Practice Area

Former Government Foreign Relations Professionals

Connect with the people who made and moved American foreign policy.

Foreign Relations

How Washington decides the world

Foreign relations here means the American foreign-policy process itself: how the White House, State Department, Congress, and the agencies decide what the United States does in the world. The professionals ranked below worked inside that process. Reach out directly when you need to read it, engage it, or anticipate it.

Members in this practice area

Foreign Relations

Showing 1–10 of 56

Ranked by relevance to Foreign Relations from verified member profiles.

Lauren F. Dickey

6 years of government experience

Geopolitical Risk | Indo-Pacific Security | Ex-DoD

AI SummaryServed 2020-2024 in U.S. Department of Defense, specializing in geopolitical risk and Indo-Pacific security. Currently leads geopolitical intelligence and integration at Harman International Industries.

Current

Senior Manager, Geopolitical IntelligenceHarman International Industries

Planning, Policy, StrategyProjects, Programs and Advisors

Former Government

Research ScientistU.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Research ScientistPlanning, Policy, Strategy

Practice Areas

Sectors

New York, New YorkView Profile →

Lukman Azeez

Verified2 years of government experience

Litigation Partner at Wiley Rein LLP

AI SummaryLukman Azeez served as a law clerk for the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and is a Litigation Partner at Wiley Rein LLP, specializing in commercial disputes, constitutional law, and appellate litigation.

Current

Litigation PartnerWiley Rein LLP

Civil LitigationTechnology

Former Government

Law Clerk Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Law Clerk

Practice Areas

Sectors

Washington D.C.View Profile →

Nazak Nikakhtar

Verified7 years of government experience

Chair, National Security, Wiley Rein LLP

AI SummaryNazak Nikakhtar served as Assistant Secretary for Industry & Analysis at the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2018 to 2021, specializing in international trade law and national security.

Current

Partner, International Trade and National Security Practice (Co-Chair) Wiley Rein LLP

International Trade LawNational Security Law

Former Government

Under Secretary of Industry and Security (Performing Non-Exclusive Duties)U.S. Department of Commerce(DOC)

Planning, Policy, StrategyInternational Trade Law

Practice Areas

Sectors

Washington, District of ColumbiaView Profile →

Brenna Carmen McKay

3 years of government experience

Cross-Sectoral Partnerships, Food Systems, Innovation

AI SummaryBrenna McKay served 15 years in international development, specializing in food security and partnerships, notably as a food security advisor for USAID in Latin America.

Former Government

Private Enterprise OfficerU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Practice Areas

Sectors

Seattle, WashingtonView Profile →

Darcy Ostrander-Damon

Verified14 years of government experience

Operation Compliance Ethics & Risk Leader | $3B+ Portfolio

AI SummaryDarcy Ostrander-Damon served 22 years in federal agencies, specializing in compliance, risk management, and ethics. Their roles involved policy design, regulatory enforcement, and internal investigations, equipping them for senior leadership in compliance and operations.

Current

FounderHeadwaters-The Passage LLC

Consulting

Former Government

Director, Foreign Assistance and Grants Management | Federal Title: Unit Lead/Senior Grant Officer, GS-14U.S. Department of State(DOS)

Practice Areas

Sectors

LindenView Profile →

Bryan T. Byrne

8 years of foreign government experience

GLOBAL STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS EXECUTIVE

AI SummaryServed at USAID, managing trade, partnerships, and development programs. Specializes in international trade, partnerships, and development strategy.

Former Government

Director, Development Partnerships and InnovationUSAID

Management

Practice Areas

Sectors

ArlingtonView Profile →

LaTeashia Sykes

10 years of government experience

Strategic Leader| Team Optimizer| Partnership Developer

AI SummaryLaTeashia Sykes served over a decade in federal roles including Director of the Oregon Federal Executive Board and Project Officer for the U.S. Department of Energy. Her expertise in strategic partnership development, program management, and diversity initiatives suits her for leadership and board roles.

