About
Since 2017, the Free Speech Project at Georgetown University has served as an independent, nonpartisan initiative working to assess the condition of Free Speech in the United States today — in education, civil society, and government. The project works to examine Free Speech on a national scale, documenting incidents in which First Amendment values have been challenged or compromised, and holding public forums with expert opinion and analysis. By assembling and analyzing instances in which expression is suppressed or contested, the Project strives to understand broader national trends around Free Speech today, and enhance education and civic engagement around the First Amendment.
The Free Speech Project is also a student-staffed initiative. The content presented on the website and the Free Speech Tracker does not represent the views or official position of Georgetown University.
Contributors
Sanford J. Ungar
Director, Free Speech Project
Sanford J. Ungar, president emeritus of Goucher College, is director of the Free Speech Project at Georgetown University. He has been director of Voice of America and dean of the School of Communication at American University. During his journalism career, he was a staff writer for The Washington Post, Washington editor of The Atlantic, managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, and co-host of “All Things Considered” on NPR. He is the author or editor of six nonfiction books, including The Papers & The Papers: An Account of the Legal and Political Battle over the Pentagon Papers. Ungar earned a bachelor’s in government magna cum laude from Harvard College and a master’s degree in international history from the London School of Economics. He teaches undergraduate seminars on Free Speech at both Georgetown University and Harvard College.
JOHN MCCABE
Program Manager/Editor
John McCabe is the associate director and policy analyst of the Free Speech Project. Before joining FSP, John worked as a freelance reporter for Science|Business and as a contact tracer during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has a background in editorial publications and earned his bachelor’s in Writing for Film and Television (minor in Political Science) from Emerson College.
Email: jm3479@georgetown.edu
Research Contributors
Ranee Brady ’26 is an international politics major pursuing a minor in journalism and certificate in diplomatic studies. She is from Birmingham, Alabama, and is a writer for The Hoya, as well as a TA for Maps of the Modern World
Caroline Coggan ’24 has been the copyeditor for the Free Speech project since 2020. She is a master’s student in the Department of Linguistics’ Language and Communication program, and she holds a B.A. in linguistics from Georgetown as well.
Ryan Finster ‘26 is an international politics major and the Principal Research Assistant for the Free Speech Project. Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, he also works for the Corp and is a member of the club swim team.
Rachel Gurevich ‘26 is majoring in international politics and pursuing a minor in journalism and a certificate in international business diplomacy. She is the Publisher of the Free Speech Project and is on the club boxing team.
Ryan Knapick ‘24 is majoring in international politics and minoring in German. He is from Sammamish, Washington, and is also a writer for The Caravel.
Mia Lossius ‘26 is a Global Business major, minoring in Environmental Studies, and is part of the Sustainable Business Fellows program. She is from Toronto, Canada, and is the Women’s Captain of the club ski team.
Harrison McCarty ’26 is a Culture and Politics major, pursuing minors in journalism and Latin American Studies. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, he enjoys working for the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union, and creating content for Georgetown’s social media.
Summer Niederman ’27 is majoring in government and pursuing a minor in Spanish. She is from Highland Beach, Florida. She is a member of the Moot Court Team.
Julia Revill ’27 is majoring in science, technology, and international affairs. Originally from Garden City, New York, she is a senator in Georgetown University’s Student Association.
Logan Richman ‘25 is majoring in international politics and is pursuing a graduate certificate in diplomatic studies. He is from New Jersey and plays the jazz trombone.
Mahika Sharma ’27 is an international politics major pursuing a minor in journalism. She is from Fairfax, Virginia, is a writer for The Hoya and is a member of the Georgetown International Relations Club.
Zoe Sommer ’27 is majoring in international politics. Originally from Trumbull, Connecticut, she is a writer and editor for The Caravel and a consultant for DCivitas.
Luke Suko ‘27 is an international politics major, pursuing a minor in journalism. Originally from Maryland, he is also a writer for The Hoya and enjoys theater and fencing on the side.
Julia Swerdin ‘26 is majoring in English and minoring in philosophy and Jewish civilization. She is from Long Island, New York, and is a co-president of the Georgetown University American Civil Liberties Union, as well as an engagement intern for Georgetown Jewish Life.
Isabella Terry ’26 is a Global Business major, pursuing a minor in German. Originally from a suburb outside of Chicago, she is a sports writer for The Hoya and a volunteer for Hoya Taxa.
Izzy Wagener ’26 is studying international politics with a minor in journalism. She is originally from Edina, Minnesota, and is a member of the rock climbing team, as well as a writer and photo editor for The Voice.
Marc Werner ’27 is majoring in Global Business and minoring in Government. Growing up, he called many places “home” — from Barcelona, Spain and Hamburg, Germany, to northern New Jersey. He also serves in Georgetown Global Consulting and is an editor for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs.
Maggie Yang ’27 is majoring in Regional and Comparative Studies in Asia and pursuing a minor in Chinese. She is from Cupertino, California, and is also a writer for and editor of The Caravel.
Past Contributors
Khoury Johnson, M.A. ’17
Grace Aldridge Foster, M.A. ’17
Chris Castano ’16
Kiara Chiddick ’22
Grace Chisholm ’22
Jack Churchill ’21
Will Cromarty ’21
Rose Dallimore ’22
Erin Doherty ’20
Max Dunat ’22
Madelin Finn ’21
Maya Gandhi ’20
Clara Grudberg ’23
Will Haskell ’18
Katie Hawkinson ’23
Gustav Honl-Stuenkel ’20
Jack Horrigan ’21
Annie Kane ‘24
Sarah Keisler ‘22
Catriona Kendall ’19
Adelina Lancianese ’17
Julianne Licamele ’21
Jack Lynch ’18
Elizabeth Marcinkowski ’21
Bridget McElroy ’18
Meredith Miller ’22
Jaime Moore-Carrillo ’22
Denna Nazem ’20
Lexi Nelson ’23
Andrew Parry ’22,
Graham Piro ’18
Kevin Pollack ’21
Michelle Renslo ’22
Jesus Rodriguez ’19
Gabriel Salazar-Morón ’25
Aditya Sehgal ’24
Emily Shambaugh ’22
Liza Smaliak ‘25
Jacob Sowers ’23
Cade Spencer ’25
Connor Thomas ’22
Emma Vahey ’20