Alessandro is a student at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) MA in International Policy Studies program with a concentration in Human Security and Development and also pursuing a certificate in Terrorism Studies with an expected graduation date of May 2015. His academic focus has been on International Relations Theory, European affairs, and Ethical Policymaking. Alessandro received his bachelor degree in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Washington. Before coming to MIIS he taught courses on Social Justice, History of American Foreign Policy, and Ancient Philosophy at Bellevue College, worked as a researcher for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Marcie Maxwell (D-WA) Re-Election Campaigns, and as an Expansion Director for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Junior State of America. Additionally, Alessandro has maintained an Academy Blog, which was dedicated to talking about current events in politics and sizing them up against philosophical themes. Contact: aregio@miis.edu
Darina is a student at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) MA in International Policy Studies program with a concentration on Human Security and Development and also pursuing a certificate in Terrorism Studies with an expected graduation date of May 2015. Her academic focus has been on international security, conflict resolution, global health, human rights protections, and ethical global governance. Darina received her bachelor degree in Asian and African Studies from the State University of Saint Petersburg, where she majored in history of Indonesia and Malaysia. Currently, she works as a Graduate Research Assistant at MIIS Cyber Initiative. Before that, she worked at Creative Associates International working on USAID Health Proposals, Center for Conflict Studies, where she led a media campaign on water conflicts in Ethiopia, and St. Petersburg State University on projects «Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in Russian children» and «Interdisciplinary HIV prevention in women.» Contact: dburina@miis.edu
Terri is an MA student at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). She is in the International Policy Studies program with a concentration on Human Security and Development. She also earned a certificate in the Development Project Management and Innovation program with MIIS, (DPMI) and has an expected graduation date from MIIS of May 2015. Terri received her bachelor degree in Liberal Studies from Oregon State University. In her undergraduate work, her studies centered on Political Science, Anthropology, and multiple languages, (Italian poetry being her favorite translation work) with a special concentration on Arabic culture and Arabic Women. Before coming to MIIS she had a whole other life as a housewife and mother, raising and homeschooling 3 intellectuals, being happily married and gardening in the woods. Thanks to a fortuitous home foreclosure in 2008, Terri returned to college after a 30 year hiatus to work on issues of social justice through policy creation and analysis. She was a proud Legislative Intern for CA Senator, Bill Monning in 2010-2011. She also created projects that helped re-elect OR Governor Kitzhaber in 2010. In her last year at MIIS, Terri has started her own consultancy, helping nonprofits and for profits with research, diplomacy and organizational challenges. Contact: tpugh@miis.edu
