Commander Michele Lowe Joins the Chicago Council on Global Affairs as U.S. Navy Federal Executive Fellow

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is proud to announce that Commander Michele Lowe has joined the Council as our fourth U.S. Navy Federal Executive Fellow. The Council is one of only 13 institutions to be selected to host a Navy Federal Executive Fellow.

“Lieutenant Commander Lowe is an international maritime embassy expert whose years of experience will tremendously enrich the Council’s understanding of global relations,” said Ambassador Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. “We continue to be honored to host the prestigious Navy Federal Executive Fellowship.”

After nearly ten years at sea, Commander Lowe transferred into the Foreign Area Office career field in 2011. She joined U.S. Embassy Accra, Ghana as the Deputy Chief and Maritime Programs Officer in the Office of Security Assistance in 2012 and later served at U.S. Africa Command Headquarters staff in the Strategy, Engagement and Programs directorate from 2015.

“I am honored to join the Chicago Council on Global Affairs as the military fellow. I join a great team, doing amazing work to bring much needed independent, non-partisan insight on the most pressing global issues America faces today,” said Commander Lowe. “With over 20 years of naval service under my belt, I look forward to contributing a military perspective to this conversation.”

Commander Lowe most recently served as the Defense Attaché/Senior Defense Official at the US Embassy Yaounde, where she completed a rigorous tour of duty as the Ambassadors’ military advisor, shaping foreign policy decisions and leading U.S. strategy across three challenging countries for three different U.S. Ambassadors.

Commander Lowe’s military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (second award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (fourth award), Joint Service Achievement Medal and Navy Achievement Medal (second award).

The U.S. Navy Federal Executive Fellowship aims to cultivate naval strategists by placing them with world-class policy and research institutions. It encourages fellows to "think big" and allows them to exercise intellectual freedom in diverse research areas to improve their interdisciplinary understanding of the global security landscape.