By Bulletin Staff, September 27, 2021
From left, April Arnold and Haneen Khalid.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announces the first participants of its Board Fellows Program designed to offer rising leaders an opportunity to experience the responsibilities of a governing board.
The one-year program, created in partnership with Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS), is a professional development opportunity in organizational leadership. It is positioned to increase the skill-base and diversity of future leaders in the fields of nuclear risk, climate change, disruptive technologies and not-for-profit journalism.
“We hope to make this a recurring program in future years to develop a diverse pool of future candidates to serve on boards of directors,” said Rachel Bronson, president and CEO, of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. “The Bulletin created this program, a direct outgrowth of our work with Organizations in Solidarity, to provide next-generation leaders with meaningful experience in governance, finance, fundraising and strategic oversight.”
Shalonda Spencer, WCAPS executive director, said the program aligns with her organization’s mission to “ensure that women of color receive equitable professional leadership opportunities to advance peace and security because global perspectives are essential. Serving on boards is a vital element of having a voice and diversifying expert practitioners in the field.”
Here are the 2021-2022 Bulletin Board Fellows:
April Arnold is a senior communications adviser supporting the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection & Deterrence. She has advised the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Army on various arms-control agreements. She is co-chair for the Foreign Policy for America’s Next Generation Defense & Intelligence Working Group and a 2021 PONI Nuclear Scholar and Pacific Forum Young Leader. She has a degree in international relations from the University of Delaware and is pursuing a master’s in Sustainable Energy at Johns Hopkins University.
Haneen Khalid is a research and policy professional in international security. She is an admitted PhD student in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Khalid has worked on women’s affairs and advocated on issues of nuclear security and climate action at the National Assembly of Pakistan. Khalid was an Obama Foundation Scholar at the University of Chicago and has established youth-led initiatives for greater peace, security, and cooperation in South Asia and beyond. She will co-direct the Policy Speaker Series at the Centre for International Strategic Studies and focus on diplomatic and technical collaboration on security issues at Princeton.
Learn more about the 2021-22 Board Fellows program at thebulletin.org/next-generation-program/board-fellows/.
About the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Bulletin equips the public, policymakers, and scientists with the information needed to reduce man-made threats to human existence. At its core, it is a media organization, posting free articles on its website and publishing a premium digital magazine. The Bulletin focuses on three main areas: nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. Learn more at TheBulletin.org.
About Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security
At WCAPS, we believe global issues demand a variety of perspectives. That is why we created a platform devoted to women of color that cultivates a strong voice and network for its members while encouraging dialogue and strategies for engaging in policy discussions on an international scale. Through our dedication to mentorship and partnerships and our passion for changing the global community landscape, we remain committed to achieving our vision of advancing the leadership and professional development of women of color in the fields of international peace, security, and conflict transformation.
While the global community is faced with issues related to worldwide health security, peacekeeping, weapons of mass destruction nonproliferation, and the intersection of national and international security, there was no significant or sustained voice from people of color, particularly women of color, who are often the most affected and who are also community leaders in many parts of the world. We changed that. Learn more at www.WCAPS.org.
About Organizations in Solidarity
Organizations in Solidarity was formed as a partnership among more than 300 organizations and individuals who are signatories to the Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS) United States or United Kingdom Standing Together Against Racism and Discrimination Statements (Solidarity Statements). Our mission is to combat racist beliefs, attitudes, and acts of discrimination, and integrate diversity within all levels of our organizations and as individuals in the peace and security, foreign policy and national security fields. Learn more at www.OrgsinSolidarity.org.
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