Introducing FPRI’s Young Professionals Advisory Board

• August 22, 2025

The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) is pleased to welcome four new members to the Young Professionals Advisory Board (YPAB). The YPAB is a group of supporters who bring a new perspective to the organization’s mission. With a diverse mix of young professionals, YPAB is the vehicle for FPRI to plan for its future and engage with the next generation of leaders.

Read more about the Young Professionals Advisory Board

Meet the Founding Members

James Gagne has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and executive business leader in the global supply chain, transportation, and logistics industry. His career is distinguished by his ability to architect, design, and execute on a vision and strategic plan for ‘re-founding’ and transforming businesses, while keeping the client, people, and value creation front and center. James has significant experience in starting, investing, running, accelerating, re-aligning, acquiring, selling, and recapitalizing businesses. 

Michael Hochberg is the President of Periplous LLC, which provides advisory services on strategy, technology, policy, and organization design. Hochberg has been a physicist, an engineer, a professor, a startup founder, an executive at startup companies, an executive at a large multinational, and a freelance advisor and board member. He is fluent in the languages of technology, geopolitics, policy, business, and strategy, and is particularly interested in the areas where these different fields intersect.

Charles Hopkins serves as the Vice President of Membership at Fitler Club. In this role, Mr. Hopkins is responsible for overseeing Membership Sales, Membership Operations, and Member Events. As a key member of Fitler Club’s Executive team, he plays a vital role in strategically guiding the organization.

 

Evan Skalski is a Partner at Alpha Financial Markets Consulting based in Philadelphia with experience in leading global strategy and operations teams across the financial services and investment management industries. Evan joined Alpha from Vanguard, where he held Senior Manager roles in Corporate Strategy, Corporate Development, Innovation, and the Chief Technology Office. Prior to Vanguard, Evan worked at Goldman Sachs where he focused on management and strategy for the Americas equities sales and execution services client franchise.

 

The YPAB will welcome four additional members this year. To apply, send your CV and a statement of interest to social@fpri.org.