The Security and Democracy Forum
Meet The Team
Executive Director
Graham Markiewicz
Graham Markiewicz is an attorney and national security policy professional who has served as a defense policy advisor in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He previously served as an Infantry officer in the U.S. Army, deploying twice to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division and completing Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger schools. Most recently, he worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where he advised on oversight and congressional investigations. Graham holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.
Chair of Cyber Security Program
B'Asia Settles
B’Asia Settles is a cybersecurity and intelligence leader with over seven years of experience navigating threat landscapes across sectors. Her work focuses on building defense strategies rooted in technical insight and operational awareness, with a clear understanding of how adversaries move and think. She’s led efforts in threat intelligence, incident response, digital forensics, and cyber policy, shaping programs that help organizations stay ready and resilient. Known for her sharp analytical approach and curiosity-driven mindset, B’Asia brings clarity to complexity—connecting technical depth with broader strategic goals in a rapidly shifting environment.
Chair of Eurasian Policy
Stephen Cekuta
Stephen Cekuta is a seasoned legislative and oversight professional with extensive experience across the executive and legislative branches. Most recently, he served as Congressional Liaison Officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where he led House engagement and supported the USAID’s congressional strategy. Prior to that, he served as Special Advisor for Oversight at the United States Department of Education, managing the Department’s response to congressional investigations.
Stephen’s background also includes leadership roles on national and state political campaigns, as well as private-sector consulting. Stephen holds a degree in political history from Scotland’s University of St. Andrews.
Research Associate
Austin Hillebrandt
Austin Hillebrandt graduated from the Bush School of Government and Public Service with a Master's of International Affairs in 2024. He also received his bachelor's degree from William & Mary in 2022. He has completed internships at the Aerospace Corporation, John Hulsman Enterprises, and Sigmatech. His research interests focus on military affairs in the space domain.
Board of Advisors
The Board of Advisors brings together experienced leaders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector to provide strategic guidance and ensure the Forum’s work remains impactful, principled, and forward-looking. Advisors help shape our direction, amplify our message, and connect our work to broader democratic and security communities.
Advisor
Nathan Kiker
Nathan Kiker is a political consultant based in Washington, D.C., currently serving as Managing Partner at Apollo Group Consulting. Kiker has extensive experience in political campaign management and finance, having worked on campaigns such as Sean Perryman for Lt. Governor, Bullock for President, and Elissa Slotkin for Congress, among others.He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Kiker is also active in media, co-hosting the podcast “Clearer Than Truth," which discusses both domestic and geopolitical issues with a range of guests.
Advisor
Frieda Arenos
Frieda Arenos is is Director of US Government Relations at the ONE Campaign. Before joining ONE this year, Frieda worked with the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs as the lead appropriations and democracy specialist, and the Bureau’s representative to the Agency's presidential transition team.
Prior to working at USAID, Frieda was with the National Democratic Institute (2017-2024) as a Senior Program Director overseeing the Institute’s programs on legislative strengthening, executive transitions, and intergovernmental communications.
Before NDI, Frieda worked in the U.S. Senate (2009-2017) for Senate leadership in various capacities, including as a constituent services advisor, executive assistant, communications assistant, and legislative assistant. Frieda has work and travel experience in more than 20 countries, including across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Advisor
Lloyd Ocean
Lloyd Ocean is a policy professional who has built his career navigating and understanding the impact of public, private, and non-governmental institutions from the local level to the international level. He currently supports senior leadership as the Executive Special Projects Officer at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy where he is also earning a master's degree focused on international relations and policy. He was a Rhode Island state attorney where he advocated across state and federal courts on criminal, civil, and appellate matters. He also worked as a corporate associate at the law firm Goodwin Procter LLP and served as a law clerk for the US Senate Committee on Finance. Prior to law school, Lloyd was a financial services auditor for global investment firms at Ernst & Young LLP. Lloyd also served as an officer in the U.S. Army for nearly 10 years focusing on international logistics. He holds a B.S. from Boston University Questrom School of Business and a J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Advisor
Katherine Haselkorn
Declared a “Social Media Guru” by the Washington Post, Kat has significantly increased the online presence of brands through customized SEO campaigns and innovative content marketing techniques.
With over a decade of brand strategy and blogging under her belt, Kat has perfected the art of crafting optimized content that entertains and delights audiences. Her creative strategies cover nearly all digital platforms, from improving Yelp scores to creating new sales channels through social media. In the last five years, Kat’s work has hit the front page of Google, earned the #1 spot on YouTube, and has been featured in Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Yahoo News, and Inc. Magazine.
A recently published author, you can read about the trials and tribulations of millennial life in Unemployed Kat: Adulting is Hard. Additionally, Kat is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and her work has been featured in Elite Daily, Buzzfeed, Yahoo!, The Washington Post, and other notable publications. In her spare time, Kat teaches Spinning and Total Body Conditioning classes and can be found running or hiking around her hometown of Washington, DC. Kat is a 2010 graduate from The University of Chicago.
Apply Today
Want to help shape the future of principled national security and democratic integrity?
We’re building a growing community of leaders, thinkers, and citizens committed to restoring trust in institutions and ensuring that security serves democracy.
​
Whether you're a writer, policy expert, civic leader, or emerging voice, we invite you to get involved. Join as a contributor, advisor, collaborator, or supporter. Together, we can build a forum where ideas lead to impact. Find out more at our Join Us page.
617-410-8990