Team

Chair of Advisory Council

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

President

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

Board Member

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

Head of Strategic Partnerships

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.

IT Officer and Senior Fellow

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

Communications Officer

Eleah Paetsch holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Law from the University of Zurich and works in public affairs in Zurich, with experience in Swiss politics and a focus on international relations and negotiation. She serves as Communications Officer at the IGN.

Communications 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.

Partnerships Officer

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.

Operations Officer

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.

Project Lead & IGN Fellow

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.

IGN Fellow

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

IGN Fellow

Vinicius is a Civil Engineer graduated from University of Twente, Negotiation Teacher at NPT (Negotiation project Twente) and passionate for human-centric approach on engineering.

IGN Fellow

Christine Ogola is an environmental governance and sustainability professional with extensive experience in climate action, community empowerment, and policy advocacy, recognized for her leadership in inclusive climate initiatives and awarded among Africa’s Top 40 Impactful Young People Under 40.

IGN Fellow

Kelvin Muli is a climate and biodiversity governance expert leading the African Network for Climate Action, with extensive experience in global negotiations, policy advocacy, and community-based adaptation across Africa.

IGN Fellow

Michele Roncoroni is an architect and a Project Manager at the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs. At the IGN, he serves as Events Officer for the Journal for Global Negotiation team.

IGN Fellow

Philip Afran Gaisie is an international development and security professional with experience across Africa in program management and policy advocacy. At the IGN, he supports program development and operations for the Global Negotiation Academy 2026.

Senior Fellow

Honorary Associate Professor in Negotiation at Aarhus University | Business and Social Sciences, Denmark and owner of the specialized negotiation, mediation and management company GUDSØE ApS

Project Lead & Senior Fellow

Dr. Randall Waechter is a cognitive neuroscientist and social entrepreneur who applies his formal training in brain, behavior, and higher cognitive processing to applied problems of global urgency and significance.

Project Lead & Distinguished Fellow

Jean-Jacques Subrenat, Ambassador (ret.). Areas of interest: global challenges, ethics, governance, public policy, public awareness, education, media.

Advisory Council

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.

Board Member (Secretary)

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

Board Member

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

Head of Operations

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.

Social Media Officer

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

Communications Officer

Abraham Selby is an Information Technology Specialist and Web Developer with over 13 years’ experience in digital governance, holding degrees in ICT and Public Administration from UCL. He joined IGN as Communications Officer in January 2026, focusing on website management and digital engagement.

Partnerships Officer

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.

Partnerships Officer

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.

Compliance Officer

Mila Grönros holds a Master’s degree in International and Comparative Law (MLaw) from the University of Zurich. She specializes in international commercial arbitration and dispute resolution. She holds the role of the IGN's Compliance Officer.

Project Lead & IGN Fellow

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.

IGN Fellow

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).

IGN Fellow

Baniz Wasman is an international relations graduate currently pursuing her MA in International Affairs Policy & Analysis at American University, with a strong passion for humanitarian work.

IGN Fellow

Lucas Steinbach is a PhD scholar and researcher at the UC Louvain, specializing in peacekeeping and the use of force implementation in the DR Congo. For the IGN, he coordinates the IGN’s Global Negotiation Conference in 2025.

IGN Fellow

Aparna Trichur is an international relations expert with over a decade of global experience building high-level diplomatic partnerships and advancing the SDGs, now serving as an IGN Project Fellow involved with the Global Negotiatio Support.

IGN Fellow

Giacomo Taddei holds a Master’s in Negotiation from IÉSEG School of Management and co-leads strategic partnerships at the Rational Games Foundation.

Senior Fellow

Salma Yusuf is an International Lawyer & Senior International Specialist Consultant on Democratization and Governance, Peace and Conflict, Transitional Justice, Human Rights, Democratization, and Governance, Justice & Rule of Law.

Project Lead & Senior Fellow

A highly experienced diplomat and negotiator, he has notably led complex multilateral negotiations on behalf of the European Union in the United Nations, and engaged in several multistakeholder initiatives. He leads the Global Negotiation Support Initiative of the Institute for Global Negotiation.

Senior Fellow

Fiorella Larissa Erni is a seasoned frontline negotiatiator. Today, she supports private sector clients in high-stakes negotiations and holds various other roles.

Advisory Council

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

Board Member (Treasurer)

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

Head of Communications

Vera Hauser is a Junior Researcher in international trade at the University of St. Gallen. She is an ISP-MBA graduate and is currently finishing her MA studies in International Affairs and Governance.

Finance Officer

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

Communications Officer

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

Internal Communications Officer

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.

Partnerships Officer

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.

Partnerships Officer

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.

Project Lead & Senior Fellow

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

IGN Fellow

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.

IGN Fellow

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.

IGN Fellow

Filippo Martini is Adj. Professor, Trainer and Consultant in Negotiation and Mediation. At the IGN he is with the Journal for Global Negotiation.

IGN Fellow

Charlotte Zimmermann is a Bachelor’s student in International Relations at the University of Geneva. She is a team member of the IGN e-Conference 2026.

IGN Fellow

Vivien Flokas is an analyst and educator with experience in national security research, intelligence analysis, and international education, holding an MA in Security Policy Studies from George Washington University and serving as a Team Member for the Journal of Global Negotiation at IGN.

IGN Fellow

Mehdi Aissaoui holds a Master’s in Human Rights and Multi-Level Governance from the University of Padova and has worked in research and academia in Vienna and Casablanca.

Senior Fellow

Felix Addor serves as the Deputy Director General of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (Swiss Ministry of Justice).

Senior Fellow

Nele Erdmann has been developing and managing international climate protection projects for 13 years.

Senior Fellow

Dr Zaza Johnson Elsheikh is a renowned International Commercial, Family, and Workplace Mediator and Trainer, an International Arbitrator, and Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, whose cross-cultural background and experience as a former doctor and solicitor inform her work in conflict resolution, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarian initiatives.