Johns Hopkins SAIS is thrilled to celebrate and honor alumni marking their 5th, 10th, 25th, and 50th anniversaries of graduation from SAIS and the Hopkins-Nanjing Center — the classes of 2021, 2016, 2001, and 1976 — at the 2026 Reunion Weekend in Washington, D.C.

Reunion events will take place on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28, 2026 at SAIS’ new home at 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW.

The weekend’s program begins on Friday afternoon and includes opportunities to:

• reconnect with fellow classmates

• expand your professional network

• share career insights and receive advice from fellow alumni leaders

• be inspired by a keynote speaker

• go back to the classroom with current faculty

• meet students and share your advice

• learn about the school’s priorities from SAIS leadership

• celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Johns Hopkins University

• explore the new building, and more!

WEEKEND SCHEDULE(evolving and subject to change)

Friday, March 27

• 1:00pm - Registration begins (Lobby)

  For security reasons, all registered attendees are required to check-in and receive a SAIS lanyard and nametag. You'll also receive a schedule for the day and a small token of appreciation for joining us at Reunion 2026.

• 2:00pm - 2:45pm – Keynote Address (Theatre - Ground Floor)

  Gain important perspectives on global issues from our keynote speaker, Jonathan W. Burks, ‘10, Executive Vice President, Economic and Health Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center. Remarks followed by a fireside chat and Q&A led by SAIS Dean James Steinberg.

• 2:45pm – 3:00pm – 50th Class Medallion Ceremony (Theatre - Ground Floor)

  Members of the class of 1976 will be honored for their enduring contributions to the SAIS community as they mark five decades of connection, impact, and achievement.

• 3:00pm – 3:45pm – Class of 2021 celebration

  Members of the class of 2021 are invited to a belated in-person celebration of their graduation.

• 3:00pm - 3:45pm – Student Showcase or Building Tours (Classroom 422)

  Hear from current SAIS students as they present their recent SAIS experiential learning experiences and share their perspectives on global issues. Featured students include:

  • Sameena Khan - Indonesia Study Trip

  • Nabil Nasser - Human Rights Law Clinic in Botswana

  • Jan Wenger- Energy and Environment Practicum

  OR tour the Hopkins Bloomberg Center, SAIS’ new home in Washington DC.

• 4:00pm - 4:45pm – Alumni Career Spark Talks (Theatre - Ground Floor)

  Hear from fellow alumni as they share insights from the lived career experiences in diverse sectors. Presenters will share actionable takeaways, emerging trends, and practical advice for navigating today’s professional landscape. Alumni speakers include:

  • Navigating a Career Change with Roxana Martinelli ‘16- Inclusive Economic Development, Program Manager, New Economy Initiative

  • Top Skills Needed in the Current Economy with Matt Robbins ‘16 - Partner US Financial Services C-Suite, Cybersecurity & Resiliency, Kyndryl

  • GeoEconomics of a Post-SAIS Career with Danica Starks ‘01 - Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Morning Star Global Enterprises, LLC

• 4:45pm - 5:30pm – Alumni & Student Networking (Kenney Link, 4th floor)

  Reflect on your post‑SAIS journey, share your advice, and connect with both fellow alumni and current students in a facilitated networking session designed to support alumni‑to‑alumni and alumni‑to‑student conversations. Whether you’re offering guidance or seeking it, this is an opportunity to exchange insights, build relationships, and learn from one another.

• 5:30pm - 7:00pm – Alumni & Student Happy Hour (Room 920, 9th floor)

  Relive the SAIS tradition of Friday Student Happy Hour. Reconnect with your classmates and current students in a fun social setting.

Saturday, March 28

• 10:00am - Registration begins (Lobby)

  For security reasons, all registered attendees are required to check-in and receive a SAIS lanyard and nametag. You'll also receive a schedule for the day and a small token of appreciation for joining us at Reunion 2026.

• 10:30am – 12:00pm Family Brunch (Michael and Susan B. White Conference Center - 8th floor)

  Join us for a festive brunch and bring your family!

