2023 LBJ DC Fellow
Will Barrett earned his Master of Global Policy Studies (DC Concentration) at the LBJ School. A cum laude graduate in history from Wheaton College in Chicago, Illinois, he minored in political science.
While earning his undergraduate degree, Barrett worked at Common Cause Texas and Public Citizen in Washington, DC assisting with democracy reform initiatives and increasing voter access. After graduation, he worked for three years in the district office of U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) in the Chicagoland area. As District Outreach Director, Barrett had the opportunity to interact with ambassadors, consuls general, and international advocacy groups which inspired him to transition his Congressional and outreach experience into a career in foreign policy.
He is interested in international democratic backsliding, with a particular focus on challenges to democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and East Asia.
2023 Policy Apprenticeship: Foreign Policy for America and European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of State
Policy Interests: Fragile democracies, rise of authoritarianism, international security