Meet Our Leadership and Community Engagement Fellows

Katherine Ambrose

Katherine Ambrose is currently a sophomore at William & Mary, and was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She is pursuing a major in International Relations and a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. Most of her free time on campus is spent with friends, on the lacrosse field, or with a variety of different organizations. Katherine serves as a Sharpe Community Scholar, a campus tour guide, the Vice President of Administration of Pi Beta Phi sorority, a part-time student employee, and a member of the Development Ambassadors program. She also is a part of the First-Year Orientation Experience and the Mock Trial team. In the past, Katherine created a debate program at one of Williamsburg’s middle schools, and taught the basics of public speaking, argumentation, and debate to students. She hopes to ultimately study abroad in Florence, Italy and travel as often as she can. Her passions include human rights, global outreach, gender inequality, and access to education. Katherine plans to use her William & Mary teaching to work in politics and social justice, potentially attend law school, and proceed to a career in public office.

Quetzabel Benavides

Quetzabel Benavides is a junior at The College of William and Mary and is majoring in International Relations. She was born and raised in Dallas, TX and is the first and only person in her family to attend college. On campus, Quetzabel is involved in Student Assembly as the Secretary for the Class of 2016. She is also involved in M.A.N.O.S. (Medical Aid to Nicaragua: Outreach Scholarship), an organization that is devoted to provide a multi-faceted approach to address community-identified health issues in Nicaragua through research, scholarship, and service. Quetzabel is also one of nine women to establish the first Latina sorority on campus that strives to empower all women and expand Latino cultural awareness. Given her personal experience, Quetzabel is extremely passionate about domestic violence and hopes to pursue a career that will allow her to provide assistance for victims of domestic violence. Her long term goal involves opening her own non-profit organization that will provide programs and services that will empower women and ensure that their families live a safe and self-sufficient life. Quetzabel views DCSI as an important opportunity that will allow her to gain valuable insight into creating positive sustainable change. 

E'Driana Berry

E’Driana Berry is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary, where she is declaring a major in Public Policy with a minor in Public Health. She hails from Stone Mountain, Georgia where she grew up with her younger brother, Ean, and her two dogs, Jessie and Bruno. She enjoys traveling, has impeccable taste in music, writes poetry, plays the violin and viola, and crushes her opponents in Scrabble. When she’s not hard at work she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. On campus she is the Social Chair of the Christopher Wren Singers, a peer educator with the Health Outreach Peer Education (HOPE) program, a member of Students of the Caribbean Association (SOCA) and E.S.S.E.N.C.E Women of Color. She is also currently participating in The College’s first SEED dialogue program. E’Driana is very excited about her participation in DCSI this summer where she is looking forward to combining passion, education, and opportunities to explore public policies regarding race, mental health, and service.

Jacob Bradshaw

Jacob Bradshaw is a Junior at the College of William and Mary, from Powhatan Virginia. He is a government major who aspires to go to law school after he has finished his undergraduate studies. He is a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and the W&M Rugby team. He dreams of one day becoming a successful novel writer.

Nate Carabello

Nathan Carabello is a current sophomore at William and Mary, and hails from Old Lyme, Connecticut. Nate is pursuing a Government major, and a Management and Organizational Leadership minor, and is involved in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Men’s Club Soccer, Tribal Fever Fan Club, and a Terrorism and Youth Violence research team. Nate hopes to use this program as a spring board to explore the potential career paths open to William and Mary students in D.C, and also to gain valuable life experience in going from living in a quiet, rural area to living in a bustling city for the summer.

Catherine Cleary

Alison Cohen

Alison Cohen is a sophomore at the College of William & Mary and a graduate from the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland. She is pursuing a major in government. On campus, she serves as PR Chair and a photographer for Humans of William & Mary, leads a Girl Scout troop, takes photos for the Flat Hat, and was previously an intern at AidData. She is also a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Alison loves to travel, and in addition to studying abroad last summer in Goa, India, she has been on service trips to northern India, Laos, Thailand, China, Cambodia, and Costa Rica. She is particularly interested in the education of girls in developing countries. She is very excited about this summer with the DC Summer Institute!

Phoebe Galt

Phoebe, a sophomore at the College, is a government and religious studies double major. Born in Colorado, she has grown up in Taiwan, India, China, Belgium, and northern Virginia. On campus, Phoebe is happy to serve as President of the Class of 2017 for the second year, as well as fundraising chair for the Women's Club Ultimate Frisbee Team. She is also an active member of salsa club and saxophone ensemble. Phoebe worked in Public Affairs at the State Department last summer, largely in promotion of civil society abroad. She is looking forward to a summer of valuable insight in how to best motivate colleagues, peers, and ultimately a target community toward a common goal of lasting importance.

