Day 1: September 10, 2024

Ambassador George E. Moose, Acting President, United States Institute of Peace
Ambassador George E. Moose is Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of USIP. Ambassador Moose was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he attained the rank of Career Ambassador. His service with the U.S. State Department included assignments in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. He held appointments as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and to the Republic of Senegal. From 1991 to 1992, he served as the U.S. Alternate Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, a position he occupied until August 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. Permanent Representative to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva. In June 2007, he was appointed to USIP’s board by the White House, serving as a member and then chair until 2023. Moose has a Bachelor's degree in American studies from Grinnell College, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Alan Fitts, AfP Board Chair; Vice President, Strategy and Operations and Chief of Staff, Corporate Affairs and Communications, American Express 
Alan Fitts is the Board Chair and an Executive Committee Member of AfP’s Board of Directors. He serves as the Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Corporate Affairs and Communications (CA&C) Division at American Express, which includes the firm's internal and external communications departments; Corporate Responsibility and the AmEx Foundation; and DEI initiatives and ESG. In this role, Alan oversees CA&C strategy and key deliverables; manages finance, compliance, and third-party lifecycle processes for the department; and runs day-to-day administration of the office of Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Skyler. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, Alan works closely with American Express CA&C colleagues, business partners, Executive Committee members, and other key stakeholders.

Liz Hume, Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding 
Elizabeth (Liz) Hume is the Executive Director at the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She is an international lawyer and a conflict expert with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in bilateral, multilateral institutions and NGOs. She has extensive experience in policy and advocacy and overseeing sizeable and complex peacebuilding programs in conflict-affected and fragile states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. From 1997-2001, Liz was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo as the Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Election Commission Secretariats. She was responsible for developing the legal framework and policies in support of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and UN Resolution 1244.  She helped establish the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation at USAID, developing programs and policies to improve the U.S. Government’s ability to address the causes of violent deadly conflict. Liz holds a BA from Boston College, a JD from Vermont Law School, and a MA in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Dr. Mary McAleese, Former President of Ireland
As President of Ireland from 1997 until 2011, Dr. McAleese is known and respected for the global impact and enduring legacy of her presidency marked by the theme of “Building Bridges.” Her leadership in the peacebuilding process between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which effectively brought an end to decades of violence known as “The Troubles.” McAleese’s work for peace and reconciliation began in her early career as a barrister, author, and broadcast journalist. McAleese was Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Penology at Trinity College Dublin, Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, and first female pro-Vice Chancellor at the Queen’s University of Belfast. Since retiring from office in 2011, she became a full-time student at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, obtaining a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law. McAleese's research focuses on human rights and children's rights in the Catholic Church and she served as Professor of Children, Law, and Religion at the University of Glasgow from 2018-2022. She is currently the Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin. 

Ambassador Miguel Diaz, AfP Board Member; John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago; former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See
Miguel H. Díaz is the John Courtney Murray, S.J., University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Díaz served under President Barack Obama as the 9th U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. As a public theologian, Professor Diaz regularly engages print, radio, and television media. He is a contributor to the “Theology en la Plaza" column for the National Catholic Reporter. He is a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the American Academy of Religion, and a member and past President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States. As part of his ongoing commitment to advance human rights globally, Díaz participates in several diplomatic initiatives in Washington, DC, including being a member of the Ambassadors Circle at the National Democratic Institute, and a member of the Board and Senior Fellow for Religion and Peacebuilding for the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

Liz Hume, Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding 
Elizabeth (Liz) Hume is the Executive Director at the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She is an international lawyer and a conflict expert with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in bilateral, multilateral institutions and NGOs. She has extensive experience in policy and advocacy and overseeing sizeable and complex peacebuilding programs in conflict-affected and fragile states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. From 1997-2001, Liz was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo as the Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Election Commission Secretariats. She was responsible for developing the legal framework and policies in support of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and UN Resolution 1244.  She helped establish the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation at USAID, developing programs and policies to improve the U.S. Government’s ability to address the causes of violent deadly conflict. Liz holds a BA from Boston College, a JD from Vermont Law School, and a MA in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Ambassador George E. Moose, Acting President, United States Institute of Peace
Ambassador George E. Moose is Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of USIP. Ambassador Moose was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he attained the rank of Career Ambassador. His service with the U.S. State Department included assignments in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. He held appointments as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and to the Republic of Senegal. From 1991 to 1992, he served as the U.S. Alternate Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, a position he occupied until August 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. Permanent Representative to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva. In June 2007, he was appointed to USIP’s board by the White House, serving as a member and then chair until 2023. Moose has a Bachelor's degree in American studies from Grinnell College, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Shamil Idriss, CEO, Search for Common Ground
Shamil Idriss is the Chief Executive Officer of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest dedicated peacebuilding organization. In his current capacity as CEO, and in his previous capacities as President, Chief Operating Officer, and Burundi Country Director, Shamil has led Search’s efforts to end violent conflict in more than 35 countries globally, including some of the most devastating conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa. In 2008-2014, as the CEO of Soliya, he led a coalition to create a market for virtual exchange through partnerships with public and private sector leaders across the United States, the Arab League, and the European Union. Shamil was appointed in 2005 by United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Deputy Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. From 2004-2005, Shamil worked with the World Economic Forum to establish the Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders, conceiving and leading the Council’s “Action Track” to identify and attract support for innovative high-impact programs. 

