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Visit the New CELL Exhibit – now open | 99 West 12th Avenue, Denver, Colorado

Meet the Experts

The CELL Exhibit was developed in partnership with preeminent scholars and practitioners in the fields of counterterrorism, national and global security, foreign affairs and public safety. Learn more about these distinguished subject matter experts and their contributions below.

Bruce Hoffman

Professor and Director, Center for Jewish Civilization (CJC), Georgetown University

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Paul Cruickshank

Editor-in-Chief, CTC Sentinel & Terrorism Analyst, CNN

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Zainab Al-Suwaij

Co-Founder and Executive Director, American Islamic Congress

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Juan Carlos Zarate

Global Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, K2 Integrity

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Thomas M. Sanderson

Geopolitical Risk Consultant

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John McLaughlin

Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies

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George Selim

Senior Advisor to the CEO, Anti-Defamation League

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Elizabeth Neumann

Chief Strategy Officer at Moonshot; National Security Analyst at ABC News; former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism at DHS

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Samuel Rascoff

Faculty Director, NYU Center on Law and Security

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Clifford D. May

Founder and President, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Jonathan Schanzer

Senior Vice President for Research, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Emanuele Ottolenghi

Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Thomas Joscelyn

Senior Fellow and Senior Editor of FDD's Long War Journal, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Bill Roggio

Senior Fellow and Editor of FDD's Long War Journal, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

CEO, Valens Global; Senior Advisor on Asymmetric Warfare, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Reuel Marc Gerecht

Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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Jenny Presswalla

Acting Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, DHS

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Christian Picciolini

Counter-Extremism Specialist

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Tom O'Connor

Principal Consultant, FEDSquared Consulting; former FBI Special Agent

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Bruce Hoffman

Professor and Director, Center for Jewish Civilization (CJC), Georgetown University

Bruce Hoffman has been studying terrorism and insurgency for four decades. Appointed by the U.S. Congress to serve as a commissioner on the Independent Commission to Review the FBI’s Post-9/11 Response to Terrorism and Radicalization, Hoffman was a leading author of the commission’s final report. He is a tenured professor in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and until recently was director of its Center for Security Studies and Security Studies Program.

Paul Cruickshank

Editor-in-Chief, CTC Sentinel & Terrorism Analyst, CNN

Paul Cruickshank has reported extensively on al Qaeda, ISIS, and other Salafi Jihadi groups. He regularly appears on air as CNN’s Terrorism Analyst and is the Editor-in-Chief of CTC Sentinel, the independent flagship publication of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He is the co-author of the 2014 book Agent Storm: My Life Inside al Qaeda and the CIA. Cruickshank has regularly contributed to CNN’s reporting of Al Qaeda terrorism from a range of locations including the United States, Europe, and the Middle East and has frequently been a guest on CNN programs such as The Situation Room, The Lead, Anderson Cooper 360, CNN Tonight, Larry King Live, Piers Morgan Tonight, New Day, as well as CNN International to provide on-air analysis and reaction to breaking news events.

Zainab Al-Suwaij

Co-Founder and Executive Director, American Islamic Congress

Zainab Al-Suwaij is a co-founder of the American Islamic Congress (AIC) and has been its Executive Director since its inception in 2001. In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks, Al-Suwaij left her teaching position at Yale to launch AIC with the mission of building interfaith and interethnic understanding and to represent the diversity of American Muslim life. Al-Suwaij’s leadership has expanded AIC into an international organization with six bureaus worldwide, including the U.S., Egypt, Iraq, and its newest location, Tunisia. Her vision for acceptance and understanding in the U.S. is being realized through AIC’s growing campus initiative, Project Nur, as well as its Interfaith Councils and groundbreaking Witness Series. Al-Suwaij is an outspoken advocate for women’s equality, civil rights, and interfaith understanding.

Juan Carlos Zarate

Global Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, K2 Integrity

Juan Carlos Zarate provides expert counsel and strategic guidance to clients on complex internal and international financial investigations. Previously, Zarate served as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism (“counterterrorism czar”), where he was responsible for developing and implementing the U.S. counterterrorism strategy and policies related to transnational security threats, including anti-money laundering, kleptocracy, and transnational organized crime. He was the first-ever Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes. In this role, he led the post-9/11 anti-money laundering and sanctions regime expansion in the United States. Prior to 9/11, Zarate served as federal terrorism prosecutor, working on international terrorism cases like the bombings of the U.S. embassies in East Africa and the USS Cole. Juan is the chair of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and an independent advisor to Coinbase. He was a visiting lecturer in law at the Harvard Law School for eight years and is a published author, including the books Treasury’s War (2013) and Forging Democracy (1994).

