Cambridge, MA — July 2025 — The Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School proudly announces the launch of the Human Rights & U.S. Foreign Policy Fellowship, a bold new initiative designed to preserve human rights as a cornerstone of American diplomacy and global leadership.
At a time of deep geopolitical uncertainty and rising authoritarianism worldwide—and amid growing threats to democratic values at home—the new program brings together some of the most accomplished human rights practitioners in U.S. government to mentor, teach, and collaborate with the next generation of public leaders.
“Our goal is simple but urgent: to ensure that future U.S. policymakers understand that human rights are not optional—they are essential to national security, global stability, and democratic identity,” said Faculty Director, Mathias Risse.
A Vital New Pipeline for Public Service
This year-long fellowship is designed for career human rights practitioners—diplomats, advocates, and policy leaders—who will join Harvard Kennedy School as Senior Fellows. Fellows will pursue real-world projects, engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, and mentor students preparing for careers in diplomacy, foreign policy, and human rights advocacy.
As traditional public service pathways narrow, this fellowship offers a vital new pipeline for students and early-career professionals, connecting them directly with leaders who have shaped—and continue to shape—U.S. global engagement.
Human Rights at a Crossroads
Once a bipartisan pillar of American foreign policy, human rights are increasingly framed as partisan flashpoints rather than enduring national commitments. As the U.S. faces internal and external pressures that threaten its leadership on human rights, this program serves as a response to an urgent moment—building infrastructure, leadership, and vision for the challenges ahead.
“There’s a growing effort to dismantle human rights, development, and humanitarian programs and to use the human rights movement to exacerbate our partisan divides. This Fellowship is our answer: a space to build coalitions, resist the rollback, reimagine our commitments, and train leaders who can carry this work forward,” said Carr-Ryan Director Mathias Risse.
2025–2026 Inaugural Senior Fellows
This year, the Carr-Ryan Center welcomes four distinguished leaders whose experience spans presidential administrations, multilateral diplomacy, racial justice, and LGBTQI+ rights.
Maggie Dougherty
Former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Organizations at the National Security Council; former Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and former foreign policy advisor in the office of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio
Project: Analyzing the erosion of the global human rights architecture under geopolitical pressure and assessing how multilateral institutions can be reformed to advance democratic norms and U.S. strategic interests.
Kelly Fay Rodriguez
Former Special Representative for International Labor Affairs
Project: Advancing international worker rights - particularly, freedom of association - and inclusive economic justice in U.S. politics and American foreign policy, including an assessment of efforts to promote global labor standards in supply chains using modern trade policy tools, foreign assistance, international grassroots labor solidarity campaigns, and public and private initiatives.
Desirée Cormier Smith
Inaugural U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice at the U.S. State Department.
Project: Centering racial justice in U.S. foreign policy, exploring how neglect of racial and caste-based inequities weakens U.S. diplomacy, peacebuilding, and inclusive development.
Jessica Stern
Former U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons
Project: Preserving and advancing the legacy of LGBTQI+ diplomacy by documenting best practices, countering disinformation, and equipping future Special Envoys and international advocates with tools for success.
A Mission-Aligned Expansion
This Fellowship reflects the core mission of the Carr-Ryan Center: to prepare public servants, scholars, and advocates for a world where human rights are central—not peripheral—to foreign policy and governance. The Center’s work spans digital rights, racial equity, LGBTQI+ inclusion, and global governance—bridging academic rigor with real-world practice.
“Our democracy and global standing depend on principled leadership and an understanding that human rights are not a partisan ideal but a democratic imperative,” said Executive Director, Maggie Gates. “This fellowship is about building both.”