• 12:00pm - 1:00pm Faculty Lecture I (Classroom 256)

  Join Professor Siniša Vuković, Senior Lecturer of Conflict Management and Global Policy, and the Director of the Master of Arts in Global Policy Program, back in the classroom for a seminar titled "Challenges and Opportunities to Managing Global Conflicts”.

• 12:00pm - 2:00pm Crisis Simulation (Classroom 622)

  Join fellow alumni for an immersive crisis simulation exploring rising tensions among the U.S., China, and Taiwan in August 2026. Working under pressure, participants will navigate complex trade, technology, and security challenges as escalating political dynamics push the region toward potential conflict.

• 1:00pm – 2:00pm Lounge Break, Networking, Campus Tours (Breezeway - Ground Floor)

  Reconnect and network with your classmates in a dedicated reunion lounge area OR tour the Hopkins Bloomberg Center, SAIS’ new home in Washington DC.

• 2:00pm - 3:00pm Faculty Lecture II (Classroom 256)

  Join Professor Deborah Wituski, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Distinguished Professor of Practice, back in the classroom for a seminar titled "Intelligence: from the Sitroom to the Boardroom”.

• 2:00pm - 3:00pm – Faculty Lecture III (Classroom 258)

  Join Professor Elayne Whyte, Professor of Practice, back in the classroom for a seminar titled "Order, Disorder, and the future of Global Institutions”.

• 3:00pm - 4:00pm – Meet the Deans (Kenney Link, 4th Floor)

  Meet members of the SAIS leadership team for an opportunity to learn about SAIS strategy, priorities, and current initiatives, and ask questions about their vision for SAIS’ future.

• 4:00pm - 5:30pm – Closing Reception hosted by Dean Steinberg (Michael and Susan B. White Conference Center - 8th floor)

  SAIS Dean Jim Steinberg, hosts our evening reception, the final on-campus event of the weekend. Dean Steinberg will make remarks at 4:30pm. Refreshments (beer and wine) and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

• Class Dinners(organized by committees)*

  • 6:00PM - Class of 2021 Dinner - Penn Social, 801 E Street, NW (additional cost)

  • 6:00PM - Class of 2016 Dinner - Immigrant Food, at Planet Word, 925 13th St NW (additional cost)

  • 6:00 PM Class of 2001 Dinner - Immigrant Food White House, 1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW (additional cost)

  • 6:00PM - Class of 1976 Dinner - Carmine’s Italian Restaurant, 425 7th St. NW (purchase your dinner ticket in the registration tab above)

*Reunion dinner tickets are not included in the reunion ticket price. The reunion dinner for the Class of 1976 requires an additional ticket that can be purchased along with your reunion registration. Reunion dinners for the Classes of 2021, 2016 and 2001 are arranged by volunteer reunion organizers and also require a separate registration. Detailed information on these class dinners is forthcoming.

Reunion Weekend schedule is subject to change. If you have purchased tickets and find yourself unable to attend, please reach out to saisalumnievents@jhu.edu for a refund (donations included in ticket purchase are non-refundable). For more information about the JHU SAIS event cancellation and refund policy, please click here.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

JAMES B. STEINBERG is the tenth Dean of SAIS. Previously, he served as University Professor of Social Science, International Affairs and Law at Syracuse University, where he was Dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs for five years. Prior, he served as Deputy Secretary of State to Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, from 2009-2011. From 2005-2008, Steinberg was Dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Steinberg was vice president and director of Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution. Mr. Steinberg was deputy national security advisor to President Bill Clinton from 1996 to 2000.

Steinberg’s most recent books are A Glass Half Full? Rebalance, Reassurance and Resolve and Strategic Reassurance and Resolve: US-China Relations in the 21st Century He has also authored Difficult Transitions: Foreign Policy Troubles at the Outset of Presidential Power (Brookings 2008) with Kurt Campbell.

Steinberg received his A.B from Harvard College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

JONATHAN W. BURKS is an experienced senior public policy professional and corporate board member, who has worked over two decades in the public and private sectors. He is currently the Executive Vice President, Economic and Health Policy, at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Jonathan is also the 2026 recipient of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Global Achievement Award.

Jonathan serves on the boards of directors for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the American Idea Foundation.