Peter Van Sluijs, Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention, Expert; Coordinator, Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
Peter Van Sluijs is an Expert on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention employed by Cordaid, a Dutch development organization headquartered in The Hague. Mr. Van Sluijs coordinates the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS), a global network of civil society organizations supporting peacebuilding efforts in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Before joining Cordaid, Mr. Van Sluijs has held various positions in international organizations (including UNDP, IUCN and WWF). His work has ranged across poverty reduction, development policy, knowledge management, governance, and environmental management. Mr. Van Sluijs holds a M.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 

Countering Foreign Malign Influence to Strengthen Peaceful International Development

Allison Poyac-Clarkin, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Programs, Management Systems International 
Dr. Allison Poyac-Clarkin, Senior Vice President of Programs, oversees Management Systems International’s (MSI) democracy, governance and conflict portfolio. With more than 20 years of development experience, Dr. Poyac-Clarkin brings extensive experience working in conflict-affected environments to promote peace and stability. She has provided technical leadership on several large-scale USAID-funded democracy and governance programs and served as Chief of Party for a USAID-funded social cohesion program in Kosovo. Dr. Poyac-Clarkin is a trained cultural anthropologist with robust knowledge and understanding of conflict theory, advanced conflict assessment methodologies, and programming approaches aimed at building and sustaining peace in conflict contexts.

Matthew J. Kupchik, Ph.D., Team Lead - Marine Natural Resources Advisor, USAID
Dr. Matthew Kupchik is the Natural Resources Management Team Lead and Marine Natural Resources Advisor for USAID’s Asia Bureau in the Environmental Security and Resilience Division. He integrates technical science into marine natural resources, natural resources extraction and sustainability policy, and promotes awareness of the impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. He supports USAID Missions and partner governments across the Asia-Pacific region to better manage transboundary resources, improve water security, and address climate adaptation needs for vulnerable coastal communities. He was a Science and Technology Policy Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prior to joining USAID, Dr. Kupchik was an oceanographer and marine scientist working in research, policy, and strategy focusing on fisheries, biological oceanography, and experimental design and modeling.  

Sorin Adam Matei, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research at the College of Liberal Arts, Professor of Communication Research, Purdue University
Dr. Sorin Adam Matei is the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education at the Purdue College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Communication at the Brian Lamb School of Communication. He studies the relationship between information technology, group dynamics, and social structures. His research interests include communication technologies, Human-AI Interaction, and data ethics and security. Dr. Matei’s collaborative research, often funded by the National Science Foundation, has resulted in tens of papers and books. Notably, his work “Structural Differentiation in Social Media” sheds light on online group dynamics, emphasizing the role of temporary leaders. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Esquire, Foreign Policy, and The National Interest.

Cara Carter, Founding Director, ORB International 
Cara Carter is the Founding Director of ORB International and has worked for over 15 years at the intersection of foreign malign influence, development, and peace around the world. She specializes in designing and implementing research projects in hard-to-reach environments, including conflict zones, internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps, and closed civic spaces. Cara's research includes designing indicators to measure support for violent extremism, supporting implementation of community-generated indicators for peace, developing indexes for measuring influence of foreign powers, and tracking foreign malign influence across South America, Africa, and Asia. Most recently, Cara pioneered ORB’s new AI-powered methodology to gain near real-time large scale qualitative data in response to a crisis (coups, protests, extremist attacks), using this technology to test emerging narratives in fast-moving environments. Cara holds a Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University. 

Justin Richmond, Founder & Executive Director, IMPL. PROJECT 
Justin Richmond is the Founder and Executive Director of the IMPL. PROJECT. He started the IMPL. PROJECT in 2015 to address the world’s most pressing international development challenges. Prior to IMPL. PROJECT, he served as a Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir Technologies during the Typhoon Haiyan and Typhoon Hagupit response efforts in the Philippines. It was in this role that he experienced the power of applied data in solving foreign policy challenges. Justin previously served in Afghanistan as USAID’s District Stability Framework Coordinator, where he mentored joint civilian/military and international/Afghan teams implementing stabilization activities in east Afghanistan. He also served in the U.S. Army as a Special Operations Team Leader in the Southern Philippines, focusing on stabilization, counterinsurgency, and information operations. Justin received his B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University.

Community-Driven Peacebuilding: The Power of Localized Peace Indicators

Pamina Firchow, Founding Executive Director, Everyday Peace Indicators
Pamina Firchow is an Associate Professor at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Founding Executive Director of Everyday Peace Indicators, a 501(c)(3) research and evaluation oriented nonprofit organization. She has published widely on participatory approaches to design, measurement and evaluation of transitional justice, reconciliation and peacebuilding interventions, including her award-winning book, Reclaiming Everyday Peace: Local Voices in Measurement and Evaluation After War (Cambridge University Press, 2018). Pamina was a USIP Senior Jennings Randolph Fellow in 2016 and has been working in the conflict response and peacebuilding space as a scholar-practitioner for non-governmental organizations and universities since 1999. Read more about her work and interests at paminafirchow.org.

Leslie MacColman, Ph.D., Research Coordinator, Everyday Peace Indicators
Dr. Leslie MacColman is a Research Scientist at the Heller School for Social Policy at Brandeis University and Research Coordinator with Everyday Peace Indicators. Her work focuses primarily on the social impacts of violence reduction and peacebuilding initiatives. She is currently researching U.S. Government-funded peacebuilding initiatives in Sri Lanka and Colombia. She has previously done work on police reform, urban development, and crime prevention in Argentina, Uruguay, Honduras, and Panama. Leslie holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame (2020) and a decade of professional experience working with rights-based advocacy organizations in Latin America and international agencies.

Aisalkyn Botoeva, Ph.D., Research, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist, Search for Common Ground
Dr. Aisalkyn Botoeva is a Research, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist at Search for Common Ground. In her current role, she has led the Grounded Accountability Model (GAM), a methodology that engages community members to co-develop localized indicators of key concepts, such as peace, empowerment, and justice. She has extensive research experience in international development and gender-based inequality, having conducted qualitative and mixed-method research and evaluation projects that focused on women and girls, refugees, children with special needs, smallholder farmers, and other minoritized and vulnerable groups. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Brown University. Her publications can be found at: https://gwu.academia.edu/AisalkynBotoeva

Leslie Wingender, Senior Director, Peacebuilding, Humanity United
Leslie Wingender is a Senior Director of Peacebuilding at Humanity United (HU). In this role, she leads the Peacebuilding team’s learning approach across the focus areas and supports team members and grantee-partners in setting up learning activities and cross-partner engagements. She has co-created learning processes with organizations at all levels, bridging local to national to global perspectives. Leslie was part of the core group along with Search for Common Ground and Everyday Peace Indicators to develop the Grounded Accountability Model. She also leads HU’s Colombia peacebuilding engagement, working with a networked group of 17 peacebuilding organizations and initiatives across the country towards a transformed and networked way of collaborating for peace. She holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies from University of California-Berkeley. She grew up in Bogota and Medellin, Colombia.

