GWIA is honored to host Ambassador Pamela Spratlen, a distinguished diplomat and policy expert with over 30 years of experience in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Apply at this link by EOD on Tuesday, 4/21. Space is limited to 15 guests. We will confirm your spot at the event via email by the evening of 4/21.

Ambassador Spratlen served as the U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan (2015–2018) and the Kyrgyz Republic (2011–2014), where she was a pivotal leader in advancing human rights, economic reform, and bilateral security in Central Asia. Her extensive career includes roles as Deputy Chief of Mission in Kazakhstan, Consul General in Vladivostok, and representative at multilateral missions to the OECD and OAS. A dedicated mentor to the next generation of foreign policy professionals, she currently serves on the boards of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Eurasia Foundation and holds degrees from Wellesley College, the Army War College, and UC Berkeley.

We were honored to spend an hour in conversation with Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The discussion highlighted both the challenges and the resilience shaping today’s humanitarian landscape. While funding constraints and misinformation remain real obstacles, she emphasized reasons for optimism: from the growing engagement of younger generations to the power of local partnerships to rebuild trust and drive impact.

Msuya also shared how the sector is evolving to be more adaptive, locally grounded, and impact-focused, while embracing the opportunities of technology and cross-sector collaboration. GWIA is incredibly grateful for the chance to learn from her career and insights and to reflect on the future of humanitarian action together.

Alongside the Master of Science in Foreign Service program and the Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA) program, GWIA hosted a conversation with women in STEM fields that featured trailblazing professionals from the space, energy, and tech industries. 

The panel was moderated by Professor Sarah Johnson, professor in the STIA program and Department of Biology. Panelists included Dr. Heidi B. Hammel, Vice President for Science at the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA); Lauren Hughes, deputy director of the Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center; Zoe Borden, Senior Trust & Safety Analyst at Google (Responsible AI team); and Dr. Mireya Jurado, Professional Staff Member at the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

GWIA hosted an Open House for current and potential members to connect with the E-Board and fellow members, learn more about GWIA, and suggest ideas for future programming.

The event offered a unique opportunity to engage directly with the organization’s leadership and gain a deeper understanding of GWIA's mission to advance women in international affairs. Attendees networked with a diverse community of peers, exchanged professional insights, learned about upcoming resources and leadership roles, and offered collaborative feedback on engagements and professional development opportunities.

GWIA welcomed Amb. Deborah McCarthy, the former U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania, to Georgetown as part of the Ambassador Dinner series. 

The conversation covered the importance of public service, active listening, and building skills to navigate the evolving international affairs field.

This series brings together small groups of current students, alumni, and career diplomats, providing a space for women in the Georgetown community to explore careers in foreign service and international affairs through shared meals and insightful discussions. 

GWIA hosted a tour of the Pentagon for Georgetown and Johns Hopkins SAIS students.

Attendees were provided with an inside look at Pentagon's operations and deepened their understanding of U.S. defense and security policy.

They learned about different offices at the U.S. Department of Defense and engaged with DoD officials, exposing them to potential career paths and roles in the field.

GWIA hosted a panel featuring two leading experts in emerging technology. Our panelists discussed the evolving role of technology companies in shaping global tech policy and the implications of emerging technologies such as AI for national and global security.

The panel was led by Ria Strasser-Galvis, the current Executive Director of AI Policy and Governance at JP Morgan Chase, and Cori Zarek, an adjunct professor and the Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University.

GWIA's Headshot Event provided professional headshot photography services to GWIA members to help advance their professional development.

GWIA’s mentorship program is designed to create meaningful connections with Georgetown Alumnae who are leaders in their fields and can provide guidance, support, and professional development for students pursuing a career in international affairs.

Mentees will gain valuable insights into diverse career paths, develop practical skills, and build lasting relationships with accomplished professionals. GWIA's mentorship program also strengthens the GWIA community by connecting current students with a powerful network of Georgetown alumnae shaping the future of international affairs.

On November 21, GWIA had the fourth GWIA Ambassador Dinner Series. Our host is Ambassador Dobriansky, the former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs. 

This series brings together small groups of current students, alumni, and career diplomats, providing a space for women in the Georgetown community to explore careers in foreign service and international affairs through shared meals and insightful discussions. 

GWIA and the Georgetown Digital Tech Forum (GDTF) had a Fireside Chat with Meg Leta Jones and Amanda Levendowski, two pioneering voices in technology law and policy. This discussion delved  into the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, and disability within today’s cyberspace and the laws that govern it, promising insights into how feminist perspectives can reshape our understanding of digital rights and governance. 

Meg and Amanda explored topics from their edited volume, Feminist Cyberlaw, and engaged in a dialogue about the implications of current legal frameworks on marginalized communities. This was a unique opportunity to learn from their expertise and participate in an interactive discussion about the future of technology policy and social justice.

GWIA hosted a Fireside chat with climate activist Luisa Neubauer, one of the leading voices in the global climate movement and to engage in meaningful dialogue about our collective responsibility to the planet.

The GWIA Executive Board facilitated a panel with three, incredibly talented and inspiring professionals from leading international organizations like the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, and the ONE Campaign. Together, they shared personal stories and insights from their diverse careers in the field of international development.

Pictured from left to right: Brenda Coromina, Anna Bonfert, Parinaz Khademi, Jenny Ottenhoff, and Antonia Baskakov.

GWIA hosted the third Ambassador Dinner Series, with Amb. Petra Schneebauer, the Austrian Ambassador to the United States.  

This series brings together small groups of current students, alumni, and career diplomats, providing a space for women in the Georgetown community to explore careers in foreign service and international affairs through shared meals and insightful discussions. 

GWIA was excited to establish a mentorship program designed to create meaningful connections with Georgetown Alumnae who are leaders in their fields and can provide guidance, support, and professional development for members pursuing careers in international affairs.

GWIA hosted an engaging presentation and panel discussion featuring a member of the Career Center and PhD candidates, who shared their personal experiences, challenges, insights, and advice about the world of doctoral studies.

GWIA's writing workshop, led by Professor Joyce Mushaben, strengthened participants’ writing skills and helped them craft clear, compelling arguments.  

GWIA was excited to organize a unique career chat in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, hosted by Delphi Cleaveland and Carolyn Fante, former GWIA co-presidents.

2024's second Ambassador Dinner of featured Ambassador (ret.) Piper Campbell, who served as the Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar from 2012 to 2015. 

This event explored the intersection of crucial technology-related issues, AI, and disinformation and their implications for international affairs through the lens of female leaders in the field. 

GWIA co-sponsored one of the biggest career events of the year to get all the insider knowledge from expert women in politics and public service.  

The GWIA Headshot Event aimed to provide professional headshot photography services to GWIA members. 

GWIA hosted a fireside chat with Dr. Beth Van Schaack, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice. 

GWIA's inaugural professional development panel featured Farah Pandith, Prof. Elisabeth Ferris, Dr. Laura Manning Johnson, and Diane Batchik.

The first GWIA Ambassador Dinner Series featured Ambassador (ret.) Barbara Bodine.