Author Biographies

Joshua Allen (he/they) was previously a research fellow at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. He earned an M.A. in Democracy and Governance and a Certificate in Gender, Peace, and Security from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science and Creative Writing from Indiana University Bloomington. Their research focuses on political economies of violence, technologies of governance and discipline, and repressed histories of gender and sexuality. They will be starting a doctoral program in gender and sexuality studies at the University at Buffalo in the fall.

Kristine Baekgaard (she/her) is a Research Fellow at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, where she leads the Institute’s portfolio on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) and supports work on masculinity and peacebuilding. She holds an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University, and a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. Her research interests include military reproductive policy, TFGBV, and digital masculinity and radicalization.

Evan Mann is a Ph.D. student studying Political Science and International Affairs at UC San Diego. He holds an M.A. in Democracy and Governance with Distinction from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from UC San Diego, where he graduated magna cum laude and with High Honors. His current research interests include economic interdependence, digital repression, and international security. He can be reached at: ecmann@ucsd.edu.

Olivia Brown is a graduating Master’s student in Strategy, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and International Studies. She uses this interdisciplinary background to research the impact of law on the nexus of these disciplines, specifically surveillance, information, and cyber capabilities. Professionally, Olivia has worked in cybersecurity policy.

Pip Baitinger currently works as the LGBTQIA+ veterans outreach coordinator for the DC Mayor’s Office. She is a US Air Force veteran and recently graduated from Johns Hopkins SAIS with an MA in international relations

Scott Ludwig is a second-year Master’s student at Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies. After receiving his Bachelor’s from Boise State University, he served in the Peace Corps mission to Ukraine as an English teacher and won a Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship in 2024. His research focuses on Russian and Ukrainian politics and security, and he worked as an intern for the nonpartisan nonprofit, the International Republican Institute.

Desiree Winns graduated from the University of Central Florida with her bachelor’s in Political Science in 2022. Now a master’s student of international affairs and democracy at the George Washington University, Desiree’s research interests include the psychology and decision-making of authoritarian regimes, particularly in the post-Soviet space. She has completed internships at the Carter Center, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Aspen Institute, and NASA’s Office of International and Interagency Relations. She also temporarily served as the Acting Communications Director at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, working on advocacy for Ukraine in the U.S. Congress. After finishing her master’s, Desiree will pursue a doctorate in Political Science.

Pedro Huet is a Master’s in Public Policy candidate from the University of Chicago, slated to graduate in Spring of 2024. With a background in Political Science and International Relations, as well as Public Administration studies performed in Mexico, his focus is politics, management and the intersection of these with technology. His research on democracy concerns how to measure individuals’ adherence of democratic values, the intersection of religion and democracy and the paradox between democracy and populism. Up to this point, he has taken on roles as a Data Engineer and Policy Analyst, with the aim of finding ways to make decision making and governance more streamlined and effective.

Elaine Melgarejo is a master’s student studying International Affairs with a concentration in International Development at the Elliott School of International Affairs. She obtained a B.S. in International Affairs with a minor in Political Science and concentration in Sociology from Florida State University. She was a 2022-2023 Fulbright grantee in Spain, and she has previously worked with the International Rescue Committee. She currently interns at World Learning and will be interning with the U.S. Department of State this summer.

Anna Mathis is a master’s student in Political Science at the University of Salamanca. She graduated with her bachelor in International Relations, during which she focused her studies on the internationalization of social movements in Latin America. She is now continuing her studies and finishing her masters, in which she writes and researches the intersection of gender, social movements, and human rights.

Nishita Karun holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from University of Chicago’s Harris School, with a specialization in building technology for good governance using behavioral sciences and design thinking. She has professionally consulted with the World Bank, Government of India, UNICEF and WHO on diverse projects related to data and design. Her current research is focused on reimagining government-citizen interactions in 21st century democracy with AI in developing countries to improve public service delivery and accountability.

Pablo Esteban L. F. graduated in Law and Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Salamanca with honors in his final thesis entitled: “Identity Politics: cultural identity, sentiment and demands for recognition”. He is currently studying a master’s degree in political science at the University of Salamanca and a master’s degree in European Union Law at the UNED. He also collaborates in the research project: “Conservative crisis and the rise of the extreme right in interwar Europe: electoral mobilization and ideological interactions” at the University of Salamanca. In September he began his doctoral thesis at the University of Salamanca. 

Facundo F. Robles is a Fulbright scholar pursuing a Master of Public Policy Student at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University and Program Coordinator at the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program. He previously worked at the Investment and Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (investBA) of the Ministry of Economic Development in the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and also at the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program. He is the president of the Latin American and the Caribbean Policy Association (LAPA) at Georgetown University and co-founder of Red Omnia, the network of Latin American public policy students in the United States. He graduated from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, in Buenos Aires, with a Bachelor’s in Business Management.