LEADERSHIP TEAM
Advisory Group
Curtis J. Raynold
Mr. Curtis Raynold is former Secretary of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and an international affairs consultant with a focus on international development and international security issues.
Prior to his retirement from the United Nations in 2016, he was a Political Affairs Officer in the UN Office for
Prior to his retirement from the United Nations in 2016, he was a Political Affairs Officer in the UN Office for
Disarmament Affairs. Full Bio
Ravi Hutheesing
Ravi Hutheesing is a global keynote speaker whose philosophies and strategies have empowered businesses, educators, and over a million people throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia to bridge generational and cultural divides. Additionally, the US Department of State engages him as a cultural diplomat to create programs overseas that foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding. Full Bio
Colleen Creighton
Colleen Creighton is the Executive Director of the American Association of Suicidology. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the safe and responsible use of consumer household products. She also served as Director of CHPA Educational Foundation where she was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s educational foundation. Full Bio
Ravi Chaturvedi
Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi is the Associate Director of Research and Doctoral Research Fellow for Innovation and Change at Fletcher’s Institute for Business in the Global Context (IBGC) where he leads the Digital Planet research program. His research interests are in the thematic areas of the global digital economy, inclusive business, and technology for good. Full Bio
Andrew Paterson
Andrew Paterson is an award-winning media professional, a veteran broadcast journalist, and storyteller. Andrew has produced programming for international television networks such as of ABC News, MSNBC, CNN, Al Jazeera English, and National Geographic, and more recently a variety of internet streaming sites. He’s also worked with several international non-governmental organizations, as well as the United Nations to hone messaging and create engaging mission profiles. Full Bio
Board Of Directors
Saideh has over a decade of experience in human rights education and civil society empowerment. She also has several years' experience on international aid projects at various organizations. Most recently with the Eurasia Foundation and prior to that at FHI360. On the side, she is also involved in open government and transparency initiatives.
Saideh holds a Masters degree in International Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Notre Dame, IN, USA. and a Master's degree in Human Rights Law from the Allameh Tabataba'i University as well as
Saideh holds a Masters degree in International Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Notre Dame, IN, USA. and a Master's degree in Human Rights Law from the Allameh Tabataba'i University as well as
a Bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Tehran.
Founder & President
Dr. Scott Weiner
Scott Weiner is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the George Washington University, where he earned
his Ph.D. in 2016.
His research focuses on comparative politics in the Middle East, tribalism, water distribution, and gender.
From 2013-2014, Scott served as a David L. Boren Fellow for the Arabic language. As a Visiting Research Fellow
at the American University of Kuwait, he conducted historical archival research and interviewed tribal leaders,
students, and former government officials in Kuwait. He has also conducted fieldwork in Oman, Jordan, and Israel.
Scott's written work has been published by the Washington Post, Diplomatic Courier, Long War Journal, and
the Project on Middle East Political Science. He has also published with the Carnegie Endowment
and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Scott chairs the Middle East Discussion Group of YPFP,
a 10,000-member global foreign policy organization based in Washington, DC.
Founding Board Member, Secretary & Host of The Hay Podcast
Dr. Alex Braithwaite
Alex Braithwaite is Professor and Director of the International Relations Ph.D. Program at the University of Arizona. His research and teaching focuses on the causes and contagion of violent and nonviolent conflict,
including terrorism, protests, riots, civil war, and international wars.
Alex's research demonstrates that incidents of violent political conflict cluster in space and time, that openings
in political opportunity structures encourage the contagion of violence between groups and across national borders,
and that terrorist groups commonly exploit so-called spoiler opportunities in an attempt to derail plans for peace.
Alex holds a BA in War Studies & History from King's College London (1999), and also an MA and Ph.D. in
Alex holds a BA in War Studies & History from King's College London (1999), and also an MA and Ph.D. in
Political Science from Pennsylvania State University (2006).
Founding Board Member & Editor-in-Chief of The Hay Journal
Kelly Keehan Cheung
Kelly has fifteen years of experience in the international development arena, designing and managing programs in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
She is currently the Senior Labor Analyst for Global Public Policy Analyst at The Walt Disney Company, where she manages a Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio focused on initiatives that address the root cause issues of poor working conditions and human trafficking in global supply chains. Previously, Kelly focused on innovation and technology solutions for international development at FHI 360. She also has experience developing community-based grants, implementing economic strengthening programs and conducting field-based evaluation research.
Kelly holds an MA in International Economics from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in International Affairs from the George Washington University.
Founding Board Member & Treasurer
Theresa M. Forbes
Theresa Forbes oversees anti-human trafficking efforts at the U.S. Department of Treasury. She has been invited as an expert-speaker at events such as the United Nations High-Level Political Forum. Theresa has also pushed for better anti-human trafficking policies while working at the U.S Department of Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, Department of State in Human Rights and Labor, World Bank Group’s Integrity Vice Presidency, and the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of Immigration Litigation. She is also the Co-Chair of the Human Rights Discussion Group at the YPFP.
Theresa holds a Juris Doctorate degree and an L.L.M in Business Transactions from The University of Alabama School of Law and a B.A. with Honors in Political Science and Humanities from the University of Mobile, Alabama.