Preston Lindsay, Ph.D., University of Manitoba
Dr. Preston Lindsay is a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies, a published researcher, a facilitator, and a social entrepreneur. He has taught social innovation and community development in Red River College’s School of Indigenous Education and helped develop college-level anti-racism curriculum. Preston has also worked with orphanages in Ecuador, schools in Kenya, anti-sex trafficking coalitions in Salt Lake City, and start-ups in LA. He most recently published a chapter in the Palgrave Handbook of Positive Peace focusing on quantifying the social impacts of peace at the grassroots level. His specializations are in infrastructures and cultures of positive peace, spatial peace, and how these work in the urban landscape. Preston is hoping to help build infrastructures and cultures of peace for a more tangible critical emancipatory peacebuilding to take root.

Madeleine Avignon, Country Director, Communities Organizing for Haitian Engagement and Development
Madeleine Avignon is the Co-Founder and Country Director of Communities Organizing for Haitian Engagement and Development (COFHED), a Haitian non-governmental organization that works in the south of the country building citizen capacity in marginalized communities. She has pioneered an alternate approach to humanitarian assistance that depends on Haitians setting their own development agenda through community dialogue.

Strengthening the Humanitarian-Development-Peace-Private Sector Nexus to Achieve SDG16+

Genevieve Maricle, Senior Humanitarian-Development-Peace Advisor, Office of Policy, USAID
Genevieve serves as Senior Humanitarian Development Peace (HDP) Advisor in USAID's Office of Policy, where she co-chairs the Agency's HDP Task Team. Prior to this role, she served at the National Security Council as Director for Global Development, where she focused on the SDGs, U.S. Strategy on Global Development, the climate/development nexus, MDB evolution, and the Global Fragility Act. She also served in the Biden-Harris Administration as a USAID Senior Advisor on Climate and Environment. Her previous work includes the World Wildlife Fund, where she served as Director of Climate Policy Action, and the U.S. Mission to the UN, where she was a senior policy advisor on sustainable development and climate change to U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power. Genevieve led USUN's efforts surrounding both the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and for the latter, served as the deputy lead U.S. negotiator.  Genevieve holds a PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder in climate science policy, and a BA in mathematics and environmental science from Northwestern University.

Richard Ponzio, Ph.D., Senior Fellow and Director, Global Governance, Justice, and Security Program, Stimson Center
Dr. Richard Ponzio is Director of the Global Governance, Justice, and Security Program and Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center, where he also co-directs the Global Governance Innovation Network, serves on the Steering Committee for the Mary Robinson-led Climate Governance Commission, and earlier directed the Albright-Gambari Commission on Global Security, Justice, and Governance (2014-2016). Widely published, Dr. Ponzio has served in senior peacebuilding roles with the United Nations and U.S. State Department in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, New York, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, and Washington, DC. He is the author of Democratic Peacebuilding: Aiding Afghanistan and other Fragile States and co-author (with Dr. Arunabha Ghosh) of Human Development and Global Institutions: Evolution, Impact, Reform.

Jonathan Papoulidis, Vice President, External Engagement, Food for the Hungry
Jonathan Papoulidis is Vice-President, Food for the Hungry, where provides leadership on global policy engagements, convenings, and partnerships with the public and private sector.  He previously served with the United Nations, including in Indonesia as UN Coordinator for Aceh and Nias and UN Security Coordinator for Sumatra. From 2004-2006, he served in the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia as advisor to the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Governance and Recovery. Before that, he was the senior UN OCHA representative in Turkey, preparing for the 2003 Iraq humanitarian response. Prior to these postings, Papoulidis served at UN headquarters, focusing on the protection of civilians, conflict prevention, private sector partnerships, and post-crisis transitional planning. He has been a World Projects Fellow at Columbia University and a Visiting Scholar at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University. He has a graduate degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.

John Romano, Director, The Transparency, Accountability, and Participation (TAP) Network
John Romano is the Director of the TAP Network, coordinating the network’s engagement around SDG16 on Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies. Prior to joining the TAP Network, John worked at Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), coordinating global advocacy campaigns around the UN’s Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. He has also worked for the UN Secretariat with UNDESA’s Division for Sustainable Development, where he helped facilitate the engagement of civil society in the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, and coordinated the UN’s social media coverage for the conference. John has a M.S. in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Geography from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Annika Silva-Leander, Head of North America and Permanent Observer to the United Nations, International IDEA
Dr. Annika Silva-Leander is Head of North America at International IDEA, where she leads the organization’s outreach in the region, including relations with U.S. government agencies, democracy organizations, academic institutions, and the Global Democracy Coalition. She also serves as International IDEA’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, representing the organization at the UN General Assembly. From 2021 to 2023, she oversaw International IDEA’s engagement in the Summits for Democracy. Previously, Annika was Head of International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment Unit, leading the Global State of Democracy report and overseeing the production of democracy indices and the Covid-19 Global Monitor. Before joining International IDEA, she spent 10 years at the World Bank, working on civic engagement and poverty reduction in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. During her nine years in Asia, she worked for the World Bank, UNICEF and UNDP. She started her career at the AVINA Foundation in Costa Rica, managing grants to civil society organizations in Latin America. She holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford. She serves on Georgetown University's Advisory Board for M.A. Programs.