Until February 2025, Jonathan was vice president for global public policy at Walmart where he led the global retailer’s efforts to analyze and develop positions on pressing public policy issues. Prior to joining Walmart, he was a partner at the global consultancy the Brunswick Group where he was the co-lead for the U.S. public affairs office.

Before moving to the private sector, he served as the chief of staff to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, where he served as the Speaker’s principal adviser on policy, strategy, and management. Jonathan also advised Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on budget and appropriations issues, served as policy director of the House Budget Committee, director of legislative affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission, senior advisor (chief of staff) to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, and policy advisor in the transition office of the newly created Director of National Intelligence.

In 2012, Jonathan was the deputy policy director on the Romney for President campaign. Early in his career, he served for four years at the White House working first for Vice President Cheney and then for President Bush in a variety of positions including as the Vice President’s staff secretary, associate staff secretary to the President, and special assistant to the President for policy in the Chief of Staff’s office.

Jonathan has a master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor of science in foreign service from Georgetown University.

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES

SINIŠA VUKOVIĆ is Senior Lecturer of Conflict Management and Global Policy, and the Director of the Master of Arts in Global Policy Program (MAGP). Previously, he was the Associate Director of the Conflict Management Program (2018-2021). His research focuses on various forms of international conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation.

He has published in a range of scholarly journals such as Journal of Peace Research, Cooperation and Conflict, Global Policy, The Washington Quarterly, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Swiss Political Science Review, Millennium Journal of International Studies, International Journal of Conflict Management, International Negotiation, Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, and Ethnopolitics, policy-relevant outlets such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, European Council on Foreign Relations, World Economic Forum, Sustainable Security, and Policy Forum, and contributed to several edited volumes with book chapters.

His is the author of International Multiparty Mediation and Conflict Management (Routledge, 2017), and Rethinking Conflict Management and Resolution (with I. William Zartman; Edward Elgar, 2023), and the co-editor of Revisiting the Ripeness Debate (with Tetsuro Iji; Routledge, 2022). His current book projects include: The International Negotiation Process (with P. Terrence Hopmann), and The Research Handbook on the Politics of International Agreements (with P. Terrence Hopmann, Edward Elgar, 2024).

He has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses related to the field of conflict management, with a particular focus on the process of negotiation and mediation. He is also a visiting professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, and at the Amsterdam University College, University of Amsterdam. He received his PhD in International Relations and Conflict Resolution at Leiden University, an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Leiden University and The Netherlands Institute of International Relations “Clingendael”, and a BA (laurea) in Political Science from University of Rome “La Sapienza”. He is the recipient of many research grants, including “Rubicon” from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and Gerda Henkel Foundation research grant.

ELAYNE G. WHYTE is a Professor of Practice at SAIS. She is an experienced diplomat and academic with over 25 years of experience in policy-making, diplomacy, international cooperation, negotiation, and governance. She has actively participated in designing, negotiating, and implementing international agreements, cooperation frameworks, and normative frameworks in various fields, including human rights, global health, sustainable development, international security, nuclear diplomacy, and regional integration.

In the realm of diplomacy and foreign policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, she served as Costa Rica's Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2002, becoming the first woman and person of African descent appointed to this position. From 2014 to 2020, she served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva. Between 1998 and 2010, in roles such as Policy Advisor and Chief of Staff of the Ministers, she played a crucial role in shaping Costa Rica's foreign policy.

Elayne Whyte has played a strategic role in various global negotiation processes aimed at addressing legal or cooperation gaps in the international system, particularly in the areas of security, human rights, and global health. In 2017, she presided over the United Nations Conference that negotiated and adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on a mandate from the General Assembly.

From 2015- 2018, she led the negotiations for a global cooperation framework at the World Health Organization (WHO) to address the neglected problem of snakebite envenoming, which was subsequently adopted by the World Health Assembly. From 2015 to 2019, she co-chaired an academic-diplomatic research and negotiation process, in collaboration with Switzerland and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to propose improvements for the functioning of the Human Rights Treaty body system. Additionally, between 2000 and 2002, she co-chaired the negotiations of the Convention on the Suppression of Illicit Maritime and Air Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area, which was signed in 2003.

