Guo Feng (GAVIN)
Guo Feng (Gavin) is the co-founder of Yulele, where he leads the company’s film and television production business. He is currently spearheading the establishment of a Los Angeles–based arm of Yulele in collaboration with Janet Yang, Chair of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a long-standing advocate for Asian storytelling in Hollywood. Under his leadership, Yulele also manages top-tier talent across film, theatre, and classical music. One of the company’s featured pianists has performed at major venues globally, including Carnegie Hall, and on prominent occasions such as the G20 Summit.
Before launching Yulele, Gavin built a successful career in finance. He served as Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Asia Limited (Hong Kong) and as Director at Warburg Pincus, gaining extensive experience in global investment strategy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Economics from Peking University, and a Master’s in Management from Duke University.
Beyond business, Gavin has played an active role in public health and philanthropy. Yulele is the only “strategic partner” of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the entertainment sector, and three of its talents have been appointed as WHO Special Envoys of Public Health in China—a recognition of their contribution to initiatives in tobacco control and HIV containment in underserved regions. Gavin’s longstanding engagement with these issues has led to personal collaboration with WHO leadership, and their work has been widely reported across Chinese media.
In addition to his role at Yulele, Gavin serves as Executive Vice President of the Radio and Television Association of Hainan Province and is a member of the China Television Artists Association.
Learn more about his work here: http://www.yulele.com/
Alex de Waal
Alex de Waal is the Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation. Considered one of the foremost experts on Sudan and the Horn of Africa, his scholarly work and practice has also probed humanitarian crisis and response, human rights, HIV/AIDS and governance in Africa, and conflict and peace-building. His latest book is Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine (Polity Press 2017). He is also he author of The Real Politics of the Horn of Africa (Polity Press, 2015), a full list of his publications is available below. Following a fellowship with the Global Equity Initiative at Harvard (2004-06), he worked with the Social Science Research Council as Director of the program on HIV/AIDS and Social Transformation, and led projects on conflict and humanitarian crises in Africa (2006-09). During 2005-06, de Waal was seconded to the African Union mediation team for Darfur and from 2009-11 served as senior adviser to the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan, where he took on a number of roles in the negotiations leading to the independence of South Sudan. He was on the list of Foreign Policy’s 100 most influential public intellectuals in 2008 and Atlantic Monthly’s 27 “brave thinkers” in 2009.
Prof. Alex de Waal regularly teaches a course on Conflict in Africa at the Fletcher School, Tufts University. During this course, students should gain a deeper understanding of the nature of contemporary violent conflict in Africa. Students will be expected to master the key theoretical approaches to violence in Africa, and to become familiar with a number of important case studies. The focus is on the origins and nature of violence as well as policy responses and solutions. The course is inter-disciplinary and involves readings in political science, international relations, and social anthropology, while also touching on economics, environmental studies, and history.
Cristiano Bonino
Cristiano Bonino is proudly 100% Italian (from Turin, Piedmont), living in the Boston area, which has allowed him to broaden his experience, “hybridizing” through the balance of two cultures.
Before his career in travel, he worked as a personal financial planner in Italy, helping families manage their savings. The experience taught him how important it is not only to respect the value of money, but also, and above all, to care about the people he meets and works with through life!
Cristiano has been a devoted cyclist for decades. He sees the bicycle as an ideal way to visit a new place and, whenever possible, scouts new tour routes from the saddle.
In 2001, he started to design, sell, and guide cycling tours, mostly in Italy, with an American company, bringing his enthusiasm and energy to helping fellow travelers discover new foods, wines, cultures, and landscapes. Across many miles, Cristiano has honed his understanding of Italian regional distinctions, the importance of conviviality at the table, and the value of sharing the stories of our lives.
On moving to the U.S., he was at first surprised by how passionate many Americans are for Italy. It has helped him little by little to grow his pride in his heritage. He is happy to live in the U.S., provided that life and work allow him to return a few times a year to reconnect with roots, friends, foods, wines, recipes, and the special atmosphere of a country that, given local differences, could easily be called the “United Regions of Italy!”
