Prof. Dr. Heinz Stapf-Finé is a Professor of Social Policy at Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin (ASH Berlin) . His work focuses on democracy development , social equality , and political participation through applied research projects. Current projects include Krise als Chance (2023-2025) analyzing pandemic impacts on volunteer engagement Gleiche politische Teilhabe (2021-2024) guiding outreach political education DEMOKRATIE (2015) examining democracy-distant attitudes His research spans social policy analysis , healthcare systems , and democratic resilience , with emphasis on qualitative methodologies and participatory research . Publications include: Handbuch aufsuchende politische Bildung (2025) on outreach political education The World We Want to Live In (2022) addressing digital transformation Scientific awards encompass roles as Vertrauensdozent (Hans-Böckler & Friedrich-Ebert Stiftungen) and editorial board membership of Sozialer Fortschritt journal. He supervises PhD students like Irene Köppe and Nele Rathke , and has received third-party funding from institutions like the Stiftung Deutsche Klassenlotterie Berlin .
Brandon F. De Bruhl is a Senior Technical Analyst at RAND Corporation and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. He previously served as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and taught at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). His research focuses on the societal impacts of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies, and big data, in contexts of public finance and national security. He holds a B.A. in Political Economics from Seattle University, an M.A. in International Relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and an M.P.P. from the USC Sol Price School, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management. De Bruhl’s work bridges technology, policy, and security. His research explores how AI and biotechnologies reshape conflict scenarios, military strategies, and public sector operations. Notable themes in his publications include the mitigation of human bias in military intelligence, the sustainability of veteran employment programs, and the application of 5G-era technologies for defense. His interdisciplinary approach integrates technical, ethical, and organizational dimensions of technology adoption. Education: B.A., Political Economics, Seattle University M.A., International Relations, Maxwell School, Syracuse University M.P.P., USC Sol Price School (currently pursuing Ph.D.) Key Research Contributions: His work on AI project failures offers actionable frameworks for avoiding technical and organizational pitfalls. He advocates for stronger public-private partnerships to support veterans and emphasizes the dual-use challenges of biotechnologies in warfare. Advising & Grants: While no formal advisees are listed, his academic role suggests mentorship of graduate students. His research has been supported by federal agencies, though specific grants are not detailed in the text.
Frank Hatten serves as Director of Operations and Outreach for the Cyber-Resilience Resource Center (CRRC) at West Virginia University and Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Management Information Systems and Supply Chain, where he integrates academic instruction with hands-on cybersecurity initiatives for Appalachian-region small businesses, nonprofits, and critical infrastructure. His educational qualifications include: M.S. in Business Cybersecurity Management from West Virginia University Hatten specializes in applied cybersecurity with research interests spanning risk management, IT systems integration, and experiential learning methodologies, particularly focused on underserved rural communities. His work emphasizes practical solutions for cyber resilience in economic development contexts, including technology modernization for rural organizations and infrastructure security for municipalities. He directs student-led outreach projects covering cyber assessments for financial institutions, critical infrastructure protection, and rural broadband expansion initiatives across West Virginia. Additionally, Hatten manages enterprise implementation of platforms like Zoho One to streamline project management and CRM systems across WVU centers, fostering academic-industry collaboration. As a dedicated mentor, he cultivates next-generation cybersecurity professionals through the CRRC's workforce development programs, driving regional economic revitalization while bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world cyber challenges in resource-constrained environments.
Ragan N. Johnson, DNP, MSN, APRN-BC, is an Assistant Professor at Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON), where she has served since July 1, 2017. Her roles include supporting DUSON's VA Nursing Academic Partnerships in Graduate Education Program, developing veteran-centric curricula for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Master’s program, and collaborating on a VA residency program for newly certified NPs. She belongs to Division 2, Healthcare in Adult Populations. Education: Doctor of Nursing Practice (Public Health Nursing emphasis), University of Tennessee Health Science Center MSN (Family Nurse Practitioner), University of Tennessee Health Science Center BSN, Tennessee State University Research Interests: Dr. Johnson focuses on sexual health promotion for youth/young adults, health disparities, and HIV prevention. Her work includes community-partnered interventions, such as salon-based PrEP education for Black women, and addressing racial discrimination in healthcare. She founded the nonprofit Imagine Me to advance sexual health education for marginalized populations. Scientific Contributions: Her recent publications (2023–2025) emphasize HIV prevention strategies like PrEP, weight bias reduction in reproductive care, adaptive leadership frameworks, and community-engaged interventions leveraging social networks (e.g., beauty salons) to improve health equity for Black women in the U.S. South.
