Silverado Policy Accelerator is thrilled to welcome the inaugural class of Catherine Hinman Memorial Fellows this summer. The fellowship, founded in 2022, offers graduate students with backgrounds in economics, applied sciences, international affairs, and related fields an opportunity to gain practical experience and grow professional networks in Washington, D.C.

Fellows will receive a hands-on introduction to Silverado's key issues and be introduced to an array of career pathways across public policy, government, non-profit organizations, business and academia. With guidance from Silverado's team and outside experts, each fellow will complete a research project that advances both Silverado's mission and the fellow's career aspirations.

Please join us in welcoming the fellows!

The 2023 Catherine Hinman Memorial Fellows:

Rawand Hidmi

(George Washington University)

Rawand Hidmi is a master's student in International Development Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, specializing in Climate Change, Energy, and Environment. She previously earned an M.A. in European Studies from Heinrich Heine Universität in Düsseldorf, Germany. Before joining Silverado, she worked for the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia as a research assistant, for PwC Middle East as a Functional Consultant, and as an Airport Services Officer at the Queen Alia International Airport. She received her B.S. in Business Information Technology from Princess Sumaya University for Technology in Amman, Jordan.

She is particularly interested in the intersection of business and geopolitics, and she's hoping to use her time at Silverado to learn more about how the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could impact trade with the U.S. and other global partners. She speaks fluent English and Arabic and has basic language skills in German.

David Kelm

(The University of Denver)

David Kelm is a master's student in international human rights at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, where he is pursuing a certificate in global climate adaptation. He grew up in Brainerd, Minnesota, and received his undergraduate degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he studied political science, English writing, and environmental policy. His research interests include environmental conflict, environmental peacebuilding, energy justice, and just transition strategies. He has previously worked as a researcher for the University of Denver’s Dr. Jack Donnelly, and he plans to begin research on critical mineral mining this coming fall with the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy. At Silverado, he is looking forward to analyzing critical minerals and decarbonization efforts. He previously spent summers working in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters and is excited to canoe on the rivers in the D.C. area.

Paige Graham

(University of Georgia)

Paige Graham is a student at the University of Georgia. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and International Affairs, along with a Certificate in Global Studies. She participated in a “4+1 program,” which allowed her to begin her Master's of International Policy as an undergraduate. She will return to the University of Georgia this fall to complete this degree, specializing in non-proliferation and energy security. She has experience working for the Center for International Trade and Security as a research assistant and for Representative Spencer Frye in the Georgia House of Representatives as a legislative aide. She is looking forward to using her time at Silverado to researching export controls and supply chains, though she misses her puppy, Rodi, at home.