In 2013, Cristiano launched Food.Stories.Travel., a small tour operator offering educational, guided journeys around the Mediterranean, by foot or by bicycle. Food.Stories.Travel. focuses on the specificity of place and on local farmers and foodmakers, hearing their stories and tasting their works.
Mona Mowafi
Mona Mowafi has more than 20 years of experience in global development, with a focus on health equity and social entrepreneurship. Most recently, Mona founded RISE Egypt, a global nonprofit catalyzing social entrepreneurship for development in Egypt. Having worked through the pains and privileges of leading a nonprofit that must navigate complex human as well as administrative labyrinths, Mona has found deep comfort and grounding in the practice of meditation and inner reflection in the continuous journey of becoming a transformational leader.
Prior to her adventures in the social entrepreneurship and leadership development space, Mona was a researcher and program manager promoting health equity in the U.S. and abroad. She holds a doctorate in Social Epidemiology from Harvard University and has received numerous awards for her work including the Judith O’Connor Award for emerging nonprofit leaders from Boardsource and a national leadership award from AmeriCorps Alums for her ongoing commitment to global development and service learning. With all this, Mona finds the most useful credential in this world to be that of kind human. She tries to abide by the motto she teaches her children, to be “kind, caring, and sharing,” with all else following from there. In her spare time, Mona loves to travel, read, row, and build bridges. She lives in Brookline, MA with her husband and two children, who are vying for a cat.
Frederik Obermaier
Frederik Obermaier, Germany, is a book author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. Together with his colleague Bastian Obermayer he founded the Munich-based investigative startup paper trail media. Exclusive publishing partners of paper trail media are the German magazine Der Spiegel, German public broadcaster ZDF, the Austrian daily Der Standard and the Swiss Tamedia group.
Obermaier was part of the ICIJ’s Offshore Leaks, Luxembourg Leaks, China Cables and other projects. Together with this colleague Bastian Obermayer, he initiated the Panama Papers, Bahamas Leaks and Paradise Papers investigations. He has received numerous honors for his work, including the CNN-Award, the Otto Brenner Preis, the renowned Wächterpreis, the Henri-Nannen-Prize, the Reporterpreis and the Helmut-Schmidt-Journalistenpreis.
He also jointly shared awards with his ICIJ colleagues including the Scripps Howard Awards, the George Polk Award for Business Reporting, the Barlett & Steele Award, the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Award and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
For the Panama Papers, Obermaier was together with his colleagues Bastian Obermayer and Vanessa Wormer elected Germany's Journalist of the Year 2016. In 2017, he was also awarded the Murrey Marder-Fellowship in Watchdog Journalism at the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University.
Obermaier is a member of the jury of Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Awards, co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Data Collective and board member of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ).
He has co-authored several books, including bestselling accounts of the so-called Ibiza Affair, which lead to snap elections in Austria, as well as The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money.
Nikos Passas
Nikos Passas is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, who has made scholarly contributions to the understanding of complex global issues. His expertise encompasses the study of security, corruption, illicit financial and trade flows, sanctions, terrorism, and white-collar crime, among other critical areas. His work aligned him with Sherman Teichman, former Director of the Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) program at Tufts University, a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to the rigorous examination of intricate global dilemmas. The program aimed to cultivate informed and engaged global citizens by connecting theoretical knowledge with practical applications through innovative curricula and projects. Their relationship started in the 1990s and continued over the years covering issues ranging from global crime, financial misconduct, security threats, “Europe in Turmoil”, as well as a collaboration with Professor Neva Goodwin on socially and economically harmful corporate practices. This initiative led to the publication of a book with the title “It’s Legal but it Ain’t Right Harmful Social Consequences of Legal Industries," published by the University of Michigan Press in 2004.”
Sherman and Nikos also collaborated at the time Professor Passas held the esteemed position of INSPIRE Fellow at Tufts University's Institute of Global Leadership. The INSPIRE program was designed to bring accomplished scholars and practitioners to the Tufts campus to deliver public and classroom lectures, as well as offer guidance on research and career paths. Moreover, in 2017, Professor Passas was bestowed with the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award by the Institute. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to confronting global corruption and crime, coupled with courageous activism in exposing such practices. Finally, Sherman Teichman and Nikos Passas co-led a year-long workshop from 2017 to 2019 on the critical intersection of corruption and human rights. This initiative, while formally convened at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.
