Day 3: September 12, 2024

Ambassador Nic Hailey, Executive Director, International Alert
Nic Hailey CMG joined International Alert as Executive Director in September 2021. Prior to this role, he spent 24 years in the UK Diplomatic Service, most recently as a Director-General at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (responsible for the merger of the FCO and DFID); High Commissioner (i.e. UK Ambassador) to Kenya 2015-19; Africa Director 2013-15; and deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan 2012-13.  He previously served in UK embassies in Washington DC, Berlin and Paris as well as a range of roles in London. Nic was educated at a Steiner Waldorf school, Cambridge University and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (Paris).

Dr. Maleeka Glover, Executive Director, Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation
Dr. Maleeka Gloveris the Executive Director of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). For the past 20 years, Maleeka has worked across many areas of public health and emergency management. She is a Social Epidemiologist by training, and has held positions with CDC, WHO, and several academic institutions. She provides training on strategic leadership and works to develop and implement science-based approaches, program coordination, training, and global health security leadership. Dr. Glover is trained to examine how cultural, economic, and demographic factors, biopsychosocial interactions, societal influences, and various levels of social organization (ranging from small groups to complex cultural systems) influences public health and its delivery, as well as peace and security. Maleeka holds a Doctorate from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science from Clark Atlanta University.

Haim Malka, Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Group
Haim Malka, International Policy Expert, Senior Vice President, Metropolitan Group (MG). Prior to joining MG, Haim spent nearly 15 years developing bipartisan solutions to complex foreign policy issues as a researcher and analyst at leading Washington DC think tanks (Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Research Analyst, The Brookings Institution). Throughout his career, he immersed himself in the politics, culture, and economics of North Africa and the Middle East, connecting social and political trends abroad with similar trends in the United States. Before moving to Washington, DC, he spent five years in Jerusalem as a television news producer covering the Middle East. Wherever he’s been, Haim has explored overlooked trends, sought out marginalized communities, and used his storytelling and analytical skills to convey complex issues to diverse stakeholder audiences. Haim has a Master of Arts from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Robert Jenkins, Public Policy Fellow, Wilson Center
Robert Jenkins is a Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center. Rob served as USAID’s Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) from 2021-24. A career member of the Senior Executive Service, Rob was previously Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and the Director of USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Prior to joining USAID in 1998, Mr. Jenkins designed and implemented emergency relief and recovery programs with World Vision International in southern Sudan and Sierra Leone. As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, he worked under Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, South Africa, as a liaison between the Anglican Church’s peace and justice office and township communities. A native of California, Mr. Jenkins holds a B.A. in History and Government from Bowdoin College.

Abdul Tejan Cole, Executive Director, African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice
Abdul Tejan-Cole is a lawyer with over three decades of experience in law, governance, transitional justice and human rights. He is currently the Executive Director of the African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice. As a consultant, he played a key role in setting up the Peace Commission in Sierra Leone. He has worked on numerous international projects, including consultancies with UNDP in South Sudan and The Gambia, focusing on truth commissions and integrating customary practices into justice systems. His latest publication is titled “Thirty Years of the Sierra Leone Constitution: Reflections on its Past and Future.” 

Dr. Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology and Education, Columbia University; Director, Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution; Founding Executive Director, Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity
Dr. Peter T Coleman is a professor of psychology and education at Columbia University and a renowned expert on constructive conflict resolution, intractable conflict and sustaining peace. Dr. Coleman has authored or edited a dozen books, well over 100 scientific articles and chapters, is the recipient of various awards, and his work has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Haaretz, Nature, Scientific American, PBS Newshour, and Harvard Business Review. His most recent book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization (2021) was released by Columbia University Press.

Dr. Larry S. Liebovitch, Professor of Physics and Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York; Adjunct Senior Research Scientists, Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity
Dr. Larry S. Liebovitch is formerly Professor of Physics and Psychology at Queens College of the City University of New York, and serves as Senior Associate Research Scholar for AC4. Dr. Liebovitch earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the City College of New York and a doctorate in astronomy from Harvard University. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York and an Assistant Professor at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. At Florida Atlantic University he served as the interim director of the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences and as the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Studies in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. He has used nonlinear methods to analyze and understand molecular, cellular, psychological, and social systems. He is the author or coauthor of four books including: Fractals and Chaos: Simplified for the Life Sciences by Larry S. Liebovitch (Oxford University Press, 1998) and Fractal Analysis in the Social Sciences, Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences, Volume 165, by Clifford T. Brown and Larry S. Liebovitch (SAGE Publications, 2010).

Digital Technologies for Environmental Peacebuilding: Opportunities and Risks in Practice

Carl Bruch, Director of International Programs, Environmental Law Institute
Carl Bruch is the Director of International Programs at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and the Founding President of the Environmental Peacebuilding Association (EnPAx). His work focuses on environmental peacebuilding, especially after conflict, and environmental governance. He has helped dozens of countries—including many conflict-affected ones—throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe strengthen their environmental laws, institutions, and practices. He has edited more than 10 books and authored more than 80 journal articles, book chapters, and reports. He is an adjunct professor at American University’s School of International Service. He holds a J.D. from the Northwestern School of Environmental Law of Lewis & Clark College, an M.A. in Physics from the University of Texas-Austin, and a B.S. in physics (with additional majors in mathematics and anthropology) from Michigan State University.

Asim Zia, Ph.D.,  Professor and Associate Dean of Research, University of Vermont
Dr. Asim Zia serves as a Professor of Public Policy and Computer Science in the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Computer Science, at the University of Vermont (UVM). He is Director of the Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security (IEDS) and Co-Director of the Social Ecological Gaming and Simulation (SEGS) lab at UVM. He has served on the scientific review committee of the national socio-environmental synthesis center (SESYNC) (2014-17), acts as an academic editor for PLOS One (since 2013), and is associate editor of Complexity, Governance and Networks. He has a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is/was: a recipient of the 2004-2005 best dissertation award from the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management; a fellow at the Gund Institute for Environment (since 2011); and a senior research fellow for the Earth System Governance project (since 2012).

Albert Martinez, Program Manager for Climate and Environmental Peacemaking, European Institute of Peace
Albert Martinez manages the European Institute of Peace’s Climate and Environmental Peacemaking Program, with focus on the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the Middle East. Prior to joining the Institute, Albert worked for over three years at the United Nations Environment Program in Geneva, as an Analyst and Program Management Support in Climate Security, from 2019 to 2022. His work involved coordinating environmental peacebuilding strategies to strengthen resilience to complex climate change and security risks in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Between 2017 and 2019, Albert conducted academic research on the political, social, and economic impacts of the mining and oil industries in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa, and coordinated an international marine conservation NGO in Spain. Albert holds an M.A. in International Administration and Conflict Management from the University of Konstanz (Germany), an M.Sc. in Political Science from the Pompeu Fabra University (Spain), and a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Barcelona (Spain).

Rana Novack, Communications Expert
Rana Novack is a social impact innovator, writer, TED speaker, refugee advocate, and the visionary behind the Foresight Model, a first-of-its kind solution that leverages AI to proactively manage a refugee crisis. In partnership with the Danish Refugee Council, Foresight is currently operational in nearly 30 countries making predictions up to three years into the future. Rana’s work has been featured in academic journals and IT Research & Development publications globally, as well as the Wall Street Journal, WIRED magazine, and BBC. She is a Non-Resident Scholar and Global Policy Center Faculty Affiliate of the University of Virginia's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, a board member of the George Mason University Communication Insight Committee, and holds a patent in employing natural language processing to facilitate geospatial analysis.

Cross-Partisan Organizing to Mitigate Political Violence

Ron Barber, Senior Advisor, Arizona Democracy Resilience Network
Before his election to Congress, Ron Barber had a 32-year career with the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities, serving as Regional Administrator and State Director. He was District Director for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick and Southern Arizona Director for Senator Mark Kelly. On January 8, 2011, Barber was standing beside Congresswoman Giffords at a constituent event when a gunman shot the congresswoman, Barber, and 17 others. Six people were killed. When Congresswoman Giffords resigned from office, she asked Barber to run for her seat. He won the special election and took office in June 2012. He won re-election in November 2012. Barber is the Co-Lead for the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network (ADRN), an initiative of the Carter Center. The Network is a cross-partisan undertaking whose mission is to restore trust and confidence in our Democracy and mitigate political violence.

Lisa Lorenzo, Senior Advisor, Sunshine 100
Lisa Lorenzo is a passionate and dedicated community leader who drives meaningful change through her engagement in campaigns and organizations that deeply resonate with her values. She engages in collaborative work with women within faith-based communities, aiming to effect tangible and transformative outcomes. As a breast cancer survivor, Lorenzo has embraced a commitment to raising awareness for women engaged in the battle against this disease. Through her dedication and personal mentoring, she has positively impacted the lives of numerous individuals confronting a diagnosis. Additionally, Lorenzo’s decade-long experience as a board member of Agape Ministries Network, empowering the healing journey for survivors of sex trafficking and women overcoming addiction, has shaped her core principles of resilience, compassion, and advocacy for justice. Complementing her role as a community leader, she has led Bible studies and prayer groups, extending guidance and spiritual support to women, many of whom are leaders in the community.

Nathan Stock, Associate Director, Conflict Resolution Program, The Carter Center
Starting in the summer of 2020, Nathan Stock designed a new Carter Center project to mitigate political and identity-based violence in the United States. Through this work, he is building diverse networks of citizens from across the political spectrum to serve as community advocates for electoral democracy and the peaceful resolution of disputes. He is also working to strengthen community infrastructure for violence mitigation. Stock has taught undergraduate courses on political dialogue in the U.S. and published on U.S. polarization. Stock is a nonresident scholar with the Middle East Institute. He has 15 years of experience working to reduce violence and strengthen democracy abroad, including nearly a decade working on Middle East conflicts with The Carter Center. Stock has written extensively on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and lived and worked in Afghanistan, Gaza, and China. Stock holds a Master of Arts in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Colgate University.

Are We Making a Difference? Global and Local Ways of Assessing the Effectiveness of Peacebuilding

Stacey L. Connaughton, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Purdue Policy Research Institute, Purdue University
Dr. Stacey L. Connaughton is a Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University and the Director of the Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) in Purdue’s Discovery Park District. Her research examines leadership and multi-stakeholder organizing, most recently in the context of political violence prevention initiatives. Dr. Connaughton serves as Director of the Purdue Peace Project (PPP), housed in the Purdue Policy Research Institute. As Director of PPP, Dr. Connaughton has led the multi-stakeholder relationship building, project development, and (participatory) monitoring and evaluation for locally led political violence prevention initiatives in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria. Dr. Connaughton’s work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, LASER PULSE/USAID, the Carnegie Corporation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Ford Motor Company, the Indiana Department of Transportation, and private benefactors.

Jasmine R. Linabary, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director of the Co-Design Collaborative (Co-Lab), The University of Arizona
Dr. Jasmine R. Linabary is a researcher, educator, and consultant whose work centers on how to design more equitable and inclusive spaces for participation. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Public and Applied Humanities and Director of the Co-Design Collaborative (Co-Lab) at the University of Arizona. Dr. Linabary is the former associate director of research and operations for the Purdue Peace Project (PPP), an initiative dedicated to locally-led peacebuilding housed at Purdue University. In her work with the PPP, she traveled regularly to West Africa to engage with local citizens and communities working to prevent political violence. She has presented and published research for both academic and practitioner audiences on issues related to organizing for peace, women’s inclusion and leadership in peacebuilding, and participatory research and evaluation, among other subjects.

Yara M. Asi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida
Dr. Yara M. Asi, is an assistant professor at the School of Global Health Management and Informatics at the University of Central Florida in the United States. She is also a non-resident fellow at the Arab Center Washington DC and a 2020-2021 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to the West Bank. Her research agenda focuses on health, human rights, and development in conflict-affected and fragile settings.

Nell Bolton, Technical Director, Equity, Inclusion and Peacebuilding Team, Catholic Relief Services
Nell Bolton serves as Technical Director for the Equity, Inclusion and Peacebuilding Team at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and has supported CRS’ peacebuilding and governance programming throughout the world. She is also active in social and restorative justice initiatives in Louisiana within the United States. Bolton holds a Master’s in International Peace Studies from the Kroc Institute at Notre Dame and a Master’s of Theological Studies from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in the United States.

Adrienne Lemon, Ph.D., Senior Director of Strategy, Search for Common Ground
Dr. Adrienne Lemon is Senior Director of Strategy at Search for Common Ground. Before assuming this role, she served as Search for Common Ground's Director of the Institutional Learning Team, overseeing the quality of global program design, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as research, and learning practices across the organization. Prior to Search, Adrienne conducted her doctoral research in Burundi on political participation during the civil war and served as a research consultant on conflict and peacebuilding related to extractive industries, gender-based violence, and youth empowerment. Her expertise in social movements and collective behavior has guided much of her approach to measurement and capturing social and institutional change in conflict settings.

Getting Inclusion Right: Re-Imagining the Role of Non-State Actors in Diplomacy and Peace Processes

Ambassador Bisa Williams, Managing Director of Williams Strategy Advisors, LLC (WSA)
Ambassador Bisa Williams is a Co-Founder of Williams Strategy Advisors, a business and foreign affairs advisory consulting firm. Ambassador Williams was a career member of the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State, where she served tours in Guinea, Panama, Mauritius, France, the US Mission to the UN, Niger, and Washington, DC, including two years at the National Security Council of the White House. As Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Ambassador Williams led the U.S. delegation in Havana, Cuba, breaking a seven-year hiatus of high-level direct discussions. Her accomplishments were recognized in LeoGrande/Kornbluh book Back Channel to Cuba.