Thomas M. Sanderson

Geopolitical Risk Consultant

Thomas Sanderson co-founded and directed the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) from 2002 to 2018. Through his consulting practice, he investigates terrorism, insurgency, criminal networks, global trends, and intelligence issues and guides governments and the private sector in detecting, understanding and navigating a wide range of global risks and opportunities.

John McLaughlin

Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies

John McLaughlin served as Acting Director of Central Intelligence from July to September of 2004 and as the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence from 2000 to 2004. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Director for Intelligence at the Central Intelligence Agency, Vice Chairman for Estimates and Acting Chairman of the National Intelligence Council. McLaughlin is a graduate of the US Army Infantry Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning and was recently inducted into the School’s Hall of Fame. He completed a US Army tour in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. McLaughlin is the recipient of the Distinguished Intelligence Community Service Award and the National Security Medal. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy. He serves on the bipartisan Homeland Security Advisory Group managed by Mitre Corporation, the National Security Advisory Group at the Noblis Corporation, and the Middle East Institute’s Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Extremism.

George Selim

Senior Advisor to the CEO, Anti-Defamation League

As Senior Advisor to the CEO, George Selim supports the CEO and Senior Staff on a range of strategic initiatives to include policy development and program implementation, national security matters, and a range of special projects and priority engagements. Prior to his appointment at ADL in 2017 as Senior Vice President of Programs, Selim served in the administrations of Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump. He served as the Department of Homeland Security’s first Director of the Office for Community Partnerships. Concurrently, he was selected to lead a newly created Countering Violent Extremism Task Force to coordinate government efforts and partnerships to prevent violent extremism in the United States. Before assuming these roles, Selim served for four years at the White House on the National Security Council Staff where he focused on policy development and program implementation matters for both domestic and international security threats. Prior to his work at the White House, Selim served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the DHS Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties. He has also worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, the Arab American Institute, and served one year with AmeriCorps. Selim holds an MA from Georgetown University and a BA from Walsh University.

Elizabeth Neumann

Chief Strategy Officer at Moonshot; National Security Analyst at ABC News; former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism at DHS

Elizabeth Neumann served as the Assistant Secretary for Threat Prevention and Security Policy in the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans. She oversaw Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-wide policy development and coordination for screening and vetting, terrorism prevention, counterterrorism, countering transnational criminal organizations, and other persistent and emerging threats. Prior to this role, Neumann served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Department, where she assisted in the management of the day-to-day operations of DHS and served as a senior advisor to Secretaries Kelly and Nielsen, as well as Acting Secretary Duke. Neumann’s work in the homeland security enterprise began just prior to the founding of DHS in 2003, where she served on the Homeland Security Council at the White House. As part of the White House’s Domestic Counterterrorism Directorate, she tracked terrorist threats and developed domestic prevention and mitigation strategies and programs. Later, in support of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Neumann worked with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to develop the protocols for reporting suspicious activity, and she developed one of the early community-based models for countering violent extremism.

Samuel Rascoff

Faculty Director, NYU Center on Law and Security

Samuel Rascoff is an expert in national security law and serves as faculty director of the Reiss Center on Law and Security at New York University. Named a Carnegie Scholar in 2009, Rascoff came to the Law School from the New York City Police Department, where, as Director of Intelligence Analysis, he created and led a team responsible for assessing the terrorist threat to the city. A graduate of Harvard summa cum laude, Oxford with first class honors, and Yale Law School, Rascoff previously served as a law clerk to US Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter and to Judge Pierre N. Leval of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was also a special assistant with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Rascoff’s publications include “Presidential Intelligence” (Harvard Law Review); “Counterterrorism and New Deterrence” (NYU Law Review); “Establishing Official Islam? The Law and Strategy of Counter-Radicalization” (Stanford Law Review); “Domesticating Intelligence” (Southern California Law Review), and “The Law of Homegrown (Counter-) Terrorism” (Texas Law Review).

Clifford D. May

Founder and President, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Clifford D. May is the founder and president of FDD, a nonpartisan policy institute focusing on national security created immediately following the 9/11/01 attacks on the United States. Under his leadership, FDD has become one of the nation’s most highly regarded think tanks and a sought-after voice on a wide range of national security issues. He has helped assemble a staff and advisory board of the most compelling scholars and experts whose research, ideas, and recommendations have shaped important policies and legislation on terrorism, nonproliferation, human rights, Islamism, democratization, and related issues. May has had a long and distinguished career in international relations, journalism, communications, and politics. A veteran news reporter, foreign correspondent and editor (at The New York Times and other publications), he has covered stories around the world. From 2016 to 2018, May served as a commissioner on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission that makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress in order to advance the pivotal right of religious freedom around the world and integrate religious freedom into America’s foreign policy.

