We are pleased to welcome the Cleveland Council on World Affairs’ 2026-2027 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 2026-2027 Richard W. Pogue Fellows: Aaron Abel, Bishara Addison, Caitlin O'Donnell, Kevin Warman, and Jasmine Wyatt.

Bishara Addison is a strategic thought leader working to drive economic inclusion and workforce innovation in NE Ohio. She served nearly 5 years as Director of Workforce Innovation at The Fund For Our Economic Future where she leveraged national best practices to address workforce system inequities and catalyze regional economic development. In 2022, she was called to serve and finish out a term as the Ohio State Representative (of then) State District 9. She has received the National Skills Coalition's Alma Salazar Award, the NAACP Rising Star Leadership Award, and was recognized as a Crain's Cleveland 40 Under 40. Bishara earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from The George Washington University in 2010 and a master’s in policy management from Georgetown University in 2020 through the National Urban Fellowship.

A dedicated public servant hailing from Akron, Jasmine Wyatt most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) during the Biden-Harris Administration.  As a core member of U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s executive team, Jasmine led Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s travels to dozens of countries, directed the Mission’s strategic planning processes, and coordinated between USUN’s New York and Washington DC offices, other government agencies, and the White House to maximize the impact of U.S. diplomatic efforts at the United Nations during her tenure.  Passionate about advocating for human rights globally; elevating the rights and empowerment of marginalized populations, women, and youth as consistent U.S. foreign policy priorities; and conveying the importance of foreign policy to everyday American people outside the DC beltway, Jasmine previously served in the U.S. Senate for more than five years, first in the Office of Senator Dick Durbin and then at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Jasmine holds a B.A. in Government and South Asian Studies with a Spanish Language Citation from Harvard University.  When not working or volunteering, you can find Jasmine speed puzzling; cheering on Lewis Hamilton at a Formula One race; or crossing another continent and wonder of the world off her travel bucket list.

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.