UCLA Anderson Forecast Board of Advisors
Since its founding in 1952, the UCLA Anderson Forecast has provided insight to decision makers in business, academia, and government. The Forecast has distinguished itself as the leading, independent economic forecast for greater Los Angeles, the state of California, and the United States. The Board of Advisors will advance the teaching mission of the Forecast and play an important role with the overall strategic growth of the center. It will serve as a sounding board for the Forecast economists and leadership associated with centers based at the UCLA Anderson School of Management while enabling members of this Board opportunities to network with other respected business leaders.
Meet the Board

Chief Risk Officer,
First Republic Bank
Stephanie Bontemps serves as First Republic Bank’s Chief Risk Officer and is responsible for maintaining a robust enterprise risk management program that supports the strategic goals of the Bank and builds upon its longstanding conservative risk culture and client service focused business model. At First Republic, she previously served as an Executive Loan Committee Member and Director of Credit Administration.
Prior to joining First Republic, Stephanie worked for Citibank in corporate and investment banking in New York and San Francisco where she held global leadership positions in both relationship management and credit risk management.
Stephanie serves as a Board member for Hope Solutions, a Bay Area non-profit that provides permanent supportive housing and support services to highly vulnerable families and individuals. She is also a member of Financial Women of San Francisco and Chief.
Stephanie graduated from the Anderson School at UCLA (MBA) and UCLA (BA, Economics).

Robert Half
Brandi Britton serves as executive director with responsibility for overseeing Robert Half’s contract finance and accounting practice group. In this role, she leads global operational strategy for the placement of highly skilled finance and accounting professionals on a contract basis, for short- and long-term assignments.
Since joining Robert Half, Brandi has held several leadership positions with the company, most recently serving as district president for professional talent solutions in Southern California. During her tenure, Brandi has achieved companywide recognition for outstanding leadership and production.
Brandi joined Robert Half International in 1999 and has served as an invaluable source and staffing and consulting expert for national and regional media outlets including CBS, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Business Journal, among others. Brandi graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences.
Brandi actively leads her teams to give back to the communities in which they live and work through a variety of initiatives, including an annual suit drive for Dress for Success and similar non-profits, during which time the company collects donations for low-income women looking to enter – or re-enter – the employment market. Brandi also oversees an annual holiday toy drive benefitting local non-profits, for which she collects gifts for local at-risk youth.

RSM US LLP
Joe Brusuelas, an award-winning economist, has more than 20 years’ experience analyzing U.S. monetary policy, labor markets, fiscal policy, international finance, economic indicators and the condition of the U.S. consumer. A member of the Wall Street Journal’s forecasting panel, Brusuelas regularly briefs members of Congress and other senior officials regarding the impacts of federal policy on the factors by which executives make business decisions.
He also frequently offers his insights on the U.S., Canadian and global economies in the financial media, including CNBC, Cheddar, NPR’s Marketplace, Yahoo! Finance, Financial Times, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Axios and Politico. (Recent broadcast coverage and other media commentary can be found here.) In 2020, he was named one of the 100 most influential economists by Richtopia.
Before joining RSM in 2014, Brusuelas spent four years as a senior economist at Bloomberg L.P. and the Bloomberg Briefs newsletter group, where he co-founded the award-winning Bloomberg Economic Brief. Earlier in his career, he was a director at Moody's Analytics covering the U.S. and global economies for the Dismal Scientist website. He also served as chief economist at Merk Investments L.L.C. and chief U.S. economist at IDEAglobal.
Brusuelas completed all economy and public policy dissertation requirements for his Ph.D. at the University of Southern California.

