We are pleased to welcome the Cleveland Council on World Affairs’ 2025-2026 Richard W. Pogue Fellows. The Fellowship offers emerging leaders in our community the opportunity to participate in in-depth foreign policy discussions and network with other internationally-minded business and civic leaders in our community through participation in the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR).

We are pleased to introduce our 2025-2026 Richard W. Pogue Fellows: Ibrahim Bazyan, Mary Conway, Agnes Igodan, Chenoa Miller, and Cameron Taylor.

Ibrahim Bazyan is a program manager at the National Civic League, where he works on democracy innovations that bring the voices of everyday people to the table in shaping policy decisions. A graduate of CWRU and the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, he has a background in political campaigns, coalition building, and nonprofit strategy, and is passionate about creating spaces where participation is both meaningful and inclusive. Ibrahim’s interest in world affairs comes from a belief that global perspectives can strengthen local solutions. Through the Pogue Fellowship, he hopes to deepen his understanding of international issues and connect with fellow leaders to exchange ideas that inspire action around the country.

A deep interest in cross-cultural understanding has been a common thread in Mary Conway’s personal and professional journey. She currently applies this global mindset as a Manager in Business Development at INSIGHT2PROFIT, where she brings over five years of consulting experience helping organizations navigate complex challenges and make data-driven decisions in an increasingly interconnected world. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Russian translator with the U.S. Department of State; an experience that deepened her curiosity about diplomacy and international affairs. Mary holds degrees in Finance and Russian from The Ohio State University and is currently pursuing a master’s in History at the University of Edinburgh to further explore how historical events shaped our economies and financial systems. Through the Pogue Fellowship, she hopes to deepen her engagement with world affairs and connect with a community of curious, impact-driven professionals.

Agnes Igodan is excited to become more engaged in global conversations through the Pogue Fellowship, while continuing to advocate for immigrants both locally and abroad.  She is a legal consultant and has worked with companies such as Ernst & Young, Litigation Management, JPMorgan Chase, and H&R Block. A keen traveler, she was fortunate to visit Asia in 2015 when she was chosen to travel to Hefei, China as a Columbus Athlete Ambassador. Having lived in both Nigeria and South Africa, she has always been passionate about global affairs and international relations. She previously served on the Community Advisory Board of Resource Cleveland (formerly The Refugee Response) where she provided input on current programs and projects and assisted with implementing a scholarship program. She devotes her time to involvement in her church, playing tennis with USTA, casually learning French, volunteering with the Cleveland Sports Commission, and assisting in marketing efforts with the city's tourism board, Destination Cleveland.

Chenoa Miller serves as the Government Affairs Manager at DigitalC, Cleveland’s leading nonprofit internet service provider, where she cultivates relationships with government officials and telecom community stakeholders, advocates for favorable broadband policies, and forges cross‑sector partnerships to expand broadband access. She also serves on the City of Cleveland’s Civilian Police Review Board and leads grassroots violence‑prevention initiatives, underscoring her commitment to civic engagement and community empowerment. Passionate about global affairs, Chenoa seeks to understand how global administrative policies impact local infrastructure and community well‑being. Through the Richard W. Pogue Fellowship, she aims to deepen her geopolitical fluency, engage with leading foreign‑policy experts, and build a network of civic leaders to inform innovative strategies that position Cleveland as a dynamic node in global conversations.

Cameron Taylor works in public policy and economic development with a strong focus on making his hometown of Cleveland stronger and more internationally connected. He works at Global Cleveland, a nonprofit working to grow the region's economy by making it more welcoming and internationally connected as a workforce and policy specialist. Cameron joined Global Cleveland in 2023 after several years in the private sector and in STEM education. A member of the CCWA's Young Professionals Advisory Committee since 2023, he was also a Cleveland LEADs scholar in 2024 and is a member of multiple community organizations for young professionals in Cleveland. He is also active in the United Church of Christ. International relations has been a subject Taylor is passionate about for years, and was a major part of his studies as an Ashbrook Scholar at Ashland University, where he wrote a senior thesis on the European Union. Through the Pogue fellowship, Taylor hopes to learn more about international relations by hearing from the diverse perspectives that the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations features.

The fellowship is named after Richard W. Pogue, civic leader and Senior Advisor at Jones Day, in recognition of his more than 60 years as a member of CCWA. The fellowship program is supported by funding from the Kulas Foundation.

To learn more about the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations, or to join as a member, please click here.

For more information, contact Jenni Carney, Chief Operating Officer, at (216) 255-9005 or jcarney@ccwa.org.

*Photo above: CCWA’s 2024-2025 Richard W. Pogue Fellows