Scholar's Council

Belinha De Abreu, Ph.D.

Dr. Belinha S. De Abreu is the President of the International Council for Media Literacy (IC4ML) and is the founder of the International Media Literacy Research Symposium (IMLRS). She is the recipient of the 2021 National Media Literacy Education’s Media Literacy Research Award. Her work has been featured on NPR, RTP International, Genesis 560-Canada no Ar, National Press Club, American Journalism Review, and U.S. News and World Report among other sources.

Dr. De Abreu served as an International Expert to the Forum on Media & Information Literacy for UNESCO’s Communication & Information Section. Her research interests include media and information literacy education, educational technology, global perspectives, critical thinking, privacy & big data, civic discourse, young adults, and teacher training.

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Derek Cabrera, Ph.D.

Dr. Derek Cabrera is a renowned systems theorist and cognitive scientist, inducted into the International Academy for Systems and Cybernetic Sciences for his groundbreaking contributions. He is Faculty Director of Cornell’s Graduate Certification Program in Systems Thinking, Modeling, and Leadership and Chief Science Officer at Cabrera Research Lab, where he advances research in complexity and cognition.

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A former Research Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute, Derek has authored ten books, including Systems Thinking Made Simple, delivered two TED Talks, holds two US patents, and co-hosts the popular Cabrera Lab Podcast. His DSRP and VMCL theories have transformed systems thinking and leadership globally. An educator, mountain guide, and NSF awardee, Derek lives in Ithaca, NY, with his family.

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Laura Cabrera, Ph.D.

Dr. Laura Cabrera is a systems scientist and educator with over 25 years of experience at Cornell University. She teaches Systems Thinking, Modeling, and Leadership at Cornell’s Brooks School of Public Policy and directs the Graduate Certification Program in Systems Thinking, Modeling, and Leadership.

Dr. Cabrera is co-founder and Chief Research Officer at Cabrera Research Lab and has led initiatives like the USDA-funded ThinkWater project and NSF's STEM evaluation grants. Her work bridges academic research and practical application, equipping organizations and individuals with tools for systems thinking.

She has authored five books, including Systems Thinking Made Simple, and specializes in applying research from the learning sciences to real-world challenges across sectors. She lives in Ithaca, NY, with her husband, Derek, their three children, and dogs.​

Alan Mathios, Ph.D.

Dr. Alan Mathios is an economist and professor in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics at Cornell University. He served as Dean of Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology from 2007-2018. He is co-editor of the Journal of Consumer Policy. He came to Cornell following six years of employment at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where he served as a staff economist in the Division of Economic Policy Analysis and was recognized with the Outstanding Scholarship Award, the Excellence in Economics Award, and the Award for Superior Service to the FTC.

A major focus of his research is on the effect of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory policies on consumer and firm behavior. His most recent research is focused on FDA regulation of both e-cigarettes and cigarettes. 

Diana Owen, Ph.D.

Dr. Diana Owen is a Professor at Georgetown University and Director of the Civic Education Research Lab (CERL). Her research examines how civic education shapes young people’s political development in a digital and polarized age.

Dr. Owen leads national projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education, including the James Madison Legacy Project and Project Citizen, which serve teachers and high-need students across the country. She is a nationally recognized scholar in political socialization, civic engagement, and digital media, and has authored multiple books and edited volumes on elections, media, and democratic learning. Her work is at the intersection of political science, education, and communication.​​​​​​

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Jason Ostrander, Ph.D. M.S.W.

Dr. Jason Ostrander is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Anna Maria College. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles and more than 50 presentations on social workers’ political participation, civic engagement, and child welfare. Jason is a frequent presenter at major professional conferences.

Dr. Ostrander brings extensive experience working in the local, state, and federal political spheres including serving as a congressional aide to a former U.S. Congressman.

Dr. Ostrander is working with federal lawmakers on the Ways and Means Committee to create and pass evidence-informed child welfare policies through policy development with social work students.

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Thomas Garrett

Thomas Garrett is the President of the American Committees on Foreign Relations (ACFR) and a distinguished global democracy expert. From 2017 to 2024, he served as Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, where he led international coalitions in defense of democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law.

His 23-year career with the International Republican Institute included work in more than 80 countries, where he built and expanded legislative and civic institutions. Garrett has been honored by the governments of Romania and Mongolia for his global leadership. In 2024, he joined Cornell University as the Einaudi Center’s Lund Practitioner in Residence and Distinguished Global Democracy Lecturer.

Julie Ficarra, Ph.D. Ed.M.

Dr. Julie Ficarra is a Senior Lecturer at Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Her research explores the politics and ethics of global mobility—whether through education, displacement, or tourism—and how such movement impacts power, equity, and local communities.

Dr. Ficarra leads community-engaged projects with partners in Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and across New York State. Prior to joining Cornell, she held international education leadership roles at several U.S. universities and served in the U.S. Department of State as an Una Chapman Cox Fellow. She holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University and an Ed.M. from Harvard University.

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Dave Silberman, Ph.D.

Dr. Dave Silberman is a Lecturer at Boston University, Chief Operating Officer of Cabrera Research Lab, and a decorated disabled combat veteran. His work bridges leadership, cognitive science, and mental health, focusing on workplace resilience, PTSD, and adaptive behavior.

Dr. Silberman advises institutions on mental wellness strategy and serves as the Member Leader of the Critical Thinking Group within the Forbes Human Resources Council. He is widely known for forging strategic connections and building cultures of reflection and purpose across diverse sectors.

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Remzie Shahini-Hoxhaj, Ph.D.

Dr. Remzie Shahini-Hoxhaj is Vice Dean and Professor of Communication at the University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina,” where she founded and led the Media Institute from 2011 to 2024. She has held international appointments at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg and as a visiting fellow at Dartmouth College. Her research explores media literacy, public relations, and communication cultures in transitional societies.

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She earned her Ph.D. in Communication and Journalism from the University of Vienna and holds dual M.A. degrees in Intercultural Communication. Beyond academia, she has led international initiatives focused on education and human rights in Kosovo and serves on the boards of IC4ML, ESEC, and the Oral History Institute Kosovo. She is also president of the Austrian–Kosovar Society.

Ximeng Chen, Ph.D.

Dr. Ximeng Chen is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Sacred Heart University. Dr. Chen earned her MPA from the State University of New York at Binghamton, where she specialized in nonprofit management. Continuing with her passion for nonprofit organizations, Dr. Chen earned her Ph.D. in Community and Public Affairs from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Her current research interests include diaspora philanthropy and small nonprofit organizations. She teaches multiple courses in the MPA program such as Principles of Public Admin, Data Analytics and Information Technology for the Public Sector, and Nonprofit Leadership and Management. She teaches undergraduate courses such as Public Administration, and Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship.