Speakers

Florencia Abed Dickson

Co-director, Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (ACIJ)

Akingbolahan Adeniran

Program Director, Project Expedite Justice; Lead, Technical Secretariat, African Alliance for People-Centered Justice

Charles Adeogun-Phillips

Vice Chair, Integrity Initiatives International

Mark D. Agrast

Vice President, World Justice Project

Nadia B. Ahmad

Law Professor, Barry University

Camilo D. Benítez Aldana

Comptroller General of Paraguay

Christian Aldenhoff

Senior Policy Advisor, German Federal Ministry of the Interior

Alhizabr Ali

International Advisor, SUNSGLOW

Shaika Abdulla Al-Misnad

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Elene Amiranashvili

Co-founder, Our Rule of Law Foundation

Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen

Executive Director, Basel Institute on Governance

Job Andy

Minister of Justice and Community Services, Vanuatu

Justice Natalia Ángel-Cabo

Justice of the Constitutional Court of Colombia

Eva Antoniou

Policy Officer, European Partnership for Democracy

Anne Applebaum

Pulitzer-prize winning historian

Samuel Arias Arzeno

Judge, First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, Dominican Republic

Kamel Ayadi

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Abdulkarim Ba Abad

Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Yemen

Janet L. Banda

Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit,

Government of Malawi

Daniela Barba

Director of Research on Access to Justice, World Justice Project

Ena Bavčić

EU Advocacy Officer and Advocacy Coordinator, ECPMF

Jan Beagle

Director-General, International Development Law Organization

Luciana Bercovich

Senior Manager, Grassroots Justice Network

Sumit Bisarya

Head, Constitution-Building and Rule of Law Programme, International IDEA

Adam Bodnar

Minister of Justice, Republic of Poland

Elisa Samuel Boerekamp

High Court Judge, Director-General, Centre for Judicial and Legal Training, Mozambique

Giuliano Borter

Public Policy Professional and SDG Advocate

Susan J. Brison

Susan and James Wright Prof. of Computation and Just Communities, Dartmouth College

Stanisław Burdziej

Professor, Department of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University

Ana Cardenas

Director of Justice Projects, Mexico

Kevin Casas-Zamora

Secretary General, International IDEA 

CHEUK Chi-yan Kate

Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong SAR

Luisa Chiodi

Director, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

Helena Chmielewska-Szlajfer

Assistant Professor at Koźmiński University

Antony Cook

Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft

Matt Covey

Founding Partner, CoveyLaw

Aitor Cubo Contreras

Director General for Digital Transformation of Justice, Spain

Robert J. Currie

Viscount Bennett Professor of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Seth A. Davis

Adjunct Professor and Environmental Law Practitioner, ABA House Delegate

Jonathan Day

Advocacy Officer, Liberties

Lee A. DeHihns III

Co-Chair, ABA SEER Int’l Bar Coordination Committee

Emilia Díaz-Struck

Executive Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network

Inbal Djalovski

Member of Compliance Review Panel, Asian Development Bank

Patricia Peace Ejang

CEO and Co-founder, LawBot Africa

Mai El-Sadany

Executive Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Khaled Emam

Executive Manager, Justice Call

Serena Epis

Researcher and Advocacy Officer, OBC Transeuropa

Gianluca Esposito

Director General, Human Rights & Rule of Law, Council of Europe

Aidan Eyakuze

CEO, Open Government Partnership

Meila Nurul Fajriah

Lawyer, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)

Marco Fandiño

General Coordinator, Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries

Pratiwi Febry

Co-Chair, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation

Ángel Salvador Ferrer

Researcher and Coordinator, Torture Prevention Program, DOCUMENTA

Moussa Fofana

Sahel Regional Representative, HiiL

Sheila Formento

National Coordinator, Alternative Law Groups (ALG)

Blair Glencorse

Founder & Co-CEO, Accountability Lab

Ken Godfrey

Executive Director, European Partnership for Democracy

James A. Goldston

Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative

Mary Beth Goodman

Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

Barbara Grabowska-Moroz

Senior Research Fellow and Director of Rule of Law Clinic, CEU Democracy Institute

Martin Gramatikov

Director of Knowledge and Research, HiiL

Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram

Board Member, Free Courts Foundation

Maja Groff

Executive Director, Climate Governance Commission; Chair, Planetary Governance Program at The New Institute

Laurent Grosse-Kozłowski

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Deveopment Initiative (IDI)

