EI Directory

Susan Eisenhower
Expert-in-Residence, Eisenhower Institute

Susan Eisenhower is the Eisenhower Institute's expert-in-residence. She was a founding director and the first president of the Eisenhower Institute where she became known for her work in the former Soviet Union. For more than twenty years she traveled extensively to that region, on matters related to US national security. More recently she has concentrated her efforts on the energy security field.

Eisenhower is also the CEO and Chairman of the Eisenhower Group, Inc. (EGI), a Washington D.C. based consulting company founded in 1986. For over thirty years the company has provided strategic counsel on business development, public affairs and communications projects for such companies as American Express, IBM, Coca Cola, AES, Alcoa, and General Electric.

Over the years, three different Secretaries of Energy have appointment her as a member of three blue ribbon commissions for the Department of Energy: The Baker-Cutler Commission on U.S. Funded Non-Proliferation Programs in Russia; The Sununu-Meserve Commission on Nuclear Energy; and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, which released its findings on a comprehensive program for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle in the winter of 2012. She was also appointed to the National Academy of Sciences Standing Committee on International Security and Arms Control, where she served eight years. After many years on the NASA Advisory Council, she served as a commissioner on the International Space Station Management and Cost Evaluation Task Force.

Eisenhower is currently a member of MIT’s Energy Initiative Advisory Board and co-chairman of NEAC, the Secretary of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Board. She has also been a Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics and a Distinguished Fellow at the Nixon Center, now called the Center for National Interest.

In addition, Eisenhower has done speaking in executive training and keynote speeches on strategic leadership. She has spoken on this subject in many corporate venues, as well as at distinguished institutions such as the United States Military Academy at West Point; the Foreign Policy Association in New York; the Army War College, Carlisle; Sandia National Laboratory; MIT; and Australia’s Science and Technology Organization, which is part of the Australian Ministry of Defense.

Eisenhower has also authored hundreds of op-eds for newspapers, including the Washington Post and the LA Times, appeared frequently on national television and radio, and her articles have appeared in such journals as the National Academy of Sciences’ Issues in Science and Technology and the Naval Institutes’ Proceedings. She has written four trade press books, two of which were on regional bestseller lists, and she co-authored or co-edited four other books on international security issues. As an expert on issues related to the region of the former Soviet Union, Eisenhower has written and edited a number of publications on regional security issues, most recently Partners in Space. Her most recent book is How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower's Biggest Decisions.

At Gettysburg College, Eisenhower offers her undergraduate program, Strategy & Leadership in Transformational Times, which highlights the vital intersection between strategy and leadership while emphasizing the truly transformational times we are living in today.

John Austin
Senior Fellow, Eisenhower Institute

John Austin is a Senior Fellow with the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College (EI) leading the organizations’ work on international economy-building and democracy strengthening.   Austin has created and facilitates impactful international partnerships and initiatives, including the transatlantic Transforming Industrial Heartlands Initiative, partnerships to promote and implement allyshoring; along with international collaborations to help democracies maintain  global innovation and economic leadership .  Austin also serves as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution where for over twenty years he has led efforts to support economic transformation in the American Midwest and in the industrial heartlands of Western democracies.  

Prior to joining EI Mr. Austin created and led for twelve years the Michigan Economic Center, a network- building and policy development organization to spur the transformation of Michigan’s economy. As part of this work Mr. Austin coined the term “Blue Economy” to describe the way our waters, and water innovation contribute to economic growth, and created the “Growing Michigan’s Blue Economy”  Initiative to support stakeholders in leveraging Michigan’s water, and water research, education and innovation assets for economic development and new business and job growth. Mr. Austin also initiated the Global Detroit program to welcome immigrants as a source of economic strength and renewal, and supported its replication in communities across the country.   

Mr. Austin also served for sixteen years as a statewide elected official, leading the Michigan State Board of Education, the state’s education and higher education policy-making body, including six years elected by his peers to serve as Board President. 

In 2006 Austin created and directed the Great Lakes Economic Initiative for the Brookings Institution. His work has directly shaped and informed  the region’s economic development agenda, including the current national investments in CHIPs & Science, Innovation and Infrastructure and new federal support for Great Lakes clean-up and restoration. He served as founding Director of the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan—a $100 million effort by the region’s philanthropies to aid in the area’s economic transformation.  

