Our Team

Management Team

Jennifer O’Rourke
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Editor-in-Chief

Jennifer O’Rourke is a second-year M.A. candidate at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, where she specializes in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  She holds a Bachelor of Journalism, with a minor in french and political science. Her research interests focus on national security, counter-terrorism, disruptive technologies, and strategic foresight.

Muna Osman
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Management Team

Muna Osman is a second-year M.A. candidate at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security.

Chelsea Badger 
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Management Team

Chelsea Badger is a second-year M.A. candidate in International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security.

Saira Bano
Ph.D. Candidate, Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary
Blog Editorial Team

Saira Bano is PhD candidate in Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS) at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on the nuclear nonproliferation regime, nuclear weapons issues in South Asia, especially India, and nonproliferation policies of states, such as the US, Pakistan, Israel and India. Her PhD dissertation, grounded in regime theory, analyses the India-United States Civilian Nuclear Agreement, and explores its implications for the nuclear non-proliferation regime. She has won several academic and research awards. She was awarded the prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral by SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council). She was also awarded Graduate Research Award by the Simons Foundation and Kodikara Award by RCSS (Regional Centre for Strategic Studies).

Mark Haichin
Ph.D. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Editorial Team

Mark Haichin is a PhD student with the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He holds a Masters International Relations (Research) from the London School of Economics. His research interests are in conflict management and resolution, with a focus on issues relating to nuclear deterrence and proliferation.

Levon Petrossian 
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Editorial Team


Contributors

Dillon Fowler
J.D. Candidate, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law

Dillon Fowler holds a Bachelor of Arts in Honour’s History from the University of Windsor and is currently enrolled in the Canadian and American Dual Juris Doctor Program at the University of Ottawa. He has pursued public policy research with a number of government agencies and political organizations in both Canada and the United States on issues including free trade, immigration, and government surveillance.

Duncan Pike
M.A. Candidate, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

Duncan graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in history from the University of Victoria. His undergraduate thesis examined Muslim piracy in North Africa during the early modern period, with a focus on Britain’s diplomatic relationship with the Barbary states of North Africa. Duncan has interned at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C., and worked in Ottawa at Aboriginal Affairs in the Indian Residential Schools Secretariat, which is responsible for administering the claims process for former students of the schools.

Sam Wollenberg
M.A. Candidate, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

Sam’s research interests include societal drivers and reactions to security measures and the accountability of security forces. Conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution practices are the broad categories under which he is conducting his studies for the next year and a half, with particular interest in disarmament and arms control measures, the importation of conflict through diaspora groups and predicting the outbreak of violence through the aggregation of localized data. Sam hopes to pursue a position in policy analysis and advisory in either the public or private field.

Kenneth Martin
PhD Candidate, Concordia University

Kenneth Martin is a 4th year PhD candidate at Concordia University in Montreal. His dissertation examines collusion cooperation and conflict between state actors and non state armed groups in South Asia using a social network analysis model. He is a junior researcher with TSAS, a Research Affiliate for Public Safety Canada’s Kanishka Project where he examines extremist networks, a Fellow with the US Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, and an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Jesse MacLean
M.A. Candidate in Global Governance, Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo

Jesse is a Master’s Candidate in the Global Governance program at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Ontario. He is currently working as a Junior Research Fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) while completing his graduate studies. Jesse’s research focuses on global security issues with an emphasis on counterterrorism, and he is writing his Major Research Project on the phenomenon of ‘lone wolf terrorism.’ He is a graduate of Carleton University’s Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program, and did contract work for the federal government before embarking on his Master’s. Jesse is a Dutch-Canadian citizen with family in the Netherlands, and enjoys creative writing and public speaking as hobbies.

Adam Vanzella-Yang
MSc Candidate in Urbanization and Development, London School of Economics.

Adam is interested in public space in megacities. He recently completed his master’s dissertation on recreational spaces as sites of insurgent citizenship. Born in Brazil, he obtained his BA from the University of Toronto, and has experience working for urban redevelopment organizations and non-profits in Canada and abroad.

Jason Bakas
M.A. Candidate at the American Military University, School of Security and Global Studies.

Jason’s research interests include terrorism, transnational organized crime, intelligence collection, threat assessment and the synergistic approach to law enforcement and national security intelligence. Please feel free to contact Jason if you have any questions, comments or concerns. jason.bakas@mycampus.apus.edu

Carter Brundage
B.Sc. Candidate in International Development, University of British Columbia

Carter’s interests include migration, defence and counterterrorism issues. He is a current International Development undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia. Carter is a former Junior Policy Analyst at the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. You can reach Carter with questions or comments at carter.hazen@gmail.com.

Stefan Konrad
MA in Intelligence and Security Studies, University of Brunel

Stefan Konrad is the NATO Council of Canada’s Program Editor for defence procurement. He is a recent graduate of Trinity Western University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Honours). In January 2015, he successfully defended his undergraduate thesis on Canada’s Intelligence Community, focusing on the development of its foreign intelligence capabilities. In September 2015, Stefan will be starting his MA in Intelligence and Security Studies at the University of Brunel in London, England.  From June to September 2014, he was a Junior Research Fellow with the NATO Council of Canada also writing on procurement-related issues. In the past, Stefan has worked as an intern in the Office of the Minister of Fisheries & Oceans and the Office of the Mayor of Surrey. His broad research interests focus on issues related to intelligence studies, national security policy and defence procurement. More specifically, his research interests include Canada’s Intelligence Community, intelligence oversight mechanisms, HUMINT collection/analysis and intelligence community reform.

