Ms. Reiss first joined the Ashburn Institute -then Association to Unite the Democracies, as a summer intern in 1997. In September 2002, she re-joined the Ashburn Institute family for a permanent position as an Executive Director. Marielle holds a European Masters in International Humanitarian Assistance (sponsored by the European Union Network of Humanitarian Assistance), a French Masters of Law with a focus on Human Rights and Democracy, a Graduate degree in Russian Studies, and a BA in Foreign Languages (French, German and English) and International Relations. A native of France , Marielle brings to AUD international experience, knowledge of international relations, and understanding of six different languages. She has lived and worked in many countries including Russia and Zimbabwe . Her working experience includes assignments with organizations such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Council of Europe.

The Ashburn Institute benefits year-round from the help interns and volunteers from around the globe. Most of them are graduate students pursuing degrees in fields closely related to AI's mission. Over the years, Aygul , Christina, Megan, Mariusz , Vitalyi , Max, Brooke, Malik, Reza and many others have contributed to our work with skills, talent, and enthusiasm. Some of them have stayed involved with us from their home country and have become key actors in developing our programs internationally.