Marlene Spoerri, Director of Inclusive Diplomacy and Systems Change, Independent Diplomat
Marlene Spoerri leads Inclusive Diplomacy’s work on women’s political participation, engaging non-state actors in decision-making processes, and other issues. Marlene advised the Syrian opposition, Syrian civil society groups, and Syrian women’s negotiations throughout the UN-led peace process on Syria. Prior to joining Independent Diplomat, Marlene worked for the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs; the Balkan Trust for Democracy; and the U.S. Embassy in Croatia.

Kevin Irakoze, Ph.D., Researcher, University of Chicago
Dr. Kevin Irakoze is a Researcher at the University of Chicago and an Academic Advisor at Independent Diplomat. His research focuses on Africana social and political philosophy. His research interests include Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion.

Summer Ahmed, South Yemeni American Foreign Affairs Representative for the Southern Transitional Council to the United Nations.
With the Southern Transitional Council, South Yemeni American activist Summer Ahmed is tasked with establishing a dialogue between the Southern Transitional Council and the United Nations and non-government institutions regarding South Yemen’s political, security, economic, social, and cultural affairs. She is an advocate for South Yemen’s citizens’ right to self-determination.  Previously, Ms. Ahmed worked for UN Women, consulting on women’s rights in the Middle East. Through her advocacy, Ms. Ahmed is helping bring international awareness to the plight of Southern men and women living under occupation, publishing articles and analyses of the situation in South Yemen, in spite of a media blackout imposed by the Yemeni Government.

Atrocity Prevention at a Crossroads: The State of Global Institutions and the Atrocity Prevention Architecture

Kate Ferguson, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director, Protection Approaches
Dr. Kate Ferguson is an internationally-recognized foreign policy expert driving a new approach to the geopolitics of human rights and preventing mass violence. She is the Co-Executive Director of Protection Approaches, which she co-founded in 2014 to transform how identity-based violence is understood and how it is prevented. She led efforts to successfully secure atrocity prevention as a UK foreign policy priority and continues to advise the UK government in the development of its new national approach to the agenda. She has advised, trained, and developed strategy for states, UN offices, and civil society organizations around the world. In 2021, she was appointed as Specialist Adviser to the UK’s parliamentary International Development Committee for the duration of its inquiry promoting dialogue and preventing atrocities: the UK government approach. She is Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Grand Strategy at the War Studies Department, King's College London and a Trustee of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

Savita Pawnday, Executive Director, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Savita Pawnday is the Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. Savita is a foremost expert on the responsibility to protect “R2P” and atrocity prevention. Over the last decade, she has worked extensively with and advised a wide range of governments and the United Nations on how to prevent and respond to mass atrocities. Savita has routinely convened Foreign Ministers and other high-level policymakers on R2P to mobilize action to protect populations from atrocity crimes. In 2010, Savita was instrumental in conceptualizing and launching the Global Network of R2P Focal Points, which now includes over 60 countries and is the largest network of senior government officials of its kind. She is also a founding Steering Group member of the Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC).

Ernesto Verdeja, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Peace Studies and Global Politics, University of Notre Dame; Executive Director, Institute for the Study of Genocide
Dr. Ernesto Verdeja is Associate Professor of Peace Studies and Global Politics at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame. His current research focuses on the causes and prevention of genocide and mass atrocities, and he has published on transitional justice, political reconciliation, and truth commissions and war crimes tribunals. Ernesto regularly consults with governments and non-governmental organizations on atrocity prevention and early warning, and on transitional justice. He is the executive director of the non-profit Institute for the Study of Genocide.

Systems Thinking and Peace

Michael Collins, Executive Director, Americas, Institute for Economics & Peace 
Michael Collins serves as theExecutive Director, Americas, of the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). IEP is the world’s leading think tank dedicated to developing metrics to analyze peace and to quantify its economic value. Leveraging private sector and almost 20 years of humanitarian and development experience, he is responsible for expanding IEP’s impact, including the adoption of Positive Peace as an evidence and systems-based tool for effective peace-centered development.

Liz Ruedy, Senior Advisor to the President, Democracy Fund
Liz Ruedy is the Senior Advisor to the President with the Democracy Fund. Democracy Fund is an independent foundation working to ensure that our political system is able to withstand new challenges and deliver on its promise to the American people. She focuses on systems and strategic foresight, seeking out critical insights to support the field and organizational leadership in making strategic decisions in uncertain contexts. Liz was previously the Director for Strategy, Impact and Learning at Democracy Fund.

Michèle Piercey, Deputy Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding
Michèle Pierceyis the Deputy Executive Director of the Alliance for Peacebuilding. Michèle is a conflict prevention, stabilization, and peacebuilding practitioner with two decades of experience implementing projects in conflict-affected states and supporting them from Washington, DC. As principal advisor of the Peace and Stability and Democracy and Governance practices at Chemonics International, she guided the efforts of technical experts advancing excellence and innovation in foreign assistance. She jumped at the chance to join Alliance for Peacebuilding as the Deputy Executive Director in April 2024.

Walking the Talk: Organizing for Power and Care

Angela Maria Baez Silva, Peacebuilding Practitioner
Angela Maria has always worked from a systems and complexity perspective in different fields related to human development and social transformation: education, equity, peace, community philanthropy, participation, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, amongst others. Topics related to identity and democratic relationships have been at the core of her work and research interests. She has sought to understand to what extent gender, power, governance, and social architectures can function harmoniously and non-violently together. Angela is a #ShiftThePower fellow of the Global Fund for Community Foundations, Santa Fe Institute Complexity School grantee, and member of the Inclusive Rigor Co-lab. She studied Psychology and Philosophy and has an M.A. in Literature and Cultural-Biology (in which she studied under Humberto Maturana’s guidance). She is an independent consultant with different organizations and collaborates with Adapt Peacebuilding.

Claude Gatebuke, Executive Director, African Great Lakes Action Network
Claude Gatebuke is a Rwandan genocide and war survivor. He is also the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the African Great Lakes Action Network and has been featured in national and international media, including TV, radio, and newspapers. He works with communities around the world to create platforms where activists and peacebuilders can connect and share lessons on how to do their work in authoritarian or hostile contexts. Most recently, the network created a new pillar of work based on requests from members on Mental Health for Activists and Peacebuilders.

Jason Ferenczi, Ph.D., Program Director and Operations Director, unRival
Dr. Jason Ferenczi serves as Program Director and Operations Director at unRival. He has a passion for mentoring leaders and aims to support their formation through unRival’s Artisans of Peace program. Growing up a deeply curious kid in rural Ohio, Jason broke the mold of his small-town upbringing when he set out to live and study abroad as a young college student. This experience of the broader world and its countless vantage points had a profound impact on Jason. It deepened his curiosity about the ways people form their value structures and outlooks. Jason worked in the nonprofit sector for years, overseeing philanthropic giving and leadership programs around the world. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Adult Learning. Jason’s motivation is to equip leaders with the training and resources they need to engage with communities in contextually rich, psychologically informed ways – without getting burnt out in the process.

Kassamira Carter-Howard, Director of Programs, Resonance Network
Kassamira Carter-Howard is an artist, facilitator, healer, and advocate with a decade of experience in social justice movements. Kassamira serves as the Director of Programs for Resonance Network, a network of 3,000+ individuals and organizations committed to building a world beyond violence. Kassamira combines her creative art practice with her commitment to ending gender-based violence to create trauma-informed, survivor-centered healing spaces. In her former role at the Biden Foundation, she developed the Youth LEADS initiative, a nationwide project to engage young people in honest discussions about their experiences with gender-based violence and solutions for creating change. She published the Youth LEADS: Cultivating Young Leaders in the Fight to End Gender-Based Violence report and has presented her work at several conferences, including the 68th annual United Nations Civil Society Conference and the National Conference on Domestic Violence. She graduated magna cum laude from Santa Clara University with a B.S. in Political Science, Ethnic Studies with a minor in Gender Studies.

Evidence on Social Cohesion in Divided Societies: Challenging Conventional Wisdom and Identifying Gaps

Ifeoluwa Olawole, Ph.D., Director of Research for Peace and Governance, Mercy Corps
Dr. Ifeoluwa M. Olawole is the Director of Research for Peace and Governance at Mercy Corps. Before Mercy Corps, she was a foreign affairs analyst with the United States Government working on foreign public opinion and non-proliferation. She has also worked at the World Bank, Creative Associates, and the University of Pennsylvania Linguistics Data Consortium. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science (with a focus on international relations and comparative politics) and her research on conflict, political behavior, political violence, governance, climate change, and democracy has earned several grants and has been published in several journals and as book chapters.

Marine Gassier, Ph.D., Consultant, Social Cohesion and Resilience Global Unit, World Bank
Dr. Marine Gassier currently works on social cohesion interventions and conflict assessments as a consultant for the World Bank, where she is part of the Social Cohesion and Resilience (GSG) Global Solution Group. In this role, she supports operational teams designing multi-sectoral programs intended to address fragility and conflict risks, particularly in West Africa. Her research work focuses on conflict processes, rebel governance, and the political economy of humanitarian assistance. She holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Sciences Po Paris and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University-SAIS.

Nessa Kenny, Associate Director, Peace and Recovery Program, Innovations for Poverty Action
Nessa Kenny is Associate Director of Innovations for Poverty Action’s Peace and Recovery Program, where she leads two initiatives for innovative research, one broadly on conflict, violence, and displacement, and one focused on displaced livelihoods. She also works with civil society and governments to ensure this evidence informs policy and practice. Prior to joining IPA, Nessa worked with several program implementers and UN Agencies in research, program management, consulting, and fund development roles. Nessa holds a Master’s  of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs; a Master’s of International Security from Sciences Po's Paris School of International Affairs; and an Honors B.A. in Peace, Conflict, and Justice from the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs.

Ana-Maria Colina, Senior Policy Associate, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
Ana-Maria Colina is a Senior Policy Associate at J-PAL Global, where she works on the Crime, Violence, and Conflict sector. In this role, she writes policy publications, manages the Crime and Violence Initiative, and helps develop new research partnerships. Prior to joining J-PAL, Ana-Maria worked as a research assistant for the Development Data Lab and Center for International Development and Conflict Management. She also volunteered for a women's advocacy group in Guayaquil, Ecuador, supporting community outreach programs and as a youth tutor for the immigrant and refugee population in Columbus, Ohio. Ana-Maria holds a Master’s degree in International Economics and Finance from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She also graduated from the Ohio State University with Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Development.

From Invisible to Indispensable: Youth in Conflict Reporting

Marc Sommers, Independent Consultant
Mark Sommers uses trust-based techniques to appreciate opposing perspectives and cultivate inclusion. His career has blended peacebuilding and diplomacy with field research and training. Marc has served as a Senior Advisor at the Department of State and the Department of Defense, and in positions supporting USAID. He’s a former Associate Research Professor at The Fletcher School and was a member of the UN Advisory Group of Experts for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace, and Security. Marc has been a Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, the Wilson Center and the Bellagio Center. He has consulted for the World Bank, OSCE, six policy institutes, five UN agencies, and over 20 NGOs. Marc is the author of 10 books about youth and emergency education challenges. His latest book is We the Young Fighters: Pop Culture, Terror and War in Sierra Leone (2023). He is the lead author of the study  Lost Opportunity: Education for out-of-school youth in emergency and protracted crisis settings (2024).

Sierra Ballard, Senior Program Associate, The Carter Center
Sierra Ballard specializes in operational management and strategic planning for The Carter Center’s Sudan team, overseeing the development of a network of Sudanese youth who report on conflicts and support peacebuilding efforts within Sudan. Before joining The Carter Center, Sierra was a Research Assistant with CSIS's Humanitarian Agenda program, specializing in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, international human rights law, and humanitarian protection. She also supported CSIS's Project on Fragility and Mobility and managed USAID contracts aimed at social change in Tunisia. She completed a traineeship for GLOBSEC Brussels and was a representative on the NextGen Climate advocacy group. Sierra holds a Master of Science in International Relations and Diplomacy from Leiden University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Iowa State University.

Social Movements: Key to Global Peace

Ivan Marovic, President, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Ivan Marovic serves as the Executive Director of the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict. Ivan Marovic was one of the leaders of Otpor, the student resistance movement that played an important role in the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia. After the successful democratic transition in Serbia, Ivan began consulting with various pro-democracy groups worldwide and became one of the leading practitioners in the field of strategic nonviolent conflict. He is the author of The Path of Most Resistance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Nonviolent Campaigns (ICNC Press 2018), which is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan.

Roselie Vasquez-Yetter, Co-Executive Director of PartnersGlobal; Author of the ResiliencyPlus Framework (R+)
Roselie Vasquez-Yetter is the Co-Executive Director at PartnersGlobal. Rosalie is a 25-year veteran of international development having worked extensively in highly restricted countries including Russia, Turkmenistan, Burundi, and Saudi Arabia. Recently, she designed and oversaw PartnersGlobal’s worldwide USAID-funded civil society strengthening initiatives INSPIRES and the Presidential Initiative Powered by the People. She co-authored the Resiliency Plus (R+) Framework that addresses civil society resiliency in closing civic space which combines her expertise in organizational development, strategic communications, peacebuilding, and conflict transformation.                                                                                                          

Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen, Ambassador of Denmark to the United States
Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen is the Ambassador of Denmark to the United States at the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington, DC. Before assuming his current post, Ambassador Møller Sørensen served as the State Secretary for Foreign Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (2019-2023). Prior to this, he was the Political Director in the Foreign Ministry (2015-2019). Previously, Ambassador Møller Sørensen served as Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan (2013-2015), and the Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan (2010-2011). In 2019, he also briefly served in the EU’s European External Action Service (EEAS). He holds a Master of Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and a Bachelor’s from Aarhus University. He is a First Class Knight of the Order of Dannebrog.