Emerging Powers in Mediation: The New Landscape of International Conflict Resolution

Cecily Brewer, Senior Expert, United States Institute of Peace
Cecily recently joined USIP's Peace Processes Team as a Senior Expert focused on mediation. Previously, she served as Vice President Kamala Harris’s foreign policy advisor on Africa. In 15 years with the U.S. government, she focused on international conflict and negotiation, strategic planning, and Africa policy, working for four U.S. special envoys and representatives and part of the U.S. team supporting negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan. 

Nimet Beriker, Lecturer, Columbia University
Dr. Nimet Beriker is a lecturer at the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program at Columbia University. Previously, she was a Global Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and was the founding faculty member and the coordinator of Sabanci University’s Graduate Program on Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Istanbul, Turkiye. Her research on negotiation, dynamics of third party intervention, and middle power foreign policy appeared in various journals, including Simulation and Gaming; Journal of Social Psychology;  Security Dialogue; The Brown Journal of World Affairs;  Journal of Applied Social Psychology; and Negotiation and Conflict Management Research. Dr. Beriker provided advisory services to the International Academic Advisory Council for the Mediation Initiative of the Department for Political Affairs on the UN Secretariat, the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group, and the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Dr. Andrea Prah, Senior Researcher at African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)
Dr. Andrea Prah is a South African senior researcher based at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes. She is the Managing Editor of the African Journal on Conflict Resolution and a strategy group member of the African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security commission's Network of Think Tanks for Peace. 

Sasha Pippenger, Acting Director, Inclusive Peace Processes and Reconciliation, United States Institute of Peace 
Sasha Pippenger is the Acting Director of the Inclusive Peace Processes and Reconciliation Team at USIP, overseeing the Institute’s work on negotiation, mediation, dialogue, ceasefires, and reconciliation. Pippenger joined USIP from the United Nations, where she spent three years working on the Syrian peace process as the Special Assistant to the UN Special Envoy for Syria. Prior to that, she was based in the Central African Republic as a Political Advisor to the Deputy Head of MINUSCA, the UN's peacekeeping mission. She previously worked as a Mediation Adviser for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue's Africa regional office in Nairobi, Kenya, where she focused on mediation support to the inter-Burundian dialogue. She has also worked on the UN teams supporting Yemen's national dialogue and the Constituent Assembly in Nepal. Prior to the UN, Pippenger held roles with the International Rescue Committee in Pakistan, as an election monitor and researcher in Sudan, and as a member of the teaching teams for the Harvard Negotiation Institute and Harvard Law School's negotiation and mediation courses. Pippenger has a particular interest in cease-ire negotiation, peace process design, multilateral mediation and international humanitarian law. She holds a law degree from Harvard Law School, a certificate in transnational law from Université de Genève, and a Bachelor’s in peace and conflict studies from UC Berkeley.

Anne Witkowsky, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State 
Anne Witkowsky was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations on January 10, 2022.  Before then, she was most recently a non-resident Senior Democracy Fellow at Freedom House, where she co-directed the joint Freedom House, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and McCain Institute Task Force on the U.S. Strategy to Support Democracy and Counter Authoritarianism.  Assistant Secretary Witkowsky previously served in government as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs (2014-2016) in the Office of the Under Secretary for Defense for Policy; as Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator in the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (2012-2013); and as the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s Deputy Coordinator for Homeland Security and Multilateral Affairs (2009-2013).  She also served as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the White House National Security Council staff (1993-2000) and spent her early government career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. Assistant Secretary Witkowsky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and East European studies from Yale University and a Master in Public Administration with a concentration in international security from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  She is the recipient of several State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

Joe McMenamin, Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity, U.S. Department of Defense 
Joe McMenamin is currently Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict.  Among his responsibilities are all special operations, irregular warfare, counterterrorism, and information operations policy issues and the oversight of special operations peculiar administrative matters, on behalf of the Secretary. Mr. McMenamin previously served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Principal Director for Counternarcotics and Global Threats overseeing DoD’s efforts to disrupt and degrade national security threats posed by illicit drugs and other illicit commodities, transnational organized crime, threat finance networks, and any potential nexus among these activities. Prior to that he held various positions in OUSD/Policy, including Principal Director for Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support to Civil Authorities, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Principal Director for Stability Operations Capabilities. Prior to joining Policy, he served 32 years as a Marine Corps Officer retiring as a Brigadier General. He served in a variety of operational, policy, training and recruiting positions. He is the recipient of numerous military decorations, including but not limited to, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of Second Award.

Brittany Brown, Acting Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau of Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, USAID 
Brittany Brown serves as acting Assistant to the Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS). She previously served as Director for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Prior to OTI, Brittany worked as the Chief of Staff at the International Crisis Group after more than a decade in the U.S. Government, working for a range of government agencies, including USAID, the U.S. Departments of Justice, State, and Defense, and both the Obama and Trump White Houses. She served on the staff of the National Security Council as the acting Senior Director for African Affairs under the Trump Administration, and as the National Security Council's Horn of Africa Director under President Obama. Brittany began her government career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Before joining the U.S. Government, she worked with juvenile detainees and children in the foster care system. She also managed a GED program for women awaiting trial at Chicago’s Cook County Jail. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from DePaul University in Chicago and a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.

