Hillary Rodham Clinton - Honorary Founding Chair
Hillary Rodham Clinton is the Honorary Founding Chair of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. From January 2009 to February 2013, she served as Secretary of State of the United States. During her tenure as Secretary of State, Clinton launched the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University on December 19, 2011, at which time she also announced the creation of the Institute. A lifelong advocate of women and girls’ empowerment, Secretary Clinton has dedicated some four decades to public service.
Melanne Verveer - Executive Director
Ambassador Verveer served as the first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, a position to which she was nominated by President Obama in 2009. She coordinated foreign policy issues and activities relating to the political, economic and social advancement of women, traveling to nearly sixty countries and developing the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. President Obama also appointed her to serve as the U.S. Representative to the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Amb. Verveer also served as the Special Representative on Gender Issues for the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.
Carla Koppell - Managing Director
Carla Koppell is the Managing Director of GIWPS, School of Foreign Service (SFS) Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and SFS Professor of the Practice. Koppell recently served as a vice president with the United States Institute for Peace. Prior to that she served as chief strategy officer in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and was appointed USAID’s inaugural senior coordinator for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Koppell also directed the Institute for Inclusive Security, served as deputy assistant secretary for international affairs with the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development, and worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Jessica Smith - Research Director
Dr. Jessica Smith works with Ambassador Verveer to envision and execute research projects, supervise research fellows, and disseminate research findings through academic, policy, and practitioner communities. She brings nearly a decade of research experience working on gender-related issues with women in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Indonesia, Jordan and the United States. Dr. Smith completed her PhD at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. She has worked in various capacities for the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Charities, the United Nations, USAID, the US Institute of Peace, and Everyday Peace Indicators.
Sarah Rutherford - Director of Communications and External Affairs
Sarah is the director of the Georgetown Ambassadors for Women, Peace and Security. She also helps to promote the Institute’s original research on gender and conflict through the Institute’s podcast, oral history project, media relations, and student advocacy. She previously worked for Georgetown's Vice President for Global Engagement, and as special assistant to the Dean of Admissions at the Georgetown University Law Center. Sarah received a B.A. in political science from Brown University, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a graduate degree in public relations and communications from Georgetown University. Please direct press requests to sarah.rutherford@georgetown.edu
Melissa Shields - Director of Finance and Administration
Melissa Shields (née Pasos) has over nine years experience in accounting and finance. Prior to joining GIWPS, Melissa was an independent business operations consultant with a variety of clients. Prior to that, she served as the Business Manager for Global Technology Programs at Internews Network. There, she was responsible for managing over $25M in funding annually for programs relating to Internet Freedom, Digital Rights and Digital Safety. She was also responsible for ensuring all agreements and subawards were administered according to US Government (USG) rules and regulations.
Jessica Anania - Conflict Tracker Research Fellow
Dr. Jessica Anania leads GIWPS' conflict tracking initiative, which will monitor and analyze conflict dynamics through a WPS lens. She holds a PhD from the University of Oxford, where her research focused on domestic and multilateral response to gender-based violence amidst armed conflict. She has worked for UN OCHA and UNOPS and been a consultant to the UK national government. Her research is published in International Affairs and forthcoming in the Journal of Peace Research and the International Feminist Journal of Politics.
Elena Ortiz - Research Manager and Lead Author, WPS Index
Elena Ortiz is the Research Manager for the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index at GIWPS. She has assisted with multiple previous iterations of the WPS Index and brings research experience exploring the gender dimensions of humanitarian aid, social norms, forced displacement, financial inclusion, and peace processes. Most recently, Elena has worked for the World Bank and the Council on Foreign Relations. She holds an MSc in International Development & Humanitarian Emergencies from the London School of Economics and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Lina Tori Jan - Policy Officer
Lina Tori Jan is the Policy Officer. Lina is a social entrepreneur, public speaker, and advocate for equality and human rights, with a focus on the rights of women, girls, and refugees. She oversees the implementation of Georgetown University’s Afghanistan initiative, Onward for Afghan Women, elevating and supporting Afghan women leaders with opportunities to continue their advocacy on behalf of Afghan women and girls.
