Liliana Besosa is an Operations Officer within the U.S. Department of Defense in Washington, DC, where she develops strategic partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this role, she coordinates and manages security cooperation seminars that improve more than thirty partner nations’ capacities to combat illicit networks, transnational threats, and bolster cybersecurity. Liliana also publishes reports in English and Spanish on counter-narcotic operations and drug trafficking network trends in the Western Hemisphere. Liliana earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of St. Andrews and the College of William & Mary. She complemented this by acquiring her M.A. in security studies from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service in 2021 and participated in Germany’s Transatlantic Study Program in 2023. As a proud Boricua native of Puerto Rico, Liliana enjoys experimenting with foreign dish recipes and teaching non-native English-speaking children in her community how to read.

Joseph Biegun is currently a Senior Policy Analyst on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff of Chairman James E. Risch, where he supports the committee's work on the Europe and Eurasia region. His covers range of issue areas, including defense cooperation, trade, sanctions, energy, human rights, foreign assistance, and regional and international organizations, such as NATO and the EU. He also manages nominations, legislation, and hearings under the portfolio, as well as oversight of executive branch agencies and engagement with foreign governments, NGOs, and civil society/advocacy groups. He holds a degree from the University of Michigan in linguistics and Russian. He is from Alexandria, Virginia and currently lives in Washington, DC.

Major Joseph “Paveway” Bledsoe III is a U.S. Air Force Intermediate Developmental Education Fellow at the Institute for Future Conflict at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he explores the future of airpower and emerging technologies. A seasoned F-15E evaluator pilot, he has accumulated over 1,500 flight hours, including 344 combat hours in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Previously, he served at the 366th Fighter Wing, leading training initiatives and playing a key role in shaping operational plans for five capstone exercises, culminating in the Wing’s first Indo-Pacific deployment. Major Bledsoe commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2011 with a B.S. in biology and later earned an M.P.P. from the University of Maryland. He remains deeply connected to USAFA as a board member of the Alumni Association. Joseph is married to his high school sweetheart, Alicia, and together they have three wonderful children.

Max Bluestein is a Senior Advisor for INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. representative to INTERPOL, building domestic and international police partnerships. He is a policy and public affairs strategist with leadership experience at the federal, local, and private sector levels, including at four DHS components and in the intelligence community. He served as the DHS Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications during one of the most trying times in the department’s history and was later detailed as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. He also served as a Senior Advisor in Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention Policy at DHS and as an Assistant Director in Strategy, Policy, and Plans in Naval Intelligence. He received his B.A. from the University of Georgia, his M.A. from Ben Gurion University in Israel, completed the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School, and is an FDD National Security Fellow.

Larquana Bryan is a fearless and hopeful humanitarian professional committed to providing vital assistance to vulnerable populations worldwide. As a Humanitarian Assistance Officer at the United States Agency for International Development, Larquana helps coordinate efforts to align with U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and national security goals. Her work strengthens global partnerships, regional coordination, and advances U.S. national security priorities. Previously, she served as a Crisis Operations Specialist at USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives, where she promoted stability, peace, and democracy in unstable environments. She has also conducted research on a variety of topics such as cybersecurity, technology, political economy, and migration. She is an active member of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation where she serves on the Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies committee. Larquana is a 2020 Boren Fellow and 2024 BPIA Colin Powell Leadership Fellow. She holds a master’s in international development from New York University.

Hailing from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Ryan Bugas is a political analyst in the federal government. He has devoted most of his career to studying peace processes in the Middle East and South Asia. A term member on the Council on Foreign Relations, he has served in roles across the federal interagency, including in the intelligence community, as a briefer at the National Security Council, and at the Departments of Defense and State. A product of Virginia’s public school system from grade school through graduate school, Ryan holds a BA with high distinction in political and social thought and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia (UVA) and a MPP from UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where he was a Bocock-Hitz Public Service Fellow. He was a 2022 CNAS Shawn Brimley Next Generation Fellow. In his free time, Ryan enjoys playing tennis, spending time outside, and learning introductory Arabic. 

Edward Carlson is currently the Senior Legal Advisor for the Front Office of the Office of International Affairs at the Federal Communications Commission. In his position, he provides counsel on a range of issues, including national security, telecommunication standards, and electromagnetic spectrum. Prior to this position, he worked at the General Counsel's Office and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Before going to law school, he was a Henry Luce Scholar in the FMR Japanese Cabinet Secretary's Office for Economic and Fiscal Policy in Tokyo. He received a BA from Colorado College and a JD from Iowa Law School. Originally from Antigua, Guatemala, Edward grew up primarily in Eastern Iowa. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian.

