AGS Council is a group of students who support the program and its mission by helping to advise the leadership about programming, assist in event execution, and coordinate mentoring opportunities, activities, and other series to support students in the larger Duke community.
AGS Council provides a student perspective to ensure that the program is a space for all students to learn, engage, and collaborate.
VALUES:
We value inclusiveness, celebrating the diverse strengths, experiences, backgrounds, interests, beliefs, perspectives, and voices of all members of our community. We value open-mindedness and treat others with respect. We honor intellectual curiosity through active engagement within our community, programming, and curriculum. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity, scholarship, acceptance, and professionalism, and we value collaboration with the student body to continually grow and evolve. For more information on our commitments to these values, please read here.
Meet the Council
ABIGAIL BERGAN
Abigail Bergan, Class of 2026, is a Public Policy & Political Science double major and Arabic minor. Her interests include national security and diplomacy, Middle Eastern culture and politics, civil-military relations, and cybersecurity. Building on previous study in Morocco and Egypt through Duke in the Arab World, last summer Abigail taught English in rural Oman with DukeEngage. Beyond AGS, she is a research assistant in the Department of Political Science; she is also involved with Duke Players, Duke’s oldest student-run theater organization. This semester, she is conducting research with a Bass Connections team to study civil society development in the Middle East. Originally from suburban Chicago but now calling coastal North Carolina home, Abigail enjoys sailing, reading, traveling, and baking when she has the time.
ZACHARY PATTERSON
Zachary Patterson, Class of 2026, is a sophomore majoring in public policy and economics. Zachary, who is originally from San Diego, California, previously served as a member of the San Diego Board of Education from 2019-2022. Much of Zachary’s work surrounds creating systems of formal student representation in governmental entities. Zachary is the co-founder and board chair of the National Student Board Member Association, the training and professional development organization for the thousands of high school students serving on their local or state school boards. During high school, Zachary spent a semester abroad living in Israel on a program diving into the history and current geopolitics of the middle east. Zachary has a passion for foreign affairs and economics and seeks to work in the fields of diplomacy and international trade. He is particularly interested in working throughout Latin America. Zachary is Robertson Scholar based at Duke University and takes courses in the Peace War and Defense Major at UNC Chapel Hill. In his free time Zachary loves hiking, running, spending time with family, and trying new foods.
ELLIOT STRAUCH
Elliot Strauch, class of 2027, is a prospective Political Science major with minors in Spanish and Economics. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Elliot is broadly interested in foreign policy and national security, while he is specifically interested in the politics of Latin America, the history and future of the Middle East, and America’s role in the world. He has been fascinated with learning how history affects the present, both in his coursework and through participating in the 2024 international staff ride. In addition to AGS, Elliot is involved in the Duke Club Triathlon Team. After graduation, he hopes to work in government in a policy or diplomacy related capacity. Outside of Duke, Elliot enjoys watching college football and playing golf.
AGS Council
ZEESHAN ALI
Zeeshan Ali, Class of 2026, is a graduate student pursuing his Masters in Public Policy, concentrating on National Security & Foreign Policy, Global Health, and International Development Policy. His research centers on civil wars, humanitarian crises, and the international rule of law. Prior to Duke, Zeeshan documented crimes against humanity involving Sudan and Ukraine at Yale University and surveilled violent extremist organizations across the United States at Princeton University. Currently, he helps lead a research team at Duke Law where they are constructing a multidimensional fragility index on South Sudan in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM-UN). After Duke, Zeeshan hopes to pursue a joint J.D.-PhD program to advance his knowledge of the economic drivers of political violence and challenges to international humanitarian law. In his free time, Zeeshan loves mountain biking, traveling, and reading.
SOPHIE BRYNES
Sophie Brynes, class of 2028, is a Public Policy major and an Arabic and History double minor from Baltimore, Maryland. Sophie is broadly interested in international trade and labor policy as well as history, culture, and conflict in the Middle East. On campus, she is a part of the Mock Trial Team and Student Government's Durham Community Affairs Committee. Sophie is also a member of Phi Alpha Delta, a prelaw society. In her free time, Sophie enjoys reading, skiing, and cycling. After graduation Sophie hopes to pursue law school.