Their collaboration continues currently within the framework of Trebuchet.
Garima Singh
I’m Garima Singh, a graduate in Biological Sciences with a minor in International Relations from Sai University, Chennai. Originally from North India, I moved south for my undergraduate studies, where my interests found grounding at the intersection of life sciences, policy research, and sustainability. Outside of class I do sketching, singing, practicing my creative writing and backpacking.
My journey with the Global Maritime Accord began through a course I took at Sai University on Global Security Challenges with Sherman. As part of that course, I wrote a paper on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, which sparked my deep interest in ocean sustainability. To dive more into the field, Sherman helped me connect with the Global Maritime Accord, where I was fortunate to intern. During my time as an intern, I attended expert-led webinars, learnt so much from the experiences, helped prepare concise summaries for the team, and contributed to research papers. I learned how to support webinar logistics, assist with social media outreach, and most importantly, engage in meaningful conversations with professionals in the field. Learning directly from experienced maritime leaders, and those moments deeply shaped my understanding of maritime governance.
Now an alumna of the program, looking forward to higher studies in the field, I carry with me not just technical skills in research and communication, but a renewed passion for environmental policy and ocean sustainability. The experience aligns directly with my future goals—to work in the field of environmental governance, and potentially within sustainability forums. I owe much of this journey to Sherman, whose mentorship, warmth, and unwavering belief in young voices continue to inspire me. The Global Maritime Accord remains a space of learning, connection, and purpose—and I am grateful to have been a part of it.
Looking forward to learning more.
Warmly,
Garima
Frances Dixon
As an undergraduate attending Tufts, Frances Dixon was deeply impressed by the idea of service to others. While searching out how to accomplish this life goal, she was inspired by the military officers she met. “They were clearly leaders,” she says. “They walked into a room and commanded it; they were instantly accessible and able to build trust with everyone. How do you do that? How does someone in charge of a large group make each person better? I saw that as part of the incredible leadership training the military provides.”
By entering the military, Frances could “serve my country and learn leadership.” She chose the Air Force because it had the highest percentage of career fields open to women.
After two years stationed in Florida, Frances then spent six years in Nevada working with remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs or “drones”). In addition to maintenance, she worked with acquisitions and contracting functions and was exposed to industry partners and, “became interested in the business side of how these programs are run.” Following that, Frances assumed responsibility for sixteen C-5 cargo aircrafts as a Maintenance Manager leading 330 people. After three years, Frances knew it was time to pursue her dream of getting an MBA.
“I realized I didn’t know much about business,” says Frances. “In order to truly leverage my leadership skillset and make the transition easier, an MBA was the best option.” HBS became her top choice “because of its learning environment. As a non-traditional student with more professional experience, I was concerned that a straight lecture environment wouldn’t be a good fit. As soon as I sat in on a case, I knew this was the perfect academic environment for me.”
“I’m interested in what the professors have to say. But I'm fascinated by what my peers say and the experiences they bring to class. They’re brilliant. The level of discourse here forces you to be on your toes. You’re engaged—you have to be. You can’t sit back and just listen.”
For her upcoming EC year, Frances intends to explore an old interest: access to water. As an undergraduate, she studied abroad in El Salvador and Bolivia, which awakened her awareness of the struggle for potable water. “Part of the impetus for HBS was to find ways I could do work with water,” she says.
While pursuing her course work, Frances will also fulfill an independent research project on water technologies. “I’m interested in private sector solutions. There are a couple of Boston startups that are investigating new technologies for filtering water or desalinating water with less energy. I want to find ways technology can be applied to get clean water to populations without adequate access to it.”
Frances will officially pin on as Colonel in the U.S. Air Force on June 14, 2025.
