Christopher Walker is Vice President for Studies and Analysis at the National Endowment for Democracy. In this capacity, he oversees the department that is responsible for NED’s multifaceted analytical work, which includes the International Forum for Democratic Studies, a leading center for the analysis and discussion of democratic development. Prior to joining the NED, Walker was Vice President for Strategy and Analysis at Freedom House, where he was responsible for devising overall strategy for Freedom House’s analytical projects on democratic development and media freedom. Prior to Freedom House, he was a senior associate at the EastWest Institute, and program manager at the European Journalism Network. Walker has also served as an Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at New York University. He holds a B.A. degree from Binghamton University and an M.A. from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. His articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Foreign Policy.com, Barron’s, The Far Eastern Economic Review, European Voice, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Welt, The Moscow Times, Politico.com, Journal of Democracy, and World Affairs.

Melissa Aten is a senior research and conferences officer at the International Forum for Democratic Studies. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and an M.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University’s Elliott School for International Affairs, where her research focused on U.S. foreign policy, the politics of Central and Eastern Europe, and political parties.

Jessica Ludwig is a research and conferences officer at the International Forum for Democratic Studies. She holds a B.A. in International Studies from Baylor University and an M.A. in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies from the George Washington University’s Elliott School for International Affairs, where her research interests focused on the politics, culture, and environmental issues of the region. Follow her on Twitter @JesLudwig.

Dean Jackson is an assistant program officer at the International Forum for Democratic Studies. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and an M.A. from the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations, where he focused on international security and comparative democratization in the former Soviet Union. His current research interests include authoritarian influence in Western democracies and the politics of Russia and Ukraine. Follow him on Twitter @DeanWJackson88.

Hainer Ernesto Sibrian is a program assistant at the International Forum for Democratic Studies. He holds a B.A. from Georgia State University and an Advanced Arabic Language Certificate from the American University in Cairo, as a David L. Boren Scholar.  His research interests include Latin America, the Middle East, and the role of military and judicial institutions in authoritarian regimes.