SAM CARPENTER
Sam Carpenter, Class of 2026, is hoping to major in Public Policy and Economics with a minor in Spanish. Having lived in Basel, Switzerland, for two years growing up caused Sam to grow an early interest in geopolitics and its ever-changing relationship with the national security apparatus. This interest has caused him to develop interests in defense policy as well as foreign relations, along with separate interests in aviation and artificial intelligence. On campus, Sam is a Senator in Duke Student Government on the Durham and Community Affairs Committee, a Tour Guide, and Director of Community Engagement for the Duke Aviation Association. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a pilot slot in the Air Force Reserves or Air National Guard. In his free time, he enjoys lifting, running, watching Cincinnati Bengals Football, and flying recreationally.
TREVOR DARR
Trevor Darr, Class of 2028, is a double major in Physics and Political Science from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Growing up near a military hub, NASA research center, and commercial spaceport, Trevor has a special passion for studying space exploration and its incorporation as a theater into American strategic doctrine, situated amongst larger interests in political strategy and great power competition. Trevor is an active member of the Space Generation Advisory Council, and works on campus in the Space Diplomacy Lab, High Energy Physics Lab, Center for Documentary Studies, and Cosmology Group. When not consumed by some combination of these pursuits, Trevor also finds time to sail and play his Fender Dreadnought. One goal Trevor has is to see all seven continents by the time he graduates - and, in case it wasn’t abundantly clear, make it past the Kármán Line at some point.
CHARLOTTE DUFFY
Charlotte Duffy, Class of 2027, is a Political Science and Economics double major and Chinese minor from New York City. Her broad interests are in foreign policy, diplomacy, and international trade. She is particularly drawn to US-China relations and hopes to eventually gain fluency in Chinese. Outside of AGS, Charlotte is involved in the Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit, a shareholder in Campus Enterprises, and a student researcher for Bass Connections where she will be studying the political socialization of young teenagers through the 2024 election. In her free time, Charlotte loves to run, watch movies, and try new restaurants with friends, and she hopes to pursue a career in geopolitics after graduation!
ELLIOT ELKINS
Elliot Elkin, Class of 2028. From Arlington, Massachusetts, Elliot is majoring in Economics with a minor in French. He is deeply interested in geopolitics and national security, with a focus on Europe and West Africa. Elliot plans to pursue a career in national security or diplomacy. Outside of his studies, Elliot plays the cello and participates in Duke’s mock trial team. He’s spent two summers interning for US Congressman Seth Moulton, in both his political and official offices, working on the congressman’s rail transportation and veterans initiatives. A lifelong enthusiast of transportation, he has a particular fascination with aviation and railways. He is also an avid supporter of Boston sports teams, especially the Patriots. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking and spending time in nature.
SOPHIE ENDRUD
Sophie Endrud, Class of 2027, is a prospective Public Policy major from Birmingham, Michigan. She also plans to pursue minors in Global Health and Journalism and Media. Living in Paris, France in her childhood sparked early interest for her in cultivating an international worldview. She is broadly interested in international development and human rights as they intersect with global health. On campus, she is a research assistant for Dr. Jennifer Siegel, a Duke Presidential Ambassador, a member of the Student Advisory Board for the Human Rights Center, and a news staff writer for The Chronicle. She is joining a Bass Connections team focused on information inequalities and their relation to public policy for the 2024-25 school year. This summer, she will be teaching English and digital literacy to adults and working for a humanitarian organization in Dakar, Senegal with DukeEngage. In her free time, she enjoys long distance running, hiking, and reading.
ALI FISHMAN
Ali Fishman, Class of 2026, is a Political Science and Comparative Studies double major from San Francisco, California. She is particularly interested in international humanitarian law and the conduct of war, especially in the Middle East. At Duke, Ali serves as the Director of Human Rights Education for the Amnesty International Student Group and is a research assistant for the Duke Political Science department. Beyond the classroom, she has worked at San Francisco City Hall for Supervisor Catherine Stefani and as a research intern for JUMA Enterprises. This upcoming summer, she will be working as a legal and policy intern for the Human Rights Foundation. After graduation, Ali hopes to attain a JD and a Master's in International Affairs through a dual degree program. Following that, she aspires to either practice international humanitarian law or work in policy at the State Department. In her free time, you can find her surfing in the freezing San Francisco Bay, curled up with a book, or coaching basketball to second graders in Durham.