Ambassador Michele Sisson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Ambassador Michele J. Sison was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs on December 21, 2021. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Haiti from February 2018 to October 2021, and as U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations 2014-2018, where she helped build global coalitions to counter transnational threats to peace and security and advocated for a more effective, efficient, and accountable UN and multilateral system. Ambassador Sison has long experience with UN peacekeeping and the UN entities responsible for development, humanitarian relief, and human rights. Ambassador Sison served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives (2012-2014), U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon (2008-2010), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2004-2008). Ambassador Sison’s diplomatic assignments also include Assistant Chief of Mission in Baghdad, Iraq; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs; Deputy Chief of Mission in Islamabad, Pakistan; Consul General in Chennai, India; and tours in Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, and Togo. She also served as the State Department’s Director of Career Development and Assignments. Ambassador Sison is the recipient of the U.S. Presidential Distinguished Service Award, U.S. Presidential Meritorious Service Award, and the U.S. Department of the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. She holds numerous U.S. Department of State awards, including Ambassadorial-level awards for her contributions to counter-proliferation and combatting trafficking in persons. Ambassador Sison holds the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Dr. Joseph Sany, Vice President, Africa Center, USIP (moderator)
Dr. Joseph Sany joins USIP as the vice president of the newly established Africa Center. Dr. Sany has been working at the forefront of peacebuilding with civil society, governments, businesses, and international organizations in Africa for over 20 years. In his most recent role at FHI 360, Dr. Sany provided technical leadership in the design and implementation of multi-year, multi-million-dollar peacebuilding and civil society development programs in several countries in Africa and Asia. He led the organizational and institutional capacity development strategy of many civil society organizations in Africa. He also advised the design, implementation, and dissemination of the annual USAID Civil Society Sustainability Index that assesses the civil society sector and operating environment in 75 countries, including 32 in Africa. Prior to his work at FHI 360, Dr. Sany advised international organizations and development agencies including the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, USAID missions, and the Economic Community of Central African States on peacebuilding and development strategies. He led several peacebuilding and civil society program assessment and evaluation missions in more than 20 countries in Africa. In addition, he has worked with USIP staff to expand and establish the U.S. State Department-funded USIP/ African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program as a gold standard of civilian-led pre-deployment curriculum training on the continent. Sany has a rich experience moderating high-level, multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and collaborative actions at the national level in several countries in Africa, including Djibouti, Mali, and Senegal, among others. Dr. Sany has researched, taught peacebuilding courses, and published scholarly articles on peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and civil society, including the book, “Reintegration of Ex-Combatants: A Balancing Act.” He currently writes about African development and politics in the blog African Praxis. He is fluent in English, French, and West African Pidgin English and holds a doctorate in public policy and a master's in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University.

Ambassador George E. Moose, Acting President, United States Institute of Peace
Ambassador George E. Moose is Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of USIP. Ambassador Moose was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he attained the rank of Career Ambassador. His service with the U.S. State Department included assignments in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. He held appointments as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and to the Republic of Senegal. From 1991 to 1992, he served as the U.S. Alternate Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, a position he occupied until August 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. Permanent Representative to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva. In June 2007, he was appointed to USIP’s board by the White House, serving as a member and then chair until 2023. Moose has a Bachelor's degree in American studies from Grinnell College, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Alan Fitts, AfP Board Chair; Vice President, Strategy and Operations and Chief of Staff, Corporate Affairs and Communications, American Express 
Alan Fitts is the Board Chair and an Executive Committee Member of AfP’s Board of Directors. He serves as the Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Corporate Affairs and Communications (CA&C) Division at American Express, which includes the firm's internal and external communications departments; Corporate Responsibility and the AmEx Foundation; and DEI initiatives and ESG. In this role, Alan oversees CA&C strategy and key deliverables; manages finance, compliance, and third-party lifecycle processes for the department; and runs day-to-day administration of the office of Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Skyler. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, Alan works closely with American Express CA&C colleagues, business partners, Executive Committee members, and other key stakeholders.

Liz Hume, Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding 
Elizabeth (Liz) Hume is the Executive Director at the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She is an international lawyer and a conflict expert with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in bilateral, multilateral institutions and NGOs. She has extensive experience in policy and advocacy and overseeing sizeable and complex peacebuilding programs in conflict-affected and fragile states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. From 1997-2001, Liz was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo as the Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Election Commission Secretariats. She was responsible for developing the legal framework and policies in support of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and UN Resolution 1244.  She helped establish the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation at USAID, developing programs and policies to improve the U.S. Government’s ability to address the causes of violent deadly conflict. Liz holds a BA from Boston College, a JD from Vermont Law School, and a MA in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Dr. Mary McAleese, Former President of Ireland
As President of Ireland from 1997 until 2011, Dr. McAleese is known and respected for the global impact and enduring legacy of her presidency marked by the theme of “Building Bridges.” Her leadership in the peacebuilding process between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which effectively brought an end to decades of violence known as “The Troubles.” McAleese’s work for peace and reconciliation began in her early career as a barrister, author, and broadcast journalist. McAleese was Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Penology at Trinity College Dublin, Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, and first female pro-Vice Chancellor at the Queen’s University of Belfast. Since retiring from office in 2011, she became a full-time student at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, obtaining a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law. McAleese's research focuses on human rights and children's rights in the Catholic Church and she served as Professor of Children, Law, and Religion at the University of Glasgow from 2018-2022. She is currently the Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin. 

Ambassador Miguel Diaz, AfP Board Member; John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago; former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See
Miguel H. Díaz is the John Courtney Murray, S.J., University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Díaz served under President Barack Obama as the 9th U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. As a public theologian, Professor Diaz regularly engages print, radio, and television media. He is a contributor to the “Theology en la Plaza" column for the National Catholic Reporter. He is a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the American Academy of Religion, and a member and past President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States. As part of his ongoing commitment to advance human rights globally, Díaz participates in several diplomatic initiatives in Washington, DC, including being a member of the Ambassadors Circle at the National Democratic Institute, and a member of the Board and Senior Fellow for Religion and Peacebuilding for the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

