Ranking Member Risch Welcomes Foreign Relations Committee Fall Interns

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently welcomed seven new committee interns for the fall term.

“I’m glad to welcome a new group of impressive interns to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” said Risch. “These students will experience firsthand how Congress manages complex issues such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges of malign actors like China and Russia, and the growing threat to human rights and liberties around the world. I am confident they will have a productive term and do an excellent job during their time with us.”

The SFRC interns this fall are:

Dallas Hunt

Twin Falls, Idaho

Dallas has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University and is currently attending George Washington University in pursuit of a master’s in international affairs. He is interested in U.S. foreign policy as well as Latin America and East Asia studies. Dallas hopes to one day be a diplomat or a professor.

Aimee Morrissey

River Forest, Ill.

Aimee is currently attending the University of Notre Dame and is working toward a degree in political science. She is primarily interested in East Asia studies with a focus on the Korean Peninsula. Aimee plans to one day attend law school and hopes to practice immigration or international law.

Erin Naumann

Plymouth, Minn.

Erin will graduate next year from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and Chinese. She is interested in East Asia, U.S.-China relations, and Central America. Erin plans to pursue a career either in the Foreign Service, within the intelligence community, or working with the Department of Commerce balancing export risks and national security.

Greg Wiatrek

Katy, Texas

Greg graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in marketing analytics, and currently attends American University pursuing a masters in foreign policy & national security. His areas of interest include nuclear weapons and energy, Chinese grand strategy, Japan, India, American Pacific naval strategies, and organized crime. He hopes to one day pursue a career as a non-proliferation analyst for the State Department, the Department of Defense, Congress, or for one of the intelligence agencies. 

John Lanning

Cincinnati, Ohio

John will graduate from Hillsdale College next year with a bachelor’s in politics. His primary areas of interest are Taiwan and Hong Kong, Chinese international influence, Israel-Palestine dynamics, Russian influence, and refugees. John aspires to one day be a chief of staff in a Senate office.

Matt Cesare

Orange, Conn.

Matt graduated from Hamilton College with a bachelor’s degree in world politics and economics. His areas of interest include foreign policy, Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, authoritarian regimes, and defense. Matt plans to become a trusted expert on Russia, including the regions within Russia’s sphere of influence. He then hopes to advance to a position where he could have significant impact on U.S. political and defense policy regarding Moscow.

Sarah Jane Mudd

Waldorf, Md.

Sarah currently attends the University of Georgia, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international affairs. She is mainly interested in foreign military sales, logistics, international diplomacy, and combating terrorism. Sarah’s long-term career goal is to work in a position that she is passionate about and gives her the opportunity to support our nation’s warfighters.

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