In her role as Senior Communication Officer for The World Bank, Yanina Budkin is committed to greater transparency, higher levels of national engagement, and a more substantive media presence. She has worked with government agencies in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in strengthening communications at the public level, including establishing a public television channel in Paraguay. While on fellowship, she explored the role of media in social change; journalism in the public interest; transparency and access to public information; and the latest trends in journalism, including social media and user-generated content.

As a result of her fellowship, Ms. Budkin is planning an international seminar on public television in Latin America for 2013 with Judy Tam, Senior VP of Independent Television Service. She visited CBS News and met with the Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, which led to her collaboration on a story regarding Argentina's debt management. She has presented the main findings of her fellowship to her colleagues at the World Bank. Additionally, Ms. Budkin looks forward to addressing ongoing challenges in using new and traditional media to increase transparency and citizen participation in democracy.

Click here to read Yanina's program summary.

As the Business and Economics Editor for Folha de São Paulo , Brazil's largest and most respected newspaper, Raul Juste Lores addresses a variety of societal issues in his work. As the newspaper's China correspondent he covered major events there and in other Asian countries, including the Beijing Olympics, the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and the Mumbai terror attacks. As a result of these and other experiences, Raul views Folha as a platform to bring debate about key issues to his readers. On fellowship, he examined challenges of urbanization in the U.S.; the impact of social media and web journalism; and the use of social media and the internet to foster philanthropy, engage the public in social causes, and improve quality of life in urban areas.

Soon after his fellowship, Mr. Lores embarked on a new professional adventure as New York Bureau Chief for Folha de São Paulo. He has already introduced several of his fellowship interlocutors to relevant contacts in Brazil. In addition, the blog he wrote on fellowship led to real estate developers in Brazil contacting him to learn about the people he met and concepts he learned while on fellowship. In sum, he looks forward to connecting many of the Americans he met on his fellowship with Brazilians who share common interests and objectives.

Read more about Raul's fellowship experience and other items here: http://rauljustelores.blogfolha.uol.com.br

Click here to read Raul's program summary.

As Director of Corporate Affairs, Carlos Abogabir is responsible for corporate social responsibility efforts, community engagement and management, and media and public relations initiatives for Colbun S.A., one of Chile's largest power companies. A dedicated social entrepreneur, he has spearheaded programs that doubled participating children's literacy rates and greatly reduced school absenteeism. While on fellowship, Mr. Abogabir examined CSR in the United States; the relationship between companies and communities; sustainable development strategies; NGO and nonprofit development; best practices in education; and social entrepreneurship.

Carlos Abogabir is excited to share his fellowship findings upon his return to Chile via presentations to his colleagues at Colbun S.A. and other national companies. He also intends to share important knowledge on corporate social responsibility and education with his fellow citizens via articles in Chilean newspapers. Additionally, Mr. Abogabir will be working with the Dean of the School of Business at his alma mater, Universidad de los Andes, to discuss the creation and implementation of Chile's first center on business and society.

Click here to read Carlos' program summary.

As Deputy Director General of China's Foreign Investment Administration, Qiu Lixin plays a key role in formulating China's foreign direct investment policies, regulations, and laws. While on her fellowship, she visited a variety of federal agencies to meet with senior officials to discuss their perspectives on future U.S. foreign direct investment; exchange ideas with leading experts at think tanks and universities; and meet with corporate executives to gain insights into corporate culture and management strategies in the United States.

Upon her return to China, Ms. Qiu intends to establish an association focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility among multinational corporations in China. She will incorporate innovative concepts and approaches she encountered in her meetings with companies in the United States, including Johnson & Johnson and others. Her plan is to begin with a specifically defined group of corporations and then, if it is successful, scale up to a national program.

Click here to read Lixin's program summary.

In his capacity as Vice Minister of Transportation, Felipe Targa has successfully implemented complex reforms in the freight transportation sector and more recently developed a national road safety plan projected to significantly reduce traffic fatalities. He is responsible for strategy and policy relating to transportation services, mass transit systems, freight and supply chain management, road safety, intelligent transport systems, and the development of an efficient, safe and environmentally sustainable transport system nationwide. On fellowship, he investigated intelligent transportation systems; logistics and mass transit systems; sustainable multimodal transportation systems; and supply chain management strategies.

