High-Heeled Diplomacy

Molly Rossi is currently working as the Congressional Relations Lead at the IMF. However, she spent the bulk of her career at USAID in a variety of strategic communication roles ranging from the COVID-19 Task Force, to an assignment at the Regional Mission for Central Asia. She shares reflections from her time helping with Afghan refugee resettlement, and from her experience on an assignment in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Smita Baruah has over 20 years of priceless experience in international development advocacy and global health, and she currently serves as Executive Vice President for Global Tobacco Control Programs, at the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Smita was a part of advocacy efforts for the reauthorization of PEPFAR, sharing insights from her time building coalitions around this issue. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Ona Spreenberg is currently a John S. McCain Strategic Defense Fellow at the Department of Defense, and has obtained a wide variety of experience in technology policy and regional studies. She spurs an interesting conversation on the many ways the government and technology interact, and the power of bringing diverse voices into the spotlight. The views and opinions of participants on this podcast do not state of reflect those of the United States Government. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Samantha Karlin has made a successful career as a leadership development expert, speaker, and trainer on a mission to activate change makers and create environments where people and organizations flourish. She is the founder and CEO of Empower Global, and the designer of the Women's Leadership Challenge. Samantha tells listeners about her non-traditional path to international affairs, and highlights the unique and special qualities women bring to leadership. Learn more about the Women's Leadership Challenge here. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Isabelle Iguchi is currently the Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. Prior to her role, she graduated from American University, with a BA in International Studies. Isabelle discusses the importance of building professional relationships, some college courses that helped shape her career, and how she's developed her personal style at work. The views and opinions of participants on this podcast do not state of reflect those of the United States Government. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Liz Leibowitz is the Senior Director for U.S. Government Relations at the ONE Campaign, but obtained a diverse and impressive set of experiences in foreign assistance, international development, and global health. Notably, she served as Senior Foreign Policy Advisors to Senator Ben Cardin and Representative Nita M. Lowey, and as the Pillar Lead for Policy and Engagement on USAID's COVID-19 Taskforce. Liz opens up about her motivations to work in global health, and highlights some of her legislative accomplishments from her time on Capitol Hill. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Isabella Blecha is the Chief of Staff for USAID's Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation. Prior to her current role, she was Special Assistant and Advisor to USAID Administrator Samantha Power, and served on the Biden-Harris Campaign. She provides useful insights on how she earned her role in a presidential administration early on in her career, and tells listeners about some of her impactful accomplishments. The views and opinions of participants on this podcast do not state of reflect those of the United States Government. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Rachel Brooks is currently Project Manager at Microsoft's Democracy Forward initiative. As she works in the intersection of technology and democracy, she is passionate about uplifting access to trustworthy information. Rachel shares her motivations for working in this industry, and how her career goals and aspirations have changed over time. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Shannon Kellman is the Senior Adviser in the U.S. Liaison Office of UNAIDS. Prior to her current role, she worked for many global health advocacy organizations, and spent a substantial amount of time on Capitol Hill. She joins High-Heeled Diplomacy to discuss her unique pathway into a global health career, and shares a ton of advice for working in a congressional office. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.

Nikole Burroughs has many years of experience overseeing government budgets in order to solve global challenges. She most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for USAID Administrator Samantha Power, and she currently co-leads the appropriations practice at Tiber Creek Group. She shares best practices for working with government leadership, and some very impactful stories from her time at USAID. Podcast participants views and opinions do not reflect those of the podcast participant's employers.