Liz Hume, Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding 
Elizabeth (Liz) Hume is the Executive Director at the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She is an international lawyer and a conflict expert with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in bilateral, multilateral institutions and NGOs. She has extensive experience in policy and advocacy and overseeing sizeable and complex peacebuilding programs in conflict-affected and fragile states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. From 1997-2001, Liz was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo as the Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Election Commission Secretariats. She was responsible for developing the legal framework and policies in support of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and UN Resolution 1244.  She helped establish the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation at USAID, developing programs and policies to improve the U.S. Government’s ability to address the causes of violent deadly conflict. Liz holds a BA from Boston College, a JD from Vermont Law School, and a MA in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Ambassador George E. Moose, Acting President, United States Institute of Peace
Ambassador George E. Moose is Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of USIP. Ambassador Moose was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he attained the rank of Career Ambassador. His service with the U.S. State Department included assignments in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. He held appointments as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and to the Republic of Senegal. From 1991 to 1992, he served as the U.S. Alternate Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, a position he occupied until August 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. Permanent Representative to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva. In June 2007, he was appointed to USIP’s board by the White House, serving as a member and then chair until 2023. Moose has a Bachelor's degree in American studies from Grinnell College, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Shamil Idriss, CEO, Search for Common Ground
Shamil Idriss is the Chief Executive Officer of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest dedicated peacebuilding organization. In his current capacity as CEO, and in his previous capacities as President, Chief Operating Officer, and Burundi Country Director, Shamil has led Search’s efforts to end violent conflict in more than 35 countries globally, including some of the most devastating conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa. In 2008-2014, as the CEO of Soliya, he led a coalition to create a market for virtual exchange through partnerships with public and private sector leaders across the United States, the Arab League, and the European Union. Shamil was appointed in 2005 by United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Deputy Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. From 2004-2005, Shamil worked with the World Economic Forum to establish the Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders, conceiving and leading the Council’s “Action Track” to identify and attract support for innovative high-impact programs. 

Peter Van Sluijs, Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention, Expert; Coordinator, Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
Peter Van Sluijs is an Expert on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention employed by Cordaid, a Dutch development organization headquartered in The Hague. Mr. Van Sluijs coordinates the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS), a global network of civil society organizations supporting peacebuilding efforts in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Before joining Cordaid, Mr. Van Sluijs has held various positions in international organizations (including UNDP, IUCN and WWF). His work has ranged across poverty reduction, development policy, knowledge management, governance, and environmental management. Mr. Van Sluijs holds a M.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 

Dismantling Systems of Exclusion in Communities: Social Behavioral Change and Trauma-Responsiveness

Lauren Van Metre, Ph.D., Director, Peace, Climate, and Democratic Resilience, National Democratic Institute
Dr. Lauren Van Metre serves as the Director for Peace, Climate, and Democratic Resilience with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and is a peace and security expert, having worked on major diplomatic initiatives and peace and conflict processes and research at the Pentagon, the State Department, the US Institute of Peace, and the Atlantic Council. She joined NDI in 2018 and, in 2022, was asked to lead the Institute’s Peace, Climate, and Democratic Resilience division, which will develop innovative democracy and governance approaches to some of democracy’s major challenges—illiberal influence, the climate crisis, and violence.Dr. Van Metre is a leading expert on community and democratic resilience, having conducted research and led field initiatives on building the strength and capacity of communities and governments to resist different forms of shock, such as violent extremism, hybrid warfare, and environmental degradation. She has published frequently on issues of governance and fragility for Foreign Policy, Just Security, International Peacebuilding, and USIP’s Resolve Network, and in Atlantic Council Issue Briefs. Dr. Van Metre is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and an adjunct professor at The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

Karen Bernstein, Senior Program Director, Beyond Conflict
Karen Bernetein serves as the Senior Program Director with Beyond Conflict. For the past two decades, Karen has dedicated her career to peacebuilding, civilian protection, and human rights across Nigeria, Niger, Iraq, Cambodia, South Sudan, Nepal, Israel/Palestine, and Ireland/Northern Ireland. She launched her career in Cambodia, designing and implementing an evaluation study of post-genocide reintegration, later published by UC Berkeley Press. Karen served as the British government's Political Advisor on the Middle East Peace Process and worked as a civilian peacekeeper for the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Nepal and South Sudan. There, she provided political analysis, developed the capacity of local NGOs, and collaborated with state officials to create socially inclusive policies and initiatives. In her current role at Beyond Conflict, Karen partners with leading behavioral scientists and local organizations to develop and implement programs to reduce intergroup conflict. These initiatives leverage behavioral science to de-bias perceptions and improve attitudes and behaviors between conflicting groups.

​​Elisheva Milikowsky, Director, Peace and Reconciliation, aChord Center
Elisheva Milikowsky is the Director of the Peace and Reconciliation Department at the aChord Center. She is a social activist who has founded and led several organizations and initiatives. Elisheva co-founded ASSAF - Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel. She also headed the Refugees and Migrants Department at Physicians for Human Rights and worked in African refugee camps. For over 15 years, Elisheva has promoted peace, gaining a deep understanding of the field, including its barriers, opportunities, and various actors. She has been instrumental in establishing and leading social initiatives to promote social rights and equality. Through these ventures, she has gained extensive experience working with members of the Knesset, opinion leaders, journalists, social networks, and more. In her current role as Director of Peace and Reconciliation at the aChord Center, Elisheva collaborates with significant parties and actors in the field, including political leaders, media figures, cultural figures, and social media influencers. She leads processes designed to change the attitudes and behaviors of the Israeli public to support peace.

Karla Siu, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Programs, Greenleaf Integrative
Karla Siu serves as the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Programs at Greenleaf Integrative. With over two decades of experience in social work, Karla brings a rich background in research, clinical practice, and nonprofit management. Her expertise includes developing and implementing scalable behavioral health solutions for underserved populations. Karla’s collaborative efforts span renowned institutions such as RTI’s Center on Social Determinants, Risk Behaviors, and Prevention Science, and UNC Chapel Hill’s Cecil G. Sheps Center, where her work supports stakeholder-engaged research. Her notable publications include contributions to the Journal of Family Violence and the Journal of Emergency Medicine, where she co-authored on trauma mitigation strategies for high-risk work environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, in collaboration with RTI, she contributed to a publication in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, with a response theory in the development of a shortened DASS-21 for use in telehealth settings. A passionate advocate for community-centered health initiatives, Karla holds a Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her leadership and commitment to fostering resilient communities through innovative and inclusive practices make her a distinguished professional in her field.

