Esther de Paula Garcia, Brazil, is an MA student in the Social and Policy Aspects of Climate Change Program at Tel Aviv University. She received her BA in Liberal Arts and Science from Tel Aviv University’s International School, where she concentrated her studies in Philosophy and Psychology. She has been an active participant in TAUMUN (Tel Aviv University Model UN), where she engaged in simulations of diplomatic negotiations on various global issues.

John Robert LaChapelle, United States, is an MA student in the Conflict Resolution and Mediation program at Tel Aviv University, following the completion of a master’s in Nonprofit Management & Leadership at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He brings over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, focusing on anti-trafficking advocacy, foster care, and cross-cultural initiatives in Israel and abroad. John is passionate about advancing human rights, strengthening civil society, and building sustainable models of community empowerment.

Joan Anyango Otieno, Kenya, served as the secretary-general of Uzima Community-Based Organization in Kenya to support vulnerable and marginalized communities. She is passionate about human rights, advancing social justice, and contributing to meaningful dialogue on pressing global issues. She is currently pursuing an MA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Tel Aviv University. Her research focuses on understanding how certain endogenous sphingolipids are positively or negatively involved in the inflammatory process.

Kurt Mueller, United States, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. After obtaining a BA in both International Studies and German from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, he left the United States to travel and live abroad, visiting over 100 countries and crossing four continents by motorcycle while working as a language and literature tutor in China. Kurt is passionate about people, language, and culture the world over and hopes to bring concrete experience and academic study together into a career in international affairs and diplomacy.

Song Linjuan, China, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. She holds a BA in English from Hubei University of Technology. Deeply interested in the historical and cultural bonds between China and Israel, she aims to apply the insights she gains on democracy and human rights to further mutual understanding between China and Israel.

Miguel Leboso Moriano, Spain, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. He holds a BA in History from the University of Navarra in Pamplona. He is deeply interested in international relations and contemporary global challenges.

Felicia Ferdinand, Germany, is pursuing an LL.M. in International Law with a specialization in Human Rights at Tel Aviv University. She completed her LL.B. with a specialization in Public International Law at the University of Potsdam. Her research interests focus on human rights, democratic values, and mechanisms of international legal accountability.

Hong Yubei, China, is an MA student in Sustainable Development at Tel Aviv University. She earned her BA in Marketing in China and later worked in the tech sector as a data analyst. Afterward, she spent a year in Australia on a working holiday visa, combining work with travel and gaining firsthand exposure to different cultures and social settings.

Nancye Kochen, Australia, is completing her MA thesis in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. She holds a BA in global studies, specializing in international relations, from Monash University, and is passionate about human rights advocacy and Jewish education. Nancye currently works at the English Desk of Davar newspaper and has a background in education in both Australia and Israel.

Araz Can Dikme, Turkey, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. He holds a BA in English Language and Literature and a minor in Political Science from Hacettepe University. Interested in conflict resolution and the impacts of conflicts on local cultures in frontier zones, he has completed courses and earned certificates in international logistics to better understand how humanitarian aid can be delivered to war zones.