Tannuva Akbar
Master of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

Tannuva Akbar is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto where she earned her M.G.A from the Munk School of Global Affairs. Her areas of interests include counter terrorism, national security, de-radicalization and financial intelligence.

Aliénor De Steur
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs

Aliénor De Steur is a first year M.A. candidate in International Affairs at Carleton University (NPSIA), where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security. Intrigued by comparative world views, she studied political science for a year in Munich while completing her B.A. in International Studies at the University of Montreal. Her favorite topics of research are non-traditional threats, international interventions, and cooperation in the domain of security.

Tim Sullivan
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs

Tim Sullivan is a third-year JD Student at the University of Ottawa with a keen interest in international law. Tim was a founding member of the University of Ottawa chapter of the International Commission of Jurists, where he currently serves on the executive committee.  Prior to law school, Tim graduated with Honours in Political Science from the University of Guelph. He lives in Ottawa with his girlfriend, Christie, and dog, Leia.

Fritz Lionel
M.A. Candidate, McGill University

Fritz Lionel is a Master’s Candidate in International Relations at McGill University. His research interests include international security, Canadian defence policy, civil conflicts and peacebuilding operations – particularly in West Africa. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from University of Montreal with a year completed at University of Leeds in the U.K. Fritz Lionel grew up on three continents while coming originally from four West African countries.

Dur-e-Aden
PhD Candidate at the Department of Political Science, University of Toronto
Dur-e-Aden is a PhD student and a SSHRC Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Political Science at University of Toronto, Graduate Associate at the Center for Critical Development Studies at University of Toronto, Scarborough, and a Junior Researcher affiliated with Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society. She holds a MA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the recruitment patterns of both men and women in terrorist/insurgent groups.She can be contacted at aden.dur.e.aden@mail.utoronto.ca and @aden1990.

Michael Shkolnik

PhD Candidate at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

Michael Shkolnik is a Ph.D. Candidate at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He recently served as a senior adviser and scholar-in-residence with the Strategic Foresight unit in Canada’s foreign ministry, focusing on futures of terrorism and international security trends. In the past, Michael worked with security-related research institutes in Ottawa, Washington D.C., and Israel.

 

Blog Management Emiratus 


Misha Munim
Dual J.D./M.A. Candidate, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Founder

Misha’s research interests include counter-terrorism intelligence, community outreach initiatives, and national security law. She has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto.

Dashiell Dronyk
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Editorial Team (former)

Dashiell’s  interests include defence, counterterrorism and homeland security policy; nineteenth century history; and  anything to do with Turkey. He grew up in northern Alberta, and moved to Ottawa to complete a Bachelor’s in Political Science and History at Carleton University.  Dashiell is a Junior Analyst at Canadian  Northern Economic Development Agency, and has previously worked in the Canadian Senate and for the City of Ottawa. In the real world, he likes genre fiction, the bass guitar, and being snobby about pop culture.

Rob Denaburg
M.A. Candidate, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto
Blog Management Team (former)

Rob’s research interests focus on Canada’s role in international security issues such as CBRN non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, and foreign intelligence. He is also interested in North American continental security, as well as Canada’s presence in the Arctic. Please feel free to contact him at rob.denaburg@mail.utoronto.ca if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Dan Martinez
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Editorial Team (former)

Dan’s research interests include intelligence, security and defense policy, terrorism, cybersecurity, and security problems in the former Soviet Republics and the Middle East. Dan is currently working on a project examining the role of foreign fighters in contemporary Islamist-driven conflicts in North Africa and the associated implications for Western counter-terrorism policy.

Sarah McIntosh
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Editorial Team (former)

Sarah is a first year M.A. candidate in International Affairs at Carleton University, where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security. Prior to coming to NPSIA, Sarah studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel and earned a Honours B.A. in History at the University of British Columbia. Her interests include terrorism, Canadian foreign policy towards the Middle East, and Canadian defence policy.

Athena Narsingh
J.D. Candidate, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Blog Management Team (former)

Athena is currently completing her JD at the University of Ottawa. Her interests include youth outreach initiatives, cross-cultural sociology and immigration law. Athena was born and raised in Toronto and completed her undergraduate degree at York University in Criminology.

Adam Patillo
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Management Team (former)

Adam completed his undergraduate studies at Simon Fraser University in International Relations, and is working towards a degree in Intelligence Analysis and Terrorism Studies from the American Military University. His special interests include Middle Eastern Security, especially as it pertains to Israel and its security environment

Kendra 
Dual J.D./M.A. Candidate, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and Norman Paterson School of International Affairs Editor-in-Chief (former)

Kendra is a candidate in the joint JD-MA in International Affairs program hosted between the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science in International Studies and Modern Languages, with a focus on Russian culture and politics. Her research interests focus on national security law, government oversight and geopolitics.

Jessica Marano
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Management Team (former)

Jessica Marano is a second-year M.A. candidate in International Affairs at Carleton University (NPSIA), where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security. She obtained her BA from Carleton University in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies, and has done contract work for the federal government. Her research interests include, terrorism, counter-terrorism efforts, cybersecurity, and national security intelligence.

Stéphanie Bartlett
M.A. Candidate, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Blog Management Team (former)

Stéphanie Bartlett is a second year MA candidate at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, where she specializes in Intelligence and National Security. She has an undergraduate degree in Public Affairs and International Relations from Laval University in Quebec City, with a major in security. Among others, her research interests are terrorism, counter-terrorism, disarmament and arms control, intelligence, strategic foresight, and national security policy.