Current

Member, Board of TrusteesWorld Neighbors

Board Member

Former Government

Program SpecialistPeace Corps

Program and Project ManagementAdministrative

Practice Areas

Sectors

Portland, OregonView Profile →

Tracy Wilkison

17 years of government experience

Law Enforcement and Investigations, Assistant Director

AI SummaryTracy Wilkison served over 30 years in human resources and business operations, specializing in employee relations, investigations, and international affairs. Her roles in government and non-profits highlight her expertise in human resources management, strategic planning, and international diplomacy.

Current

Assistant DirectorU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

ForestryGovernment

Former Government

Employee Relations & InvestigationsU.S. Department of Agriculture

Security and Law EnforcementInvestigations

Practice Areas

Sectors

Washington, District of ColumbiaView Profile →

Erica Herrmann

12 years of government experience

Committed to Public Service, Advocacy & Global Engagement

AI SummaryErica Herrmann served at the U.S. Department of Labor, focusing on child advocacy and international relations. Her roles involved policy formulation, research, and international diplomacy, equipping her for work in global policy and advocacy.

Former Government

Senior International Relations OfficerU.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

Child AdvocacyInternational Development

Practice Areas

Sectors

MassachusettsView Profile →

Brandon Huck

Foreign Affairs, Technology, and Digital Policy Professional

AI SummaryServed at the U.S. Department of State; specializes in foreign relations, diplomacy, and digital policy.

Practice Areas

Sectors

WashingtonView Profile →

Use Cases

Common Reasons People Seek Foreign Relations Expertise

A few of the situations these professionals are engaged for, among many:

Reading Policy Direction

Anticipating where American policy toward a country or region is heading, from people who helped make that policy.

Sanctions and Trade Policy Shifts

Sanctions, export rules, and trade measures shift with the policy process. Former officials read those shifts before they land in your operations.

Engaging the Foreign-Policy Apparatus

Approaching the State Department, the White House, or Congress on an international issue works better with people who know which office decides and what it needs to hear.

Congressional Dynamics

Congress shapes foreign policy through hearings, legislation, and appropriations. Former committee staff carry that map.

Alliances and Multilateral Processes

Alliance politics, treaty developments, and multilateral processes decoded by people who sat in the negotiations.

Leadership Briefings

Boards and investors engage former policymakers for briefings that turn foreign-policy developments into decisions.

Backgrounds

Some of the Backgrounds You'll Find

Members come from across the foreign-policy process:

State Department Policy Bureaus

Former officials from the State Department's regional and functional bureaus map to country policy and diplomatic process.

National Security Counsel

These are the people who advised and assisted the president on foreign policy and national security while coordinating these policies across different government agencies

Congressional Committee Staff

Former staff of the foreign-affairs committees map to congressional strategy and legislative outlook.

Defense Policy Offices

Former defense policy officials map to security dimensions of foreign policy and alliance management.

Trade Officials

Former trade negotiators map to where commerce and foreign policy intersect.

Intelligence Analysts

Former analysts map to structured assessment of foreign governments and their intentions.

FAQs

Working With These Professionals

Why engage a former foreign-policy official?

Foreign policy is made by identifiable institutions with identifiable habits. People who worked inside them read developments the way insiders do, not the way headlines do.

How do I choose the right background for my situation?

Country questions point to State Department regional experience; process questions point to NSC and committee alumni; trade and sanctions questions point to former trade and policy officials.

How is this different from International Relations?

This page covers the American policy process; the International Relations directory covers operating globally. Many organizations need both, and profiles indicate each member's focus.

How does contacting someone work?

Open a profile and reach out directly. FormerGov connects you with the professional; there's no intermediary or fee to make contact.

Do members work independently or through firms?

Both. Some advise through firms and institutes, others independently; each profile describes how that professional engages.

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Made Foreign Policy for the United States?

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