspective that he brings to his academic and professional pursuits.
Rene aims to contribute significantly to shaping international security policy that emphasizes democratic values around the globe.

Nicholas Grempler

University of Maryland, School of Public Policy

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Nicholas Grempler is a Master of Public Policy (MPP) candidate, specializing in International Security and Economic Policy (ISEP), at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. In May 2024, Nicholas graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Bachelor of Arts in History, a minor in Spanish, and a certificate in Intercultural Communication.

While an undergraduate student, Nicholas pursued a plethora of vocational, internship, fellowship, and volunteer opportunities. At UMBC, he served as a senator in the Student Government Association, president of the Spanish Conversation Club, chair of the History Department Student Advisory Board, and president of the History Student Council. Nicholas also was a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, a Spanish tutor and tutor mentor at the UMBC Academic Success Center, and a teaching assistant for the POLI 301: Research Methods in Political Science capstone course.

Throughout 2022, Nicholas acted as the treasurer for a Maryland state legislative slate and interned for a Maryland State Delegate and the Maryland Governor’s Office of State Procurement. In summer 2023, Nicholas was one of twenty-seven chosen globally for the Princeton University Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship. At Princeton, he enrolled in five accelerated, graduate-level courses and worked on a capstone project concerning election integrity in Ecuador. And in summer 2024, Nicholas was one of eighteen selected from the United States Mid-Atlantic region for the Georgetown University Political Science Predoctoral Summer Institute (PS-PSI). At Georgetown, he researched right-wing populism in Argentina.

Following the completion of his MPP degree, Nicholas plans to gain employment at a United States federal agency that uses his Spanish fluency, solidifies his intercultural competence and communication, and improves and safeguards the lives of others. Inspired by his journey to Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, Nicholas also plans to enter elected office—where he will be able to apply his international affairs-focused public policy background to the formulation, debate, and passage of legislation.

Kaela Werchniak

University of Maryland, School of Public Policy

CLASS YEAR: 2026

Kaela Werchniak is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, building upon her academic foundation in international relations and Spanish language, acquired from the University of Arizona. Her commitment to community engagement and volunteerism has been evident throughout her academic and professional journey. as an undergraduate, she volunteered with the university of Arizona’s refugee project, contributing to refugee services and participating in academic lectures. Post-graduation, Kaela has applied her skills in marketing and communications management for small businesses, alongside teaching roles, demonstrating her dedication to both education and small business development. Combining her love of both, she volunteered with Peace Corps in Colombia as part of their community economic development program. During her service, she focused on women’s financial literacy and entrepreneurship, facilitating curriculum design, brand development, and marketing strategization for local entrepreneurs. Drawing from her experiences with refugee outreach in Arizona, Kaela collaborated with local associations and international NGOs to support Venezuelan migrants in financial literacy and entrepreneurship initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys writing, photography, and volunteering as a business English tutor for young Ukrainian professionals and educators.