Building a Career in International Affairs: An Alumni Conversation

Join Zach and John for an informal conversation about their work at the intersection of international relations, politics, and finance at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as well as their prior roles working on Capitol Hill and in international law. Between them, John and Zach have worked in every branch of government, on three continents, and as political appointees and career civil servants. John and Zach will discuss where graduate school might fit into the journey, skills that can be key to success, and what it’s like to work in DC these days, as well as how you can make the most of your time at Middlebury. Both are also very happy to talk current events from a practitioner’s perspective.  All students, all majors welcome.  Bring your questions.
 
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Zach Mollengarden ‘12 serves as Deputy Executive Secretary for International Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Prior to joining Treasury, Mr. Mollengarden worked in the Washington, D.C. and Singapore offices of Three Crowns LLP, a specialist international arbitration firm. Following law school, he served as a clerk for Judge Kevin Newsom of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Mollengarden holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was an articles editor on the Yale Law Journal, and an MPhil from the University of Cambridge.  At Middlebury he studied Political Science and Religion.

John Poulson ’11 serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, covering International Affairs, at the US Department of the Treasury. Most recently, Mr. Poulson served as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, where he worked under the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats & Spending Oversight. During the first Trump Administration, he served at the Department as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for International Affairs, as well as in the Office of the Executive Secretary. Mr. Poulson previously held roles in the House of Representatives, as well as the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. At Middlebury he studied Political Science and played on the football team. He also has an M.S. from the Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security at National American University.