John Brooks

John Brooks is an incoming MIA candidate at Columbia SIPA, concentrating in International Security and Diplomacy with a focus on Foreign Policy and Diplomacy.

Originally from Vermont, John earned his BA in Political Science from the University of Vermont. He later pursued his passion for aviation by obtaining a commercial pilot’s license and completing an MS in both aeronautics and finance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

After graduate school, John worked in international finance, specializing in the leasing and trading of commercial aircraft for a Miami-based firm. In 2018, he was selected to attend pilot training with the United States Air Force, where he became an HH-60W combat search and rescue pilot. 

Following his studies at SIPA, John aims to pursue a career in foreign policy analysis within either the public or private sector.