Wide range of Experience
I completed my Master’s degree in International Peace and Security at King’s College London, in the UK. The program explores the intersection of international relations and international law, and through that lens I explored the implications for international security and in particular nuclear security. My dissertation, “Emerging Tripolarity: the United States, Russia and China in a Changing Nuclear Order” questioned how a change of dynamics could impact deterrence theory and ultimately increase the likelihood of a modern nuclear arms race. I would be really keen to continue exploring and working on this topic, through full time or supplementary work – it’s deeply fascinating and eminently relevant.
As an unexpected gap year between when I intended to study my master’s and when I finally did, I joined the Canadian Red Cross briefly in 2022 as a Data Analyst. The core of my role was to develop an internal survey with a target audience of nearly one quarter of the organization’s population and, in the process of that: complete a broad analysis of the relevant data collected to date, retool how the data was collected subsequently, write a literature review with recommendations for better practices, conduct cross department meetings to increase awareness of the process as well as to influence the changes for better, accessible data. It was a perfectly contained project that lasted exactly as long as the role suggested and allowed for me to meet some of the most passionate, hard working people in what is a seriously underappreciated tool for public good.
In 2021 I worked as a Peace Researcher with Project Ploughshares, contributing to several projects on drones, weapons sales from Canada and nuclear policy. I’m grateful for the time I was given to research topics from nuclear disarmament, international humanitarian law, human security, U.S.-Russia strategic stability, disarmament diplomacy and more. I was also heavily encouraged to attend in seminars, conferences and the like to extend my research to other organizations, including the Carnegie Endowment, Ploughshares Fund (US) and more.
I finally felt confident in working my first federal election with Elections Canada after a suitable amount of time had passed since my journalism stint, admittedly a small dream of mine as a child. I co-supervised a team of 14 and ran four active polling booths for the entirely of Election day.
My work with the United Nations in 2019 – 2020 was my first position living full-time abroad in Rwanda, East Africa. I’m grateful to have contributed to advocacy and policy papers on access to abortion, limitations on contraceptives for teenagers, the barriers faced by teen mothers, and the impacts of high fertility on low income populations. I furthermore filled a gap in the Communications team given my history in journalism during a long hiring period, reassessing their unit’s assets and protocols for improvements. As one of the few English first language staff in the country office, I was a valuable addition to projects across every unit and gained invaluable experience from being included and relied on in more meaningful ways.
With the NATO Association of Canada, I was tasked to explore the Alliance at 70 years from 2018 – 2019. Programming was designed to go beyond the same tired topics and usual suspects to address gender security, climate change, refugees and migration, civilian-military relationships and more. As the Association’s primary contact in Ottawa, the larger part of my role was to build and sustain relationships with ambassadors and diplomats, politicians and bureaucrats including those at the Department of National Defence and Global Affairs, and civil society counterparts. I was lucky to travel, including to Berlin, Paris, Montreal and Toronto in this capacity, working to grow our association as well as our youth counterpart and partners as leaders in our respective networks.
As a parliamentary reporter with iPolitics.ca from 2014-2016, I focused heavily on National Security as well as contributing to the newsroom’s broad political coverage. I’ve had additional bylines in Open Canada, the National Post, the Telegraph Journal, the Chronicle Herald, and Vice, among others. I’ve done hits for tv and radio, including for CTV and CBC. My years working as a student reporter with the Dalhousie Gazette and the King’s Watch magazine geared me for the one-woman newsroom skillset mentality needed for modern journalism.
In 2014 I finished a double Bachelor’s Degree with Double Honours in Journalism and Political Science from the Universities of King’s College and Dalhousie, respectively, in Halifax, NS.
I’m a proud member, supporter and volunteer with several organizations, in particular the Women Peace and Security Network and Women in International Security – Canada.
I am an English native with formerly fluent but still pretty good French, keen to pick up other languages as relevant when travelling.
Claire Wählen 