Fred Cook is a Professor of Professional Practice of Journalism and Director of the Center for Public Relations at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California. He has over 30 years of experience in global public relations, leading Golin, a top PR agency. His expertise spans advertising, digital media, ethics, leadership, and technology innovation. Cook authored 'Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO' (2014), emphasizing adaptive career strategies and life experiences. His research focuses on civic engagement, media industries, and the intersection of technology with communication. He teaches courses like PR 490: Directed Research, PR 590: Directed Research, and PR 598: Improvisational Leadership. Notable awards include Silver Anvil (PRSA), Professional of the Year (PR Week), and Lifetime Achievement (Holmes Report). Cook advises on strategic communication for global brands like Amazon, Nintendo, and McDonald’s, and leads Golin’s transformative g4 business model emphasizing specialization in insights, ideas, and engagement. His work integrates empirical research with industry practice, shaping public relations education and innovation. The Center for Public Relations, under his direction, drives research and thought leadership to advance the field.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Walter is a Professor of Political Science and Sociology at the Hochschule der Polizei und Verwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen (HSPV NRW), based at the Dortmund campus. She is affiliated with the Department of General Administration / Pension Insurance and specializes in Social Sciences, particularly civil society, local governance, and civic engagement. University: Hochschule der Polizei und Verwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen School: Faculty of Public Administration Department: Department of General Administration / Pension Insurance Academic Rank: Professor Email: andrea.walter@hspv.nrw.de Location: Hiltropwall 4-12, 44137 Dortmund, Room A.1.14 She earned her PhD in Political Science from the University of Münster in 2014 with scholarships from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and FAZIT-Stiftung. Prior to her professorship, she worked as a project manager at Bertelsmann Stiftung and as a research associate at WWU Münster, contributing to third-party funded projects. She has held visiting researcher positions at WU Wien, Stockholm School of Economics, and Georgetown University. Her research centers on civil society, local democracy, civic engagement, volunteerism, gender in nonprofit organizations, and social innovation. She investigates how civil society actors interact with public administration, the governance of local services, and the sustainability of volunteer-based institutions. Her work emphasizes participatory governance, informal decision-making, and gender equity in nonprofit leadership. Her recent publications span topics such as volunteer firefighters, civic engagement during the pandemic, local integration, and the value of civil society. These works reflect a strong focus on empirical social research applied to public administration and policy, often in collaboration with practitioners and policymakers. Her research combines qualitative and policy analysis methods, contributing to both academic discourse and practical governance improvements. Scientific awards and recognitions include the Carl Goerdeler Prize for her municipal science dissertation (2016). She has also been actively involved in academic and public service, including: Co-Editor of Voluntaris - Zeitschrift für Freiwilligendienste und zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement (since 2023) Member of the Research Commission at HSPV NRW (since 2019) Deputy Program Director of the Master of Public Management (MPM) at HSPV NRW (2020–2024) Reviewer for BMBF, BMEL, Stiftung Mercator, and journals such as Voluntas and Bristol University Press She supervises research projects and advises on policy, including serving on the advisory board of the Kompetenzzentrum Bürgerbeteiligung, the jury for Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Forum Zivilgesellschaftsdaten. She is also active in networks such as DVPW, ISTR, and the BBE Berlin working group on civil society research. Prof. Walter leads the BMBF-funded project SROI – Stärkung des Ehrenamts für die Sicherung lokaler Daseinsvorsorge (2021–2024) in collaboration with Kreis Lippe and WWU Münster. She has coordinated and contributed to numerous EU and national research projects on civil society, social innovation, and public administration. Her work bridges academic research and practical policy application, fostering collaboration between municipalities, citizens, and civil society organizations.
Prof. Dr. Ralf Plattfaut is a Professor for Information Systems and Transformation Management at the University of Duisburg-Essen since 2023. He heads the Process Innovation & Automation Lab , focusing on digital transformation, business process management, and robotic process automation (RPA). Prior to this, he was Professor for Business Informatics at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (2019–2023), and a management consultant at McKinsey & Company (2013–2019). Current Role: Professor (since 2023) Lab Leadership: Process Innovation & Automation Lab Consulting: Management consultant and keynote speaker Research Interests span digital transformation, IT governance, RPA adoption, and postcolonial perspectives in information systems. His work addresses organizational challenges in process automation, agile methodologies, and human-AI collaboration. Recent Publications (2024–2025) examine paradoxes in agile transformations, postcolonial IT governance in NGOs, AI adoption in healthcare, and behavioral barriers like status quo bias. These studies often employ computational grounded theory and cross-organizational case analyses. Scientific Recognition includes multiple Best Paper and Best Conference Paper nominations at ICIS, HICSS, and IFIP E-Government Conferences, as well as recognition by Wirtschaftswoche as a top German-speaking management researcher under 40.
