Justice Graduate Interns
Lauren Kourey
Immersion and Community-Engaged Learning Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Lauren is a first year graduate student in Georgetown’s English M.A. Program. She is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. Lauren graduated Magna Cum Laude from Villanova University with a B.A. in English and Political Science. Most recently, she worked at the DC Rape Crisis Center, where she led crisis intervention trainings and supported sexual violence survivors on a 24/7 hotline. In pursuing her M.A., Lauren plans to explore the question of narrative authority through her research. In her free time, she enjoys performing with her band, crafting, and wandering through Lost City Books.
Jamira Richardson
Youth Justice Initiatives Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Jamira is a second-year graduate student in the English M.A. program. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she graduated summa cum laude from St. Mary’s University with a B.A. in English Literature and Language in 2020. Before coming to the Hilltop, she worked extensively with underserved youth as an intern for a premier literary arts center, a student success coach for an education nonprofit, and a teacher for an afterschool program similar to ASK. In the future, she hopes to channel her passion for empowering diverse young voices into becoming an editor for multicultural children’s and young adult books.
Gillian Hodge
Operations Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Gillian is a second year graduate student in the MS in Foreign Service program concentrating in Global Politics and Security. Gillian is originally from Rhode Island, and majored in International Relations, Political Science, and Chinese in her undergraduate studies at the University of Rhode Island. Prior to coming to Georgetown, she spent a year studying abroad in Taipei, Taiwan as a Boren Scholar, where she also interned with a civil society organization that represented Taiwan’s interests in international forums. Gillian is pursuing a Certificate in Asian Studies alongside her graduate degree, and is interested in working in federal service with a focus on US-East Asian affairs. In her free time, Gillian enjoys cooking, reading, and putting together Spotify playlists for every occasion.
Martha Alexandra Aguirre
Operations Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Martha is a second-year graduate student in the MS in Foreign Service program concentrating in Global Politics and Security. Martha was born and raised in Chicago and is a first-generation LatinX student. She graduated summa cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Hispanic Studies and Secondary Education. Martha has over five years of experience in the education sector. She joined the Peace Corps in 2018, where she served as an English education volunteer in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She also worked as a Spanish teacher for Chicago Public Schools. Martha was named a 2023 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow, which prepares young professionals for careers in the Foreign Service and hopes to specialize in Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Wyae’ Stewart
Educational Equity (Jumpstart) Justice Gradaute intern
she/her
Wyae’ is a first-year graduate student in Georgetown’s Master’s of Public Policy Program. She is originally from Atlanta, GA. Wyae’ graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Politics and Law & Society. Her key areas of focus are housing and education. Most recently, she interned on the policy team at Opportunity Finance Network, the leading voice for the CDFI industry, whose mission is to drive transformational capital to historically underinvested rural, urban, and Native communities. Wyae’ is pursuing her MPP because she wants to delve more into the intersection between education and its impacts on all issue areas, which is why she is excited to work with the Educational Equity team. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and pickleball to destress.
Alexandra Ducane
HOME at Capitol Campus Graduate Intern
she/her
Alexandra is a first-year graduate student in the Master’s of Professional Studies in Emergency and Disaster Management program. Originally from Westminster, MD, she earned her BA in Communication from the University of Maryland and holds an AA in Business Administration from Carroll Community College. Her areas of interest include crisis communication and disaster preparedness. She has volunteered at community organizations, including her local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post, hospital, state’s attorney’s office, arts center, and more. She hopes to use her degree to pursue a career in emergency management, focusing on challenges such as the current climate crisis. In her free time, you can find her playing Stardew Valley, exploring new ramen shops around the DMV area, or diving into her latest read.
Delani Pecchioli
Engaged Scholarship Justice Gradaute Intern
she/her
Delani is a first-year graduate student in Georgetown’s Conflict Resolution M.A. Program. She is originally from the Philadelphia area. Delani graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Maryland with a B.A. in Global Studies and minors in Gender Studies and Spanish. Prior to Georgetown, Delani worked in nonprofit philanthropy in Nashville where she connected with the local community to support research initiatives and equitable access to healthcare. In pursuing her degree, Delani aims to explore the complexities of conflict mediation and peacebuilding by studying the influence that social factors have in a post-conflict setting. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, film photography, traveling, and spending time with her dog Scamp.
