Team

Baroness Ashton previously served as the Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Jack R. Williams is an Adjunct Professor and Consultant for UNITAR.

Francis Cheneval is the Chair of Political Philosophy at the University of Zurich.

Patrick Wall is co-founder of the Global Strategic Initiatives Group and works on a wide range of global affairs and international law. He is based in Florence, Italy.

Norbert Berger is an experienced teacher of cross-cultural skills at the University of Graz.

Norma Lorenzo is completing a BA in International Relations, specialising in International Security and Peacebuilding, and works as a Middle East Analyst and Intelligence Researcher, combining experience in tech, negotiation, and geopolitical analysis within the IGN Communications Team.

Carol is a nonprofit leader and certified coach with 20 years’ experience guiding turnarounds, mergers, and start-ups across global NGOs, currently serving as CEO of Minerva Medica and Executive Director of Health Tech Access Alliance, with expertise in conflict resolution, leadership, and organizational transformation.

Sanjana Kulkarni is a lawyer and climate policy professional working on sustainable development and climate finance across South Asia, serving as Partnerships Officer at the Institute for Global Negotiation and representing the Adaptation Working Group of YOUNGO at the UNFCCC.

Karoline holds a Master‘s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Philipps-University Marburg. She is Project Coordinator for the IGN e-Conference 2025.

Sarah Shalash is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in International Affairs & Diplomacy at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

Martin Dahinden is a Swiss diplomat and economist, former Ambassador to the United States, and past head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Maxime Schoch is a Consultant and works on large transformation projects with the financial industry.

Stefanie Walter is Full Professor for International Relations and Political Economy at the Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich.

Tea Mustać is currently an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School, and consequently on leave from her role as Head of Operations at the Institute for Global Negotiation. She specializes in cross-cultural negotiation and AI/data governance.

Johanna holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Philipps-University Marburg. She is the Institute’s Social Media Officer.

Raveen Abdullah is a humanitarian and diplomatic professional with experience across UN agencies, NGOs, and government institutions, holding an accreditations in diplomacy and anti-corruption, and Trauma and PTSD.

Carmen Robledo is a Senior Policy Analyst and member of the Mexican Foreign Service since 2005, with diplomatic experience across the UN and multiple embassies, and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Australian National University.

Meryem Gumus is a law graduate from the University of Trento specializing in Comparative, European, and International Law, working at Yanındayız Association on project development and stakeholder engagement, with experience in gender, children’s rights, and international legal frameworks.

Frederik Nühnen holds a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies from Philipps-University Marburg. At the IGN he is the Project Lead for the Journal for Global Negotiation.

Asier Hernandez works as the legal manager of All Iron Real Estate (one of the leading Spanish REITs). Asier holds a degree in Translation and Interpreting and is a Law Graduate from the University of the Basque Country (UPV).

Mazlan Othman is the former Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

Jonathan Lamprecht serves as Treasurer for the IGN and works as a Product Manager for a Swiss scale-up company.

Vera Hauser is a Junior Researcher in international trade at the University of St. Gallen, where she is completing the ISP-MBA programme and her graduate studies in International Affairs and Governance.

Magdalena Brugger acts as the Institute’s Finance Officer and holds a law degree (Magistra) from the University of Graz.

Thais Pellosi is a Brazilian professional with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Uberlândia.

Aima is a humanitarian and crisis response expert with over 15 years’ experience in refugee protection, human rights, and international development, having led global programs with Amnesty International and Rainbow Railroad, and specializing in inclusive, equity-driven humanitarian action.

Shama Shah is an independent consultant and security analyst specializing in counterterrorism and risk analysis in East Africa, with experience across security firms, startups, and non-profits, and a focus on negotiation, humanitarian access, and peacebuilding in high-risk contexts.

Shontaye Abegaz leads the IGN the Global Negotiation Conference 2026. Founder of the International Institute for Human Security, she is also an expert in human security, peacebuilding, and high-level dialogue.

Francesco Cruz is a policy analyst at the Municipality of Milan, a mediator at the Italian Transport Authority, and a negotiation trainer. At the IGN he is the handling editor of the Journal for Global Negotiation.

Maximiliano R. Schilling holds a Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy from UOC-UNITAR and a Political Science degree from the University of Buenos Aires.