Maia Jacobs is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on human-centered computing to design health technologies that adapt to longitudinal health needs. She holds a Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing from Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her work emphasizes user-centered design principles to create equitable and adaptive health interventions. Key research areas include wearable health tools, voice assistants for mental health, telehealth cancer care, and AI integration in healthcare workflows. She collaborates with low-income communities and informal caregivers to ensure technologies address real-world healthcare challenges. Recent publications explore AI-physician collaboration in oncology, burnout support for frontline workers, and ethical design of voice-assisted mental health services. Her projects often involve co-design with marginalized groups to promote health equity. Jacobs’ interdisciplinary approach bridges computer science, behavioral science, and clinical practice to advance personalized healthcare solutions.
Albert N. Kimbu is Professor of Sustainability in Business and Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy at the University of Surrey. His research examines tourism entrepreneurship, gender equity, and inclusive development in resource-scarce contexts across Africa and beyond. As Director of the Gender Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute, he leads projects with UNWTO, World Bank, and ITF examining women's empowerment in tourism. Education includes PhD in Tourism Management from Nottingham Trent University and MA in Heritage Management from Brandenburg University. Publications explore blockchain in tourism, ethnic minority travel experiences, crisis resilience in African tourism, and social entrepreneurship. Recent projects include GCF-funded sustainable tourism planning in Cabo Verde and ESRC-funded equity initiatives in travel.
Elizabeth A. Williams is a Professor of Organizational and Health Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Colorado State University, with affiliate faculty status at the Colorado School of Public Health. Her research examines high reliability organizations (e.g., fire departments) and their health/safety practices, including accident response, organizational learning, and wearable technology applications. Education: Ph.D. in Communication from Purdue University Affiliations: Department of Communication Studies, Colorado School of Public Health Recent work includes: Nonprofit resilience during crises (2024) Emotional sustainability in human services (2022) Wearable tech integration in firefighting (2018) Virtual team communication dynamics (2011) She co-edited the award-winning Organizations, Communication, and Health (2017 NCA award) and serves on ResponderStrong's advisory board. Recognized for Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Service by the College of Liberal Arts, her research bridges organizational theory with public health through communication strategies.
David Powell serves as Professor and Distance Learning Director in the Department of Public Policy and Administration within California State University, Long Beach's College of Health and Human Services. His dual role bridges academic leadership with innovative educational delivery systems in public administration. His educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in Political Science, Miami University M.A. in Political Science, Ohio University B.A. in Political Science, Baldwin-Wallace College Dr. Powell's research critically examines the intersection of governance and technology, specializing in distance learning infrastructure, student assessment validity in public affairs education, California Voting Rights Act implementation, and digital-era taxation policies. His work uniquely connects theoretical public administration frameworks with practical governmental challenges, particularly in municipal governance and educational accreditation. Analysis of his 14 publications (1996-2020) reveals three dominant trajectories: persistent investigation of student learning assessment methodologies for NASPAA accreditation; evolving focus on technology's impact on governance (from early internet taxation studies to contemporary m-government applications); and sustained examination of voting rights implementation in California local governments. His most recent work addresses privatization challenges in public health crises like the opioid epidemic.
Galia Chimiak is Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN) since December 2017, with previous appointment as Adjunct since 2005. She serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations (2022-present) and holds editorial board positions at Trzeci sektor and Voluntas . Her international affiliations include Fulbright Senior Scholar at University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2024-25) and active collaboration with Development Studies Association Ireland. Her research interests focus on development sociology and civil society sociology, with particular expertise in NGO studies, humanitarianism, public diplomacy, and migration. Her scholarly work examines the transformation of civil society in post-communist contexts, Polish development cooperation, diaspora organizations, and the impact of authoritarian trends on nonprofit sectors. She has pioneered research on informal social activism and reverse innovation in development contexts. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on civil society resilience amid democratic challenges, particularly examining Poland's transition from aid recipient to development actor. Her work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between political sociology, development studies, and migration research, with increasing emphasis on Ukraine crisis responses and civil society diplomacy since 2022. Highly Commended paper in the 2017 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence Fulbright Senior Award 2024-25 Extensive editorial service for major journals including Voluntas , Polish Sociological Review , and International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy Professor Chimiak actively mentors through her role as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Voluntas and frequent academic workshops on publishing. She has secured research funding from The Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences and Poland's Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. Her scholarly network spans Ireland (Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin), Sweden (Södertörn University), and the United States (University of Nebraska-Lincoln). She leads the Civil Society Study Group within Development Studies Association Ireland and has organized numerous international conferences addressing civil society responses to the Ukraine war, democratic challenges, and development cooperation. Her current Fulbright research examines Polish grassroots humanitarian responses to the Ukraine crisis.
Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar serves as an Adjunct Professor in the cyberforensics program within the School of Applied and Creative Computing at Purdue University's Polytechnic Institute. She holds a prominent international reputation as an expert in the psychosocial and technological factors associated with cybercriminal behavior, with particular expertise in the criminological characteristics and grooming strategies of online child sex offenders. Her professional appointments include membership in the Tippecanoe High Tech Crime Unit and Special Deputy status for the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office. Dr. Seigfried-Spellar completed her academic training at Purdue University, earning a PhD in Technology with concentration in Cyberforensics and Psychology (2011), an MA in Forensic Psychology from City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2007), and a BA in Psychology and Law and Society from Purdue University (2005). Her research interests focus on the psychological aspects of cybercrime, particularly the personality and motivation of cyberdeviants, child sexual exploitation, and behavioral analysis of digital evidence. Her work bridges the gap between psychological theory and digital forensics practice, with significant contributions to understanding online child sex offenders' behaviors and characteristics. She has conducted international research including a 2022-2023 Fulbright Scholar position at the University of Valencia, Spain, studying criminological differences in online child sex offenders, and has been awarded the International Fellows Award for Summer 2024 at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Seigfried-Spellar's scholarly contributions have been recognized with numerous awards including the 2023 Jefferson Award, 2022 University Faculty Scholar designation at Purdue, the 2022 Outstanding Early Career Achievement in Forensic Science Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and multiple Outstanding Research Awards from the Digital and Multimedia Sciences Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (2015-2018). She serves as the Chair of the Digital and Multimedia Sciences section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is a Fellow of this organization. Her professional affiliations also include membership in the American Psychological Association, American Psychology-Law Society, and International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts. In December 2023, she co-founded and co-organized the Child Sexual Abuse Reduction Research Network workshop at the University of Adelaide, bringing together academics, nonprofit institutions, and law enforcement professionals focused on combating online child sexual abuse.
R. Lawrence Van Horn is an Associate Professor of Management, Law, and Health Policy at the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University. He directs the Center for Healthcare Market Innovation and holds courtesy appointments in the medical and law schools. His research focuses on consumer-driven healthcare markets, nonprofit governance, and price transparency. Van Horn has advised the White House on healthcare price transparency, co-directs the Nashville Healthcare Council Fellows Program with Senator Bill Frist, and serves on multiple healthcare company boards. Education includes a Ph.D. from the Wharton School (1997), an MBA and MPH from the University of Rochester (1992 and 1990). His work appears in journals like the Journal of Health Economics and New England Journal of Medicine. He has consulted with major hospitals and insurers on antitrust and data analysis, and his research influenced the 2019 Executive Order on healthcare price transparency. Professional roles include board memberships at Community Health Care Realty Trust (NYSE: CHCT), Savida, and Harrow Health. Beyond academia, he manages a cattle farm in Tennessee.
Trent Gaugler is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Lafayette College, specializing in applied and computational statistics. He emphasizes collaborative research across disciplines and integrates simulation-based methods into his teaching. His work focuses on leveraging computational tools to address complex data analysis challenges. Gaugler holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. from Bucknell University. Education: Ph.D., Mathematics, Pennsylvania State University B.S., Mathematics, Bucknell University Research Interests: Gaugler’s work bridges statistical theory and real-world applications, particularly in interdisciplinary collaborations. He develops computational methods to analyze complex data sets, emphasizing practical solutions for fields like health sciences, environmental studies, and social sciences. His teaching philosophy emphasizes hands-on learning with real-world data, fostering student confidence and analytical skills. Recent Research Trends: His articles reflect a focus on interdisciplinary applications of statistics, including health outcomes, community response to environmental factors (e.g., noise pollution), and generational workforce dynamics. He frequently employs randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies to assess interventions and social phenomena. Community Engagement: Gaugler collaborates with local nonprofits like the United Way and Easton Area Neighborhood Center, applying statistical methods to address community challenges such as education equity and health disparities. He mentors students in applied projects, enhancing their practical research skills. Labs/Teams: His collaborations span Lafayette College’s departments and external organizations, highlighting his commitment to bridging academic expertise with real-world impact.
