Bryce Harlow Foundation

A native of Arlington, Virginia, Jarrod was introduced to politics at a young age, working as a page in the U.S. Senate during high school. Jarrod went on to attend the University of Virginia before taking a leave of absence partway through his schooling to work on several political campaigns at the local, state and Federal levels. He eventually returned to school while also working in the Virginia state legislature.

After graduating, he took a job at the Application Developers Alliance before assuming his current role as the Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager at the Association for Career and Technical Education. Jarrod is pursuing a law degree at American University, hoping it will give him the legal and foundational background to continue working in public policy.

“The Bryce Harlow Foundation fellowship has given me the opportunity to learn from a terrific mentor and network with other outstanding fellows,” Jarrod said. “I hope to carry on the Bryce Harlow legacy and am proud to work in lobbying. For those who follow in Bryce Harlow’s footsteps, it is an honorable, honest profession—it allows me to positively influence the public policy process.”

Ata was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and spent his childhood growing up in both the United States and Turkey before moving to New Jersey at age 13. Later, at Rutgers University, Ata found he had an interest in political science and public policy. This interest was further sparked by a summer internship in Washington D.C. with former Congressman Dan Burton, and Ata graduated with a double major in History and Political Science. After graduation, he worked as an intern for the 2008 Obama campaign.

He studied in England and received a master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Cambridge before coming back and settling in D.C. Ata worked as a paralegal and translator before becoming a Trade Policy Analyst at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP. He also was involved in grassroots efforts with the Turkish-American community and served a stint as the President of the Turkish Policy Center. He is currently a Law Clerk in the trade group at White & Case LLP.

Ata is pursuing a law degree from Georgetown University, and his long-term goal is to continue working in international trade. He calls Bryce Harlow a role model for younger people pursuing careers in advocacy. “Those of us just entering the profession of advocacy could learn even today from the example of Mr. Harlow’s ethics and integrity,” Ata said.

The Bryce Harlow Foundation announced its honorees for the upcoming 2019 Annual Awards Dinner. Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC) will receive the Bryce Harlow Award and Donna Harman, President & CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association will receive the Business-Government Relations Award.   Read all about it here: BHF 2019 Honorees Announced.

Susan moved from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri to attend Indiana University, where she earned a double major in Arabic and Anthropology. Although Susan had never really considered policy advocacy or lobbying as a career choice, her first post-college internship at UPS changed everything.

Susan’s internship was in the UPS public affairs office, working on international trade issues. She then moved to a job at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as part of their Middle East team, representing member companies’ interests in that region. Her next move was back to UPS as Manager of International Public Affairs, where she has been for nearly four years.

Susan is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy at George Mason University. She chose this degree for its versatility and uniqueness, as it combines elements of international relations, business, and public policy. Her experience as a Fellow has been very positive. “While of course I welcome the financial support, it means so much to have access to strong mentors and be a part of such a wonderful cohort of Fellows,” Susan said.

John D. Dingell Jr., a Michigan Democrat who, as the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history, used his considerable power in the House of Representatives to uncover government fraud and defend the interests of his home state’s automobile industry, died Feb. 7 at his home in Dearborn. He was 92.  Mr. Dingell was the 1996 recipient of the Bryce Harlow Award and we mourn the loss of this great man. More information may be found here.

A native of St. Paul Minnesota, Kim enrolled at the University of Minnesota and followed her strong interest in policy, by majoring in both Political Science and Global Studies, with a minor in Arabic.

Kim’s interest in advocacy was sparked when she got her first post-college job working as an organizer at the Service Employees International Union. Inspired by the meaningful work she was doing, Kim decided to move to Washington D.C. to pursue a career in advocacy. She worked as a staff assistant for Representative Betty McCollum, before moving to The Feighan Team, where she is currently their Director of Policy and Advocacy.

Kim is pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the George Washington University, hoping to dive into policy analysis, as well as gain more rigorous research tools for her work in the future. “It’s more important than ever to have folks working in the advocacy space who are following in the footsteps of Bryce Harlow and his legacy of honesty and bipartisanship,” Kim said. She is grateful for the support and mentorship provided by the Fellowship.

At its recent board meeting, the Bryce Harlow Foundation announced the appointment of three new board members and new elected officers. Join us in welcoming them and read all about it here: 2019 BHF new officers and board.

The Bryce Harlow Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2019-20 Bryce Harlow Fellowship, a prestigious award including scholarship funds and mentoring. We encourage you to please help spread the word, or to apply if you are working full time, going to graduate school part time and are interested in the field of lobbying and government advocacy. The deadline for applying is Friday May 3, 2019. For complete information, including a link to the on-line application, please visit our website.

Growing up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Scott McCullers wasn’t enthusiastic about politics until he enrolled in several classes on global politics at the University of North Florida. His interest was sparked: he majored in International Relations and Politics and became involved with the on-campus Public Service Leadership Program.

This program led Scott to an internship overseas in Tanzania with the United Nations World Food Program, another internship with Senator Marco Rubio in his Jacksonville office, and finally one with the Jacksonville-based nonprofit GlobalJax. After moving to Washington DC, Scott started working on the House Judiciary Committee as the Committee’s Coalitions Director, and recently moved to the Microsoft government affairs office.

He is currently pursuing an MBA at Georgetown University, to complement his policy work and bridge the gap between policy makers and the tech sector. Scott admires Mr. Bryce Harlow and his legacy. “Mr. Harlow embodied integrity and expertise in the lobbying profession. He dedicated the weight of his talents toward the public good,” Scott said.

Brian grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and attended San Francisco State University, where he majored in Political Science. Still a student during the 2008 election, Brian volunteered for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, which galvanized his interest in politics – and he knew he wanted a career in the industry.

After college Brian got an internship in the office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and then at the American Federation of Teachers. Brian then took a job working for The Global Campaign for Education. Initially brought on as a campaign associate, he eventually took on the role of policy and advocacy director, working for several years on the READ Act, which was signed into law last year.

Brian is enrolled at George Washington University, where he is pursuing a degree in Political Management. Brian is proud to be a Bryce Harlow fellow, and is an admirer of Mr. Harlow’s legacy. “ He was a great spokesman for the power of advocacy, and marshaling resources for the public good,” Brian said.