Former Staff & Collaborators

Nehal Ali is a visiting fellow at Women in International Security (WIIS). Ali is from Cairo, Egypt and she works for the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) as a researcher and international relations officer. At the ECWR Ali monitors and evaluates Women’s Voices, an initiative supported by the Fund for Gender Equality which aims to promote the political participation of women, both as voters and political candidates in the 2016 Local Council elections. Ali is also a co-founder of the Gender and Legal Expert House (GELEH), a Cairo-based consultancy which provides a bridge between local politicians and civil society members to promote policies that contain a gender perspective. Ali has a Master of Arts in Public Policy from Sabanci University in Istanbul and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Bushra AL-Huthi is a visiting Fellow at Women in International Security (WIIS). AL-Huthi was a fellow in MEPI’s Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF), which focused on the concepts of leadership, democracy, communication, and conflict resolution. Prior to her participation in the program, AL-Huthi was involved in Civil Society where she worked as a Senior Project Officer in a local Yemeni NGO called SOUL for Development where she focused on Child Protection and Education. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from University Utara Malaysia but her passion for social and developmental work has led her to a different career path. AL-Huthi is interested in women and child rights, women leadership and empowerment. As a visiting fellow, she will focus on raising awareness on violations against women and children and promoting women’s participation and role in peace and security during and post-conflict in Yemen.

Allyn Anderson is a gender and global security program assistant with WIIS. She is currently pursuing a bachelor's of international relations at the University of Maryland. For WIIS, she has recently worked on the "Enhancing Security in Latin America and the Caribbean" project and is currently working on completing some behind-the-scenes administrative work, too. In her free time, she loves to go on long walks with her dog to local parks, restaurants, and dog-friendly bookstores.  She also enjoys reading declassified intelligence reports (yes, for fun) and hopes to one day see her name in the credits of a major intelligence report. After she graduates, she plans to work within the federal government, preferably within the intelligence community.

Rebecca Andryushchenko is a Master’s candidate in the School of International Service at American University studying United States Foreign Policy and National Security. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in International Relations, focusing on the Middle East, Russia and Eurasia. While pursuing her BS, she worked for U.S. Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ) as a campaign finance intern while simultaneously assisting in the district office. Prior to enrolling in graduate school, Rebecca worked for a small non-profit in Southern California. She is excited to explore the role of gender issues as it relates to global security and foreign policy at WIIS.

John Arnold is an M.A. Candidate in International Affairs with a concentration in Global Gender Policy at George Washington University. His research interests include the intersection of sexual orientation and gender identity in conflict and post-conflict settings and the peacebuilding process. Previously, John has worked in residential real estate and in the non-profit sector.

Julia Batavick is a Gender and Global Security Program Assistant at Women in International Security (WIIS). She is currently an undergraduate student at Washington and Lee University double majoring in Politics, with a concentration in International Relations, and English Literature. Her areas of interest within International Relations are transitional justice, gendered violence in global conflict, and U.S. foreign policy. She recently had the opportunity to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied contemporary South African politics and the democratic transition while working with an NGO that generated sustainable employment for those experiencing homelessness in Cape Town. She is also a leader in SPEAK, a campus advocacy group that develops campaigns and events to bring awareness to the occurrence of sexual assault on college campuses and has helped organize events like the Stand Up SPEAK Out concert and "Take Back the Night" candlelight vigil.

Spencer Beall is a third-year Juris Doctor candidate at Georgetown University Law Center, concentrating in privacy and cyber security law with a particular focus on domestic and global security issues. Spencer is an alumna of Sweet Briar College, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in French, History, and Art History, with a minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. While at Georgetown Law, Spencer interned at the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, where she compiled a global law and policy white paper on online child exploitation and privacy risks in the digital age. Spencer is also a 2017 Salzburg Cutler Global Seminar Fellow in International Law. She is currently writing her Fellowship paper on developing an international legal framework and domestic policy strategies to effectively protect children from privacy and cyber security violations on the Internet and through social media platforms. Spencer will continue her coursework at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies in London this fall, and she plans to pursue an LLM in National Security Law at Georgetown after receiving her JD next spring of 2018.

