Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Justin received a B.A. in global affairs and modern Middle Eastern studies from Yale University in 2015. After graduating, he moved to Amman, Jordan, on a yearlong advanced Arabic fellowship with the Center for Arabic Study Abroad. Subsequently, he worked in Jordan as a translator, reporter, and managing director with Syria Direct – a nonprofit journalism organization covering the Syrian civil war. Most recently, Justin worked in New York City with the Council on Foreign Relations, leading an editorial team responsible for creating World101 – a global civics initiative designed to educate students about the many issues that shape today's world. Through SPIA, Justin hopes to transition from writing about international relations to actively shaping U.S. foreign policy on matters of conflict resolution and climate change. Outside work and school, his hobbies include soccer, cooking, and learning foreign languages.