Mathilde is an international student at the Elliott School of International Affairs, where she is studying for her Masters in Security Policy Studies. She specialises in Transnational Security and Conflict Resolution, and is hoping to build a career bridging the gap between Private Security Contractors and nonviolent conflict operations.
Mathilde has a nuanced background, prior to grad school she worked at Morgan Stanley, the IFC and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in New York. She completed her undergraduate degree at the UK’s University of Bath in 2013 with a BSc in Politics and International Relations.
Beyond her career, she is passionate about her work with the Mentor Foundation, the leading international NGO that works to prevent drug abuse amongst children and youths. She believes the path to secure society starts with empowering young people from all backgrounds.
Mathilde moved to D.C. from Stockholm in August and is loving this vibrant and motivating city. She is making the most of her time at GWU, and is working to combine her graduate studies with political internships in the near future.
Leigh Rowland studied Political Science and Military History at the University of Michigan prior to accepting a position in 2010 with the Institute for Social Research (ISR) in Ann Arbor. At ISR, Leigh assisted with the design and implementation of data collection protocols for the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS), the largest study of mental health risk and resilience ever conducted among military personnel. During her time at ISR, Leigh also worked closely with veteran populations in the Ann Arbor area as part of her volunteer activities at both the local VA Hospital and the International Red Cross’ Services to the Armed Forces program. In July 2012, Leigh relocated to Washington to pursue her M.A. in Security Policy Studies at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, where she is focusing on defense analysis and strategic force planning. Leigh is also continuing her work on Army STARRS as an analyst for the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for the Army.