Madison Beltz is an undergraduate in the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University, pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Affairs and Economics. Madison’s research interests include the economic implications of women’s empowerment, intersectionality in peace processes and international agreements, and data analysis. This past year, Madison served as the Treasurer for WIIS GWU chapter and Finance Vice President for Sigma Iota Rho. 

Madison originally hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also known as the “City of Champions,” which she deems very fitting. This past summer, Madison spent three months working at an NGO in La Plata, Argentina, where she taught English to elementary students (and learned to tango!). 

Rose Blanchard is a graduate student at GW’s Elliot School of International Affairs studying Peace and Conflict Resolution.  Her areas of interest include the former Soviet Union, US foreign policy, and security studies.  She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Russian studies from Vassar College, where she studied abroad in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  Prior to coming to WIIS she worked in Intellectual Property law, and she is interning this semester at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  She looks forward to the working with WIIS members on The 1325 Scorecard and the Mentor and Professional Development Program.

Shelby Bourgault is a recent graduate of Connecticut College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and East Asian Studies. In order to gain a more global perspective as an undergraduate student, Shelby completed two semesters abroad in Beijing and achieved advanced proficiency in Mandarin Chinese. Upon returning to the US, her studies focused primarily on Chinese women's labor migration, human trafficking, and gender ideologies in the military. As a senior, Shelby was invited to co-author an article with her advising professor on theoretical approaches to UN preventative diplomacy, which they hope to publish later this year. Shelby is excited to join WIIS this summer and continue researching the gendered aspects of the US military, specifically the integration of women in combat roles and the impact of military presence on civilians.

Zi Xue is the Program Assistant and Research Fellow at Women In International Security (WIIS). She received a M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, with a concentration in International Law and Organizations, and a B.A. in Political Science with minors in Gender Women Sexuality Studies and Studies in Cinema and Media Culture from the University of Minnesota. Zi’s research focuses on the role that international organizations play in international security; the relationship between gender equality and global security; and Foreign policies. She has previous experience in working at Cairo, Egypt; Cebu, Philippines; and Tbilisi, Georgia.

Stephanie Breitsman is a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs with a master's in Middle East Studies and a professional specialization in conflict and conflict resolution. In March 2015 she traveled to Birzeit University in the West Bank to interview students, faculty, administration, and local researchers about changing political attitudes and the importance of university politics to the national scene. Stephanie also spent summer 2014 in the West Bank on a grant from the Aramex Student Fund studying Arabic at Birzeit University and translating children's books and organizational reports for the Tamer Institute for Community Education in Ramallah. Prior to her travels and joining WIIS she was a research assistant for Dr. Peleg at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. She also holds a BA in Middle East Studies from Ursinus College, where she completed her thesis work on Moroccan Islamist Politics.

Teresa Cal is the Communications and Strategic Development Program Assistant at Women in International Security where she provides website maintenance and notifies members of the organization's many exciting events and opportunities. Prior to joining WIIS she worked as a policy and intake intern with Protect Our Defenders. Teresa Cal is a bachelor's candidate in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at The George Washington University studying Human Services and Persian. Her undergraduate thesis examines sexual violence in the military. She is excited to be able to pursue her interests in the intersection of gender and combat at WIIS.

Morgan Cornelison is an American University Master’s candidate studying Comparative and Regional Studies of Europe examining migration, identity, and security. Prior to AU, she studied at Cornell College in Iowa, where she got her Bachelor of Arts Degree in European History and International Relations. Morgan has previously worked for Godwin Law firm in Houston, Texas and The National Council for US-Arab Relations here in Washington, DC as an intern. She is interested in studying the security issues women face while migrating and the interaction between migration and identities.

Cassandra Zavislak is a May 2021 MALD graduate of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she studied International Security and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution with a focus on gender. Her graduate capstone focused on the rising security threat of the male supremacist movement in the United States. Cassandra received her B.A. from the University of Michigan, where she studied International Security Studies, Political Science, and Russian Area Studies. Her previous experience includes research assistantships with international security think tanks and state-level government, as well as with academic-based programs on topics ranging from international human rights law to fraud detection in political theory development. Cassandra’s research interests include the alternative right and male supremacist movement, mobilizing masculinities to prevent gender-based violence, and the implementation of an intersectional gendered lens to the U.S. security apparatus.