Zachary Gore

Zachary Gore is a current junior at the College of William & Mary, originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina . He is pursuing a B.A. in both Philosophy and Government with a focus on international cooperation and development. On campus, Zach is involved with Development Ambassadors and is a brother of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He has worked with AidData, part of the Institute for the Theory & Practice of International Relations, since the middle of his sophomore year. In his free time, Zach enjoys reading, keeping up with current events, and playing ultimate frisbee and soccer. His research interests are in infrastructure development and poverty alleviation, and he intends to pursue a Masters degree in international development or foreign service after graduating from the College in 2016. He hopes to use his experience in DC to learn about career prospects and sharpen his leadership skills to take on future challenges.

Monica Huang

Monica Huang is currently a sophomore at College of William and Mary. She plans to major in Economics and International Relations and is also taking extensive courses in German Studies. She attended middle school and high school in Beijing, China, and she also studied abroad last summer in Potsdam, Germany. Monica fully appreciates the opportunity of being exposed to multiple cultural environments, and she is dedicated to contribute more in spreading international awareness to the global community. Her current interests include education reform and religious organization development in East Asia, immigration and minority rights, and many more. In her free time on campus, she is a member of the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association, a tutor at Williamsburg Chinese School, and a volunteer at the William and Mary Campus Kitchen. She also works with faculties in the music department to deliver regular performances at local churches and events. Monica is looking forward to her experience at the Leadership and Community Engagement Institute, one that will not only help her develop professional skills but also expand her vision and insights of public issues.

Taylor Jasper

Taylor Jasper is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary where she plans to double major in Africana Studies and Philosophy. Taylor has always been passionate about the social injustices that plague our society and has a keen interest in the achievement gap that exists in urban school districts. She is excited to explore and research these topics as a Leadership and Community Engagement fellow. One of her goals in life is to be instrumental in urban educational reform, and more specifically the implementation of non-Eurocentric curricula in minority school districts. On campus, Taylor serves on the executive board of the Students of the Caribbean Association, is a Development Ambassador, and an active member in African Culture Society and ACS Dance. Taylor is from right outside of Richmond in Mechanicsville, VA.

Sam Jens

Samuel (Sam) Jens, a sophomore at the College, was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Austin, Texas and northern Virginia. When not on campus, he resides in Reston, VA nearby Washington, DC. He is pursuing a double major in Government and Psychology. Sam is highly invested in a couple of organizations at the College. On campus, he is involved in Orchesis, the modern dance company, and the W&M cycling team. He is the Travel Representative for the cycling team, and coordinates travel details while the team races at other colleges in the Mid-Atlantic region. Sam hopes to participate in a study abroad program his junior year in Southeast Asia, while furthering his studies in government and psychology. His career goals are to either work in DC at a government organization, or continue his schooling in psychology to become a psychotherapist.

Alora Jiang

Qi (Alora) Jiang is an International Relations major and a potential Economics or Psychology minor at the College of William and Mary. Alora was born and raised in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, where she developed her interest in judicial reform and development. Alora is currently a Linda Caviness International Intern at the National Center for State Courts, a Resident Assistant for 44 residents on campus, and a pre-law member of the Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. She was a Research Assistant at the AidData Center for Development Policy and an Activity Coordinator at Community Action Agency - Head Start Program. Her dream is to promote the rule of law and fight corruption on international level, and her career goal is to work in development and anti-corruption as an international lawyer.

In her spare time, Alora enjoys playing guitar, modern dancing, cooking, whitewater rafting, doing aerobics and having quality times with her friends and family. She speaks three languages: Chinese, English and Korean and is enthusiastic about cross-culture communication

Lathem Koerner

Lathem Koerner is a sophomore at the College studying international relations with a slant towards economics and international development. Lathem spends much of his free time playing with William and Mary's Club A team Ultimate Frisbee and dancing with the Salsa Club. Lathem is particularly interested in Latin American cultures and would love to work in DC with a slant towards working I'm Latin America. Lathem has experience with leadership during his summers as the Ropes Course Director at Camp Chanco on the James.

William Maas

Hannah McKiernan

Hannah is a sophomore at the College, majoring in Government with a minor in English. She is from Winchester, Virginia and is convinced that the Shenandoah Valley is the greatest place on Earth. Hannah worked in Richmond this semester with Senator John Miller and has worked on local and statewide campaigns for several years. She is excited to learn more about how DC works over the summer by interning in the city.  On campus Hannah is involved in the service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and serve as its VP of Inter-Chapter Relations. She is also the Outreach Chair of the W&M Young Democrats, serves on Alma Mater Production's Music Committee, and is a member of the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive student-run think tank. Hannah is a distance runner who also happens to be obsessed with college basketball. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys going on hikes and binge watching The West Wing on Netflix. 