Mr. Targa will continue exploring ways to promote public participation in decision-making for urban transportation projects. He will advocate for changes in government service necessary due to the exponential growth in information technology capacity. Commercial applications of these technologies will significantly improve community-based data visualization, scenario building, and evaluation tools. He is committed to using these as a means to enhance livability, sustainability, and ultimately to democratize decision and policy-making.

Click here to read Felipe's program summary.

Gehan El Sharkawy has responsibility for policymaking, planning, implementation and monitoring of programs at the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM), the highest body in Egypt affecting the lives of children and mothers. Among her many responsibilities, she is responsible for strategy, implementation, and evaluation in the Child Protection Unit. On her fellowship, she researched legislation and policies that can contribute to the establishment of an Egyptian national child protection system and examined effective child advocacy strategies and communications tools.

Ms. El Sharkawy is already following up on a number of takeaways from her fellowship experience in order to enhance and promote child well-being in Egypt. She intends to start an advocacy group that will fulfill the crucial role of "watchdog" for Egyptian children and bring innovative, nontraditional approaches to key childhood issues. She will also continue to communicate and work with the network of experts she had the privilege to meet over the course of her time in the United States.

Click here to read Gehan's program summary.

As the author of "Guidebook on Foreign Investment in Strategic Sectors", Pascal Dupeyrat is in high demand as an advisor to companies interested in foreign investment. While on fellowship, he examined the many facets of the "Exon-Florio Process" by which the U.S. government reviews foreign investments that may threaten national security; the U.S. lobbying system; and methods used by American investors to analyze foreign investment opportunities. In addition, Mr. Dupeyrat founded and is Secretary General of Le Cercle Jefferson, an organization made up of French alumni of U.S. Department of State visitor programs, and examined issues relating to intercultural dialogue and building and maintaining active and robust networks.

Mr. Dupeyrat returns home with concrete plans for Relians Consulting, Le Cercle Jefferson, and Eisenhower Fellowships. He intends to make his book, "Foreign Investment and National Security Guidelines," available in English and hopes to create an international network of investors specialized in the acquisition of companies requiring national security reviews. As for Le Cercle Jefferson, he plans to reinvent it as a foundation, raising funds in order to support additional privately-funded exchange programs. With respect to EF, he will bring his energy and expertise in networking to bear in helping other Fellows to achieve their goals.

Click here to read Pascal's program summary.

In addition to his duties as a partner at Münchhausen & Partner Law Firm, Mehmet Gürcan Daimagüler devotes significant time to the Liberal Turkish-German Association (LTD), an organization he founded. Although originally focused on relations between Turkish immigrants and Germans, LTD now attracts immigrants from Greece, Spain, Italy, and elsewhere and provides a forum to address ideas aimed at improving Germany's immigration policies. While on his fellowship, Dr. Daimagüler explored U.S. programs and policies on immigration; the relationship between the state and its citizens; the development of immigrants' identities as Americans; and connections formed due to individual religious beliefs.

To counter the misconception that Muslim immigration is leading Europe to become "Eurabia," Dr. Daimagüler will return to the U.S. for a speaking tour in collaboration with organizations he visited on fellowship. His book Kein schönes Land in dieser Zeit was recently translated into English and gives a contemporary look at Muslim immigration in Europe as told through the lens of Dr. Daimagüler's experience as a Muslim living in Germany, as well as his experiences living in post-9/11 America. He also plans to educate and inform Turkish immigrants in Germany about the teachings and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Click here to read Mehmet's program summary.

With 647 offices throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia, Eka Sari Lorena Surbakti ensures that LORENA Group's twelve transportation and logistics companies achieve their business growth objectives. In addition, Ms. Surbakti is the first woman to serve as chair of ORGANDA, a prominent organization with 1.5 million members representing all Indonesian public transportation providers. On her fellowship, she met with established transporters and logistics operators to discuss issues such as seamless connectivity, integrated multimodal transportation, and modern system logistics operations.

