Dr. Erin Saltman is Facebook’s Head of Counterterrorism and Dangerous Organizations Policy for EMEA. Dr Saltman’s background and expertise includes both far-right and Islamist extremist processes of radicalization within a range of regional and socio-political contexts. Her research and publications have focused on the evolving nature of online extremism and terrorism, gender dynamics within violent extremist organizations and youth radicalization. Dr Saltman’s previous work includes Senior Research and Program positions at Quilliam Foundation and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) where she remains a Research Fellow. She also manages Facebook’s work with the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT). She is a graduate of Columbia University (BA) and University College London (MA and PhD).

Mike Jobbins is Vice President for Global Affairs and Partnerships at Search for Common Ground, an international conflict transformation organization supporting 120 peacebuilding programs throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. For the past 12 years, he has developed and managed conflict resolution, violence prevention, early warning and inclusive governance programs. Mike leads Search’s advocacy and partnerships with U.S. and European governments, the private sector and partner organizations. Mike was Senior Program Manager for Search’s Africa Region, where he led the design and development of programs in 22 countries across the continent. Before returning to Washington, he was a project manager with Search in the DRC and a program officer in its Burundi regional office, where he oversaw the start-up and management of elections, security sector, and complex emergencies programs.

Prior to joining Search for Common Ground, Mike supported training programs for high-level political leaders and policy research at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and spent time in Sudan with Mercy Corps. Originally from New Jersey, Mike holds an MA from Georgetown University and an AB from Harvard University. He is fluent in English and French.

Sammy leads Life After Hate, Inc. (LAH), a unique non-profit organization founded and operated by former violent extremists. It's core services stem from the foundation of its members’ reformed ideologies and decades of development, and rare experiential immersion within some of the world’s most violent extremist organizations. LAH works in the exiting of violent extremist's by coresponding with trained mental health volunteers, outreach, case management, interventions, and ongoing support systems for individuals who have successfully disengaged from violent extremism. Sammy is the author of FOURBEARS: The Myths of Forgiveness, a breathtaking autobiography, chronicling the ongoing physical and sexual abuse he endured as a child which eventually led him down a path of self-destruction and his pathway toward change and recovery. He also founded Formers Anonymous (FA) in August 2012. FA is a national self-help group based on the 12-step model and is for criminals and addicts addicted to street life, and who are looking for support and answers about change and recovery. As a serial entrepreneur, Sammy has lead the successful development of many national models in social work in the nonprofit industry and research in fields such as addictions, re-entry, crisis intervention, best practices and social evolution. Sammy’s most crucial role in life is being an amazing father to his children. He is a beacon of light in the communities he works within and has received numerous awards and recognitions over the years for his dedication to serve the public as a whole and individuals in need of help. As someone once so aptly stated about Sammy, “The scary thing about Sammy is that despite all that he has accomplished…He’s just getting started.”

Miranda Sissons joined Facebook in August 2019 as Facebook’s inaugural Director of Human Rights Product Policy and Engagement. She works closely with the company’s product and policy teams to develop to advance Facebook’s human rights goals and commitments.

Miranda brings 20-plus years experience in human rights research and policy making. A former diplomat, Miranda has worked at Human Rights Watch, the International Center for Transitional Justice, Purpose, and other leading global and local groups.

In addition to her field-based rights work, Miranda has taught at NYU and the City University of New York, and published widely on topics ranging from international criminal law and the law of armed conflict to transitional justice and sexual and reproductive rights. She has extensive on the ground experience, including in Iraq, Timor Leste, Egypt, and elsewhere.

Originally from Australia, and prior to joining Facebook, Miranda spent eight years working to pursue social impact through tech. She studied at the University of Melbourne and at Yale University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. She speaks Arabic, German and English.

Simona Cruciani serves as a Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG) where she is the focal point for the implementation of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on hate Speech and runs the Global Program with Religious Leaders on Preventing Incitement to Violence that could Lead to Atrocity Crimes. Before joining the OSAPG, Simona served in United Nations field operations, respectively from 2004 to 2006 in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Burundi as an Electoral and Civil Affairs Officer, and from 2006 to 2008 at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan as a Civil Affairs Officer.

Simona’s focus has primarily been on preventing and responding to atrocity crimes as well as supporting human security, democratization and human rights in conflict and post-conflict situations. Simona owns master’s degrees in Contemporary History, International Affairs and Public Health.

Nelson works as a director of programs for #DEFYHATENOW in  East Africa, in this role he leads training programs on fact-checking and hate speech/misinformation mitigation work in over 5 countries for the organization. Prior to his current role, Nelson led #defyhatenow’s Digital Media and Training teams since 2017. He has been able to work on initiating several campaigns focusing on creating a space for people to express their opinions online without the need to dehumanize others or spread false information that might jeopardize the safety and comfort of fellow citizens. He is also involved with several regional and international fora involved in the development of the internet and right of citizens Africa such as the Network of African Youth for Development, Internet Society, ICANN, KICTANet,  and Africa CMS Summit.

Michael Wiener has been working with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) since 2006. He was one of the experts who participated in ARTICLE19’s consultations that drafted the Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality. He was also part of the core team organizing five OHCHR expert workshops that led to the adoption of the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to dis crimination, hostility or violence.