Jonathan Schanzer

Senior Vice President for Research, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is Senior Vice President for Research at FDD, where he oversees the work of the organization’s experts and scholars. He is also on the leadership team of FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power, a project on the use of financial and economic power as a tool of statecraft. Schanzer previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he played an integral role in the designation of numerous terrorist financiers. He has held previous think tank research positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum. Schanzer testifies often before Congress and publishes widely in the American and international media. He has appeared on American television channels such as Fox News and CNN, and Arabic language television channels such as Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera.

Emanuele Ottolenghi

Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi is a senior fellow at FDD and an expert at FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP) focused on Hezbollah’s Latin America illicit threat networks and Iran’s history of sanctions evasion. His research has examined Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including its links to the country’s energy sector and procurement networks. Prior to joining FDD, Ottolenghi headed the Transatlantic Institute in Brussels and taught Israel Studies at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University. He is author of The Pasdaran: Inside Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran: The Looming Crisis, and Under a Mushroom Cloud: Europe, Iran and the Bomb. His columns have also appeared in leading outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and London’s The Sunday Times. He obtained his PhD in political theory at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, preceded by undergraduate studies in political science at the University of Bologna.

Thomas Joscelyn

Senior Fellow and Senior Editor of FDD's Long War Journal, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Thomas Joscelyn is a senior fellow at FDD and is senior editor of FDD’s Long War Journal, a widely read publication on counterterrorism and related issues. Much of his research focuses on how al-Qaeda and the Islamic State operate around the globe. He has served as a consultant for the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and has testified before Congress on more than twenty occasions. Joscelyn has constructed dossiers on hundreds of terrorists during the course of his work. The Daily Beast has described him as one of “the most trusted authorities on the al-Qaeda network because of his encyclopedic knowledge of terrorist biographies.” In 2007, he published a monograph titled “Iran’s Proxy War Against America,” which details Iran’s decades-long sponsorship of America’s terrorist enemies. In 2008, he completed an exhaustive review of the Guantanamo Bay detainee population, cataloging and analyzing thousands of pages of declassified documents. Joscelyn publishes the weekly Vital Interests newsletter for The Dispatch and co-hosts the Generation Jihad podcast. His work has been published by a variety of other publications and cited by The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Washington Post, and many others. He makes regular appearances in the media.

Bill Roggio

Senior Fellow and Editor of FDD's Long War Journal, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Bill Roggio is a senior fellow at FDD and editor of FDD’s Long War Journal, which provides original reporting and analysis of the Global War on Terror from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa, Iran, and beyond. He is also president of the nonprofit media company Public Multimedia Inc. Roggio was embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and Iraqi forces in Iraq between 2005 and 2008, and with the Canadian Army in Afghanistan in 2006. From 1991 to 1997, he served as a signalman and infantryman in the U.S. Army and New Jersey National Guard. His articles have been published in The New York Times, The Weekly Standard, The Daily Beast, National Review, and The New York Post, and his work has been in outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, CNN, Foreign Policy, and Bloomberg.

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

CEO, Valens Global; Senior Advisor on Asymmetric Warfare, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Dr. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is a scholar, author, practitioner, and entrepreneur who is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Valens Global. The International Herald Tribune has described Gartenstein-Ross as “a rising star in the counterterrorism community.” Gartenstein-Ross also serves as a Senior Advisor on Asymmetric Warfare at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague. Gartenstein-Ross’s previous positions include Senior Advisor to the Director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Community Partnerships, Fellow with Google’s think tank Jigsaw, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program. Gartenstein-Ross can conduct research in six languages. He holds a Ph.D. in world politics from the Catholic University of America and a J.D. from the New York University School of Law, and received a 10,000 Small Businesses Certificate of Entrepreneurship in 2018.

Reuel Marc Gerecht

Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Reuel Marc Gerecht is a senior fellow at FDD where he focuses on Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism, and intelligence. He was previously a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the director of the Middle East Initiative at the Project for the New American Century. Earlier, he served as a Middle Eastern specialist at the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. Gerecht is the author of The Wave: Man, God, and the Ballot Box in the Middle East (Hoover Institution Press, 2011), Know Thine Enemy: A Spy’s Journey into Revolutionary Iran (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1997) and The Islamic Paradox: Shiite Clerics, Sunni Fundamentalists, and the Coming of Arab Democracy (AEI Press, 2004). He has been a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, as well as a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Dispatch, and other publications.