Edgar James
I grew up in Portand, Oregon, attended Catholic schools (a monastery for high school), and attended Portland State University (“PSU”) where I was student body vice president in my second year and head of Oregon Students for Kennedy in 1968. Thanks to the PSU faculty, I went to Columbia University in September 1969 on a 4 year fellowship for a Ph.D. in recent French history and International Affairs, principally French speaking Africa. The Kent State and Jackson State killings ended my studies in May 1970 as Columbia and many other universities shut down in the face of massive student protests. After some work recruiting and managing student involvement in anti-war Congressional and Senate campaigns in the mid-Atlantic and north east, I was recruited to work in Appalachia all of 1971-72 building opposition to the head of United Mine Workers, Tony Boyle, who had arranged the murder of his election opponent, Joseph (“Jock”) Yablonski and his family. A judge ordered a new election two years later, which I and another activist ran, and we won. 1 But the lawyers were fundamental to the effort.
My father never finished 4 th grade but my mother graduated high school. They died when I was younger (1964; 1971). I worked in the miners union from 1973-75, organized the 1973 convention and coordinated support for the Harlan County strike for union recognition and a contract. Thanks to a brilliant lawyer and close friend who was part of our reform effort who suggested that I apply to law school, I attended Harvard Law School (JD) and School of Public Health (MPH) and graduated in 1979.
My law firm mainly represents workers, unions and non-profits. I am active in human rights work and immigration, principally involving Latin American, with the National Security Archive and the Washington Office on Latin America (“WOLA”). But thanks to a very old (1880’s) and very inclusive Jewish refugee organization, HIAS, my wife, Kathy Kinsella, and I support three young women refugees from Afghanistan. She and I have been trying to get their parents and younger brother out, but, despite the fact that their father worked for the American military at Bagram, this administration has made clear that this will not happen. And the administration has since announced that it is removing refugee protection for the Afghans who currently reside in the US.
Sherman Teichman and his EPIC classes were a very important inspiration to our daughter, Mara, at Tufts.
Beth Simone Noveck
Beth Simone Noveck is the Director of the Burnes Center for Social Change and a professor at Northeastern University, where she also leads the GovLab, a partner project dedicated to improving governance through technology. She holds faculty positions at the Institute for Experiential AI, the School of Law, and in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, the College of Arts, Design, and Media, the College of Engineering, and is affiliated faculty at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences.
At Northeastern, Beth directs the AI for Impact program and the InnovateMA co-op, which partners with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to empower students to use artificial intelligence and human-centered design for public sector innovation. Her work focuses on using AI to reimagine participatory democracy and strengthen governance. In collaboration with Citizens Foundation, she is building AI-enabled tools to enhance collective intelligence and participatory problem-solving. Beth also shares her insights on AI, democracy, and governance on her blog, Reboot Democracy.
In 2024, Beth was appointed Chief AI Strategist for the State of New Jersey by Governor Murphy. She previously served as the State’s founding Chief Innovation Officer, leading efforts to modernize government services, improve data transparency, and strengthen digital public infrastructure. This included projects like streamlining unemployment insurance, coordinating COVID-19 response efforts, and building open data platforms to enhance workforce development and business growth.
Before joining Northeastern, Beth served as the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer under President Obama, where she founded the White House Open Government Initiative. She also served as a senior advisor for Open Government for UK Prime Minister David Cameron and as a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Digital Council from 2018 to 2021.
Beth is a pioneering civic technologist, having created early platforms like Unchat, Peer-to-Patent, and Democracy Island in Second Life, all designed to make government more transparent, collaborative, and responsive. She is the founder of open, online courses like Solving Public Problems, Open Justice, and InnovateUS, which have trained social innovators and public sector professionals in over 100 countries.
Beth is the author of Solving Public Problems: How to Fix Our Government and Change Our World (Yale Press, 2021), named a Best Book of 2021 by Stanford Social Innovation Review. Her latest book, Democracy Rebooted: How AI Can Save Democracy, explores the role of artificial intelligence in revitalizing democratic institutions.
Beth’s contributions to technology and governance have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as one of the “Foreign Policy 100” by Foreign Policy, one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” and one of the World’s 100 Most Influential Academics in Government by Apolitical. She received a doctorat honoris causa from the University of Geneva in October 2023.
Alaina Riggs
Alaina Riggs is a 2/c cadet (junior) at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, majoring in Marine and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fisheries Biology and Geospatial Intelligence. Alaina is currently working on a capstone project focused on OILMAP Validation of Geographic Response Strategies in the Great Lakes.