Since 2017, he has been working on the design and implementation of the Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments on “Faith for Rights”. In 2019, he and the co-authors Heiner Bielefeldt and Nazila Ghanea were awarded with the Premio Alberigo Senior Book Award for their international law commentary on “Freedom of Religion or Belief” (Oxford University Press). He holds a Master of Laws from the University of London and has a doctorate from the University of Trier.

Adam Burke is The Asia Foundation’s Director of Conflict and Fragility.

With over 20 years of practical and research experience primarily across South and Southeast Asia, Adam Burke is a specialist in conflict, peacebuilding, and development. He leads The Asia Foundation’s Conflict and Fragility program in addressing pressing issues and programming opportunities, while overseeing technical support.

Before joining The Asia Foundation, Adam worked in the conflict prevention and peacebuilding fields for a range of bodies. Specific assignments included: context analysis for the UN on communal violence in Sri Lanka; technical guidance on peacebuilding strategies and post-conflict reconciliation in Nepal; reviews of initiatives to support peacebuilding by local civil society organizations; and supporting local involvement in post-conflict reconstruction in Pakistan and the Philippines. In 2005-6, he advised the monitoring team for the successful peace process in Aceh, Indonesia. He has also supported local peacebuilding initiatives and other civil society outreach in conflict-affected areas across the region.

Adam’s research, writing, and technical guidance has underlined the importance of understanding and responding to local contexts in responding to conflict. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oxford, and master’s and doctoral degrees from SOAS, University of London.

Since the start of 2020, The Asia Foundation has established The Resiliency Initiative, a collaborative effort along with Facebook and civil society groups with the aim of building tolerance against discrimination, mistrust and fear in at-risk communities, including minorities and those living in conflict-affected areas. The Resiliency Initiative works with local civil society across South and Southeast Asia to build social media skills, enabling local groups to create quality content media and run online campaigns to bolster community cohesion.

When Covid-19 struck, The Resiliency Initiative responded with a series of online training workshops to support local efforts to tackle discrimination and mistrust arising from the pandemic. Training workshops were carried out across the region, in local languages and in English. The next step is to develop an online resource to provide useful and accessible material on using social media.

Adam’s research, writing, and technical guidance has underlined the importance of understanding and responding to local contexts in responding to conflict. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oxford, and master’s and doctoral degrees from SOAS, University of London.

Since the start of 2020, The Asia Foundation has established The Resiliency Initiative, a collaborative effort along with Facebook and civil society groups with the aim of building tolerance against discrimination, mistrust and fear in at-risk communities, including minorities and others in conflict-affected areas. It works with local civil society across South and Southeast Asia to support the skills to effectively create quality content for social media and run online campaigns to bolster community resiliency.

Once Covid-19 struck the region, The Resiliency Initiative responded with a series of online training workshops to support local organization’s efforts to tackle discrimination and mistrust arising from the pandemic and the response to it. Training workshops were carried out across the region, in local languages and in English. The next step is to develop an accessible online resource to provide useful material for organizations aiming on using social media to improve their communities.

As Head of Legal, Richard is responsible for overseeing GPD's Legal Strategy, providing legal and policy advice internally at GPD and to its partner organisations on human rights as they relate to the internet and digital policy, and developing legal analyses, policy briefings and other resources for stakeholders.

Before joining GPD, Richard led on policy development and advocacy at the Equal Rights Trust, an international human rights organisation working to combat discrimination and inequality. He has also undertaken research for the Bar Human Rights Committee, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, and provided support during the preparatory work for the Yogyakarta Principles. Richard is also a qualified barrister, having been called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2010, and practiced in criminal law and human rights law prior to joining the Equal Rights Trust.

Nika Saeedi is Team Leader - Prevention of Violent Extremism as part of the Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions (CPPRI) team, at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York. Nika also leads UNDP’s workstreams on hate speech and serves as the Religion and Development focal point.

Leveraging her educational background on Religion and Culture and with over 18 years of experience, Nika has identified opportunities to influence and articulate global policy and programme solutions and forge partnerships to attract resources to across all aspects of the prevention agenda including PVE, peacebuilding, governance, and women, peace and security (WPS). In addition to her work at the global level, Nika has worked in a variety of country contexts.

Nika led development of the global study ‘Invisible Women: Gendered Dimensions of Return, Reintegration and Rehabilitation’, conducted in partnership with the International Civil Society Action Network to respond to a pressing need for action-oriented research that improves our understanding of women’s roles in reintegration and rehabilitation processes, and the work of women-led organizations in supporting these processes.

Nika’s support to Government of Afghanistan in reformulating the local governance structure led to a 25% increase in Afghan women’s leadership in local governance. She guided an Afghanistan sub-national consultation process, promoting inclusion of women and minorities, and leading to a level of participation of women that exceeded the target set by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs by 39% in 34 provinces.

Nika designed and managed a results-based family planning project to improve family planning practices throughout Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and in coordination with the Ministry of Women's Affairs. The project design was selected as the most successful family planning project in Afghanistan. As result the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate in 13 provinces increased from 9% to 40% in 2006.