Open Society Foundations Announce 2024 Leadership in Government Fellows

NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations are pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the Leadership in Government Fellowship, an effort that supports the work of experienced public servants, at all levels of government, who have dedicated their careers to advancing economic, social, and racial justice.

The fellows have made their marks in diverse fields, in communities across the country. Among the projects they will undertake: an effort to increase participation in foreign and national security policy; building the capacity of organizations that aim to support immigrant workers to enforce their rights without fear of retaliation; creating a framework of philanthropic offices in city government; promoting leaders and grassroots voices within the nation’s public school systems to elevate public education as an engine of democracy-building; ensuring equitable public and private financing into climate and environmental investments in underserved communities, developing guidelines for higher education institutions on how to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to protect academic independence and integrity.

“We are fortunate that these terrific fellows bring vast knowledge of a wide set of issues. We’re excited to work with them as they develop solutions to the deep inequities in cities and states across the country,” said Laleh Ispahani, managing director of the Open Society Foundations.

The fellowship will support ideas and strategies that advance the values of an open society. Fellows are also encouraged to reflect on their public service as they decide on the next steps in their careers and share insights, with advocates and others, about how to make policy change during a time when the public’s relationship to government remains fractured.

The 2024 fellows’ accomplishments, while serving in government, include overhauling the broken student loan system, creating a clean technology deployment grant program, establishing a permanent Philadelphia Department of Labor, a $1 billion investment in the development of new affordable housing in San Francisco, addressing the infrastructure investment needs of low- and middle-income countries, and more.

“As we grapple with a growing climate crisis, higher education silos, ongoing foreign wars, spikes in attacks on immigrant workers, and a contentious national election, I am deeply inspired by this group of fellows and find hope in their commitment to a truly inclusive democracy,” said Elizabeth Guernsey, chief of staff at Open Society–United States.

The fellowship was founded in 2016 to provide individuals with an opportunity to reflect on their time in government and to undertake a project that advances policy ideas for social change. Fellows will receive a stipend in a general range of $110,000 to $150,000 depending on percentage of time committed to the project. Projects are either 12 or 18 months in duration. 

2024 Leadership in Government Fellows 

Brett Rosenberg will use narrative and humor writing to increase awareness of and drive participation in foreign and national security policy.

Emily Tulli will help build the capacity of organizations that aim to support immigrant workers enforce their rights under labor and employment laws without fear of retaliation.

Eric Shaw will create a framework for the establishment of offices of philanthropic partnership in city governments to align and accelerate city and philanthropic investments in affordable housing, park equity, food access, and local entrepreneurship.

Helen Gym will develop models for narrative storytelling, while building the capacity of leaders and grassroot voices within the nation’s public school systems to elevate public education as an engine of democracy building.

Jahi Wise will identify interventions that can accelerate the mobilization of private and public capital into climate and clean technology projects, particularly in underserved and overlooked communities.

Tariq Habash will develop guidelines for higher education institutions to protect academic independence and integrity, and to foster a more inclusive democracy.