Around the Table with Alyse LaVoie

Around the Table is a three-question interview series from the Make Room email newsletter. Each edition features a conversation with a peer in the national security community to learn about their expertise and experience in the sector.

Alyse LaVoie is the digital communications manager for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). In her role, she leads the organization’s digital media messaging, strategy, and social media.

1. You recently led the digital outreach working group for the NATO Public Forum. What did you think about the opportunity and what role do emerging leaders have to play in national security?

I was honored to lead digital outreach for the NATO Public Forum, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many intelligent and hardworking people in NATO and across all co-organizing think tanks. As NATO Public Diplomacy Division’s official event alongside the NATO Summit, it was amazing to see a critical international organization reach a wider audience outside of the typical policy bubble. I was particularly interested in reaching new people and getting those individuals involved in discussing NATO and the international issues that are at stake by participating online.

By reaching a wider audience, NATO was able to incorporate emerging leaders in conversations on national security. Adding a range of perspectives on issues of national security is essential to give a voice to a group of people who have traditionally been left out of these important discussions. By making these conversations more accessible to the public, you give a voice to people whose very security and existence may be at stake. By including more emerging leaders in these dialogues, we can ensure that all perspectives are included in decision-making.

2. What role do you believe the media and communications play in influencing public perception and policy on national security issues?

The media and communications play an enormous role in influencing public perception and policy on national security issues. Where people consume most of their information often determines how they feel about a particular policy or national security issue. Information overload is an unintended consequence of living in a world where information is so easily accessible. Having access to information is an amazing development, but this can result in reduced media literacy and a diminished ability to determine which sources use a thorough fact-checking process.

For example, social media has been an influential tool to share news and information in a way that reaches the public easily. This tool, although powerful, can also be misused by nefarious actors who want to spread disinformation. It is our duty as communicators to dispel false narratives and present people with rigorously fact-checked and research-based information. Overall, without communicators, educating the public about policies and issues of national security would be near impossible, making communications and media an essential part of shaping public opinion.

3. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career so far, and what keeps you motivated in your work?

Knowing and understanding that my work supports a mission of advancing democratic values and working with countries around the world to promote these values keeps me motivated. As a history lover and international security nerd, recognizing that these values tend to improve lives and help avoid war pushes me forward even as democratic backsliding worsens.

In a moment where there is a full-scale war in Europe for the first time since World War II and conflict in the Middle East, it is extremely important to advocate for these values. We must help those in conflict zones experiencing the worst side effects of international conflict. Working to help those who get caught up in international crises motivates me to continue educating people on these issues and why they affect everyone, not just those experiencing them.

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