Global Fellows Staff

Image of Joan Burton, Director of Federal/Global Fellows Joan B. Burton, Ph.D., Director, Federal Fellows and Global Fellows in Washington, DC
Joan Burton is Director of the Federal Fellows Program and Founding Director of Global Fellows in Washington, D.C. at the University of Maryland. Achievements at UMD include transforming a small federal internship program serving 12 students per year into a high-powered set of learning communities serving over 150 students per year. Focusing on some of the biggest policy issues of the day, these year-long programs integrate academic and experiential learning to prepare a talented, diverse corps of students for careers related to public service and global leadership. Dr. Burton has given invited presentations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Partnership for Public Service, and currently serves on a Pathways Implementation Team for the Office of Personnel Management. She also gave the keynote address at the Embassy of Bangladesh in D.C. for their 2015 celebration of International Mother Language Day. Related service at UMD includes sponsoring and hosting a White House Roundtable on the State of Education (2011) and cosponsoring, with the School of Public Policy, a White House Roundtable on the Economy (2012). She is also Director of the Individual Studies Program and serves on the Administrative Council for the Office of Undergraduate Studies. In 2012 and 2016, she was named a Philip Merrill Presidential Faculty Mentor, and in 2012 she was inducted into ODK. Prior to moving to Maryland, Dr. Burton was Chair and Professor of Classical Studies at Trinity University, San Antonio, where she also served as Co-founder and Director of Comparative Literature. She has also held teaching appointments at Howard University and at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Burton has a passion for interdisciplinary studies and empowering students. She is also a strong advocate for public service and global citizenship education.

Image of Jay Arasan, Associate Director Jay Arasan, Associate Director
301-314-1130 | jarasan@umd.edu
Jay Arasan was a Training Manager at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Diplomatic Sales Consultant for the ONE UN New York before joining the Federal and Global Fellows Program in November of 2014. He has a Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) and a Master in Science (Information Technology), both from University Utara Malaysia (UUM). He has extensive experience working with the U.S. Pacific Command, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Department of State, and other Department of Defense agencies. He is passionate on International Affairs, Security Assistance and Security Cooperation related issues.

Image of Naz Beyranvand, Program Manager Naz Beyranvand, Program Manager
301-314-0261 | nbeyran@umd.edu
Naz Beyranvand is the program manager for the Federal and Global Fellows in D.C. Programs. She launched the Alumni Mentorship Program in spring 2016 in collaboration with the Alumni Board President. This mentor program paired professional, talented alumni with students in both our programs. In addition, she created the successful Ambassador Program. Before joining the Federal and Global Fellows Programs in September 2015, Naz was the project manager for the Roshan Initiative in Persian Digital Humanities, administrative coordinator for the Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland and executive assistant to the Director of Roshan for three years. She earned her Masters of Professional Studies in Persian at the University of Maryland in 2012, the same institution in which she had earned her Bachelors of Arts degree as a double major in Broadcast Journalism and Persian Studies. She is fluent in English, Persian and Spanish.

Image of Arona Baigal, Graduate Assistant Arona Baigal, Graduate Assistant
301-314-0689| fedglobal@umd.edu
Arona Baigal is a Graduate Assistant for the Federal and Global Fellows Program. She is an alumna of the 2019 cohort of the Homeland and National Security Policy concentration of the Federal Fellows Program. She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Policy degree with a specialization in International Security and Economic Policy. Arona graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in May 2021, where she earned a B.A. in Government and Politics with an International Relations concentration and double minored in Global Terrorism Studies and Middle East Studies. She has previously worked at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Consortium for Terrorism and the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START),and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. Outside of school and work, Arona enjoys photography and hiking.

Image of Emily Berry, Graduate Assistant Emily Berry, Graduate Assistant
301-314-0689| fedglobal@umd.edu
Emily Berry is a Graduate Assistant for the Federal and Global Fellows Programs. She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Policy degree with a specialization in Social Policy, after which she plans to attend law school. Emily graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in May 2021, where she earned her B.A. in Government and Politics and completed her thesis on the effect of partisanship and ideology on the confirmation of appointments to the Supreme Court. She has previously worked as a teaching and research assistant in the GVPT department, a student advocate in UMD's Student Legal Aid Office, a marketing intern for nonprofit Vikara Village, and in the Maryland General Assembly. Outside of school and work, Emily enjoys hiking, playing soccer, reading, and doing what she can to mentor current students!

Image of Jason Goldstein, Graduate Assistant Jason Goldstein, Graduate Assistant
301-314-0689| fedglobal@umd.edu
Jason Goldstein is a Graduate Assistant for the Federal and Global Fellows Program. He is currently pursuing his Master of Arts in International Relations. Jason graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in May of 2021, where he earned his B.A. in Government and Politics with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in General Business from the Smith school. Jason is an alumna of the 2021 cohort of the Responses to Global Challenges concentration of the Global Fellows program. He has previously worked at the World Resource Institute's Center for Sustainable Business and the Brooking Institution's Center for Sustainable Development. Outside of school, Jason is an avid soccer fan and enjoys photography, the outdoors, and travel.