Roselyn Akombe, Chief of Peacebuilding Strategy and Partnerships,  United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
Roselyn Akombe is the Chief of Peacebuilding Strategy and Partnerships at the United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Dr. Akombe has over 20 years of leadership experience at the national, regional, and international level. Previously, she served as the Regional Governance and Peacebuilding Coordinator for Africa at UNDP. She also worked as a Deputy Director in the Policy and Mediation Division, UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Her academic background, technical expertise, career path and interests cover a wide spectrum of conflict prevention, governance, peacebuilding and economic issues. She served in her native Kenya as a Commissioner with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, as an Economist with the African Union, and as a Senior Electoral Officer at the United Nations Election Observation Mission in Burundi. She started her career in Kenya working with civil society on gender and democratic governance. She holds a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Global Affairs (Political Economy) from Rutgers University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Nairobi.

Toe Aung, Founding Chairperson, Ah Nyar Institute
Toe Aung is a Human Rights Analyst and Founding Chairman of Ah Nyar Institute. Toe has been deeply engaged in Burma's civil society sector for the past 10 years. He is committed to the belief that liberty and human rights are the cornerstone of a peaceful and prosperous society. He graduated from the University of Essex with a major in human rights and transitional justice.

Vision Forward, Plan Backward: What Can We Do Now to Make Environmental Peacebuilding Future Ready?

Charles Christian, Peace and Conflict Senior Advisor, Mercy Corps
Charles Christian is a Peace and Conflict Senior Advisor with Mercy Corps’ global Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) Unit, with a special focus on the nexus of conflict and climate change and natural resources. Mr. Christian has over 10 years of peacebuilding experience supporting program strategy, design, and implementation. He holds a M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University and B.A. in History from Trinity University.

Ruth Rhoads Allen, President and Chief Collaboration Officer, CDA Collaborative Learning Projects
Ruth Rhoads Allen is the President/Chief Collaboration Officer of CDA Collaborative Learning. Ruth joined CDA in 2019 and works closely with the global team of scholar-practitioners to build the evidence, practical guidance, and standards for effective and accountability of humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding action. Since 2022, Ruth has supported CDA’s newest flagship collaborative learning project focused on the nexus of environment, fragility, and peace—integrated themes throughout her 20+ year career. Prior to CDA, Ruth worked with UN agencies, private funds, and INGOs, including 10 years with Mercy Corps, where she was Director of Governance and Partnerships and had postings in Ethiopia and Tunisia. Ruth began her career in South Africa as an International Observer for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ruth earned her M.Sc. from Clark University’s Sustainability and Social Justice program, where she has been a Department Instructor.

Daniel Abrahams, Ph.D., Senior Climate Security Advisor, Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, USAID
Dr. Daniel Abrahams is the Senior Climate Security Advisor in USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization. Daniel provides technical guidance for programmatic interventions that address the joint challenges of climate and environmental shocks, conflict, and human security. He also serves as the primary liaison for USAID’s climate security policy efforts. He is presently detailed to the Administrator’s Office of Policy, where he is leading strategic climate policy priorities, including advancing climate finance in fragile and conflict-affected contexts and developing an Agency-wide climate security plan. Prior to joining USAID, he held academic appointments at Colby College and Lehigh University and has published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including World Development, Climate & Development, and Conflict, Security & Development, as well as non-academic outlets such as The New Security Beat.  Daniel holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University and Ph.D. in Geography from the University of South Carolina.

Peace in Our Cities: Addressing Urban Violence to Strengthen Social Cohesion

Daniela Reina, Mayor’s Advisor and Deputy Director of International Relations, Santiago de Cali Mayor's Office
Daniela Reina is an advisor to the Mayor of Cali, Colombia, Deputy Director for the Office on International Relations, and a professor of international cooperation and subnational diplomacy. Previously, she was the International Cooperation Commissioner for the city of Palmira. Daniela’s experience includes the formulation, execution, and monitoring of international cooperation investment projects and violence reduction in Cali and Palmira. She is also a researcher and analyst of the end of the Colombian armed conflict and of the peacebuilding process in rural and urban areas.

Jan Fox, Executive Director, REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities
Jan Fox is the Executive Director of REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities. REACH is a standalone not-for-profit Center of Responsibility with the goal of making Edmonton a safer community within one generation. Before that, Jan was a Senior Executive with the Correctional Service of Canada. Jan has extensive training experience nationally and internationally and is currently a consultant with the Robcan Group, where she regularly provides leadership training. Jan graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Arts (honors), has pursued classes in Human Justice, and completed the Queen's University Executive Leadership program.

Rachel Locke, Director of the Violence, Inequality and Power (VIP) Lab at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, University of San Diego
Rachel Locke is Director of the Violence, Inequality, and Power (VIP) Lab at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ), University of San Diego. Before joining IPJ, Rachel was Head of Research for violence prevention with the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies at New York University's Center on International Cooperation, where she led coalition building and evidence curation with the UN, bilateral governments, the African Union, civil society, and others to help deliver the 2030 Agenda targets for peaceful societies (SDG 16.1). Earlier in her career, Rachel served as Senior Policy Advisor with USAID, developing and representing agency-wide policy on issues concerning conflict, violence, and fragility. After leaving USAID, Rachel launched a new area of work for the National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, bridging effective peace-violence reduction approaches from the U.S. to municipalities globally. She holds a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University, Graduate School of International and Public Affairs.

Ctrl+Alt+Empower: Unleashing Digital Champions Against Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

Christine Sumog-oy, Regional Project Manager, Search for Common Ground
Christine Sumog-oy is a Regional Project Manager at Search for Common Ground in Asia. She manages a regional project in South and Central Asia, particularly in Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, that aims to advance women-led and multisectoral prevention, protection, and response to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) to foster safe, meaningful online engagement and participation of all, especially women and girls. She collaborates with digital community stewards and civil society organizations across South and Central Asian countries to implement women-led and locally-led initiatives that respond to TFGBV. Christine’s practitioner experience runs 15 years, and is informed by locally-informed approaches on peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian work across several communities in Asia, Africa, and the U.S. She earned her Master’s in International Peace Studies from the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

Myrzagul Baialieva, Thematic Lead on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, Search for Common Ground Kyrgyzstan
Myrzagul Baialieva is the Thematic Lead on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at Search for Common Ground Kyrgyzstan. In this role, she spearheads a wide range of projects focused on enhancing women's leadership, addressing and challenging harmful gender norms, and combating TFGBV. Myrzagul manages initiatives aimed at the reintegration and rehabilitation of women returning from conflict zones in Iraq and Syria, helping them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. In addition to these efforts, Myrzagul leads projects dedicated to the capacity-building of women and girls, equipping them with the skills and resources necessary to thrive. She also oversees the distribution and management of mini-grants, providing crucial support to grassroots initiatives that empower women and advance gender equality. She holds a Master’s in Economics from Ankara University, Turkey.

Caroline Hubbard, Senior Gender Advisor and Gender Team Lead, Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, USAID
Caroline Hubbard is the Senior Gender Advisor and Gender Team lead for the USAID Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance. Caroline is a seasoned trainer and expert in women’s political empowerment and gender inclusive democracy. Before joining USAID, she served as the Senior Gender Advisor and Deputy Director for Gender, Women, and Democracy at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). While at NDI, Caroline helped the organization to develop innovative strategies and tools needed for building inclusive democratic societies. This includes the the #NotTheCost initiative and suite of tools to combat violence against women in politics, the Men Power and Politics approach for working with men to promote gender equality in politics, and NDI’s gendered disinformation framework. She holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and French Language from the University of Texas at Austin. She received her Master’s in Public Policy and Women's Studies from George Washington University.

Negar Ashtari Abay, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, Women, Peace and Security, USIP
Negar Ashtari Abay is a senior program officer for USIP’s Women, Peace & Security team. In this role, she conducts research, develops tools, and facilitates trainings on gender inclusion in peacebuilding. She also serves as a project design specialist, providing technical assistance to programs across the Institute on integrating gender analysis in project design, monitoring, and evaluation. Dr. Abay’s previous experience includes working for the U.S. Baha’i Office of Public Affairs, where she served as the representative for gender equality and the economic justice discourse officer. Dr. Abay has also worked on girls’ education with the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, on the role of religion and science in advancing gender equality with the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, on women’s rights, public health and preventing violent extremism with the Nigerian development Policy Research Center, and on U.S. gender-based immigration policy and legal services for immigrant women at the Tahirih Justice Center. 

No Justice, No Peace: Steps to Integration of Rule of Law and Conflict Prevention Programming

Sahar Tabaja, Advisor, Peace, Stability, and Transition, Chemonics International
Sahar Tabaja serves as an Advisor for Peace, Stability, and Transition with Chemonics International. Sahar is a governance and conflict specialist and development practitioner with 19 years of experience designing and managing innovative stabilization, governance, peacebuilding, and conflict transformation programs, primarily in the Middle East. Her work has focused on exploring how youth, women, civil society, and local actors can positively change governance practices and enable non-violent mechanisms to alter conflict systems in their communities. She believes in a locally-owned and led, systems approach to understanding conflict and designing transformative interventions. As an experienced facilitator, she undertook several advanced training of trainers, including CDA’s Master Training on systems conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity, and designing effective peacebuilding programming.

Shelley Inglis, Senior Policy Advisor, USAID
Shelley Inglis is a lawyer and human rights expert who recently joined USAID as a Senior Policy Advisor, having served as Executive Director of the Human Rights Center at the University of Dayton and research professor of human rights and law. Prior to this, Shelley held various management positions working on peacebuilding, democratic governance, anti-corruption, gender equality, transitional justice, rule of law and human rights, and the relevant parts of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda for the United Nations Development Program at the UN headquarters in New York and regionally in Istanbul, Turkey. She also held several other positions with the UN, including in the Rule of Law Unit in the Office of the Secretary-General working on systemwide policy coordination and coherence in the field of rule of law and transitional justice, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, and the UN Development Fund for Women. Prior to joining the UN, Shelley worked extensively in the Eastern European region, in particular with Save the Children U.S. in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amnesty International Secretariat, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Kosovo. She also has practiced public interest family and criminal law in the United States and served as an adjunct professor at Barnard College. She holds a B.A. from Cornell University and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia School of Law where she was a Kent Scholar.

Cecilia Barraza, Deputy Chief of Party, USAID/Colombia Inclusive Justice Activity, implemented by Chemonics International
Cecilia Barraza is the Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID/Colombia Inclusive Justice Program, having previously served as the Deputy Chief of Party on the preceding USAID/Colombia Justice for Sustainable Peace program. She has extensive experience managing non-governmental organizations, cooperation programs and government institutions, as well as designing and implementing public policies at the local and national level to overcome inequality and discrimination impacting women and the LGBTIQ population. In addition to more than 20 years of experience leading professional and technical teams, Cecilia is also a professor and researcher on human rights and gender issues.

Gaming Out Peace: Can You Design Your Own Peacebuilding Portfolio in Post-Conflict Contexts?

Gary Milante, Ph.D., Independent Peace Researcher
Dr. Gary Milante has focused on the intersection of security and socio-economic development throughout his career as an economist and policy advisor. He is an independent peace researcher and consultant with a focus on the measurement and verification of peace, conflict, and fragility on international financing levels and mechanisms, as well as on scenario analysis and the game theory of conflict. Dr. Milante worked with the World Bank for more than a decade in the Development Economics Research Group, the Fragile States Group, and as lead economist on the World Development Report 2011: Conflict, Security and Development. He was the Director for Peace and Development for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and has worked as a consultant and advisor to Interpeace, the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, NATO, and governments of developing countries. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Irvine and currently resides in San Francisco, California.

Joe Hewitt, Senior Advisor, Office of Foreign Assistance, U.S. Department of State
Joe Hewitt is a Senior Advisor in the Office of Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Department of State Before joining the State Department, Dr. Joe Hewitt was the Vice President for Policy, Learning, and Strategy at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He led USIP's efforts to capture learning from the Institute's program activities and apply it to improve future programming and strengthen policy recommendations. He brings more than 25 years of experience working to apply rigorous analyses of conflict dynamics to strengthen tools for conflict assessment, improve the design of peacebuilding programs, and refine systems for program monitoring and evaluation. Previously, he was a Senior Conflict and Peacebuilding Advisor at USAID. Before joining USAID, Dr. Hewitt was the Associate Director of the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Dr. Hewitt was a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri. Dr. Hewitt’s publications have appeared in the Daedalus (Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences), Journal of Conflict Resolution, the Journal of Peace Research, and International Interactions. During his academic career, he also co-authored four books. Dr. Hewitt received his doctorate in government and politics from the University of Maryland and his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.

