Bryce Harlow Foundation

The Bryce Harlow Foundation announced the 2022 honorees for it 41st annual awards celebration.  Please join us in congratulating Senator Roy Blunt and David Castagnetti. Learn all about the awards celebration and how to sponsor or support the foundation HERE.

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.”

Competitive volleyball player Kyle Kammien always had a strong desire to be part of the policy-making process, beginning with his work at the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce in Missouri, where he grew up.  He earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration and economics from Saint Louis University.

Now part of the government relations teams at Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Kyle works with trade associations to build coalitions and help policy makers better understand the potential effects of policy on different groups of people and organizations. He is also going to law school part time at George Washington University to learn about the mechanics of law and to ultimately help him hone his advocacy skills.

“The Bryce Harlow Fellowship’s scholarship, networking opportunities, and mentorship are all incredible,” said Kyle. “Also, the mission really resonates.  Bringing partners together to have respectful and honest conversations is at the heart of the Bryce Harlow Foundation. We need more of these ethical guideposts in today’s political climate.”

Originally from Sicily, Italy, Jess Brown has long been passionate about human rights, gender issues, and security when it comes to helping vulnerable groups around the world. Today she works as an Outreach and Communications Specialist for the USAID Office of Cuban Affairs, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in Security Studies at Georgetown University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola University Maryland, where she also studied abroad in Copenhagen and Bosnia.

Prior to her current role at USAID, Jess worked at the State Department and the Foreign Service Institute, and believes it’s important to advocate for diversity and inclusion policies in our government. The Bryce Harlow Foundation’s focus in integrity rings true to Jess. “The mentorship has been so helpful for me. I’ve already been able to connect with other Fellows and learn from others in the program. I really appreciate the opportunities to share with others in the advocacy field,” said Jess.  “Being a part of the Bryce Harlow Fellowship will help me be a successful lobbyist while also staying true to my core values.”

The Bryce Harlow Foundation is pleased to announce it’s 2021-22 class of Fellows.  Please join us in congratulating this talented group.  Please click HERE if you are interested in learning more about the Fellowship. We’ll begin accepting applications in mid-January for the fall 2022 academic year.

Samantha “Sammy” Chavin is from Charleston, South Carolina and grew up with parents who worked in health care. She studied neuroscience as an undergraduate and considered medical school before moving to Washington, D.C. to help people through health policy and lobbying.

Sammy is the Federal Policy Coordinator for Family Values @ Work, a network of state coalitions working to pass paid sick days and paid family and medical leave. She is also earning a Master’s degree in Political Management from George Washington University. She believes our government was designed to be representative, and we see the best of this system when advocates inform our policy decisions.

“The Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellowship has provided me with a whole network of people who are interested in changing the way things work through better policy,” Sammy said. “Most people in lobbying and advocacy are thinking creatively and strategically about how to effect change. It’s great to learn from both peers and board members who are farther along in their career.”

Elizabeth has long been passionate about improving health care in the United States. She is a Senior Program Associate for the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, a trade association that represents non-profit safety net health plans, working on Medicaid policy and tracking new regulations and bills from Congress that could affect health plans.

She is also working toward a Master’s degree in Public Policy at the George Washington University, where she hopes to bolster her analytical skills and learn more about Capitol Hill and government affairs.

Elizabeth considers it an honor to be a Bryce Harlow Fellow, “It’s been wonderful to be among so many passionate, driven people in the Bryce Harlow Foundation,” Elizabeth said. “The mentorship has been invaluable, despite the pandemic. The Foundation board members have a real interest in helping Fellows succeed — navigating DC, expanding our networks, and growing in our careers.”

Erica Hackett hopes to one day become a real-life Leslie Knope for her hometown in Illinois. She’s currently working as a Trade Control Specialist in the Global Trade Controls division for the Boeing Company and going to law school at the George Washington University at night.

She double-majored in international business and marketing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and speaks Italian and Spanish. She is passionate about writing, government, politics, and international affairs, making her an ideal fit to work on trade policy for an international company like Boeing. Erica decided to pursue law school to learn more about trade law, export controls, government contracts, and gender and human rights globally.

On being named a Bryce Harlow Fellow, Erica said, “The focus on integrity is so important in these hyper-partisan times. This scholarship and my mentor have helped me tremendously. It is vital to have integrity in policy making, and I am honored to be part of an organization supporting this.”

A former competitive ski racer in high school, Adeline DeYoung loves the outdoors and is dedicated to creating public policy that helps lead to sustainable environmental practices. She currently works as a Legislative Assistant for her home state, in the office of New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Adeline is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at Georgetown, where she is specializing in energy and environment electives. Before going to Capitol Hill, Adeline was the Government Affairs Coordinator for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby where she tracked federal legislation and helped train volunteers to lobby on Capitol Hill. One of Adeline’s bright spots during the pandemic has been getting a dachshund puppy named Willow.

The Bryce Harlow Foundation’s mission of lobbying with integrity resonated with Adeline. “The importance of lobbying with respect, appreciation, and gratitude is what interested me in becoming a Fellow to begin with. Our work can bring power to people who don’t normally have a voice, and doing so honestly is crucial to the political process,” Adeline said.

Former Bryce Harlow Fellow Erika Moritsugu was appointed to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Senior Liaison. Erika also serves on the BHF Alumni Advisory Board.  Congratulations, Erika!

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/14/president-biden-announces-erika-l-moritsugu-as-deputy-assistant-to-the-president-and-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-senior-liaison/