Rowan Kurtz is a Masters student at the Stockholm School of Economics pursuing a degree in Economics. He previously graduated with honors from Kenyon College with a B.A. in Political Science and was admitted to Pi Sigma Alpha, a national Political Science honors society. While completing his undergraduate degree, Mr. Kurtz spent a semester studying Post-Genocide Reconstruction and Reconciliation in Rwanda where he conducted an independent research project examining issues related to the repatriation of Rwandan refugees. After his bachelor studies, Mr. Kurtz joined Teach For America as a founding 8th grade math teacher at a first-year turnaround school in New Orleans, Louisiana. After completing the program, Mr. Kurtz returned home to Alaska to work at the Anchorage Community Land Trust where he focused on addressing issues of unemployment and inequality in Anchorage. Additionally, throughout his undergraduate studies and subsequent professional experiences, Mr. Kurtz maintained his connection to Alaska by working as a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Mr. Kurtz is a native English speaker, has an intermediate knowledge of Spanish, and basic knowledge of Swedish.
Agnes Magnusson is a Masters student at the Stockholm School of Economics pursuing a degree in Economics. She previously graduated from Stockholm School of Economics with a B.Sc. in Business and Economics, where she wrote a thesis titled “Financial Crises and Voter Attitudes: Exploring Shifts in Demand for Right-Wing Extremist Parties.” Ms. Magnusson’s professional experience includes work within the research and educational sector. She has previously worked as a lecturer for The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise—Sweden’s largest and most influential business federation. Currently, Ms. Magnusson works at the Stockholm Institute for Transition Economics and performs research tasks in the field of transition economics with a focus on one-sided leniency policies. In her free time she enjoys the cultural life of Stockholm and is a frequent visitor at the Royal Swedish Opera House. She is a native speaker in Swedish, fluent in English, and has basic knowledge in Mandarin and Italian.
Aylin Shawkat is a German Masters student at the Stockholm School of Economics pursuing a degree in Economics. She holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Frankfurt and is passionate about international development and poverty alleviation. Ms. Shawkat has extensive experience in academia where she worked as both a teaching assistant and a research assistant, with a strong focus on industrial organization. Furthermore, her professional experience entails working with an NGO in Bangladesh as well as a traineeship with the capital markets team of a German consultancy focused on reputation management, specifically in mergers and acquisitions. At SSE, Ms. Shawkat is engaged in the Effective Altruism Society which she presides over for the year 2017/18. She speaks German, English, French and has basic knowledge of Bengali.
Natasha Burrows is a Masters in Asian Studies candidate at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney, majoring in government and international relations. Upon graduation Natasha worked in the development sector as an Australian Volunteer for International Development in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Most recently, Natasha worked at the Public Affairs section at the U.S. Department of State, responsible for the portfolios of alumni engagement and youth outreach at the United States Consulate General Sydney. Natasha has implemented projects encouraging connections within the Asia-Pacific, including as the Director of Program for the Conference of Australia and Indonesia Youth, an organization that promotes track-two diplomacy between young leaders. Natasha has a strong interest in the interaction between states and markets in Southeast Asia. She speaks English and Indonesian.
Katherine Kitson is a candidate for the Master of Science in Foreign Service degree at Georgetown University. She studies Global Business and Finance, and is pursuing a certificate in International Business Diplomacy. In addition to her studies, she serves on the Executive Board of Georgetown Women in International Affairs. She has undergraduate degrees in Comparative Literature and Italian from Indiana University, where she was a member of the Hutton Honors College. Ms. Kitson also holds a Master of Arts degree in Italian Studies from New York University; her thesis focused on contemporary representations of female politicians. Prior to arriving at Georgetown, she worked in the trade promotion office of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, facilitating foreign direct investment between the United States and Italy. During her time there, she lead many international commercialization projects from concept to implementation. Ms. Kitson has also worked as a research volunteer for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She is interested in the private sector implications of government policy, particularly with respect to trade, technology, and investments. She is fluent in Italian and has basic knowledge in both Spanish and French.
James Lee is a Masters in Foreign Service candidate at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, concentrating in Global Business and Finance and is pursuing a certificate in International Business Diplomacy. Mr. Lee holds a B.A in International Affairs with a focus on International Development from the George Washington University, where he was awarded the Presidential Academic Scholarship. His professional interest lies in integrating business development with technology in the form of public-private partnerships. Mr. Lee’s experiences include work in the humanitarian and the nonprofit sector. Most recently, he worked as a research assistant for the Scholl Chair of International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Prior to Georgetown, he worked at the Grameen Foundation, supporting microfinance and mobile health operations in sub-Sahara Africa and Southeast Asia. He also served as a reconnaissance military police in the Korean Air Force. Having lived in China for nearly a decade, Mr. Lee is an avid consumer of Chinese culture and East Asian affairs. He has native proficiency in English, Mandarin Chinese and Korean.
The Wallenberg International Fellows Program 