Born and raised in Tehachapi, California, Alaina has been swimming since she was six years old, accumulating seven years of club swimming experience and four years of varsity swimming, where she served as team captain. In addition to athletics, Alaina participated in student government, mathletes, and community service projects, and worked as a lifeguard, teaching swim lessons to children.
Alaina chose the Coast Guard Academy, inspired by her older sister, a United States Naval Academy graduate and now an Ensign in the Navy. However, Alaina’s passion for environmental and humanitarian missions drew her to the Coast Guard’s unique blend of service and conservation.
At the Academy, Alaina is a member of the swim and water polo teams, participates in the campus marine science club, and served in the Delta Company Command during the Fall 2024 semester. She has taken coursework in marine and fisheries biology, oceanography, emergency management, and environmental studies, building a strong foundation for a career in marine science and conservation.
Alaina has a deep passion for helping others and is excited to expand her impact through the telehealth drone demonstration this summer. She looks forward to applying her knowledge to make positive changes in the world as a Pacific Ally, and hopes to be an exemplary influence on those she meets and bonds with during this journey.
Charlie Klinger
Charlie Klinger is a 2/c cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy, majoring in Marine and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fisheries Biology and Geospatial Intelligence. Her capstone project focuses on developing strategies to transition Station San Juan, Puerto Rico, to operate entirely on renewable energy.
Originally from Port Tobacco, Maryland, Charlie graduated second in her high school class while serving as President of the National Honor Society and Vice President of her class. She completed a rigorous four-year advanced biomedical sciences program, which sparked her early interest in public health and technology. Charlie is excited to participate in a telehealth drone demonstration, exploring how emerging technology can deliver life-saving care to remote or underserved communities.
A dedicated multi-sport athlete in high school, she competed in soccer, softball, cross country, and swimming. At the Academy, she continues her involvement in athletics as the Women’s Lacrosse Team Manager. Her academic pursuits include coursework in Fisheries Biology, Oceanography, and Emergency Management.
Charlie’s lifelong connection to the water—boating, fishing, and exploring the Chesapeake Bay—instilled in her a passion for marine conservation and service. As a 2025 Pacific Allies Internship participant, she looks forward to applying her scientific background and personal experiences to support coastal communities, promote environmental resilience, and build cross-cultural partnerships throughout the Pacific region.
Ferdinand Safari
MG (Rtd) Ferdinand Safari is a Rwandan national who grew up in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands and a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. He is also a holder of a post graduate diploma in Strategic Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
He served as a career officer in the Rwanda Defence Force for 28 years and attended all professional tactical, operational and strategic military courses for career officers in Rwanda and abroad.
During his career as a military officer, he held various appointments in command, staff and training. The most recent appointments include Director General Policy & Strategy in the Ministry of Defence, Chief of Plans at the Rwanda Defence Force HQ, Force Chief of Staff in the UN PKO in the Sudan (UNAMID), Commandant of the Rwanda Military Academy and PSO Pre-Deployment Training, Defence Attaché in the USA and Canada, Director of Training at the Defence Force HQ and Infantry Battalion Commander on African Union Mission in Sudan.
Yuval Bar-Zemer
Yuval Bar-Zemer is a Los Angeles–based real estate developer, community leader, and political activist who has spent nearly four decades driving transformative change. After moving to Los Angeles 39 years ago and beginning his professional life as an electrician and builder, Yuval dedicated the first three decades of his career to real estate development—leading projects that reshaped neighborhoods and reimagined urban potential.
In the past fifteen years, Yuval has transitioned much of his energy and resources into philanthropic and civic initiatives. His work spans a wide spectrum of local and international causes, including community organizing, land use policy, homelessness, river ecological restoration, cycling infrastructure, contemporary art, archaeology, climate change, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, misinformation and disinformation, and the future of Israel as a democratic state.
Frustrated by the slow pace of change in the nonprofit sector, Yuval has recently shifted focus toward political action. He is currently a leading supporter of Yair Golan, the new leader of the Democrats in Israel. In the United States, he devotes much of his time to Gigafact, an innovative project aimed at combatting the disinformation epidemic on social media.
