Karin Landgren
(Sweden) joined Security Council Report in May 2018 as its Executive Director. Ms. Landgren served with the United Nations for over 35 years, and is the first woman to have headed three UN peace operations mandated by the Security Council. She was until 2015 a UN Under-Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), a peacekeeping operation, and led UNMIL’s response to Ebola through the height of the epidemic. Prior to this, she led two political missions, the UN Office in Burundi (BNUB) and the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN). She was UNICEF’s first chief of child protection in 1998- 2008. While with UNHCR from 1980 to 1998, Ms. Landgren served in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, Singapore, the Philippines, India, and at its headquarters in Geneva. She is a founding member of the Nordic Women Mediators’ Network, and has taught at Columbia University and Central European University.
Shamala Kandiah Thompson
(Singapore) has been with Security Council Report since 2006. As Chief Operating Officer, she provides overall operational oversight and oversees the organisation’s administrative, financial, and donor activities, as well as its capacity-building training programmes, As a research analyst Ms Thompson covered a range of topics, including Asian and European issues, non-proliferation, the Secretary-General’s selection process and children and armed conflict. From 2011 to 2017, she was the editor of What’s in Blue. She has worked with the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. She has also worked as a journalist: in television in Singapore, as a newspaper foreign correspondent in New York and as a media and communications consultant and trainer. Ms. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the National University of Singapore and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Paul Romita
(United States) joined Security Council Report in September 2011. As Managing Editor, he oversees all SCR publications, including What’s in Blue, the Monthly Forecast, and thematic research reports. From 2017-2020 he was the Editor of What’s in Blue. He is also responsible for covering Israel and Palestine, conflict prevention, climate change, and emerging issues. Mr. Romita previously worked as a policy analyst in the State Fragility and Peacebuilding program at the International Peace Institute. He also has several years of experience in the communications and fundraising field. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College (Connecticut), a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and PhD in International Affairs from CUNY Graduate Center.
Alina Entelis
(Ukraine, Israel) joined Security Council Report in December 2019. As Deputy Managing Editor-What’s in Blue, she oversees and coordinates the day-to-day editorial functions of What’s in Blue. In addition, she is responsible for covering Afghanistan, Lebanon, Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as Children and Armed Conflict and Youth, Peace and Security. Prior to SCR, Ms. Entelis served as a political advisor at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN. She has also previously worked at the National Security Council at the office of the Prime Minister of Israel. Ms. Entelis holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy (PEP) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master’s degree in International History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics.
Dawit Yirga
(Ethiopia) joined Security Council Report in April 2021. Prior to this, he was an Ethiopian career diplomat with nearly two decades of experience. He worked on bilateral and multilateral matters, including following closely the work of the African Union and the United Nations. He served in Ethiopia’s embassies in Beijing and Tokyo as well as its Permanent Missions to the African Union and the United Nations, in Addis Ababa and New York, respectively. Most recently, Mr. Yirga served as Director for Neighboring Countries Affairs, Director-General for Asia and Pacific Affairs, and Director-General for International Organizations at the Foreign Office Headquarters in Addis Ababa. Career highlights include Ethiopia’s Chairmanship of the African Union in 2013 and its membership of the Security Council in 2017-2018; Mr Dawit was involved in supporting Ethiopia’s effective discharge of the responsibilities of these roles. Mr. Yirga has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University and a Master’s degree in Governance and Development from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Vladimir Sesar
(Bosnia and Herzegovina, United States) joined SCR in October 2013. As Development and Outreach Manager, he is responsible for overseeing SCR’s external outreach, including promotional material, social media, publications, and support for capacity development activities. His current research portfolio includes UN Security Council Elections. Prior to joining SCR, Mr. Sesar served as a Policy Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN. Mr. Sesar holds a Master of International Affairs from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Drake University.
Sara Bertotti
(Italy) joined Security Council Report in July 2021. She is responsible for covering the Security Council Women, Peace and Security agenda, Israel and Palestine, Lebanon and Ethiopia. Prior to Security Council Report, Ms. Bertotti was a Doctoral Researcher at the School of Law of SOAS University of London where her research focused on peace agreements, law and emancipatory sociopolitical change. At SOAS, her research and teaching work also concentrated on international law and gender. Ms. Bertotti also worked in Ireland in the Human Rights Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and accumulated work experience with Amnesty International Ireland and the Geneva-based NGO, UPR Info. Ms. Bertotti holds a bachelor’s degree (Laurea) in International Studies and a master’s degree (Laurea Magistrale) in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs, both from the University of Bologna, as well as a PhD in Law from SOAS University of London.
