Lera Toropin is a former Program Coordinator at the Kennan Institute. Prior to joining the Wilson Center, she worked as an Associate Producer and Co-Host of the Slavic Connexion podcast.
Full Biography
Lera Toropin is a former Program Coordinator at the Kennan Institute, where she managed day-to-day administrative operations. She holds a B.A. in Japanese from Penn State University and completed a dual Master’s degree program from the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Master of Global Policy Studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs (specializing in security, law, and diplomacy) and an M.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. Prior to joining the Wilson Center, she worked as an Associate Producer and Co-Host of the Slavic Connexion podcast during her time at UT Austin. Other work experiences include teaching English on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, serving as a Diplomatic Assistant for Congressional Affairs at the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C., and writing for American Security Project as a U.S.-Russia Relations Intern. She is also a Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia 2020 fellow.