Anna Yankova (’23): AI and Emerging Tech

“IWP has had a meaningful impact on my development as a leader and IT professional, helping me think more strategically about technology, security, and emerging global challenges.”
– Anna Yankova (’23)

Originally from Ukraine, Anna Yankova came to IWP with firsthand experience in public diplomacy and international affairs through her work with the Office of the Secretary of State of Maryland. During her Executive M.A. program in National Security Affairs, she enjoyed studying with practitioners, as well as IWP’s holistic approach to national security.

Today, she brings lessons learned at IWP to projects related to cybersecurity, AI, and emerging technologies for the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (MHBE).

Below, Anna shares what it was like studying at IWP as a working professional, her experience in the IWP-Oxford Study Abroad Program, and how she serves the people of Maryland through her work.

From Ukraine to Maryland

Originally from Odesa, Ukraine, Anna studied English and French at Odesa I.I.Mechnikov National University and came to the U.S. in 2005 for English language immersion at Towson University.

When she completed her undergraduate degree, she moved to the United States, where she was offered a job at the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office. There, she handled public diplomacy and immigrant affairs. She worked with a variety of immigrant populations, including immigrants from Eastern Europe and the French-speaking African population.

She later joined the Office of the Secretary of State of Maryland, where she served as the diplomatic protocol officer for the State of Maryland. She handled international delegate visits and worked with the Maryland Department of Commerce on international economic missions overseas.

In this role, she enjoyed building relationships between people in Baltimore and all over the world through cultural programs, educational exchanges, government exchanges, and more. “I loved helping people deepen their understanding of each other’s culture, history, and background to build better bonds for economic and diplomatic cooperation,” she said.

After working for the government for quite some time, Anna was ready for a new challenge: “I wanted to be involved in business, cyber, and security,” she said. She began working for the IT department of the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange, where she continues to serve today.

Pursuing National Security Education

It was through John Wobensmith, Maryland Secretary of State, that Anna heard about IWP. “He saw my interest in national security and recommended IWP as a great place to expand my knowledge of that topic,” she said. “He told me that I would be learning from a world-class faculty with practical experience.”

After enrolling in the Executive M.A. program at IWP, Anna found that Secretary Wobensmith’s endorsement rang true.  “I love that the faculty has real-life experience,” she said. “During class discussions, they provide feedback and share their life experience.”

Anna also contributed to these discussions, drawing on her own professional experience to describe how diplomacy works at the state and local level.

Anna also enjoyed IWP’s unique approach to national security studies. “IWP integrates history, diplomacy, intelligence, and statecraft,” she said. “The professors also apply history in a practical way to the subjects we studied.”

As a working professional, Anna appreciated the flexibility to take her classes at night.

The IWP-Oxford Study Abroad

One of Anna’s favorite memories from her time at IWP was participating in the IWP-Oxford Study Abroad program, led by Prof. John Tsagronis. “It was a unique, life-changing experience for me,” she said.

She and her classmates stayed in Oxford for a month, attending classes at the University and living in an English cottage. Anna worked with an Oxford faculty member who was a former intelligence officer, and she focused her research on the impact of Brexit on national and global security.

Anna enjoyed having access to the historic Oxford library, interacting with the local students, and traveling with her IWP classmates. One of their activities was a visit to the historic opera house, where Anna reflected on who had sung in that very amphitheater centuries ago as she and her peers enjoyed an opera performance.

“A study abroad program broadens your horizons, and the IWP-Oxford Study Abroad opened up my way of thinking about life in general,” she said.

Work with Emerging Technologies

Today, Anna’s work focuses on emerging technologies and their application to the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. Her projects are primarily related to cybersecurity, AI, and process automation.

She manages teams that implement AI solutions for her organization, and she recently completed a project to integrate AI into MHBE’s business systems, thereby increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and better serving their customers.

Her next project will be to create policies for managing AI for her agency and at the state level. She is part of the Maryland government’s AI Cabinet, which will discuss the progress of AI and its policy status.

Applying the IWP Education

Anna believes that her IWP education has helped her in her work overall by enhancing her leadership abilities.

“At IWP, I learned how to be a good leader, work effectively in teams, help my peers, and learn from them,” she said. “My teams now have different cultural and professional backgrounds. My studies at IWP helped me to develop better emotional intelligence, which translates into being a good manager. It is especially important when you work long hours on significant projects.”

Anna also gained analytic and strategic skills at IWP, which she also brings to her work.

Additionally, at IWP, she studied how emerging technology can shape national and international security. She can now apply this knowledge to her AI and cybersecurity work at the state level. “It helps me see the bigger picture,” she said.

Anna finds her work meaningful: “I am passionate about public service,” she said. “It is rewarding to serve Maryland businesses and residents by leveraging emerging technology to increase productivity and cut costs.”