Director, Portfolio & Funding,
City National Bank
John Coscia has been with City National Bank since 2000. He is responsible for managing and coordinating all market transaction activities within City National’s Treasury Department. This includes the strategic direction and oversight of the Bank’s fixed income portfolio, daily cash position, off-balance sheet hedging, wholesale borrowings, and Loan Pricing Desk. It also includes the management of the Bank's debt, capital, derivatives, and balance sheet position.
John has an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and a BS in Probability & Statistics from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management
Ross Gerber is the Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management. Ross oversees Gerber Kawasaki's corporate and investment management operations as well as serves individual clients. Ross has become one of the most influential investors on social and traditional media. His investment ideas and advice have made him a regular in global business news as well on many of the most popular podcasts. He is a regular on Bloomberg, Reuters, Fox Business, Yahoo Finance, CNN, CNBC as well as a contributing writer for Forbes.com. He has appeared on many of the most popular podcasts including HyperChange TV, The Dave Portnoy Show, Meet Kevin on YouTube, The Pomp Podcast, and more.
Ross and the Gerber Kawasaki team oversee $2.1 billion of investments as of 10/21/21 focused on technology, electric vehicles, consumer, media, and entertainment companies for clients and the firm. Gerber Kawasaki is a leader in Fintech innovation leveraging technology and social media to work with a large diverse client base providing financial advice in scale. GK has grown to over 8000 clients and was listed as one of the fastest-growing companies in Los Angeles according to the LABJ. GK received several Diversity and Inclusion Awards within the financial industry and prides itself in representing the community.
GK is a leader in providing investment advice for the younger generation through its Wealth Building & Get Invested programs and the first major RIA to partner with Gemini and begin offering Digital Assets to clients. Ross is an expert in online marketing and social media as well as a co-developer of the company’s app for IOS, my-moneypage.
Ross received his BA in Communications from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania concentrating in Business Law at the Wharton School of Business, graduating class of 1993. Ross also received a second concentration in Classical Music Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and attended the Grove School of Music. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and attended Brentwood High School with the graduating class of 1989.

Cathay Bank
Chang M. Liu is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Bank and a member of the Board of Directors of Cathay Bank and its holding company.
Chang joined Cathay Bank in 2014 and, prior to assuming the position of President and Chief Executive Officer in 2020, was responsible for, among other things, managing and overseeing all commercial and real estate lending, business development, and various operations.
Prior to his current role at Cathay Bank, Chang was the Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Banc of California (formerly known as “Pacific Trust Bank”) and under his leadership, increased the commercial real estate loan portfolio by $400 million in three years and the bank grew from $875 million to $3 billion in asset size. Chang received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree at UCLA and has more than 31 years of banking experience.
Aside from his business pursuits, Chang is a Board member of the Foothill Family, which provides comprehensive mental health care, early childhood development programs, and social services throughout the Greater Los Angeles region.

The Ratkovich Company
Brian Saenger is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Ratkovich Company, a Los Angeles-based real estate development company specializing in urban infill and historic rehabilitation of landmark properties. He previously served as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel and was responsible for overseeing the Company’s operations, including development management, property management, and legal and administrative functions. In 2021, Brian was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s list of 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles.
Brian serves on the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s “The CEO Council,” an advisory group of top business leaders focused on ensuring affordable housing for middle-income families and building a workforce that is prepared for the good-paying jobs of the future. He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves on the Urban Development and Mixed-Use Council. ULI is the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world. Additionally, Brian is a member of the Board of Directors for the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership. He has previously served on the Board of Directors for the California YMCA Youth & Government program and was a past Chair of the Board.
Brian joined The Ratkovich Company as the Vice President of Acquisitions and played a leading role in the Company’s acquisition of The Bloc, a 1.8 million square foot, mixed-use property in downtown Los Angeles consisting of retail, office and hospitality uses. He also represented the Company in the successful negotiation of a 66-year ground lease for the development of West Harbor (formerly known as the San Pedro Public Market), a $150 million transformation of a 42-acre site along the Los Angeles waterfront in San Pedro. In August 2021, West Harbor was featured in the Los Angeles Times for landing seven high-profile restaurant and entertainment leases during the pandemic.
Prior to joining the Company, Brian served as the Company’s outside counsel when he practiced with the international law firms of DLA Piper LLP (US) and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.
Brian received his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, with honors, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Brian is a member of the State Bar of California and a licensed California real estate broker.

Allen Matkins
John Tipton, a partner in the Century City office and immediate past Chair of Allen Matkins’ real estate department, is one of the top real estate attorneys in California with respect to acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, and asset management. John represents his clients in actively buying, financing, developing, leasing and selling office centers, shopping centers, mixed use projects, studios, hotels and multi-family projects throughout the United States. He also has extensive experience in representing owners, operators, and partners in all types of development, construction, management, and operating agreements.
John is a founder and lead attorney in the ongoing partnership producing the Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast Commercial Real Estate Survey, a twice-annual survey involving the top commercial real estate owners, investors, and developers in California and provides a three-year economic outlook on a range of asset classes and geographical regions throughout the state. A frequent public speaker, John co-authored the chapter on Construction Agreements in the second edition of the California Continuing Education of the Bar Commercial Project Practice Guide, the legal education reference book on project management for California attorneys. John is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Urban Land Institute and served as Chair of the Board of Junior Achievement of Southern California (2019-2021), a non-profit dedicated to teaching financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship to Southern California youths.

