Mark Sawyer

Background

About Mark Sawyer

I decided to study international relations because I wanted to look behind the curtain of news headlines and understand the people and histories driving the stories in the "World" section of the newspaper. Since that time I've managed USG programs supporting democracy in Eastern Europe, researched election disinformation and foreign influence networks, and begun freelance reporting and writing on national security, foreign affairs, and elections. The broad themes of my work have been democracy and elections, Russia & Eastern Europe, and understanding the stories impacting social cohesion and public trust in democracies. My favorite professional experiences have been serving as an international election observer in Ukraine and Moldova, meeting former president Jimmy Carter, and completing a community journalism program in my backyard of Washington DC. I'm most happy in roles where curiosity is encouraged and incisive writing is important. The best part of my career has been the relationships. I've collaborated with international teams and learned so much from expert colleagues in open-source intelligence (OSINT), investigative research, journalism, and program and grant management. I love to teach and coach out of what I've learned, so reach out if you'd like to chat about any of the above. Note: If we haven't met before, please include a message with your connection request so I have some context. Thanks!