Meet the 2026-2027 Rising Leaders

The Up to Us Professional Pathways program is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of 25 Rising Leaders. Together, they bring diverse experiences, intellectual curiosity, and a shared commitment to addressing the nation’s most pressing fiscal and public policy challenges.

Rising Leaders are college students and early professionals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, a commitment to public service, and a strong interest in fiscal policy. The inaugural class includes accomplished emerging leaders from the Up to Us Leadership Network’s three college programs: Fiscal Advocacy Competition, Fiscal Leadership Lab, and Fiscal Policy Challenge. These select leaders will continue programming through Up to Us and receive individualized professional support, including mentorship, networking, and exclusive career development opportunities. The Rising Leaders program was created by the Volcker Alliance, funded by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, to propel exceptional young people into careers with the power to shape the nation’s fiscal future. 

The cohort represents a range of disciplines, with Economics, Political Science, and International Relations among the most common fields of study. Ten members hold or are currently pursuing graduate degrees. Nine participants report a GPA of 4.0 or higher, and the cohort includes a Truman finalist, three Obama-Chesky Scholars, four State Department Scholars, and a Jefferson Scholar. Several participants have conducted research under nationally recognized faculty, including economists Raj Chetty at Harvard University and John List at the University of Chicago. 

Beyond their academic accomplishments, Rising Leaders have already built impressive professional experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Nine participants have held internships or positions in federal, state, or local government, including the White House, the U.S. Department of State, congressional offices, and local government agencies. Others have gained experience at leading policy institutions, international organizations, and major private sector employers, including the Atlantic Council, Brookings Institution, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and Johnson & Johnson. Together, these experiences reflect the cohort’s broad exposure to public policy, finance, international affairs, and civic leadership.

2026-27 Up to Us Rising Leaders

Rachel Alexandre
Fiscal Advocacy Competition

Rachel is a graduate of Stony Brook University's Honors College, where she studied International Relations, Political Science (pre-law), and Creative Writing. Based in New York, she works at NBCUniversal as a Page. A 2024–2026 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, she has led global projects in public health, sustainability, women's rights, and entertainment, and was previously the Undergraduate Coordinator of SBU's Center for Civic Justice and a student ambassador for The Andrew Goodman Foundation. 
 

David An
Fiscal Leadership Lab 

David is a Harvard undergraduate concentrating in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. His research spans computational genomics at the Broad Institute (Natarajan Lab) and healthcare disparities and he currently serves as a summer fellow with Action on Smoking and Health, focusing on global tobacco control policy. His interests center on cardiovascular health disparities, health systems innovation, and the intersection of molecular biology and health policy. 

Zakria Chandio
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Zakria is an Associate Portfolio Manager at Clearstead, supporting portfolio management and investment analysis for clients. He brings a background in private equity, fund accounting, and investor relations, gained across investment management and wealth advisory roles. He previously worked in investor relations at Dhanani Private Equity Group, helping raise over $30 million and supporting a $168.5 million SPAC IPO. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Youngstown State University and is a CFA Level 2 candidate.
 

Michael Chen
Fiscal Policy Challenge

Michael is an upcoming MSc Economics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a background in Economics and International Relations from Tufts University and a visiting student at Oxford University’s Pembroke College. He currently serves as a Junior Research Fellow and Program Editor with the NATO Association of Canada, focusing on security, trade, and economic policy. His interests include macroeconomics, international finance, central banking, technology policy, and the intersection of economic strategy and national security. 
 

Arun Dahal Khatri
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Arun is a Research Intern at the World Bank Group and a Financial Economics student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). His interests focus on fiscal and monetary policy, public policy research, and the intersection of economics with emerging technologies and energy systems. He is particularly passionate about understanding how economic policy can promote sustainable growth, fiscal responsibility, and innovation in developing and emerging economies.

 

Alexia DelVecchio
Fiscal Leadership Lab 

Alexia is a first-generation college student majoring in Political Science with minors in Spanish, Psychology, and Philosophy, pursuing a career in law. Her passion for advocacy and public service is reflected through her volunteer work with programs supporting foster youth, educational initiatives such as Teach For America, and other community service organizations. She is committed to using the law to promote equity, expand access to justice, and create meaningful change in underserved communities. 
 