Cultivating Belonging and Restoring Dignity Through Building Trust in U.S. Universities During the Protests of 2023-2024

Annie Rappeport, Ph.D., Lecturer, Researcher, and Dialogue Facilitator, University of Virginia
Dr. Annie Rappeport holds a doctorate in International Education Policy with a specialization in International Peace and Environmental Studies. She conducted in-depth research related to education-centered reparations being developed jointly through transitional justice and civil society actors in Cambodia. She has published work related to peacebuilding in Israel and Palestine, as well as peacebuilding in the U.S. She is currently a researcher for the Alliance for Peacebuilding, supporting work related to centering local peacebuilders in implementation of the Global Fragility Act. Annie’s 2023-2024 post-doctoral research appointment with  the University of Maryland centered around understanding and shifting the culture of the University towards an ecosystem of conflict resolution, belonging, and holistic well-being. Additionally, she is involved in two research and teaching fellowships: Is the Good Life Political? Research Project Fellowship at the University of Virginia Karsh Institute of Democracy. She is also a 2024 alum of the Charles E. Scheidt Faculty Fellowship Program at Binghamton University's Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP).

Brian N. Williams, Ph.D., Professor of Public Policy, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, University of Virginia
Dr. Brian N. Williams is an Associate Professor of Public Policy in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. He is the author of Citizen Perspectives on Community Policing: A Case Study in Athens, GA, is the co-author of the book, Race, Policing, and Public Governance: On the Other Side of Now, recently published with Cambridge University Press’ Element Series, and has published in leading journals in public administration, public management, community psychology, education, and police studies. He also serves as the Founder and Director of the Public Engagement in Governance Looking, Listening, and Learning Laboratory (PEGLLLab). As a scholar committed to action research, he examines the interplay between race, policing, and public governance. His efforts are devoted to leveraging public engagement in reimagining and redesigning policies, practices, structures, and systems that improve police-community relations.

Patricia Shafer, Executive Director, NewGen Peacebuilders
Patricia Shafer is Executive Director of the international nonprofit organization NewGen Peacebuilders and the associated Youth & Peace in Action initiative. She also serves as Senior Fellow for Peace Education with the Alliance for Peacebuilding and Global Ambassador with the Institute for Economics & Peace. In these roles, Patricia’s focus is on leadership for the design and delivery of peace education, training and mentoring programs that integrate leadership development, project management, and conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding. As of 2023, participants in 12 U.S. states and 18 countries have participated and received certifications. Patricia is also one of 1,500+ Rotary Peace Fellows, and in 2022, she received the Melanie Greenberg Award for Excellence in U.S. Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. She holds a M.Sc. in Consulting and Coaching for Change – a joint-venture of Oxford University, UK, and HEC France; MBA, Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management; and MA in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

From Best to Standard Practice: Archetypes for Conflict Integration in Economic Development Programs 

Paul Turner, President and Executive Director, Fund for Peace
Paul Turner is the President and Executive Director of the Fund For Peace (FFP) Prior to joining the FFP, Paul was Chief of Party overseeing a USAID mechanism focusing on Governance and Stabilization in the Middle East and North Africa. Paul worked closely with FFP as the Technical Director of the USAID Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data (REWARD) project. Over his 25 year career across the national security paradigm, Paul has worked on more than 90 conflict affected countries and deployed to over 40 countries as a diplomat, activist, academic, researcher, and peacebuilder. While he served his country on every continent during his time at the U.S. Department of State, much of his career has focused on sub-Saharan Africa. He helped launch the National Defense University’s Center for Complex Operations, the interagency Civilian Response Corps, and the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s International Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism Capacity-Building Clearinghouse Mechanism. Paul is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the UNESCO-sponsored European University Centre for Peace Studies.

Diana Campos, Program Manager, CDA Collaborative Learning Projects
Diana Campos specializes in environmental peace, ecological conservation, community participation, conflict prevention, conflict transformation, and policy reform. Diana holds a Bachelor's in Biology from the National Agraria La Molina University in Peru and a Master’s in International Development Policy from Duke University. She is a Rotary Peace Fellow class XIV, passionate about social and environmental justice and equity. During the last eight years, she promoted citizen participation by creating environmental committees in areas impacted by extractive industries aiming to protect natural resources as part of their basic human rights in Peru and Colombia.

Michele Bradford, Chief of Party, Libya Economic Acceleration Program, Chemonics International
Michele Bradford is the Chief of Party, Libya Economic Acceleration Project (LEAP). Before assuming her current role, Michele was the Team Leader for the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund, a regional program in Africa focused on research and innovation ecosystem strengthening. Michele is a governance specialist with more than 20 years experience designing, managing, and adapting programming in conflict-affected contexts in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.  

David Udofia, Ph.D., Peacebuilding Program Manager, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND)
Dr. David Udofia is the Peacebuilding Program Manager with the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) Foundation. In addition to leading PIND, a Nigerian non-profit corporate social enterprise funded by Chevron, David lectures at the Center for Conflict and Gender Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Previously, he worked with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) as Security Sector Reform Officer in Sudan and South Sudan. He was appointed in 2021 as Knowledge Network Member of the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser Africa (UN-OSAA). He was 2010 Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Young African scholar.

Peace Starts Here: Reclaiming Our Narrative

Luis Alejandro Alvarado Bruzual, President, Fundación Váyalo; Co-Creator, Peace Starts Here
Luis Alvarado Bruzual is a Venezuelan peacebuilder who founded Fundación Váyalo, a youth-led organization that aims to address the crisis in his country. With the aim of building long-term peace and protecting human rights, Luis has worked tirelessly with local communities across Venezuela ever since. He is one of 10 co-creators behind the Peace Starts Here campaign, a global campaign for local peacebuilders by local peacebuilders. Through the campaign, Luis and the rest of the team advocate for a future where peacebuilding is locally-led and globally recognized, celebrated, and supported.

Regina Portilla de Rosenzweig, Policy and Partnerships Officer, Peace Direct
Regina Portilla de Rosenzweig serves as the Policy and Partnership Officer for Peace Direct’s U.S. Office, where she supports decolonization efforts and advocates for change in the U.S. and at the United Nations. She has experience in human rights, development, and peace issues, having worked at the Mexican Mission to the UN in New York City and the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. Notably, she contributed to the negotiation of over 15 UN resolutions during her tenure at the Mexican Mission. Regina also has a strong background in research and partnership building, demonstrated during her time at UNICEF and the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness. She holds an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.A. from Anahuac University in Mexico City.

Lessons from Ecuador: Shaping Social Cohesion as a Crime and Violence Reduction Strategy

Carolina Andrade, General Secretary of Security and Risk Reduction, Municipality of Quito
Carolina Andrade is the General Secretary of Security and Risk Reduction of the Municipality of Quito. She has over 12 years of leadership experience in public security and strategic intelligence. Previously, she served as a Regional Adviser to the UN on peace and security, climate action, women in leadership, and global governance. Carolina has conducted research in Africa and the Middle East and accompanied diplomatic negotiations in the Americas. Recently, she acted as a Regional Advisor for the Climate and Security Program of the Igarapé Institute in Brazil. As General Secretary of the Quito Municipality, she is committed to shaping Quito as safe, cohesive, and prosperous for all communities. She is actively involved with ongoing urban planning and public safety investments, designing solidarity opportunities, constructive sustainable development, and violence prevention activities. In November 2023, Carolina met with USAID Administrator Samantha Power to discuss the municipality’s priorities in citizen security. She holds a Master's in Political Science from the Panthéon-Sorbonne University.

Daniela Chacon, Founder and Executive Director, Fundación TANDEM
Daniela Chacon is the Founder and Executive Director of Fundación TANDEM, a leading civil society organization that facilitates dialogue and participation between citizens, civil society, the private sector, and local governments to collectively respond to citizens' needs. She is a leading advocate of open government and sustainable mobility legislation. Daniela is an expert in urban public policies, with a gender and participation lens. Formerly, she served as Quito City Councilor from 2014- 2019 and Vice Mayor of Quito from 2014 - 2016. As Vice Mayor, she established the sexual violence prevention program in Quito's public transportation system. She is also the Co-founder of “Women in Motion,” a Latin-American network to promote women’s leadership in sustainable mobility, and a Member of the Placemaking Leadership Council. She is both an accredited lawyer and holds an MPA from The George Washington University, which she attended on a Fulbright scholarship.

Natalia Almeida, Deputy Director, Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
As the Deputy Director of the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ecuador, Natalia Almeida supports member organizations in addressing citizen security across the country while fostering safer and more productive environments for entrepreneurs, companies, and society. Natalia leads the Public Private National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem with more than 350 actors, including entrepreneurs, government agencies, companies, and university representatives to promote growth, productivity, and development. With over 12 years of experience working in innovation and economic development, Natalia is an active member of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, the Americas Competitiveness Exchange Program of the Organization of American States, and the Platform for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Latin America. Natalia has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and a Diploma in Leadership and Governance from IDE Business School - Universidad de los Hemisferios.

Gabriella Reimer, Program Manager, Latin America and Caribbean, USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives
Gabriella Reimer is a Program Manager for USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI), based in Washington, DC. She provides support to OTI country teams to implement program strategy, conduct monitoring and evaluation, and oversee contract management. During her time with OTI, Ms. Reimer has provided DC and field support to OTI programs in Libya, Guatemala, and Ecuador. As a current member of OTI's Ecuador team, she serves as the critical link between program strategy and operations in the field and U.S. foreign policy decision-makers in Washington, DC. Before joining OTI, Gabriella worked for U.S. Government contractors and local organizations in the Middle East and North Africa, primarily on development projects focused on monitoring, evaluation, and learning. She holds a Master's in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Juan Pablo Castro, Chief of Party, USAID/OTI Ecuador PILARES Program
Juan Pablo is currently the Chief of Party of the USAID/OTI Ecuador PILARES program. He is a seasoned stabilization and political transition expert with more than 15 years of experience leading USAID projects in complex and fluid operating environments, including Haiti, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Burkina Faso, and Sudan. He has overseen the successful design and implementation of activity portfolios related to crisis response, countering and preventing violent extremism, youth engagement, local governance, community tension mitigation, and strategic communications. He is a proven leader with experience building and managing diverse and highly effective teams to deliver results despite adversity. Mr. Castro holds an MBA from the IE Business School and an MPP from Princeton University.

AI Innovations for Empowering Peacebuilders and Driving Ethical, Data-Driven Action 

Andrei Serbin Pont, Ph.D., President, CRIES
Dr. Andrei Serbin Pont is the President of CRIES (Regional Coordinator for Social and Economic Research) and CEO of InnovAcción Hub. He merges expertise in geopolitical intelligence, focusing on foreign policy, defense, security, and human rights. At CRIES and InnovAcción Hub, Andrei spearheads mechanical, technological, and methodological innovation, emphasizing AI technologies to enhance NGO effectiveness. By leveraging open-source intelligence and tech-driven social impact, his mission is to strengthen civil society across Latin America and the Caribbean for sustainable change through advanced technology. Andrei is the Regional Representative for Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict and a Senior Fellow at the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies. Andrei holds a Ph.D. in International Relations, an M.A. from the Santiago Dantas Program, and a B.A. from UNSAM.

Fermin Selva, Program Coordinator, CRIES
Fermin Selva is Program Coordinator at CRIES. He leads projects that combine innovation and strategic engagement to drive impactful change. He focuses on technical, technological, and methodological innovation, particularly open-source intelligence for strengthening civil society across Latin America and the Caribbean. He is a certified "Digital Sherlock," helping to combat online mis- and disinformation. His roles as CRIES Coordinator and Regional Liaison Officer for GPPAC involve coordinating 30 NGOs, and communications and business development in the region. Fermin also worked for nine years with the firm INFOMEDIA on advocacy, communications, and crisis management, which he now applies to his academic pursuits at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella MBA program. Fermin is committed to leveraging technology for social impact and collaboration with colleagues and funding partners to achieve a more equitable and innovative society.

Gloria Steele, Chairperson, DevelopMetrics
Gloria is currently the Chairperson of DevelopMetrics. She served for more than four decades in international development and humanitarian assistance at USAID and CARE USA. She was appointed by President Biden as acting USAID Administrator in 2021 pending the Senate confirmation of Samantha Power. She served as acting Assistant Administrator for the Asia Bureau for almost four years. Prior assignments include serving as Senior Deputy Administrator of the Europe and Eurasia Bureau and the Global Health Bureau. She spent five years as USAID´s Mission Director for the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and Mongolia. After her time with USAID, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at CARE USA. She is a two-time recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award and the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award given by the U.S. President. At the end of her USAID Philippines assignment, she was awarded the Order of Sikatuna, a Presidential award given to nationals of foreign states in recognition of their exceptional service to the Republic of the Philippines. She received a Master´s degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. Today, she is a consultant and sits on several international development boards.  

Greg Maly, Chief Technology Officer, Exchange.Design
Greg Maly is the Chief Technology Officer at Exchange.Design, where he drives AI integration and digital transformation to enhance business intelligence and stakeholder engagement. He specializes in leveraging data for social impact. Previously, he led digital product development and data science at DAI Global, conducted data-driven conflict analysis in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, designed mobile data tools for the University of Denver’s Global Health Affairs Program, and developed distance learning courses at the United States Institute of Peace’s Academy for Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. He holds an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Denver, and a B.A. in Policy, Ethics, and Conflict from St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Patrick Tobin, Technical Manager, Peacebuilding and Stabilization, Management Systems International, a Tetra Tech Company
Patrick Tobin is a seasoned international development professional with extensive experience working in complex operating environments. His background is in program management and technical support to projects around the globe, where he often incorporates Generative AI tools to find solutions and create efficiency. He has worked in multiple sectors, including peacebuilding, monitoring and evaluation, rule of law, governance, anti-corruption, institutional strengthening, civil society, economic growth, education, youth, and community development. He is currently MSI, a Tetra Tech company´s Technical Manager supporting the USAID Office of Transition Initiative (OTI) Colombia program. Patrick has experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central and Southeast Asia. He holds a B.A. in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois and an M.A. in International Relations from Webster University.