Matthew Blainey
(Australia) joined Security Council Report as a Policy Analyst in June 2021. He is responsible for covering Afghanistan, Myanmar, North Korea (DPRK), the UNRCCA (Central Asia), counter-terrorism, conflict prevention, the ICC, the rule of law, and other legal issues. Prior to joining SCR, he worked as a lawyer and Senior Associate in the litigation departments of two leading international law firms and served as a judicial associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria. He also worked with a human rights NGO based in New York City, where he was responsible for developing and implementing its climate change strategy. Mr. Blainey holds a Master of Laws in International Legal Studies from NYU School of Law, as well as a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of International Relations from La Trobe University. While at NYU, he was a Human Rights Scholar at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. In this role, he researched and wrote about conflict prevention and human rights-based climate change litigation. He is an admitted lawyer in Australia and New York.
Erik Ramberg
(Norway) joined Security Council Report as a Policy Analyst in February 2023. His portfolio includes Haiti, Libya, Iran, Iraq, protection of civilians, and sanctions. Prior to joining SCR, Mr. Ramberg served as a Policy Adviser at the Permanent Mission of Norway to the UN during the country’s term as an elected member of the Security Council (2021-22). Previously, he worked as a paralegal at the New York-based immigration law firm Daryanani Law Group, and he has also interned at Oxford University Press and the educational non-profit Literacy Partners. Mr. Ramberg holds a B.A. (cum laude) in political science and English from Columbia University, and an MPhil in peace and conflict studies from the University of Oslo. For his graduate degree, he wrote his dissertation on the UN human rights architecture as a research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).
Gaurav Redhal
(India) joined Security Council Report in June 2023. As a Policy Analyst, he is responsible for covering Sudan, South Sudan, Abyei, Syria, Western Sahara, Golan, and Security Council Reform. Previously, he worked with SCR as a Research Assistant, where he handled a similar portfolio and was also responsible for providing research support to other policy analysts. Prior to SCR, he worked with the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, assisting on sanctions and counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, Libya, and Mali. Mr. Redhal is an admitted lawyer in India and holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Law and Legal Studies from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, as well as a Bachelor of Laws from the Army Institute of Law, India.
Benjamin Villanti
(United States) joined Security Council Report as a Policy Analyst in September 2013. He is responsible for covering Yemen, Mali, the G5 Sahel Joint Force, UNOWAS, Lake Chad Basin, peacebuilding, conflict and hunger and pandemics. Prior to joining SCR, Mr. Villanti was a staff reporter, covering the UN for the Japanese newspaper, The Asahi Shimbun. He has also worked as an adviser at the Japanese Mission to the UN and as a public information assistant at the UN. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University and a Master in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Audrey Waysse
(United States) joined Security Council Report in January 2016 as Operations Manager after providing consulting services since October 2012. She is responsible for the organisation’s finance and budget operations, office administration, human resources, and IT and site management. In her prior career in the affordable housing sector, she was involved in all facets of housing development from finance and construction to management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Sciences from Colorado State University and a master’s in Management and Urban Policy from The New School.
Rodrigo Saad
(Brazil) joined Security Council Report in June 2021. As a Policy Analyst, he is responsible for covering European issues on the Council’s agenda, including Armenia/Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Georgia, Kosovo, and Ukraine. He also covers cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Prior to SCR, he conducted research on conflict prevention, human rights, peacebuilding and sustaining peace at the International Peace Institute, the Universal Rights Group, and the International Crisis Group. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs from the University of Delaware and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from the Graduate Center.
Anna Haven
(United States) joined Security Council Report in April 2019. As Communications Officer, she oversees SCR’s entire digital presence and manages the Quality Control process by supervising fact-checking, copy-editing, and preparing the text of SCR’s Monthly Forecasts, Research Reports and What’s in Blue articles for web and hard copy publication. She also covers human rights, OHCHR, and the actions of the Human Rights Council. Prior to SCR, she was a Policy Research Fellow at the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security. She holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The New School with a concentration in Conflict and Security and graduated Magna cum Laude in History from Hunter College.
Mai Nguyen
(Viet Nam) joined Security Council Report in April 2023. As a research intern, she is responsible for providing research support to SCR’s analysts, assisting in producing SCR reports, proof-read, and fact-checking publications, among other duties. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Affairs from George Mason University. She is pursuing a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, specialising in International Security Policy and UN Studies. She is currently a recipient of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program Scholarship.