Arturo Herrera Gutierrez

Global Director for Institutions, World Bank Group

Leah Guyot

Program Associate, Justice for All team, Pathfinders

Hon. Justice (Retd) Evans Mweembani Hamaundu

Board Chairperson, Anti-Courruption Commission Zambia

Milena Harizanova

Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland

Alvaro Herrero

Executive Coordinator, International Open Justice Network

Coby Hobbs

Associate Editor, CamboJA

Martin Hoppe

Head of Division Governance, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

William C. Hubbard

Co-founder & Board Chair, World Justice Project

Kathryn Grace Hulseman

Senior Research Associate, World Justice Project

Park Hyekyung

Director of Anti-corruption Policy Division, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

Serena Ibrahim

Founder & Executive Director, Youth Against Corruption (YAC)

Muslih Irwani

Associate Professor, Founding Director, Center for Policy Research, AUIB

Nozomi Iwama

Deputy Director General, Governance and Peace Building Department, JICA

Krzysztof Izdebski

Member of the Board, Director for Advocacy and Development. Stefan Batory Foundation

Katarzyna Jakimowicz

Director of the Department of Analysis and Strategy, Ministry of Justice of Poland

Jakub Jaraczewski

Research Coordinator, Democracy Reporting International

Khunan Jargalsaikhan

Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia

Jesper Johnsøn

Deputy Head of Division, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government, OECD

Udo Jude Ilo

CEO, HiiL

Jaewoo Jung

Judge, Jinju District Court, South Korea

Sokhna Dié Ka Dia

Director, Natural Justice’s Dakar Hub

Adna Karamehic-Oates

Lead, Policy & Partnerships, OGP

Martha Karua

Senior Counsel and Former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Kenya

Gentil Kasongo

Programme Manager, Democratic Republic of the Congo for Impunity Watch

Alyson Kiltpatrick

Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Kittipong Kittayarak

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Thailand Institute of Justice

Wambua Kituku

Executive Director, Kituo Cha Sheria

Anna Korzeniewska

Founder and CEO, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe

Marta Kożuchowska-Warywoda

Director, Dept. of HR and Organisation, Common and Military Courts, Ministry of Justice of Poland

Adam Krzywoń

Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland

Ewa Kulik-Bielińska

Member of the Board, Stefan Batory Foundation

Margaret Kulujian

Restorative Justice Court Coordinator, Cook County Circuit Court, USA

Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

Artist-in-Residence, Yale University

Reza Lahidji

Founding Partner, Future Horizons (Oslo)

Eva Langbehn

Human Rights Lawyer

Maaike de Langen

Senior Policy Advisor, OECD

Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Philippines

Suet-Fern Lee

Managing Partner, Morgan Lewis LLP, Singapore Office

Isabel Matyola Lemba

Permanent Secretary for Administration, Zambia’s Ministry of Justice

Margaret Levi

Prof. Emerita, Stanford; Sr. Fellow, CDDRL; Bacharach Prof. Emerita, UW

Mark Lewis

Chief of Public Sector Partnerships, World Justice Project

Rueben Lifuka

Zambia Country Director, Chandler Foundation

Justice (Retd) Madan B. Lokur

Former Judge for the Supreme Court of India

Abbas Luyombo

Lawyer and Young Justice Leader

Ross Maclaren

Program Officer, Mott Foundation

Themba Mahleka

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Judge Razi Sikder Mahmudur

Justice, High Court Division of Supreme Court, Bangladesh

Revai Makanje Aalbaek

Global Lead, Rule of Law Justice and Security, UNDP

Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla

Supreme Court Justice, Nepal

Clare Manuel

Senior Research Associate, Politics and Governance programme, ODI Global

Fernando Marani

Program Director, Justice, Inclusion, and Equality, NYU’s Center on International Cooperation

Judy Perry Martinez

Vice President, Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Macarena Martinic

Coordinator of the Empowerment and Public Participation Area, FIMA

Vivek Maru

Co-founder and CEO, Namati

James R. May

Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University

Maia Mazurkiewicz

CEO, PZU Foundation; Co-founder, Alliance4Europe

Darek Mazzone

Executive Director, SAMA: Music and Art

Ian McDougall

Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexus

Michael McGrath

Commissioner, Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission

Judge Mary Margaret McKeown

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 

Jeffery McMillan

Director of Brand, Marketing, and Communications, PwC Central and Eastern Europe

Jacek Michałowski

Advisor to the Minister of Justice, Poland

Henry Molina

President of the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic

Oliver Money-Kyrle

Media Development Expert and Press Freedom Advocate, IPI

Ana María Montoya

Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project

Utaara Mootu

Member of National Assembly, Parliament of Namibia

John Morijn

Professor of Law and Politics in International Relations, University of Groningen

Marcin Mrowicki

Deputy Head, Criminal Law Department, Ministry of Justice, Poland

Justice Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya

Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa

Freddy Yves Ndjemba

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI)

