Mohammed Al Ahbabi

Mohammed Al Ahbabi is a research assistant at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, where his work centers on political economy, particularly in Western Europe and the Gulf region. His research interests also encompass democracy and systems of governance. Mohammed holds a master's degree with honors in political economy from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow and a master's degree with distinction in global affairs and diplomatic leadership from the Emirates Diplomatic Academy.

Perry Boyle

Perry Boyle is the chief executive officer of Military Innovation Technology Solutions Capital in Kyiv, Ukraine, and the former chairman of the non-governmental organization BOMA in Nairobi, Kenya. He spent 30 years in investment banking and asset management. Perry has degrees from Stanford, Dartmouth, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and King's College London. He writes on international affairs on LinkedIn (@perryboyle) and on local news at TheKetchumSun.substack.com. 

Hao-Wei Chen

Hao-Wei Chen is a multilingual cybersecurity practitioner, currently serving as the Taiwan and Japan chief information security officer at Coupang. He advises government agencies on cyber warfare and national security matters, while also leading nonprofit initiatives to strengthen Taiwan-U.S. relations through his roles as founder of the Taiwan International Foundation and NEX Foundation. Prior to his current position, Hao-Wei spent over a decade at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle and Washington, D.C., where he contributed to the company's global security landscape across incident response, red teaming, product security, and insider threat domains. Hao-Wei holds an M.S. in information security from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in computer science and information engineering from Fu Jen Catholic University. 

Mario Gil

Mario Gil is a commander in the United States Coast Guard, currently serving as deputy commander, USCG Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. He is second in command of the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest overseas unit, composed of six fast response cutters, a shore-side support element, and a maritime engagement team. He is responsible for providing combat ready assets in support of U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and Naval Central Command. A career sea-going officer, he has extensive experience conducting counter-drug, immigration enforcement, search and rescue, and national security missions. Most recently, he served as second in command of a 210-foot medium endurance cutter. He was patrolling the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean to counter the illicit transport of drugs and migrants into the United States. He was also in command of a 154-foot fast response cutter where he led a crew of 27 men and women patrolling the Eastern Caribbean and participated in the recovery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after the devastating 2017 hurricane season. He holds a B.S. in business management from Nova Southeastern University and an M.A. in defense and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. 

Dr. Mohammed Goje

Dr. Mohammed Goje is a humanitarian and emergency disaster management specialist with over 10 years of field experience. Since 2019, Mohammed has served as the executive secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, where he has led emergency response efforts and post-conflict recovery, coordinating humanitarian activities and resource mobilization. Mohammed is also the Yobe State contact for the Lake Chad Basin Commission and UNDP, where he manages solutions for internal displacement in Yobe. In this capacity he specializes in resource mobilization, reproductive health, psychosocial support in emergencies, and immunization program coordination. Mohammed is a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. He is an alumnus of the London School of Economics and holds an M.S. in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University Putra Malaysia. Mohammed’s interest is to become a leader who thinks outside the box and to become equipped with the mentorship skills required to become the leader that Africa needs. 

Dr. John Gray

Dr. John Gray is a registered pharmacist and currently serves as the director of Pharmacy Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at Kaiser Permanente, the largest nonprofit health care organization in the United States. In his role, he participates in strategic planning to develop and advance long-term policy priorities for the organization’s pharmacy enterprise. He engages in direct advocacy with policymakers on policy measures that are under active consideration. He previously served in pharmacy management roles at Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California (USC) and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and has held faculty appointments at USC and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, School of Pharmacy. John holds a doctoral degree in pharmacy and master’s degree in health system pharmacy administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He also has a master’s degree in studies in law with concentrations in healthcare compliance and entertainment law from the USC’s Gould School of Law. John is an amateur Taiwan and China watcher and has traveled to Taiwan at least 10 times in the last 15 years. In his free time, he enjoys studying Mandarin Chinese and playing Pokémon, the card game, with his daughter. 

Setou Karama

Setou Karama serves as the director of programming and training with the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone, where she has focused on education and public health since 2023. She is an optimistic and service-focused leader with significant international development experience. She has extensive early career experience as a direct-services clinical practitioner and a macro social worker focused on policy development. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Setou worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, leading child protection and public assistance programs focused on serving and empowering the most vulnerable populations in Massachussettes. She holds a master’s degree in social work and a bachelor’s degree in law. Her most important role is being a mother to her two sons. Setou’s native language is French and outside of work she enjoys taking long walks, reading, going to the beach, and practicing yoga. 

