Kelley Hernandez

I started my journey in international relations back in 2018 when I was in community college, and it's been my focus throughout my academic career. Currently, I work for Fairfax County as a case advocate, which is a recent position for me. My main areas of expertise are advocacy, engagement, and clientele work - I'm very much in front-facing positions that require a lot of public speaking and working directly with people. Before this role, I worked in journalism, which was a really meaningful experience. I worked with people in human rights, and it was interesting and fun to hear so many different stories and perspectives from people in local communities as well as global journalists. What really drew me into international relations is my background - my family is from Honduras, I grew up in the Bronx, went to school in California, and then grew up on the East Coast. I've been all over the place, which has made me very familiar with meeting people from all kinds of backgrounds. I think that's so important in international relations, when you can talk to people from different areas and truly understand the perspectives of others, which I feel is hard to find today. I'm also certified in Pilates, which might seem different but has really shaped how I think about wellness and community. I believe there's power in movement, and I've been working to bring accessible fitness to low-income communities and spaces with senior citizens so they have access to someone who's well-trained to teach them how to move properly. That kind of work can be expensive, so I'm passionate about bringing it to spaces where people might not otherwise have access.