By The Vandenberg Coalition
Press Release
As part of our mission to promote a strong and proud U.S. foreign policy and to develop future leaders, we launched our inaugural National Security Media Fellowship from Tuesday, February 28 to Thursday, March 2, 2023. The purpose of the fellowship is to identify emerging leaders in American journalism and provide strong policy ideas and resources for them over the course of their careers. Both national security leaders and the press share a commitment to advancing American values. It is critical that we remove any obstacles in the way of strong relationships between both groups, given the vital role the media plays in preserving American democracy, bringing truth to the American public, and serving as both a conduit to and amplifier for the voices and views of the American people.
Elliott Abrams courtesy of The Vandenberg Coalition | Photo by Jeff Song
Our fellowship class joined us in downtown Washington, DC for a day-and-a-half long series of private, on-the-record briefings from some of the nation’s foremost experts on a range of issues tailored to both the present and future of U.S. foreign policy and national security, including the Russian war in Ukraine, threats posed by China, and the Iran nuclear deal, among other issues. In partnership with Winning For Women, our fellows also attended an off-the-record dinner on the importance of U.S. leadership on the world stage with Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02).
Media Fellows 2023 courtesy of The Vandenberg Coalition | Photo by Jeff Song
Our fellowship cohort came from a variety of publications, primarily in the Washington, DC area, with a range of experience from those recently joining the foreign policy beat to those who are a little more seasoned, having reported from across the globe. The class includes:
- Collin Anderson, The Washington Free Beacon
- Samantha Aschieris, The Daily Signal
- Jack Detsch, Foreign Policy
- Diana Glebova, Daily Caller
- Robbie Gramer, Foreign Policy
- Zach Kessel
- Brady Knox, Washington Examiner
- Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner
- Caitlin McFall, Fox News
- John Pietro, Spectator World
- Jimmy Quinn, National Review
- John Sakellariadis, POLITICO
Over the course of the rest of the year, our National Security Media Fellows will receive exclusive group and one-on-one briefings with the Vandenberg Coalition’s roster of experts, embargoed content detailing pertinent issues in the realm of defense and foreign affairs, and priority invitations to Vandenberg Coalition events as well as regular features for their foreign policy reporting in our newsletter, Beyond the Water’s Edge.
For questions about the program or to nominate a journalist to participate in next year’s cohort, please reach out to Vandenberg Director of Strategic Partnerships Sydney Novak at sydney@vandenbergcoalition.org.
