Belinha S. De Abreu is a globally recognized media literacy educator, author, and researcher whose work helps students and educators navigate an increasingly complex information environment. She serves as President of the International Council for Media Literacy and founded the International Media Literacy Research Symposium. De Abreu has advised UNESCO on media and information literacy and written extensively on digital citizenship, critical thinking, educational technology, privacy, and media literacy for justice. Her scholarship has appeared across academic and public platforms, and she received the National Association for Media Literacy Education’s 2021 Media Literacy Research Award for her contributions to the field.

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Jimmeka Anderson is a media literacy educator, author, and researcher whose work centers young people, representation, and equitable participation in digital culture. She founded I AM not the MEdia and created Black Girls Film Camp, an initiative that equips Black girls to tell their own stories through filmmaking and media production. Anderson’s research and public work examine critical digital media literacy, youth engagement, and the ways media shape identity and opportunity. She is also the co-author of Power Lines: Connecting with Teens in Urban Communities Through Media Literacy and has advised national organizations working at the intersection of education, technology, libraries, and youth development.

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Gerardo Berthin is a democratic governance expert with nearly three decades of experience advancing human rights, anticorruption, civil society, and institutional development. As President of Freedom House, he leads global efforts to defend fundamental freedoms and strengthen democratic institutions. He previously held senior positions at Freedom House, Tetra Tech, and the United Nations Development Programme and has worked in more than 50 countries across multiple regions. A widely published scholar and practitioner, Berthin has authored and contributed to books, peer-reviewed articles, and national human development reports examining political development, democracy, political parties, decentralization, and the institutional reforms that support accountable and responsive government.

Derek Cabrera is a systems theorist and cognitive scientist whose work examines how people understand complexity, organize knowledge, and make decisions. At Cornell University, he directs graduate programming in systems thinking, modeling, and leadership, while serving as Chief Science Officer of Cabrera Research Lab. He developed DSRP Theory and VMCL Theory, frameworks used to understand cognition and organizational behavior. Cabrera has delivered two TED Talks, holds two United States patents, and has authored numerous books and peer-reviewed publications, including Systems Thinking Made Simple. His research has influenced education, government, business, leadership development, national security, and the practical application of systems thinking worldwide.

Laura Cabrera is a systems scientist, educator, and translational researcher whose work applies learning science and systems thinking to complex organizational and public challenges. She teaches systems thinking, modeling, and leadership at Cornell University and serves as Chief Research Officer of Cabrera Research Lab. Across more than twenty-five years of research and teaching, she has worked in education, government, nonprofit management, evaluation, human development, and executive leadership. Cabrera has authored several books, helped develop national approaches to STEM and water education, and led research supported by the National Science Foundation. Her work makes sophisticated systems concepts practical for schools, organizations, policymakers, and communities.

Ximeng Chen is a public administration scholar whose research focuses on diaspora philanthropy, nonprofit management, and the challenges facing small nonprofit organizations. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs and directs the Master of Public Administration program at Sacred Heart University. Chen teaches courses in public administration, nonprofit leadership, data analytics, information technology, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship. Her scholarship connects the study of organizations with practical questions about public service, institutional capacity, and community impact. Through her teaching and research, she prepares students to lead responsive, ethical, and effective public and nonprofit institutions in a rapidly changing administrative environment.

Julie Ficarra is a scholar of global education whose work examines the politics and ethics of cross-border movement. At Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, she studies international education, forced displacement, refugee resettlement, and global tourism, with particular attention to how mobility policies shape power, equity, and local communities. Ficarra leads collaborative, community-engaged initiatives with partners across Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and New York State. Before joining Cornell, she worked in international education administration and served in the United States Department of State and at the U.S. Embassy in Eswatini. Her scholarship bridges critical theory and applied practice.

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Patricia Galdamez is an international democracy practitioner whose work connects governments, civil society, and multilateral institutions. As Senior Advisor to the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies (CoD), she supports the coalition’s strategic priorities, partnerships, and engagement across democratic governments and civil society organizations. Her work has addressed civil society protection, inclusive institutions, gender equality, women’s participation, youth empowerment, sustainable development, and the relationship between technology and elections. Galdamez has represented the CoD in international forums and policy dialogues, helping translate shared democratic principles into practical cooperation, research, and initiatives that strengthen participation and accountable governance across regions.