Renee Coulouris is a current Master of Arts in Global Security Studies Candidate at Johns Hopkins University, concentrating in Strategic Studies. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs and Political Science at Northeastern University, where she also participated in international research projects in Israel, Jordan and the West Bank on issues pertaining to international security and social movements. More recently, Renee worked at the United Nations in the Department of Political Affairs, Africa II Division as a Political Affairs Assistant implementing projects in the sub-region and organizing inter-agency meetings on the Boko Haram threat in the Lake Chad Basin. Her professional and research interests include security issues in the Middle East and North Africa region, countering violent extremism, and examining the gender roles within extremist organizations.

Kathy Crandall Robinson has more than two decades of experience working with policymakers and grassroots advocates on peace and security issues. Most recently, as senior policy director at Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND), Kathy led policy and advocacy strategy development on nuclear weapons policy, Pentagon spending, and promoting the agenda for women, peace and, security. She also managed WAND’s Washington, DC office and acted as Political Director managing WAND’s PAC. Prior to joining WAND in 2008, she worked for a variety of organizations including Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, Union of Concerned Scientists, and others where she focused especially on reducing nuclear dangers and related defense and budget issues. Her passion for peace and security work was sparked with an internship for Women Strike for Peace and an enduring emphasis throughout her careers has been educating, empowering and engaging women leaders working for peace and security. Kathy is a graduate of Earlham College and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado. Read some of Kathy’s recent opinion pieces on her Huffington Post Column.

Eva is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science (Honors) with a concentration in international politics and political theory at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She is double minoring in Sociology and Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies (GSFS). Eva's research includes international politics and state behavior, American foreign policy, and gender and international relations. She is interested in studying how women are more heavily impacted in times of crisis due to the implications of highly gendered policies in many countries. Eva is currently President of the WIIS Canada chapter at her university and is VP Incoming Global Talent of the organization AIESEC in McGill. Via AIESEC, she spent two months on exchange in Vitoria, Brazil, teaching English to elementary school students. Eva has also worked for ADD International at the 12th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a visual aid to blind human rights activists. She hopes to go to law school one day and study Public International Law and Comparative Law.

Nadia Crevecoeur is an analyst with Deloitte's Government and Public Services Section. Nadia is a B.A. candidate in International affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Her research interests include measuring peacekeeping success, the intersection of gender and security, and the youth, peace and security agenda. Nadia has experience working with the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office in the special victim's unit. Most recently, Nadia researched measuring UN peacekeeping success with the Global Governance Institute in Brussels, Belgium. In addition to her intern experience, Nadia investigated western Islamic radicalization at the School for International Training in Geneva, Switzerland. Nadia is also the President of Delta Phi Epsilon: Professional Foreign Service Sorority which empowers women in foreign policy and a Co-Founding President of March On the Campus, a grassroots political organization formed to make the Women's March of 2017 moment into a movement.

Gabriel Dayley is currently completing a master’s in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at the School of International Service, American University. Gabe graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, where he completed a thesis on social-psychological empathic processes and methods for improving empathy and compassion among groups in intractable conflict. His academic and professional interests include the construction of identity in conflict, methods of empowering women in conflict environments, dialogue as a tool for shifting intergroup attitudes, and the role that mindfulness techniques can play in conflict resolution. He is thrilled to be working at Women in International Security, deepening his interest in and understanding of the experience of women and gender dynamics in peace and security.

Paige Garczynski is a Gender and Global Security Intern at WIIS. Paige is a rising senior at Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson, Maryland. She was born and lives in rural Maryland but hopes to move to Washington, D.C. in the near future for college.

Paige is also a Parallel Enrollment Student at the Community College of Baltimore County, where she is currently pursuing an Associate’s Degree in General Studies as an Honors Program Student. Upon her high school graduation in May of 2022, she intends to pursue a B.S. in Economics with a minor in French, before attending law school.

Paige is very interested in economics, politics, and journalism. She is a volunteer journalist for The Commoner News, where she writes on a wide array of topics. She also serves as editor-in-chief of her high school’s newspaper, NDP Gateway. This summer, Paige is interning with the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships in the Membership and Constituent Relations Department, where she is working on grant research, newsletter writing, and blogging.