Brian Atkinson, Senior Technical Director, Democracy, Governance, and Conflict, Management Systems International, a Tetra Tech Company
Brian Atkinson is an experienced director and senior advisor for innovative peacebuilding and stabilization programs in complex contexts. He has served over the last 20 years in 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Africa. He currently works with MSI, a Tetra Tech company as Senior Technical Director for the Democracy, Governance, and Conflict Practice Area. Previously, Brian served for eight years as Chief of Party for three USAID OTI Colombia programs, providing over $100 million in flexible transitional support to government and conflict-affected communities to advance the 2016 Peace Accord implementation. He also worked with Mercy Corps for 10 years leading the LAC region portfolio of conflict transition, emergency response, and livelihoods programs. Brian holds an M.A. in International Development and Social Change from Clark University and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Davis.

Unlocking the Power of Diplomacy: Measuring Diplomatic Engagement for Effective Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Under the Global Fragility Act

Erin Lynch, Associate, Itad
Erin Lynch is an Associate at Itad Inc., holding a Master’s in Anthropology of Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex. At Itad, she supports new business initiatives and manages ongoing programs, including USAID's Nepal Learning for Development project. Her experience spans working with grassroots organizations in Washington, DC and South Africa, focusing on youth engagement, mental health, and violence reduction. Erin has been integral to the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) commissioned project, Measuring Diplomatic Engagement. Her responsibilities included reviewing literature, analyzing data, and supporting key informant interviews. She contributed to mapping measurement tools and approaches to the project’s Theory of Change, co-authoring a measurement guide for diplomatic engagement, and developing a measurement matrix aligned with relevant typologies. Erin also aided in facilitating learning sessions with key stakeholders, applying their feedback to refine measurement approaches for diplomatic engagement, showcasing her adeptness at merging research with practical applications in conflict and stabilization settings.

David Fleming, Partner, Itad
David Fleming leads Itad’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) focused on fragile and conflict-affected areas. With 15 years of experience, he assists governments and multilateral agencies in evidence-based decision-making for conflict and crisis management. His expertise includes designing, leading, and reviewing strategies and programs in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, preventing violent extremism, humanitarian aid, and refugee protection. He excels in developing MERL systems for complex programs, including theories of change, results frameworks, and value for money assessments. Currently, he manages Itad’s MERL work for the UK's Integrated Security Fund (ISF). He is the Team Leader for ISF Africa MERL Partner, supporting program teams across East and West Africa. He is also the Project Director for a Home Office contract, providing MERL support for the Global Serious and Organised Crime portfolio. Additionally, Fleming has directed multiple evaluations in the humanitarian sector, including the global response to COVID-19, engagements of UNHCR, and ICRC’s partnership strategies, plus a notable evaluation of UNICEF’s humanitarian response.

David Connolly, Ph.D., Director of Learning, Research, and Evaluation, United States Institute of Peace
Dr. David Connolly has led the Learning, Evaluation, and Research team at the United States Institute of Peace since 2018. He specializes in strengthening the role of evidence and learning in peacebuilding policy and practice and has worked closely with multilateral and bilateral agencies, international and local nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector. David is also a former Professor of Practice and Assistant Professor at universities in York and Belfast, UK. Alongside leading evaluations and studies in more than 15 conflict-affected states across South and Southeast Asia, East and West Africa, and the Middle East, David has (co)authored numerous commentaries and articles for professional and academic audiences.

Pamela Aall, Senior Advisor for Conflict Prevention and Management, United States Institute of Peace
Pamela Aall is the Senior Advisor for Conflict Prevention and Management and former Vice President for Education and Training at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). She serves as board chair of the Women in International Security (WIIS), board member of the Institute of World Affairs, and counselor on the World Refugee and Migration Council. In addition, she has taught at American University, George Washington University, and Seton Hall University. She has authored, co-authored and co-edited many articles and books in the field of mediation and conflict management. Her most recent book is Diplomacy and the Future of World Order (Georgetown University Press), co-edited with Chester Crocker and Fen Hampson.

Investing in the Next Generation of Peacebuilders in Coastal West Africa

Patricia Benamba, PEACE-WAY Fellow – Ghana
Patricia Benamba is a dedicated peacebuilder and emerging trauma healing specialist from Tatale, Northern Ghana. In her many roles, she blends her academic knowledge with practical experience to empower individuals and communities to navigate the emotional and psychological challenges that arise from conflict. She is currently leading the Grazing Corridors Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, which aims to resolve conflicts between farmers and herders in Ghana. By delineating and securing grazing corridors, the initiative aims to reduce clashes, promote sustainable agriculture, and foster peaceful coexistence. This project embodies Patricia's belief in proactive, preventive measures in conflict management, ensuring that peace is not just the absence of war, but a tangible reality characterized by harmony and mutual respect. Patricia currently serves as a Lay Counselor at the Tuccee Institute of Counseling and Technology.  

Yendoube Francois d'Assise DAME, PEACE-WAY Fellow – Togo
Yendoube Francois d'Assise DAME is a community leader and activist from Togo based in Dapaong, the capital of the Savanes region. His work focuses on community engagement, conflict prevention and positive conflict transformation throughout Togo. Yendoube leads the association "Action Citoyenne Scout en Faveur des Démunis," which focuses on humanitarian aid, environmental protection, gender-based violence prevention, education, and health. His major projects include development of a rapid alert and monitoring committee to counter violent extremism in northern Togo and facilitating a financial inclusion and social safety net project for vulnerable communities in the Savanes region. Yendoube goes beyond his organization to support the community by mobilizing over 5,000 books for local schools, donating medical supplies to health centers, starting an eco-village project with local children, and organizing remedial classes for students. He holds a degree in International and Community Law from the University of Kara.

Mamadounou Faya Janvier, PEACE-WAY Fellow – Guinea
Mamadouno Faya Janvier is a youth leader and activist from Guinea who is deeply committed to peacebuilding, social cohesion, and youth development. Mamadouno has been instrumental in several impactful community projects, including promoting civic and electoral education during Guinea's military transition, implementing an early warning and response system in Coyah, and leading a cultural cohesion for peace project in Conakry. He has also spearheaded campaigns against digital misinformation targeting youth, led a project empowering women farmers, and organized career orientation sessions for young people. He has used this role to launch initiatives such as a community platform for the people of Témessadou Djigbo, a mixed-gender soccer team for youth in Conakry, and a mentoring program to increase youth employability. He also led an awareness-raising campaign on social cohesion in two schools in Conakry and organized a civic education debate at the Barack Obama School of Health.  Mamadouno was named “Young Ambassador for Peace in 2022” by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

Alice Bokuma, Peacebuilding Expert, Early Warning Specialist, WANEP – Ghana
Alice Bokuma is a community development professional with over 15 years of experience in international development, specializing in human security, peacebuilding, and conflict management. She is currently a Peacebuilding Expert and Early Warning Analyst with WANEP-Ghana. Her work includes facilitating community workshops, simulation-based dialogues, and early warning and response training. She is also involved in youth empowerment programs aimed at improving and building relationships and resilience to violent conflict and extremism in border and conflict-affected communities. Her role also includes engaging stakeholders to advocate for policy changes that address the structural causes of conflict. Alice holds an MSc in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of Science and Technology, a BA in Social Behavior and Conflict Management from the University of Cape Coast, and a Diploma in Social Administration from the University of Ghana, Legon.   

Jeffsky Poincy, Program Manager, PartnersGlobal
Jeffsky Poincy is a Program Manager at Partners Global. In this role, he collaborates with local implementing partners and members of the Partners Network across the region on initiatives focused on accountable governance, civil society strengthening, and peacebuilding. He is currently coordinating the PEACE WAY project in partnership with WANEP chapters in Ghana, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Guinea. Jeffsky holds a Master of International Development Policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, with a concentration in Governance and Economic Development. He also earned a Master's in International Project Management and a Bachelor's in Economics and Management from the People’s Friendship University of Russia.

Ambassador Nic Hailey, Executive Director, International Alert
Nic Hailey CMG joined International Alert as Executive Director in September 2021. Prior to this role, he spent 24 years in the UK Diplomatic Service, most recently as a Director-General at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (responsible for the merger of the FCO and DFID); High Commissioner (i.e. UK Ambassador) to Kenya 2015-19; Africa Director 2013-15; and deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan 2012-13.  He previously served in UK embassies in Washington DC, Berlin and Paris as well as a range of roles in London. Nic was educated at a Steiner Waldorf school, Cambridge University and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (Paris).

Dr. Maleeka Glover, Executive Director, Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation
Dr. Maleeka Gloveris the Executive Director of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). For the past 20 years, Maleeka has worked across many areas of public health and emergency management. She is a Social Epidemiologist by training, and has held positions with CDC, WHO, and several academic institutions. She provides training on strategic leadership and works to develop and implement science-based approaches, program coordination, training, and global health security leadership. Dr. Glover is trained to examine how cultural, economic, and demographic factors, biopsychosocial interactions, societal influences, and various levels of social organization (ranging from small groups to complex cultural systems) influences public health and its delivery, as well as peace and security. Maleeka holds a Doctorate from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science from Clark Atlanta University.

Haim Malka, Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Group
Haim Malka, International Policy Expert, Senior Vice President, Metropolitan Group (MG). Prior to joining MG, Haim spent nearly 15 years developing bipartisan solutions to complex foreign policy issues as a researcher and analyst at leading Washington DC think tanks (Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Research Analyst, The Brookings Institution). Throughout his career, he immersed himself in the politics, culture, and economics of North Africa and the Middle East, connecting social and political trends abroad with similar trends in the United States. Before moving to Washington, DC, he spent five years in Jerusalem as a television news producer covering the Middle East. Wherever he’s been, Haim has explored overlooked trends, sought out marginalized communities, and used his storytelling and analytical skills to convey complex issues to diverse stakeholder audiences. Haim has a Master of Arts from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Robert Jenkins, Public Policy Fellow, Wilson Center
Robert Jenkins is a Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center. Rob served as USAID’s Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) from 2021-24. A career member of the Senior Executive Service, Rob was previously Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and the Director of USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Prior to joining USAID in 1998, Mr. Jenkins designed and implemented emergency relief and recovery programs with World Vision International in southern Sudan and Sierra Leone. As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, he worked under Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, South Africa, as a liaison between the Anglican Church’s peace and justice office and township communities. A native of California, Mr. Jenkins holds a B.A. in History and Government from Bowdoin College.

Abdul Tejan Cole, Executive Director, African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice
Abdul Tejan Cole, Executive Director, African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice
Abdul Tejan-Cole is a lawyer with over three decades of experience in law, governance, transitional justice and human rights. He is currently the Executive Director of the African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice. As a consultant, he played a key role in setting up the Peace Commission in Sierra Leone. He has worked on numerous international projects, including consultancies with UNDP in South Sudan and The Gambia, focusing on truth commissions and integrating customary practices into justice systems. His latest publication is titled “Thirty Years of the Sierra Leone Constitution: Reflections on its Past and Future.” 

Dr. Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology and Education, Columbia University; Director, Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution; Founding Executive Director, Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity
Dr. Peter T Coleman is a professor of psychology and education at Columbia University and a renowned expert on constructive conflict resolution, intractable conflict and sustaining peace. Dr. Coleman has authored or edited a dozen books, well over 100 scientific articles and chapters, is the recipient of various awards, and his work has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Haaretz, Nature, Scientific American, PBS Newshour, and Harvard Business Review. His most recent book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization (2021) was released by Columbia University Press.

 
Dr. Larry S. Liebovitch, Professor of Physics and Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York; Adjunct Senior Research Scientists, Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity
Dr. Larry S. Liebovitch is formerly Professor of Physics and Psychology at Queens College of the City University of New York, and serves as Senior Associate Research Scholar for AC4. Dr. Liebovitch earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the City College of New York and a doctorate in astronomy from Harvard University. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York and an Assistant Professor at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. At Florida Atlantic University he served as the interim director of the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences and as the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Studies in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. He has used nonlinear methods to analyze and understand molecular, cellular, psychological, and social systems. He is the author or coauthor of four books including: Fractals and Chaos: Simplified for the Life Sciences by Larry S. Liebovitch (Oxford University Press, 1998) and Fractal Analysis in the Social Sciences, Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences, Volume 165, by Clifford T. Brown and Larry S. Liebovitch (SAGE Publications, 2010).

Grassroots Emergency Responders’ Role in Building Peace: Stories from the Front Lines

Elisabeth “Beezie” Dallas, Vice President of DT Global’s Conflict Prevention, Stabilization & Transition Practice
Elisabeth Dallas leads the design and implementation of conflict mitigation, peacebuilding, and stabilization programs at DT Global. Prior to joining DT Global, Elisabeth directed Chemonics International's Peace, Stability, and Transition Practice. Previously, Elisabeth served as a Senior Conflict and Peacebuilding Advisor in USAID’s Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation (now the Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention) providing technical support to USAID Missions, conducting conflict assessments, designing programs, and training USAID employees on conflict sensitivity. Earlier in her career with the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), she advised clients during peace negotiations, drafted post-conflict constitutions, and supported transitional justice efforts. She served as Senior Program Director for PILPG's Kenya, Nepal, Somaliland, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Uganda programs and was Chief of Party for the Sri Lanka program.

