Krystal Azelton always wanted to be an astronaut and even went to space camp – twice – while growing up in central Indiana. But after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Krystal wanted to learn more about how governments work. She moved to Washington, D.C. and earned her undergraduate degree in international politics from Georgetown University’s 
School of Foreign Service.
Krystal found a way to combine her interests in space, international relations, and government advocacy. She is now the Director of Space Applications Program for the Secure World Foundation, where she works in government relations to help create good policies around satellite data and applications to promote space sustainability. She is also studying for a Master’s degree in Public Administration at George Mason University, pursuing this while all of her usual international work travel was on pause due to the global pandemic. She said she sees this as an opportunity to think more broadly about policy analysis, theories of public administration, and the processes that affect her daily work.
“I’m honored to be selected as a Bryce Harlow Fellow,” Krystal said. “I love that the Foundation supports students across fields and really focuses on the job of lobbying. Bryce Harlow is an excellent role model for advocating with integrity.”