Thomas Garrett is an international democracy and foreign affairs leader with decades of experience strengthening legislatures, political parties, civil society, and democratic institutions. He serves as President of the American Committees on Foreign Relations and previously completed two terms as Secretary General of the Community of Democracies. During more than two decades at the International Republican Institute, Garrett led programs across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa and managed a global portfolio operating in 32 countries. His contributions to democracy and international cooperation have been recognized by the governments of Romania and Mongolia. Garrett’s work combines diplomacy, institutional development, and democratic leadership.

Alan Mathios is an economist whose scholarship examines consumer behavior, public policy, consumer protection, and the effects of government regulation. He is a professor in Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and Department of Economics and previously served as Dean of the College of Human Ecology. Before joining Cornell, Mathios worked as an economist at the Federal Trade Commission, where he received awards for scholarship, economic analysis, and public service. His research has explored how Food and Drug Administration policies influence consumers and firms, including regulation involving tobacco products. He has also received major university honors for excellence in teaching and advising.

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Daryna Onyshko is a Ukrainian civic leader and democracy practitioner whose work expands opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in public life. She founded and manages the Youth Democracy Network, a nonpartisan initiative connecting emerging democratic leaders from more than 80 countries through mentorship, policy engagement, leadership development, and international collaboration. Onyshko has designed youth programs for international organizations, contributed to global research on political representation and civic participation, and helped establish Poland’s Youth, Peace and Security Coalition. Her leadership has been recognized by NATO, the Kofi Annan Foundation, CEPA, GLOBSEC, the Warsaw Security Forum, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Jason Ostrander is a political social work scholar whose research examines civic engagement, political participation, child welfare, and evidence-informed policymaking. An Assistant Professor of Social Work at Anna Maria College, he has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and delivered over 50 professional presentations. Ostrander brings experience from government, social work practice, research, and policy development, including service as a congressional aide and collaboration with federal lawmakers on child welfare policy. He serves in leadership roles with organizations advancing political social work and social policy. His work equips social workers to participate more effectively in public life and improve outcomes for children and families.

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Diana Owen is a political scientist whose research examines civic education, political socialization, digital media, political engagement, and democratic participation. She is Professor of Political Science at Georgetown University and Director and Principal Investigator of the Civic Education Research Lab. Owen has published widely on civic learning, elections, political communication, and the consequences of new media for citizens and institutions. She has led major research projects supported by the U.S. Department of Education, including evaluations of national civic education programs serving teachers and students. Her work explains how young people develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for informed citizenship in the digital age.

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Eve Rifkin is an education and organizational leadership scholar with more than three decades of experience designing schools, informing state policy, and supporting learning communities. At Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, she directs the Leadership and Learning in Organizations doctoral program, which serves mid-career professionals across sectors. Rifkin also leads Vanderbilt’s Academic Leadership Collaborative, partnering with faculty leaders to strengthen collaboration and institutional effectiveness across the university. Her work focuses on adult learning, organizational improvement, leadership development, and the systems that enable educators and institutions to thrive. She brings a practitioner’s understanding of how policy,  learning, and organizational culture shape meaningful and sustainable change.

Remzie Shahini-Hoxhaj is a communication scholar whose work explores media literacy, television, public relations, and communication cultures in transitional societies. She serves as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Philology and Professor of Communication at the University of Prishtina, where she founded and directed the Media Institute for more than a decade. Her international academic experience includes appointments in Austria and the United States, and her scholarship has appeared in peer-reviewed publications. Shahini-Hoxhaj has also led initiatives in education and human rights and serves on international organizations advancing media literacy, communication, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation. She works across Albanian, English, German, and Serbo-Croatian.

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Dave Silberman is an organizational leader, educator, and researcher whose work explores psychological well-being, workplace distress, post-traumatic stress, and cognitive complexity. A decorated disabled combat veteran, he serves as a lecturer at Boston University and Chief Operating Officer of Cabrera Research Lab. Silberman brings experience across executive leadership, advising, research, and professional development, connecting scholarly insight with the realities of organizational life. His work examines how individuals and institutions respond to pressure, trauma, uncertainty, and change and how cognitive complexity can support more adaptive forms of coping and leadership. Through teaching and practice, he helps professionals build healthier, more resilient, and more effective workplaces.