In her free time, Paige works at a therapeutic equestrian center for adults and children with disabilities. She grew up riding horses and enjoys using her knowledge of equines to help others learn, heal, and grow. Since sophomore year, Paige has been on her school’s Varsity crew team, which travels across the Mid-Atlantic to compete in various regattas year-round.

Paige is excited to begin collaborating with the WIIS team members and learning from the organization. This summer, she will be working closely with Program Manager Kayla McGill and will be focusing on the Index Project, attending weekly Missing Peace meetings, and partaking in various other events and assignments.

Julienne Denecke is an Army veteran who spent 5 years on active duty. Julienne served stateside and internationally. She has participated in joint operations with the South Korean, Japanese, and Singaporean Armies and she successfully deployed for 13 months to the Middle East. Julienne has demonstrated expertise in directing tactical level supply movements and in coordinating complex supply chain global logistics. Julienne completed airborne school and is a qualified aerial delivery and material management specialist. Prior to the military, she completed internships at the Department of State in the Political-Military Bureau and at the U.S. Senate where she interned for Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA). Julienne holds a BA in Political Science from The George Washington University.

Mallory Dudra is an undergraduate at the George Washington University, pursuing a degree in International relations with a focus on security policy and the Middle East. Previously, Mallory worked at the Middle East Policy Council, where she compiled stories on Middle Eastern politics and created timelines and backgrounders for educators to use in classrooms. Before joining the Middle East Policy Council, she worked at the National Council on US-Arab Relations. In this capacity, she worked on the the Model Arab League outreach program and assisted nationwide recruitment efforts for new student competitors and tournament hosts. Mallory’s research interests include women’s roles in the 2011 Arab Uprisings.

Ruth Forsyth is a graduate student at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service working on her master's in German and European Studies, focusing on transatlantic security and defense. She received her BA in International Affairs from Kennesaw State University in 2015, with a minor in Chinese Studies and a certificate in European Union Studies. She has previously worked at the German Marshall Fund of the United States as part of the Security and Defense team, and at the Atlantic Council doing research on NATO and European security issues. Her professional and research interests include transatlantic relations, NATO, EU foreign and security policy, and the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda in European states.

Ellen Galdava graduated with her MS from School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University in May 2015. Her master thesis explored generational gap in understanding Georgian national identity and the perception of the Other. She has regional expertise in Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Caucasus. Currently, she works at IREX in Education Program Division. At IREX her primary goal is to empower and assist youth from the conflicting regions to acquire education, professional skills, and to become leaders of their regions. For Ellen working at WIIS was a great experience, where she was able to learn from distinguished scholars  in the field and to contribute to WIIS’s various projects.

Erin Greenwalt is currently completing the last semester of her Master’s in Global Governance, Politics, and Security at the School of International Service, American University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Ethnic Conflict from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. Erin became interested in international relations through her focus on Native American Studies with Dr. Anne Flaherty. Her senior capstone encompassed ‘the politics of hurt’ in African ethnic conflict. At American University, she now studies women’s security, economic development, and female empowerment. Specifically, she analyzes how women’s grassroots movements in Africa combat corruption and bring about customary land tenure reform. Give that a section of her graduate research is heavily influenced by the Liberian Second Civil War and the impact of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, she is extremely excited to start doing work on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, as well as combatant disarmament.

Abby Comstock-Gay Güner is a current M.A. Candidate in International Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with a concentration in conflict management. Her interests include the implications of intersecting structural inequalities for conflict and conflict resolution, and how post-conflict peacebuilding processes can affect social change. Previously, she taught Turkish at University of Rochester, worked in editing and translation, and engaged in local organizing. She lived in Turkey for four years, first as a Fulbright Grantee in the city of Osmaniye, and then in Istanbul. She also knows Chinese, and as an undergraduate student at Kenyon College, spent a semester in Kunming, China.

Jeannette Gaudry Haynie is a Senior Fellow at Women in International Security (WIIS). She is a 1998 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. She currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, assigned to the Headquarters Marine Corps Strategic Initiatives Group, and is also a PhD candidate at the George Washington University writing her dissertation. An AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter pilot by trade who served through multiple overseas deployments in a variety of billets, she earned her MA in Political Science in 2011 from the University of New Orleans. She writes regular blog posts for the United States Naval Institute, the professional journal of the sea services, and has been published in Proceedings as well as quoted and interviewed in a variety of media due to her writing. Her research interests include gender inequality and resulting outcomes in the security sphere, and her dissertation work involves the role of gender inequality as an enabling condition of terrorism.

