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
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.
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'sresearch 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).
Board Member & Editor-in-Chief of The Hay Journal
Sarah Torrance Sheldon
Sarah Torrance Sheldon has worked in international development for over 11 years with a focus on operational
management and compliance.
Currently, she serves as the Senior Grants and Compliance Manager for mothers2mothers based in South Africa.
Previously, Sarah was the Regional Grants and Contracts Officer for FHI 360 based in Accra, Ghana where
she oversaw a diverse portfolio of projects in seven countries in West Africa and the Middle East.
Sarah has an extensive background in program management supporting a variety of health and economic
development programs in Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. She has worked with a range of
funders including USAID, CDC, Global Fund, UNICEF, Gavi and a variety of private sector partners.
Sarah has a Masters Degree in Public Health from the George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Board Member
Kelly Keehan Cheung
Kelly Cheung has twelve 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.