Cody Valdes (2008-2016)(2021-)

Cody Valdes received his MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from Cambridge University and his BA in Political Science (Suma, Phi Beta Kappa) from Tufts University in 2013, where he engaged in many of the programs of the Institute for Global Leadership. These included its EPIIC colloquium, Empower Program of Social Entrepreneurship, Discourse Journal, Poverty and Power Research Initiative, Solar for Gaza/Sderot, and Synaptic Scholars. Working with Engineers without Borders counterparts from the U.S. Air Force Academy, he created the Mango Tree Project, an Engineers without Borders initiative for the Agahozo-Shalom Orphans Village in Rwanda. In Kenya, he was co-founder of an organization Sisi Ni Amani, which in Swahili means “We are Peace,” a peace-mapping initiative. After graduating, he served as a Teaching Assistant in Tufts' Department of Political Science and for the IGL during its year on the Future of Europe. He later worked with a team of therapists in Srinagar, Kashmir under the leadership of Justine Hardy to introduce a mind-body integration programme for youth in schools across the Kashmir Valley.

Cody was the critical detonator and in many ways the inspiration for The Trebuchet community effort. This wonderful relationship will continue as Cody has been named Senior Tutor for SaiU and my colleague in creating an EPIIC colloquium for the International Relations and Global Affairs program of which I am a Professor of Practice.