Board of Advisors

Anna Gumenyuk

Fellow

Anna Gumenyuk is a dedicated communications and international relations professional committed to making a difference through global partnerships. Currently serving as a Communications Associate at the UNDP Rome Centre, she brings extensive experience in crafting digital content and showcasing development work. Her background features prominent international advocacy roles, including serving as a UNCTAD Youth Delegate and representing youth voices at major global environmental assemblies.

Anneli Jaeaetteenmaeki

Former Prime Minister of Finland & Vice-President of the European Parliament

Anneli Jäätteenmäki is a Finnish politician who made history in 2003 as the nation’s first female Prime Minister. A long-time member of the Centre Party, she previously served as Minister of Justice (1994–1995) and party chair. Following her tenure in national government, she transitioned to European politics, serving as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2019. During this time, she held the role of Vice-President of the European Parliament from 2012 to 2014.

Anton Hartmann

Fellow

Anton Hartmann is an emerging journalist, reporter, and digital strategist specializing in political news, international relations, and European governance. He is the creator and host of @antonsnews on Instagram, where his impactful journalism earned him a nomination for the Stuttgarter Moderationspreis. Currently studying European and International Governance at Sciences Po Lille and Münster, he also coordinates social media strategy at the European Commission in Germany.

Brooks Newmark

Angel Investor & Former Minister

Brooks is Chairman of Trypillian Ltd (UK-Ukraine defence tech) and Anglo REM Ltd (critical minerals). A former Apollo Global Management Senior Partner, he also served as a UK Member of Parliament and Minister for Civil Society. An Oxford and Harvard graduate, Brooks founded A Partner in Education in Rwanda and the humanitarian charity Angels for Ukraine in Kharkiv.

Charlie Stuart

Chief Peace & Security Advisor, EU External Action Service

Charlie Stuart is the Chief Peace & Security Advisor on Africa for the EU External Action Service. A career diplomat, he has served as EU Deputy Ambassador to Iraq and Head of Delegation in Tanzania. He provides strategic advice on defence, international security, and multilateral policy, drawing on extensive leadership experience and senior postings across Europe and Africa.

Christina Riess

Aerospace & Defence Leader; President, Bundesverband der Vertriebsmanager e.V.

Christina Riess is Director Aerospace & Defence at Atreus and leads the Defence Task Force Europe at Heidrick. She is President of the German Association of Sales Managers and a Munich Chapter Lead for Handelsblatt’s PULSE network. Her background includes executive roles at Airbus and advisory work at Roland Berger. A member of the ESA BIC Tender Evaluation Board, she is an expert in aerospace, defence, and UAVs.

Ed Bogan

Senior Advisor, Atlantic Council & Former CIA Operational Leader

Edward Bogan is a veteran CIA operational leader and intelligence expert specializing in global risk and international security. After his distinguished government career, he founded the Institute for the Study of States of Exception and became a consultant for public and private sectors. Currently, he is a Senior Advisor at the Atlantic Council and a member of The Cipher Brief’s senior expert network, where he focuses on counterterrorism, regional security, and geopolitical analysis.

Egils Levits

Former President of Latvia

Egils Levits is a Latvian lawyer, constitutional scholar, and statesman who served as President of Latvia from 2019 to 2023. Previously, he was a judge at the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. Widely regarded as one of the architects of Latvia’s constitutional order following the restoration of independence, he has made significant contributions to European law, democracy, and the rule of law.

Eliane Trabulo

Fellow

Eliane Trabulo is an international affairs and global commerce specialist focusing on international business cooperation and geopolitical analysis. A researcher and student at Sorbonne Université in the Collaborateur des Activités Internationales program, her work examines global trade dynamics, international relations, and security. Currently, she is an analytical contributor to Les Jeunes des IHEDN, where she publishes insights on international security and foreign policy trends.