Jenny Presswalla

Acting Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, DHS

Jenny Presswalla is the Acting Deputy Director for Field Operations, Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, where she works to form partnerships between Federal, state, and local government and western states communities to prevent targeted violence. She was formerly Branch Chief for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) in Washington, DC, tasked with leading a team of subject matter experts who coordinated US Government CVE policy and strategy and engaged American communities on CVE. Before NCTC, Presswalla worked at the US Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, leading DHS engagement of diverse American communities in Los Angeles and training law enforcement on CVE nationwide. She was a National Security Education Program Boren Fellow in Mumbai, India, has an M.A. from American University’s School of International Service and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida.

Christian Picciolini

Counter-Extremism Specialist

Christian Picciolini is an award-winning television producer, a public speaker, author, peace advocate, and a former violent extremist. After leaving the hate movement he helped create during his youth in the 1980s and 90s, he began the painstaking process of making amends and rebuilding his life. Picciolini went on to earn a degree in international relations from DePaul University and launched Goldmill Group, a counter‑extremism consulting and digital media firm. In 2016, he won an Emmy Award for producing an anti‑hate advertising campaign aimed at helping people disengage from extremism. Since leaving the white-power movement over two decades ago, Picciolini has helped hundreds of individuals leave hate behind, and he leads the FREE RADICALS PROJECT, a global extremism prevention network.

Tom O'Connor

Principal Consultant, FEDSquared Consulting; former FBI Special Agent

Tom O’Connor is a Principal Consultant at FEDSquared Consulting, providing security solutions for both government and non-government organizations. He specializes in Domestic Extremist issues and the insider threat posed by followers of extremist ideologies. O’Connor is a frequent speaker at Law Enforcement conferences and webinars on counterterrorism and evidence collection topics including Domestic Extremism, Lone Offender shootings, and Suicide Bombings. He is a retired FBI Special Agent, with 23 years of experience working domestic and international extremism. He has extensive experience at major crime scenes around the globe and has worked for fifteen years as a local police officer. O’Connor is a Certified FBI Academy Adjunct Faculty and FBI Master Police Instructor.

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Hayley Reynolds

Associate Education & Outreach Manager

Hayley joined the team in 2024 and is committed to fostering community collaboration through educational programs. With over 20 years of experience in youth program quality assessment and development, she excels in building strong partnerships with schools and nonprofits, creating engaging outreach events, and leading impactful youth and community initiatives. Hayley holds dual B.A. degrees in Organizational Psychology and Comparative Religions & Cultures from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

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Jake Corbett

Special Projects Intern

Jake supports all areas of the organization, joining the team in 2024. Jake is a senior undergraduate student double-majoring in political science and international studies at the University of Denver. He is also on an accelerated program to receive a Master’s in International Security at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

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Jeremy Bash

Fmr. Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense and Fmr. Chief of Staff to the Director of the CIA

Bash is a recognized expert on defense issues, intelligence matters, the Middle East, China, Russia, North Korea, U.S. counterterrorism operations, cybersecurity, and current counterintelligence investigations. During his time as chief of staff, Bash worked on a number of key initiatives, including the creation of a new defense strategy, formation of two defense budgets, the drawdown of two wars, counterterrorism operations, a new cyber strategy, and a range of sensitive intelligence operations.

Tom Sanderson

Co-Founder & Fmr. Director, CSIS Transnational Threats Project

Sanderson leads a multi-national team serving clients on geopolitics, terrorism, and frontier market opportunities. He is a member of the Middle East Institute’s Counterterrorism and Extremism Advisory Council and is co-chair of the Councilors Program at the Atlantic Council. He has authored opinion pieces in The New York Times and Washington Post, testifies before the U.S. Congress, and teaches courses for the U.S. Intelligence Community.


H.R. McMaster

Fmr. National Security Advisor & Ret. U.S. Army Lieutenant General

A preeminent voice on international affairs, McMaster is recognized for his leadership in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Named on of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and Fortune’s “50 World’s Greatest Leaders,” McMaster is renowned as a “warrior-intellectual.” He is the author of two important New York Times bestselling books on national security, Battlegrounds and Dereliction of Duty, and has published in Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.

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Ivy Di Virgilio

Special Projects Intern

Ivy supports all areas of the organization, joining the team in 2024. Ivy is a first-year graduate student at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.  She is pursuing a Master’s in International Studies, specializing in international security. She is also working on certificates in Homeland Security and Intelligence Analysis.