The Use of Violence and Conflict Assessments to Align or Influence Work Across Mission Sector Programming

Jonathan Richter, Director, Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention, USAID/Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization
Jonathan Richter is a Senior Foreign Service Officer with 20 years of service at USAID, predominantly in Africa. Prior to joining the Center in 2024, he was the Director of the Office of Sudan and South Sudan where he focused on support for political transition efforts and crisis response. He was the interim Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization in 2020 where he helped to stand up the new bureau. Previously he was the Deputy Mission Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Country Representative to Benin, and senior Program Officer in Colombia, Angola, and Mali. Before joining USAID, Mr. Richter worked at the World Bank Institute, the International Youth Foundation, the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. He has an undergraduate degree from Butler University and Master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the National Defense University.

Zainab Shaibu, Program Development Specialist (Conflict Prevention), USAID/Nigeria
Zainab Shaibu is an experienced development specialist with over nine years of experience in conflict mitigation and peacebuilding initiatives. She has worked with USAID for the past six years and has recently become the Conflict Adviser for the USAID/Nigeria mission, supporting early recovery and resilience activities and integrating conflict sensitivity into programming. Her prior work includes social media youth peace projects, media for peacebuilding, gender integration, and communications. Zainab holds a degree in Media and Communications and a Master of Business Administration.

Theodore (Ted) Glenn, Division Chief, Mission Partnerships Division, Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention, USAID
Theodore “Ted” Glenn is the Division Chief of the Mission Partnerships Division (MPD) within the Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention. He joined USAID as a Foreign Service Officer in 2008 and has served in Democracy, Rights, and Governance Offices in Nepal (2009-2011), Democratic Republic of Congo (2011-2014), Honduras (2014-2018), and most recently Tanzania (2018-2022). Mr. Glenn began his work in international development in 2005, when he joined the U.S. Peace Corps and served as a Natural Resources Management volunteer in Senegal. He worked at Conservation International prior to joining USAID. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Economics from Loughborough University (UK).

David Yamron, Senior Learning and Outreach Specialist, Nickol Global Solutions, Partner on USAID/CPS Peacebuilding Evaluation, Analysis, Research, and Learning Mechanism
David Yamron is a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) specialist with more than 10 years of experience working across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He specializes in designing learning systems, conducting qualitative research, and the adaptive management of development interventions. David has provided extensive MEL support to peacebuilding, governance, localization, and biodiversity programs, and has designed and implemented a wide range of qualitative and mixed methods assessments and evaluations. Mr. Yamron holds a Master of Science degree in International Development Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Carleton College.

Building Cohesive Societies: Comparing and Contrasting Social Cohesion Tools and Strategies Across Contexts

Bridget Kimball, Technical Advisor for Social Cohesion and Justice Integration, Catholic Relief Services
Bridget Kimball is Technical Advisor for Social Cohesion and Justice Integration at Catholic Relief Services. She previously served as CRS' Head of Programs in the Central African Republic, as well as in other field-based leadership and technical positions in Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, The Gambia, Senegal, and Iraq. Her experience spans humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding program design, implementation, learning and innovation. She holds a MALD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a JD from UCLA School of Law.

Ricardo Morel, Director, Peace & Recovery Program, International Poverty Action
Ricardo Morel is the Director of the Peace and Recovery Program with International Poverty Action (IPA). He started at IPA as a Research Manager where he oversaw projects in Uganda and Tanzania. Subsequently, he served as a Country Director in Myanmar from 2017 to 2021. He has 15 years of experience managing research for NGOs, governments, and academia in East Africa, South America, Europe, and East Asia. Before joining IPA, he worked at the evaluation unit of Peru’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and held research positions at BRAC, InterMedia, and IESE Business School. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from Maastricht University and has an MA in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex.

Lina Maria Jaramillo Rojas, Senior Officer for Learning, Evidence, and Impact, Pact
Lina Maria Jaramillo Rojas serves as Senior Officer for Learning, Evidence, and Impact at Pact. She is a Colombian woman, political scientist, and peacebuilder with over 13 years of experience in knowledge management, research, strategic planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) applied to human rights, governance, peacebuilding, poverty alleviation, gender, and other development fields. Most recently, Ms. Rojas was the MEL Manager for the USAID-funded project, Conectando Caminos Por Los Derechos, which focused on improving justice access and social inclusion for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. She is the co-founder of the Agenda Joven peacebuilding initiative, which helps connect youth leadership across Colombia to develop territorial youth political agendas, fostering innovative and collaborative social mobilization. Ms. Rojas holds advanced degrees in International Studies (MA) and International Development (MSc) from the University of Barcelona (ES) and Bristol University (UK), respectively. In 2023 she was honored with the Pillar of Peace Award from Peace Direct, in acknowledgement of her commitment to supporting youth-led peacebuilding initiatives in Colombia.

Dr. Alysson Akiko Oakley, Vice President of Learning, Evidence, and Impact (LEAP), Pact
Dr. Alysson Akiko Oakley is the Vice President of Learning, Evidence, and Impact (LEAP) at Pact. She is the Co-Editor of the International Advances in Evaluation section of the American Journal of Evaluation (AJE), serves as a board member of the International and Cross-Cultural Evaluation (ICCE) group of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), and is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University where she teaches courses on strategy, as well as program design and evaluation of democracy assistance and conflict resolution interventions. Recently, she co-edited a special issue of New Directions of Evaluation, titled Innovations in Complexity Responsiveness: Advancements in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Program Evaluation. She was Associate Editor for the Cambridge University Press Southeast Asia “Elements” series, a principal Asia-Pacific analyst for Freedom House’s flagship publication Freedom in the World, authoring multiple Southeast Asia country reports from 2009 to 2017, Senior Advisor at the International Republican Institute, and Program Director at the U.S.-Indonesia Society. Dr. Oakley earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University.