Juliet Buntuguh
Student Organizations & Leadership Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Juliet is a first-year graduate student in Georgetown’s Environmental and Sustainability M.S. program from Ghana, West Africa. A trained lawyer, she graduated as the top student in Conveyancing and Legal Drafting in her class. Before coming to Georgetown, Juliet worked with a Canadian-funded nonprofit in Ghana, where she played a key role in incubating green businesses that developed locally adaptive solutions to climate change. With a strong interest in development work, she aspires to pursue a career in sustainability management at The World Bank. In her free time, Juliet enjoys hiking while listening to Conan O’Brien, and dreaming of starting her own comedy podcast.
Kortni Washington
Educational Equity (DC Reads/DC Steam) Graduate Intern
she/her
Kortni is a first-year graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology. Originally from Southern California, Kortni received a B.S. in Public Health: Health Policy and Management from UC San Diego in 2022. Prior to arriving to Georgetown, she spent two years as a Public Health Analyst for RTI International, where she conducted qualitative and quantitative healthcare analysis for federal agencies and private clients. She hopes to utilize epidemiologic methods to alleviate soci0-political and behavioral determinants of health following the completion of her masters. In her free time, Kortni loves weight training, cooking and trying new DMV restaurants, reading, and (amateur) music production/dj-ing.
Abigail Hutzel
HOME: Housing | Outreach | Meals | Education Outreach Justice Graduate Intern
she/her
Abby is a first-year graduate student in the Engaged and Public Humanities M.A. program. Abby is originally from Cincinnati, OH and received a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies with a concentration in War and Peace from Ohio University in 2023. Prior to arriving at Georgetown, she participated in the Fulbright Scholarship in Taiwan where she taught English and cultural lessons to elementary and junior high school students in the southern county of Pingtung. She hopes to use her degree and experience to continue in non-profit work in the DMV focusing on homelessness outreach in family and child services. In her free time, you can catch her playing ultimate frisbee or trying to find the perfect bagel place in DC.
Estefania Baez
Immigrant Justice Initiatives Graduate Intern
She/Her/Hers
Estefania is a first-year graduate student in Georgetown’s M.S. in Addiction Policy and Practice program. She received her B.S. in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Estefania previously worked as a Neuropsychology Technician at a behavioral health clinic in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where she conducted neuropsychological evaluations and administered biofeedback training on patients. She is motivated in earning her degree to advocate for marginalized communities that are negatively impacted by prejudiced drug laws, as well as doing research into the social and health inequities associated with substance use disorders. In her free time, Estefania enjoys weightlifting, dancing bachata, and spending time with her cats.
Ayla Bahram
Communications Justice Graduate Intern
She/Her
Ayla Bahram is a second-year M.A. student in Georgetown’s Conflict Resolution program, also pursuing a certificate in Gender, Peace, and Security. Originally from Canada, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from McMaster University with a B.A. in Political Science and Law and an M.A. in Political Science, focusing Public Policy and International Relations. In 2014, Ayla witnessed the ISIS invasion of Kirkuk, Iraq, which devastated many Turkmen cities. This experience drives her advocacy for peace, justice, and reconciliation for the Iraqi Turkmens. She recently led in field research in Türkiye on Iraqi Turkmen women’s negotiation dynamics with the International Centre for Religion and Diplomacy and aims to develop a negotiation toolkit for her community. Ayla hopes to utilize her Conflict Resolution degree within the Iraqi Turkmen community and build a sustainable future for all. Before Georgetown, Ayla founded UpLifting Education, a Canadian non-profit that supports marginalized communities pursuing higher education. In her free time, Ayla enjoys playing video games, especially The Legend of Zelda series.
Hanane Idihoum
Engaged Scholarship
She/Her
Hanane is a first-year graduate student in the Master’s in Arab Studies program. She is originally from Tiznit, Morocco. Hanane graduated from St. Olaf College in 2023 with a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology, Race and Ethnic Studies and a concentration in Film Studies. During her undergraduate time, she participated in research projects on the Middle East and North Africa and interned with several non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities. Prior to joining Georgetown University, she spent a year working in a refugee resettlement agency in Minneapolis where she coordinated with local, federal and international organizations to provide services to refugees. In her free time, Hanane enjoys cooking, going on walks and exploring new coffee shops.