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Marshall Harris

Database & Systems Administrator

Marshall is responsible for day-to-day managerial and administrative functions and database support. He joined the organization in 2024 with database and systems administration experience at numerous nonprofits and museums across the Denver metro area and beyond. Prior to his nonprofit work, Marshall served in the United States Navy and worked with a disaster relief and recovery organization throughout the U.S. west. Marshall completed his M.A. in history at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

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Hannah Haebig

Special Projects Intern

Hannah supports all areas of the organization, joining the team in 2024. She is a first-year graduate student at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. Hannah is working on her Master’s in International Studies, focusing on conflict in the Middle East.

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Andy Stanley

Database & Administrative Associate

Andy helps ensure the organization is operating at its best. He has been with the team since 2023. Andy has a passion for helping others and a drive to make change a reality through his roles in the financial, service, and nonprofit sectors. Taking the skills and knowledge gained from his experiences, Andy hopes to help improve the lives of those in his community.

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Libby Hodgin

Associate Communications Manager

Libby plans, develops, and implements marketing and communications strategies. She joined the organization in 2024 and has a proven track record of making meaningful contributions to the nonprofit sector through marketing, project management, graphic design, and events. Libby holds an M.S. in Applied Economics from Oregon State University, a B.S. in Economics from Washington State University, a certificate in graphic design from Bellevue College, and a certificate in project management from Cornell University.

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leslie hamdorf

Manager of Curriculum & Instruction

Leslie supports the organization’s educational programs. Leslie joined the team in 2023. She brings experience implementing various cross-cultural programs, managing K-12 educational programming, and service work with AmeriCorps. Leslie earned her Doctorate in Education in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University, with a special focus on her educational theory, Action Leadership for Adolescents. 

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Caitlyn lauchner

Education & Outreach Coordinator

Caitlyn supports the development and implementation of the organization’s education programming and assists with school and community partner outreach. She joined the team in 2023. Caitlyn brings experience in educational programming, community engagement, and research to support the organization’s efforts. She earned her M.A. in Peace and Justice from the University of San Diego Kroc School and a B.A. in Religious Studies from Linfield University.

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Magdalena perez

Education & Special Projects Coordinator

Magdalena delivers impactful messages to all ages and communities as part of the education team. She has been with the organization since 2022. Magdalena holds an M.A. in International Security, specializing in human security and human rights, from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. She also holds a B.A. in International Studies and Italian from the University of Denver.

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Bailey Yamshak

Special Projects Coordinator

Bailey coordinates various events for the organization, joining the team in 2022. She has years of experience in the security and public safety fields. Bailey holds an M.A. in International Security from the University of Denver, specializing in Intelligence and Counterterrorism. She also has a B.A. in Criminal Sociology and Psychology from Auburn University.

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rudolf leyba

Education & Special Projects Coordinator

Rudolf assists with the research, development, and implementation of new and existing programs across the organization. Rodolf joined the team 2022. Rudolf received his M.A. in International Security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico.

 

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samantha Neville

Database & Administrative Coordinator

Samantha supports database management and administration of programs and events. She has been with the organization since 2022. Samantha graduated with a B.A. in History from Brigham Young University.

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Jacqueline Graham

Writing & Communications Specialist

Jacqueline supports the marketing team’s planning and implementation of educational programs and events. She joined the team in 2022. Jacqueline is a highly passionate writer who believes in telling stories that empower the community. She holds an M.A. in Writing from Edinburgh Napier University and a B.A. in English Literature and Political Science from Denison University.

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Sec. Condoleezza Rice

66th U.S. Secretary of State

Dr. Rice was the 66th United States Secretary of State and President George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor during his first term. During the administration of George H.W. Bush, Rice also served as Senior Director of Soviet and East European Affairs. While an International Affairs Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, Rice served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She is the current Tad and Dianne Taube Director and Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, a professor in Global Business and Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a founding partner of Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC.

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MEG ROBBINS

Associate Education & Special Projects Manager

Meg is essential to the education team, providing programming opportunities for elementary and high school-aged students, developing engaging curricula, and building partnerships with fellow educators across the front range. She joined the team in 2019. She is passionate about the work to celebrate diversity, spread messages of equality and equity, and combat hatred in all its forms.

