319th RW officer selected for international fellowship program

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Phyllis Jimenez
  • 319th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  

As the 319th Reconnaissance Wing director of innovation, Capt. Jamie Leonheart is always looking to push innovative ideas and help accelerate change through her work at the North Spark Defense Laboratory on Grand Forks Air Force Base. 

In an effort to expand her innovative mindset beyond North Spark, she focused her efforts toward achieving one of her long-time goals. Come July 2023, she will embark on a unique year-long fellowship.

Leonheart was selected as one of 10 federal employees for the 27th class of the Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program. The program was established by congress in 1994 to build a corps of U.S Government employees with comprehension of Japanese language, practices, and government.

She is preparing for her fellowship by taking language courses to begin her service in an organization she has a passion for.

“I'm really excited to get firsthand experience living in Japan and having the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between our countries,” Leonheart said. “I'm especially excited as a woman to begin my placement working in Women, Peace and Security.”

The U.S. passed the Women, Peace, and Security Act in 2017, becoming the first country in the world with a comprehensive law in Women, Peace, and Security. Now a global campaign for gender equality and the empowerment of women, WPS recognizes the diverse roles women play as agents of change in preventing and resolving conflict.

Although it took a lot of planning and hard work on her end to become a competitive candidate for the fellowship program, Leonheart credits much of her success to her family, leadership, and mentors.

“My mentors and leadership believed in me, gave me advice, signed off on letters and gave me a real shot at this opportunity,” Leonheart said. “My family was incredibly supportive and believed without a doubt that I would be selected.” 

Leanheart expressed that with a strong desire and the right support system anything is possible. She encourages others to continually strive to be the best version of themselves to go after their dreams.

 “I don't think there's really such a thing as a perfect anything,” Leonheart said. “If you're passionate about something, put in the effort daily, find a mentor and apply yourself. By working hard, you can better position yourself to reach your goals.”

Following her year in Japan, Leonheart will return to active-duty service and participate in a variety of outreach activities to share about her experience.

According to the Mansfield Foundation, during their year in the country, fellows are exposed to the operations that drive the policymaking in Japan, the factors that define the country’s interests and the unique cultural processes that drive advancement.

Mike Mansfield served as a U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Montana. He served as Senate Majority Leader for the longest tenure in the institution’s history and represented the U.S. as the nation’s longest-serving Ambassador to Japan.  

“Ambassador Mansfield’s legacy of promoting mutual understanding between our two countries is well-served by this class, which features experts on trade, security, energy, and technological cooperation,” said Frank Jannuzi, president and CEO of the Mansfield Foundation in a press release. “The twenty-seventh class will use their fellowship experience to deepen cooperation between Washington and Tokyo and bring their new understanding of the U.S.-Japan partnership back to their home agencies.”