Announcing Lillian Hussong as Interim Managing Director of The Arctic Institute
Contacts:
Karen Marie Oseland | Eurasian External Communications
karen-marie.oseland@thearcticinstitute.org
Washington, D.C., 31 August 2021. The Arctic Institute is happy to announce that Lillian Hussong, the current North American External Communications Coordinator, has been selected as the interim President and Managing Director of our think tank. Ms. Hussong will succeed Dr. Victoria Herrmann, who is taking a one-year sabbatical after six years of leading the organization.
Ms. Hussong joined The Arctic Institute in 2018 as part of the organization’s social media team. As Social Media Manager, Ms. Hussong’s campaigns attracted over 10,000 followers across our accounts, including 240% growth on LinkedIn and over 400% growth on Instagram, to deliver Arctic news and analysis to audiences across the world. Since 2021 she has also directed and expanded the organization’s public relations efforts, including spearheading the creation of a new media strategy. Ms. Hussong is finishing her Ph.D. this fall at the Rutgers University Division of Global Affairs, where she researches American strategy in the Arctic. She has presented at the International Studies Association, International Arctic Social Sciences Association, the Wilson Center, the Arctic Circle, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. In 2020 she and Dr. Herrmann co-authored the book chapter “No UNCLOS, No Icebreakers, No Clue? U.S. Arctic Policy through the Eyes of Congress” in the Handbook on Geopolitics and Security in the Arctic (Springer).
As interim Managing Director, Ms. Hussong will manage the Board of Directors; direct strategic planning; and oversee the implementation of international partnerships, research projects, and capacity-building initiatives by our 40-person team.
“I was grateful to be appointed to The Arctic Institute in 2018,” said Ms. Hussong. “TAI fosters not only research skills, but professional development as well, and I learned so much working with my colleagues and helping publicize their research. This appointment is profoundly humbling; Dr. Herrmann has been instrumental in advancing our institutional vision and Arctic security research more broadly. I am grateful to my colleagues for entrusting me with this year-long responsibility, and I will continue to amplify their work. I also intend to use this time to launch new multimedia initiatives to connect with our audience, which comes at a great time as we celebrate our tenth anniversary.”
“Lillian is already an invaluable leader of our international team, and our organization is stronger today than it was in 2018 because of her tireless work over the past three years,” said outgoing Managing Director Dr. Victoria Herrmann. “Her creative and energetic approach to communicating The Arctic Institute’s work has proven instrumental in growing our reach and impact across the globe. With her propensity for ingenuity and dedication to the Institute’s team and mission, I cannot wait to see what Lillian accomplishes in the year to come.”
The Arctic Institute’s mission is to help inform Arctic policy in the context of the climate crisis. We believe that Arctic decision-making must be based upon interdisciplinary, inclusive research that addresses the most pertinent issues facing the circumpolar region. That’s why our team leads research projects, supports scholarly publications, and organizes events that elevate diverse perspectives, including young scholars and those from communities that have been historically marginalized. The Arctic Institute is building the future of Arctic research through partnerships across the globe.”