KSG students to pursue leadership opportunities

The Center for Public Leadership (CPL) and the Council of Women World Leaders (CWWL) have announced that five Kennedy School of Government students have been named the recipients of a jointly sponsored summer internship. The five students were selected to represent the School while pursuing unique leadership opportunities around the world in the offices of several council members and advisory board members. Lecturer in public policy Brian Mandell is the program’s faculty adviser. Partial funding for the internships was provided by a gift from Richard J. Phelps.

The 2003 summer interns are as follows:

Adrien Couton, M.P.A., will intern with Rita Süssmuth (council advisory board member) in Berlin. Süssmuth is a member and former president of the German Bundestag. She was also the speaker of the Bundestag from 1988 to 1998 and the Federal Minister of Youth, Family, Health, and Women’s Issues from 1985 to 1988. Couton has broad international experience serving the business and public sectors. His professional background includes working in Vietnam, Cambodia, France, Germany, and Belgium. Couton’s career goal is to implement public-private partnerships for economic and social development. He sees the internship as a way to apply his business experience in a challenging political environment.

Sarah Ezzy, M.P.P., will intern at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Donald Johnston, secretary-general of the organization, serves on the council’s advisory board. Ezzy will work in the office of the gender coordinator and will participate in the day-to-day work and have the opportunity to develop a special research project. Possible topics include the gender equity aspects of tax/benefit policy, and/or the development of a better research base for policy analysis on gender through improved and more relevant statistics. Prior to coming to the Kennedy School, Ezzy spent three years working at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) where she implemented several projects to increase women’s political and civic participation in Morocco. Advocating for a legal literacy program and political training sessions for Moroccan women as well as lobbying Moroccan men to let women into their political domain, Ezzy has been inspired to examine the issues around gender and public policy.

Celina Gorre, M.P.A., will intern at the Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI), headed by Mary Robinson (president of Ireland, 1990-1997, and current council chair). Based in New York City, EGI is a 15-month project aimed at marshaling support for a sustainable movement for ethical globalization. In pursuit of this goal, President Robinson is undertaking various engagements, including public lectures and working closely with governments and civil society organizations worldwide, especially in Africa. The Initiative’s partners are the Aspen Institute, the State of the World Forum, and the International Council on Human Rights Policy. Gorre holds a master’s of public health degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, specializing in program planning and epidemiology. Her experience in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention began at the grassroots level in the Philippines where she worked to design, deliver, and evaluate the sexual health curriculum for 600 commercial sex workers. Gorre also helped to implement a train-the-trainer program to disseminate health information.

Lala Qadir, M.P.P., will intern in Cape Town, South Africa, at the F.W. De Klerk Foundation, headed by F.W. De Klerk (president of South Africa, 1989-1996, and council advisory board member). The foundation focuses on the promotion of peace in multi-community societies. The internship will offer insight into the various foundation activities, as well as the opportunity to interact with women leaders from all parts of the political spectrum with which the foundation works. Qadir will serve as the first CPL/CWWL intern for the De Klerk Foundation. She brings a unique quantitative and development background for exploring sustainable movements. Her undergraduate studies were in chemistry and public policy at Duke University. Her primary interest is addressing inequities and how to promote social justice beyond state borders. Qadir’s academic concentration is in international security and political economy with a focus in negotiation and conflict resolution.

Naomi Walcott, M.P.P., will intern at the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress in San José, Costa Rica. Oscar Arias Sanchez (president of Costa Rica, 1986-1990) is a council advisory board member. The Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to build just and peaceful societies in Central America. Walcott said she sought this opportunity as a “continuation of my ongoing commitment to human rights and women’s issues in preparing for a career combining these interests with economic development in Latin America.” Prior to coming to the Kennedy School she was active professionally addressing social welfare and human right issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and reproductive health. Last summer Walcott spent 10 weeks in Nicaragua and Costa Rica learning about the two cultures and the issues facing women in developing countries.