Adela Ghadimi – a doctoral student in Public Administration and Policy – was recently selected as an inaugural fellow of the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA Program due to her years of experience as a leader for change within her communities.
Obama Foundation Leaders USA program is a six-month leadership development program that seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders across the country. She is one of 100 participants from across the United States, granted final approval for the position by President Barack Obama.
“As an Obama Leader, I’m learning from and working with an impressive group of values-driven changemakers from across the United States and U.S. territories and the Obama Foundation to create local and global change, and I am so excited for what the future holds,” Ghadimi said. “I am overjoyed to stay true to my values while getting to know other incredible changemakers knowing that together we will help shape our country for future generations.”
Prior to beginning her doctoral work, Ghadimi graduated from the London School of Economics with her Master’s Degree in International Relations. Ghadimi also lived in Washington, D.C., to work in education policy and government relations and has prior professional experience with nonprofits, grassroots organizing, and political campaigns.
While pursuing her Ph.D. at Florida State, Ghadimi served three terms as the President of the UFF-FSU-GAU Graduate Assistants Labor Union. In this role, she found her passion for labor union activism and advocated for the needs of the over 3,000 graduate assistants on FSU’s campus.
She also has served on the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for three years, being directly appointed by Mayor John Dailey. Prior to that, she also served on the City of Tallahassee’s Affordable Housing Committee and Complete Census Count Committee.
“The time I have gotten to spend with the faculty I work closely with has truly helped prepare me for the next steps in my career,” Ghadimi said. She credits her doctoral research for having equipped her with the professional skills necessary to achieve the positions that she aspires to in order to make a lasting change on the federal level.
For more information about FSU’s Public Administration and Policy doctoral program, click here.