Edward Chao is a planner in the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) at CISA. As a planner, he works to help bolster defensive cyber capabilities through public-private partnerships and whole-of-government approaches against ongoing and emerging cyber threats. Prior to CISA, Edward worked in a variety of capacities for the State of California including building out threat intelligence and incident response functions at the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC), leading planning and operations for the first western regional cyber exercise (Cyber Dawn) through the California National Guard's Cyber Network Defense Team, and administering two DoD grants to bolster cybersecurity resiliency through the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR). Edward first entered public service as an active-duty Army MP officer. He received a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, an AS in computer information science from Sacramento City College, and a BA in international relations from Tufts University. 

Lieutenant Commander Bobby Dixon is a Public Affairs Officer at U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), overseeing strategic communication for U.S. Department of Defense operations across Africa. Previously, he served as director of public affairs for U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy. Over his 13-year Navy career, LCDR Dixon has led public affairs efforts at Naval Forces Europe/Africa, Navy Public Affairs Support Element, and major multinational exercises, including Exercise Sea Breeze in Ukraine. He produced and hosted the award-winning podcast “On the Horizon” with Admiral Foggo and managed media strategies that enhanced Navy outreach. A former surface warfare officer, he served aboard USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS San Jacinto (CG 56). LCDR Dixon is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate (Class of 2012) with a B.S. in history and is completing an M.A. in communication from Liberty University.

Rachel Everette currently serves as the National Security Advisor for Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) where she covers issues related to national security, defense, and foreign policy. Prior to coming to the Hill, she served as Policy Counsel on the U.S. foreign policy team at Open Society Foundations where she developed and implemented advocacy, legislative, and communications strategies on issues related to security assistance, the use of force, and U.S. foreign policy. She has also worked previously at Physicians for Human Rights and Crisis Action where she focused on advancing the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Rachel holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, with a concentration in international human rights and humanitarian law, and a BA from Florida State University in international relations and Chinese.

Colin Feiter is an Associate in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone, the largest owner of commercial real estate globally, specializing in thematic investments across logistics, rental housing, life sciences, and data centers. He currently helps manage investments in the firm’s Core+ portfolio, which focuses on long-term, income-generating real estate in high-conviction sectors. Previously, Colin served as a U.S. Navy submarine officer, stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, aboard the fast attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724). He completed two deployments to the Western Pacific and Middle East, supporting critical maritime security and intelligence operations. He was later selected to advise Naval Special Warfare teams on undersea operations, working closely with special operations forces on mission planning and execution. Colin earned a B.S. in biochemistry from Villanova University.

Claire Figel works at Amazon Web Services (AWS) as the Strategy and Engagement Lead for Global Executive Relations. Before joining Amazon, Claire served on the professional staff of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she covered foreign aid, public diplomacy, and management and operations for the State Department and several other U.S. agencies. Prior to the Senate, she worked on the professional staff of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee covering Western Hemisphere affairs. Claire received her Bachelor of Arts in political science and Spanish from Bucknell University and Master of Arts in security studies from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. She is a current David Rockefeller Fellow with the Trilateral Commission and was a two-time Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow.

Passionate about U.S. security and global peace, Talia Gifford is an analyst at MITRE on the integrated deterrence work portfolio. Her previous experience includes work on adversarial machine learning at the University of Chicago’s SAND Lab and work on cyber policy at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center. She studied physics and political science at the University of Chicago and Trinity College, Cambridge University. When not working, Talia enjoys meeting and helping fearful dogs, having apprenticed in dog training in Amberg, Germany during the pandemic.

Natan Gorod is the Assistant Director of American Jewish Committee (AJC) Middle East. Based in Washington, DC, Natan engages with diplomats and civil society leaders from across the Middle East, both through consultations in the region, and in meetings and programs with officials in Washington, DC and around the U.S. Through AJC's Center for a New Middle East—an arm of the organization dedicated to building a more interconnected region—he helps lead various AJC initiatives aimed at developing people-to-people relations, as well as projects that focus on promoting the Abraham Accords and wider regional integration. He also supports the broader AJC Policy and Political Affairs department by preparing policy memos and backgrounders, planning for overseas missions, and coordinating diplomatic components of major AJC global events. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Natan graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in Near Eastern studies. 

Nicholas Hanson is the Chief Operating Officer at War on the Rocks. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2011 with a B.S. in Arabic. He served as a ground intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for eight years and deployed to East, Southeast, and South Asia. He continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, supporting the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center. He previously worked at Vannevar Labs as a Mission Success and Mission Strategy Lead. He previously served as a White House intern and a fellow on the House of Representatives Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party. In May 2024, he graduated from the joint Harvard Kennedy School MPP & Harvard Business School MBA program. He grew up on a third-generation family farm in rural Illinois and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia. 

