WCAPS Podcast

The biggest mistake Americans make about diplomacy is thinking it is background noise. Former State Department official Karl Stoltz explains why embassies shape everything from your safety overseas to the price of the products you buy—and why gutting this work creates problems long before the headlines catch up.

Deborah Fisher spent 25 years inside the State Department shaping nuclear policy, inspecting Russian reactors, and helping write the reports that keep America informed about weapons of mass destruction. Her story is a rare inside look at how public servants quietly reduce risk, build trust, and prevent misunderstandings that could change the world.

When foreign policy ignores women, conflict gets harder to prevent, recovery gets harder to sustain, and entire systems get weaker. Bonnie Jenkins sits down with Tazreen Hussain, the former Women, Peace and Security Advisor at USAID, for a candid conversation about what the work actually looks like - and why losing it matters far beyond Washington. Tazreen shares how a childhood shaped by Banglade...

Diplomacy is not soft power fluff - it is how countries win without fighting, and this conversation shows exactly what happens when that expertise disappears. Bonnie Jenkins talks with Jimmy Wang, a former military officer and State Department foreign affairs specialist about multilateralism, the South China Sea, ASEAN, and why losing seasoned public servants creates real-world consequences for Am...

What happens when the State Department’s expertise is pushed out the door? Dan Murphy shares the inside story of being RIFed from public service, why that loss matters far beyond Washington, and how the ripple effects show up in everything from debt negotiations to U.S. credibility abroad.

Foreign policy fails when it forgets its basic, and that mistake has real consequences at home. Former State Department official Amanda Van Dort reveals how women's security, migration, fentanyl, democracy, and U.S global influence are all connected, and why the American talks about foreign policy may be part of the problem.

Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins sits down with Matthew Sharp, a physicist turned diplomat who spent about 16 years in the State Department navigating some of the toughest nuclear and nonproliferation issues in government. From graduate school physics at the University of Chicago to the Belfer Center, from AAAS fellowships to Vienna, Washington, and the NSC, Matthew traces the path that took him from the...

Ferdaouis Bagga, a former foreign affairs officer for the State Department walks through her journey at State and why addressing internal trust issues is crucial for restoring effective public service after RIFs.

Meet Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins—a trailblazer who turned skipping philosophy class into a career-defining moment. A New Yorker with South Carolina roots, she was raised by parents who valued education above all. From loving Head Start so much she asked to repeat it, to thriving in the Junior Sea Cadets and the Reserves, public service was always her north star. With a resume that spans the NYC Law...

Meet Apprecia Faulkner, whose journey began the day she walked onto a community college campus and never looked back. From the windy streets of Chicago to the halls of GW and CSU, she’s studied PoliSci, International Relations, and History—not just to understand the past, but to help write the future. Inspired by Peter Jennings and powered by justice (yes, the “J” in DEIJ), Apprecia has danced thr...

Step into the world of Kristina Biyad, where the line between domestic daily life and U.S. foreign policy isn't just blurred—it's non-existent. With degrees from Roger Williams and American University, Kristina is not your average policy wonk. She's on a mission to reconstruct the architecture of global governance, with a knack for connecting community voices to high-level policy debat...

Listen in as Tahina Montoya, Georgetown’s Practitioner in Residence, navigates the tricky art of saying "no" while balancing a dance of opportunity and risk. Five years into her New Year’s resolution, Tahina is still mastering declines with grace. From her mom graduating college alongside her to deftly managing family expectations as a first-generation Colombian and Air Force officer, Ta...

Dive into a riveting episode where Amber McIntyre shares how a twist of fate landed her and President Obama in the same freshman class, revealing the serendipitous paths to purpose and focus. We'll rocket through NASA's impact, where you don't need to be an astronaut to orbit the agency’s colossal influence. Plus, Amber unpacks her journey from a standout student at FSU to influencing...

Listen in as Nassem Qader takes us on a profound journey from the colorful streets of Hyderabad, India, to the snowy paths of Utah, where being a novelty wasn't just a status—it was a daily reality. Growing up with a mother who shoveled snow in a sari and a family that turned heads, Nassem navigated isolation and stood out everywhere, from classrooms to corporate boardrooms. Today, as an advoc...

Join Natasha Christensen in a lively episode as she shares her journey from Elon University to Egyptian adventures, embodying the philosophy: "Practice your Practice." Natasha demystifies Middle Eastern politics with tales of experiential learning and the importance of seizing every opportunity—fellowships, volunteering, and studying abroad. Laugh and learn as she dismisses imposter synd...

Hop on a globetrotting adventure with Rachel Bowen Pittman, from the suburbs of Long Island through the vibrant streets of Memphis. With a business major from American University and a childhood in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood, Rachel’s life has been anything but ordinary. Her parents—educators at heart—set the stage for a life filled with diverse experiences, from interning at a Japanese bank...

Buckle up as Maryum Fatima Saifee takes us on a journey from Jordan’s Peace Corps outposts to the bustling streets of Cairo during the Arab Spring, with a pivotal pit stop in Seattle with AmeriCorps. Refusing the conventional blue suit on planes, Maryum embraced a path of vibrant diversity and relentless inquiry. A prodigy who started college at 15 at the University of Texas, she was inspired by P...

Buckle up for a globe-trotting conversation with Ellen Tannor Richardson as she shares her journey from a Texas call center to high-stakes diplomacy in Djibouti, Cuba, and beyond. At 22, a random email changed everything—launching her into a life of international intrigue far beyond the travel perks of American Airlines. From answering calls to earning a coveted spot in a class of 24—where she fou...

Dive into the world of Fatema Sumar, a policy guru who turned a New Jersey upbringing off Exit 9 into a global career, proving you don't need a law degree to make waves in policy. From her early days at the ACLU tackling drug policy to decoding the bureaucracy of international relations, Fatema believes policy is not just professional—it's deeply personal. Join us as she discusses navigating decis...

As we close out this special series of what was one of the most important climate impact conversations, Maria asks our guests of their predictions of the future of climate change resilience, climate change activism and cultural preservation. Each in their own words, from their vantage point and through the lens of their community’s goals of survival and cultural strengthening and stability. The wo...

Staring with a baseline understanding is only the beginning, as Maureen Penjueli, Adi Vasulevu Merewalesi Levu, and Cressida Kuala have set the stage for climate change in color, through the careful articulation of their daily lived experiences and those of their neighbors, family, friends and wider distant communities; now we listen in on what’s working to curve the shock, minimize the impact and...

The Center for Naval Analyses’ 2023 Advancing Women, Peace and Security: Building Inclusive Resilience in the Pacific conference hosted in Suva, Fiji brought together some of the Pacific Islands leading women voices and activists to not only educate and share lessons learned but to encourage the discussion beyond headlines and into the preservation of culture, way of life, tradition and conservati...

Have you heard? The WCAPS Podcast is Back! Hear from top women leaders as they dive into the truths of peace, security and conflict transformation. From failed aid in Haiti, Code-switching in the workplace, and survivor stories related to gender based conflict, this is a season you don’t want to miss! In the meantime be sure to subscribe and stay tuned for our first episode.

Podcast 85: Unexpectedly Empowered by Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security

Resources to learn more about human Trafficking in Nigeria and globally https://www.naptip.gov.ng/ https://polarisproject.org/ Pathfinders Social Media Website: https://pathfindersji.org/ ig and Twitter- pathfindersji, Facebook - Pathfinders Justice Initiative, Barr Evon's ig handle - findyrpath Books and Publications mentioned in the podcast: https://revonidahosa.medium.com/see-me-see-you-a-spoke...