Ana Lejava - Policy Associate
Ana Lejava supports the development and execution of all activities within the Institute’s policy and advocacy portfolio. She provides critical research and writing support for GIWPS’ interventions in crisis response efforts and policy processes. She helps coordinate stakeholder engagement across the U.S. government, the United Nations, civil society, and the private sector. Specifically, she focuses on the Institute's Ukraine portfolio, Response Network and the Elevating and Connecting Global Women Leaders to Accelerate Progress on Gender Equality, Democracy, and Peace project. Previously, Ana worked as an advisor for the Permanent Mission of Georgia to the United Nations. She also served as a Young Ambassador of Georgia to the United States, using public diplomacy, arts, and culture to build stronger ties between the two countries.
Christina Vetter - Climate Policy Associate
Christina Vetter serves as the focal point for stakeholder engagement and policy advocacy to advance the Institute’s research on the nexus of climate, conflict, and gender. Prior to joining GIWPS, Christina worked in NGOs to influence UN policy on climate security and environmental protection, women, peace and security, and the protection of civilians at PAX for Peace and the Center for Civilians in Conflict. Her background also includes research and communications work at UNICEF, the US Department of State, and the Woodrow Wilson Center.
Rebecca Radle - Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, Rebecca is responsible for supporting the execution of programs, events, and special projects at the Institute. Prior to GIWPS, Rebecca worked in political campaign operations at EMILYs List where she worked on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and expanding their student programs. She holds a B.A. in International Affairs concentrating on Security Policy and a minor in Art History from the George Washington University. Her background includes work on WPS in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific at the State Department.
Helen Rocker - Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, Helen supports all aspects of the Institute’s programming by organizing logistics for major events. Helen also supports the Policy & Programs team by researching and disseminating key policy recommendations to relevant stakeholders in the US Government, the United Nations, and the private sector and monitoring WPS developments in conflict-affected areas. Additionally, Helen works closely with the Policy Associate to connect global women leaders with grassroots peacebuilders to advance gender equality, democracy, and inclusive peace. Helen graduated cum laude from Georgetown University and holds a B.A. in Justice and Peace Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Government.
Riya Ou - Operations Support Associate
Riya Ou is the Operations Support Associate. She manages the daily operations of the institute, supports recruiting and onboarding processes, and assists the director of finance and administration with finance projects. Prior to joining GIWPS, Riya was a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning intern at Vital Voices and a Journalism intern at Voice of America, Khmer Service. She holds a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Data Science from Gettysburg College, where she graduated cum laude and earned the Student Employee of the Year (2022-2023) award for her work at Musselman Library.
Colleen McMahon - Senior Associate, External Relations
Colleen cultivates and maintains GIWPS’ portfolio of partnerships and external funding sources, namely the Georgetown Ambassadors for Women, Peace and Security. Colleen organizes exclusive events with global thought leaders, amplifies information about global women’s issues, and nurtures and supports the continued growth and success of GIWPS’s strategic partnerships across teams through various grant sponsors, networks and fundraising groups. Prior to joining the team, her experience was in the nonprofit and philanthropy sectors. She holds a an M.Sc. in Human Rights from the University College Dublin and a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Social Science from Florida State University where she graduated magna cum laude.
Alexandra Gopin - Communications Associate
Alexandra is the Communications Associate. She manages all GIWPS social media accounts, maintains the website, and assists the director of communications with special projects. Prior to joining the team, Alexandra worked as the Social Media & Marketing Director for Community Minded and was a freelance reporter. She was also an editor for The Diamondback, the University of Maryland’s independent student newspaper. Alexandra holds a B.A. in Journalism with a concentration in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland. In 2022, she took part in an award-winning investigation regarding Title IX violations in high school girl’s sports for Capital News Service. Her article was picked up by AP News, The Washington Post, and PBS NewsHour.