Caitlin Navratil

Special Projects Coordinator

Caitlin Navratil started at the CELL in 2021 and is responsible for supporting CELL marketing and special projects. She is currently finishing her MA in International Studies at the University of Denver, specializing in Intelligence Analysis. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Bethel University. Caitlin is a 2021 and 2022 Boren Fellow and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

David Engleberg

David Engleberg

David H. Engleberg has lived in the Denver area since 1992. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and attended the University of Utah where he earned his B.A. and M.B.A. degrees. He served in the United States Army Reserve from 1967 – 1973. He also resided in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. He has held senior executive positions in the health care and insurance industries. For the past 20 years he developed numerous residential and commercial real estate projects in the Denver area. Since 2010, Engleberg has been the owner of Capitol Cigars. Engleberg served on public, private and non-profit Boards, including being Chairman of the Board of National Jewish Health. Engleberg is married and has four children, one in Denver, two in Israel, and one in Portland, Oregon. He currently has six grandchildren. His hobbies include tennis, golf, fly fishing and watching football.
Samantha Jones

Samantha Jones

Associate Office Manager

Samantha specializes in fundraising efforts, administrative efficiency, and data collection. They have been with the organization since 2021. Samantha spearheads communication with the Board of Directors, manages fundraising efforts, provides oversight of program and event operations, and executes administrative and personal support for the CEO and other senior leadership. Samantha graduated from Colorado Christian University with a B.A. in English Literature Research.

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BECCI JACOBS, MSW

Manager of Community & Organizational Development

Becci supports developing, implementing, and evaluating educational programs. She has been with the team since 2022. Becci brings her experiences in nonprofit management, mental health, K-12 education, and community engagement to the organization to ensure we meet the needs of students, stakeholders, and partners. Becci earned her Masters in Social Work from the University of Denver, specializing in Children and Youth: Risks and Healthy Development.

Elizabeth Cychosz

Elizabeth Cychosz Johnson

Associate Director of Education & Special Projects

Elizabeth supports the development of new educational initiatives, updates existing programming, and assists in implementing digital and in-person programs. She has been part of the team since 2017. Elizabeth holds an M.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego and a B.A. in Anthropology and Journalism from Ohio University. She is a Certified Associate in Project Management with the Project Management Institute.

James Hippensteel

James Hippensteel

Manager of Education & Programs

James develops and teaches education programs, tours, and curricula. He has been with the team since 2021. With over 20 years of experience in secondary, higher, and public history education, James brings vast expertise to the organization, including international human rights law, diplomatic history, and teaching a college-level History of Terrorism course. James is a proud graduate of the University of Montana-Missoula, where he received both his M.A. and B.A. in History.

Tom Ruppel

Chief Operating Officer

Tom ensures proper execution of the Mizel Institute’s (including the Mizel Museum and the CELL) strategic plan. He has held various positions with the organization since joining in 2014. Tom received his M.A. in International Security with a Certificate in Homeland Security from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. He received his B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Connecticut College.

Melanie Pearlman

Melanie Pearlman

President & CEO

Melanie manages the administration, programming, and strategic planning for the Mizel Institute’s two centers – the Mizel Museum and the CELL. She has been with the Institute since 2008. Melanie’s vast accomplishments include receiving the FBI Director’s 2012 Community Leadership Award and being named one of the Denver Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40. Melanie received her M.A. in International Management and Foreign Affairs from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Rick Sapkin

Rick Sapkin

Founder and Managing Principal, Edgemark Development

Rick Sapkin is a Founder and Managing Principal of Edgemark Development, with more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience with a strong presence through the Midwest, Rocky Mountains and western United States. Sapkin has been involved in various real estate developments, including several million square feet of retail development and, more recently, high-end self-storage facilities. He has established a proven track record for entrepreneurial business transactions specializing in commercial development, redevelopment, and urban projects. Sapkin received his B.S. in Business Administration in 1983 from the University of Denver.

Blair Richardson

Blair Richardson

Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Bow River Capital Partners

Blair Richardson is Chairman and CEO of Bow River Capital and has held executive positions in international sales and trading of public equity and debt securities for nearly 25 years. In 2011, Richardson was named one of the most influential people in Denver by 5280 Magazine (“The 5280 Fifty”). Richardson was with Morgan Stanley and Company from 1987 to 1995, serving as President of Morgan Stanley Japan in Tokyo, Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia in Hong Kong, and Managing Director of the Equity and Fixed Income Department in New York. Prior to forming Bow River Capital, Richardson was Managing Partner of B.E. Richardson Investments, which invested in a variety of industries and real estate throughout North America. Between 1996 and 2002, his company made over 20 private equity investments. Richardson is the founding partner of Bow River Capital, which today manages over $688 million of AUM and is on their 7th fund.

