Rodel Federal Executive Fellowship

A ground-breaking leadership and intellectual development program for senior leaders in the United States government.

Rodel Federal Executive Fellowship

The Rodel Federal Executive Fellowship is an intellectual and leadership professional development fellowship for senior-level career civil servants across the federal government’s executive branch agencies. For each cohort, the program selects 20 to 24 exceptional members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Foreign Service (SFS), GS-15’s, and equivalent positions from across the federal government to come together for a series of three multi-day seminars. Working with expert moderators, the Fellows study and discuss challenging texts on leadership and innovation in large organizations, the nature of democracies, emerging technologies, the American economy, and the changing geopolitical landscape. They also engage in practical, relevant leadership training focused on promoting innovation within the context of large government bureaucracies.

What Our People Say About Us

Participating in Rodel has been a transformative experience. Both the program content and the amazing cohort of interagency leaders has helped me become a more innovative and effective leader. Enhancing my leadership skills has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the federal government's work on behalf of the American people.

Brian MazanecDeputy Assistant Secretary and Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

I came into Rodel exhausted but left energized by the people I met and the discussions we had. The conversations we had really challenged the way I think about myself and what's possible in future leadership roles.

Jessica GallusHolistic Health Integrator, U.S. Space Force

Class of 2023

Cara Abercrombie

Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Defense Policy and Arms Control, National Security Council

Najiyah Alwazir

Senior Governance Advisor, Middle East Bureau, U.S. Agency for International Development

Jennifer Bachus

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S. Department of State

Courtney Beale

Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State

Robert Borka

Deputy Executive Director, Program Accountability and Risk Management, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Jeff R. Bray

Deputy, Office of Maritime and International Law, U.S. Coast Guard

Mike Buchwald

Career Attorney, Office of Law and Policy, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Justice

Mike Carroll

Chief Acquisition and Contracting Officer, Human Resources Command, U.S. Department of the Army

Vivian Chen

Chief Learning Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Rhonda J. Davis

Head, Office of Equity and Civil Rights, National Science Foundation

Avis Denease Dickey

Senior Advisor to the Chief Human Capital Resources Officer and Deputy Ethics Counselor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Justin Fanelli

Technical Director, Digital Enterprise Services, U.S. Department of the Navy

Suzanne Fry

Senior Intelligence Service, Intelligence Community

Jessica Gallus

Senior Advisor, Office of Force Resiliency, U.S. Department of the Navy

Nayla Kawerk

Acting Deputy Assistant General Counsel for International Affairs, Office of the Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Brian Mazanec

Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director, Office of Security, Intelligence, and Information Management, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Kerry K. Neal

Associate Commissioner for Administration, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor

Kimberly Noonan

NextGen Stakeholder Collaboration Division Director, Federal Aviation Administration

Lida Noory

Director for Women, Peace, and Security, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State

Joan Polaschik

Director, Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Department of State

Aziza Shukair

Director and Senior Advisor

Jason D. Strickland

Maritime Platform Specialist, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for Emerging Technology, U.S. Department of Defense

Nathan Tek

Deputy Spokesperson, Bureau of Global Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Matthew Tuchow

General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of State

Title and affiliation reflect position at time of selection to the Rodel Federal Executive Fellowship.

Latest News

Edwards Book Award

2024 Edwards Book Award Longlist Announced

The Rodel Institute is delighted to announce the longlist finalists for its 2024 Edwards Book Award. The Edwards Book Award is an annual prize recognizing books that make an outstanding contribution to the understanding and practice of democracy and American politics. The prize carries an honorarium of $10,000. The winning book is chosen by a committee that includes past Rodel Fellows, external academic advisors, and Rodel Institute staff. This year’s award committee is comprised of Rodel Felllows Larry Obhof (former OH Senate President), Mike Signer (former Charlottesville, VA Mayor), Miguel Solis (former Dallas School Board Member), and Jamie Woodson (former TN State…

Rodel Fellowship 2023 Reunion

More than 100 Rodel Fellows, representing 39 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, gathered in Washington, D.C. in October 2023 for a weekend of workshops, group discussions, plenary sessions, and informal networking. The weekend kicked off with the presentation of Rodel’s inaugural Edwards Book Award to Dr. Francis Fukuyama for his 2022 book Liberalism and Its Discontents published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Lizzy McCourt Noonan, the executive director of Rodel’s Edwards Book Award, moderated a conversation with Dr. Fukuyama about liberal democracy, classical liberalism, and growing authoritarianism around the globe. The next morning began with breakout discussions on…

Liberalism and Its Discontents by Francis Fukuyama Wins Inaugural Edwards Book Award

The Rodel Institute is pleased to announce that Francis Fukuyama’s book Liberalism and Its Discontents has won the inaugural Edwards Book Award. The prize was conferred on October 13, 2023 at the Rodel Institute’s Fellowship Reunion in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Fukuyama gave the keynote address to 140 Rodel Fellows and guests. The Edwards Book Award is given annually to a book that contributes to the understanding and practice of democracy and American politics. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2022, Liberalism and Its Discontents offers a compelling defense of classical liberalism and liberal democracy in the face of growing authoritarianism around the globe. Over the past…

Rodel Federal Executive Fellowship