WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Independent Women announced its 2026 class of visiting fellows, welcoming a distinguished group of policy experts and innovators from across the country to its highly regarded annual fellowship program. The incoming class reflects the program’s growing influence as a pipeline for serious policy and cultural leadership across Washington, D.C., and the United States at large.
Since its founding, Independent Women has cultivated a robust fellowship program dedicated to elevating principled voices committed to advancing freedom, opportunity, and well-being. This year’s visiting fellows represent a dynamic mix of professional expertise and lived experience, including leaders in foreign policy, education, culture, conservation, and domestic policy.
“Our visiting fellowship program continues to attract accomplished women with deep expertise and a commitment to principled, rigorous policy and cultural analysis. This year’s cohort reflects the strength of the program, bringing together leaders and experts whose work will inform and strengthen Independent Women’s work shaping public preferences and policy,” said Heather Madden, Independent Women’s policy staff director.
Throughout the year-long fellowship, participants will contribute to Independent Women’s work across a broad spectrum of policy priorities. These include expanding worker flexibility; strengthening public safety and national security; restoring U.S. energy independence; empowering families through education freedom; and making the rising cost of living—including elder care—more manageable for American families.
Visiting fellows support Independent Women’s mission to shape public preferences, policies, and movements to create a better future for everyone by drafting policy content, participating in multimedia programming, engaging in state-level and grassroots efforts, and supporting Independent Women’s Network initiatives.
The 2026 Independent Women Visiting Fellows Class:
Diana L. Banister is president and chief executive officer of SGS Advisors, a strategic political communications firm, and an executive consultant with Sovereign Global Solutions, serving public policy leaders, non-profits, and non-governmental organizations at the national and international level on lobbying and messaging tactics that will impact legislation, public opinion, and the political landscape. Banister served in the first Trump administration as senior advisor at the Department of Homeland Security and provided strategic advice to senior officials. As a conservative strategist, Banister has engaged with and worked on behalf of numerous national and international leaders like Newt Gingrich, Mark Levin, Rep. Jim Jordan, Robby George, Kevin Roberts, Steve Moore, Star Parker, Ken Cuccinelli, Kellyanne Conway, Russ Vought, Tom Homan, Brooke Rollins, and many others. Career highlights include developing and handling public affairs strategies for two major successful Supreme Court cases and managing the entire lobbying and media campaign to pass national security legislation that became law. Banister holds a Master of Arts degree and is on the board of directors for The Family Foundation of Virginia and Bakhita Kids. Banister is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Center for American Safety and Security.
Beth Herman is an artist, essayist, and a school docent at The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. She is a frequent contributor as art and cultural critic to the online site The Federalist. Her essays have also been published in The Wall Street Journal, Legal Times, The Washington Times, and on NPR.
Herman is currently pursuing a master’s degree in classical education at the University of Dallas. Her graduate work has included topics as diverse as the iconographical influence of Saint Bridget of Sweden on late medieval art, and the English Romantic fascination with nature walks in the novels of Jane Austen and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. In addition, she holds degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology (A.A. 1983) and a magna cum laude degree in English from Hunter College (B.A. 1988), both in New York City. Herman also gained extensive sales experience in the legal staffing business in Washington, D.C., in the 1990s. At the same time, she authored “The Human Touch,” a popular advice column published in Legal Times. In the early 2000s, she embraced her artistic side, as a teddy bear portraitist and children’s book author. Herman is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Education Freedom Center.
Anna Pingel is an experienced researcher, commentator, and legislative engagement strategist, and has spent much of her career shaping policy either in the nonprofit or legislative space. A graduate of Covenant College with a degree in international studies and Spanish, she spent time employed in an immigration law firm in New York before moving to Washington, D.C., to focus on shaping policy solutions. After working for a member of Congress, she expanded her legislative experience to the state level, working as the chief of staff for a Maryland state delegate. She was a 2019 foreign policy fellow for the National Churchill Library and Center, authoring a report on the dangers Iran poses to the international community and policy solutions to contain its threat. Pingel is published in several media outlets, including the Washington Examiner, the American Spectator, and Evie Magazine. Pingel owns an art gallery, Maison Conservartiste, which she opened as an alternative art market for conservative investors. She is an artist herself, focusing on abstract works that reflect her personal faith and beliefs. Her art has been displayed around Washington, D.C., and was included in a collection at the Secretary of Education’s office. Pingel is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Center for American Safety and Security.
Sydney Rodman is the founder and CEO of Green Revival LLC, an environmental consultancy that works to find America-first solutions to global energy supply chain challenges. In addition to her work at Green Revival, Rodman is a strategic advisor to multiple companies, including Applied Bioplastics, a Texas-based energy materials supplier, and Colossal Biosciences, one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025. Rodman is a world-renowned expert on a range of energy issues and is a sought-after public speaker who has appeared on numerous podcasts and spoken at conferences in Canada, Mexico, Morocco, and across the United States. Her research has been supported by multiple grants, including from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Rodman is a graduate of Rice University, where she earned degrees in biology and entrepreneurship. Rodman is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation.
Alina Voss serves as the strategic communications program manager at the American Conservation Coalition. Prior to joining ACC, she spent six years in government technology consulting, working on software, design, and communications for NASA, Small Business Administration, and General Services Administration. Earlier in her career, she also served as the founding designer of MIT’s PathCheck Foundation and some early-stage startups, as well as working for an anti-FGM geospatial mapping project through United Nations volunteering. Voss’s environmental policy writing has been featured in publications such as National Review, The American Conservative, Washington Examiner, New York Post, The Dispatch, The Washington Times, and RealClearEnergy. She is currently a fellow at ConservAmerica and has previously served as a Frederic Bastiat fellow through George Mason’s Mercatus Center, a George Washington Statesmanship fellow through Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and a Congress-Bundestag fellow. She holds an undergraduate degree from Westminster College, PA, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Voss is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation.
Sarah Wilder is a wife, mom, and writer based in southwest Michigan. A graduate of Hillsdale College, she formerly worked as a reporter at the Daily Caller. Her writing has also been featured in The American Conservative, The American Mind, The Federalist, and others. Wilder is a visiting fellow for Independent Women’s Features (IW Features), Independent Women’s grassroots storytelling and original journalism initiative, highlighting how public policy affects real people and communities.
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