Ferenc Gelencsér

Former Member of the Hungarian Parliament & International Affairs Professional

Ferenc Gelencsér is a Hungarian politician and international affairs professional, former party chairman and founding member of a pro-European and reform-oriented movement. He served as a Member of Parliament (2022–2026), focusing on foreign policy, European security, and transatlantic relations. He has field experience in Ukraine, including high-level engagements, and is active in international policy networks on defense, hybrid threats, and democratic resilience.

Georg Poensgen

Fellow

Georg Poensgen is a prominent social entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and former UN Youth Delegate of Luxembourg to the 79th General Assembly. Recognized as a Forbes Under 30 honoree, he co-founded Well-Being Week to tackle youth mental health issues across Europe. Currently, he serves as a co-founding leader of the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health (GYCAM), working internationally to amplify youth voices and bridge the gap between young people and global decision-makers.

Gianni Pittella

Former First Vice-President of the European Parliament

Giovanni Pittella is an Italian politician and former Member of the European Parliament who served as First Vice-President of the European Parliament and later as leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). He has held senior roles in both European and Italian politics, including as a member of the Italian Senate

Halima Rakhmatova

Fellow

Halima is an accomplished communications strategist and international relations expert specializing in public advocacy and media engagement. Following a distinguished career in strategic communications, she founded a leading consulting agency focused on social impact and institutional development. Currently, she serves as a Senior Advisor at an international policy think tank and contributes to global strategic networks, where she focuses on public diplomacy, media trends, and regional analysis.

Ingo Friedrich

Former Vice-President, European Parliament

Dr. Ingo Friedrich is a prominent German politician (CSU) who served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 2009, including a tenure as Vice-President (1999–2007). An economist by training, he currently leads the European Economic Senate and the Union of Medium-Sized Companies. A staunch advocate for the "European Way of Life," Friedrich has been honored with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his significant contributions to the EU.

Joshua Burgin

Founder, Alliance for Global Security

Joshua Burgin is the founder of the Alliance for Global Security and a veteran political strategist operating at the nexus of U.S. politics and international affairs. For seven years, he has served as NSL Programs Director at the Warsaw Security Forum. A Harvard Kennedy School alumnus and former IRI Resident Country Director, Burgin has decades of experience managing domestic campaigns, training international political leaders, and directing democracy-building initiatives across Eurasia.

Klaus Welle

Former Secretary-General of the European Parliament & Chair, Martens Centre Academic Council

Klaus Welle was Secretary-General of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2022, after earlier serving as Secretary-General of the European People’s Party (1994–1999) and of the EPP-ED Group in the Parliament (1999–2003). Since May 2025, he has been Special Advisor to the European Commission for Defence and Space, while also teaching at LSE and KU Leuven. Moreover, he has chaired the Martens Centre’s Academic Council since April 2023.

Meltem Seker

Fellow

Meltem Seker is a prominent political content creator, commentator, and student of political science. Widely known through her platform @politischmeltem, she is a conservative political influencer with a migration background who actively engages in Germany's public discourse. Her commentary focuses extensively on migration, integration, Islamism, and media narratives. Combining academic insights with an active civic presence, she advocates for nuanced perspectives on identity and social policy.

Mika Aaltola

Member of the European Parliament & Former Director, FIIA

Mika Aaltola is a Finnish political scientist, MEP, and former Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. A leading expert on NATO and Russia, he has taught at Johns Hopkins and the University of Tampere. Elected to the European Parliament in 2024, he serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), and is a substitute for International Trade (INTA). He is a key voice in Finnish and European security policy.

Nicholas Dungan

Strategic Leadership Advisor & Former President, French-American Foundation

Nicholas Dungan is founder and CEO of CogitoPraxis, advising leaders on net assessment, foresight, and resilience. Formerly director at Chatham House and president and CEO of the French-American Foundation, he also held senior investment banking roles at Merrill Lynch and Société Générale. An adjunct professor at SciencesPo Paris specializing in strategic leadership and international relations, he is a frequent commentator on international affairs.

