Ashagrie G. Abdi studied law at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia before earning his Masters in International Human Rights Law from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, where he was part of a small delegation selected to present a workshop on state reporting obligations for the Malawi Human Rights Commission in Lilongwe; and assisted Ambassador David Scheffer in research for "Atrocity Crime Litigation Review-2011," which was presented at a conference in The Hague. His recent publications include an article on civil society and child rights in Ethiopia (The Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Rights, 7:1), and "The Activities of International Criminal Tribunals in Africa: Lessons Learned" (Africa Faith & Justice Network).
Mr. Abdi assisted in writing memos and briefings for supervisors, senior management, and President Carter himself at the Carter Center, where he focused on monitoring and evaluating election-related activities in Ghana, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Libya; and was an international election observer during the 2013 Kenyan general elections. He has consulted on issues of religious freedom in the Horn of Africa with Open Doors International and continues to focus on international justice, human rights, atrocity crimes, conflict resolution, and post conflict reconstruction as a Graduate Certificate student at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He loves football (soccer) and is a fan of the Arsenal Football Club.
Charles Crawford was born and raised in Liberia where he practiced journalism for more than 10 years before earning his BA from Wayne State University in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies. As a political reporter in his native country, Mr. Crawford travelled extensively across the African continent to provide press coverage to African Heads of State at the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summits. In 2007, he was part of the press delegation that attended the World Bank Donor Conference on Liberia in Washington, D.C. and accompanied Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the White House for the meeting in which President Bush canceled Liberia's $358 million debt.
During the Liberian civil crisis, Mr. Crawford worked with local youth groups to constructively engage stakeholders and international actors (including the United Nations, the United States government and the European Union) in formulating a robust resolution to the Liberian Civil War. He participated in nonviolent demonstrations in Monrovia, and continues his studies at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in order to make meaningful contributions to the African continent and its people. He is concomitantly pursuing his MS and Graduate Certificate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution for Prevention, Reconstruction and Stabilization Contexts.
Taryn Wilkinson earned her B.A. in Global Affairs from George Mason University, where she is continuing her studies in community development and revitalization projects at the graduate level in the Collaborative Leadership and Community Planning Certificate Program at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Currently a government contractor, Ms. Wilkinson looks forward to a career in service to community-focused organizations upon completion of her graduate certificate degree.