Austin also served as Policy Director for Michigan’s Governor-appointed Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth, and was principal author of the Commission’s influential report. He also was the chief architect of Governor Jennifer Granholm’s urban strategy; and helped stand-up her Department of Labor, Energy and Economic Growth and a state workforce development strategy. 

Mr. Austin has lectured and keynoted events around the world on the themes of economic development and renewal, strengthening democracy, and fostering a dynamic innovation-led economy. Austin’s work has been published by  Foreign Policy, the Brookings Institution,  National Interest,  The New York Times,  Washington Post, The Hill,  Korea Times, TIME Magazine,  Newsweek, Mexico Today, Politico, Fortune, Forbes,  Barrons,  The Economist, the BBC, Voice of America, Times Higher Education, the Nikkei News --among dozens of  local, national, and international media. 

Austin received his Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelors from Swarthmore College in Economics & Political Science, with High Honors and Phi Beta Kappa. 

Reports

The Great Convergence: The Race to Save Democracy (release | report)

Ryan Kerney
Harold G. Evans Professor of Eisenhower Leadership Studies (2025-2028)

Ryan Kerney is a Biologist and educator. His research focuses on biological diversity, developmental biology, and microbial interactions. His policy interests span science policy, environmental policy and education. He is the program director for Advancing Science, which offers free lesson plans, mobile educators, and expertise to regional K-12 schools as part of the Science in Motion Consortium. 

Professor Kerney is a former American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow (STPF) and remains active with the network through their Career Expo,  Affinity Groups, and Fellows Central. 

Professor Kerney also advocates for basic research funding through the American Institute for Biological Sciences and for policy-based climate solutions through the Citizens Climate Lobby.  

Maia Comeau
Director of the Fielding Center

Howard Ernst
Non-Resident Expert, Environmental Leadership

Howard Ernst serves as a Professor of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy, Senior Scholar at University of Virginia's Center for Politics, and as a non-resident expert at Gettysburg College's Eisenhower Institute. He received his Ph.D. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia. While at the University of Virginia, Dr. Ernst received several of the school's highest academic awards, including the prestigious Governor's Fellowship. At the Naval Academy, Professor Ernst serves as the Honors Program Director for the Political Science Department and teaches courses in U.S. Government and Environmental Politics. Dr. Ernst received an honorable mention for the Naval Academy's highest teaching award. He has previously served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the United States Air Force Academy and as the inaugural Director of the Kohler Environmental Center.

Dr. Ernst's scholarship focuses on the citizen influence over the environmental policy process, the formation of environmental public opinion, and the politics of large scale environmental restoration projects. He is considered a leading authority in the area environmental politics and an expert on the politics of the Chesapeake Bay restoration. He has published widely, including six books, and has collaborated with leading scholars in several subfields of Political Science. He is currently under contract with Johns Hopkins University Press to write a book about global issues related to coral reef management.

His environmental policy texts have been adopted in courses as diverse as a graduate seminar at Yale University's School of Forestry, New York University's School of Law, and Johns Hopkins University's School of Geography and Environmental Engineering, in addition to dozens of public policy courses taught in political science departments throughout the country. His books have been highlighted in numerous media outlets, including the Washington Post, National Public Radio, C-SPAN, Voice of America, and a PBS Frontline documentary. Ernst's work has resulted in invitations to testify before Congress and to guest lecture at institutions such as Case Western Reserve, Yale University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Institute, and other centers of higher education.

Dr. Ernst leads the Eisenhower Institute's Environmental Leadership program.

For more information about Dr. Ernst, please visit his website at www.howardernst.com

Ryan Woodward
Non-Resident Expert, Inside Washington

Ryan Woodward is Chief of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for the National Volunteer Fire Council. Previously he served as Senior Government Relations Manager at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). At IAFC Ryan was one of two registered lobbyists on staff, assisting with policy relating to telecommunications, tax, transportation, fire prevention and hazardous materials. 

Ryan grew up on Long Island and graduated Gettysburg College in 2012 with a degree in Economics. While at Gettysburg he was involved in Student Senate, Honor Commission, College Republicans, and joined Sigma Chi and Alpha Phi Omega. Ryan also served on the Adams County Republican Committee as Board Member and Committeeman, studied at American University’s Washington Semester program and is an alumnus of the Spring 2011 session of the Eisenhower Institute’s Inside Politics program, the predecessor to Washington Connections. 

It was at Gettysburg that Ryan started interning on Capitol Hill. During his freshman summer, he interned in the personal office of then Congressman Peter King (R-NY). During his sophomore and junior summers, he interned for the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee. While at American University during the fall of his senior year Ryan interned for Senator Pat Toomey. 