Raed Saleh, Head, Syrian Civil Defence
Raed Saleh is the Head of the Syrian Civil Defence. The Syrian Civil Defence is a volunteer organization created in 2013. In parts of Syria where public services no longer function, these humanitarian volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need—regardless of their religion or politics. Made up of former bakers, tailors, engineers, pharmacists, painters, carpenters, students, and many more professions, the White Helmets are volunteers from all walks of life. White Helmets rescue workers operate in one of the most dangerous places on earth and have saved more than 100,000 lives in the past five years.

Maysoon Abdullah Abdallmuttalib, Founder, Sudan Bahri Youth Initiative and Emergency Response Room
Maysoon Abdullah Abdallmuttalib founded the COVID-19 Community Assistance Initiative and Bahri Youth Initiative in Sudan. She is also the founder of Bahri and Khartoum State Emergency Response Rooms. Ms. Abdallmuttalib contributed extensively to youth development programs and democratic work, serving as a project manager at the Sudan Civil Lab and as a member of the Africa and Middle East Institute for Young Leaders. Her leadership skills led to her nomination as the Best Female Youth Leader in Africa in 2023. She leads projects to enhance the capacity of emergency teams and frontline workers during times of war throughout Sudan. She also serves as training coordinator for the Khartoum State Emergency Response Room and is actively involved as a research consultant on societal change and the effectiveness of humanitarian work in Sudan.

Dina Urich Shterenshis, Co-Head of the Direct Aid Department and Board Member at Helping to Leave.
Dina Urich Shterenshis serves as Co-Head of the Direct Aid Department and Board Member at Helping Hands to Leave. Helping to Leave is a Ukrainian organization focused on the evacuation of civilians to safety from the frontline areas, Ukrainian territories under temporary Russian occupation, and Russian regions to which Ukrainian citizens have been forcibly deported. Helping to Leave also provides long-term support to the evacuees after their return to the Ukrainian-controlled territories and helps with reintegration. Prior to taking up her current position, Dina was a volunteer in the Department of Aid to the Residents of the Temporarily Occupied Territories at Helping to Leave, working extensively on building the logistics and protocols of coordination for the evacuation of civilians. Helping to Leave operates remotely in areas under Russian control, adapting to the specifics of Russian occupation, where any activism or charity that is not affiliated with the occupational authorities is heavily prosecuted.

Mediating Self-Determination Conflicts: Ongoing Needs and Lessons Learned

John Packer, Director, Human Rights Research and Education Centre and Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa (Canada); Special Advisor to the Conciliation Resources-Sasakawa Peace Foundation partnership on Mediating Self-determination Conflicts
John Packer serves as the Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Center and Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution, Faculty of Law, at the University of Ottawa. He is also the Special Advisor to the Conciliation Resources-Sasakawa Peace Foundation partnership on Mediating Self-Determination Conflicts. John has taught at the Fletcher School at Tufts University (US) and the University of Essex (UK), held Fellowships at Cambridge and Harvard Universities, and has lectured at academic and professional institutions around the world. In 2012-2014, he was the Constitutions Expert on the UN’s Standby Team of Mediation Experts. Over his 30-year career, he has been an inter-governmental official for 20 years (UNHCR, ILO, OHCHR, UNDPA, OSCE) and has advised numerous governments, communities, and other actors in over fifty countries. From 1995 to 2004, he was Senior Legal Adviser and then the first Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in The Hague working across Central and Eastern Europe and throughout the former Soviet Union. From 1987-1995, John worked for the ILO, UNHCR and then the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, mainly investigating serious violations of human rights in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Burma/Myanmar.

Sally Holt, Head of Accord, Conciliation Resources
Sally Holt is Head of Accord at Conciliation Resources where she oversees research projects and publications including the Accord series. Prior to joining Conciliation Resources in 2019, she was Deputy Director at the Democratic Progress Institute, an NGO working on conflict resolution and democratization in Turkey. She has worked for over 20 years at the intersection of conflict, development and human rights with a particular focus on minority rights, as a staff member and consultant for policy-oriented research centers, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations (UN, OSCE and EU). She has been a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict, University of East London, a Research Fellow in Peace Studies at Bradford University, an Adviser to the Initiative on Quiet Diplomacy, and Legal Officer at the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. She holds a Master’s in Understanding and Securing Human Rights from the University of London.

Akiko Horiba, Ph.D., Program Director, Asia Peace Initiative Department, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Dr. Akiko Horiba’s work focuses on Southern Thailand, women’s political participation in Asia and strengthening civil society networks in Southeast Asia. Previously, Akiko worked as a policy secretary in the Japanese House of Representatives. She received a Ph.D. in Area Studies (Indonesia, Conflict Analysis) from Sophia University, Japan, and a Masters of Theological Studies at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Massachusetts, U.S.

Tahir Aziz, Senior Advisor, South Asia, Conciliation Resources
Tahir leads on Conciliation Resources' work in South Asia. The program works to facilitate greater participation of communities on both sides of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir (administered by India and Pakistan respectively) in peace processes. Tahir supports collaborative initiatives around trade, tourism, disaster management, and economic development. These contribute to building confidence and relationships across divides. They put special focus on creating space for the inclusion of those who are marginalized such as women, displaced people, ex-combatants and youth. Previously, Tahir worked for five years as a Senior Associate with the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, where he was closely involved in conflict transformation activities in Kashmir. He was also previously the Director of the Human Rights Commission of the Government of Pakistan–administered Kashmir and a Visiting Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Tahir holds two Masters degrees—one in Anthropology awarded by the Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan and the second in International Peace and Conflict Studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. In 2018 Tahir undertook a 21st-century executive leadership program at Harvard University.

Schools: Unlikely Civic Spaces for Fostering Social Cohesion and Community Development

Mehreen Farooq, Governance Technical Expert at Counterpart International
Mehreen Farooq supports governance strengthening efforts in fragile and conflict-affected environments. She is a violence prevention specialist with over 15 years of expertise in countering violent extremism, community-based resiliency models, and strengthening women’s roles in peace and security, Additionally, she is an adjunct professor at George Washington University and Georgetown University.

Theresa Becchi, Associate Director of Resilient Food Systems, Counterpart International
Theresa Becchj brings 14 years’ experience in community mobilization, demand and supply-side governance, food security, market systems, education, health, and nutrition. She supports the implementation of U.S. Department of Agriculture McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition school meals programs in Mauritania, Senegal, and Mozambique. She is a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Timor Leste, where she worked with agriculture and women’s prison groups on community economic development and income generating activities. Prior to shifting to international work, she supported U.S. domestic child welfare systems reform at the Center for the Study of Social Policy and is a former political campaign operative, having worked on successful presidential and gubernatorial campaigns in the United States.

Desire Yameogo, Chief of Party (COP) for Counterpart International in Mauritania
Desire Yameogo manages the McGovern-Dole Food for Education project. Mr. Yameogo provides overall management, including technical leadership and financial oversight, and manages a staff of 60 dedicated staff, drawing from more than 25 years of experience managing USDA, USAID, MCC, and World Bank projects in West and Central Africa.

Casimiro Manuel Sande Antonio, Chief of Party, Counterpart International, U.S. Department of Agriculture, McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Project - Mozambique
Casimiro Antonio brings 15 years of international development and humanitarian experience, encompassing areas such as food security, WASH, emergency preparedness and response, sustainable market development, and entrepreneurship. His expertise lies in strengthening community climate resilience, urban planning, and governance of natural resources. He is known for his human-centered approach to design, emphasizing community mobilization and empowering women and youth.

Kathryn Lane, Chief of Party, Counterpart International, U.S. Department of Agriculture McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Project – Senegal
Kathryn Lane applies her more than 25 years of experience to ensuring that children, their families and communities are served while aiming to meet and surpass donor expectations. Kathryn is a former Peace Corps volunteer (in the Central African Republic) and has lived in Senegal for over 10 years, where she worked with USAID and local and international NGOs. She has designed, implemented, managed, and evaluated a variety of projects in the education, governance, livelihoods, and civil society sectors.

Bridging the Divide: Social Cohesion and Trust-Building in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Borderlands

Ahmed Musa, Ph.D., Independent Researcher
Dr. Ahmed Musa is an independent researcher with over a decade of extensive experience researching weak statehood and complex crises experience in the Horn of Africa, as well as serving as a development and humanitarian practitioner. He has also conducted research on community humanitarianism in protracted crises, focusing on how affected communities help each other and build social cohesion and trust. Over the years, Ahmed has been engaged in research on trade and humanitarianism in contexts of weak or absent states. He has conducted numerous academic and research consultancies on cross-border economic activities where trade continues despite inharmonious political relationships, facilitated instead by social trust and relationships. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi.

Tasnia Khandaker Prova, Climate Research Lead, Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University
Tasnia Khandaker Prova is the Climate Research at BRAC University’s Centre for Peace and Justice. As a commonwealth scholar, Tasia studied humanitarian crises and ecological justice in conflict situations. Her research interests and writings have revolved around ecocentrism, forced displacement, and advocating for the rights of the “other.” As part of the XCEPT program facilitated by the Asia Foundation, Tasnia is exploring Bangladesh borderlands and migration trends.

Daniel Tucker, Project Manager, West Africa, Conciliation Resources
Daniel Tucker is a Project Manager for West Africa, Conciliation Resources. For the past five years, Dan has led on the delivery of a portfolio of participatory research and peacebuilding projects in West Africa, with a particular focus upon pastoralist-farmer violence in Nigeria, the Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria, and the spread of violence by proscribed armed groups from the Sahel to the Burkina Faso-Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana tri-border region. Prior to joining Conciliation Resources, he was based in Saudi Arabia for a foreign affairs think tank and was responsible for conflict and political risk analysis within the MENA region. He holds a Master’s degree in Security Studies from University College London and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Oxford.

Hannah Stogdon, Horn of Africa Program Manager, Rift Valley Institute
Hannah Stogdon is the Horn of Africa Program Manager at the Rift Valley Institute. Hannah lived and worked in East Africa for seven years working for International Crisis Group and Saferworld in Nairobi, and in political affairs for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan. She has an M.A. in Contemporary War and Peace Studies from Sussex University.

Promoting Social Cohesion and Trust Through Youth-Based Peacebuilding Programs

Liora Morhayim, PhD Candidate, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Liora Morhayim is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Psychology of Peace and Violence program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She received her B.A. in Psychology and International Relations from Brown University in 2019 and her M.A. in Conflict Mediation from the University of Barcelona in 2020. Liora is broadly interested in investigating the behavioral underpinnings of social-political conflicts and finding interventions informed by social psychology to improve group relations. She is conducting both experimental and applied research on intergroup contact. She is interested in the social categorization process and perception of multiple social identities during intergroup contact. She has received grants from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues and Peace division of the American Psychological Association to conduct her research. She is the co-author of the toolkit Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Impact of Social Mixing Programs, published by the International Organization for Migration.

Brooke Burrows, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, Appalachian State University
Dr. Brooke Burrows is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University. Her research specializes in social change processes such as collective action, conflict resolution interventions, and transformative politics. In 2020, Brooke was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship for examining how public recounting of suffering can lead to processes of meaning-making and empowerment with downstream consequences for conflict outcomes. Over the last decade, Brooke has developed curriculum related to social identity and justice and collaborated extensively with international and domestic NGO and governmental partners using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods. She has also conducted monitoring and evaluation for a diverse range of organizations, such as More in Common NGO, the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding, Columbia University’s Center for Justice, and Peace Corps Armenia. Fundamentally, Brooke is invested in the application of community-based research to better understand and concretely address social and political challenges.

Danielle Blaylock, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr. Danielle Blaylock is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at Queen's University Belfast. Her research focuses on intergroup relations, intergroup conflict, and social change in divided societies, with grounding from social psychological theories of social identity and intergroup contact. As an applied researcher, she uses these theoretical constructs to examine intergroup dynamics within "real-world" contexts, including school-based initiatives to bridge divisions in Northern Ireland and shared education projects in the Former Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo. In Northern Ireland (NI), she also studies the impact of shared education initiatives on the parents of young people involved, evaluates strategies to ease tensions between young people and the NI police force, and examines how parades and commemorations shape experiences of shared identity.

Linda R. Tropp, Ph.D., Professor of Social Psychology and Faculty Associate in Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Linda R. Tropp is Professor of Social Psychology and Faculty Associate in Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her areas of expertise include how members of different groups experience contact with each other and how group differences in status affect cross-group relations. Her work seeks to foster the dual goals of promoting peaceful relations between groups while achieving ever-greater levels of societal equality and justice. She has worked with national organizations on initiatives to promote racial integration, inclusion, and belonging and with nongovernmental organizations around the globe to evaluate interventions designed to bridge group differences in divided societies. She is co-author of When Groups Meet: The Dynamics of Intergroup Contact (2011) and editor of several books, including Moving Beyond Prejudice Reduction: Pathways to Positive Intergroup Relations (2011), the Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict (2012), and Making Research Matter: A Psychologist’s Guide to Public Engagement (2018).