John Nery

Director, WJP Board of Directors

William Neukom

Co-founder & CEO, World Justice Project

Karimov Alisher Nishanovich

Deputy Minister of Justice of Uzbekistan

Vy Nop

Executive Director, Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Maciej Nowicki

President of the Board, Helsinki Foundation

Jonathan Nwagbaroacha

Chair, ABA Section on Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources

Paulo Mendes de Oliveira

Deputy Attorney General of the Union, Brazil

Habiba Osman

CEO/Executive Secretary, Malawi Human Rights Commission

Laura Ospina

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Clare Ovey

Director of Human Rights, Council of Europe

Márta Pardavi

Co-chair, Hungarian Helsinki Committee

Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha

Advocate and Head, Independent Law Chamber

Laurent Pech

Professor of Law, Dean of Law and Head of the Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin

Flávia Pellegrino

Executive Director, Pacto Pela Democracia

Tabaré Perlas

CEO, Daniel Barenboim Stiftung; Conductor and Arts Manager

Mikołaj Pietrzak

Former Dean of the Council of the Warsaw Bar Association

Bartosz Pilitowski

CEO, Court Watch Poland Foundation

Monika Stanisława Płatek

Head of the Department of Criminology, University of Warsaw

Srirak Plipat

Regional Director for Asia Pacific

Atanas Politov

Europe Director, Positive Impact and Pro Bono, Dentons

Alejandro Ponce

Executive Director, World Justice Project

Mariela Ponce Villa

Presiding Magistrate, Criminal Chamber at the Superior Court of Justice of Querétaro, Mexico

Rosaura Quiñones

Director of Public Policy, Judiciary of the Dominican Republic

Ketakandriana Rafitoson

Vice-Chair, Transparency International

Manuel Ramos-Maqueda

Governance Specialist, World Bank

Sirpa Rautio

Director, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Maria A. Ressa

2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Co-founder and CEO, Rappler

Andrea Reyes

Congresswoman, Guatemala

Jimena Reyes

Director for the Americas, International Federation for Human Rights

Lucy Rigby

Solicitor General for England and Wales

Muhammad Rizaldi

Adjunct Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS)

Andrea Rocca

Head of Policy and Advocacy, Transparency International

Maria Fernanda Rodriguez 

Senior Fellow NYU’s Center; Lead, Technical Secretariat, Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice

John Romano

Director, TAP Network

Lesley Rosenthal

Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary, Juilliard School

Dagmara Rybicka

Spokesperson and Head of the Press Office of the SME Ombudsman, Poland

Phiset Sa-ardyen

Executive Director, Thailand Institute of Justice

Gisele Samvura

Rule of Law Officer, United Nations

Rebecca L. Sandefur

Professor and Director, Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics

Margaret Satterthwaite

UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

Roby Senderowitsch

Practice Manager for Public Administration, Governance Global Practice, World Bank Group

Hon. Alpha Sesay

Attorney General & Minister of Justice, Sierra Leone

Milbert Dongjoon Shin

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNMIK

Amrit Singh

Professor & founding Executive Director of the Rule of Law Impact Lab, Stanford Law School

Karam Jeet Singh

Deputy Director, Integrity Initiatives International (III)

Anoushka Sinha

Social Entrepreneur and Activist

Konrad Siwinski

Head of Research, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe; Senior Partner at Minds & Roses

Maria Skóra

Policy Fellow, Das Progressive Zentrum

Anda Smiltēna

Deputy State Secretary on Law Policy, Ministry of Justice in Latvia

Andrew Solomon

Senior Rule of Law Advisor, USAID

Panupun Som-skul

Director, Monitoring & Evaluation, NHRC Thailand

Søren Stauning

Special Advisor, Election Unit, Ministry of the Interior and Health, Denmark

Christopher Stephens

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, World Bank Group

Joanna Szymanska

Head of Programmes and Strategy for Europe, Article 19

Clare Tan

Deputy Director, Corporate Communications, CPIB

Mehmet Tank

Former Judge, Republic of Türkiye

Tatyana Teplova

Head of Division and Senior Counsellor, Public Governance Directorate, OECD

Robert Jan Uhl

Project Officer, EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)

Urška Umek

Head, Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division, Council of Europe

Carolien van Ham

Professor of Empirical Political Science, Radboud University Nijmegen

Catarina Vaz Pinto

Independent Arts and Culture Consultant

Roxana Vitan

President, Romanian-American Foundation

Max von Abendroth

Senior Advisor, Social Impact Alliance, Central and Eastern Europe and Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)