CHRISTOPHER FITZGERALD
Christopher Fitzgerald, Class of 2028, is a prospective Economics major. Christopher runs and is the co-founder of Intrace (previously APIGen), a VC-backed AI software startup that automates open source intelligence collection and analysis with swarms of specialized AI agents. He is interested in how technology will impact foreign policy, especially in terms of how militaries will adapt to autonomous weapons and the potential power imbalances they will create and close. Enthusiastic about speaking French and fascinated by Francophone countries, Christopher is intrigued by the geopolitics of Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as by its economic development in tandem with certain Asian nations, in the context of declining birth rates in the West. Obsessed with unorthodox travel—whether visiting disputed territory or the most remote corners of the planet—he also loves debating, programming, exercising, and hiking.
SAMANYU GANGAPPA
Samanyu Gangappa, Class of 2027, is pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science and hails from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. His interests include economic statecraft, emerging technology, Asia policy, and national security. Outside of AGS, Samanyu is the Local/National Strategy Editor for The Chronicle and a staff writer for its sports department. He also worked in an ashram in rural India with DukeEngage over summer 2024, conducts research on refugee camp management as part of a Bass Connections team, and is a senator for Duke Student Government. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading biographies (or any nonfiction), watching cricket or movies, cheering on the Atlanta Braves, and playing the tabla.
ANNA HADLEY
Anna Hadley, Class of 2026, is planning to major in Public Policy or Political Science with a minor in Spanish and also plans to pursue a certificate in Human Rights. Anna is broadly interested in history, international development, and human rights. She is a member of the Polis Student Committee. On campus, Anna has also been involved with Duke Votes and Duke Women in Politics, and works with the Latino Educational Achievement Partnership to tutor Latino children in Durham. In her free time, Anna enjoys listening to music and podcasts, being outdoors, and travelling.
NOAH HAMID
Noah Hamid, Class of 2028, is an Economics and Political Science double major from Los Angeles, California. As an Iranian Jew, Noah brings a personal lens to his interest in Middle East politics. He is broadly focused on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and the strategic dilemmas posed by the region, particularly the evolving roles of Israel and Iran in shaping regional dynamics. He is fascinated by how ideology, identity, and strategy intersect in global affairs, and how political polarization—both at home and abroad—shapes a nation’s priorities. In his free time, Noah enjoys Formula 1 Racing, watching the Los Angeles Lakers, and watching movies.
SONG YEE HO
Song Yee Ho, Class of 2027, is a Political Science and Economics double major from Singapore. He is broadly interested in US-China relations and their interactions with Southeast Asia and is fluent in written Mandarin. Outside of AGS, he is involved in the Federal Reserve Challenge, the Singapore Student Association, and the Center for Christianity and Scholarship. He has also conducted research on tech geopolitics and foreign interference laws for Dr. Shashi Jayakumar, an adjunct fellow at CSIS, and economic sanctions for macroeconomics Postdoctoral Associate Dr. Morad Bali. As a recipient of a Singapore Government scholarship, he will take on policy-making roles in the Singaporean Public Service following graduation. In his free time, he likes hiking and reading.
AAMER HUSAIN
Aamer Husain, Class of 2026, is a prospective Economics and Public Policy major and Mathematics minor from Chapel Hill, NC. His academic interests include international political economy, finance, and foreign policy. Specifically, Aamer is interested in Middle East and South Asian affairs and the effects of economic policy on the region’s development. Aamer’s passion in foreign policy grew from watching Madam Secretary with his family and his annual trips to Pakistan which made him fascinated with how different peoples and cultures interact. On campus, he is a member of Scale and Coin Business Society and a research assistant at the Department of Political Science studying the impacts of third-party actors on sanction waiver implementation. This summer, he will work in Asunción, Paraguay, assisting the government with renegotiating the Itaipú Dam energy treaty with Brazil. In his free time, Aamer can be found on a run, making espresso, or cheering on Duke Basketball.
