Diplomacy Initiative Forum: Speaker Bios

Jeffrey Brown, Science & Technology Policy Executive, IBM Government and Regulatory Affairs. At IBM, Jeff builds government affairs strategies and thought leadership around emerging technologies, including advanced semiconductors, hybrid cloud, AI, and quantum computing. He engages with national and international government agencies—including members of Congress—to navigate the impacts of emerging technologies on government and international affairs. His writing and videos have been featured in Axios, Politico, Forbes, Euractiv, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Wilson Quarterly. Jeff is a TAM graduate and holds an M.A. in Political Science from UNC-Chapel Hill, for which he completed one year of study—in French—at Sciences Po Paris. He holds a B.A in Political Science from St. Olaf College. Jeff’s career interests lie at the nexus of emerging technologies, public policy, and international relations. He speaks fluent French and some Portuguese and has lived in five countries. 

Angela Chin is an entry-level Foreign Service Officer, preparing for her first tour in Guangzhou, China. Angela aims to prevent conflict, protect human rights, and improve multicultural understanding through diplomacy. Angela previously worked for the U.S. Institute of Peace where she supported inclusive peacebuilding in Sudan and South Sudan. Through the State Department’s Charles B. Rangel Fellowship, she interned at the US Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and the Office of US Senator Cory Booker. She has a B.A. in Public Policy and Global Studies with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill and a M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. As a Carolina Scholar, Angela studied abroad in Ecuador, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel, and participated in the Honors Seminar on Public Policy and Global Affairs in D.C. In her free time, Angela enjoys learning languages, reading, weight training, basketball, snowboarding, and SCUBA diving. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 

Jennifer Davis is a career U.S. diplomat currently serving as the Coordinator for the Afghanistan War Commission for the U.S. Department of State following her tenure as the Chief of Staff to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Previously, she has served as the U.S. Consul General in Istanbul, Turkey, as the Executive Assistant to U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, Special Assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a Watch Officer in the State Operations Center, and the Director of the Orientation Division. In addition to Turkey, she served overseas in Colombia, Brussels (USNATO), and Mexico City. She is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. National War College, where she received the George Kennan Award for Excellence in Strategic Writing and has taught and served as an executive coach in the Leadership and Management School of Foreign Service Institute. Before joining the Foreign Service, Jennifer was a corporate attorney specializing in media and banking law and clerked for the Honorable Judge James C. Fox in the Eastern District of North Carolina. She has a B.A. with distinction and J.D. with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill and an LL.M. in international law from the University of Oxford in England. 

Stephanie Hutchison is the Diplomat in Residence for the Mid-Atlantic region. She is a distinguished diplomat with 17 years of service in the U.S. Foreign Service, specializing in economic affairs. Holding a B.A. in International Affairs and Economics from Colby College and a Masters in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, she made the transition from market research and environmental consulting to pursue a career representing her country. Stephanie’s diverse tours include serving as a Consular and Economic Officer in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as holding roles such as Turkey Desk Officer, Deputy Economic Chief, and Economic Section Chief in locations like Rabat, Morocco, and Accra, Ghana. Notably, her impactful experience as a Political Officer in Tanzania involved addressing refugee issues, leaving a profound impression of courage and resilience. Stephanie’s dedication to foreign affairs stems from a passion cultivated since high school, leading to a rewarding and adventurous journey in the Foreign Service. 

Ned Kelly is a senior intelligence officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), where he oversees DIA’s analytic programs associated with technology protection. Ned began his career as an intelligence analyst with DIA in 2006. Prior to his current assignment, Ned served as a Deputy Research Director, where he managed the Agency’s program of analysis and developed analytic tradecraft best practices. He has served in analytic positions at DIA Headquarters, the Pentagon, United States Africa Command, NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, and the National Counterterrorism Center. He also deployed to Afghanistan to support special operations. Ned graduated from UNC Chapel-Hill in 2005 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Spanish, and was a recipient of the Morehead-Cain scholarship. Ned also received an M.A. from American University’s School of International Service. 

Morgan O’Brien is the Industry Liaison for the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.  In this role, he supports business in returning to pre-pandemic operations with a specific focus on global mobility.  He is a 16-year veteran of the State Department, with assignments in New York at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and the National Basketball Association. He has also served as the Department’s sports diplomacy officer and has overseas assignments as the U.S. Consul to the Republic of the Congo and the press attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. A native Long Islander, Morgan is an Air Force veteran who deployed to Iraq and post-Katrina New Orleans.  He has an undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.