Bryce Harlow Foundation

A few years ago, Zoya Awan was positive she would have a career in foreign affairs. She studied abroad, had several languages under her belt, and graduated from American University with a major in International Affairs with a focus in peace and conflict resolution. “I was certain I would be working somewhere like the State Department and eventually become a diplomat,” said Zoya. However, her job search led her elsewhere and today she works as a Congressional Affairs Project Coordinator for Microsoft.

Her work includes congressional outreach, which expanded her view and influenced her decision to pursue an MBA at Georgetown University. “The connection between business and policy is very important to understand,” Zoya said. “Now l am working towards some combination of foreign policy, business, and corporate and public affairs – hopefully as a principled public servant and leader like Bryce Harlow.”

Since college, Hanna Abou-El-Seoud knew she wanted to pursue a career in public policy. The Michigan native graduated from Michigan State and promptly secured an internship with Michigan U.S. Senator Carl Levin. She later moved to Washington, D.C. to work on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. During her years as a committee staff, Hanna focused on global food security, international food aid, conservation, and forestry, culminating in work on the Agriculture Act of 2014 (a.k.a. the Farm Bill) and its implementation. Hanna now works on international trade and agricultural development issues for a private government affairs firm.

Hanna attends Georgetown University and is pursuing a master’s in Policy Management. “This degree provides a fresh perspective and cements my policy background in the international trade and food security realm,” Hanna said. “Bryce Harlow’s legacy of integrity is a critically important guiding star in my advocacy career. As a Fellow, I hope to honor this legacy by emulating his professional grace, integrity, and decorum.”

Adam Abosedra fell in love with politics when he was 6 years old. His father took him to see then-President George H.W. Bush at a campaign rally. “I remember sitting on my dad’s shoulders, being fascinated by everything, and wanting to learn more,” recalls Adam. Immediately after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Adam joined Governor Bill Ritter’s reelection campaign, and his love of politics evolved into a commitment to public service.

When Gov. Ritter opted not to run for a second term, Adam moved to Washington, D.C., where he quickly secured a position with the Arab American Institute. “I am committed to providing a voice for the underrepresented. I see public service and politics as mechanism to do achieve this,” says Adam. As a contractor for the Department of Defense in the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, Adam focuses on disability recruitment, advancement and retention. He looks to the legacy of Bryce Harlow as an example of ethics and integrity in his work, and says, “Mr. Harlow’s steadfast commitment to ethical behavior is my guiding principle as I develop trusting relationships and advance issues that are important to me.” Adam is pursuing a Master’s of Public Administration at the American University.

Born in Brazil, Victor Machado’s international background led him to study international affairs as an undergraduate student at George Washington University. Since then, he has worked in government relations for two members of congress, for industry associations, and on a congressional campaign. Victor is currently working at DuPont, leading their international government affairs initiatives in key countries. “I was drawn to international affairs as an opportunity to learn about and understand different groups around the world, to build bridges and help reach common goals,” says Victor. He describes his role at DuPont as business diplomacy, and focuses on market access, trade, intellectual property, and collaborating with governments and stakeholders in the U.S., Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

Victor is pursuing his MBA in International Business at Georgetown, with a goal of learning to achieve business goals in upcoming markets through effective advocacy strategies. Victor says of the lobbying profession and the Foundation, “I believe in the critical role of ethical and professional advocacy in well-functioning economies and governments. I am grateful to be associated with the Foundation and am happy to be a part of carrying on Bryce Harlow’s legacy to future generations.”

The Bryce Harlow Foundation recently announced it’s 2016-17 class of Bryce Harlow Fellows. Join us in congratulating them and read all about it here: BHF 2016-17 Fellows.

Paul Melmeyer came to Washington D.C. as an undergraduate student to attend George Washington University where he majored in Political Science. Paul became interested in health policy after taking several classes on the topic and interning for several health policy organizations. These led him to his current role as the Associate Director of Public Policy at the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), focusing on congressional advocacy to enact pro-rare disease patient policy and drug development.

In pursuing his Master’s in public policy at George Washington University, Paul finds many of his courses are directly applicable to his job — specifically classes in cost-benefit analysis, health economics, and health services and law. A registered lobbyist, Paul says, “I pursued a career in lobbying because I was intrigued by congressional advocacy. Working for NORD gives me the opportunity to combine interest in congressional relations with working for a cause I believe in. Being a Bryce Harlow Fellow makes me even more proud of my chosen profession.”