Executive Board Members
Ava Downey
President
Ava is a senior at Syracuse University from Orange County, California. She plans to graduate in May 2026 with a major in Linguistics and International Relations with concentrations in human rights and migration and a minor in Global Security Studies. Ava is also an ICCAE Scholar, Remembrance Scholar, and spent her last semester studying abroad in Rabat, Morocco. In her free time, she is the lead singer of a funk/jazz band and loves to hike and kayak.
Shrishti Saha
Vice President
Shrishti is a senior at Syracuse from India, born and raised in Dubai. She plans to graduate in May 2026 with a B.A in Public Relations and Psychology. In addition to being Vice President of Psychology Club, she has been a research assistant the Oh! Lab – a social psychology lab on campus studying close relationships – for the past two years. In her free time, she’s a Formula One enthusiast, excessive coffee drinker, concert-goer and regular thrifter.
Artemis Rosenblum
Fiscal Officer
Artemis is a senior at Syracuse University from Baltimore City, Maryland. She plans to graduate in May of 2026 with a B.A. in Forensic Science and Anthropology with a minor in Chemistry. She is an ICCAE scholar, has achieved the certificate of Medicolegal Death Investigation, and spent the past summer in northwestern Poland participating in Mortuary Archeology with the Slavia Foundation. In her free time, Artemis likes to read horror and mystery books, root for the orioles, and bake.
Sophia Ortiz-Heaney
Secretary
Sophia is a junior at Syracuse University from Westchester, New York. She plans to graduate in May 2027 with a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in International Relations, with a concentration in international security and diplomacy, as well as international political economy. Sophia is also an honors resident advisor and a research assistant for a historical trade project. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities like caving, climbing, hiking, going to Renaissance Faires, and drinking coffee while doing the NYT puzzles.
Devin Conliffe
Public Relations Chair
Devin is a junior at Syracuse University from San Diego, California. She plans to graduate in May 2027 with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Spanish. This past summer, she lived in Brussels, Belgium, interning with the European Federation of Journalists, where she gained a front-row seat to EU affairs. Outside of WINS, Devin is a University Girl Magazine's Co-DEI Chair and Syracuse Abroad Ambassador. In her free time, Devin enjoys thrifting for vintage pieces, styling her friends, and spending long days at the beach or on hiking trails.
Kylie Houck
Secretary
Kylie is a sophomore at Syracuse University from St. Petersburg, Florida. She plans to graduate in May 2028 with a B.A. in International Relations and Law, Society, and Policy. She has a strong academic interest in public policy and environmental sustainability. She studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, and plans to continue studying abroad throughout her undergraduate career to deepen her global perspective. Outside of academics, Kylie enjoys reading, collecting physical media such as CDs, and bedazzling trinkets.
Founders
Natalie Dolenga
Co-Founder
Natalie Dolenga graduated from Syracuse Univeristy with a B.A. in International Relations and minors in Spanish and Political Science. In addition to being an ICCAE Scholar and Remembrance Scholar, Natalie helped found WINS in fall 2023 to foster a community and connect women— students and professionals— interested dedicated to the pursuit of national security. She remains in the Syracuse area to continue WINS and Remembrance work. In her free time, she is an avid practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and enjoys playing guitar, updating her Goodreads shelves, and learning other languages.
Meghan Harris
Co-Founder
Meghan graduated from Syracuse Univeristy with a major in Political Science and a concentration in Security Studies. Meghan is also an ICCAE Scholar and spent her last semester attending Maxwell School in Washington, D.C. After attending the ICCAE ODNI Summer Seminar in 2023, Meghan founded Women in National Security along with Natalie Dolenga to generate more enthusiasm about International Affairs and National Security. She is thrilled to meet more women interested in foreign and domestic affairs and help women with career opportunities in the field. In her free time, Meghan enjoys ice skating, skiing, and any outdoor activities.