Policy Fellowship Cohorts
Policy Fellows: 2022-23
Lucy Aspinall
King's College London (KCL)
Lucy is a final year BA International Relations student at King’s College London from Bolton, Greater Manchester. She is particularly interested in US National Security Policy and British Foreign Policy. Lucy is looking forward to exploring geopolitical issues facing the Middle East through the fellowship. In addition to being a Policy Fellow at the Pinsker Centre she is also the Policy Lead at grassroots think tank for Young Conservatives, Blue Beyond. After graduation Lucy hopes to build on her experience and pursue a career in policy or politics.
Sam Brummer
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Sam is currently in his final year at LSE studying History. He spent a year in Yeshiva Eretz Hatzvi and was selected to participate in the Tikvah Overseas Student Institute. He has been heavily involved in Bnei Akiva, leading a tour group to Israel this past summer, and representing them to the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Sam plans on moving to Israel after his university studies, and enjoys reading and writing about Zionism and Israeli politics.
William Rome
Durham University
William is a second year History student at Durham University, considering law and journalism as potential careers. William learned about the Pinsker Centre through the events we organised at the Durham Union Society and was impressed by the value placed on free speech and the importance of constructive debate about issues critical to our society. This motivated William to apply for the fellowship and he is greatly looking forward to being able to further his understanding of international relations and particularly Middle Eastern politics through his own research and discussions with other Pinsker fellows in podcasts.
Ely Lassman
University of Bristol
Ely is a British-Israeli IDF veteran currently studying Economics at the University of Bristol. His interests in philosophy, politics, and economics movement led him to found the UoB Liberty society in 2021, at which he currently serves as President. He is also an intern at Objective Standard Institute, a Don Lavoie fellow at the Mercatus Centre at George Mason University, and a Britannia fellow at the Common Sense Society.
David Eagleson
Cambridge University
David is a third year Law student at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He decided to participate in the Pinsker Fellowship to engage in research and discussion on the most important and challenging international and domestic policy issues. As Vice President of the Cambridge Union Society, David is used to facilitating dialogue in these fields on a daily basis, but he hopes that the fellowship will provide him with further opportunities to engage with the important issues of the day, meet leading figures and have his viewpoints challenged constructively.
Abigail Rachel Mouniba Darwish
University College London (UCL)
Abigail is a second year History student at UCL. As part of the Pinsker Fellowship, she wishes to expand her knowledge of international relations in the Middle East, with a particular focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the future Abigail hopes to pursue a career in political science.
Ryan Wee
University College London (UCL)
Ryan is a second year History student at UCL. Through the fellowship, Ryan hopes to learn more about the world while putting his debating, oratorical and writing skills to good use. He is keen to meet and make friends with like-minded individuals who are passionate about free speech and current affairs. In the future, Ryan is considering going into academia.
Romy Wulfsohn
Cambridge University
Romy is from Johannesburg, South Africa. She is currently undertaking a Masters degree in Law at Cambridge University. Romy was closely involved in founding the legal division of the South African Zionist Federation in Johannesburg in collaboration with the International Legal Forum, in order to use the law to fight BDS, antisemitism and the delegitimisation of Israel in South Africa. In 2020, Romy was selected to join the World Jewish Congress Diplomatic Corps, a vital part of the World Jewish Congress. Romy was also chosen for the prestigious World Zionist Organisation’s first Leadership Academy which she completed this year. She also recently completed the ISGAP Summer Institute on the Study of Global Antisemitism at Oxford University.
Olivia Peterson
King's College University (KCL)
Olivia is confident the Pinsker Centre’s Fellowship will further cultivate her passion through academic engagement and discussion and constructively challenge her. Olivia has a natural inclination to explore information that has not been widely presented to the general public and accounts that are often overlooked or dismissed. She is keen to learn about Middle Eastern geopolitics and explore the role of Israel and Zionism in international affairs. Olivia has a strong and burgeoning interest in the area of security. She aspires to undertake a PhD in this field and use her research experience to serve within the Defence industry. Olivia wishes to contribute to the security and protection of the State and to teach others in this field.
Nicholas Nolan Judd
University of Glasgow
Nicholas is a third year student at the University of Glasgow reading International Relations. The Fellowship interests him with its focus on live discussion of relevant issues in international relations, and as an opportunity to write and record thought-provoking articles and podcasts. Nicholas believes that there is a shortage of good ideas in the university sphere, which needs to be addressed. He looks forward to either pursuing a career in intelligence, foreign policy, or American law.
Oliver Udy
Cambridge University
Oliver is a final year historian at Cambridge University. During his time at Cambridge, Oliver I has been the Speakers Officer for the Cambridge Union as well as the Undergraduate Membership Officer. Oliver is doing the Fellowship because he wants to contribute, in whatever way he can, to a more informed and reasonable dialogue about the geopolitical challenges facing the world today.
Alex Guy Sandler
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Alex chose the Pinsker Fellowship after working in Diplomacy in the Middle East and Eastern Europe for the past year. He feels that the Fellowship is a fantastic way to continue enhancing his knowledge and experience of the worlds of diplomacy and public policy. In the future, Alex is hoping to work for International Organisations, with a focus on the Middle Eastern Peace Process.