After Graduating Gettysburg Ryan worked as a Staff Assistant for the House of Representatives Committee on House Administration. Six months later after the Committee’s Chairman lost his bid for re-election Ryan joined Rep. Peter King’s staff.  

Ryan worked for Rep. King for nearly 8 years until his retirement from Congress. During that time Ryan served as the Congressman’s Legislative Correspondent, Legislative Assistant, Senior Legislative Assistant and Legislative Director. Ryan also assisted the Congressman with his work on the Homeland Security Committee. During this time Rep. King was the Chairman of the Committee’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, and then Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness Response and Recovery. 

Tony McComiskey
Non-Resident Expert, Inside Washington

Tony McComiskey works as the Senior Advisor for Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ). In his role, he manages a team of staffers who strategically plan how the Senator spends his time when he’s in Arizona and DC. He and his team oversee the Senator’s daily activities, reply to all incoming requests for the Senator, and create structure around an ever-changing schedule.

Tony grew up on Staten Island, New York, and graduated from Gettysburg College in 2014 with a degree in Political Science and minors in Writing, Philosophy, and Peace & Justice Studies. While on campus, Tony was the Vice President of the Student Senate during his junior and senior years, the Vice President of the Class of 2014, a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and an editor for The Mercury. He also worked as a tour guide, lifeguard, and manager of the Men & Women’s Varsity Swim Team.

After graduating from Gettysburg, Tony moved to DC to start his career in politics. His first job was as a Canvass Director for Environment America, a national non-profit that focuses on environmental advocacy. After over year in that role, he got his first campaign job as a Canvass Director on David Trone’s Democratic primary campaign for MD-08 in 2016. In the general election that year, he served as the Field Director for Congressman John Delaney’s successful re-election campaign in MD-06. After the election, Tony moved over to Congressman Delaney’s official Congressional office to work as a Legislative Correspondent.

In 2017, Congressman Delaney announced a bid for the presidency, and Tony joined his campaign as the Deputy Political Director and later served as the Director of Scheduling. After over two years on that campaign, Tony moved back to the Hill to work as the Director of Scheduling and Operations for Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03) in 2019. In December 2021, Tony moved to his current role as Director of Scheduling for Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ).

Emily Samose
Non-Resident Expert, Building America: Housing, Health, and Education

Emily Samose is the founder and principal of ECS Consulting, LLC, a full-service consulting firm providing field research, content creation, network facilitation, meeting planning and project management services to nonprofit, university and philanthropic clients. Emily established her consulting practice after 20+ years of experience leading education programs and partnerships in support of children, youth and families. Recent and current clients include the William Penn Foundation, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, the National Summer Learning Association, and the George Washington University, among several others.

Emily was previously the director of education and learning initiatives for the Urban Libraries Council, (ULC) a membership association of North America’s leading public library systems. Prior to joining ULC, she spent several years with the Corporation for National and Community Service (now called AmeriCorps) and many years at the intersection of national service and education in California, developing and executing service-learning programs for universities and afterschool programs.

Emily holds a B.A. from Gettysburg College (class of 1995), a Master’s degree in education from San Francisco State University, and is a graduate of the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program.

Dana Banks
Non-Resident Expert, Global Focus: Africa

Dana L. Banks is a former senior foreign service officer with over twenty-five years of experience advancing US foreign policy, national security, and commercial and public diplomacy. Most recently, Banks served as senior advisor to the US Chamber of Commerce’s Africa Business Center, where she advised on public policies that advanced the investment goals of US companies operating in Africa, particularly in the digital transformation, critical minerals, sustainable energy, healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors. In 2024, Banks was nominated by US President Joe Biden for the position of US executive director of the African Development Bank, representing the US government’s interests as the bank’s largest non-African shareholder.

From 2021 to 2023, Banks served at the White House as special assistant to the president and senior director for Africa at the National Security Council. She worked to transform the administration’s relationship with African partners on priority national security issues, including health security, democratic governance, digital transformation, sustainable energy, and commercial engagement.

In 2020, Banks served as director of executive development at the US Department of State’s School of Leadership and Management, where she redesigned leadership training for US ambassadors and deputy chiefs of mission. Throughout her diplomatic career, Banks served as deputy political counselor at the US embassy in Pretoria, South Africa; deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Lomé, Togo; and public affairs officer at the US embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Additional assignments include roles on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s staff in the Operations Center at the State Department in Washington, as special assistant to the assistant secretary for African Affairs, and overseas postings in Haiti and Thailand.