Charles "Ted" Holmquist, Director of Peace & Conflict, Mercy Corps

Charles "Ted" Holmquist is the Director of Peace and Conflict on Mercy Corps' Global Technical Resources and Quality Unit. Prior to this, Ted served in leadership roles for Search for Common Ground in Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has experience in designing and managing peacebuilding programs in complex emergencies

Anne Witkowsky, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State 
Anne Witkowsky was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations on January 10, 2022.  Before then, she was most recently a non-resident Senior Democracy Fellow at Freedom House, where she co-directed the joint Freedom House, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and McCain Institute Task Force on the U.S. Strategy to Support Democracy and Counter Authoritarianism.  Assistant Secretary Witkowsky previously served in government as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs (2014-2016) in the Office of the Under Secretary for Defense for Policy; as Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator in the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (2012-2013); and as the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s Deputy Coordinator for Homeland Security and Multilateral Affairs (2009-2013).  She also served as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the White House National Security Council staff (1993-2000) and spent her early government career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. Assistant Secretary Witkowsky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and East European studies from Yale University and a Master in Public Administration with a concentration in international security from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  She is the recipient of several State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

Joe McMenamin, Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity, U.S. Department of Defense 
Joe McMenamin is currently Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict.  Among his responsibilities are all special operations, irregular warfare, counterterrorism, and information operations policy issues and the oversight of special operations peculiar administrative matters, on behalf of the Secretary. Mr. McMenamin previously served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Principal Director for Counternarcotics and Global Threats overseeing DoD’s efforts to disrupt and degrade national security threats posed by illicit drugs and other illicit commodities, transnational organized crime, threat finance networks, and any potential nexus among these activities. Prior to that he held various positions in OUSD/Policy, including Principal Director for Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support to Civil Authorities, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Principal Director for Stability Operations Capabilities. Prior to joining Policy, he served 32 years as a Marine Corps Officer retiring as a Brigadier General. He served in a variety of operational, policy, training and recruiting positions. He is the recipient of numerous military decorations, including but not limited to, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of Second Award.

Brittany Brown, Acting Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau of Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, USAID 
Brittany Brown serves as acting Assistant to the Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS). She previously served as Director for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Prior to OTI, Brittany worked as the Chief of Staff at the International Crisis Group after more than a decade in the U.S. Government, working for a range of government agencies, including USAID, the U.S. Departments of Justice, State, and Defense, and both the Obama and Trump White Houses. She served on the staff of the National Security Council as the acting Senior Director for African Affairs under the Trump Administration, and as the National Security Council's Horn of Africa Director under President Obama. Brittany began her government career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Before joining the U.S. Government, she worked with juvenile detainees and children in the foster care system. She also managed a GED program for women awaiting trial at Chicago’s Cook County Jail. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from DePaul University in Chicago and a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.

Ambassador Michele Sisson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Ambassador Michele J. Sison was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs on December 21, 2021. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Haiti from February 2018 to October 2021, and as U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations 2014-2018, where she helped build global coalitions to counter transnational threats to peace and security and advocated for a more effective, efficient, and accountable UN and multilateral system. Ambassador Sison has long experience with UN peacekeeping and the UN entities responsible for development, humanitarian relief, and human rights. Ambassador Sison served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives (2012-2014), U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon (2008-2010), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2004-2008). Ambassador Sison’s diplomatic assignments also include Assistant Chief of Mission in Baghdad, Iraq; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs; Deputy Chief of Mission in Islamabad, Pakistan; Consul General in Chennai, India; and tours in Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, and Togo. She also served as the State Department’s Director of Career Development and Assignments. Ambassador Sison is the recipient of the U.S. Presidential Distinguished Service Award, U.S. Presidential Meritorious Service Award, and the U.S. Department of the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. She holds numerous U.S. Department of State awards, including Ambassadorial-level awards for her contributions to counter-proliferation and combatting trafficking in persons. Ambassador Sison holds the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Dr. Joseph Sany, Vice President, Africa Center, USIP (moderator)
Dr. Joseph Sany joins USIP as the vice president of the newly established Africa Center. Dr. Sany has been working at the forefront of peacebuilding with civil society, governments, businesses, and international organizations in Africa for over 20 years. In his most recent role at FHI 360, Dr. Sany provided technical leadership in the design and implementation of multi-year, multi-million-dollar peacebuilding and civil society development programs in several countries in Africa and Asia. He led the organizational and institutional capacity development strategy of many civil society organizations in Africa. He also advised the design, implementation, and dissemination of the annual USAID Civil Society Sustainability Index that assesses the civil society sector and operating environment in 75 countries, including 32 in Africa. Prior to his work at FHI 360, Dr. Sany advised international organizations and development agencies including the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, USAID missions, and the Economic Community of Central African States on peacebuilding and development strategies. He led several peacebuilding and civil society program assessment and evaluation missions in more than 20 countries in Africa. In addition, he has worked with USIP staff to expand and establish the U.S. State Department-funded USIP/ African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program as a gold standard of civilian-led pre-deployment curriculum training on the continent. Sany has a rich experience moderating high-level, multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and collaborative actions at the national level in several countries in Africa, including Djibouti, Mali, and Senegal, among others. Dr. Sany has researched, taught peacebuilding courses, and published scholarly articles on peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and civil society, including the book, “Reintegration of Ex-Combatants: A Balancing Act.” He currently writes about African development and politics in the blog African Praxis. He is fluent in English, French, and West African Pidgin English and holds a doctorate in public policy and a master's in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University.