Nicole Mularz is a Program Officer in the Meridian Center for Global Leadership (MCGL). Since joining Meridian’s staff in 2017, she has served as a Senior Program Associate, Trainer, and Professional Development Coordinator. Nicole joined Meridian following her internship at the Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations, where she worked with International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) groups arranging professional exchange meetings at the Smithsonian Museums and Zoo. Prior to her work with the Smithsonian, she spent two years on Capitol Hill first as an intern for the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and later as the Foreign Policy and Press intern for the Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons. While studying at American University, Nicole served as the Trip Fellow for a community-based learning program in South Africa, where she also studied abroad. As a Trip Fellow, she organized programming for students to interact with South African NGOs, local government leaders, and Cape Town community activists. Nicole graduated with a B.A. from American University in CLEG (Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, Government) and Sociology. She also holds a Master of Intercultural and International Communications from American University, where she specialized in public diplomacy.