Ms. Surbakti returns to Indonesia with plans for improving the well-being of the transportation sector, including exploring the establishment of the Foundation for One Million People for Indonesia to provide support, education, and training for people working in the transportation industry, and to enhance professionalism and leadership development for the next generation. She also returns committed to exploring joint CSR programs with Chevron Indonesia and continuing the partnership with Harvard Business School professor Tony Gomez related to BRT (bus rapid transit) system improvements in Jakarta.

Click here to read Eka's program summary.

Dr. Valerie Cummins brings together disparate elements of Ireland's largest maritime cluster: the Irish Naval Service with 1100 staff, including three university research groups with 70 researchers and 60 staff in the National Maritime College of Ireland. Among other functions, she promotes Ireland as a world class research and development location. While on fellowship, she examined models of successful science and technology clusters; developed and strengthened strategic alliances between the marine renewable energy research and industry sectors in Ireland and the U.S.; and achieved a better understanding of federal and state approaches to Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

Due to her engagement with the Embassy of Ireland on fellowship, Dr. Cummins is planning to receive high-level officials of the U.S. Department of State at IMERC this fall. She is also pursuing bilateral research agreements with the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center and Florida Atlantic University's Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center. She will continue to build relationships with companies she visited on fellowship to enhance trans-Atlantic trade and investment in the maritime and energy sectors. She plans to write a paper on IMERC Innovation pathways, drawing on her fellowship experience, and will present a paper to the U.S. Department of Energy's Water and Wind Power program leaders.

Click here to read Valerie's program summary.

As one of Ireland's most popular current affairs commentators, Dearbhail McDonald leads a unique charge against social injustice as Legal Editor of the Irish Independent, Ireland's largest daily newspaper. In addition to covering breaking news stories, she is an investigative journalist and the author of a bestselling book on the recent financial crisis. Outside the newsroom, Ms. McDonald is a violinist in the Dublin Symphony Orchestra, and is active with the peace building initiative Co-Operation Ireland and Fighting Words, an organization that helps children develop their writing and storytelling skills. On her fellowship, she delved into the future of media, investigative journalism, and advocacy in the digital age. She also explored the modus operandi of organizations that promote social justice and overcome conflict via leadership, music, and art.

Ms. McDonald returns to Ireland with numerous plans. She is writing an essay on her EF experience and the future of media, investigative journalism, and advocacy in the digital age for the Nieman Reports at Harvard University. She will host a seminar for Irish journalists and editors to share her EF reflections and lessons learned from the U.S. media's efforts to embrace the internet revolution. She is organizing the EF Irish Alumni Network fall conference on "The Future of Journalism and Influence in the Digital Age." Additionally, Ms. McDonald is pursuing collaborative projects with Intercultural Journeys, The Innocence Project, The Beat Within, and Bill Mitchell of the Poynter Institute.

Click here to read Dearbhail's program summary.

As Director of Environmental Sustainability for Jordan's Development and Free Zones Commission, Ruba Al-Zu'bi is committed to incorporating environmental sustainability in the planning and management of Jordan's economic development and growth. In her work at DFZC and in her role as co-founder of the Jordan Green Building Council, she works to increase environmental sustainability through new tools, policies, and ways of thinking to ensure that economic development is in line with the protection and management of natural resources. On her fellowship, Ms. Al-Zu'bi explored successful sustainability programs; visited innovative enterprise development zones; researched effective public-private partnerships; and explored green economy and community-based green initiatives.

Ms. Al-Zu'bi is already working on linkages between organizations she visited on fellowship and institutions in Jordan. She plans to collaborate with Philadelphia's Greenfield School Initiative as well as sustainability initiatives at universities such as Harvard. She is working with Jordanian entities to identify best practices in green building and energy efficiency in U.S. cities that could form a basis for collaboration. She is organizing a meeting with Jordan's principal environmental NGOs to share ideas gathered on her fellowship and discuss possible follow-up projects. Finally, she will continue discussions with clean-tech incubators she visited in New York and Boston, and hopes to organize a policy roundtable for Jordanian companies and several U.S. companies she visited.

Read about Ruba's EF travels on her blog: http://rubaalzubi.wordpress.com/

Click here to read Ruba's program summary.

