Board of Directors

Alexandria J. Maloney, MPA

PRESIDENT

Alexandria J. Maloney, MPA is a foreign affairs professional with nearly a decade of social impact experience. Her passion for supporting DEIJ+ efforts stems from her personal experience as a woman of color navigating the foreign affairs field. Compelled to action, Alexandria’s work has centered around building formal and informal pipelines for the next generation of underrepresented international affairs professionals. At 30, Alexandria was announced as a “Forbes 50 Champion” by For(bes) the Culture for Black and Brown Communities for her leadership in building ecosystems to educate, prepare, and empower an organic reach of over 60,000 professionals. She has also been recognized as a CSIS-DINSN Power 50 Leader, Truman’s “Rookie of the Year”, and the 2020 JCU Alumni of the Year.She has been a featured speaker at the United Nations, G20 Civil Society Summit, and guest lecturer at Cornell University’s Institute of Public Affairs.

Kholofelo Kugler

VP BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Kholofelo Kugler is a PhD Fellow in the project Trade Law 4.0 at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland. She is an experienced international trade lawyer who is currently on sabbatical leave from the Advisory Centre on WTO Law in Geneva, Switzerland to pursue her research interests in digital trade. She has advised, litigated on behalf of, and provided capacity building/technical assistance to developing countries and least-developed countries in the area of WTO law. Additionally, Kholofelo is a Visiting Fellow at the Law School of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She is also a sessional/guest lecturer and has lectured at universities in Barbados, the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and International Politics, an LLB degree, and a Masters degree in International Law and Economics. Kholofelo is an admitted attorney in her native South Africa.

VP EDUCATION AND EXCHANGE

Kyla Denwood is an early-career professional passionate about encouraging diverse young people to pursue international careers and study abroad opportunities. During her time at university, she pursued international education and travel opportunities in Kenya, Paraguay, Scotland, and Mexico. Most recently, she served as a Youth Ambassador for the U.S.A. Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Kyla moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to earn a dual degree in Economics (B.S.) and International Development (B.A.) with a minor in Spanish from Tulane University. She now resides in Washington, D.C., where she works as a research assistant with the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and founded the State Department funded program - the  Youth International Leadership Initiative.

Lassine Cherif 

ACTING TREASURER

Lassine Cherif came to BPIA in 2010 as student member and volunteer. He subsequently joined the BPIA staff as Membership Coordinator and IT manager. Appointed to the board in 2018 and elected 2019; he serves as the chair of the membership committee overseeing the organization membership activities. Elected as assistant treasurer in 2022, Lassine’s led the modernization of BPIA’s financial systems. He has been serving as treasurer since July 2022. Lassine is a highly accomplished and innovative IT leader with 10+ years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, including end-to-end definition and implementation of cybersecurity/ information security governance and compliance programs while building and leading cross functional cybersecurity and compliance teams.

Abiodun Adeoye

SECRETARY

Abiodun Adeoye is a dual degree Master of Public Administration and Master of Arts in International Affairs (MPA/MAIR) candidate at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He is an alumnus of the CBCF internship program, the PPIA program, the David L. Boren Scholarship, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the Fulbright student program. Abiodun is a 2022 Charles B. Rangel Fellow, and upon graduating from Syracuse University in 2024, he will enter the U.S. Foreign Service. Abiodun's languages include Yoruba and Swahili and he has an elementary proficiency in Russian and Kyrgyz. Abiodun is excited to serve as the BPIA secretary for 2022-2023.

Kimberly Belser

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Kimberly Belser is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where she received a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Spanish. After graduating, she served as a Dunn Fellow at the Office of Governor JB Pritzker, assisting in the operations of both the Office of Constituent Affairs and the Office of Executive Appointments. As a student at the University of Illinois, she interned with three communications offices and worked as a staff writer for The Daily Illini newspaper. She was also the secretary for the National Association of Black Journalists’ UIUC chapter. Kimberly currently works as a Communications Officer for an international NGO, and is a 2023 Pipeline Fellow for Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation.

Alexandria Baker-Haidara

BOARD MEMBER AT-LARGE

Alexanderia Haidara has over ten years of experience in foreign policy, global business, and banking. Her career journey in international affairs began when she studied abroad in Brazil as an undergraduate student at World Learning’s School for International Training, studying Brazil’s racial democracy. Alexanderia’s passion for learning foreign languages, cultures, and politics led her to pursue a career at the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer and Charles B. Rangel Fellow. She served as a diplomat in Mexico and Desk Officer for Tanzania in Washington, DC. Alexanderia led the government in closing a controversial human rights abuse case that had strained U.S.-Tanzanian relations for years. She was also charged with briefing the White House during the Obama Administration on the 2012 Tanzanian elections. Determined to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams, Alexanderia launched two start-up cosmetic distribution businesses in Honduras and Rwanda. She produced Rwanda’s first hair show, gaining international recognition and contributing to the tourist and cosmetic industry. Alexanderia earned her B.A. in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2003 and MA in International Administration from the University of Denver in 2006. She is fluent in Spanish and French. She is the co-founder of the BPIA Global-Take Podcast and serves as the Chair of the BPIA Governance and Partnership Committee.

Jonathon N. Cummings

BOARD MEMBER AT-LARGE

Jonathon Cummings is originally from Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to New York City at the age of 16. Jonathon holds a BA in Culture and Communication Studies from Ithaca College and an MPA from Cornell University. While at Cornell, Jonathon was elected the President of the Cornell Public Affairs Society (CPAS). Jonathon has significant experience working with international NGOs, operating within the multilateral space and alliance management Currently, Jonathon serves as a Member of the Steering Committee for the Alliance of NGOs and CSOs for South-South Cooperation, an Advisor to Global Policy Insights, and an Alliance Manager for Deloitte.

Ethel Mwedziwendira

BOARD MEMBER AT-LARGE

Ethel Mwedziwendira is a strategic communications and public relations professional based in Washington D.C. She has in-depth knowledge of litigation and crisis communication management, media relations, and strategic storytelling. She graduated from the University of Mississippi where she majored in journalism and political science. Mwedziwendira is a 2022 fellow of the Vital Voices Visionaries Program in Partnership with the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund. She is an active member of ColorComm Inc., UNA-USA, Monday Girl, and serves as a Hope Multiplied mentor. She has served and led the BPIA Communications Committee as a co-chair for the past few years. 

Abbey Ogunwale

BOARD MEMBER AT-LARGE

M. Julian Goldstein 

BOARD MEMBER AT-LARGE

Chair, Membership Committee

Bobby King - membership@iabpia.org

Chair, Communications Committee

Ethel M. - communications@iabpia.org

Chair, Strategic Partnerships

Alexanderia Baker - partnerships@iabpia.org