Alumnus Abbie DeKramer, BA ‘25, is a Government Relations Coordinator at MO Strategies, a DC-based lobbying firm. A former international affairs student, she shares how her experience at GW helped her to discover her passion, including co-founding a youth-led nuclear energy advocacy organization.
“Only [at GW] could a student be in a research seminar dissecting nuclear deployment strategy in the morning and sitting inside the most powerful office in the Senate in the afternoon.”
Abbie DeKramer
B.A. ‘25
Where did you grow up, and how has your background influenced you today?
I grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a state that has long produced some of the most influential figures in American politics, from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to a long line of leaders who've shaped national policy. Growing up there instilled something I wouldn't trade for anything: a grounded set of values around humility, integrity, and hard work that I carry into every room I walk into in this city. South Dakota taught me that where you're from doesn't limit what you can do — it shapes how you do it. That conviction has defined my entire time at GW and everything that's followed.
Tell us about your current professional role and why it excites you.
I work as a Government Relations Coordinator at MO Strategies, a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. The role spans federal advocacy strategy, stakeholder outreach, political activity, and the operational side of keeping a rapidly growing firm running, including supporting our President and CEO directly. It's a lot of moving pieces across Capitol Hill, the White House, and executive agencies, and no two days look the same. What I find most interesting is being on the cradle side of development — the moment when new science and innovation are just beginning to need government engagement. Before something becomes a headline or a hearing, someone has to be in the room helping translate what the technology is and why it matters to the people writing the laws around it. Getting to sit at that intersection across energy, defense, and technology is something I genuinely love about this work.
What accomplishment are you most proud of personally or professionally, and why?
Co-founding the Gamma Initiative. It's a youth-led nuclear energy advocacy organization building university chapters worldwide, connecting the next generation of students to an industry that urgently needs them. Our flagship program, the Nuclear Technology Innovation Competition (NTIC), invites university teams to conduct original research across tracks in advanced nuclear systems, nuclear policy, and AI and energy infrastructure, culminating at a summit in Washington, D.C. in June 2027. We're soft-launching the GW chapter this fall, making GW one of the program's founding university homes. Building something from scratch that gives students the kind of access and opportunity GW gave me is the thing I'm most proud of.
What is your only-at-GW moment? In other words, what is an experience/opportunity you believe GW provided you access to?
Conducting nuclear energy and weapons policy research at the Elliott School alongside Professor Dr. Benn Tannenbaum, while simultaneously interning in the Senate Majority Leader's office. I was studying small modular reactors and their potential to modernize the energy grid for AI data centers and defense applications, and at the same time, I was watching energy and national security policy get made in real time on Capitol Hill. That combination was uniquely GW: only here could a student be in a research seminar dissecting nuclear deployment strategy in the morning and sitting inside the most powerful office in the Senate in the afternoon. That dual immersion is what transformed a subject I'd never considered into the center of my entire career — and ultimately led to co-founding the Gamma Initiative.
Did you receive a scholarship at GW? How did your scholarship help you succeed?
I received a STEM scholarship from GW that recognized my work in physics back in South Dakota. It gave me something beyond financial support — it gave me freedom. Because of that scholarship, I never had to think twice about saying yes to studying abroad in Spain, and it gave me the confidence to take additional physics courses at GW that weren't required for my degree but that I genuinely wanted to pursue. Those classes turned out to be anything but unnecessary, as they deepened my understanding of nuclear fission and fusion and compounded a passion that now defines my entire career. That scholarship didn't just help me succeed at GW; it helped me figure out what I actually wanted to do with my life.
Was there a standout course, professor, or organization from your time as a student that inspired your career path?
Dr. Thomas Russo and Dr. Benn Tannenbaum changed the trajectory of my life. What set them apart wasn't just their expertise — it was how generously they shared it. Both took time with me individually, let me pepper them with every nuclear thought and idea I had, and never made me feel like my curiosity was too much. Those conversations are where so many things clicked. Having access to that caliber of mind, and being trusted to run with ideas rather than just absorb information, is what transformed nuclear energy from an academic subject into a genuine passion. It's also what gave me the confidence to eventually build something of my own. I wouldn't be doing this work without them.
What is a piece of advice you would offer to students seeking to pursue your field of work?
Say yes before you feel ready. Government relations and energy policy move fast, and the people who stand out are the ones who show up curious and willing to be in the room before they have all the answers. GW gives you unparalleled access to that room — to the conversations, the people, and the moments that shape policy in real time. Use that access intentionally, build genuine relationships, and never underestimate how far being truly interested in the work will take you.
What is a fun fact about yourself that you'd like to share?
While studying abroad in Spain, I solo-traveled to India, which was one of the most formative and humbling experiences of my life. Between that and using my time abroad as a jumping-off point across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, I've managed to see a significant portion of the world for someone who grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Every trip has deepened the global perspective I bring to my work in international energy policy — there's no substitute for seeing firsthand how different countries are approaching energy infrastructure and development. Travel has made me a better advocate.
How do you give back to the GW community?
In two ways. First, I actively mentor current GW students, including an incoming student from my home state of South Dakota — someone I hope to help navigate GW the way others helped me. Second, I'm launching the GW chapter of the Gamma Initiative this fall, making GW one of the founding university homes for a program designed to connect students directly to the nuclear energy industry through research, mentorship, and competition. Giving back to GW isn't an obligation — it's personal.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the GW community?
GW has a unique role to play in the nuclear energy conversation. We sit at the intersection of policy, science, and government — and the Gamma Initiative is being built with that in mind. If you're a current student or faculty member interested in getting involved, I'd love to hear from you. And to any student from a small town who feels like Washington is a world away: it was for me too, until GW made it home.