Hamdan Abdul Majeed spearheads Khazanah Nasional Berhad's efforts to develop strategies and investments to catalyze growth and development in the northern region of Malaysia. He also serves as Executive Director of ThinkCity, whose mission is to create urban revitalization in the George Town UNESCO World Heritage site. ThinkCity launched Asia's first Business Improvement District and has proven so successful that its programs are being replicated throughout Malaysia. On his fellowship, Mr. Majeed deepened his understanding of urban regeneration; explored innovative ways of creating greater sustainability in cities; and examined the role that technology plays in regional economic development and growth.

Hamdan Abdul Majeed foresees multiple outcomes from his fellowship experience, including strengthened collaborations with various leading institutions on projects relating to urbanization and spatial planning. He will share the knowledge gained from his fellowship meetings with some of the foremost leaders from cities around the world on the urbanization experience, particularly that of American cities. He also plans to strengthen Think City as a regional urbanization resource with a focus on spatial planning and managing heritage assets in urban areas.

Click here to read Hamdan's program summary.

Greg King has been counsel to at least 350 jury trials and 200 appeals, is a frequent media commentator, and is widely recognized as one of the most influential lawyers in New Zealand. In addition to his legal work specializing in criminal defense law, he is Executive Producer and Host of a weekly television program, The Court Report, which provides in-depth analysis and panel debate on all manner of legal issues. While on his fellowship, Mr. King examined the American criminal justice system; the role of think tanks in legal matters; punishment and rehabilitation practices; and educational television.

As a result of his fellowship, Greg King drafted a proposal to create innovative "problem solving" courts in New Zealand, an idea that is already receiving significant media attention. Utilizing information gained on his fellowship, Mr. King proposes to create courts that focus on the individual needs of the offender through programs that target the individual's criminality factors and other social problems, leading to rehabilitation and public well-being, balanced with providing adequate punishment and deterrence.

Click here to read Greg's program summary.

Kola Masha is founder and Managing Director of Doreo Partners, an impact investing firm focused on early stage ventures in the agricultural value chain which leverage venture capital and drive youth employment. Already collaborating with the Gates Foundation, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, UNDP, and His Royal Highness Prince of Wales International, Mr. Masha is recognized internationally as a thought leader in African agribusiness. While on fellowship, he explored agricultural policies and systems in developed markets; strategies that could positively impact the development of the Nigerian agriculture sector and create jobs for semi- and unskilled workers; and successful examples of impact investment strategies.

Mr. Masha returns to Nigeria excited to apply his new knowledge and to pursue collaboration to benefit Babban Gona, a partnership between small holder farmers, professional managers, and investors to unlock value and share income equitably among partners with the goal of increasing profits and driving sustainability. He has also developed a three-year plan to aid farmer associations in Nigeria and elseshwere to be effective and efficient in scaling up in size and output.

Click here to read Kola's program summary.

A well recognized and highly regarded radio and television broadcaster with the BBC, Dr. William Crawley hosts radio and television programs on a variety of topics ranging from politics, to arts and sciences, to religion and ethics. Since 2007, he has moderated a weekly radio program which provides a platform for debate on the week's religious and ethical news. Prior to his career in journalism, Dr. Crawley was a minister in Presbyterian churches in New York and Belfast as well as a university lecturer in philosophy and theology. While on fellowship he examined the relationship between religion, science, and ethics in American society.

Upon his return home, Dr. Crawley will pursue a number of collaborative opportunities with individuals he met in the U.S. including Paul Raushenbush, religion editor at The Huffington Post; Diane Winston, journalism professor at USC; Jonathan Walton of the Harvard Divinity School; author Frank Schaeffer; and theater director Michael Lessac. He also recorded a number of interviews with individuals for broadcast on the BBC. In addition, Dr. Crawley will broadcast a BBC program exploring some of the themes of this fellowship, and will draw on his experiences in a number of public events and speeches in Northern Ireland.

Read about Will's EF travels on his blog: Will & Testament - Travelling with Eisenhower

Click here to read Will's program summary.

In her role as chair of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), Jocelle Batapa-Sigue is responsible for leading member organizations, sharing best practices, and generating new ideas by increasing ICT awareness. While on fellowship she learned from similar organizations how to increase awareness of the benefits of ICT with respect to job creation, education, health, and governance. She also explored animation, game development, and efforts to combat child trafficking.