Peacebuilding in a Multipolar World: Peacebuilders’ Perspectives from Yemen, Syria, and Sudan

Maha Tambal, Senior Program Manager for Sudan, DT Institute
Maha Tambal serves as the Senior Project Manager for Sudan at DT Institute, leveraging over nine years of dedicated experience in peacebuilding and human rights advocacy. Her extensive work in Sudan focuses on supporting the political transition and fostering social cohesion in a conflict-affected region. Maha's efforts in Sudan encompass a wide range of initiatives, from enhancing women's economic empowerment to promoting youth participation in governance. She has designed and managed programs that address justice, rule of law, and political transition, working with local and international organizations such as the National Democratic Institute and RedR UK. Her work has been instrumental in developing peacebuilding strategies and conducting comprehensive needs assessments for civil society organizations. Maha has actively participated in global forums, sharing her insights on Sudan's political processes and the challenges faced by civil society. Her publications and panel discussions reflect her commitment to advocating for peace and human rights in Sudan, making her a vital voice in the ongoing efforts to achieve stability and democracy in the region​

Patricia Karam., Senior Policy Advisor, Freedom House
Patricia Karam is the Senior Policy Advisor at Freedom House, where she leads the development and implementation of advocacy strategies to promote democracy and human rights in Iran. With a distinguished career in international advocacy, Patricia has made significant contributions to governance, civil society, and political development across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Previously, Patricia served as the MENA Director at the International Republican Institute (IRI), managing a portfolio of programs aimed at strengthening citizen-responsive governance, political parties, legislative bodies, and civil society organizations. At the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Patricia directed research, advocacy, grant-making, and technical assistance projects, across the MENA region. She also played a pivotal role at the International Center for Transitional Justice, overseeing educational programs and expanding a global network of grassroots human rights documentation groups. Patricia's experience includes senior management roles at the United States Institute of Peace, the Iraq Foundation, and New York University’s Trauma Studies Program. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Religious Studies from Brown University, and an MSFS from Georgetown University. Her Ph.D. work at New York University focused on identity politics in the Western Sahara.

Mounzer Alsalal, Executive Director, Stabilization Support Unit (SSU)
Mounzer Alsalal is the Executive Director of the Stabilization Support Unit (SSU), where he leads initiatives aimed at fostering peace and stability in Syria. With a degree in Philosophy and Religion from Azhar University in Egypt and advanced studies in Islamic Economy, Mounzer brings a deep understanding of the socio-political landscape in the region. Mounzer's journey as a humanitarian and activist began with his volunteer work at the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Aleppo. His active involvement in the Syrian revolution since 2011 saw him take on pivotal roles, including Public Relations Officer at the Manbij Local Council and Chairman of the Manbij Board of Trustees. In 2015, he was elected Vice President of the Free Aleppo Provincial Council. A key architect in the fight against ISIS, Mounzer collaborated with international donors to establish the Stabilization Committee, providing rapid response in newly liberated areas from 2016 to 2019. His efforts extend to organizing and participating in numerous advocacy initiatives on Syria, facilitating discussions on political solutions, social coexistence, and civil society engagement.

Mutahar Al-Bathigi, Executive President and Co-founder, The Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations/Rasd Coalition
Mutahar Al-Bathigi is the Executive President and Co-Founder of the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (YCMHRV), also known as Rasd Coalition. With nearly two decades of experience in civil society and human rights advocacy, Mutahar has been a pivotal figure in documenting and addressing human rights abuses in Yemen. His work spans across training, advocacy, and collaboration with numerous organizations to advance human rights. Under his leadership, YCMHRV has published over 45 comprehensive reports detailing various human rights violations, including child recruitment, mine planting, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances. The Coalition operates with a dedicated field team across 20 Yemeni governorates, making it a critical player in highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Mutahar's efforts have been instrumental in raising awareness and pushing for accountability on both national and international stages. His participation in international advocacy initiatives and conferences underscores his commitment to fostering peace, social justice, and human rights.

Vukasin Petrovic, Interim Chief Program Officer, DT Institute
Vukasin Petrovic has devoted his professional and academic career to promoting and protecting democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and media. Vukasin has responded to social and political challenges by being at the forefront of current events and innovation, supporting social change and reforms in countries affected by conflict, political transition, and authoritarian rule. As the interim Chief Program Officer, he is a member of DT Institute’s executive team. He leads the Institute’s peacebuilding, media, technology, and human rights technical strategy and innovation work, oversees the portfolio programs, and directs policy engagement with governments and multilateral institutions. Before joining DT Institute, Vukasin held several senior positions, including the Director of Governance and Civic Engagement at Equal Access International and the Senior Director for Program Strategy at Freedom House. At Freedom House, he was responsible for defining its thematic and regional program priorities, designing and overseeing cutting-edge programs that focused on human rights advocacy and campaigns, supporting human rights defenders in closing and closed environments, and civil society uses of emerging technologies. Vukasin  was a prominent student leader in Belgrade, Serbia, during the 1990s and later earned his Master’s degree with distinction in Media Studies from City University, London.

Building Relationships for Peace: The Colombian Truth Commission and Movilizatorio—Examples of Successful Civil Society Engagement in Peacebuilding

Joséphine Lechartre, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Interamerican Policy and Research at Tulane University
Joséphine Lechartre is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Center for Interamerican Policy and Research (CIPR) at Tulane University. Dr. Lechartre holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on political violence, migration, and democratic citizenship, examining how violent political orders shape the long-term political behavior of ordinary citizens in Latin America. She seeks to understand how the governance orders imposed by state and non-state actors in contexts of armed conflict and weak institutions shape the attitudes and behaviors of those who live under them. Her current research exploits the data collected by the Colombian Truth Commission to examine how past experiences of victimization impact the capacity of civilian populations to mobilize for justice and political inclusion after conflict.

Matthew Bocanumenth, Manager of External Affairs, Council for Global Equality
Matthew Bocanumenth is the Manager of External Affairs at the Council for Global Equality. The Council for Global Equality is a coalition of U.S.-based human rights and LGBTQI+ advocacy organizations promoting a strong U.S. voice for the human rights of LGBTQI+ communities globally. Previously, at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), he focused on transitional justice and human rights in Colombia, influencing U.S. foreign policy in these areas. As a Scholar at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and a Fellow at Outright International, Matthew concentrated on research exploring Colombia's innovative inclusion of queer and trans individuals in peacebuilding, particularly focusing on the Truth, Reconciliation, and Non-Repetition Commission established by the 2016 Peace Accord. Concurrently, he contributed to The Legacy Project on Colombia’s Truth Commission, helping organize workshops on its Digital Platform for activists, practitioners, and academics.

Mariana Díaz Kraus, Director of Partnerships and Strategy, Movilizatorio
Mariana Díaz Kraus is the Director of Partnerships and Strategy of Movilizatorio. Mariana is a lawyer and political scientist at the Universidad de los Andes. Her main areas of practice are corporate social responsibility and international cooperation. She has specialized in legal and sociopolitical analysis for the formulation and recommendation of public policies for peacebuilding, development, conflict resolution, transitional justice and demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR) programs.With Movilizatorio, she promotes strategic alliances necessary to achieve social transformation, drawing on her knowledge and experience in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and development. She has a Master of Arts in International Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

María Prada Ramírez,  Visiting Fellow, Kroc Institute for Peace, University of Notre Dame
María Prada Ramírez is a Visiting Fellow at the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies. María has been engaged in dialogue, peacebuilding and transitional justice work for over 18 years, focusing on policy and project design and implementation, dialogue facilitation, and creating strategic networks for political engagement and social ownership. Maria was a Permanent Advisor to Francisco de Roux, the President of the Colombian Truth, Reconciliation, and Non-Repetition Commission and the Director for Cooperation and Partnerships. She has extensive experience holding senior positions for Colombian state institutions and has been a consultant and trainer with several international organizations in Colombia, Germany, Sri Lanka and the United States of America. She worked as an advisor for peace pedagogy and territorial peace for the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace during the peace negotiation between the Government and the FARC. Maria is a former fellow of the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

Josefina Echavarría Alvarez, Professor of the Practice and the Director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM) Project at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
Josefina Echavarría Alvare is a Professor of the Practice and the Director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM) project at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Professor Echavarria Alvare leads the Barometer Initiative in Colombia, which carries out official monitoring of implementation of the 2016 Final Agreement between the government and the former FARC-EP. She also directs the Legacy Project for “Preserving and Engaging the Digital Archive of the Colombian Truth Commission."

Insights from Conflict Sensitivity Hubs: DRC, Honduras, and South Sudan

Lisa Chandonnet-Bedoya, Senior Conflict and Peacebuilding Advisor, Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention, Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, USAID
Lisa Chandonnet-Bedoya is a Senior Conflict and Peacebuilding Advisor with USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization in the Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention. She has over 19 years of experience working in the field of conflict and violence prevention, including experience leading regional teams in their engagement on conflict prevention for USAID Missions worldwide. Currently, she works on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with a focus on the nexus of violence and conflict, having designed the Agency’s first Conflict Sensitivity Integration Hub in support of missions in the LAC region. Her technical interests include advancing cross-sectoral conflict and violence assessments, integrating conflict-sensitive approaches into development programs, and the implications of organized crime in peacebuilding.

Orfilia Peres, Team Lead, Conflict Analysis and Training—Conflict Sensitivity Integration Hub (CSIH) Honduras, FHI360
Orfilia Peres of FHi360 is the Team Lead for Conflict Analysis and Training at the Conflict Sensitivity Integration Hub (CSIH) Honduras, a USAID activity to integrate conflict and violence prevention through conflict sensitivity and integration (CSI). Orfilia has 15 years of experience working with various international organizations on transparency and accountability initiatives in Honduras. She has extensive experience working with Honduran civil society and media organizations in the democratic governance, justice, and human rights sectors. With the CSIH, she has played a leading role in overseeing Peace and Conflict Assessments (PCAs) and working with partners to develop, deliver, and apply recommendations from PCAs for CSI.

Abdourahamane M. Saley, Director, DRC Conflict Sensitivity Hub, International Alert
Abdourahamane M. Saley holds a doctorate in international relations and has over 10 years of experience coordinating regional programs, consortium programs, and conducting research and context/conflict analysis. Dr. Saley is a conflict analysis trainer and has worked in the Sahel (Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso), the Lake Chad region (Chad/Sudan) and the Great Lakes region (DRC/Burundi). Currently working with International Alert, Saley is the Director of the DRC Conflict Sensitivity Hub, based in Kinshasa. Previously he has worked for the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Search For Common Ground (SFCG), Programme d'Appui à la Gouvernance Démocratique (PAGOD/Swiss Cooperation), Mercy Corps, and several local NGOs in Niger.

Robert Morris, Conflict and Security Adviser, Conflict Advisory Unit, Saferworld
Robert Morris is a Conflict and Security Adviser within Saferworld’s Conflict Advisory Unit and has over a decade of experience working on development, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. His focus has been on providing advisory support, facilitation, and analysis to support aid effectiveness through conflict sensitivity and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). This includes six years piloting, adapting, and consolidating the Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility (CSRF) in South Sudan, including as Learning Adviser and Acting Director, and the Conflict Sensitivity Facility in Sudan. This experience involved close accompaniment of donors, UN agencies, INGOs and civil society partners. His main interests include strengthening organizational learning, adaptive programming, and fostering more coordination and collaboration between humanitarians and peacebuilders to ensure more accountable and responsive aid in conflict-affected contexts.

(Story)Telling Your Peace: Crafting a Collaborative Guide on Reframing Peacebuilding Journalism

Méline Laffabry, CEO and Founder, aidóni
Méline Laffabry is a journalist and the CEO and Founder of aidóni. aidóni is a French-based organization connecting an international community of journalists and agents of change through stories and discussions to explore and understand how crises and conflicts impact individuals and communities. Méline holds an Erasmus Mundus Masters in Journalism, Media, and Globalization, during which she specialized in War and Conflict Reporting. She focuses on social conflict and human rights, and has a soft spot for Latin America. Mélline is also a trainer in solutions journalism, constructive covering of social conflict, and journalist safety.

Iliana Moridou, Community Engagement Officer, aidóni
Iliana Moridou is the Community Engagement Officer at aidóni. Her specialization lies in alternative forms of transitional justice, with a specific focus on arts-based participatory peacebuilding mechanisms in countering socialization to conflict in Cyprus and Palestine-Israel. Iliana holds a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science  in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe and a Bachelor’s in European Studies from the University of Amsterdam. 

Nikola Turière, Executive Administrator, aidóni
Nikola Turière is an independent consultant and a trainer with an active interest in creative and innovative approaches to peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He is currently working with vulnerable groups on reconciliation and peace issues in the South Caucasus and conflict affected societies. Nikola is an alumni of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is the Executive Administrative Manager of aidóni.

Yousr Sharawy, Academia Editor, aidóni
Yousr Sharawy completed her undergraduate studies in Political Science at the University of Guelph in Canada, followed by graduate studies in the same field. She focused on studying displacement, as well as women in Middle Eastern conflicts. She worked in academia as a graduate teaching assistant and researcher at both universities and think tanks. She also worked as an Information Management Officer at the UNDP in Cairo, Egypt. She is a NewGen Fellow of the Arab Council of the Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform. Currently, she is finishing an LLM degree in Public International Law at the American University in Cairo and is the Academia Editor at aidóni.