Policy Fellows: 2021-22
Marina Barats
Bristol University
Marina is a final year BSc Economics and Politics student at the University of Bristol. Marina is the President of Bristol International Affairs Society, in this role, she aims to promote freedom of speech and constructive debate on campus. Marina also serves as Events Director and Senior Analyst at Bristol Investment Fund. In 2021-22, she was selected to participate in several European Jewish Association Conferences.
Avishai Marcus
King's College London (KCL)
Avishai is a second year BA Religion, Politics and Society student at King’s College London. Avishai spent two years in Israel studying in the Old City of Jerusalem at Yeshivat Hakotel. He is particularly interested in Israeli Politics and the geopolitics of the Middle East. In addition to being a Policy Fellow at the Pinsker Centre, Avishai is also a Writer for The Student Lawyer and The London Mosaic
Elliot Stein
Bristol University
Elliot Stein is a second year law student at the university of Bristol. Alongside the fellowship, Stein is Chairman of the Bristol Univeristy Conservative Association, and an active policy developer in the Union of Conservative Students. Stein is utilising the fellowship to bring discussion to a highly and increasingly violent campus of Bristol Univeristy. Through the delivery of discourse on campus, he hopes to bring a greater presence of freedom of speech to campus
Ojel L. Rodriguez Burgos
St. Andrew's University
Ojel is a second year PhD student at the University of St. Andrews, School of International Relations. Ojel's research focus is on the life and thought of Kenneth Minogue, conservatism, classical liberalism, ideology and international relations theory. He is particularly interested in international politics from a realist perspective. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, MA in International Relations from King's College London and MA in Legal and Political Theory from University College London.
Mackenzie France
Cambridge University
Mackenzie is in his final year at the University of Cambridge studying History and Politics. He is particularly interested in US foreign policy as well as Israel's relationship with the west. Mackenzie is also a Deputy Director at Blue Beyond, a Think Tank for Young Conservatives. When he graduates Mackenzie hopes to use his experience from the Fellowship to pursue a career in policy, politics or advocacy.
Jordan Kiss
Durham University
Jordan is a penultimate year law student and receives the Hogan Lovells and Laidlaw scholarship at Durham University. Beyond his studies, he is President-Elect of the Durham Union and volunteers in his local community as a Magistrate and School Governor.
Policy Fellows: 2020-21
Daniel Sacks
Birmingham University
Daniel Sacks is currently a final year student at the University of Birmingham studying Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He previously held the position of JSoc President and currently works with the Union of Jewish Students as Chair of its National Council. He spent a year in Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi consolidating his knowledge of Judaism and experiencing Israeli life and culture. With a keen interest in politics, especially Israeli politics, Daniel has always been keen to engage and learn more.
Sarah Kuszynski
Durham University
Sarah graduated from Durham University in 2019 with a BA in Geography and Economicsand recently completed an MA in Geographical Research. During her undergraduate Sarah was Events Officer for the university’s Conservative Association, and as a postgraduate student she served as President of the Durham Union–Durham’s primary debating and free speech society
Angus Taylor
Warwick University
Angus is a third-year student at the University of Warwick, studying for a BA in Politics. In his second year, Angus served as President of Warwick Jewish Israeli Society. He has also served as an editor of Warwick’s student newspaper, The Boar, and has contributed articles to several other publications.
Ariella Taub
Cambridge University
Ariella is a second-year English student at the University of Cambridge. She is a committee member of the Cambridge UniversityJewish Society and sits on the Debating Committee of the Cambridge Union. She participated in the Tikvah Overseas StudentInstitute in Jerusalem and interned at the Head Office in New York.
Tom Clowes-Pritchard
Queen Mary, University of London
Tom is studying for a BA International Relations at Queen Mary University of London. Having previously worked at the European Parliament where, among other things, he successfully workedon the opposition to the EU Copyright Directive, and attended international summits regarding trade, religious freedom, and individual liberty. Tom has also been a foreign affairs contributor toonline Newspaper the Wolves of Westminster, working on projects concerning the Middle East, the Anglo-American Alliance, the future of the EU and the G7.
Lili Naomi Zemplenyi
University College London (UCL)
Lili Naómi Zemplényi is a final year student at University College London (UCL) studyingHistory, Politics and Economics BA.She isan international student from Hungary. Besides being a Pinsker Fellow since 2020, she is also the Treasurer of the UCL Conservative Society. Previously, she was the International Partnership Officer of the UCL Conservatives and in 2019 she also served as UCL's NUS delegate to the NUS Glasgow Conference.
Peter Byrne
Durham University
Peter is a second-year politics student at Durham University from the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. He has been an advocate for tolerant and respectful debate on and off campus through his membership of the Durham Union and the Conservative Party. Peter is also a passionate supporter of mental health projects and founded a university-based initiative of his own. He hopes to be able to contribute to politics professionally in the future following a career in the private sector. He approaches life with a sense of optimism and believes in people’s ability to make the world a better place - values that drive him to continually develop.
Esther Walker
IDC Herzliya
Esther Walker, from London, is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Conflict and Diplomacy at the IDC Herzliya in Israel. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in History at King’s College London in the Summer of 2020. Esther wrote her final year dissertation on anti-Semitism in the Cold War era, with a particular focus on the tragic story of the ‘Refuseniks’. This dissertationperfectly tied together two of Esther's passions: history and Zionism. At King’s, Esther played an active role on the King’s Israel Society Committee. Esther has previously completed fellowships at CAMERA on Campus and the Tikvah Fund (New York).