This year, HIF joined forces with the Atlantic Council to bolster US-Central European ties and build stronger people-to-people connections between Americans and Central Europeans by supporting the launch of the Atlanticist Fellowship program, a full-time, 6 months in-house residency fellowship within the Council, focused on energy security. We are pleased to introduce Fanni Virág, the first Atlanticist Fellow.
Fanni Virág
Ms. Virág is from Budapest, Hungary, but has also lived in Croatia and Slovenia for extended periods of time. Prior to getting her degree at Szent István Egyetem in the field of Business Administration, Management and Operations, she earned her B.A. in Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian Languages and Literatures and M.A. in Slovenian Language and Literature from Eötvös Loránd University.
Speaking 5 different languages (Croatian, English, Slovene, German, and Hungarian) led her to work for the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Hungary as Head of Secretariat/PA to the Ambassador and Economic and Cultural Affairs Officer. While working for the Atlantic Council, she looks forward to meeting new people since Washington DC offers unique networking possibilities.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to work in an exceptional think tank and to get the chance to learn the know-how in a dynamic environment. I have been here only for two weeks, but I am very enthusiastic about the new challenges. I could not wish a better place for myself to share and expand my expertise and serve the best interest of US and the Central and Eastern European region at the same time.”
Coming to DC with a strong background in energy and diplomacy, having previously worked at Energy Financing Team, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Hungary, KELER Group, and Slovene-Hungarian Business Association, Ms. Virág will be joining the Future Europe Initiative team providing an added value and strengthening the ties between the United States and CEE.
“I am thrilled about the possibility of being involved into different projects and that I can do research according to my interest. The Atlantic Council gives me the confidence that I can do my best here. Besides that I aspire to deepen my knowledge and understanding of US energy policy and bring back the best practices.”
The Atlanticist Fellowship runs from late June to late December, 2018. The program’s goal is to increase US engagement with Central Europe and to foster champions of the transatlantic relationship both in the region and in the United States. To achieve this, the Atlantic Council will gather together top leaders from across all sectors of Central Europe who share the Council’s mission, sponsor their professional development, and integrate them into the Council’s network of policymakers, thought leaders, and advocates.