Our Staff & Fellows

In response to increasing demand for mentorship and increased interest in career pathways for climate and security practitioners, the Climate and Security Advisory Group (CSAG) has developed a community-wide Climate Security Fellowship Program. It is the first professional organization for emerging leaders seeking meaningful careers at the intersection of climate change and security. The program connects established climate security experts with pr... More

Chief Executive Officer

Expertise: U.S. Foreign Policy; U.S. Congress; International Trade; Business Diplomacy; Trans-Atlantic Relations; Sub-Saharan Africa; Diplomacy; Politics and Governance; International Law & War; Transitional Justice and International Criminal Law

Patrick C. Costello is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Security Project (ASP) in Washington, DC. Cos... More

Chief Operating Officer

Expertise:  Public diplomacy, military history, national security policy, nuclear security, U.S.-Russia relations, asymmetric operations

Matthew Wallin is ASP’s Chief Operating Officer, and has led ASP’s research on public diplomacy and strategic communications since 2011. As an expert in national security strategy and international relations, Matt... More

Senior Fellow for Climate Security (on leave)

Expertise: US National Security Policy, Climate Security, South and Southeast Asia Policy, Internal Conflict

David Haines is a Senior Fellow for Climate Security at the American Security Project.  His research examines the national security implications of climate change.

From 2006-2020 he was an o... More

Director of Strategic Communications and Development

Annie Aleman is the Director of Strategic Communications and Development at ASP. Her past experience includes digital communications for domestic and international political clients. Annie’s work has taken her around the world, including a year spent in New Zealand with the international consultancy, Topham Guerin.

Annie received her Bachelors of ... More

Climate Security Outreach and Event Planner

Expertise: Climate Security, Energy management, Sustainability.

Adam Despang is the Climate Security Outreach and Event Planner for Florida at the American Security Project.

Adam, a former Army Field Artillery Officer, earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Enginee... More

Illicit Fishing Research Associate

Expertise: Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Policy, Marine Conservation, Climate and Ocean Policy, Natural Resource Management

Alyssa Withrow is an experienced ocean policy and conservation researcher based in Washington, DC. She began SCUBA diving when she was 13 years old and has since become acutely aware of the threats to our oc... More

Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated Fishing Intern 

Expertise: Federal Regulatory Policy, State and Federal Government Relations, Law

Quinne Daoust is an IUU Fishing Intern at the American Security Project.

Currently, Quinne is a second-year law student at Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Her legal interests primarily concern American Southwe... More

Nuclear Security Intern

Expertise: Nuclear Security, Iran’s Nuclear Program, Iran’s Foreign Policy, Sanctions Policy

Sepideh Zabel received an M.A. in Political Science and International Relations, with a focus on Iranian foreign and security policy, an M.A. in Economics, and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Hamburg. She is currently a Ph.D... More

Climate Security Intern

Expertise: Climate Security, Migration, and Environmental Conflict Resolution

Thatcher Hart is a M.A. in International Affairs Policy and Analysis candidate at American University’s School of International Service. His research interests include U.S. foreign policy, climate migration, and environmental conflict.

Thatcher previously interned with the Of... More

Climate Security Intern

Expertise: Climate Security, Global Health, Women’s Role in International Development

Sarah Lawrence is a junior at The George Washington University, pursuing a Bachelors of Science in International Affairs and Public Health. Through her schoolwork, Sarah has gained a great interest in the intersection of health and climate change and seeks t... More

Asymmetric Operations Intern

Expertise: Hybrid conflict, counterinsurgency strategy, rhetoric & decision-making, terrorism, Middle Eastern relations, Lebanese politics, Russian relations, mapping & visualization

Caroline Steel graduated from Durham University (UK) with a 2:1 B.A. in International Affairs, Arabic, English Literature and Philosophy. She studied Arabic at the Fre... More

Climate Security Intern

Expertise: Climate Security, Energy Security, US National Security Policy, International Development

Jeremy Dasilva is an M.A. in Global Security Studies candidate at Johns Hopkins University. His research interests include energy security, national security policy and international development.

Prior to interning at ASP, Jeremy served as an Engin... More

External Relations/Communications Intern

Expertise: US national security strategy, arctic security, military history

Joel Petersen is a master’s candidate in Security Policy Studies at the George Washington University, Elliot School of International Affairs.  He focuses on US National Security.  He earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University, where he majored in both Po... More