Staff Biographies

Ellen McHugh, Associate Director, CPASS
Ellen McHugh is the Associate Director for the Center for Peace and Security Studies (CPASS)  Her duties consist of managing staff, helping coordinate adjunct faculty, and outreach.  Along with the Director, she oversees Security Studies Program (SSP) resources and development efforts. Ms. McHugh came to Georgetown from the Brookings Institution where she was the Assistant Director of Administration and Budget for the Saban Center for Middle East Policy.  She received her B.A. in History from the College of the Holy Cross and her M.A. in National Security Studies from Georgetown University in 1998.

Office:   LL-05, Mortara Building
Contact: mchughe@georgetown.edu or 202-687-3834

Brandon Cox, Center Administrator
Brandon Cox is the Administrator for the Center for Peace and Security Studies, and is responsible for office management and budget management for the Security Studies Program and CPASS.  Mr. Cox originally came to SSP as the Information Officer and has since moved to the position of Center Administrator.  He came to Georgetown after completing an internship with Congressman Charles W. Stenholm in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Mr. Cox has also spent a semester abroad in Voronezh, Russia.  He received his B.A. in International Studies and Russian from Baylor University in May 2007.  Mr. Cox is currently working towards his M.A. in Orientation and Mobility for the Blind.

Office:   LL, Mortara Building
Contact: wbc7@georgetown.edu or 202-687-1624

Kirsten Lundgren, Events Coordinator
Kirsten Lundgren is the Events Coordinator for the Center for Peace and Security Studies and Women In International Security.  Her duties include arranging events and assisting with outreach. Ms. Lundgren previously served as Program Assistant for National Defense University’s NATO Program. In addition, she has interned with the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children at the International Rescue Committee. Ms. Lundgren is highly proficient in French.  During her time at Middlebury College, Ms. Lundgren both studied and interned in France. She received her B.A. in Political Science and French from Middlebury College in 2007.

Office:   LL, Mortara Building
Contact: kkl8@georgetown.edu or 202-687-2964

Jennifer Park, Outreach Coordinator
Jennifer Park is the Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Peace and Security Studies and Women In International Security.  Her duties consist of promoting the scholarship, events, and academics in an effort to increase visibility of CPASS, WIIS and SSP.  She is also responsible for the CPASS and WIIS websites including announcements and updates.  Prior to joining CPASS and WIIS, Ms. Park worked at the Save Darfur Coalition and the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. She has interned at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Ms. Park holds a M.Sc. in International Public Policy from University College London in England and received her B.A. in Economics from Barnard College in New York.

Office: 2nd Floor Mortara Building
Contact: cpass@georgetown.edu or 202-687-7981

Cara Richards, Academic Counselor
Cara Richards is the Academic Counselor for the Security Studies Program.  Her responsibilities include academic advising and administration.  Ms. Richards originally came to SSP as an Admissions Assistant and has since moved to the position of Academic Counselor.  Prior to coming to Georgetown, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Office of Institutional Studies at Union College in Schenectady, New York.  Ms. Richards received degrees in Political Science and Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies from the University of Iowa in 2002 and her M.A. in Public Policy from SUNY, Albany in 2004.  She is currently working towards her M.A. in Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University.

Office: LL-02, Mortara Building
E-mail: clr32@georgetown.edu or 202-687-0363

Rachel Schaffer, Admissions Assistant
Rachel Schaffer is the Admissions Assistant for the Security Studies Program.  Her duties include assisting the Director of Admissions with all aspects of the admissions process.  She meets with and answers questions from prospective students, as well as assists with SSP recruiting events and activities.  Ms. Schaffer also serves as the faculty liaison, assisting the adjunct and core faculty with their administrative requests. Before joining the SSP staff in 2006, Ms. Schaffer completed an internship with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where she worked for the Central and East European team.  She received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 and is currently working toward her M.A. in Communication, Culture and Technology at Georgetown University.

Office:   LL-03, Mortara Building                            
Contact: ras87@georgetown.edu or 202-687-0436

Tiffany Swanson, Director of Admissions
Tiffany Swanson is the Director of Admissions for the Security Studies Program.  She works with all SSP applicants from the time they first contact the program for information to their arrival on campus for orientation.  Students should contact Ms. Swanson with updates about their experiences in the program and any suggestions they may have for recruitment initiatives for future classes. Before coming to Georgetown in the summer of 1999, Ms. Swanson was the Outreach Specialist for the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program, and the Admissions Manager for a nationwide English as a Second Language (ESL) company. She has also worked at the Department of State and the Center for Defense Information. Ms. Swanson received degrees in International Studies and Spanish from Bradley University in 1993 and her M.A. in Liberal Studies from Georgetown University in 2005.

Office:  LL-07, Mortara Building
Contact: ts3@georgetown.edu or 202-687-4903