Amy Drake
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Amy is an assistant director at the Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, focusing on strengthening international civil nuclear cooperation and domestic economic policy conditions to enable nuclear energy deployment. Amy’s work focuses on fiscal policy’s essential role in de-risking investments in new nuclear energy projects, supporting the operation of existing reactors, and driving the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in social policy from Northwestern University, where she was a team leader of Northwestern’s Top 20 National Team in the Fiscal Advocacy Competition (Campus Competition). 

 

Jonus Goldstein
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Jonus is an Obama–Chesky Voyager Scholar pursuing dual bachelor’s degrees in Management Information Systems and Political Science at Florida State University, along with a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning. He has served as a legislative aide to the chair of the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee and as President Pro Tempore of FSU's Student Senate, where he helped steward a $17 million budget, and he currently holds appointed seats on the City of Tallahassee’s Transit Advisory Committee and Environmental Board. His work centers on responsible fiscal policy, public budgeting, and the governance of transportation and infrastructure, including how technology can help governments deliver more effectively. 

 

Augusta Halle
Fiscal Policy Challenge 

Augusta is a student at the University of Virginia, studying Commerce and Chinese, and is purpose-driven by fiscal policy, agriculture, and building stronger communities. From biking across America to learning about rural communities to sustainable systems research, she is driven by the belief that the best policy starts from the ground up. 

 

Lily Hyun
Fiscal Policy Challenge 

Lily is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University studying economics and international affairs. She has interned for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, the Harvard Center for International Development, Oxfam America, and the Massachusetts Legislature. Lily is passionate about pursuing a career in public service, where she can work at the intersection of evidence-based economic policy and social equity.
 

Cathleen Jeanty
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Cathleen is a master’s candidate in International Affairs at Columbia University (SIPA). She is a policy researcher and human rights advocate working at the intersection of global governance, media, and public policy, with experience across the White House, State Department, United Nations, World Bank, and U.S. Congress. She has been published in Diplomatic Courier, Fair Observer, Inkstick Media, Devex, The Atlantic Forum, and Transatlantic Policy Quarterly. She has been quoted in the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and The Haitian Times.
 

Mansur Kasali
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Mansur is a rising senior at Luther College majoring in Political Science, Economics, and International Studies, with investment banking experience at major financial institutions. He is the Founder and CEO of EmpowerHer Capital, a cross-border economic inclusion initiative, and has spoken at the Federal Reserve and World Bank & IMF Spring Meetings on entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and economic opportunity. A recipient of the National Association of Secretaries of State’s 2026 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award with research experience under Harvard economist Raj Chetty, he is interested in how democratic institutions, public policy, and capital markets can work together to broaden prosperity and strengthen American civic life. 

 

Rachel Ledoux
Fiscal Leadership Lab 

Rachel is a third-year honors student at Simmons University, majoring in Political Science and Economics with a focus on policy communications. As an alumna of the Spring 2026 Fiscal Leadership Lab, she is interested in supporting economic reform and making political education more accessible to everyday citizens. Through her academic and professional pursuits, Rachel is committed to strengthening democratic engagement and preparing for a career in public service. 

 

Imani McClammy
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Imani is a dual-degree graduate student at Barry University pursuing a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration. Building on a background in political science, she currently serves as a Graduate Administrative Assistant in the Clinical Psychology Department. Her research interests focus heavily on health policy, public health outcomes, and the comparative analysis of universal healthcare systems. 
 

Cesar Mendez Portillo
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Cesar is a Minneapolis-based professional and Latino with degrees in Business Administration, Marketing Management, and an M.A. in Diversity Leadership. Currently, he serves as a Restorative Justice and Diversion Coordinator with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, working to advance equitable outcomes for youth. His areas of interest include accessibility, equity, and inclusion, program and project management, and leveraging data to inform policy and community-centered solutions. 

