Staff Biographies

Julie Castro is currently a junior at the University of California Santa Barbara and majors in Global Studies and Architecture History with a minor in Spanish. The unusual combination comes from her interest in sustainable development around the world. While taking classes at UCSB Julie volunteers at the Isla Vista Youth projects assisting the “Lions” class. She is participating in the UC Washington D.C. program, and working at this fall at the Council. Her desire to study and work in a new city sprouts from her experience traveling throughout Europe and Latin America. Julie plans to spend the summer in Guatemala, in order to study Spanish literature.

Charsaree Clay is originally from Tuscaloosa, AL. She is a MA Candidate in Conflict Transformation and Policy Advocacy at SIT Graduate Institute (School for International Training) in Brattleboro, Vermont. She received a BA degree in Psychology from Maryville College in Maryville, TN where she wrote a senior thesis on Second Language Acquisition comparing US and Japanese student classroom learning styles. After completing her undergraduate studies, Charsaree spent a year and a half in Japan teaching English to children and adults. She has volunteered for many nonprofit organizations including Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Second Harvest, and American Red Cross.

Alina Hamden is a senior at the University of California at Santa Barbara completing her bachelor’s in Political Science, Spanish, and Leadership Development. She is currently participating in the UC center program in DC to further her interest in government, politics, and international relations. In the fall of 2007 Alina studied abroad in Southern Spain at the University of Córdoba, where she became conversational in Spanish. Having visited the Middle East on numerous occasions, Alina is also conversational in Arabic. After completing her degree, Alina plans to pursue a graduate degree in Public Policy and hopes to someday help shape human rights policies.

Patricia Kempe is originally from Pembroke, Bermuda. She is a sophomore at the George Washington University and is working towards her B.A. in International Affairs, a Spanish Language Minor, with a double concentration in the Middle East and Conflict and Security. Patricia is also an involved member of the Alpha Phi Fraternity as a director of International Relations in the Marketing Department. She previously interned at the Center for a Free Cuba in DC.

Amy Ly is originally from Southern California and recently graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Development Studies, with regional focuses on East and Southeast Asia. She is conversational in Mandarin and Cantonese. During her time as a college student she studied abroad in Oxford, England for a semester and travelled extensively throughout Europe during her time there. She eventually hopes to have a career in international relations or foreign policy after attending graduate school.

Betto van Waarden is from the Netherlands, but also lived in Germany and Canada. He came to study at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 2006 on a one-year scholarship from the Fulbright Center, but ended up staying to complete an undergraduate degree in history. Aspiring to become a modern homo universalis, he has embraced the diversity of the American liberal arts by taking courses in many different disciplines and studying multiple languages—Dutch, German, English, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and next year Swahili. Before coming to Washington, DC, Betto was doing a “100 Projects for Peace” project in Brazil with a grant from the Wasserman Davis Foundation. In the near future he hopes to pursue a postgraduate degree in political science or international relations.

Kari Walling is a Senior at American University in Washington D.C. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, she is completing her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations with a dual focus on U.S. Foreign Policy and Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a world traveler who lived near Venice, Italy for four years and speaks Italian. Kari’s area of interest is Africa. In the summer of 2007 she studied abroad in South Africa and worked in after-school care programs in rural townships. Her goal is to be a Foreign Service Officer with the State Department in the field of Public Diplomacy.

Ryan Braun is originally from Decatur, Indiana.  He is currently a junior at Xavier University with a double major in Philosophy, Politics, and the Public, and History with minors in French, Economics, International Studies, and Political Science.  He worked on a Cincinnati City Council Campaign in the fall and for the Bill Richardson for President Campaign in Iowa in the winter.  After completing his undergraduate studies he plans to pursue a degree in public policy.  Ryan is also the mascot for Xavier University.

Veronica Corsaro is from Bloomington, Indiana and will be a senior at New York University in the fall of 2008. She is completing a major in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, and minors in Politics and Anthropology. In the summer of 2007, Veronica studied at the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, Morocco, and she spent the fall 2007 semester at the American University in Cairo. She previously interned with various political campaigns and has volunteered extensively with child care organizations.

Thomas Eager was born in Washington, D.C. and has lived in the greater Metropolitan area his whole life, attending high school at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD. He is a rising senior at Tufts University in Boston where he is pursuing a double major in International Relations and Middle East Studies. He has also made learning Arabic an important focus in his education, having studied the language during his time at Tufts, in addition to attending summer Arabic classes at Georgetown in 2007. He studied abroad at the American University in Cairo in the fall of 2007, where he continued to improve his Arabic by living in Egypt. While in the Middle East, he traveled in and around Egypt and took trips to Jordan, Israel and Turkey. Prior to his work at the World Affairs Council, he spent several summers teach tennis as an associate pro at River Falls Swim and Tennis Club in Potomac, MD.