Kristine Baekgaard - Research Fellow
Kristine Baekgaard (she/her) is a Research Fellow, currently working on a global survey of women peacebuilders, and leading the Institute’s work on technology-facilitated gender-based violence. She was the 2023-2024 Hillary Rodham Clinton Research Fellow, where she contributed to research on masculinity and peacebuilding. Prior to joining the Institute Kristine worked for the Embassy of Denmark in the United States, and with a variety of London-based non-profits. She holds a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University.
S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana - Affiliate GIWPS Researcher
Dr. S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana previously served as Associate Director and Assistant Professor of the Practice at Georgetown University’s MA Program in Conflict Resolution. Before coming to Georgetown University she served as a consultant for the Religion and Peacebuilding Program at United States Institute of Peace, and as an Assistant Professor in the field of Peace and Conflict Resolution at the School of International Service at American University, Washington D.C. Her research focuses on Muslim women’s peacebuilding initiatives, mediation and peace building, religion and conflict resolution, interfaith dialogue, Islamic approaches to war and peace, and Islam and nonviolence.
Akiko Horiba - Non-Resident Fellow
Akiko Horiba is Program Director of the Asia Peace Initiative Department in the Sasakawa Peace Foundation with a focus on Southern Thailand, women’s political participation in Asia, and strengthening civil society networks in Southeast Asia. She has more than a decade of field research and on-the-ground peacebuilding experience in Southeast Asian countries, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Previously, Akiko worked as a policy secretary in the Japanese House of Representatives and was directly involved in promoting the WPS agenda because of her experience working in conflict areas and conviction that the role of women in conflict areas is increasing and women are the leaders of peace and reconstruction. She received a PhD in Area Studies (Indonesia, conflict analysis) from Sophia University, Japan and a Master of theological studies at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Massachusetts, USA.
Rangita de Silva de Alwis - Non-Resident Hillary Rodham Clinton Fellow on Gender Equity
Rangita is a renowned international women’s rights expert. She is Senior Adjunct Professor of Law and Global Leadership and served as the Associate Dean of International Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School where she teaches international women’s rights and a policy lab on AI and bias, among other courses. She started the Global Women’s Leadership Project and Women, Law & Leadership Lab at the University of Pennsylvania under the auspices of UN Women’s Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to map the laws that regulate the status of women in the family.
Dr. Robert Egnell - Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Robert Egnell (Ph.D. London) is Vice-Chancellor of the Swedish Defence University and a professor of leadership and command and control. He is also a senior fellow with the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security. Dr. Egnell is also a captain in the Swedish Army reserves with operational experience from the first Swedish battalion in Kosovo in 1999-2000. Dr. Egnell’s educational background includes a Ph.D. (2008) and an MA (2003) in War Studies from King’s College, London, a BA (2000) and an MA (2002) in literature at Uppsala University, and a BA (2002) in Political Science from Stockholm University.
Dr. Xanthe Scharff - Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Dr. Xanthe Scharff is a writer, an award-winning nonprofit founder, and a scholar focused on gender, foreign policy, and philanthropy. She co-founded The Fuller Project—the global newsroom dedicated to groundbreaking journalism about women—while reporting in Turkey and on the Syrian border in 2014. The Fuller Project’s reporting has spurred policy changes, historic new funding levels for women's initiatives, and has saved lives. She is also the Founder and Board Chair Emeritus of Advancing Girls’ Education in Africa, an education nonprofit that reaches millions of girls throughout Malawi with radio programming and thousands of girls with scholarships and peer mentoring. The Helen Gurley Brown Trust recognized her visionary leadership in climate and gender reporting by awarding her a Genius Grant. In 2024, she received the Women’s Leadership Award from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University for her public service.
Nagwan Soliman - Non-Resident Fellow
Nagwan is a Non-Resident Fellow at Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University. Nagwan received her Ph.D. in social and political sciences from the European University Institute in Italy and her master’s in political science from Cairo University. Nagwan has also served as a regional trainer in conflict and peace studies, training activists from Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, and Turkey. She has contributed to designing Early Warning and Rapid Response networks (EWRR) and dialogue processes in many counties in the MENA region.