University Credit Union
David L. Tuyo II, DBA, MBA serves as the President and CEO of University Credit Union. Dr. Tuyo is a veteran of the financial services industry where he has served financial institutions in a multitude of roles including COO, CFO, and Chief Investment Officer. His career in the financial services industry spans over 20 years, with the majority dedicated to serving credit unions. Dr. Tuyo’s education includes a DBA from California Southern University, an MBA from Mississippi State University and a Bachelors in Finance from the University of Mobile.

Newegg
Since 2020, Mr. Chow has served as Chief Executive Officer of Newegg Commerce, Inc. (“Newegg”), a leading e-commerce company offering direct sales and an online marketplace platform for computer components, consumer electronics, entertainment, smart home and gaming products and third-party logistics services. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring the continued success of the company’s business model and its e-commerce ecosystems, including helping merchants sell their products through the company’s marketplace platform.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Chow held executive positions at several global e-commerce corporations. He served as Vice President of Newegg’s North American business from 2006 until 2008. From 2008, he served as President of Newegg’s China operation and OZZO Logistics, China, a subsidiary of Newegg. In 2011, he became CEO of OTTO Group China where he served until 2015, and then was Vice President of Haier Group Corporation from 2015 until 2019.
Upon rejoining Newegg in 2019, Mr. Chow made sweeping changes to refine Newegg’s value proposition to position the company for future success. This began with a complete redesign of Newegg’s global platform by unifying the company’s vendor-direct and marketplace sales models. Additionally, he implemented a streamlined, domain-driven organizational structure optimized for modern scalable ecommerce operations.
Mr. Chow has earned extensive industry accolades in recent years, including his induction into the Digital Ecosystem Hall of Fame in August 2020; First China Cross-Border E-Commerce Outstanding Leader Golden Eagle Award in November 2020; Outstanding Contributor to Credit China in December 2020; Leading Cross-Border E-Commerce Enterprise Award in January 2021; appointed Chairman of the Special Committee of Shanghai Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry Association in January 2021; Cross-Border E-Commerce Person of the Year Award in March 2021; LA Times CFO&CEO Leadership Award in August 2021; and featured on the cover of Foreign Trade Magazine in November 2021.
Mr. Chow earned a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo in 1989, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California Los Angeles Anderson School of Management in 2010. Additionally, he is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Kaiser Permanente
Julie Miller-Phipps is president of Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region and Hawaii Market, Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. Since 2016, she has directed the Southern California Hospital and Health Plan operations and partnered with the leadership of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group to improve the health of more than 4.8 million members and their communities in an area that extends from Bakersfield to San Diego. Nearly 76,000 employees collaborate with more than 7,800 Southern California Permanente Medical Group physicians to deliver high-quality, affordable care through this region’s 15 hospitals and 235 medical offices.
In late 2020, Miller-Phipps also undertook responsibility for the Hawaii Market Hospital and Health Plan operations, working closely with the local leadership, including the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG), to improve the health of nearly 263,000 members and their communities. Some 4,400 employees work with nearly 500 HPMG physicians to deliver high-quality care through the Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu and 28 medical offices and clinic locations on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai.
In addition to her operations responsibilities, Miller-Phipps oversees funding and grants for programs that cultivate improvements in the economic, social, and environmental factors that strengthen the quality of health in Southern California and Hawaii. Annually, this equates to over $1 billion in Southern California and $1.2 million in Hawaii in support of Kaiser Permanente’s mission to help communities thrive.
Prior to her current role, Miller-Phipps was appointed president of Kaiser Permanente Georgia Region, Health Plan and Hospitals in 2014 where she was responsible for the delivery of health care to nearly 300,000 Kaiser Permanente members served through a network of 26 medical offices and specialty centers, as well as four contracted hospitals. She oversaw 2,600 employees and worked closely with the 500 physicians of the Southeast Permanente Medical Group to strengthen the medical-management partnership for which Kaiser Permanente has become a model.
From 2002 to 2014, Miller-Phipps served in Southern California as senior vice president and executive director for Kaiser Permanente’s Orange County Service Area where she directed Hospitals and Health Plan operations, supported by nearly 7,000 staff and 760 Permanente physicians, to provide care to more than 489,000 members.
Miller-Phipps earned her master’s degree in health care administration from the University of La Verne, and her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton. She also completed the Executive Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina.
An active member of the community, Miller-Phipps serves on several boards or as an advisor for organizations that improve the quality of health and life; advance the role of women in business and society; and promote innovation. She is a member, American Hospital Association Policy Board; board director and executive committee member, California Hospital Association; member, board member, The United Way of Greater Los Angeles; Presidential Health Advisory Council at the University of La Verne; co-chair (with former California Governor Gray Davis), Southern California Leadership Council; Advisory Council member, Board of Directors, Alliance for SoCal Innovation; Board of Directors, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine; and member, The Trusteeship and the International Women’s Forum.
She was also listed in the Los Angeles Business Journal 2018, 2019, and 2020 LA500, the publication’s selection of the most influential people in Los Angeles. In January 2020, the University of La Verne presented Miller-Phipps with an honorary doctorate of humane letters.
Clark Construction Group
Carlos Gonzalez provides executive leadership for Clark Construction Group’s Southern California Region.
Carlos is responsible for the region’s day-to-day operations, business development, and preconstruction from project inception, contract negotiations, and monitoring construction progress.
Throughout his tenure at Clark, Carlos has served in project management, field supervision and overall leadership roles throughout Southern California, for clients including the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Delta Airlines, Los Angeles World Airports, Walt Disney Imagineering, State of California, JMI Realty, Host Hotels & Resorts, NAVFAC, General Services Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, University of California, and the California State University.
Carlos previously served as general manager for Clark Concrete in the Mid-Atlantic Region, leading Clark’s self-perform structural concrete business unit.
Carlos earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University, his master’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University, and his master of business administration from the University of California, San Diego.
Carlos serves on the board of directors of the National ACE Mentor Program and Hope Builders. He also serves as a member of the Civil Engineering Advisory Board at San Diego State University.