She has gained extensive practical experience in the functioning of global governance structures, having participated in the governance bodies of at least five major international organizations and served in various leadership positions at Conferences of States parties and other subsidiary bodies of security and disarmament-treaty regimes.

In the academic field, she served as a 2022 Fellow at Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative and at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Science, from 2022 to 2023. She has also been involved in academia as an Adjunct Professor, teaching International Law of Armed Conflict and Diplomacy and International Law at the University for Peace - a United Nations mandated institution. She has also taught Introduction to Foreign Policy and Introduction to Theories of International Relations at the School of International Relations of the National University in Costa Rica. In the 1990s, she taught Latin American Political Thought and Latin American Political Economy at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the National University of Costa Rica.

In her research endeavors, she served as a research coordinator and researcher in small state foreign policy, democratic governance, and regional integration for the State of the Nation Report on Human Development (2003-2005) and the University for Peace.

Her thorough analysis and research in the field of regional studies and regional integration in Central America, with a focus on the institutional dimension of regional integration processes, further exemplify her expertise. Additionally, she served as Executive Director of Mesoamerica Integration and Development, a regional platform that brings together 10 nations to promote economic development and connectivity regional projects. Moreover, she has led regional mechanisms such as the Central American Security Commission and the Central American Executive Committee. Currently, she serves on the Consultative Board of the research Report State of the Region in Sustainable Development. Furthermore, she has consulted for international and regional organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Union-General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System (SICA-PAIRCA), Regional Council of Ministers for Women Issues, and the University for Peace.

Elayne Whyte holds a Master's Degree in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California. In 2018, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from her Alma Mater in recognition of her contribution to peace and global governance, as well as her successful chairing of the United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons in 2017. Throughout her career, she has earned multiple awards and distinctions for her dedication to promoting international cooperation, good governance, and international security. She also holds a Bachelor's and a post-graduate degree in International Relations from Costa Rica.  She currently sits at the International Advisory Board of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and at the International Advisory of the James Martin Center for Non Proliferation Studies in Monterey, California and at the Advisory Board of the academic report –over 20 years- State of Central America in Sustainable Human Development.

DEBORAH WITUSKI is the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Distinguished Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies. She is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years’ experience leading intelligence analysis and operations in both national security and the private sector. She served as Vice President of Global Engagement at Google & Alphabet from 2023-2025, where she led the Office of the President and Chief Investment Officer, driving global engagements with business and policy leaders and focusing on the interplay of technology, economic growth, and investments.

Dr. Wituski previously served as Vice President for Resilience & Risk Foresight at Google, where she developed and implemented a worldwide program providing critical risk and business resilience analysis. During her tenure, she expanded the substantive and geographic remit of the global intelligence team and reimagined the enterprise business continuity program.

Before joining Google, Dr. Wituski held various senior leadership positions during a 20-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community, notably as Chief of Staff to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, advising on key analytic and operational issues and managing enterprise functions, and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director of CIA. She also served as Deputy Assistant Director of CIA for Counterterrorism, overseeing the strategic direction of global programs and interagency collaboration and held leadership positions in the National Security Branch of the FBI and in the National Counterterrorism Center.

Dr. Wituski holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University and an M.A. and B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

ALUMNI SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

ROXANA MARTINELLI is a senior systems-change leader advancing inclusive economic development through cross-sector partnerships, digital infrastructure, and governance design. She has worked across the United States, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and multiple Latin American countries through leadership roles with the Inter-American Development Bank and UN Women. She currently leads the New Economy Initiative grant making portfolio, and last year, she directed a regional digital public platform connecting 100+ organizations across Southeast Michigan. Roxana is the co-author of Inclusive Public-Private Partnerships: A Guide for Latin America and the Caribbean; and has contributed to publications with the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Women, and the World Bank. She holds master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

DANICA RACHELE STARKS is a global executive, board leader, and economic statecraft strategist with more than two decades of experience operating at the intersection of international trade, geopolitical risk, development finance, and private-sector engagement. She is widely recognized for advancing U.S. commercial competitiveness abroad, shaping economic and energy policy, and building strategic partnerships across government, business, and international institutions.