Waringa Wahome

Coordinator, Legal Empowerment Hub, Mathare Social Justice Centre

Regina Waugh

Senior Global Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Michał Wawrykiewicz

Member of the European Parliament; Co-founder, Free Courts initiative

Thierry Wickers

President, Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe

Marcin Wiśniewski

Country Officer, Poland, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Anna Wójcik

Co-founder, Rule of Law in Poland

Christiane Wolowiec-Musich

Rule of Law Adviser, GIZ

Mirosław Wyrzykowski​

Associate Professor, University of Warsaw; retired Constitutional Tribunal Judge

Keongmin Yoon

Counsel, Legal Advisory and Knowledge Unit, World Bank

Dorota Zabłudowska

Judge, District Court Gdańsk-Południe

Mark D. Agrast

Vice President, World Justice Project

Camilo D. Benítez Aldana

Comptroller General of Paraguay

Shaika Abdulla Al-Misnad

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen

Executive Director, Basel Institute on Governance

Justice Natalia Ángel-Cabo

Justice of the Constitutional Court of Colombia

Anne Applebaum

Pulitzer-prize winning historian

Jan Beagle

Director-General, International Development Law Organization

Adam Bodnar

Minister of Justice, Republic of Poland

Kevin Casas-Zamora

Secretary General, International IDEA 

Emilia Díaz-Struck

Executive Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network

Gianluca Esposito

Director General, Human Rights & Rule of Law, Council of Europe

Aidan Eyakuze

CEO, Open Government Partnership

Blair Glencorse

Co-CEO, Accountability Lab

Ken Godfrey

Executive Director, European Partnership for Democracy

Mary Beth Goodman

Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

Arturo Herrera Gutierrez

Global Director for Institutions, World Bank Group

Coby Hobbs

Associate Editor, CamboJA

William C. Hubbard

Co-founder & Board Chair, World Justice Project

Udo Jude Ilo

CEO, HiiL

Alyson Kiltpatrick

Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Suet-Fern Lee

Managing Partner, Morgan Lewis LLP, Singapore Office

Margaret Levi

Prof. Emerita, Stanford; Sr. Fellow, CDDRL; Bacharach Prof. Emerita, UW

Judy Perry Martinez

Vice President, Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Michael McGrath

Commissioner, Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission

Henry Molina

President of the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic

Utaara Mootu

Member of National Assembly, Parliament of Namibia

Justice Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya

Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa

John Nery

Director, WJP Board of Directors

Vy Nop

Executive Director, Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Paulo Mendes de Oliveira

Deputy Attorney General of the Union, Brazil

Flávia Pellegrino

Executive Director, Pacto Pela Democracia

Alejandro Ponce

Executive Director, World Justice Project

Sirpa Rautio

Director, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Maria A. Ressa

2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Co-founder and CEO, Rappler

Jimena Reyes

Director for the Americas, International Federation for Human Rights

Lucy Rigby

Solicitor General for England and Wales

Margaret Satterthwaite

UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

Amrit Singh

Professor & founding Executive Director of the Rule of Law Impact Lab, Stanford Law School

Christopher Stephens

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, World Bank Group

Mehmet Tank

Former Judge, Republic of Türkiye

Thierry Wickers

President, Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe

Dorota Zabłudowska

Judge, District Court Gdańsk-Południe

Florencia Abed Dickson

Co-director, Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (ACIJ)

Akingbolahan Adeniran

Program Director, Project Expedite Justice; Lead, Technical Secretariat, African Alliance for People-Centered Justice

Charles Adeogun-Phillips

Vice Chair, Integrity Initiatives International

Nadia B. Ahmad

Law Professor, Barry University

Christian Aldenhoff

Senior Policy Advisor, German Federal Ministry of the Interior

Alhizabr Ali

International Advisor, SUNSGLOW

Elene Amiranashvili

Co-founder, Our Rule of Law Foundation

Job Andy

Minister of Justice and Community Services, Vanuatu

Eva Antoniou

Policy Officer, European Partnership for Democracy

Samuel Arias Arzeno

Judge, First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, Dominican Republic

Kamel Ayadi

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Abdulkarim Ba Abad

Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Yemen

Janet L. Banda

Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit,

Government of Malawi

Daniela Barba

Director of Research on Access to Justice, World Justice Project

Ena Bavčić

EU Advocacy Officer and Advocacy Coordinator, ECPMF

Luciana Bercovich

Senior Manager, Grassroots Justice Network

Sumit Bisarya

Head, Constitution-Building and Rule of Law Programme, International IDEA

Elisa Samuel Boerekamp

High Court Judge, Director-General, Centre for Judicial and Legal Training, Mozambique