Kari Walling is a Senior at American University in Washington D.C. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, she is completing her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations with a dual focus on U.S. Foreign Policy and Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a world traveler who lived near Venice, Italy for four years and speaks Italian. Kari’s area of interest is Africa. In the summer of 2007 she studied abroad in South Africa and worked in after-school care programs in rural townships. Her goal is to be a Foreign Service Officer with the State Department in the field of Public Diplomacy.

Husayn Hasan is a junior at the University of California Santa Barbara and is originally from San Diego, California. He is a double major in Business Economics and Political Science with an emphasis in public service. His dedication to public service extends beyond the theory and he is an active legislator in his student government and active in university advisory committee's such as the Recreational Center Governance Board. Husayn also enjoys playing on UCSB's club Ultimate team and going on adventurous outdoor activities. He tries to make every day great and looks forward to making the world a better place.

Lindsay Beck is from Urbana, Maryland, and is currently a senior at James Madison University with a major in International Affairs with a focus in Asia and a Latin American Studies minor. While studying at James Madison University, she was a charter member for the Madison Political Affairs Club and participated in the Chinese Student Association and James Madison University Tae Kwon Do Club. In the summer of 2007, Lindsay studied abroad in China where she studied at Sichuan University in Chengdu and Tsinghua University in Beijing. After graduation in May 2008, she plans to work in a foreign policy thinktank, research foundation, or pursue a Master’s degree in International Relations. Lindsay is fluent in Spanish and has studied Mandarin Chinese for 3 years.

Tessa Gay is in Washington, DC for 3 months, participating in the UCDC program through the University of California, San Diego. She is in her last year at UCSD, completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations, with a Religion minor. Tessa is working to develop her language skills in French and Italian and spent the Fall of 2007 abroad with the Institute for Liberal Arts at Palazzo Rucellai in Florence, Italy. After Graduation in June, Tessa hopes to continue her work in international policy by pursuing a degree in International Law at Georgetown University. Eventually, she plans to work with the United Nations and the US State Department in order to further international cooperation and United States Foreign Policy

Elly Hirano is originally from Tokyo, Japan. She is currently a junior at the George Washington University, working towards her B.A. in International Affairs (International Development) with minors in Spanish and Anthropology. She received the Presidential Scholarship for academic merit, and she continues to earn her place on the Dean’s List each semester. Elly has an international background and has lived in Bahrain, Singapore and Japan. She has studied abroad to Bilbao, Basque Country (Spain) during high school and has recently returned from Costa Rica where she experienced hands-on development work throughout the semester. She speaks Japanese, English and Spanish and has learned French and Basque.

Patricia Kempe is originally from Pembroke, Bermuda. She is a sophomore at the George Washington University and is working towards her B.A. in International Affairs, a Spanish Language Minor, with a double concentration in the Middle East and Conflict and Security. Patricia is also an involved member of the Alpha Phi Fraternity as a director of International Relations in the Marketing Department. She previously interned at the Center for a Free Cuba in DC.

Angelo Noguera is originally from Santa Clara, California and is currently a 3rd year Political Science Major at the University of California, Berkeley. He is in Washington through the University of California Washington DC, a full time academic program with an internship to give students a chance to experience a professional life in DC. At Cal, his focus is mainly in international relations, with emphasis on national security and terrorism. While here, he plans to write a research paper on the development of national security policy and its impact in the war in terror. During the last two years, Angelo has worked in Cupertino Unified School, assisting teachers and students in special education classes. Upon his return to California, Angelo plans to finish his degree.

Yuvaraj Sivalingam is originally from Southern California and is currently studying International Law and Organizations in the Washington Semester Program at American University. Over the past summer, Yuvaraj took part in the London School of Economics summer program studying the Middle East and Global Politics. His main academic interests include international affairs and humanitarian aid, with particular emphasis on ethnic and religious conflict as well as genocide. He has been involved in public education, outreach, and fundraising efforts at the University of California, Santa Cruz working with the local chapter of STAND and the HOPE Benefit Concert Series. Yuvaraj has also had extensive experience in disaster relief, previously working for the Sarvodaya Shramadana Society of Sri Lanka aiding in the post-tsunami relief effort, and the Emergency Communities Organization in New Orleans.

Vanessa Stephenson is currently a senior at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia. Vanessa is a part of the Political Science program at her school and is involved in the South Lakes High School International Club (SLICE), which spreads cultural awareness. She hopes to attend University of Virginia, and is still awaiting college acceptances. Vanessa is conversational in Spanish and enjoys learning about Latin American culture after visiting Mexico and El Salvador three times.