Banks has received numerous State Department awards and letters of commendation from the White House and National Security Council. In addition to being the proud mother of Christopher, Banks is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She holds a Master of Arts in international relations from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Spelman College.

Annie Morgan
Non-Resident Expert, Emerging Threats in National Security

Kevin Nealer
Non-Resident Expert, Global Focus: Competing With China

Kevin G. Nealer serves as a non-resident expert at the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College.

A Principal of The Scowcroft Group, Kevin G. Nealer provides strategic risk advisory services and direct investment support to clients, specializing in financial services and trade policy issues for emerging markets, with emphasis on China and Southeast Asia. Before joining The Scowcroft Group, Mr. Nealer advised multinational clients on investment issues, project finance, and trade law/policy as a principal in the consulting affiliate of Washington's largest law firm, and as Vice President for corporate affairs with a leading government strategies practice.

On October 1, 2014, President Obama appointed Mr. Nealer as a Member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board where he served until completion of his term in 2017. Following his confirmation by the United States Senate on December 14, 2010, Mr. Nealer had served on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the development finance agency of the US government, and as a member of OPIC’s Audit and Governance Committees until the conclusion of his term in January, 2013. He is a member of the Global Leaders Network of CARE International and the board of the American Australian Council. A trade attorney and former State Department officer, Mr. Nealer previously served as trade policy advisor to the Senate Democratic Leadership.

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he is the author of numerous articles on political economy, including co-authoring the Council’s report Beginning the Journey: China, the United States, and the WTO. He is a consultant to the U.S. government on trade and economic security issues. A Fulbright professor in the People’s Republic of China (1990 to 1991), Mr. Nealer has served as a lecturer, program moderator, and adjunct professor of trade law and policy at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. He is a Senior Adviser (Non-resident), Simon Chair in Political Economy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

Mr. Nealer received his JD from Case Western Reserve University, and serves on its International Visiting Committee. He received his BA from the University of Michigan and is a member and former Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Michigan in Washington Program.

Communications Team

Tejaswi Amatya
Communications Assistant

Hai Doan
Communications Assistant

Diptiman Das
Communications Assistant

Naveen Wineland
Ike’s Anvil Managing Editor

Events Team

Soikat Saha
Events Assistant

Soikat is a junior majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics and minoring in Data Science. Last summer, he worked with the Gettysburg College Summer Conference Team. During the academic year, he works with Athletics Equipment Management and is involved with the Badminton Club. Soikat enjoys riding cycle, listening to music, watching tv/movies (especially Friends), and playing games.

Pranu Bhandari
Events Assistant

Programs Team

Jessica Chernoff
Programs Operations Lead

Jessica Chernoff is a junior Political Science major from Medford, NJ. She is actively engaged in various leadership roles on campus and in the political sphere. In addition to her role as Program Operations Lead for EI, she works as an Admissions Tour Guide and Information Session Presenter, and holds positions on Hillel’s executive board. Additionally, she is the Vice President of New Member Education and Director of Member Development for Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. Jessica has been involved with the Eisenhower Institute since her first year and has participated in Emerging Threats in National Security, Inside Washington, and Gender and Leadership.

Beyond campus, Jessica is a Campaign Fellow for Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and has been selected as a Ballotpedia Summer 2025 Fellow. She is also a member of the Susan N. Wilson NEW Leadership® New Jersey Class of 2025. She is excited to lead the Program Operations Team this year and looks forward to working with all programs!

Emily Heyler
Programs Operations Assistant

Washington Office

Emma Erkkilä
Policy, Management and Research Intern

Eisenhower Scholars Mentors

Danielle Fritchman

Danielle Fritchman is a junior from Pennsburg, PA, double-majoring in International Global Studies and Psychology with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She works as an Eisenhower Scholar Mentor, helping first-year Eisenhower scholars adjust to college and creating programming for Eisenhower Scholars. Besides working at EI, she runs on the cross-country and track and field teams, works as a peer learning associate for the Psychology department, and serves as a tour guide for Admissions. She also works as an immersion project leader with the Center for Public Service, leading a trip to the Mexican border. In the Spring of 2024, she went abroad to Morocco with the School for International Training and spent the summer conducting research, focusing on mental health stigma in the Middle East.

Fatou Ndiaye

Blair O’Connor