Ms. Starks currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Morning Star Global Enterprises, LLC, a global advisory and leadership firm focused on expanding market access, strengthening international commercial engagement, and advancing inclusive economic growth. Through her advisory work, she counsels corporations, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven organizations on navigating global political and economic systems, engaging multilateral development banks, and positioning for growth in emerging and frontier markets.

Ms. Starks is a Member of the Bretton Woods Committee and a Senior Fellow at the Delphi Global Research Center, where she provides geopolitical and economic risk analysis with specialization in Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Ukraine. Her expertise spans economic statecraft, political economy, sanctions policy, trade and investment strategy, energy security, and extractive industries.

She also serves as a Board Director for the U.S. African Trade Alliance (USATA), where she provides governance and strategic guidance to support U.S.–Africa trade and investment expansion. In addition, she is a Global Advisory Board Member and Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Dr. Toby Malichi Institute for Global Impact, helping guide institutional strategy, governance, and leadership development for emerging global leaders.

Previously, Ms. Starks served as Senior U.S. Commercial Liaison and Head of the Multilateral Development Bank Group at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she led U.S. government strategy to increase American private-sector participation in World Bank and multilateral development bank procurement. Over the course of her career at the Department of Commerce, she also served as Policy Team Director for Russia and Eurasia, Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets, and Senior Desk Officer for the Caucasus and Central Asia, among other roles.

She has been recognized with multiple Department of Commerce awards, including the Silver Medal for Leadership and Special Act of Service Awards, for her contributions to economic policy, trade diplomacy, and commercial advocacy.

In addition to her executive and advisory work, Ms. Starks serves as an Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, where she teaches graduate-level courses on Economic Statecraft and the Geopolitics of Energy. She mentors emerging leaders pursuing careers in foreign policy, international economics, and national security.

Ms. Starks holds a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University, a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Economics, cum laude, from American University. She is proficient in Russian and Spanish and holds an active Top Secret security clearance.

STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES

SAMEENA KHAN: A 2025 candidate for the Master of Arts in International Relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS, Sameena Khan Baseeth Khan focuses on Development, Climate, and Sustainability. Her career is rooted in building global supply chains that prioritize environmental responsibility, equity, and transparency, with a strong foundation in international business and logistics.

Sameena brings over eight years of experience across the UAE, Indonesia, the UK, and Switzerland. At Emeraude International, she led the development of a plastic education policy aimed at promoting responsible plastic use in emerging markets and helped expand the company’s operations across Asia through innovative logistics and finance strategies. She has also held key roles at Adidas and Wayfair, managing complex trade and supply chain systems.

Her commitment to social entrepreneurship was further shaped by her work with the ROLE Foundation in Bali, where she trained women artisans, organized beach clean-ups, and launched environmental education programs in local schools. At SAIS, Sameena serves as President of Impact Inc., the Social Entrepreneurship Club, and is committed to launching a values-driven global enterprise that contributes to the green energy transition in Tamil Nadu.

NABIL NASSER is a Master’s candidate in International Relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS, where he focuses on international finance, economic policy, and global political economy. He currently works with the Carnegie Endowment, contributing to research and policy analysis across governance and economic issues.

At SAIS, he is actively involved in student initiatives and research projects that engage in questions of international security, development, and economic statecraft. He holds a degree in International Affairs and Business from Northeastern University

JAN WENGER is a second-year MAIR student at Johns Hopkins SAIS, specializing in energy, finance, and Southeast Asia. His interest in these sectors began at Colby College, where he conducted an honors thesis on Indonesia's oil and gas political economy, including a month of fieldwork in Jakarta. At SAIS, Jan has deepened his expertise through a Government Affairs internship at Ara Partners — a decarbonization-focused private equity firm — and as a Teaching Assistant for Project Finance, where he instructs students in FAST-standard financial modeling.

He is currently part of a practicum team assessing the bankability of Green Hydrogen and SAF projects in the UK. Jan is looking to build a career at the intersection of energy project finance and policy advisory, with a focus on clean energy transition in emerging and developed markets alike.