Giuliano Borter

Public Policy Professional and SDG Advocate

Susan J. Brison

Susan and James Wright Prof. of Computation and Just Communities, Dartmouth College

Stanisław Burdziej

Professor, Department of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University

Ana Cardenas

Director of Justice Projects, Mexico

CHEUK Chi-yan Kate

Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention, Independent Commission Against Corruption,

Hong Kong SAR

Luisa Chiodi

Director, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

Helena Chmielewska-Szlajfer

Assistant Professor at Koźmiński University

Antony Cook

Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft

Matt Covey

Founding Partner, CoveyLaw

Aitor Cubo Contreras

Director General for Digital Transformation of Justice, Spain

Robert J. Currie

Viscount Bennett Professor of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Seth A. Davis

Adjunct Professor and Environmental Law Practitioner, ABA House Delegate

Jonathan Day

Advocacy Officer, Liberties

Lee A. DeHihns III

Co-Chair, ABA SEER Int’l Bar Coordination Committee

Inbal Djalovski

Member of Compliance Review Panel, Asian Development Bank

Patricia Peace Ejang

CEO and Co-founder, LawBot Africa

Mai El-Sadany

Executive Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Khaled Emam

Executive Manager, Justice Call

Meila Nurul Fajriah

Lawyer, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)

Marco Fandiño

General Coordinator, Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries

Pratiwi Febry

Co-Chair, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation

Ángel Salvador Ferrer

Researcher and Coordinator, Torture Prevention Program, DOCUMENTA

Moussa Fofana

Sahel Regional Representative, HiiL

Sheila Formento

National Coordinator, Alternative Law Groups (ALG)

James A. Goldston

Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative

Barbara Grabowska-Moroz

Senior Research Fellow and Director of Rule of Law Clinic, CEU Democracy Institute

Martin Gramatikov

Director of Knowledge and Research, HiiL

Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram

Board Member, Free Courts Foundation

Maja Groff

Executive Director, Climate Governance Commission; Chair, Planetary Governance Program at The New Institute

Laurent Grosse-Kozłowski

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Deveopment Initiative (IDI)

Leah Guyot

Program Associate, Justice for All team, Pathfinders

Hon. Justice (Retd) Evans Mweembani Hamaundu

Board Chairperson, Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia

Milena Harizanova

Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland

Alvaro Herrero

Executive Coordinator, International Open Justice Network

Martin Hoppe

Head of Division Governance, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Kathryn Grace Hulseman

Senior Research Associate, World Justice Project

Park Hyekyung

Director of Anti-corruption Policy Division, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

Serena Ibrahim

Founder & Executive Director, Youth Against Corruption (YAC)

Muslih Irwani

Associate Professor, Founding Director, Center for Policy Research, AUIB

Nozomi Iwama

Deputy Director General, Governance and Peace Building Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Krzysztof Izdebski

Member of the Board, Director for Advocacy and Development. Stefan Batory Foundation

Katarzyna Jakimowicz

Director of the Department of Analysis and Strategy, Ministry of Justice of Poland

Jakub Jaraczewski

Research Coordinator, Democracy Reporting International

Khunan Jargalsaikhan

Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia

Jesper Johnsøn

Deputy Head of Division, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government, OECD

Jaewoo Jung

Judge, Jinju District Court, South Korea

Sokhna Dié Ka Dia

Director, Natural Justice’s Dakar Hub

Adna Karamehic-Oates

Lead, Policy & Partnerships, OGP

Martha Karua

Senior Counsel and Former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Kenya

Gentil Kasongo

Programme Manager, Democratic Republic of the Congo for Impunity Watch

Kittipong Kittayarak

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Thailand Institute of Justice

Wambua Kituku

Executive Director, Kituo Cha Sheria

Anna Korzeniewska

Founder and CEO, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe

Marta Kożuchowska-Warywoda

Director, Dept. of HR and Organisation, Common and Military Courts, Ministry of Justice of Poland

Adam Krzywoń

Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland

Ewa Kulik-Bielińska

Member of the Board, Stefan Batory Foundation

Margaret Kulujian

Restorative Justice Court Coordinator, Cook County Circuit Court, USA

Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

Artist-in-Residence, Yale University

Reza Lahidji

Founding Partner, Future Horizons (Oslo)

