About the Europe Alliance

We have created Braver Angels Abroad - Europe (BAAE) because we feel there is a need to offer workshops and other Braver Angels programming at a time that is more convenient to those Americans living abroad in Europe, with the goal to eventually set up meetings in person all over the continent.

BAAE supports Americans living and working outside of the United States. Whether we live abroad due to work with our government, the military, business, college, missionary, or simply living as an expat we all still have a vested interest in a United States that can function, and we all still have our own personal views on the issues that matter to us.  Either when meeting fellow Americans living abroad or visiting with friends and family back in the states, we are just as likely to encounter affective polarization.  

The work of BAAE is to provide the workshops, debates, public presentations, and comradery designed to bridge the polarizing political divide we experience in our country. These events allow conservatives and liberals to get past the destructive stereotypes so we can have civil conversations about real issues that lead to productive problem-solving. 

Our mission is to introduce citizens to the Braver Angels process of depolarization and civil discourse through:

Alliance Co-Chair Leadership

To contact the Alliance Co-Chairs, please email Europe-Alliance@BraverAngels.org

Laura Pascal 

(France)

Co-Chair - Blue

Laura has been a BA member since February 2021, a BA Development Team member since August 2021, a BA moderator since May 2022, and now a Co-Founder and Co-Chair of BAAE since Oct. 2022. Originally from Miami, FL, she now lives in Paris, France, working as a remote teacher for US high schools. As a teacher, her key method of instruction is socratic discussion, having students practice respect and open-mindedness while discussing difficult issues. This is a skill greatly needed in our goal to depolarize our conversations.

Sabrina Garland (Switzerland)

Co-Chair - Red

Sabrina has been a Braver Angels member since February 2021 and trained moderator since May 2022. Originally from Phoenix, AZ, she lives in Zurich working in consulting and financial analytics. Since college she has enjoyed initiating conversations between friends to more deeply understand conflicting political convictions. Being involved with Braver Angels while abroad is her way of continuing this passion and contributing to a more depolarized America.

Tedman Getschman (UK) (CDR U.S.N. Ret.)

Regional Coordinator

Tedman has been a BA member since November of 2020, Nevada alliance co-chair, and Zoom event manager. Originally from and still a legal resident of Carson City, Nevada, he served as a U.S. Naval officer at various locations around the world including Japan and Europe, retiring as a Navy Commander in 2019.  Today he fills his time with efforts to end political division in the United States both through Braver Angels and the organization he founded, Common Sense for Uniting America, a nationwide non-profit working to replace plurality and ranked-choice voting (final-five) with non-divisive/polarizing voting methods. 

Hilary Hodge

(France)

Ambassador

Hilary has been a BA ambassador in Europe since 2022 and serves as a volunteer on the communications team. Originally from Virginia, she now lives in Angers in the Loire Valley where she works as a writer and editor. She is particularly passionate about the role BA can play in tackling policy gridlock in the states and in getting less inflammatory and more productive politicians elected.