Isabella Castro

CHCI Tech Postgraduate Fellow Presented by Meta
Hometown: San Diego, California
School: Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Degree: Master of Arts in International Relations
Placement: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Isabella Castro was raised in San Diego, California by a family of Catholic immigrants from Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala, and Spain, who shaped her appreciation for service and curiosity about international affairs– values that continue to drive her professional pursuits.

After community college, Isabella earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a specialization in International Relations from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During her time at UCLA, Isabella took on leadership opportunities while also gaining experience raising money for national charities, working in city government, and dedicating over 300 service hours to the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), where she analyzed the impact of public policy on Hispanic communities.

Seeking to combine a passion for service with an interest in foreign policy, Isabella secured a Public Service Fellowship to obtain her Master of Arts in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), concentrating in Security, Strategy, and Statecraft and Technology and Innovation. During graduate school, Isabella worked as a legislative intern with the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), supporting both the International Security, Nonproliferation, Arms Sales, and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) teams through policy research and legislative drafting. She also spearheaded a project for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and supported the Trilateral Technology Leadership Program and the Latin America Studies Department at SAIS, while leading a delegation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT).

As CHCI’s Technology Postgraduate Fellow, Isabella looks forward to deepening her understanding of the intersection of emerging technology, economic statecraft, and national security while also exploring how government and industry can strengthen partnerships throughout the Americas. Her interests include semiconductor investment, digital infrastructure, and dual-use technologies, particularly as the U.S. and its allies work towards developing resilient supply chains amidst growing geopolitical competition. She hopes to build a career centered around diplomacy, national security, and public service while advancing policies that strengthen U.S. and allied investment in critical technologies.