 

Wajiha Mekki
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Wajiha is a passionate health and policy advocate. As a Cancer Biology, Political Science, and Epidemiology (MPH) student, she takes an interdisciplinary approach to health policy, intertwining fiscal policy outcomes with national security and tech innovation, all informing decisions that impact our national debt. Her commitment to public service influences her involvement with the UAB Institute for Human Rights, the IN Network National Security Academy, the Clinton Global Initiative, and as an Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar and multiple-time Up to Us program participant. 

 

Shauryya Miglani
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Shauryya is a senior at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, pursuing a degree in Business Law. He serves as President of The Legal and Political Affairs Collective, a student organization at ASU, and has experience in government relations, congressional advocacy, legal research, and international affairs. Passionate about law, public policy, and expanding access to educational opportunities, he is committed to using advocacy and leadership to create meaningful change. 

 

Thi Ngyuyen
Fiscal Policy Challenge 

Thi is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa, where she earned degrees in Economics and International Relations with highest distinction. At Iowa, she served as president of the Economics Student Association, worked as a research assistant in the Behavioral and Experimental Economics Lab, and captained Iowa’s National Fed Challenge and Fiscal Policy Challenge teams. Born and raised in Vietnam before moving to Davenport, Iowa, Thi’s work and interests focus on how law, fiscal policy, and immigration policy can expand access to opportunity. 
 

Arpan Patel
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Arpan is a public health professional, youth advocate, and founder of Yuva Shakti, a youth led NGO focusing on climate health education and initiatives on health equity, climate action, and localizing policies. Arpan also contributes to global processes through the UN, UNESCO, World Bank, and organizations such as the Gates Foundation and Theirworld, where he serves as a task team lead for their inclusion and education task team. 

 

Joshua Shumak
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Joshua is an Indigenous advocate, cultural preservationist, and community leader dedicated to strengthening Native American communities through education, service, and civic engagement. His work focuses on preserving cultural heritage, supporting community development, and fostering collaboration across diverse organizations and communities. Through leadership, public speaking, and scholarship, he strives to create opportunities that honor the past while building a stronger future for the next generation. 

 

David Tamay
Fiscal Leadership Lab 

David is a rising junior at George Washington University studying Political Science and Sociology, where he serves as President of GW’s League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) chapter. As a queer Ecuadorian-American from West Orange, New Jersey, he is passionate about immigrant justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and expanding opportunities for underrepresented communities. He is also a John Lewis Young Leaders Fellow, a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, and a summer Victory congressional intern.

 

Darren Troche
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Darren is a public service leader, U.S. Army National Guard NCO, and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience spanning emergency management, operations, financial services, and community development. He currently serves with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 3rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team while leading Borikén Futuro, an initiative focused on expanding resilient energy solutions and economic opportunity in Puerto Rico. His interests include emergency preparedness, public policy, energy resilience, economic development, and strengthening communities through innovative public-private partnerships.  
 

Anuva Wardah
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Anuva is a recent graduate of Stony Brook University, where she studied political science and sociology and developed a strong interest in public policy, civic engagement, and government service. She currently works with FEMA’s Logistics Systems Division in Washington, D.C., and is especially interested in economic opportunity, higher education affordability, digital equity, national security, and the ways emerging technologies can strengthen public institutions. 
 

Damon Watts
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Damon is a Barry University law student and interdisciplinary problem-solver whose work moves across law, finance, sustainability, social science, and community service. As volunteer Executive Director of The Watts Foundation and a financial professional, he advises, writes, diagnoses, builds, and translates complicated systems into practical plans for people and communities that cannot afford for good ideas to stay theoretical. His goal is to turn insight into service, service into structure, and structure into practical support for those who need it most, while remembering that even serious and impactful work should leave room for coffee, laughter, and honest conversation. 

 

Moses Yazachew
Fiscal Advocacy Competition 

Moses is a first-year law student at the University of Minnesota Law School with a strong interest in fiscal policy, international affairs, and emerging technologies. Before beginning law school, he worked in a variety of public service roles, including as a Research Specialist at the Minnesota House of Representatives and as an Advance Associate for Vice President Kamala Harris.