Ashley Holmes is a native of Richmond, Virginia and alumna of the University of Florida. In 2005 she graduated with a degree in public relations and a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Signal Corps. She spent more than eight years on active duty and currently is a major and public affairs officer in the US Army Reserve. Before joining WIIS, Ashley substitute taught in the District of Columbia Public Schools system, and interned at the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission. Ashley is pursuing a M.A. in Global Communication (Information and Communication Technology in International Affairs and Development) from the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Her areas of interest include ICT4D, ICT for disaster relief/emergency response, and media for conflict resolution. She is also a communications and policy intern at TechFreedom.

Sung-gyu (Mark) Hong recently graduated from Washington State University with a Master of Arts in Communication, specializing in political communication and media effect. Sung-gyu also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Communication from Han-yang University in South Korea. His academic interests include topics related to political polarization, focusing specifically on the role of mass media in political polarization in political parties and the general public. Sung-gyu has also conducted research on the use of social media and media framing in political communication. Before joining WIIS, he worked as a research associate at AudioNow LLC in Washington, DC. In this capacity Sung-gyu specialized in conducting market research and developed marketing strategies for prospective domestic and international clients through various social media platforms. Moving forward, Sung-gyu will continue his doctoral studies in political communication and build on his existing knowledge of marketing and communication systems.

Catherine (Cathy) Howell is originally from Los Angeles, CA. where she earned a B.A. in Global Studies and a B.A. in Communications. She is interested in the nexus of human rights initiatives and best communication practices among various cultural communities internationally. Her interests lead her to become involved in a human trafficking seminar in Thailand, where she worked with various anti-trafficking nonprofit organizations. Some of her relevant previous work experience involved drafting and editing research materials, websites, and print publications; as well as conducting interviews with the purpose of gathering stories of human interest for establishing policy recommendations.  Immediately before working at WIIS, Cathy worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies within the External Relations department.  Presently, she is working on her second year capstone research project for her master’s degree in Global Communications with emphasis in Public Diplomacy and Global Gender Policy from the Elliott School of International Affairs at GWU.

Miyuki Kauffroath is currently serving in the United States Navy as a Naval Flight Officer.  She has completed two European deployments where she flew as a Tactical Coordinator and Mission Commander in the P3-C Orion aircraft.  In addition, she is pursuing a Masters of Arts in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University.  Previously, she received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder with an International Media Certificate.  She is interested in issues related to communication, gender, international security, and the military.

Sarah Kenny is a Gender and Global Security Program Assistant at Women in International Security (WIIS). Sarah graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2018, where she served as president of the student body. During her time as an undergraduate, Sarah majored in Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law and minored in Women and Gender Studies. Her senior thesis focused on the role of women in the alt-right and the implications of a gendered perspective for counter-extremism efforts in America. She plans to expand her research on female actors and ideological movements to the international scale in graduate school, focusing on the role that gender plays in peace negotiations and reconciliation in post-conflict societies.

Deb Landau was a Gender and Global Security Program Assistant at Women in International Security where she helped support the research and programmatic operations. Prior to enrolling in graduate school, Deborah worked for U.S. Senator Bob Casey (PA) as a foreign policy intern, and subsequently a Staff Assistant. Deb is a Master’s candidate in the School of International Service at American University studying Global Governance, Politics, and Security. Deb graduated from Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus on international politics. Her senior thesis examined sexual and gender based violence as a weapon of war in civil wars, specifically the conflicts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is excited to be able to pursue her interests in gender and global security at WIIS.

Juliana Law is the Outreach and Development Program Assistant at Women in International Security where she supports fundraising activities to support the organization's many programs. She gained most of her internship experiences from the corporate business sector, specifically in finance and accounting. Juliana is a rising senior at Boston University Questrom School of Business studying finance. At WIIS, she is excited to explore topics about women, security, and global economic equality for women.