DYLAN JOHNSON
Dylan Johnson, a Master of Public Policy candidate, is concentrating in national security policy. He is from Petaluma, California and holds an undergraduate degree from New York University in Business and Political Economy, a specialized program that entailed two years of study in London, Abu Dhabi, and Tel Aviv. After graduating in 2019, he worked in corporate security for five years. He entered the industry as an intelligence analyst and eventually managed the training programs for a global security operations center responsible for protecting over 35,000 employees. At Duke, Dylan is a Carlucci national security graduate fellow and tech policy club officer. In his free time you’ll find Dylan watching movies, cooking, planning travel, and playing drums or piano.
CELIA LAWLOR
Celia Lawlor, Class of 2028, is a prospective Political Science major concentrating in International Relations, with minors in Russian Studies and Computer Science. Originally from Weston, MA, she is passionate about national security, cybersecurity, and intelligence analysis. At Duke, she is involved in the Alexander Hamilton Society, Triangle Institute for Security Studies, and Club Swimming. Celia is a Fellow at Al Fusaic, promoting cross-cultural engagement with the SWANA region, and a longtime mentee with Girl Security, where she connects with women in the Intelligence Community. She has interned for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, supporting legislation on youth homelessness. Celia speaks Spanish, Latin, Russian, and beginner Arabic. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, pottery, and volunteering in her community.
ISHANVI MALAYANIL
Ishanvi Malayanil, Class of 2026, is majoring in Public Policy and Economics. Ishanvi is originally from Clarksburg, Maryland, and has a deep interest in international development, governance, and gender equity. Her passion for foreign policy stems from her advocacy work in advancing girls’ rights and political participation on both local and global scales. Ishanvi has participated in U.S. State Department consultations on policies supporting girls' leadership and civic engagement as a Women Deliver Young Leader. From 2021 to 2024, she served on the UN Women Adolescent Advisory Committee for the Generation Equality initiative and was a youth speaker at the Commission on the Status of Women. Her work has been recognized by organizations such as Gucci Equilibrium, Malala Fund, Plan International, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UN Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, karate, trying new cuisine, and exploring different cultures through travel.
ANSLEY MARSH
Ansley Marsh, Class of 2027, is a Public Policy and Arabic double major with a minor in history from Fort Myers, Florida. Knowing from a young age she wanted to be in the military, she joined Duke's Army ROTC program and is now the Ranger Challenge team captain. Awaiting her commission, she has become interested in the intersection of military intelligence, counterterrorism, and national security law. Outside of AGS, Ansley is the co-editor-in-chief of the Duke Undergraduate Law Review, a researcher on The Science of Refugee Camps Bass Connections Team, and the Vice President of Communications for Young America's Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, running Al-Buehler, playing New York Times games, and watching all of the Duke sports.
NEEL MEHRA
Neel Mehra, Class of 2027, is a prospective Financial Economics and Statistics major from Vienna, VA, just outside of Washington, D.C. Having lived in the D.C area for over 14 years, being exposed to different agencies and events caused Neel to grow an early interest in national security, foreign relations, and geopolitics. Highlights of his AGS experience include the staff ride to Belin & Prague and the trips to the Situation Room and Fort Liberty. Previously, Neel worked for four years at the National Capital Region of the American Red Cross as an Engagement Specialist, and this past summer, Neel was a financial intern at the Itaipu Binacional Dam in Brazil through Duke Engage. In his free time, Neel enjoys playing basketball and piano, reading, trying new cuisines, and watching Duke basketball games.
SIVAN NEMIROF
Sivan Nemirof, Class of 2027, is a prospective Computer Science major with a Concentration in AI and Machine Learning minoring in French and Finance. He hails from New York City. His interests include foreign policy in the Middle East, national security, and military history. After graduating high school, Sivan embarked on a transformative journey during his gap year with Kivunim, a program based in Jerusalem that took him to eleven other countries to study their Jewish communities. This past summer he lived with a host family while taking two classes as part of Duke in Paris. Sivan is also a cellist and has performed in three continents including at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. In his free time, Sivan loves to play and watch soccer, cheer on Duke basketball, and work as an ocean lifeguard.