Americas FSO Business Consulting,
EY
TaMiya is a partner in EY’s FSO Technology Risk practice, based in Los Angeles, California. She has more than twenty years of experience and focuses on technology risk management and corporate governance for publicly traded and regulated organizations across the financial services industry. She has a focus on emerging companies, FinTech and transaction settlement. Based on her experience serving, emerging companies, regional and global Fortune 100 entities, TaMiya is adept at creating effective programs and risk-based approaches for engagements.
TaMiya’s experience includes enterprise risk management, general computer controls, technology operations reviews, Service Organization Control (SOC) reports, Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) IT compliance services, systems selection and contiguration across the lifecycle.
TaMiya has a passion for business transformation - especially where technology and change management are foundations for change. Over the years she worked in London, Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, and Puerto Rico and has a reputation for excellence as a trusted business partner.
TaMiya received a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. She is a certified public accountant licensed in California. TaMiya is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Black Accountants, and the CalCPA. As a servant leader in the community, TaMiya is a member of the Board of Managers of the Ketchum YMCA. She is also a formal mentor at the University of Southern California for both the Marshall Business School and the Black Alumni Association. Outside of the office, TaMiya spends time with her family and their dog Rison. You may see her outdoors snowboarding, SCUBA diving or out for a round of golf.
Alba Wheels Up International Inc.
Vincent Iacopella is the Executive Vice President Growth and Strategy at Alba Wheels Up International Inc.
Vince's responsibilities include leading Alba's expansion into new markets and to increase the portfolio of product offerings with a focus on trade sensitive imports and exports, as well as smart supply chain technology that drives value to importers and exporters.
At Alba, Vince, along with the owners and senior management team is responsible for leading efforts in sustainable topline growth and development and implementation of an integrated approach to sales and business development. Vince is responsible for driving creation and development of product and service enhancements aligned with CBP, FDA, and EPA’s Trade Modernization initiatives in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) as well as development of freight and supply chain products and their marketing to customers.
Along with the owners Vince works on Alba's strategic partnerships in the market to drive value to Alba's customers. Vince is based in the Los Angeles office, but works on behalf of the entire company.
Vince is a licensed Customs Broker and served as past president of the Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. He is current president of the Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders. In March 2013, he was appointed to the 13th Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection, better known as COAC. This 20-member council advises the secretaries of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security on the commercial operations of CBP and related DHS and Treasury functions. He currently serves on the COAC and as Trade co-chair of the 14th COAC Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection, better known as COAC.