Hannah Lynch is a Program Assistant at Women in International Security (WIIS). She is currently a B.A. candidate in International Studies with a concentration in Peace, Global Security and Conflict Resolution at American University’s School of International Service. Her research interests include NATO’s relationship with Russia, the changing character of violence and security trends, and post-conflict stabilization in the Balkans region. Hannah has experience working with CEJI in Brussels, Belgium on anti-hate speech and hate crime policy with the European Commission. Along with her internship, she also took classes on NATO, EU politics and economics at American University’s satellite campus in Brussels. Hannah also completed a semester at Victoria University of Wellington in Wellington, New Zealand taking courses on the global political economy and international development.

Caitlin McMahon is an undergraduate student at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs focusing on security policy and sub-Saharan Africa.  Caitlin previously worked for Congressman Brian Higgins where she primarily researched and wrote memorandums on issues related to foreign affairs and gender equality.  Prior to working for Representative Higgins, Caitlin worked at the International Institute of Buffalo where she assisted refugees and immigrants to become independent, informed and contributing members of the community, and by promoting and supporting cultural competence, multiculturalism and global connectedness. Her research interests include the role of women in African ethnic conflicts and democratization.

Lila O'Brien-Milne was a Gender and Global Security Program Assistant at Women in International Security where she supported the research and programmatic operations. Prior to coming to WIIS, Lila was a Women, Peace, and Security Fellow at Women's Action for New Directions, a Program Assistant with the Andi Leadership Institute for Young Women, and an Institutional Learning Team Intern with Search for Common Ground. Lila graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus on gender and peacebuilding. Her senior thesis examined gaps between rhetoric and reality around women's inclusion in peacebuilding and security in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. She is excited to be able to pursue her interests in gender and peacebuilding at WIIS.

Samira Mohsen was one of the first case managers to join the child protection unit in UNHCR’s Cairo operation and assisted in the establishment of a framework for the Child Protection Unit. She trains the newly recruited interns and briefs them about the unit and the whole UNHCR system. Samira is a member of Euro-Med Women network and a trainer in soft skills and human development at Learn E-academy. She also volunteers for an initiative with the ministry of solidarity and at National Association for Youth Development (NYAD) African network. Samira taught at the 6th of October University for nearly two years before leaving to work in the field with refugees as a UNHC representative. She is currently starting her own NGO focused on children's education and is partnering with the North-South Center on a project which seeks to empower youth and promote women's rights. Samira is certified as a Trainer of Trainers for the democratic participation of women and has trained more than 500 students on empowerment and capacity building workshops. Her last training was for 150 students at the US embassy.

Taylor Mott is pursuing her undergraduate degree at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs where she studies international development and security policy. She has spent time studying in both Jordan and Morocco. Taylor has previously interned at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. She is interested in studying the factors that drive women to participate in extremist movements.

Hannah Proctor is a Gender and Global Security program assistant at Women in International Security (WIIS). Hannah is a recent graduate from the inaugural MSc in Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics. Her dissertation focused on the role of girls’ right to education in conflict prevention. Previously, she studied Women’s Studies and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. Hannah’s research interests include militarized masculinity’s connection to sexual violence; the Women, Peace and Security Agenda; and bringing feminist perspectives on sustainable peace. She has experience planning the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, working with a Croatian soccer club developing the Girls’ Empowerment Program, and working with low income families in Los Angeles.

Antonieta Rico is a fellow at Women in International Security. She holds a Master of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Rico served for more than six years in the U.S. Army as a public affairs specialist/military journalist. She deployed to Iraq twice and embedded with infantry units during combat operations and day-to-day missions. She has worked as Deputy News Editor of Army Times and Navy Times reporting on training, deployment cycles, combat integration and quality of life issues. Her academic and professional focus is on the intersection of gender, security and the military.

Rachel Sedehi is an undergraduate at James Madison University pursuing a BA in anthropology with a minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Her work in academia also includes archeological research and graphic design. In addition, she has experience translating scientific studies into coherent promotional materials for a U.S. defense contracting company, a large part of her time spent working with a researcher in sexual assault forensics. She seeks to help women in need, in a national and international context with a focus on reproductive rights, at- risk community outreach, and supporting women and children caught in civil conflict. Rachel emphasizes the importance of diversity and cultural understanding and is also focused on increasing the efforts to respond to climate change.

Madeline Sobral is a current graduate candidate at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies where she studies International Relations and International Economics. Previously, she studied at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University with a concentration in international development. Madeline has worked in DC as a Civil Rights Intern for the Equal Rights Center and as a Justice Management Intern for the United States Department of Justice. Madeline's research interests include the role of gender in humanitarian response and the participation of women in post-conflict peace building.

