The following students are upcoming graduates who have completed the Master of International Policy program and/or the Richard B. Russell Security Leadership Program. CITS is proud to support these emerging leaders as they enter their career fields.
If you are interested in learning more about these or other CITS students, please contact Dr. Justin Conrad: Justin.Conrad@uga.edu
Alexandra (Alex) Fabre de la Grange
Anticipated Graduation: Fall 2022
Anticipated degree: B.A. in International Affairs, Certificate in Global Studies
Alex is passionate about national security, defense, and counterterrorism. She is interested in ideological extremism and the operational methods of terrorist organizations. Alex was a Security Leadership Program scholar during her freshman/sophomore year. She focused her academic research on female terrorists and how gender impacts equity in terrorism cases.
Alex is currently interning within the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. She is conducing research on al Qaeda’s External Branch of Operations. Prior to that, Alex served as a Salafi-jihadi movement intern at the American Enterprise Institute where she performed open-source tracking and analysis of Salafi-jihadi activity in the Lake Chad region. During her time as an undergraduate, she studied abroad at the University of Oxford and took tutorials on Terrorism and International Conflict. Alex also participated in the Washington Semester Program, and was a PRISM Security Studies Publication Intern at the National Defense University.
Ben Hexamer
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in Liberal Studies | Indiana University
Ben Hexamer is interested in the evolving realm of energy security and the future of energy. While at the University of Georgia he has extensively researched policy making related to energy security, and engaged in the study of climate change as a catalyst for the worsening of the human condition, as well as other relevant fields such as global power diffusion.
Ben is presently a research assistant working with the Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) on material pertaining to the myriad of drivers and consequences of wildfires that have the capability to disproportionately affect certain regions within the United States. Prior to graduate school, Ben worked as a teaching assistant at Indiana University, and in the sales and operations division at VWR/Avantor delivering effective research products and material laboratory support at multiple Midwest and Georgia-based universities. Moving forward, Ben is interested in employment opportunities centered around the promotion of renewable energy systems and the creation of a sustainable future.
To learn more about Ben, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Stephen Talik
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in Political Science | Minor in History | St. Mary’s University
Stephen Talik is interested in China as a security threat to both Asia and the world, and has a specific interest in the South China Sea region. He has researched and studied China as a threat to international stability, power transitions, international relations within Asia, and the strategic undertakings of the United States in that area of the world.
Stephen currently serves as a graduate student researcher for the Carter-Vickers Research Society at the University of Georgia, where he works directly with faculty members on academic papers and research. Prior to that, Stephen served as an intern in the Washington D.C. office of a member of Congress.
To learn more about Stephen, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
J. Bailey Wiggins
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in International Affairs, B.A. in Political Science, B.A. in Russian | UGA
Bailey Wiggins is most interested in Eastern European politics, specifically those within the states of the former Soviet Union. Focusing on human security, she hopes to work to strengthen the democratic practices within the former Soviet bloc and to spread human rights practices in the region. In her time as an undergraduate, she completed the Russian Language Flagship Program, studied abroad in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and served as President of the Russian Club at the University of Georgia. In her senior year, she tutored a young Russian-speaking emigreé in English as a Second Language.
As a freshman, Bailey also had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Oxford, where she focused solely on Political Science and International Affairs. Under the instruction of her don, she studied the philosophical texts of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates, among other foundational thinkers on the structure and responsibilities of government. Throughout the rest of her undergraduate studies, she sought to understand the relationships between these ideal structures of government, the well-being of the citizens living within them, and the policies implemented by administrative bodies.
Upon completion of her graduate studies, Bailey hopes to work to strengthen human security in the former Soviet states, whether it be from the public or private sector.
To learn more about Bailey, feel free to view her SPIA profile here.
Rebecca Wilson
Anticipated graduation: Fall 2022
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in International Affairs | UGA
Rebecca Wilson is interested in terrorism, the Middle East, monitoring and combatting antisemitism, and the United States’ involvement in foreign governments. Rebecca hopes to work in intelligence or policy analysis.