Abby Horgan is currently a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, where she focuses on anti-corruption policy across Africa and the Middle East. She previously served as a Presidential Management Fellow, working in the Office of African Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and completing a detail assignment in the White House Office of Management and Budget’s International Affairs Division. Prior to graduate school, Abby worked in the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs on educational programming for leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from Boston College and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. Originally from Massachusetts, Abby lives in the DC area with her husband and their retired explosive detection dog.

Reed Kessler is the Associate Director of Policy at the Ronald Reagan Institute (RRI), where she supports the Institute's national security portfolio. Before joining RRI, she worked in the Department of State at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, assisting ambassadors and senior officials in peacekeeping operations and negotiations. Reed also brings experience from the Council on Foreign Relations, where she assisted Ambassador Robert Blackwill with his new book on U.S. grand strategy, as well as the UN Operations and Crisis Centre and the UN Refugee Agency. Reed holds an MIA in international security policy and a BA in human rights from Columbia University, where she graduated cum laude. She also holds an Olympic World Record from the London Olympics and was a 2024 fellow in the International Strategy Forum. 

Grace Kim supports Senator Elissa Slotkin’s national security work as her Military Legislative Assistant and previously led then-Congresswoman Slotkin’s defense and foreign policy work in the House of Representatives. Prior to Congress, Grace was a career civil servant in the Department of Defense and worked as a policy advisor across several offices, including Space and Missile Defense, East Asia, Afghanistan, Strategy and Force Development, and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction. Prior to government, she was an international security policy researcher at several defense think tanks focused on military strategy and operations and previously spent four years in Turkey focused on Eurasian and NATO security policy, including as a Fulbright Fellow. She has an MA in strategic studies and international economics from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in politics from Princeton University. 

Thomas Krasnican is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine force, currently serving as flag aide and executive assistant to a one-star admiral in Norfolk, VA. Previously, he served aboard the fast-attack submarine USS MISSOURI (SSN-780) in Pearl Harbor, completing two Western Pacific deployments while holding various division officer and tactical watchstanding roles. Born and raised in Alaska, Thomas graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in quantitative economics and history before earning a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. During graduate school, he created and co-hosted "Thank You For Your Service," a nationally recognized podcast on civil-military relations that featured interviews with senior policymakers and military leaders. He has also written extensively on the intersection of domestic politics and the American military. Thomas is married to Morgan, a fellow submarine officer. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and running.

Olimar (Oli) Maisonet-Guzman serves as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. Previously, she was a watch officer in the State Department’s Operations Center, a human rights officer at Embassy Paris, and a consular officer at Consulate General Hyderabad. Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked as a program manager and staff assistant in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. From 2012 to 2015, she was at IREX, a global nonprofit, where she expanded technology access in Ukraine and Romania. Oli holds an M.A. in global environmental policy from American University and a B.A. in political science and economics from the University of Puerto Rico. A Truman Scholar and Boren Fellow, she speaks Spanish, French, and Portuguese. In her free time, she enjoys fencing, a sport in which she has competed at an international level.

Michael Manansala serves as a Program Officer at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he leads U.S. law enforcement cooperation in the Pacific Islands and manages relationships with Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining the Department in February 2022, Michael worked on a range of international development programs at several consulting firms, NGOs, and venture funds such as DT Global, FHI 360, Pearson Ventures, DAI Global, and DevWorks International. Michael covered several areas such as governance, economic growth, agriculture, education, global health, and cybersecurity and connectivity. An immigrant born in Manila, Philippines and raised in Minnesota, Michael earned an MPP from the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and a BA in political science from Macalester College. In his personal time, Michael enjoys reading fantasy novels, cooking for friends, playing video games, and traveling.

Victoria Murrieta is a public policy and international relations professional with expertise in national security, multilateral affairs, cross-border trade, and migration management. She focuses on the intersection of foreign and domestic policy, leveraging U.S. global engagement to strengthen security cooperation. As a Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, she worked with partners across Europe and the Western Hemisphere to advance joint policy initiatives and coordinated DHS’s participation in high-level multilateral forums. Before this, she served as Special Assistant to the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, leading agency-wide strategic initiatives. She was also a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Representative Juan Vargas, advising on border issues, foreign affairs, and defense. A native of San Diego, Victoria holds a Master of Science in foreign service from Georgetown University and is fluent in Spanish, Italian, French, and Turkish. Outside of work, she enjoys tennis, yoga, and visiting the closest beach.

