Student Organizations

The Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS)

The Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is a student-led organization that aims to — in collaboration with the US Civil Society Working Group on WPS (U.S. CSWG) — promote awareness of the implications of women in security and foreign policy. We strive to ensure that policymakers around the globe are aware of the importance of power hierarchies in these disciplines and the need to include women’s experiences and perspectives  when solving critical issues surrounding peace and security.

WPS Student Leaders

Ava Van Nortwick

Co-President

Ava is a senior at George Washington University pursuing a double major in Data Science and International Affairs with a minor in Economics. She hopes to build a career at the intersection of intelligence, security, and emerging technology. Her interests center on how advances in science, space, and technology reshape cyber and policy landscapes. With experience in data visualization and technical tools including Python and R, Ava enjoys pairing quantitative analysis with strategic thinking to understand where trends are headed and what policy professionals should be thinking about. No matter the subject area, Ava wants to help translate complex data and research into practical insights that can drive meaningful decision-making. In her free time, she's either marathon training, exploring DC concert venues, or finishing up a beach read.

Aarohi Hemmady

VP of Publications

Aarohi is a sophomore at George Washington University majoring in International Affairs and minoring in Philosophy. She hopes to build a career at the intersection of human rights and international law. Her interests focus on the impact of women's rights amid a political era marked by growing polarization and violence. Aarohi is committed to advocating for vulnerable communities, including children, drawing on her experience as a Teach For America Ignite Fellow and as a Campaign Fellow with a U.S. Senate campaign. No matter the subject area, she wants to help translate complex issues and research into practical insights that can drive meaningful, equitable decision-making. In her free time, she's trying out new DC restaurants, going on walks, or at the gym.

Elizabeth Hajosy

VP of Partnerships and Engagement

Elizabeth is a senior majoring in International Affairs and Spanish with a concentration in International Environmental Studies. She is passionate about advancing gender equity and environmental protection, particularly where these issues intersect. After graduation, she plans to gain professional experience before pursuing a JD, with the goal of working in policy, human rights, environmental advocacy, or legal research. Elizabeth currently serves as a Community Outreach Intern at Ayuda, a DMV nonprofit providing legal, social, and language services to low-income immigrants, and as a legislative intern for Congresswoman Marcye Scott. Since her freshman year, she has worked with GWU’s Office of Sustainability, managing the campus community garden and contributing to projects including GW’s Arboretum Certification and university decarbonization research. Her additional experience includes climate-related property law research at Florida State University College of Law and an internship with a criminal defense attorney in her hometown of South Carolina.

Jewell Arington

VP of International Affairs

Jewell Arrington is a freshman at The George Washington University studying International Affairs with a concentration in Security Policy. She is passionate about pursuing a career in politics or law, with the goal of creating meaningful change while uplifting her community through public service, advocacy, and mentorship. She believes effective leadership is rooted in service and is committed to using her education to make a lasting impact. Currently, she serves at the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center in Atlanta, Georgia where she works one on one with people experiencing homelessness to help them back on their feet, she’s working to start her own non profit to help serve children experiencing family separation, and volunteers at a program in the DMV that assists refugees in getting acclimated to their new communities and the English language. Outside academics, Jewell enjoys playing the cello, painting, writing poetry, and reading. In her free time, she loves exploring Washington, D.C.'s museums and restaurants, and every spring she enjoys capturing the beauty of the city's cherry blossoms through photography.

Ramona Chatterjee

Co-President

Ramona is a junior at George Washington University pursuing a double major in International Affairs and Economics. She is interested in government affairs, particularly energy and environmental policy in the U.S. and abroad. Her research has also led her to explore how these issues affect women differently and what that means for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. She is especially interested in the role that gender plays in conversations around climate change, energy access, and policymaking. In the future, Ramona hopes to pursue a career that brings together law, public policy, communications and federal advisory. Outside of school, she loves to dance, explore D.C., and spend time with friends and family.

Cate Holdredge

Vice President

Cate is a junior at The George Washington University pursuing a major in Political Science and minors in International Affairs and Psychology. Her academic and professional interests center on the intersection of gender equity and political participation, and advancing the role of women in political and peacebuilding processes internationally. Her work with organizations such as the Democratic Attorneys General Association, Ballotpedia, and the Law Library of Congress reflects a commitment to human‑centered advocacy, community building, and expanding awareness of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. In the future, Cate intends to pursue a career in international legal‑based advocacy, where she hopes to support inclusive and rights‑based policy development. Outside of academics, she can be found with her nose in a book, trying out new coffee shops, and exploring one of D.C.’s many museums.

Kelsey Mazariegos

VP Communications/Outreach

Kelsey is a junior at George Washington University pursuing a double major in Political Science and Communication, with a minor in Journalism and Mass Communications. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in Media and Strategic Communication and ultimately become a war correspondent. Her passion for journalism is rooted in a desire to tell the truth about how war affects women and children because it’s almost never treated as a human rights issue; it is simply ignored. She is particularly interested in highlighting the disproportionate impact of war on women, including gender-based violence and displacement. Through her work, Kelsey hopes to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard and bring greater attention to the human rights consequences of conflict. Ultimately, she wants to show the world why women are disproportionately affected by war because of gender-based violence, and how women and children continue to pay the price for wars started by men.

Gia An Vo

VP of Programming

Gia An is a senior at George Washington University majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in International Development and minoring in Human Services & Social Justice. She is passionate about women’s rights, environmental protection, and improving access to healthcare and education. She is especially interested in how governments, women, and NGOs can foster diplomatic relations, strengthen international cooperation, and work together to address shared global challenges. Her experience working with youth-focused NGOs in the DMV area and research on space policy and international organisations have inspired her to ultimately work at the intersection of international development, social justice, and public policy. Outside of school, Gia An enjoys exploring new coffee shops, going on walks, and spending time with family and friends. 

   Contact: wpselliottgmail [dot] com (wpselliott[at]gmail[dot]com)

   Website: https://www.wpsconsortium.org/

   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wpsconsortium/

Human Initiative in International Studies (HIIS)

HIIS Student Leaders

Calvin Bates

Calvin is a second-year graduate student at the Elliott School of International Affairs obtaining a masters degree in Security Policy Studies (SPS). In May of 2025, Calvin graduated from Connecticut College with a bachelor's degree in Government. While at Conn he conducted an independent study, as well as served as a research assistant, both of which centered around terrorism, rhetoric during and after the War on Terror, and refugees. While at the Elliott School, Calvin's SPS work will have a concentration in transnational security. Calvin spent this past summer as a Geospatial Intelligence Intern for the International Association of Certified ISAOs (IACI), through the Kennedy Space Center.

NGOs The Athena Initiative has memberships with: 

The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP)

WIIS (Women in International Security)

Women in Foreign Policy Group (WFP)

**Students have access to all of the membership events these organizations host.