Ms. Batapa-Sigue's plans upon returning home are many: to develop incubation programs and facilities focused on entrepreneurship and venture capital; hold a conference on protocols for human trafficking cases in Asia; write articles related to her fellowship for local and national media in the Philippines; and collaborate with U.S. companies to develop mentorship programs in the fields of game development and animation. She also hopes to create a community of advocates, including her fellow Eisenhower Fellows, to address urgent policy reforms and help ensure a dynamic and sustainable IT ecosystem, leading to a more competitive, entrepreneurial and knowledge-based economy for the Philippines.

Click here to read Jocelle's program summary.

At NESsT, Roxana Damaschin-Tecu is responsible for developing social enterprise initiatives to advance social and environmental causes in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. NESsT is a prominent catalyst of social entrepreneurship and the only organization of its kind in Romania, having provided financial support and training to over 75 organizations nationally. While on fellowship, Ms. Damaschin-Tecu met social enterprise donors, impact investors, and capacity builders; practitioners to discuss the various stages of social enterprise development; policy makers to learn about the U.S. regulatory environment for social enterprises; and academics to discuss mentor programs and sector promotion.

Ms. Damaschin-Tecu will advocate for social enterprises by furthering NESsT's work in Central and Eastern Europe via direct technical assistance, financial support, events, social media, and public speaking. In addition, she is planning to help in developing a self-advocacy network for people with disabilities, aiming at promoting education, deinstitutionalization, community-based services, and access to fair employment.

Click here to read Roxana's program summary.

At the time of his fellowship, Mean Luck Kwek served as Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, leading the economic development policy work of the Ministry, including macroeconomics, enterprise development, manufacturing and services, R&D, energy, labor, as well as futures and strategy. Mr. Kwek assumed the positions of Dean and CEO of the Singapore Civil Service College and Deputy Secretary (Development) of the Public Service Division in the Prime Minister's Office at the conclusion of the fellowship. While on his fellowship, he explored a variety of issues, including organizational transformation, operating in a new social media environment, programs for the financially needy, and how tourism can transform cities.

Upon his return to Singapore, Mr. Kwek will draw upon lessons learned during his fellowship in the areas of social media and organizational transformation as he begins his new role in helping to transform the Singapore Civil Service. He will also apply insights and knowledge gained while in the U.S. in developing frameworks for reducing poverty as part of his ongoing work with the non-profit sector in Singapore to develop programs and systems for improving the lives of the poorest citizens.

Click here to read Mean Luck's program summary.

Faik Tunay became the second youngest Deputy of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the youngest member of the main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP) when, at the age of 30, he was elected to a seat representing Istanbul in the general election of June 2011. A member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he brings to his new role representing the people of Istanbul a sense of youth, energy, and passion to tackle common challenges for Turkey's future. While on fellowship, he examined issues related to leadership in public service, economic development, and foreign policy through meetings with key players in the public and private sectors.

Mr. Tunay intends to play a leading role in helping to further develop an EF regional network among neighboring countries in his region. He also plans to create an EF alumni subgroup of active and former politicians and elected officials. As a policy-maker and legislator, Mr. Tunay will incorporate lessons he learned on his fellowship about leadership and the importance of dialogue and tolerance into his role as a Member of Parliament.

Click here to read Faik's program summary.

Father Gonzalo Aemilius is Principal of Liceo Jubilar, an innovative educational center that serves 340 adolescent and adult students and impacts more than 1500 people in the community, one of the poorest in Montevideo and Uruguay as a whole. Due to its success, the Liceo Jubilar model is now being replicated around the country, and Father Aemilius has garnered acclaim and media attention for his creative and holistic approach to education. On his fellowship, he examined how education can be a transformative experience not only for students but for society at large, and how technology can be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of schools.

Father Gonzalo returns to Uruguay with plans to promote EF and his fellowship experience by giving television, radio, and magazine interviews. He will also meet with the President of Uruguay, José Mujica, and with the Ministry of Education and Tourism, to explain how successful educational practices in the U.S. could be successfully replicated in Uruguay. In addition, Father Gonzalo plans to collaborate with institutions he met on fellowship to make Liceo Jubilar "Juan Pablo II" a model of best practices in education.

Read about Gonzalo's EF travels on his blog: http://mnpgonza.blogspot.com/

Click here to read Gonzalo's program summary.