News

Meet the 35th Class of Robert Bosch Foundation Fellows

NEW YORK – Cultural Vistas is pleased to announce the 35th class of the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program, consisting of 15 emerging leaders and experts from across the United States spanning the fields of law, government, business, international security, urban and regional planning, cultural management, and the NGO sector, among others.

The Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program has fostered purposeful global engagement for more than three decades by building connections between experienced professionals in the United States and Germany through high-level professional and cultural immersion experiences.

Since the inaugural group of Bosch Fellows began their transatlantic journey in the summer of 1984, more than 565 young Americans have advanced their careers through comprehensive professional experiences while immersed in the political, economic, and cultural environment of Germany and the European Union.

The program is fully funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, one of the largest foundations in Germany, and endeavors to develop a new generation of American leaders committed to strengthening transatlantic relations.

This is the fifth year of a revitalized program, which offers additional flexibility for fellows. By including a broader range of professional fields, different program duration options, and updated eligibility requirements, the Bosch Fellowship aims to include more mid-career professionals from a wider variety of professional backgrounds and geographic regions within the United States, in order to extend its reach and create even deeper ties within the transatlantic sphere.

The 2018-2019 cohort was selected from a competitive pool consisting of hundreds of applications and includes award winners from across the United States, on both coasts and in between.

The group will participate in three months of intensive private language tutoring in their hometowns and are spending the summer in group language classes in Berlin, Germany. Depending on their elected program length, fellows participate in a series of two or three professional seminars across Germany beginning in September and complete one or two high-level practical assignments at leading German institutions.

Each seminar lasts a week or longer and is designed to expose the fellows to an array of German and transatlantic issues, as well as enhance their leadership development. During the professional assignments, fellows work directly in their field of expertise alongside key decision-makers from Germany’s public and private sectors.

The 35th class of Robert Bosch Foundation Fellows, their experience and focus in Germany:

Liudmila Batista
Washington, D.C.

Education: LLM, George Washington University Law School; JD, Louis D. Brandeis Law School; BS in Criminal Justice, University of Louisville
Professional Experience: Attorney, Montagut & Sobral, PC; Legal Policy Intern, National Immigration Forum
Fellowship Field: International Law
Fellowship Focus: Foreign Policy


Julian Clayton
Harlem, New York

Education: MS in Urban Planning, Florida State University; BA in English, Florida State University
Professional Experience: Northeast Civic Engagement and Public Affairs, JPMorgan Chase; Legislative Director, New York State Assembly
Fellowship Field: Public Policy
Fellowship Focus: Public Diplomacy and Transnational Politics

Marcus Coenen
Des Moines, Iowa

Education: MS in Urban Planning, University of Iowa; BA in U.S. History, University of Iowa
Professional Experience: Senior Transportation Planner, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization; Associate Transportation Planner, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Fellowship Field: Urban & Regional Planning
Fellowship Focus: Transportation Planning

Marjorie Connolly
Washington, D.C.

Education: BA in History, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Professional Experience: National Press Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Communications Director, Protect Our Care
Fellowship Field: Urban & Public Policy
Fellowship Focus: Healthcare Policy

Joe Flarida
Washington, D.C.

Education: BA in Public Affairs and Political Science, Ohio State University
Professional Experience: Professional Staff, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; Press Secretary and Policy Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Fellowship Field: Public Policy
Fellowship Focus: Energy and Environmental Policy and related technologies

Becky Katz
Atlanta, Georgia

Education: MS in Environmental Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; BS in Civil Engineering, Cornell University
Professional Experience: Chief Bicycle Officer, City of Atlanta; Visioning and Grants Project Manager, Park Pride
Fellowship Field: Public Policy; Urban Planning
Fellowship Focus: Public Space Design; Civic Participation

Meghan Milloy
Washington, D.C.

Education: JD, Pepperdine University; BA in Economics, University of Mississippi
Professional Experience: Director of Financial Services Policy, American Action Forum; Presidential Management Fellow, Small Business Administration
Fellowship Field: Public Policy
Fellowship Focus: Financial Services Policy

Michael Petersen
Washingon. D.C.

Education: MBA in Business Administration/Management and Operations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; MIA in International Relations University of Cape Town; BA in German, Tulane University
Professional Experience: Global Government Relations Transformation Program Manager at Royal Dutch Shell; U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Officer at United States Department of Defense
Fellowship Field: Business
Fellowship Focus: Renewable Energy Policy and Business Development

Sara Shokravi
Los Angeles, Calif.

Education: MA in International Politics, American University; BS in Political Science, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Professional Experience: Public Relations and Media Coordinator, Child Foundation; Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton
Fellowship Field: Public Policy
Fellowship Focus: International Development; Refugee Integration

Torrey Taussig
Boston, Mass.

Education: Ph.D. in International Relations, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University; MA in International Relations, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University; BA in Political Science, Williams College
Professional Experience: Pre and Post-Doctoral Fellow, Brookings Institution; Post-Doctoral Fellow, Harvard University
Fellowship Field: Foreign and Security Policy
Fellowship Focus: International Security

Rachel Waldholz
Anchorage, Alaska

Education: MA in Journalism, University of California, Berkeley; BA in English, Barnard College
Professional Experience: Energy and Environment Reporter, Alaska Public Media; Reporter and Host, KCAW Raven Radio
Fellowship Field: Journalism
Fellowship Focus: Radio