Yuval Bar-Zemer continues to combine decades of management experience with an unwavering commitment to social justice, civic integrity, and democratic values.
Kassim Bashir
Kassim Bashir, 31, is an Israeli Arab entrepreneur and a proud alumnus of the 50:50 Startups program. He is currently pursuing an MBA at Northeastern University and brings a strong background in software development and data science. Kassim is deeply passionate about building communities and creating spaces that bring people together through innovation.
Originally from Sakhnin, an Arab village in northern Israel, Kassim developed a deep appreciation for the power of connection and inclusivity. During his time with 50:50 Startups, he co-founded a venture called Jeeran, which means "neighbors" in Arabic. The mission of Jeeran is to help individuals who relocate to a new city build meaningful friendships and social bonds, easing their transition and enriching their lives.
Iky Salinas
The enduring conflict that has persisted for over almost a century between Israelis and Palestinians casts a profound shadow over the daily lives of all those who call that land home. For the past year and a half, we have borne witness to one of the most devastating escalations of violence in the entire history of the conflict, exacting a heavy toll on civilians from both sides. Possible solutions seem elusive in this protracted conflict, making it imperative to approach it from an academic standpoint, with the objective of providing activists and agents of peace with new insights to combat violence and advance the cause towards a peaceful reality.
I am Itzhak (Iky) Salinas, a Mexican-American-Israeli activist and analyst dedicated to the pursuit of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I have a long history of professional and academic involvement in the field, I completed a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa and a master's degree in nonprofit management from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where I focused extensively on organizations engaged in peacebuilding. This academic training significantly enriched my path as an activist and peace practitioner, equipping me with valuable knowledge of organizational management, understanding in strategic planning, political acumen, and a deep grasp of the Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding field.
In the professional field, I recently completed a three-year tenure at Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (MEET), an organization committed to bringing Israeli and Palestinian youth together through computer science education. I have further experience in similar nonprofit organizations and have also acquired experience in political campaigning. Due to my familiarity with the field, I have come to realize that, although most peace-seeking organizations work with a lot of commitment, they generally lack sufficient evidence-based data and models to guide their efforts. There is a critical need for research that can have a significant impact on the necessary scale to effect real change.
I intend to conduct studies that will, in various ways, address one overall question: What impact do the Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding CSOs have on the conflict? The research can delve into such questions as how can impact be measured effectively within the Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding field? And how can we use impact measurement and other available tools to empower the field and improve its performance?
My goal is to utilize the analysis of the effectiveness of NGO peace interventions to help steer the field towards more impactful peacebuilding. This academic pursuit will involve a multidisciplinary study deriving concepts and research from fields such as NGO management, organizational behavior studies, conflict management and resolution, and international relations. Many tools to empower the peacebuilding field already exist, as researched by such scholars as Johan Galtung, Jody Hoffer Gittel, Michelle Gawerc, Cedric de Coning, Pamina Firchrow, Peter Frumkin, John Paul Lederach and more— some of whom are affiliated with UMB, such as Karen Ross and Jeffrey Pugh.
My approach encompasses three levels: the strategic, the impact, and the organizational. On the strategic level, the intent is to align the field towards a joint mission and to scale up impact on an aggregate level rather than through the individual organizations. At the impact level the emphasis lies on improving impact towards beneficiaries, communities, and partnerships through the strategic implementation of scaling-up strategies. The organizational level addresses internal challenges faced by organizations and the field, including organizational capacity, burnout, low compensation, underrepresentation of key stakeholders and more.
The aforementioned researchers have provided an array of tools that can be built upon and synthesized to create a holistic strategy to measure and improve impact in the field. On the strategic level, impact measurement could build off research from Firchrow and MacGinty, who through their Everyday Peace Indicators project have established guidelines towards creating real indicators that measure change while bridging between bottom-up and top-down indicators. This approach would give more agency over the peacebuilding process to those living in the region as opposed to international actors. Furthermore, the topic of partnerships has seen research conducted by Strichman, whose perspective on Adaptive Capacity highlights the importance of becoming learning organizations. Hoffer Gittel provides a similar understanding through the concept of Relational Coordination as it conceptualizes a framework for building partnerships within the field. One last aspect of research that is worth mentioning here is from De Coning, who emphasizes flexible, evolving impact measurement through iteration in evaluating the impact, allowing for this strategy to adapt to the changes in the field.