Eva Langbehn

Human Rights Lawyer

Maaike de Langen

Senior Policy Advisor, OECD

Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Philippines

Isabel Matyola Lemba

Permanent Secretary for Administration, Zambia’s Ministry of Justice

Mark Lewis

Chief of Public Sector Partnerships, World Justice Project

Rueben Lifuka

Zambia Country Director, Chandler Foundation

Justice (Retd) Madan B. Lokur

Former Judge for the Supreme Court of India

Abbas Luyombo

Lawyer and Young Justice Leader

Ross Maclaren

Program Officer, Mott Foundation

Themba Mahleka

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Judge Razi Sikder Mahmudur

Supreme Court Justice, Bangladesh

Revai Makanje Aalbaek

Global Lead, Rule of Law Justice and Security, UNDP

Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla

Supreme Court Justice, Nepal

Clare Manuel

Senior Research Associate, Politics and Governance programme, ODI Global

Fernando Marani

Program Director, Justice, Inclusion, and Equality, NYU’s Center on International Cooperation

Macarena Martinic

Coordinator of the Empowerment and Public Participation Area, FIMA

Vivek Maru

Co-founder and CEO, Namati

James R. May

Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University

Maia Mazurkiewicz

CEO, PZU Foundation; Co-founder, Alliance4Europe

Darek Mazzone

Executive Director, SAMA: Music and Art

Ian McDougall

Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexus

Jeffery McMillan

Director of Brand, Marketing, and Communications, PwC Central and Eastern Europe

Jacek Michałowski

Advisor to the Minister of Justice, Poland

Oliver Money-Kyrle

Media Development Expert and Press Freedom Advocate, IPI

Ana María Montoya

Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project

John Morijn

Professor of Law and Politics in International Relations, University of Groningen

Marcin Mrowicki

Deputy Head, Criminal Law Department, Ministry of Justice, Poland

Freddy Yves Ndjemba

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI)

Karimov Alisher Nishanovich

Deputy Minister of Justice of Uzbekistan

Maciej Nowicki

President of the Board, Helsinki Foundation

Jonathan Nwagbaroacha

Chair, ABA Section on Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources

Habiba Osman

CEO/Executive Secretary, Malawi Human Rights Commission

Laura Ospina

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Márta Pardavi

Co-chair, Hungarian Helsinki Committee

Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha

Advocate and Head, Independent Law Chamber

Laurent Pech

Professor of Law, Dean of Law and Head of the Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin

Tabaré Perlas

CEO, Daniel Barenboim Stiftung; Conductor and Arts Manager

Mikołaj Pietrzak

Former Dean of the Council of the Warsaw Bar Association

Bartosz Pilitowski

CEO, Court Watch Poland Foundation

Monika Stanisława Płatek

Head of the Department of Criminology, University of Warsaw

Srirak Plipat

Regional Director for Asia Pacific

Atanas Politov

Europe Director, Positive Impact and Pro Bono, Dentons

Mariela Ponce Villa

Presiding Magistrate, Criminal Chamber at the Superior Court of Justice of Querétaro, Mexico

Rosaura Quiñones

Director of Public Policy, Judiciary of the Dominican Republic

Ketakandriana Rafitoson

Vice-Chair, Transparency International

Manuel Ramos-Maqueda

Governance Specialist, World Bank

Andrea Reyes

Congresswoman, Guatemala

Jimena Reyes

Director for the Americas, International Federation for Human Rights

Muhammad Rizaldi

Adjunct Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS)

Andrea Rocca

Head of Policy and Advocacy, Transparency International

Maria Fernanda Rodriguez 

Senior Fellow NYU’s Center; Lead, Technical Secretariat, Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice

John Romano

Director, TAP Network

Lesley Rosenthal

Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary, Juilliard School

Dagmara Rybicka

Spokesperson and Head of the Press Office of the SME Ombudsman, Poland

Phiset Sa-ardyen

Executive Director of Thailand Institute of Justice

Gisele Samvura

Rule of Law Officer, United Nations

Rebecca L. Sandefur

Professor and Director, Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics

Roby Senderowitsch

Practice Manager for Public Administration, Governance Global Practice, World Bank Group

Hon. Alpha Sesay

Attorney General & Minister of Justice, Sierra Leone

Milbert Dongjoon Shin

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNMIK

Karam Jeet Singh

Deputy Director, Integrity Initiatives International (III)

Anoushka Sinha

Social Entrepreneur and Activist

Konrad Siwinski

Head of Research, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe; Senior Partner at Minds & Roses

Maria Skóra

Policy Fellow at Das Progressive Zentrum

Anda Smiltēna

Deputy State Secretary on Law Policy, Ministry of Justice in Latvia

Andrew Solomon

Senior Rule of Law Advisor, USAID

Panupun Som-skul

Director, Monitoring & Evaluation, NHRC Thailand

Søren Stauning

Special Advisor, Election Unit, Ministry of the Interior and Health, Denmark

Joanna Szymanska

Head of Programmes and Strategy for Europe, Article 19

Clare Tan

Deputy Director, Corporate Communications, Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau

