The Strauss Center is very pleased to announce the acceptance of six master’s students to its 2025 – 2026 cohort of Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows. We are incredibly excited to welcome this dynamic cohort of students into the Brumley Program from across the Forty Acres, and know they will bring unique perspectives to the multi-disciplinary programs of the Strauss Center.

The Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows Program at the Strauss Center provides research training and mentorship opportunities to exceptional graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin. Involving students in international affairs early in their career is an important part of the Strauss Center’s mission to prepare the next generation of leaders to help develop solutions to the most pressing public policy challenges. The program is made possible by the generous support of Jon and Rebecca Brumley.

Meet the 2025 – 2026 Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows:  

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Aaron Hernandez is a second-year graduate student at the LBJ School, pursuing a Master’s in Global Policy Studies with a specialization in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia. Aaron attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he received his BA in Communication Studies with a minor in Intelligence and National Security.

During his time at UTEP, Aaron was involved with the forensics team, students in intelligence and national security, and attended the Texas Intelligence Academy in Washington, D.C.. After graduating, he researched under Dr. Diana Bolsinger, whose work analyzed the volatilities of intelligence liaison and how it was used with authoritarian governments to achieve material gains for the U.S. government. Shortly after, he spent time in Lithuania as a Fulbright recipient, researching how Lithuanian state actors securitized different issues to garner broad regional support within the NATO alliance. Currently, Aaron studies issues of Grand Strategy in the caucuses, where he focuses on how rhetorical techniques used by state officials can be used to achieve security guarantees in the region. He likes to spend his time with his wife watching terrible reality TV shows or playing basketball with friends. As a Brumley Fellow, Aaron will be mentored by Strauss Center Senior National Security Fellow Alexandra Sukalo.

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Aria Stiefelmaier is a Master of Global Policy Studies candidate at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs, concentrating in Security, Law, and Diplomacy. She earned her B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Russian language and area studies from Texas Tech University. Aria has held internships with the Department of Justice, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia’s office, and Cheniere Energy’s Government Affairs team. Her academic and professional experiences have centered on national security, including research she co-authored on a study of foreign fighters in the Russia-Ukraine War. Aria is particularly interested in counterterrorism and counterintelligence and hopes to pursue a career as an intelligence analyst contributing to U.S. national security. As a Brumley Fellow, Aria will be mentored by Strauss Center Faculty Fellow Michael Dennis.

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Georgia Heery is a second-year student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas – Austin pursuing a Master of Global Policy Studies degree with a focus in Security, Diplomacy, and Law. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, but spent her years prior to graduate school in Washington, D.C.

Georgia graduated from American University with a degree from the School of International Service concentrating in Peace, Global Security, and Conflict Resolution. After graduating from college, Georgia remained in Washington, D.C. to work for the Department of Defense. She looks forward to returning to D.C. to continue her career in federal service and the field of national security. As a Brumley Fellow, Georgia will mentored by Intelligence Studies Project Senior Fellow Paul Pope.

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Lee Walker is a second-year MBA candidate at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Hawaii Pacific University and a Master of Science in Finance from Liberty University. After completing his undergraduate studies, Lee commissioned as a Marine Corps Officer, serving for four years, including a deployment to the Middle East and Africa. Following his service, he worked as an Investment Banking Associate at Bank of America in New York City for over two years. Lee continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve with the Marine Innovation Unit, where he helps accelerate the adoption of advanced capabilities across the service. He is also a Graduate Intern with the Defense Innovation Unit, supporting the Southwest regional team on initiatives that connect commercial technology with national security needs. In the summer between his first and second years of business school, Lee interned at Vannevar Labs, a defense technology startup, where he split his time between Washington, D.C., and Honolulu. After business school, Lee plans to continue working at the intersection of business, defense, and national security.

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Leighton “Perry” Lum is a first-year at the LBJ School of Public Affairs pursuing her Master of Global Policy Studies. Though her background might not suggest a career in space policy, Perry has had a lifelong interest in space. She recently recognized the need for foreign policy professionals in the space field and is excited to turn her passion for space into professional expertise. Last year, Perry received the Aerospace Policy Solutions LLC Award in Space Policy, validating and encouraging her decision to pursue space professionally. She is interested in Chinese and Middle Eastern space development and its implications for U.S. security policy.

Immediately before graduate school, Perry lived in Amman, Jordan, studying Arabic and teaching English. She also worked in Washington, DC, at the Center for a New American Security as a development intern and research contractor and as an Iraq program associate at the International Republican Institute. Perry graduated from Colorado College with a B.A. in Political Science and History. As a Brumley Fellow, Perry will be mentored by Strauss Center Space Security, Safety, & Sustainability Program Lead Moriba Jah.

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Nicole Roy is a second-year Master of Global Policy Studies student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where her research focuses on the intersection of emerging technology and security policy. On campus as a Texas Lyceum Fellow, she was able to present her AI policy research on a conference panel, contributing to public conversations about how emerging AI laws and regulations can be implemented ethically and effectively. Earlier in her academic career, Nicole worked as an organic chemistry research assistant. She also helped develop a life detection method to classify unknown substances in space using a machine learning algorithm and molecular fingerprinting. Nicole loves teaching as much as researching. For three semesters, she has guided first-year college students in writing science reports and presenting policy proposals, while helping them discover the joy of asking big questions about the natural world. As a Brumley Fellow, Nicole is exploring how governments and international institutions navigate the national security risks of deep sea mining and autonomous ocean defense technologies in the era of hybrid warfare. In this role, she will be mentored by Applied Research Laboratories’ Signal and Information Sciences Laboratory Director Marcia Isakson.

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The Brumley NextGen Fellows and Scholars programs would not be possible without the generous support of Jon and Rebecca Brumley of Fort Worth, Texas.