Partnerships can be seen from within and without, beyond the established process to create a centralized field and framework within it, it is important to establish partnerships with the stakeholders of the field as well. These stakeholders include the beneficiaries themselves and their communities, for which a model of establishing key characteristics in the selection process is provided by Pugh’s Catalytic Network Model. Beyond the beneficiaries, the practitioners should also be considered. Gawerc’s suggestions for how to sustain long term commitment by building an affective attachment to the field should be further investigated to turn practitioners into committed professionals.
My personal, academic and professional experience positions me as someone who can potentially contribute to the field of peacebuilding. My multinational background, as one who speaks 3 different languages and has adapted to 3 different cultures, has prepared me for cross cultural communication. My activism has enhanced my ability to undertake unique projects to further the peacebuilding community. Most recently this commitment materialized in my work as a political campaign manager to get the first Palestinian elected to the Jerusalem City Council. (Owing to the Gaza War, the initiative was postponed)
As daunting as the current escalation may appear, it signals a potential turning point for the peacebuilding field. I am steadfast in my belief that the research I aspire to undertake will serve as a cornerstone for a rejuvenated approach, paving the way for a tangible reality of peace. Echoing JFK's sentiment delivered at the UN in 1963, 'Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.' Despite the enduring challenges, I remain resolute in my commitment. I see this moment as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing pursuit of peace in Israel and Palestine. I am eager to embark on this journey and be an active part of shaping a future where peace thrives and transforms lives.
In addition to my current work, I contributed to MEET’s USAID-funded Northern Innovators program (2020–2023). I have attached the program’s second-year Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan, which outlines key measurement tools and strategy. Of particular interest are the Results Framework and the Performance Monitoring Plan.
For insight into how USAID structures its measurement indicators, see Section 3.2 of the plan. The first three metrics in the performance indicators table were mandated by USAID, while the remaining were submitted by MEET as additional, self-defined indicators.
View the MEL plan:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gGyCg8Bn7F_0UpS-8HkOuFPns-BspSdp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111033924517633597069&rtpof=true&sd=true
Haitong Du
I am a DPhil (PhD) student in International Relations at Balliol College, University of Oxford. I hold an MPhil in International Relations from Pembroke College, Oxford and a BA in International Relations (Phi Beta Kappa) from Tufts University. My current research focuses on how the rise of personalist leaders influences the international structure, particularly in the context of contemporary US-China relations. I explore how interactions between great powers have become increasingly informal, discretionary, and leader-driven in a world drifting away from institutional constraints. I maintain a secondary research interest in European diplomatic history from the 17th century onwards.
An active tutor across colleges within the University of Oxford, I have taught the following papers as part of the Final Honours School for degrees in Philosophy, Politics, & Economics, and History & Politics: International Relations (core paper), International Relations in the era of the Two World Wars, International Relations in the era of the Cold War, and Politics in China.
Whilst at Tufts, I enrolled in the 2019-20 Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC), focusing on the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. I have been professionally and personally indebted to the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL), under the direction of Prof Abiodun Williams and Heather Barry. As I graduated from Tufts in 2022, I was connected to Prof Sherman Teichman, whose mentorship and intellectual generosity have continued to shape my thinking on international affairs, especially during this transformative era of global power realignment and democratic uncertainty.
You may reach me by emailing haitong.du [at] politics.ox.ac.uk.