Tatyana Teplova

Head of Division and Senior Counsellor, Public Governance Directorate, OECD

Robert Jan Uhl

Project Officer, EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)

Urška Umek

Head, Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division, Council of Europe

Carolien van Ham

Professor of Empirical Political Science, Radboud University Nijmegen

Catarina Vaz Pinto

Independent Arts and Culture Consultant

Roxana Vitan

President, Romanian-American Foundation

Max von Abendroth

Senior Advisor, Social Impact Alliance, Central and Eastern Europe and Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)

Waringa Wahome

Coordinator, Legal Empowerment Hub, Mathare Social Justice Centre

Regina Waugh

Senior Global Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Michał Wawrykiewicz

Member of the European Parliament; Co-founder, Free Courts initiative

Marcin Wiśniewski

Country Officer, Poland, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Anna Wójcik

Co-founder, Rule of Law in Poland

Christiane Wolowiec-Musich

Rule of Law Adviser, GIZ

Mirosław Wyrzykowski​

Associate Professor, University of Warsaw; retired Constitutional Tribunal Judge

Keongmin Yoon

Counsel, Legal Advisory and Knowledge Unit, World Bank

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Florencia Abed Dickson

Co-director, Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (ACIJ)

Florencia Abed Dickson is co-director of the Argentine NGO Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ), supervising issues related to inclusivity, accessibility, and democracy in urban spaces and access to justice. Before joining ACIJ, Florencia worked for more than seven years in the public sector in Argentina, particularly in social and urban integration issues, where she contributed to the implementation of land regularization processes in marginalized neighborhoods. Florencia is a lawyer from the University of Buenos Aires and has a master’s in public policy from the University Torcuato Di Tella, in Buenos Aires.

Akingbolahan Adeniran

Program Director, Project Expedite Justice; Lead, Technical Secretariat, African Alliance for People-Centered Justice

Akingbolahan Adeniran is an SDG16 consultant and serves as Lead of the Technical Secretariat of the African Alliance for People-Centered Justice, and Program Director at Project Expedite Justice. He previously served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ogun state in Nigeria and as Team Leader for the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Before this, he was Rule of Law Advisor to the Vice-President of Nigeria, a Special Senior Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State, as well as a trial lawyer at the International Criminal Court. He holds an LLB. from the University of Lagos and an LLM. from Harvard Law School.

Charles Adeogun-Phillips

Vice Chair, Integrity Initiatives International

Dr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips, SAN is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and an accomplished international lawyer who served as lead genocide prosecutor and head of special investigations at the United Nations. He is the founder of Charles Anthony, a cross-border law practice in Nigeria. He also practices as a Barrister specializing in international law at Guernica 37 Chambers in London. Since returning to private practice in 2010, he specializes in the areas of international human rights law, international criminal law, international civil service law, international anti-corruption law, climate change justice, complex cross border ‘white-collar’ and business crimes, cross border insolvency and asset recovery. He serves as a Vice Chair of Integrity Initiatives International.

Mark D. Agrast

Vice President, World Justice Project

Mark David Agrast is Vice President of the World Justice Project and helped develop the WJP Rule of Law Index. He previously served as Executive Director of the American Society of International Law, Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and in senior roles at the U.S. House of Representatives and the Center for American Progress. He has held leadership roles in the ABA, including on its Board of Governors and as chair of key commissions. A Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law graduate, he is a life fellow of the American Bar Foundation and serves on the Anti-Defamation League’s D.C. board. He is admitted to practice in Ohio, D.C., and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nadia B. Ahmad

Law Professor, Barry University

Nadia B. Ahmad is a law professor at Barry University and Co-Chair of the ABA’s Environmental Justice Task Force. She teaches environmental, energy, and property law and works at the intersection of law, climate resilience, and technology. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at Yale School of the Environment, her research focuses on operationalizing AI, GIS, and topological meta-stability for disaster preparedness. Her dissertation, grounded in case studies like Hurricane Ian, develops a novel Hurricane Resilience Intelligence framework to address inland flooding and equity in climate adaptation. She is also the founder of Mudder AI, a startup advancing AI-driven solutions for emergency response and multi-hazard resilience.

Camilo D. Benítez Aldana

Comptroller General of Paraguay

Dr. Camilo D. Benítez Aldana is the Comptroller General of Paraguay and President of OLACEFS (2023–2025), having been unanimously elected by its General Assembly. A lawyer with a Doctorate in Law (Summa Cum Laude) from the National University of Asunción, he also holds a Master’s in Legal Argumentation from the University of Alicante, Spain. He has served as Deputy Comptroller General, President of EFSUR (2020–2022), and was recently elected President of OLACEFS’ Special Technical Commission on the Environment (2025–2027). He has taught bankruptcy law and worked as a bankruptcy trustee, and is widely recognized for strengthening institutional integrity, public oversight, and environmental accountability across Latin America.