Karokh Khorany

Karokh Khorany is a seasoned security risk management professional with over a decade of experience in both the humanitarian and security sectors. He has held senior leadership roles within international non-governmental organizations and contributed to advisory boards and steering committees. Karokh has led the development and execution of security strategies in complex and high-risk environments, ensuring the continuity of aid operations across the broader Middle East and globally. His expertise spans strategic leadership, crisis management, capacity building, risk mitigation, and facilitating humanitarian access. Karokh holds an M.S. in security management from the University of Portsmouth, awarded through the Chevening scholarship. He is fluent in English, Assyrian, Arabic, Kurdish, and intermediate French. His professional focus is on the intersection of security and humanitarian operations, geopolitical risk analysis, and sustainable security delivery in fragile contexts. 

Sukaa Latch

Sukaa Latch is a government affairs and public policy professional specializing in international advocacy and global stakeholder engagement. Her career spans both public and private sectors, with a focus on technology and economic policy. Based in Singapore, Sukaa is a senior consultant at a public policy and corporate affairs firm specializing in emerging markets, where she leads client management and business development across the Asia-Pacific. Sukaa is also a team leader with the Center for AI and Digital Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy organization, where she mentors researchers as part of the Center’s AI Policy Clinic program. Previously, Sukaa was a trade negotiator at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, where she advanced foreign trade diplomacy initiatives across Latin America, Russia, Central Asia, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forums. Sukaa later led technology policy advocacy at Singapore’s leading tech industry association. She worked on AI, cloud and data infrastructure, data protection, digital trade, and data governance. Passionate about ethical and responsible technology, Sukaa believes policymaking should foster a fairer, more inclusive, and accountable society. As a She-Leads-Tech Ambassador with the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, Sukaa advocates for greater participation and leadership of women in technology. 

Jila Matos

Jila Matos is a program and project management professional with over six years of experience supporting U.S. foreign assistance, enterprise risk management, and international development initiatives. She recently received a job offer to support the assessment, monitoring, and evaluation team at U.S. Central Command, with onboarding pending completion of her security clearance Previously, Jila served as a management and program analyst at USAID, where she led cross-functional teams and coordinated enterprise-level risk assessments across 87 global missions and bureaus. She also worked with the World Federation of United Nations Associations on Sustainable Development Goal 16+ initiatives and managed donor outreach and community engagement at the Youth Development Clinic. Jila holds an M.A. in diplomacy and international relations from Seton Hall University with concentrations in international law & human rights and global negotiation & conflict management. She is passionate about gender equity, inclusive governance, and bridging the gap between global development and digital security. Through AIF, she hopes to expand her international network and explore multilateral career pathways that advance global justice, resilience, and human rights.

Lauren Pompey

Lauren Pompey is an emerging technologies strategist for the Federal National Mortgage Association. Her portfolio focuses on strategic development for the adoption of artificial intelligence and generative AI. She has over 10 years of experience influencing leaders within the private sector and global organizations to build operational efficiency and improve resource impacts. Her professional horizon is focused on deepening partnerships between the public and private sector in an effort to strengthen the future of national security. Lauren became a contributing member of the Organization for Women in International Trade in 2020, where she led public affairs special projects and built professional mentorship opportunities for young women throughout America. Her leadership journey continued when she served as general officer coordinator in partnership with the 11th Wing Command in Washington, D.C., for high-ranking officers in the United States military. In 2021, Lauren was appointed to serve as the co-chair for the Redefining National Security working group of the Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation initiative. She led campaigns in partnership with Universities of Sanctuary to help asylum seekers from Albania, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Iran to assimilate and acquire access to educational resources. Lauren earned an M.A. in international relations from Dublin City University.

May Srithanes

May Srithanes is a seasoned government and policy consultant with extensive experience at BowerGroupAsia, specializing in providing strategic support to help clients achieve powerful outcomes. She plays a pivotal role as a connector, bridging the government, private sector, and civil society to drive meaningful change. By crafting strategic narratives and designing engagement plans, she fosters collaboration and turns innovative ideas into action. Her work also creates new opportunities for partnerships that accelerate innovation and contribute to the nation’s growth while strengthening the Thai government’s intervention capabilities. Before joining BowerGroupAsia, May gained experience as a government affairs and policy fellow at the General Electric Company in Bangkok, supporting its business projects and promoting market access to renewable energy in the Asia-Pacific region. Her corporate experience is complemented by a strong passion for social change, demonstrated through her work with the Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions, a non-governmental organization. She also interned at the Borgen Project, advocating for global poverty alleviation, and served as a laboratory assistant at the University of Kentucky (UK) Graduate Center for Toxicology, further broadening her expertise. She graduated from UK in 2014 with a B.A. in political science with a minor in biology. 

