Introducing the 2026 Roosevelt Network Fellows

The Roosevelt Network is proud today to announce the undergraduate students selected for its three fellowship programs: Forge, Roosevelt in Washington (RIW), and Emerging. Through these programs, fellows gain the training, mentorship, and community needed to explore innovative policy ideas, build leadership skills, and begin careers advancing progressive change. At a time of uncertainty for our nation’s democracy and the economy, investing in the next generation of leaders is critical for advancing a new vision of public life defined by economic security, opportunity, and meaningful agency for all citizens.

“Strengthening our democracy will require leaders who see themselves as agents of change and who are ready to build the ideas needed to make it real,” said Eric A. Paul, Deputy Director of the Roosevelt Network. “These 65 students are stepping into that work with curiosity, rigor, and the diversity of perspective to tackle the challenges facing their communities in new ways.”

The Forge Fellowship is the Roosevelt Network’s entry point for first- and second-year undergraduates beginning to explore public policy and progressive ideas. Over six months, fellows receive foundational training in policy research, analysis, and leadership while connecting with mentors and peers across the Network. Through workshops, collaborative learning, and guided discussions, participants begin developing their own perspectives on the economic and political challenges shaping their communities. Named in honor of the late Reese Neader—a beloved Network staff member, organizer, and mentor—Forge reflects the Network’s commitment to supporting students as they begin their journeys in progressive policy leadership.

This year’s Forge Fellows are:

• Chaeeun Yoo, Columbia University
• Andres “Andy” Valle, University of Texas at El Paso
• Sahiti Kulkarni, University of Pittsburgh
• Addy Thome, University of Missouri Columbia
• Violet Philhower, Dartmouth College
• Amir Mason, Columbia University
• Sarah Pan, Georgetown University
• Matthew Quitoriano, University of Pennsylvania
• Abako Yartel, Washington University in St. Louis
• Hamsika Nittala, Columbia University
• Chloe Lee, Barnard College
• Antoine F. Smith II, Howard University
• Gabriella Esmeralda Vega, Florida State University
• Zara Healy, New York University
• Lucas Truong, Cornell University
• Sabrina Tomei Gonzalez, Emory University
• Kyrsten Thompson, Tulane University
• Chyanne Swain, Mount Holyoke College
• Lily Pastora Monterosso, University of Michigan
• Evan Trost, William & Mary
• Jackson Voss, University of Missouri Columbia
• Anthony Akator, Williams College
• Alec Elkin, Binghamton University
• Veronica Njuguna, Spelman College
• Benjamin Ondetti, Emory University

Roosevelt in Washington (RIW) offers undergraduates in the middle stage of their college careers a six-month immersion in the policy and advocacy work shaping debates in the nation’s capital. The program combines mentorship and professional development with an eight-week summer internship in Washington, DC, where fellows support the Roosevelt Institute or partner organizations while participating in programming with peers, alumni, and policy leaders. Through these experiences, RIW fellows gain a firsthand look at how research, organizing, and advocacy interact to shape policy—and where they see themselves fitting into that crucial work.

This year’s RIW Fellows will include four returning Forge Fellows (marked with an asterisk):

• Niky Zhuang,* University of Michigan 
• Paige Duffy,* Villanova University
• Donovan Fobbs,* Michigan State University
• Giovanny “Klyd” Exilus,* Macaulay Honors College – CUNY
• Abbigayle Garvin, University of Pittsburgh
• Asha Muhingi, Boise State University
• Bebe Castañeda, UNC Chapel Hill
• Connie Acuahuitl, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
• Davion Dunn, University of Texas at El Paso
• Jazmyn Dangler, Chestnut Hill College
• Khadija Mohammed, UNC Chapel Hill
• Mya Love, Howard University
• Patrick Donn Dimasin, Pomona College
• Sandra Ukah, University of Florida
• Sutton Crouch, University of Florida

The Emerging Fellowship is a yearlong program for undergraduate juniors and seniors ready to develop original ideas and bring them into the public conversation. Fellows spend the year researching an issue they care about, refining their arguments with guidance from mentors and peers, and learning how to translate dense analysis into tangible, human impact. Along the way, they engage with advocates and experts while building the research, writing, and communication skills they’ll need to shape the debates that determine our shared public future. By the end of the fellowship, Emerging Fellows produce a policy brief published by the Roosevelt Institute.

This year’s Emerging Fellows will include 15 returning Forge and RIW Fellows (marked with an asterisk):

• Jason Sherrick,* Bowdoin College
• Noah Rossin,* Bowdoin College
• Luke Corless,* Connecticut College
• Yazmina Holness,* Georgia Institute of Technology
• Sky Camron,* Marymount Manhattan College
• Madelyn McFall,* North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
• Martin Orea,* Santa Monica College
• Henry Carter,* Texas Tech University
• Love Adu,* UC Berkeley
• Sydney Phillips,* UNC Chapel Hill
• Gracie Fisher,* UNC Chapel Hill
• Netra Parikh,* UNC Chapel Hill
• Lilla Korniss,* University of Connecticut
• Zipporah Yontz,* University of Missouri Columbia
• Gracey Champ,* West Virginia University
• Alex Santiago, UC Santa Cruz
• Clare Bradley, University of Southern California
• Daniela Romo, UC Berkeley
• Devyn Woodard, Kennesaw State University
• Ishika Nawar, City College of New York
• Luca D’Agruma, Wesleyan University
• Mariah Morgan, Princeton University
• Megan Wright, Yale University
• Roberta Morales, University of Missouri Columbia
• Zoi Moon, University of Alabama

“Young people have a critical role to play in revitalizing our economy and democracy,” said Katie Kirchner, Vice President of Field-Building Programs at the Roosevelt Institute. “Roosevelt Network fellowships help young folks sharpen their ideas, develop important skill sets, and expand their networks, giving them the tools and confidence to shape the issues that matter most to their communities.”