Two George Washington University leaders have been elected to the National Academy of Public Administration’s 2026 Class of Academy Fellows, recognizing their distinguished careers in public service, higher education and public affairs.
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, executive director of GW’s Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), and Alyssa Ayres, dean of GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs, are among 64 leaders selected for the academy’s 2026 class.
The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization established to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable and transparent organizations. Election as an academy fellow recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of public administration through public service, scholarship, leadership and civic engagement.
The 2026 class joins more than 1,000 current Academy Fellows, including former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors and state legislators, as well as scholars, executives and nonprofit leaders.
Mucarsel-Powell joined GSPM as executive director in September 2025. She represented Florida’s 26th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021, becoming the first Ecuadorian American and first South American-born immigrant elected to Congress. Her career has also included leadership roles in higher education and service as Special Advisor to the President for the 2022 Summit of the Americas.
“Being elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration is a tremendous honor, particularly because public service has been at the heart of my career,” said Mucarsel-Powell. “Our country needs leaders who are prepared to work across differences, navigate complex challenges and strengthen public trust in our institutions. At GSPM, we have the privilege of preparing the next generation of leaders to do exactly that. I look forward to contributing to the academy’s work and learning alongside an extraordinary community of public servants and scholars.”
Ayres has served as dean of the Elliott School and professor of history and international affairs since 2021. A foreign policy practitioner and scholar, she previously served as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia and as senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Her scholarship focuses on India’s role in the world, U.S. relations with South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific.
“I am deeply honored to join the National Academy of Public Administration as a Fellow and to become part of a community dedicated to strengthening public institutions and improving governance,” Ayres said. “The complex international challenges facing the United States require thoughtful, informed and collaborative leadership, even as the world is changing in profound ways. I look forward to contributing to the Academy’s important work, especially in the international affairs arena.”
The National Academy of Public Administration’s Board of Directors approved the 2026 class of Fellows on Sept. 25. The new Fellows will be inducted during the Academy’s 2026 National Conference, taking place Nov. 8-10 at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C.
The election of Mucarsel-Powell and Ayres highlights GW’s longstanding connection to public service and its role in preparing leaders to address consequential challenges in government, public policy and international affairs.