Miranda Tkabladze

Miranda Tkabladze is a recognized expert with over two decades experience in human rights, rule of law, and democracy and governance with a rich background in civil society and international affairs. She most recently served as the senior diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). In recognition of her leadership and groundbreaking initiatives during moments of political crisis in Georgia, she was honored with a SPOT Award by IFES. She has also served as an external consultant at the Hertie School of Governance, where she is currently pursuing an executive master’s in public administration as part of the social impact scholarship. As a proud member of the German Marshall Fund’s Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network, Miranda is deeply committed to transatlantic cooperation and inclusive leadership. Her international experience began with her selection as an exchange student in 2004 under the UGRAD program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. She has studied in Georgia, Germany, Poland, the United States, and Sweden. In 2019, Miranda was selected as a fellow in the Professional Fellows Program, furthering her legal and U.S. policy expertise at the American Constitution Society. She graduated from the European Academy of Diplomacy's Young Diplomats Academy and holds an M.A. in international affairs. With a passion for international affairs, transatlantic dialogue, and forward-looking governance, Miranda has a clear vision for contributing to democratic renewal and aspires to political leadership. She is fluent in Georgian, English, Russian, and German. 

Sviatoslav Tkachuk

Sviatoslav Tkachuk is a seasoned legal and development professional with 14 years of experience. He leads complex rule of law and justice sector reforms across Eastern Europe, with a strong focus on judicial reform, anti-corruption, and vetting processes. Sviat has proven his ability to manage multi-stakeholder programs and country operations, including overseeing workplans, budgets, and staff performance. He successfully led the secretariat operations of three vetting commissions in Ukraine and Moldova, designing procedures aligned with European and international standards. Sviat is adept at high-level engagement with government counterparts, international donors, and civil society. He is legally trained in Ukraine and the U.S., with expertise in legal advisory, program development, cross-border coordination, and results-based management in politically sensitive environments. 

Momo Francis Turay

Momo Francis Turay serves as a technical adviser on climate change, zero waste, and blue economy in the Office of the President in Sierra Leone. His work is in pursuit of the First Lady’s international commitment to the Zero Waste Advisory Board of the UN Secretary General. He provides oversight, manages relationships with partners at international and local levels, and delivers on special assignments. From 2018-2023, Momo served as the United Nations Development Programme national advisor, assigned to the newly created Ministry of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone. He helped to produce the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023, providing technical assistance to the office of the minister. In this role, he oversaw change management, strategic planning, relationship management, monitoring and evaluation, and performance management. His prior posts include manager of research, information, monitoring and evaluation with the Justice Sector Development Programme managed by the British Council; desk officer, West Africa, with the Environmental Foundation for Africa; and consultant for various reputable organizations. Momo is a Chevening Scholar and holds a master’s degree in resource management from the University of Edinburgh. He is keen to understand how global leadership is challenged by conflicts, climate change, poverty, pandemics, and other crisis.

Kate Varnum

Kate Varnum joined Bridgewater Associates in 2015 and is currently the chief people officer and chief operations officer for the Alpha Engine, Bridgewater’s core investment group that delivers insights on the fundamental drivers of markets and turns that understanding into quality portfolios and investment advice for clients. In her role, she is responsible for shaping and executing the Alpha Engine’s operations and talent strategy, driving key commercial, investment, and talent initiatives. She was previously co-head of Research Analytics, overseeing core asset class teams responsible for delivering returns for Pure Alpha, Bridgewater’s primary investment strategy. Prior to joining Bridgewater, Kate served as a recruitment manager at Teach for America, where she began her career as a seventh-grade math teacher. She received her B.B.A. in international finance and marketing & management from the University of Miami and holds an M.Ed. from the University of Colorado, Denver. Kate currently lives in New York City with her partner, James; daughter, Charlotte; and dog, Kona. 

Beth Worth

Beth Worth analyzes geopolitical risks at Google to help safeguard employees and assets, with a focus in the Americas region. Prior to joining the private sector, she worked as a Central Intelligence Agency analyst and State Department diplomat in Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe, including a year in Iraq and four in Madrid. She started her career at a non-profit working to improve public education and continues to be passionate about grassroots change, from lobbying the government for bike lanes to planting trees. She graduated from Princeton in 2001 with a degree in political science and Latin American studies, and from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in 2006. She lives in D.C. with her husband Tom, a fellow hispanophile and bicycle enthusiast.