She has been a participant of the Master of International Policy “Double Dawg” program since 2019. During her undergraduate career, she interned or studied abroad every summer. She completed the Comparative Politics and Education Maymester Study Abroad Program in Glasgow, Scotland in 2018. In the summer of 2019, she lived in Tel Aviv, Israel working as a Higher Education Caseworker at the African Refugee Development Center. Last summer, Rebecca lived on Sao Miguel Island, Azores, and interned at the American Corner within the US Consulate Ponta Delgada, directly assisting the Principal Officer. These unique experiences allowed her to explore a wide range of topics including education policy, immigration, and refugee policy, human rights, and American foreign policy. During her undergraduate career, Rebecca has been a member of the student executive board of Hillel at UGA each year and a Hebrew and Religious School Studies teacher for the past two years at Congregation Children of Israel.
To learn more about Rebecca, feel free to view her SPIA profile here.
Braden Sanders
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in International Relations & French | UGA
Braden Sanders is interested in Energy Security, Strategic Trade/Export Controls, WMD Nonproliferation. Braden is the CITS Security Scholar along with being a graduate research assistant.
Braden has been a member of the MIP program since Fall of 2021. Braden’s most recent experience has been as a Global Trade Intern at Pratt & Whitney, and aerospace contractor for the US Government. His other experiences include, Security Scholar – CITS, Graduate Teaching Assistant – UGA Department of History, Assistant Manager & Poll Worker – Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections, Sales Support – Sierra Wireless, and Scheduling & Advance Intern – US Department of Agriculture OSEC
To learn more about Braden, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Gary Martin
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2024
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. Political Science & Religion | Baylor University
Gary Martin is interested in Middle East Studies, Turkish and Greek Relations. He is interested in working in national.
Gary is currently a first year student in the MIP, and has conducted independent studies on leadership styles.
To learn more about Gary, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Sarah Fetter
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in International Affairs | UGA
Sarah Fetter is interested in terrorism and counterterrorism investigations. During her time at UGA she has assisted faculty member Dr. Chad Clay to organize and consolidate qualitative and quantitative data to analyze human rights violations under the death penalty based on political factors, as a Human Rights Research Assistant.
Sarah has been a participant of the MIP “Double Dawg” program. Currently she is working at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the Entry and Re-entry Division. I am creating a career development curriculum to prepare and equip former inmates for the workforce. Sarah has also worked for Breaking the Shackles as the Vice President of Cause Activation, where her main role was consulting with non-profit partner, Wellspring Living, to implement monthly educational and service based opportunities. She was also previously the Director of Communications prior to her promotion where she was responsible for overseeing and coordinating monthly cause events to promote advocacy amongst members and the Athens community.
To learn more about Sarah, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Alex Drahos
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2023
Anticipated degree: B.A. in International Affairs & Honors Interdisciplinary
2022-2023 SLP Cohort
Alex Drahos is interested in the intersection of innovation and security. Specifically, he is fascinated by how US culture and infrastructure bolsters creativity and its impact on national security. In the future, Alex wants to pursue innovation and systems thinking in the public or private sector.
Alex currently researches the interaction of LGBT+ rights and international conflict, using political terrorism and hate crime data from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. At UGA, he is a Student Industry Fellow, where he uses methods like design thinking to innovate products, systems, and processes for nonprofit and corporate clients. Alex is also an Assistant Senior Editor for the Georgia Political Review. Alex previously served as the president of Key Club International, where he facilitated volunteerism in thousands of communities around the world.
To learn more about Alex, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Sofia Mohamed
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2024
Anticipated degree: B.A. in International Affairs
2022-2023 SLP Cohort
Sofia is interested in the intersection of global health and human security. She is seeking a career that focuses on immigration, law, and humanitarian work. Although, she is open to exploring different fields within the realm of security.
At the University of Georgia, she is involved in Model UN, Dean William Tate Honor Society, and Muslim Student Association, where she is the Student Outreach Chair. Outside UGA, she has interned and volunteered with organizations such as, Young Georgians for Justice Coalition and Jon Ossoff for US Senate. This year, she has worked for the SPIA Survey Research Center as a Student Interviewer and interned with Groundbreakers, a non-profit global leadership network, as a Racial Equity Associate. She is currently interning with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.
To learn more about Sofia, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
Sydney Brashears
Anticipated graduation: Spring 2024
Anticipated degree: Master of International Policy
Previous degree: B.A. in Psychology and Political Science | Auburn University
Sydney is interested in national security, cyber security, and intelligence analysis.
Sydney is currently a Carter Vickers Fellow at the Center for International Trade and Security.
To learn more about Sydney, feel free to view his SPIA profile here.