Othmar Karas

Former First Vice-President of the European Parliament

As former First VP of the European Parliament, Dr. Othmar Karas is a top EU expert and has led the European Forum Alpbach since Oct 2024. Born in 1957, he was Austria’s longest-serving MEP (1999–2024) and the only Austrian thrice elected to the Parliament's Bureau. For 25 years on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, he shaped current financial regulations and was chief negotiator for bank regulation, EU investment plans, and financial supervision. He has also led Hilfswerk since 1998.

Paul Jones

International Affairs Advisor & Former Ambassador

Paul Jones has extensive leadership experience from a distinguished diplomatic and private sector career. He served as US Ambassador to Poland and Malaysia, Chief of Mission in Pakistan, and held senior postings across Europe and Asia. In Washington, he was principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia and deputy special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. After government service, he led international engagements at Raytheon Technologies and now serves as International Affairs Advisor at Squire Patton Boggs in Washington, DC.

Robert Walter

President, Eurodefense-UK & Former Member of Parliament

Bob Walter is President of Eurodefense – UK and the European Security and Defence Association. After 25 years as a stockbroker and investment banker, he served 18 years in the British Parliament. He held key roles in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Western European Union, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Post-politics, he advised European governments on integration and chairs several defense organizations. He holds a BSc and doctorate from Aston University.

Sara Kuechler

Leader

Sara Kuechler is pursuing a B.A. in International Relations, focusing on the intersection of policy and economics. Her interests include diplomacy, human rights, the work of the United Nations, and security and geopolitics. She is active in projects with YATA Germany, UNICEF, and the BSH (student organisation for foreign and security policy).

Sienna Leesberg

Fellow

Sienna Leesberg is an International Relations student at Rhine-Waal University dedicated to civic engagement and youth advocacy. Her background in diplomatic simulation and youth governance includes serving as Chairperson for Model NATO Germany e.V. and working on the Committee on Budget and Finance in the North Rhine-Westphalia Youth Parliament (*Jugendlandtag NRW*). Grounded in community involvement, she actively organizes regional discussion forums and advocates for youth perspectives in local affairs and public policy.

Viola von Cramon

Politician; Former Member of the German & European Parliament

Viola von Cramon-Taubadel is a German politician from Alliance 90/The Greens. She served in the Bundestag (2009–2013) and the European Parliament (2019–2024), working on foreign affairs, EU-Russia relations, and as Vice-Chair of the EU-Ukraine committee. She previously engaged in projects across Eastern Europe and China.

Vladyslav Subota

Fellow

Vlad Subota is a humanitarian professional and multilingual interpreter specializing in forced displacement, migration policy, and human rights. Having personally experienced displacement as a Ukrainian refugee, he has facilitated over 3,500 critical interpretation sessions and led aid operations with AMAR UCRAЇNA. Currently a Postgraduate Fellow at the European Academy of Diplomacy, he combines first-hand field experience with academic expertise to advance global refugee protection.

Yaron Lischinky

Fellow

Yaron Lischinky was a Research Assistant for MENA Affairs at the Political Department of the Israeli Embassy. He specialized in regional trends, diplomatic liaison, and think tank relations. A staunch advocate for the Abraham Accords and regional cooperation, he held a MA from Reichman University and a BA from Hebrew University. Fluent in English, Hebrew, and German, he made Aliyah from Germany at 16 and proudly maintained roots in both Jerusalem and Nuremberg.

Zoya Kalinsky

Fellow

Zoya Kalinsky is a youth advocate and public speaker dedicated to empowering young women and ending the cycle of bullying and violence. Drawing from her personal experiences navigating Tourette's Syndrome and overcoming childhood bullying, she uses her platform to promote inclusion and demonstrate that youth can be a powerful force for positive change. Notably, she addressed the United Nations ECOSOC Chamber on behalf of UN Women and the UNITE campaign to advocate against violence targeting women and girls. Multilingual and focused on global education, Kalinsky engages in public speaking to inspire young people to build confidence and stand up for themselves and others.