T.A. Nguyen

Although my birth name is Tram-Anh, I go by T.A.. I’m a sophomore here at WM, majoring in Neuroscience. Last year, I competed as a member WM Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team as well as WM Dhamaal Bhangra Team.  This year, I’m involved with Tribe College Outreach, which allows me to mentor high school seniors and help them craft college essays. Some of my favorite things include peanut butter, stationery, and fuzzy socks. I spend a disproportionate amount of time asking questions about how to live life well and I love having these conversations as much as sipping hot chocolate on a Christmas evening.  I like to keep an open mind, but my greatest challenge (aside from catching up on organic chemistry, of course) is keeping an open heart. Borrowing wisdom from the likes of David Foster Wallace and Randy Pausch, I believe that education is meant to help us find our own set of values that define who we want to be. Education is meant for self-discovery and that’s why I hope to become a teacher or an education policy-maker.

Tim von Stetten

Tim von Stetten, an Accounting and Sociology double-major, is originally from Stow, Massachusetts. He is graduating in December 2015 and plans on jumping into the nonprofit sector. On campus, Tim is President of the W&M sWiM Club, an active member of Phi Sigma Pi, and a Student Director for Branch Out. Sustainable community development and mobilizing large-scale volunteerism are two are Tim’s strongest passions, and are what led him to be involved in the growing nation-wide alternative break movement. He interned last summer with a Boston-area nonprofit and this year hopes to gain more experience in the field. In his free time, Tim loves to read and travel with friends. This summer, he is excited to explore DC and work directly with current leaders in public service. 

Jordan Taffet

Jordan Taffet is a junior at William & Mary hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is pursuing majors in both Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and English. During his time at William & Mary, Jordan has established himself as both a healthful relationships and anti-sexual violence advocate. On campus, he is a member of the Healthy Relationships/Sexual Aggression branch of HOPE (Health Outreach Peer Educators) and served as their Vice-President for the year of 2014. He was also intermittently involved with the formation of The Haven, William & Mary's new safe space for survivors. In recognition of these efforts, Jordan was invited to the White House as part of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault and was selected as the Undersecretary of Sexual Health for Student Assembly for the 2014-2015 school year. Off-campus, Jordan is certified as a domestic violence counselor in the District of Columbia and volunteers during the school year as an online hotline staffer for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network). Jordan is extremely excited about his participation in the DCSI program and hopes to implement the knowledge he gains this summer towards one day promoting healthier relationships on a local, national, or international scale.

Becca Thorpe

Morgan Tyler

Morgan is a sophomore at the College of William & Mary, intending to pursue a double major in Psychology and Marketing. Originally from Annandale, VA, she graduated from Falls Church High School and is extremely excited to return to the DC metropolitan area. On campus, Morgan is involved in undergraduate admissions as a Tour Guide and Tribe Ambassador and is part of the Kappa Delta Executive Board. Over the past two summers Morgan worked for Horizons, a nonprofit organization designed to help prevent low-income children from falling behind academically over the summer. This experience helped foster her passion for working with children and community activism. In her free time, Morgan enjoys playing the violin, travelling, and skiing. She cannot wait for all of the unique educational and hands on learning opportunities Washington D.C. will offer this summer. 

Rachel Warner

Rachel Warner, a sophomore at the College, is majoring in Government and Marketing.  On campus, Rachel is involved in Alpha Chi Omega where she serves as the Vice President of Intellectual Development, works at Phonathon through the Development Office, and serves on the Greek Subcommittee of Colleges Against Cancer.  She also dedicates much of her time to civic engagement and community service.  She volunteers through College Partnership for Kids at Matthew Whaley Elementary School, previously created a public speaking program through the Sharpe Community Scholars Program, and worked as a senior summer camp counselor.  Rachel has a focus on international development and education, inspiring her to travel to Nicaragua to teach English each winter through Outreach 360.  She also studied abroad in Goa, India this past summer.  After college, she hopes to combine her interests within international development with her interests in spreading education and civic engagement.

Taylor Zevanove

Taylor Zevanove, a sophomore at the College, was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.  As a government major and public health minor, she hopes to synthesize her interest in policy with her passion for active social responsibility.  On campus, she is involved in Delta Gamma sorority, Alma Mater Productions, and the service group Swastha Nepal.  She is also an e-intern for the Project on International Peace and Security and helps conduct research on terrorism.  Taylor fell in love with D.C. the first time she visited ten years ago, and she is excited to cross an item off her bucket list by learning, living, and working there. She looks forwards to using the skills she gains from the Institute to pursue a career in global health and international development.