Michael Pollak

Michael Pollak

Co-Founder, Hyde Park Jewelers

Michael Pollak, co-founder of Hyde Park Jewelers, started by selling turquoise and Native American jewelry after class on the lawn of the University of Denver in 1973, where he graduated with a BSBA. He has spent extensive time in New York, Geneva, Vicenza and Hong Kong, cultivating his skills, knowledge and expertise in gemology, fine jewelry and Swiss timepieces. With more than 40 years in retail management, developing five regional, luxury jewelry stores, Pollak became Chief Executive Officer of Hyde Park Jewelers in 2007. He has received numerous industry awards, including induction into the National Jeweler Retailer Hall of Fame in 2008 and Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” in 1999. Pollack has held board positions with Jewelers of America, Natural Color Diamond Association and the Mizel Institute. He is a co-founder of Diamonds in the Rough, a non-profit organization to support the efforts of youth-based nonprofits and local charities.

Courtney Mizel

Courtney L. Mizel

Director, MDC Holdings, Inc.

Courtney L. Mizel is a Principal at Mizel Consulting, where she has worked for over 20 years. In this role, Mizel advises companies in various industries on matters relating to business management and strategy, including operations, business development, marketing, as well as legal matters. She is also a Founding Director of the CELL. Mizel is involved in a number of non-profit activities, including serving on the Boards of Directors of Zimmer Children’s Museum, Sharsheret National and JQ International. Mizel received her Bachelor of Science in Economics with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law. She is the daughter of the MDC Holdings, Inc., Executive Chairman of the Board Larry A. Mizel, and she joined its Board of Directors in 2017. Her legal and business achievements and diverse-yet-highly-relevant experiences provide the Board with enhanced business, operational, governance and legal perspectives.

Andy Miller

Andy Miller

Managing Principal, Miller Frishman

Following graduation from the University of Denver with an accounting degree, Andy Miller worked as a CPA for the international accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. In 1980, he joined with four other partners as Loup-Miller Development Company, which designed and developed shopping centers, apartment communities, office buildings and warehouses across the United States. After the real estate debacle of the 1980s, Miller co-founded Sevo Miller, Inc., in 1990. Sevo Miller built, managed, marketed, leased and sold commercial real estate for many institutions and third-party owners across the country. In 1993, Miller and David Frishman co-founded Realty Funding Group, a mortgage and finance company that has acted as a mortgage broker and mortgage banker for numerous commercial real estate projects across the U.S. In 2009, Miller and David Frishman founded Miller Frishman Group, which specializes in multi-family apartments and retail shopping centers.

David Mandarich

David D. Mandarich

President and Chief Executive Officer, MDC Holdings, Inc.

David D. Mandarich has been associated with the MDC Holdings, Inc., since 1977 and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since October 2020. In 1999, he was elected President and Chief Operating Officer, a title he also held in 1996. Mandarich was previously elected Co-Chief Operating Officer in 1994 and Executive Vice President of Real Estate in 1993. He was a Director from 1980 until 1989 and has been a Director continuously since 1994. 

James A. Lustig

Jimmy Lustig

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, United Capital Management

A seasoned leader in business, Jimmy Lustig has executive experience at various companies. He has proven himself to have the entrepreneurial spirit that drives new ideas to success while working within the established frameworks of highly regulated industries. Lustig was previously a shareholder and employee of a commercial bank headquartered in Denver, of which his family members were the majority shareholders and which was later sold to Zions Bank. He also founded GEA Entertainment, a music publishing industry consolidator. Lustig balances his professional career with a variety of charitable endeavors. He and his wife run the Lustig Family Foundation, through which they contribute to numerous organizations and institutions that embody their values. Lustig is proud to do his part in supporting educational, cultural, and social endeavors that will shape generations to come.

Walter Isenberg

Walter Isenberg

Co-Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sage Hospitality

Walter Isenberg started Sage more than 30 years ago with partner Zack Neumeyer. As CEO of Sage Hospitality Group, he directs all company operations including management, real estate investment and brand development, with an emphasis on community giving and teaching the next generation of great leaders. Results-driven and creative, Isenberg is a member of the Union Station Alliance, the group responsible for revitalizing Denver Union Station and creating the high-performing Crawford Hotel. He created Sage’s art program which provides locally curated art in newly built or renovated hotels. Isenberg is a member of Marriott International’s Owner Advisory Board and the American Hotel Lodging Association Government Affairs Committee, as well as a board member of Visit Denver, which inducted him into the Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame in 2010.

