Leah Markworth is a Research Associate at The Alliance Futures Initiative, focusing on Indo-Pacific affairs and partnerships, along with providing Mandarin linguist and translation services to clients.
Leah is currently a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, double majoring in Global Studies and Cognitive Science with a minor in Mandarin. Her academic concentration centers on Asian development, complementing her fluency in Mandarin.
Prior to joining TAFI, Leah held two roles at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) USA. As an Analyst Intern, she supported research on Indo-Pacific security, synthesized policy briefs, and composed literature reviews. As an Events and Communications Intern, she coordinated logistics, managed social media, and enhanced digital brand engagement.
Her independent analysis has also been published in The Diplomat.
Leah has travelled to China on several occasions, notably placing in the top 30 of the 2024 Chinese Bridge Competition and presenting research on sustainable development through the Young Envoys Scholarship Program.
In the summer of 2024, she completed a fellowship with the Hudson Institute, where she analyzed political philosophy and gained practical insight into the legislative process through policy workshops.
Leah was Vice President of Communications for Delta Gamma's Gamma Chapter and served as Social Media and Web Chair for Delta Phi Epsilon, a professional foreign service fraternity.