international conflict and security

Managing Partners  | Associates  | Advisors  | Institutional Partners

Debi Duncan (Senior Associate)
Debi is an expert in conflict assessment, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. She served as a senior conflict adviser in DFID for six years, until 2006, working on corporate policy, Asia and the Middle East. While at DFID, she also worked extensively on conflict analysis and conflict sensitive development in Asia. Prior to DFID, Debi worked on post-conflict reconstruction and humanitarian assistance for Oxfam in the Balkans and Horn of Africa. Debi holds MAs in Development Studies and International Peacekeeping.

Donata Garrasi (Senior Associate)
Donata is a political scientist who specialises in policy and programme design and implementation in crisis affected and fragile contexts. Donata has worked over the last fifteen years with leading international organisations, including the UN, DFID, and the World Bank in transitional countries in Africa and Asia. Her key expertise is in crisis prevention and stabilization strategies and support to political transitions. Donata started consulting in 2008 and her areas of interest are analysis of and support to “drivers of peace,” climate change and conflict, reform of the international peace architecture. She is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Claire Hickson (Associate)
Claire is a conflict and governance specialist in the international development field. She has several years' experience of working for DFID. She has worked across Whitehall departments and with most major multilateral and bilateral donors as well as regional organisations. She has a strong track record in both policy making and programmes: for instance, she led the Commission for Africa’s work on peace and security as well as the implementation of an innovative multi-donor conflict assessment in partnership with government and civil society in Nigeria. She also brings a strong background in international advocacy and communications to her work.

Kanaka Abeygunawardana (Associate)
Kanaka is a conflict transformation professional with 15 years experience in conflict analysis, mapping, strategic planning, programme development and programme management, networking, institutional capacity building of partner organisations, fundraising and project evaluation. She is a confident trainer/facilitator and an excellent event organizer.

Elizabeth Kronoff (Associate)
Elizabeth has worked within the non-profit sector for over 13 years, primarily with overseas development but also with lobbying and charity groups in the US and Europe, including a two-year assignment in Western Russia. Her development experience involves designing, managing, and advising on national and multi-national monitoring and evaluation programmes in Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the Balkans. Her on-the-ground experience extends across governance, gender issues, support to education, culture, women’s health, and small enterprise development. She has a BA in Philosophy and Classics. Elizabeth is fluent in English and Russian, proficient in French, and has a working knowledge of Persian.

Zab Vilayil (Associate)
Zab Vilayil is a human security practitioner and early warning systems developer with experience in SMS platforms, mapping and designing integrated information systems. He draws conceptual and practical insight from his experiences in Iraq, Kuwait, India as well as East, Central and West Africa. He most recently worked with UNDP to design and develop the National Conflict Early Warning System for Kenya and well as had engagements in the Plateau State with UNDP Nigeria. He has conducted trainings in conflict management and peace building for various stakeholders. He has Bachelors in Religion and in Education as well as a Masters in Human Security and Peace Building. He is based in Alberta, Canada and has a working knowledge in Hindi, Urdu, and French.

Lesley McCulloch (Associate)
Lesley has been actively engaged with the UK, Australian and Indonesian governments in the ongoing Indonesian debate on SSR. She also has spent many years engaged in community development in conflict/post-conflict environments, with a particular focus on gender. She has undertaken focused research on governance – most of which has been in Indonesia, and is an experienced governance advisor. Lesley also has an extensive background in post-disaster settings, most notably in post-tsunami Aceh. She is experienced in peace process negotiation, and in working with local political parties on election manifestos and representation.Lesley holds two Masters degrees from the Aberdeen University and is fluent in English, with good spoken Bahasa Indonesia.

Melyn McKay (Associate)
Melyn McKay is a trained anthropologist working on business and social development at the intersection of conflict and social change. With experience living and working in Morocco, China, Europe, the United States,
East and North Africa, Melyn's work has recently focused on health access, transnational Islam, political enfranchisement, international businesses growth and market entry strategies. Formerly of Ogilvy, a global creative agency, Melyn has worked with numerous Fortune 500 clients in the financial sector, oil and natural gas, government and IT as a crisis specialist. In her time with Ogilvy Melyn founded a practice area applying the principles of anthropological observation to branding and reputation management while leveraging digital ethnography. Melyn speaks fluent English, conversational French and functional Arabic.