Port of Los Angeles
Gene Seroka is the Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in North America. Nominated by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on May 27, 2014, and confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council on June 11, 2014, the Port has experienced a series of historic, record-breaking performances since his appointment.
As Executive Director, Seroka interacts with a wide range of stakeholders, including Port customers around the globe, industry partners, elected and appointed officials at all levels, business leaders and local residents. A respected global trade expert, Seroka has advocated for rules-based trade agreements that benefit American exporters and manufacturers.
Since the pandemic-induced buying surge generated by American consumers in the second half of 2020, the Port of Los Angeles has eclipsed multiple monthly cargo records and recorded eight out of 10 highest-performing quarters in its 115-year history. The Port set two new milestones for the Western Hemisphere in June 2021 as the first port to process 10 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in a 12-month period and in May 2021 the first port to process 1 million TEUs in a single month.
Seroka has distinguished himself as a leader throughout his illustrious career in shipping, global logistics and executive management. The Containerization & Intermodal Institute named Seroka the 2021 recipient of the Connie Award, one the most coveted honors in the maritime industry. Lloyd’s List has recognized Seroka as the preeminent source on the supply chain, which earned him a spot in the 2021 Top 100 most influential people in shipping. Also in 2021, the Inland Empire Economic Partnership honored Seroka with its Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing decades of leadership and accomplishments in the supply chain, logistics and maritime industry. In 2020, Supply Chain Dive named Seroka Executive of the Year for his leadership throughout the pandemic. Seroka has been named one of the most influential people in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal and featured on the LA500 list for the past seven years.
As chief of America’s top port, he is responsible for managing a more than $1.9 billion budget, advancing major capital projects, growing trade volumes and promoting innovative, sustainable practices that strengthen the region’s economy. Under his direction, the Port has taken a leadership role in adopting cutting-edge technologies to improve the reliability, predictability and efficiency of the flow of cargo across global seaborne trade, including the launch of the digital information portal Port Optimizer™ and companion cargo-tracking tools Control Tower, Signal, Return Signal and Horizon.
Throughout the pandemic, Seroka—who lived in China during the 2002-2004 SARS epidemic—has led the Port’s response to the global health crisis, keeping cargo flowing as an essential service to the nation. In March 2020, Mayor Garcetti named Seroka the Chief Logistics Officer for the City of Los Angeles, while concurrently serving as the Port’s Executive Director. Seroka also leads Logistics Victory Los Angeles (LoVLA), which has distributed more than 10 million units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to nearly 250 organizations since its inception.
While serving as Executive Director, Seroka has been appointed to serve on four federal committees to enhance the speed and efficiency of cargo movement and supply chain optimization, including the U.S. Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, U.S. Maritime Administration Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee, Federal Maritime Commission Supply Chain Innovation Team and U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation’s former Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the California Association of Port Authorities, American Association of Port Authorities and Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority.
Seroka’s footing in the maritime industry was established as a sales support representative at American President Lines (APL) Limited’s Cincinnati office in 1988. After several key overseas positions in China, Indonesia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, he returned to the U.S. in 2010 to become President – Americas for the shipping line in Phoenix where he managed APL’s Liner Shipping business, including 1,000 employees, and was responsible for all commercial, port terminal, intermodal, land transportation and labor activities throughout the region.
Seroka holds an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of New Orleans.

United Airlines
Janet Lamkin is the senior vice president of market and community innovation at United. Building on her work in California, Janet oversees other regions across the network, particularly our hubs. Her focus is on building customer loyalty in local markets, analyzing the competition in those markets, overseeing global sponsorships and leveraging partnerships to better serve United customers. Janet helped create partnerships with Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic to emphasize United’s cleanliness and safety measures. She also worked on the partnership with Peerspace to create Team Together, demonstrating United’s focus on responding to emerging customer needs by developing innovative solutions.
Before joining United, Janet served as California president for Bank of America. She was responsible for growing the business and strategically positioning the bank in California, including developing and maintaining relationships within the corporate, government and grassroots sectors. Janet spent 20 years with Bank of America, serving in a variety of senior management positions.
Janet was asked to join Governor Gavin Newsom’s state Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, a group of senior leaders from across a broad range of economic and social sectors, to advise the governor on rebuilding quickly and safely from the pandemic-induced recession. She serves on the UCSF Health Executive Council, which serves as the health system’s business advisory board.
Janet recently concluded a two-year term as the chair of the Bay Area Council, the first woman to hold that post. The San Francisco Business Times has recognized Janet as one of the 100 Most Influential Businesswomen in the Bay Area for eight consecutive years. She has been a champion of diversity, inclusion and women’s leadership throughout her career, and she speaks regularly on these issues. She sits on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including the German Marshall Fund, SFMOMA, United Way Los Angeles and Coro Los Angeles.
A native of Stockton, California, Janet holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Westmont College and a master’s degree in international relations from the Australian National University.