Reframing Peace Narratives in South/Southeast Asia and Automatic Classifiers for Peace

Allan Cheboi, Data and DigiTech Lead, Build Up
Allan Cheboi is a digital forensics specialist with a keen interest in deciphering how organized groups exploit digital spaces for criminal activities to influence public opinion and democratic processes globally. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles in cybercrime investigation and forensic audit at KPMG and from his tenure at Code for Africa leading a team of data scientists and forensic researchers to track the actors involved and narratives used when trying to influence communities on social media. His expertise extends to network analysis, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and media monitoring, with a focus on identifying and mitigating online extremism, disinformation, hate speech and other online harms/conflicts. At Build Up, Allan supports digital peacebuilding initiatives, providing partners with crucial insights into the digital landscape to foster more resilient and informed communities.

Mike Wilson, Research Director, LoveFrankie
Mike Wilson heads the Research and Insights Team at Love Frankie, a social impact agency based in Bangkok, Thailand, where he leads research and MEL activities. He leans on experience from market research and humanitarian work to help craft innovative and robust research and MEL approaches for projects addressing issues such as digital literacy, youth, peacebuilding, and social cohesion in Southeast Asia.

Lilli Baldwin, Networks for Peace Technical Advisor, FHI 360
Lilli Baldwin currently serves as a Technical Advisor in FHI 360’s Civil Society and Peacebuilding Department in Washington, DC. She was previously located in Bangkok, Thailand, where she was the Technical Advisor on USAID/Networks for Peace working with local peacebuilders, faith leaders, human rights advocates, civil society organizations, and tech companies to promote peace and inclusivity regionally across South and Southeast Asia.

Rebuilding Social Cohesion and Trust in Guatemala Using Mayan Practices and Worldview

Florinda Púac, Peacebuilding Project Member, Creative Associates
Florinda Púac is Maya K’iche.’ She is a member of the Peacebuilding Project, a USAID-funded initiative implemented by Creative Associates. She leads community implementation in the K’iche’ and Mam linguistic regions of the Western Highlands, with a focus on supporting communities in developing and implementing conflict mitigation plans. Mrs. Púac coordinates the project’s Committee on Indigenous Perspectives, which supports project interaction with indigenous peoples, promotes cultural relevance, and integrates indigenous perspectives in project implementation.

Sebastiana Par, Associación Miriam
Sebastiana Par is Maya K’iche. She is an ancestral authority in the municipality of Santa Cruz de Quiché, recognized for her community leadership. She has worked with Association Miriam in providing care to victims of gender-based violence, facilitating healing processes based on the principles of the Mayan worldview. Mrs. Par has taught self-care workshops for community members and has coordinated ancestral mediation processes. In addition, she has facilitated workshops, diploma courses, and training sessions on the rights of indigenous peoples within the statutory justice system, including training judges and prosecutors on the traditional Mayan justice system.

Rosa Elvira Patá Alvarez, National Movement of Midwives Nim Alaxik
Rosa Elvira Patá Alvarez is Maya Kaqchikel. She is a grandmother and has been a Mayan midwife for over 30 years, having attended more than 600 births. She is a spiritual guide, known as a cargadora cosmogónica, for the National Movement of Midwives Nim Alaxik, as well as an Ajq’ij (spiritual leader) and a healer. Nim Alaxik is a civil society organization that supports midwives in their roles as caregivers and authorities in their communities, as well as in addressing discrimination and ensuring their rights in national health systems.

Martin Toc, Former President, 48 Cantones, Guatemala
Martin Toc is Maya K’iche. He gained recognition as an indigenous leader in Guatemala in 2021, when he served as President of 48 Cantones, an ancestral governance organization in the municipality of Totonicapán in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. He comes from a farming family with a strong sense of community service, inspired by his father who was mayor. After living in Guatemala City for three years, he returned to his community, where he has dedicated himself to community service and promoting social development projects within the structure of the 48 Cantones. At the age of 34, he was named Vice Mayor of Paxtocá (his community) and then was elected President of 48 Cantons of Totonicapán during 2021.

Students Sharing Surprising Stories About Women and Peace Movements

Shirley Graham, Ph.D., Director, Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs (GEIA); Associate Professor of Practice in International Affairs, George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs
Dr. Shirley Graham is the Director of the Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs (GEIA) and Associate Professor of Practice in International Affairs at The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs. She teaches two graduate courses—Global Gender Policy and Gender, War, and Peace—and an undergraduate course, Women and Global Politics. Shirley’s research includes gender discourses on peacekeeping in the Irish Defence Forces and military gender advisors implementation of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) in U.S. security cooperation missions. Shirley is the founder and faculty mentor for the Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security, which raises awareness about the necessity of women’s equal participation in all aspects of peace and security, the protection of women and girls’ human rights, and the prevention of violent conflict. She is currently writing a book about gender-based violence and trauma and their wider effects, not only on women and girls but on all in society.

Barrett Liebermann, Student, The George Washington University
Barrett Liebermann graduated from The George Washington University in 2024, majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in Gender and minoring in Psychological and Brain Sciences. In college, she was the Co-Director of Government Relations for No Lost Generations, a refugee advocacy organization at GWU, and was an Outreach Coordinator for The Student Consortium for Women, Peace, and Security. She has also collaborated on a research project for the University of Rhode Island, where she studied trends in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy amongst refugees in the United States. Currently, she is interning at the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)/USA and the Kurdish Peace Institute (KPI). In the fall, she will start a two-year Master’s program at The George Washington University where she will study global communication. Her goal is to bring awareness to gender-based issues in international affairs, specifically related to conflict and conflict resolution.

Elina Salian, Student, George Washington University
Elina Salian is a rising senior at The George Washington University majoring in Economics with minors in International Affairs and Political Science. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, she is passionate about public service work that will support communities affected by systemic inequality, from her home to those abroad. She serves as the Director of Publications for the Student Consortium on Women, Peace and Security and Licensee of TEDxFoggyBottom. She plans to attend law school post-graduation to further her studies and apply a new lens to her career. She currently interns for the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  

Daniela Herrera, Student, George Washington University
Daniela Herrera is a fourth-year student at The George Washington University, set to graduate soon with a degree in International Affairs concentrating in Gender and Contemporary Cultures and Societies, as well as with an Art History minor. Throughout her time at university, she has conducted research on migration and gender-related issues in Latin America, West Asia, and North Africa, and will be publishing some of this research on GW’s The Globe. Herrera continues to be involved with GW’s Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security with her position as Director of Outreach in her final year. Since her sophomore year, she has been collaborating with TOKIYA Japan, a local business that looks to educate DC customers in Japanese culture and ceramics.

Sanjana Nihalani, Student, George Washington University
Sanjana Nihalani is a second-year student at The George Washington University studying International Affairs and Philosophy. She recently served as the Director for Student and Alumni Engagement for the GW Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security. Her passion for learning about and educating others on nuanced gender and peace-related issues stems from her background as the only female child of immigrant parents. Throughout her childhood, her family strived to impart to her an understanding of their cultural background as South Asians, Indians, and Sindhis. The South Asian community, including the diaspora, is incredibly diverse and rich in culture and history. However, there are numerous systemic issues within this community as well, and many of these involve the historically minimized role of persons outside of the masculine identity in society, which continues to deeply impact the South Asian community today. This has driven her interest in the WPS agenda, which has since expanded significantly to include a wide range of global issues.

Scaling Urban-Based Local Solutions for Peace: A Case Study Approach

Asli Telli, Ph.D., Independent Peace and Conflict Researcher
Dr. Asli Telli is a researcher of media, communications ,and social informatics. Over the last two decades, she has held research and teaching positions in Turkey, Malta, Switzerland, US, South Africa and Germany. She is interested in non-violent strategies to build alliances, weaving communities and grassroots movements. Her research and publications focus on practices of liberation, open science and South-South cooperation from the perspective of diaspora. Based in Cologne, Germany, she reflects on critical peace studies, knowledge commons and academic freedom.

Burcu Eke-Schneider, Independent Peace Worker
Burcu Eke-Schneider is an independent peace and conflict researcher. In 2018, Burcu initiated a local and transformative peacebuilding study in Wuppertal, Germany focusing on nature-based solutions for community peacebuilding, which resulted in the initiation of the Wuppertal Urban Gardening Peace Garden. The Peace garden initiative went on to catalyze new thinking about the implementation of new peacebuilding methods in urban environments. Eke-Schneider has additionally published many articles, contributed scientific papers, and educated diverse groups in the field of nature, public spaces, and peacebuilding.

Hassan Atie Harati, Peace Artist
Hassan Atie Harati has over five years of experience in the startup scene in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. Recently Hassan's work has focused on applying entrepreneurial strategies to the peacebuilding and social sector such as supporting the work of the peace collective in Rhine-Westphalia. He is dedicated to transferring knowledge and skills from the for-profit sector to social enterprises, using technological, operational, and organizational strategies to create meaningful social impact.

Rochus Ehlen, Independent Life-Coach
Rochus Ehlen is a LifeArtist, coach, and trainer. In his practice, he focuses on values, human relationships, and fundamental human needs to feel peaceful. He collaborates with Academics for Peace to explore the relationship between inner peace and well-being.

Semra Sevin, Ph.D., Lawyer and Peace Activist
Dr. Semra Sevin is a lawyer with over 10 years’ of experience including in humanitarian affairs and peace affairs, who negotiated trade agreements with low-income Asian and African countries on behalf of the Republic of Germany. She is currently based in Washington, DC, where she is a lawyer with the World Bank. In collaboration with Peace Hub Essen, she is leading a youth peace internship program focused on helping young people from developed countries nurture empathy and understanding for the challenges faced by young people from the global south.

Andreu Ginestet, Independent Artist
Andreu Ginestet is a peace artist who promotes the cultivation of empathy and the amelioration of individual and collective trauma through art. He has been exploring art-based interventions to prevent local conflict in collaboration with Peace Hub Essen.

Reframing the Narrative of Police Officers to Become “Peace Officers” for Rebuilding Public Trust in Institutions

Perry Bradley Jr., Founder and CEO, Building Better Communities
Perry Bradley, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Building Better Communities (BBC) in Columbia, South Columbia. BBC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps bridge the gap between local law enforcement and local communities. Perry is also currently the Interim-Assistant Director of Public Safety for Lenoir Rhyne University, serves on the Richland County Sheriff’s Department Citizens Advisory Board, and is Communication Chair for the Columbia Branch of the NAACP.  BBC is a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive organization fighting for racial equality. BBC was founded in January 2010. Following the death of founder Perry Bradley’s cousin Devon Taylor, who died a senseless death at the hands of law enforcement in Sumter, South Carolina, BBC started addressing gun violence. BBC hosts over 15 events every year in local communities.

Lisa Broderick, Founder and Director, Police2Peace
Lisa Broderick is the Founder and Director of Police2Peace, a nonprofit organization established in 2018 to bridge the gap between communities and the police. With a background in high-tech innovation, including early work at Apple Computer, Lisa transitioned to public service by applying the "Peace Officer" decal to police vehicles. This program has since expanded nationwide. Police2Peace has received national media attention and recognition, including the 2021 National Sheriffs Association's Sheriff of the Year award. The organization launched the Peace Officer Project in 2022, offering training and tools to promote a peace-centered approach to policing. By 2023, Police2Peace's training programs were certified by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. Lisa, a Stanford University B.A. and Duke University MBA graduate, continues to lead efforts to redefine policing in America.

Felicia Cross, Senior Supervisor, Community Liaison, Washington State Office of Independent Investigations
Felicia Cross is a dedicated advocate for underprivileged and underserved communities in Seattle, with over eight years as the Community Outreach Manager for the Seattle Police Department. She played a key role in managing 10 community advisory councils and implementing the Community Police Academy to educate the public on law enforcement. Felicia is an internationally-recognized expert on Community Policing and Engagement, serving as a Subject Matter Expert for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance Center. She is an active member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, a graduate of the FBI Citizen Academy, and a community liaison for the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. Additionally, she serves on the Seattle University Criminal Justice Advisory Council and is a University District Rotarian.

Chief Robert Spinks, Chief of Police, Parson’s Police Department in Kansas
Robert Spinks is the Chief of Police at the Parsons Police Department in Kansas, overseeing a team of 34 employees serving a community of 12,000. He serves on the Executive Board of the Kansas Combined Anti-Drug Task Force (K-CAT). Beginning his career in 1980 at the Eugene Police Department in Oregon, Chief Spinks earned the Distinguished Service Medal and a Life Saving Medal. He has held various leadership roles, including working as a Senior Special Agent with the Union Pacific Railroad Police, as Director of Public Safety at Bellevue Community College, and as Chief of Police for the Milton-Freewater (OR), Sedro-Woolley (WA), and Sequim (WA) police departments. In 2018, he was awarded the Master Field Officer designation by the National Field Training Officers Association. Chief Spinks holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Management, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and multiple degrees in liberal arts and political science.

Chief Tommy Tunson (ret.), Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice, Bakersfield College
Dr. Tommy Tunson has over 32 years of law enforcement experience, including 14 years as a police chief in four California cities. He retired in 2013 as the Chief of Police in Arvin, California, but continues to be an advocate for efficient police services. A Vietnam Era and Desert Storm veteran, Chief Tunson served in various military roles, including Provost Marshal and Company Commander, earning the Meritorious Service Medal and Joint Service Commendation Medal. He holds a Doctorate in Business Management, a Juris Doctor, a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor’s in Business. Chief Tunson is also an accomplished law enforcement trainer and educator, having taught at California Southern University and the University of Phoenix. He has served as the Department Chair for Criminal Justice at California Southern University and as Interim Director of Fire Technology at Bakersfield College.