Bintu Musa-Harry is a Public Diplomacy-coned foreign service officer at the U.S. Department of State. Bintu currently serves as a Crisis Management Officer in the Department’s 24/7 Operations Center. She served previous tours as a Watch Officer, Consulate Spokesperson in Ho Chi Minh City, and as a Consular Officer in Port-au-Prince. As a Pickering Fellow, she worked in the Bureau of Central African Affairs and at U.S. Embassy Lima. Bintu holds a B.A. in political science from Towson University and an M.A. in international development from American University, where she focused on democracy and development in post-conflict societies. Her prior experience includes program design for adult education, youth development, and girls' empowerment initiatives. Bintu completed a Fulbright in Rwanda and served as a community liaison for the Montgomery County Council President. Bintu is a proud DC/Maryland native and speaks Sierra Leonean Krio, Haitian Kreyol, Spanish, French, and some Vietnamese.

Thomas Quirk is a licensed professional nuclear engineer, a research and development manager at Sandia National Laboratories, and lecturer at the University of New Mexico. He is a National Defense Science and Engineering Fellow, a fellow of the World Nuclear University, and a strong supporter and participant of bilateral collaborations, particularly in Australia and Western Europe. He has worked for both NASA Glenn Research Center and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna, Austria.  

Akanksha Ray is a senior manager for Digital Trust and AI in Intel’s Government, Policy and Trade group. She manages global programs that upskill governments, the workforce, and citizens on technology issues such as AI governance, digital trust, supply chain resiliency, and more. She also sits on Intel's Responsible AI Council, conducting ethical impact assessments and driving corporate initiatives for AI accessibility, sustainability, and digital inclusion. Outside of Intel, Akanksha is a team lead for a research group at the Center for AI and Digital Policy advancing global AI governance that promote human rights. She also sits on the Board of Governors of Lakewood University—a non-profit, distance education school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She holds a bachelor's degree in public policy and economics from Duke University with a focus on foreign policy and international development. 

Michael Salazar is a cybersecurity and national security strategist focused on emerging threats, technology policy, and intelligence. As a Senior Manager in Microsoft’s Security Business Development team, he leads initiatives in cybersecurity strategy, partnerships, and AI-driven security solutions. His expertise lies at the intersection of technology, intelligence, and counterterrorism, where he works to advance proactive security measures that address evolving global threats. Michael holds an MBA from Texas A&M University and an MA in global security (with distinction) from Arizona State University. His career has been shaped by a commitment to fostering public-private collaboration, ensuring that cutting-edge technology strengthens national and global security. With experience spanning business, security, and policy, he is dedicated to driving innovative solutions that enhance resilience in an era of rapid technological change. His work emphasizes ethical technology adoption, strategic foresight, and cross-sector engagement to tackle complex security challenges.

Meredith Wallace is a mission-driven leader with a passion for people and strategy. She began her career as a civilian Intelligence Analyst in the Department of Defense where she had the opportunity to serve as the voice of her agency to an international fusion cell overseas. After her deployment, she joined the Department of Homeland Security where she facilitated the Secretary’s daily intelligence and operations briefings, coordinating across all components of the Department. In 2019, she accepted a detail opportunity to serve as a Senior Advisor at the newly formed Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. After staying on through the 2021 administration transition, she joined a startup focused on emerging technology, great power competition, and cyber threat intelligence. Meredith now leads operations for a dynamic team overseeing the homeland security mission at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). She holds a B.S. degree from the U.S. Naval Academy. 

Dr. Jennifer Walters is an active-duty major in the United States Air Force. From 2020 to 2022, Jennifer served as lead speechwriter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As a KC-10A pilot, she led aircrew on global air refueling, humanitarian, and contingency operations. Jennifer has deployed four times in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, INHERENT RESOLVE, and RESOLUTE SUPPORT, completing over 100 combat sorties. She is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds a Master of Philosophy and PhD in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School. As an Olmsted Scholar, Jennifer studied at Sciences Po and maintains French fluency. She is a term member with the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates Board of Directors. She loves to travel, ski, and find the best coffee with her husband Clark. 

Major Kalpatrick (Kal) J. Wells II is a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer with experience at the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and tactical army units. His expertise includes intelligence training, collection, and analysis as well as policy agreements. He currently attends the United States Army Command and General Staff College (2024-2025) and is currently pursuing an M.S. in military operational studies. He earned an M.S. in geospatial intelligence from the University of Maryland, College Park (2022-2024). He also participated in the DoD Junior Officer Cryptologic Career Program (2021-2024). He earned his B.S. from Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Kal is an avid sports fan and attends sporting events as often as possible. He also enjoys traveling to U.S. national parks and powerlifting. 

Travis Zahnow is a Major in the United States Army and has spent the last two years at United States Strategic Command leading planning efforts to operationalize strategic deterrence. Previously, he commanded a reconnaissance troop in the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division and deployed to Afghanistan. His research focuses on escalation dynamics and risk management in limited intervention strategies. He is also a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations. Travis earned a master’s in strategic studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and an MMAS in strategy from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, where he was an Art of War Scholar, and is a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Originally from California, Travis resides with his family in Omaha.