ASHLAND, OH–Caitlin Poling, a 2009 Ashland University graduate with a triple major in political science, international relations, and French, was recently named to the 99 most influential foreign policy leaders under the age of 33, or the “99 Under 33” list jointly released by the Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.
The list, first launched in 2011, is a special project that captures the extraordinary impact on international affairs of 99 diverse millennials under the age of 33. The list encompasses entrepreneurs, technologists, journalists, bankers, activists, scientists, diplomats and soldiers to reflect the Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy’s belief that foreign policy in the twenty-first century is entrepreneurial, and made by leaders from all sectors.
Poling, an alumna of the Ashbrook Scholar program at Ashland University, currently serves as the Director of Government Relations at the Foreign Policy Initiative in Washington D.C., and previously worked in the House of Representatives, most recently serving as a legislative assistant to Congressman Mike Pompeo (R-KS), focusing on foreign affairs, human rights, homeland security and immigration.
In this capacity, she led initiatives with the International Religious Freedom Caucus for the rights of persecuted religious minorities in Hungary and Nigeria.
Poling received her Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University in 2012, writing her master’s thesis on Boko Haram and affiliated terrorist groups in the Sahel.