ZACHARY PARTNOY
Zachary Partnoy, Class of 2026, is a History major originally from San Diego, California. He is particularly interested in diplomacy, European security, and the U.S-U.K special relationship. At Duke, Zachary is the founder/editor-and-chief of The Lemur, Duke’s magazine for big ideas, where he writes essays about intellectual history and foreign policy. He has worked as a development intern at Paramount Pictures and this summer will be working as a researcher on a Bass Connections project titled Future Space Settlements: Lessons from History. After graduation, Zachary aspires to become a diplomat or a federal prosecutor. In his free time, you can find him arguing about science fiction movies and playing golf.
TREVOR PHELPS
Trevor Phelps is a candidate in the Master of Public Policy Class of 2026, concentrating on national security and foreign policy. Trevor is originally from Crozet, Virginia, and lived in Washington, D.C., before returning to graduate school. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Trevor worked as an intelligence analyst in the field of intellectual and trade secret protection, seeking to prevent foreign acquisition of American trade secrets. In his free time, Trevor enjoys being outdoors with his dogs, hiking, swimming, competing in any sport, or reading.
JASON SENDERS
Jason Senders, Class of 2028, is a prospective Economics and Public Policy double major from Westchester, NY. His foreign policy interests include the Israeli-Arab conflict, tensions in the South and East China Seas, and Chinese relationships with Latin American and African countries. Outside of AGS, Jason is involved with the Fed Challenge and is a member of the Polis Student Committee. In his free time, Jason enjoys playing basketball, tennis, and running.
LILLIAN STURHAHN
Lillian Sturhahn, Class of 2027, is a prospective Political Science and French major from Denver, Colorado. She is interested in national security, cyber policy, and the impact of artificial intelligence on geopolitics. On campus, Lillian is involved in the international relations publication Borderless, in which she both writes articles and serves on the copy and layout editorial board. She is also an officer on the Duke Special Olympics team, works as a recruiting and scouting intern for the Duke football team, and is the social chair of the triathlon team. After graduation, Lillian hopes to pursue a career in the Foreign Service.
LUCAS WAGNER
Lucas Wagner, Class of 2027, is a Mathematics and Economics major from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a research assistant through Duke’s Frankenberg-Thomas Lab, where he studies the distributive effects of natural disasters. He leads the Duke Cyber Policy team and has participated in AGS programs in Japan, Berlin, New Orleans, Virginia Beach, and Gettysburg. Outside of Duke, Lucas has worked in voter targeting and data for several congressional, mayoral, and city council campaigns, with a particular interest in modeling intra-party political preferences. He plans to pursue graduate study in economics after earning his degree.
TANYA WAN
Tanya Wan, Class of 2028, is an English and Political Science double major and Statistical Science minor from Hong Kong. She is broadly interested in East Asian politics and U.S.-China relations, and is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Outside of AGS, Tanya is a member of the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, and is involved with the Ninth Street Journal, Flowers for the Future, and the Hong Kong Student Association. She is also a member of the United Nations Youth Peace Policy Lab Program, for which she is co-writing a policy paper pertaining to the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In her free time, Tanya loves to read, write, and spend time exploring new restaurants with friends.
DANIEL ZHENG
Daniel Zheng, Class of 2026, is an Economics and Computer Science major from Maryland. His interests fall at the intersection of technology and macroeconomics, with a special focus on China and the developing world. He spent last summer in Taiwan, where he worked at an Asia-focused venture capital firm. On campus, Daniel is a research assistant for Dr. Duncan Thomas, where he studies causal relationships between health and natural disasters. Outside of class, he is also involved with Duke Conversations and serves as a Resident Assistant. This upcoming summer, he will be working at a tech-focused hedge fund. In his free time, Daniel enjoys poker, tea, and reading.