Shannon Travis is a current undergraduate at McDaniel College, majoring in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations. Her background includes serving four years active duty in the US Army, including a 14 month deployment to Iraq as a Petroleum Supply Specialist and most recently, an eight month deployment to Afghanistan as an Army Reservist. In this capacity, her daily duties comprised key leader engagements with local Afghan leaders and government officials such as Afghan National Army officers and Afghan National Police chiefs within the greater Kabul area. Her other duties included liaising with NATO and ISAF force protection officials as a subject matter expert on insider threats. Shannon redeployed December 2014.

Prior to enlistment in the military, Shannon interned for PeaceBridge International in Kabul, Afghanistan. She taught English as a second language at Kabul University and participated in women’s development and empowerment programs. One such program included distributing loans to local women to for the creation of small businesses.

Haley Trantel is an undergraduate student at American University’s School of International Service, focusing her studies on peace, global security, and conflict resolution. Haley previously worked at the Middle East Policy Council, where she assisted with the production of the Council’s quarterly journal, Middle East Policy, and drafted lesson plans on topics related to Middle East geography and culture to be used by educators. Haley has also worked as an assistant at Human Rights Watch since August 2015. Haley's research interests include women's contributions to conflict prevention, security and peacemaking.

Carolyn J. Washington retired in the rank of Colonel from the US Army in 2013 after thirty-one years of active duty service.  A Foreign Area Officer, Carolyn is a seasoned diplomat who spent the last 17 years of her career in Europe partnering with international organizations and militaries. Her assignments include: Staff Officer, George C. Marshall European Center for Strategic Studies, Garmisch, Germany; Attachè assignments at the US Embassies in Serbia and Norway; Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation, Slovak Republic; Chief, Training and Exercises, Third Turkish Corps (NATO), Istanbul, Turkey; and Chief, Southern Africa Division, US Africa Command (AFRICOM).  At AFRICOM, she also chaired the Women, Peace and Security Working Group. She holds the following degrees: Master of Science Strategic Studies, US Army War College, Carlisle, PA; Master of Arts National Security Studies, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, CA; Master of Arts Criminal Justice, George Washington University, Washington, DC; and Bachelor of Arts History, Bennett College, Greensboro, NC.

Maya Whitney is a Gender and Global Security program assistant at Women in International Security (WIIS). She is currently a B.A. candidate at American University in the School of International Studies with a focus in Foreign Policy and National Security and a minor in Economics. Her research interests include the representation of women in the fields of defense and national security, female representation in peacebuilding processes, and the roles of women in terrorist organizations. Maya previously worked at Security Europe, a small journalism firm in the heart of Brussels, Belgium, serving as Junior Analyst reporting on the role of security measures and radicalization in Europe and the future relations of the Balkans and Caucasus regions with NATO and the EU. In addition to her internship, while in Brussels, Belgium, Maya also took classes on the economics of the defense industry, NATO and EU politics at American University's satellite campus.

Monia Zgarni is a visiting fellow at Women in International Security (WIIS). Zgarni is from Bizerte, Tunisia and is currently completing a PhD on women’s rights in transitional settings. She works for the Tunisian Association for Political Studies (ATEP) where she conducts research, collecting and analyzing data related to the Tunisian National Dialogue. Funded by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Tunisian National Dialogue is a project which studies the process of the national dialogue and provides an overview of the varying perspectives between national political parties and civil society organizations. Prior to working for ATEP, Zgarni worked as a paralegal focusing on intellectual property. She holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Law and a Master of Laws in Common Law from Carthage University.

Monia Zgarni is a 2015 Spring participant of the Legacy International Professional Fellows Program (PFP). The PFP links community leaders in an exchange program designed to promote capacity-building and professional development with the aim of supporting civil society development in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Zgarni is interested in women empowerment and peacebuilding, and will present a Tunisian women’s leadership project as part of her training with the PFP. As a visiting fellow with WIIS, she will develop a proposal related to the increasing awareness of young Tunisian women, focusing on the rights recognized and guaranteed under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. Zgarni will also build expertise on issues related to gender equality as they relate to peace and security.