John Ikard

John A. Ikard

Chairman of the Board, Firstbank Holding Company & Chairman of the Board, National Western Center

John A. Ikard stepped down as CEO of FirstBank in March 2017, after a 36-year career with the bank including serving the last 17 years as CEO of FirstBank Holding Company. He served as Chairman of the American Bankers Association, the largest financial trade association in the country representing more than 3,500 institutions. In 2010, Ikard was honored with the prestigious “Community Banker of the Year” by American Banker magazine. On a local level, he has served as Chairman of the Denver Metro Economic Development Corporation, Chairman of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Denver Area Boy Scout Council, and Chairman of Colorado Concern, one of the State’s most influential political/business organizations. Ikard previously served on the Board of Governors for the Colorado State University and was awarded CSU’s Harry Morgan Award as an outstanding alumnus in 2012.

Arlene Hirschfeld

Arlene Hirschfeld

Born and raised in Denver, Arlene Hirschfeld has been making significant and enduring contributions to the community for 35 years. After working as a teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School, Hirschfeld made a career of working nearly full-time for various causes. She has volunteered for nonprofits, including JEWISHcolorado (where she served as the third female president in the organization’s 57-year history), the Denver Art Museum, Rose Community Foundation (where she was the first female board chair) and the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Hirschfeld currently serves on the boards of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and the Denver Art Museum. She is a member of Rose Community Foundation’s Philanthropic Services Committee. She is also an honorary trustee of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Her belief in the importance of volunteerism to enhance the quality of life of individuals and the community has fueled her work.

Anne Hillary

Anne M. Hillary

Anne M. Hillary is a community activist and philanthropist, serving on several local boards in arts and education. She and her husband Jim Hillary have lived in Colorado since 1998 with their three children. Hillary’s professional history includes leadership positions in arts management at American Ballet Theatre and the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York.

David P. Cohen

David P. Cohen

Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

David P. Cohen leverages his business experience and understanding of Congress and each unique federal agency to gather the political intelligence his clients at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck need most. He has the legal prowess to advocate before consumer-focused regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the political savviness to engage appointees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the legislative experience to propose sensible solutions to senior members and staff on the House Financial Services Committee. Before returning to Brownstein, Cohen served as Chief Administrative Officer for CLEAR, a leading biometric technology company. Earlier, he served as Chief of Staff to three U.S. Customs Service Commissioners, was involved in the initial policy discussions surrounding the formation of DHS, and served as professional staff on the House Financial Services Committee.

Michael Burg

Michael Burg

Founder/Shareholder Burg Simpson Personal Injury Lawyers

Michael Burg was admitted to the Colorado Bar in May, 1976 and founded Burg Simpson in 1977. Today, Burg Simpson comprises more than 50 attorneys with offices in four states. Burg has tried over 185 trials and obtained over 15 verdicts in excess of $1M. In total, his clients have received settlements, judgments and verdicts in excess of $500M. Burg has annually been named among America’s 50 Leading Trial Lawyers by the U.S. Legal 500 since 2012, and the U.S. Legal 500 also acknowledged him as a Leading Lawyer nationally in representing individuals in Pharmaceutical Mass Tort and Class Action Litigation. Burg was inducted to the Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame in 2016, joining such legendary trial lawyers as John Adams, Clarence Darrow, and Johnny Cochran. Additionally, he was named by Best Lawyers® in America as the 2016 Denver Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs.

Herbert T Buchwald

Herbert T. Buchwald

President and Chairman of the Board, BPR Management Corporation Principal, Herbert T. Buchwald, P.A. Lead Independent Director, MDC Holdings, Inc.

Herbert T. Buchwald is a principal in the law firm of Herbert T. Buchwald, P.A. and President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of BPR Management Corporation, a property management company located in Denver, Colorado, positions he has held for more than the past five years. Buchwald has been engaged in the acquisition, development and management of residential and commercial real estate in Florida, New Jersey and Colorado, through both publicly and privately held ventures for more than forty years. As an attorney, he has been admitted to practice before federal and state trial and appellate courts in Florida and Colorado. In addition, he holds an accounting degree and formerly was a practicing Certified Public Accountant.

Larry Mizel headshot

Larry A. Mizel

Founder, Mizel Institute & Executive Chairman of the Board, MDC Holdings, Inc.

Larry A. Mizel founded MDC Holdings in 1972 and has served as a Director and Chairman of the Board since its inception. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of MDC Holdings in 1988, a position he held until he assumed the role of Executive Chairman of the Board in October 2020. In his various roles, Mizel has provided MDC Holdings with leadership and judgment, while advancing the long-term interests of its shareholders.