Jay D. Blitzman
Hon. Jay D. Blitzman, (retired) served as the First Justice of the Massachusetts Middlesex Juvenile Court. Prior to his judicial appointment he was a public defender who was a co-founder and the first director of the Roxbury Youth Advocacy Project, an interdisciplinary public defender’s unit which was the template for the creation of the statewide Massachusetts Youth Advocacy Division. He was also a co-founder of Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ). Since his judicial retirement, he has consulted for the Sixth Amendment Center (6AC) and served as the interim Executive Director of Massachusetts Advocates for Children. He now serves MAC as an Emeritus Policy Advisor. Jay consults on juvenile, criminal and child welfare issues, mentors attorneys, and holds teaching positions at Harvard Law School (Trial Advocacy), Northeastern Law School (Juvenile Law) and Boston College Law (The Cradle to Prison Pipeline), and New England Law Boston (Children and the Law). Jay is also on the faculty at the Center for Law, Brain &; Behavior focusing on late teen and emerging adult issues (CLBB- M.G.H. and Harvard Medical School). He also was an affiliate of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. Jay writes and presents frequently on a wide array of issues related to advancing equity and deconstructing the cradle to prison pipeline. Recent articles include, Cheating The Evidence To Get To Best Interest (Family Court Review, Hofstra Law 2024), Let The Sunshine In (ABA Criminal Justice 2024), Let’s Follow The Science on Late Adolescence” (ABA Criminal Justice 2022), The State of Juvenile Justice 2018-2024 (ABA Criminal Justice), Shutting Down The School to Prison Pipeline (ABA Human Rights 2021, Open The Doors (Mass. L. Rev. 2021), Justice for Some: A Tale of Two Americas (Civic Right Institute Juvenile Justice Update 2020), and Deconstructing The School to Prison Pipeline (BBA Journal 2018). He was a co-author and editor of the MCLE Massachusetts Juvenile Court Bench Bar books.
Jay serves on the boards of directors of Discovering Justice, Massachusetts Mental Health Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Children’s Justice Act Task Force. He serves on the advisory boards of Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ), UTEC, More Than Words (MTW), and Northeastern Law School’s Cradle to Prison and Salus Populi (Social Determinants of Public Health) initiatives. Jay is also a Massachusetts Advocates for Justice Fellow working with More Than Words (MTW). Honors include: the 2024 Massachusetts Psychological Association’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, the first recipient of CfJJ’s Youth Juvenile Justice Icon award in 2023, the 2019 ABA Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award recipient. Other recognition includes being the first person to receive the MBA Juvenile & Child Welfare Section Award, the 2023 Boston College Law School Holland Lifetime Achievement Award, the Lowell 100 award, the Judge Paul Chernoff Servants of Justice Award and the Rebecca Pries Adolescent Consultation Services Indispensable Friend Award. Massachusetts’ public defender system annually presents annually the Jay Blitzman Award for Youth Advocacy.
Rachel Leven
Rachel was a first-generation leader of NIMEP, serving as a co-chair of the group and editor and chief of the journal for two years. She also traveled to Lebanon, Egypt, the West Bank, and Israel. In Egypt she discovered a passion for waste management and the people and communities who are often pushed by society to the margins, literally picking through trash.
After coming back from Egypt she wrote one of the first/few academic accounts of the Zabaleen and continued her work, bringing her research to India where as a Fulbright scholar she wrote "The Economics of Trash" for Foreign Affairs Magazine. More importantly, in a waste pit on the top of the mountain in the Himalayas, she met her future husband who she now lives with in Chicago with their four-year-old daughter.
After working at Foreign Affairs Magazine, as a Fulbright Scholar, and in the Chicago Mayor's Office (among other positions), Rachel is now a policy consultant. You can find out more about her work to support a healthier democracy in the US, reproductive health, and state and local government at rl-insights.com. Rachel holds a BA in International Relations from Tufts and a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University.
Peter Alegi
Peter Alegi is Professor of History at Michigan State University and the author of several books, including Laduma! Soccer, Politics & Society in South Africa and African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World’s Game. Currently, he is writing a book titled Afripod: How Scholarly Podcasting Is Changing African Studies. Alegi teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the history of South Africa, modern Africa, and global soccer. He has received teaching awards at MSU, including the Fintz Award for Teaching Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, the ISS Teaching Excellence Award in the Social Sciences, and the Sullivan Teaching Excellence Award (twice). Alegi hosts the Africa Past and Present podcast (afripod.aodl.org) and convenes the Football Scholars Forum (footballscholars.org), an online book club. He is Book Series Editor for Michigan State University Press’s “African History and Culture” Series, and serves on the Boards of the International Journal of African Historical Studies, African Studies, and Sports Africa.
