Global Fellows Staff
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.