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
ANDREA REYES
AGS Co-Chair
Andrea Reyes, Class of 2025, is a Political Science and Russian Studies major from Northern California. She is a first-generation student with Mexican heritage. Her main interests are in national security, U.S.-Russian foreign policy, and political violence. On campus, Andrea is involved in research for the Political Science department, relating to the connection between state involvement in armed groups. Additionally, she does research on the subject of the Warsaw Pact and US-Russian historical policy. Andrea is fluent in Spanish and is currently working towards proficiency in Russian. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in national security. In her free time Andrea can be found hiking, working at the Perkins front desk, or practicing Krav Maga.
ZACHARY PATTERSON
AGS Co-Chair
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.
GRANT WERNICK
AGS Co-Chair
Grant Wernick, Class of 2025, is a History major from Miami, FL, and Northern Virginia. His interest in our nation’s past stems from a yearlong road trip to all 50 states -- and all 30 MLB ballparks -- during elementary school. Highlights of his AGS experience include the staff rides to Pearl Harbor and Italy and taking AGS Through Film, where he was cast as a certain former Fox News commentator who interviews a foreign autocrat in the class film. Grant graduated from Marines OCS this summer, earning his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor pin in the process, and will commission as a second lieutenant in Spring 2025. Hailing from a Boston sports family, he also double dips as an Inter Miami fan, meaning he has gotten to root for Tom Brady or Lionel Messi almost his entire life.
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.
IAN BAILEY
Ian Bailey, Class of 2025, is a Math and Economics double major from Garden City, NY. Outside of AGS, Ian researches the causal effects of social and economic stress from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami on long-term health outcomes as a member of the Frankenberg/Thomas International Population Health and Development Lab. Previously, Ian conducted research with the Ocean Evidence Gap Map Bass Connections team to identify gaps in marine conservation literature. Ian has interned at the Pan-American Health Organization and has worked with the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute through DukeEngage. He is also a Woodman Scholar and has represented Duke at the UChicago Econometrics Game. In his free time, Ian enjoys hiking, reading, and watching Duke basketball games.
ABIGAIL BERGAN
Abigail Bergan, Class of 2026, is a Public Policy major and Arabic & Theater Studies double 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. Originally from suburban Chicago but now calling coastal North Carolina home, Abigail enjoys sailing, reading, and baking when she has the time.
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.
MILLIE CAUGHEY
Millie Caughey, Class of 2025, is from Auckland, New Zealand, but has also spent time living in Australia and Singapore. She is prospective history and religion major, with a broad interest in the intersection of religion and geopolitics. She is a part of the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, a fellow at the Kenan Institute of ethics, and is involved in Duke debate and the Chronicle. In her free time she enjoys roller skating, drawing and Duke basketball.
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.
CAMERON EVANS
Cameron Evans, Class of 2025, is a British-American dual citizen and Political Science/History double major from Greenwich, Connecticut. He is broadly interested in the MENA region and U.S. national security strategy, with a particular focus on Iran and the Axis of Resistance. Cameron has been an intern at AEI’s Critical Threats Project, where he wrote daily reports and produced intelligence forecasts on Iranian-backed militants and the IRGC. He has also served as a historical researcher for the Pacific Atrocities Education, focusing on East Asian independence movements after WW2. On campus, he competes for Duke’s NCAA Fencing Team and is also on the AGS Council. In his free time, Cameron enjoys reading, skiing, and spending time with friends. He also hopes to develop a higher level of Persian proficiency and to travel to Tajikistan at some point in the future.
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.
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.
LAUREL HOLLEY
Laurel Holley, Class of 2025, is a Public Policy and International Comparative Studies double major from Greenville, South Carolina. She concentrates regionally on the Asia-Pacific and thematically on gender, trade, security, and peace. She is passionate about international economic empowerment, especially for sexual-and-gender minorities. She has spent significant time abroad, living in Querétaro, México and Clermont-Ferrand, France while growing up then studying in Singapore during her junior spring. She currently does research with Dr. Bruce W. Jentleson, focusing on U.S. public opinion as it pertains to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and generational differences in opinion. She intends to pursue a career in the public sector, improving the United States’ international relations. In her spare time, Laurel loves to dance and performs with Duke Rhydhun, the university’s premier competitive Bollywood-fusion team.
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.
ISHANVI MALAYANIL
SHIVAM MANI
Shivam Mani, class of 2025, is a Political Science and Computer Science major from the California Bay Area. He is interested in political economy topics such as development finance and political risk in the Indo-Pacific region. Shivam has lived and studied abroad in India, Mexico, Spain, China, and Taiwan, and speaks six languages. He has been involved in research about Chinese development finance in Africa, India-China relations, and Mandarin socio/psycholinguistics. He also enjoys reading about history, philosophy, religion; collecting maps; trivia; playing bridge gardening; and jazz.
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.
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.
ZOE SPICER
Zoe Spicer, Class of 2025, is a political science major from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is mainly interested in foreign policy and national security but hopes to continue developing expertise in other areas throughout her time at Duke. Outside of AGS, Zoe is a research assistant to Professor Feaver and Features Managing Editor of The Chronicle. Last summer, she interned at The Vandenberg Coalition, a foreign policy think tank based in D.C. She is proficient in Spanish and took Chinese classes while studying abroad in Taiwan in the fall. In her free time, Zoe enjoys reading novels and spending time with friends and family.
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.
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.
POLYNA UZUN
Polyna Uzun, Class of 2025, is a Public Policy major with a Human Rights certificate from Cary, North Carolina. Her interest in international relations flows from her Russian and Ukrainian heritage. Her career interests are in international law, diplomacy, and human rights. She is also fluent in Russian and is currently studying Mandarin. On campus, Polyna is an international law columnist for Juris, Duke’s Undergraduate Law Magazine. She works as a researcher at the Fuqua Business School Behavioral Lab as well as a program evaluator for the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy. She is also involved with the WXDU Radio Station and the Mirecourt SLG. After graduation, she plans to pursue law school. In her free time, Polyna likes to lift weights, practice DJing, read classical literature, and backpack outdoors.
HALLE WAGNER
Halle Wagner, Class of 2025, is a Public Policy and French & Francophone Studies double major and History minor from West Hartford, Connecticut. Her broad interests include international law, national security, and international development policy. Outside of AGS, Halle is a Case Law Editor for Juris, a historical research assistant in the French department, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law society. She interned at a small international development think tank last summer, during which her research focused on official development assistance efficacy and government corruption assessment. After graduation, Halle plans to pursue a career in law. In her free time, Halle enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring new museums.
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.