Authentic Leadership Fellows

Amanda Azia '26

Amanda is a rising junior from Potomac, Maryland studying government with a minor in history on the pre-law track. On campus she holds a leadership position in Hillel, currently serving as the Engagement Chair and previously serving as the Community Service Chair. She is also involved in Alpha Phi Omega, is a Tour Guide and Griffin Ambassador at the Admissions Office, and works as a Students Events & Hospitality Assistant at the Alumni House. She was a Courageous Leadership & Authentic Excellence fellow last school year and is a fellow of Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies. Amanda is incredibly excited to broaden her horizons and gain invaluable experiences, both personally and professionally, through the Authentic Leadership Institute this summer in DC.

Carolyn Bohnert '26

Carolyn Bohnert is a sophomore from Arlington, Virginia. She is majoring in Business Analytics and minoring in Environment & Sustainability. She is so excited to be part of the program, as she believes it will help her gain leadership and intrapersonal skills that she will take with her for the rest of her life!

Jennifer Buyer '26

Jennifer Buyer (she/her) is a sophomore at The College of William and Mary from Wilmette, Illinois. She is pursuing a major in Business Analytics with a minor in Data and Public Health, both of which she plans to apply in her future career. Beyond the classroom, Jennifer is the devoted leader of the HeadStart program for William and Mary’s chapter of Circle K International (CKI), a proud member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, and an enthusiastic player on the Club Tennis A Team. She especially enjoys spending her time reading to children through the HeadStart organization, as she holds the belief that early literacy establishes a strong foundation for academic achievement. Jennifer is excited to live and work in Washington DC this summer because she is confident that the experience will deeply enhance her knowledge of the processes that encompass day-to-day business operations. She cannot wait to explore all of the opportunities that Washington DC has to offer, as well as to be a part of the bustling city.

Reagan Downey '26

Reagan Downey is a sophomore from Birmingham, AL double majoring in linguistics and marketing. On campus she works for the Writing and Communication Center where she works to help foster confidence in students with writing assignments and as a Teaching Assistant for the Linguistics Program. She is primarily interested in community education, museum studies, and connecting people to resources.

Anna Fleischauer '25

Anna Fleischauer '25

Max Gunderson '26

Max Gunderson is a sophomore at William and Mary from Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a Computer Science major with a minor in Public Health. These two fields allow him to combine his deep interests in technology and software development with the economic, political, and cultural forces that shape community health. Max is a past participant in the William and Mary Bhutan study abroad program hosted by the Royal University of Bhutan. There he studied the country’s distinctive model of sustainable development, “Gross National Happiness,” and Himalayan Buddhism. Max is a member of the First-Year National Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta, and has been recognized on the Dean’s List for 2022-2023. On campus, Max has served the Community Council for his residence hall, and he is a player and Executive Member of William & Mary Men’s Club Lacrosse Team.

Kate Haiman '26

Giorgianna Heiko '25

Elle Kim '25

Elle Kim is a history major, Oral History Intern with the Bray School Lab, and a student assistant at the Special Collections Research Center. When she's not facilitating historical and archival research, she's assisting W&M's Peer Advising Program as its Training Chair. In her free time, she birds and searches for opportunities that will help her become a paralegal after graduating next year. This summer, Elle will intern with the National Archives at College Park.

Maya Mitchell '26

Maya is a sophomore at William & Mary from Stafford, VA who is studying Government and Biology with interests in Politics, Communications and Law. On campus she holds a leadership position in Young Democrats. Through this organization, she has served as State Senate Campaign Chair to develop political messaging based on community concerns, create social media campaigns, and organize student voting registration initiatives. She is a member of Alpha Chi Omega and is passionate about community philanthropy efforts. Maya is very excited to participate in the Authentic Leadership Institute Program and expand her professional skill set as a Public Relations Fellow at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Amelia Patterson '26

Amelia Patterson is a rising junior at William & Mary from Charlotte, NC. She is majoring in finance and public policy. She enjoys the different but complementary focuses of finance and public policy and hopes to use both in her career after graduation. This summer, she is interning at Byond, a boutique growth consulting firm and in the fall she will be participating in Cornell University’s Women in Investing Stock Pitch in NYC. Outside of the classroom, Amelia is the Vice President of Operations for her social sorority and an active member of Women in Business, Smart Women Securities, and the Finance Academy. She is very excited to be in DC this summer and take advantage of all the city has to offer!

Emily Radick '26

Emily Radick is a sophomore from Mountainside, New Jersey studying Public Policy and Sociology. On campus, she volunteers with Undergraduate Admissions and STEP as a tour guide and Orientation Aide and is a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a community service fraternity. Emily also just concluded her experience in the 2022-2023 Civic Leadership Program through the Civic & Community Engagement office. In this program, she engaged in weekly discussions with peers about how to be effective leaders and active citizens. She also completed a summer project working with seniors in her hometown to address issues such as food insecurity and isolation in the community. Emily is excited to expand on the lessons she learned from this experience in Washington, D.C. this summer!

Mark Strand '26

Mark is a sophomore who intends to pursue dual majors in public policy and music. Hailing from Vienna, VA, Mark is involved in Greek life on campus and a dedicated member of the W&M Men's Ultimate Frisbee team. He is particularly interested in environmental policy due to his love for the outdoors. Mark spent some of his winter at the Washington Center and is excited to be back in the nation's capital.

Hannah Svirsky '26

Julia Swearer '26

Allison Wilson '26