Christian Aldenhoff

Senior Policy Advisor, German Federal Ministry of the Interior

Christian Aldenhoff serves as a Senior Policy Advisor in the division for Resilient Democracy and Prevention of Extremism of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior. His expertise includes policies on strengthening democracy and combating democratic backsliding nationally and internationally. He is a member of the German delegation for the Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM) of the Council of Europe. He is fully qualified as a lawyer (1st and 2nd legal state exam). In addition, he holds a LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and a B.A. in Philosophy. Before joining the ministry as a civil servant, he worked as a lawyer.

Alhizabr Ali

International Advisor, SUNSGLOW

Alhizabr Ali is an emotionally intelligent and resourceful advisor currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree at the American University in Baghdad. As an International Advisor and Associate at SUNSGLOW – Training in the Rule of Law (Toronto), he has over a decade of experience in legal advising, event coordination, and multilingual documentation. His background includes paralegal and immigration consulting in Toronto, where he supported legal research, document drafting, and client advocacy. Alhizabr also contributes to civic education and newcomer integration through his long-standing role with COFION.

Shaika Abdulla Al-Misnad

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Professor Shaikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, a leading Qatari educator, has held prominent roles in teaching, research, and administration over nearly three decades. She served as President of Qatar University from 2003, after roles as Vice President for Research and Community Development (2000–2003), Head of the Department of Foundations of Education (1992–1995), and member of the University Council (1986–1989; 1998–2004). She earned a BA and Diploma in Education from Qatar University and a PhD in Education from Durham University in 1984. Her research has focused on education in the Gulf, particularly on women’s education, beginning during her doctoral studies in the UK.

Elene Amiranashvili

Co-founder, Our Rule of Law Foundation

Elene Amiranashvili completed an LLB in International and European Law, specializing in Technology Law, with an exchange semester at ELTE University in Budapest. She is currently pursuing a Dutch Law degree at the University of Groningen. In her first year, she co-founded the Our Rule of Law (ORoL) Foundation, which was awarded the 2024 European Charlemagne Youth Prize. ORoL is dedicated to safeguarding the rule of law and democracy through education, engagement, and advocacy. Its mission is to mobilize youth to develop Pan-European policy solutions and create opportunities for students to engage with leading experts on democratic backsliding and civic education in Europe.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen

Executive Director, Basel Institute on Governance

Elizabeth «Betsy» Andersen is the Executive Director of the Basel Institute on Governance, leading its global efforts to counter corruption, strengthen governance and promote integrity in the public and private sectors. She assumed the role in March 2025, building on a distinguished career at the intersection of law, justice, governance and international development. Most recently, Betsy served as Executive Director of the World Justice Project. Previously she served as Director of the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, as Executive Director of the American Society of International Law, and as Executive Director of Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia Division. Betsy is a frequent speaker and widely published author on topics relating to corruption, human rights, and rule of law development; and she has been honoured with numerous awards for her work advancing the rule of law.

Job Andy

Minister of Justice and Community Services, Vanuatu

Job Andy is the Minister of Justice and Community Services of Vanuatu.

Justice Natalia Ángel-Cabo

Justice of the Constitutional Court of Colombia

Natalia Ángel-Cabo is a Justice of the Colombian Constitutional Court. She holds a J.D. from Universidad de los Andes, an LL.M. from Harvard, and is a doctoral candidate at Osgoode Hall, York University. She was Associate Professor at Los Andes Law School, Editor of the Latin American Law Review, and Founder/Director of the Program for Equality and Social Inclusion. She consulted for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Her work explores the intersection of law and society in areas such as constitutional law, access to justice, participatory democracy, local government, and rights of women and persons with disabilities, for which she has received several distinctions.

Eva Antoniou

Policy Officer, European Partnership for Democracy

Eva Antoniou joined the European Partnership for Democracy in July 2023 and works as a Policy Officer. She is responsible for the advocacy strategy and the organisation’s position on the Defence of Democracy Package and the activities related to the Rule of Law at the EU level. She is an EU-qualified lawyer and has obtained her LL.M. in “International and European Public Law” from KU Leuven. Before joining EPD, she worked as a Policy Assistant in the LIBE and PEGA Committee of the European Parliament. Other experiences include legal training at the Ministry of Justice in Greece, working with various law firms, and completing a traineeship at the Embassy of Greece in Belgium.

Anne Applebaum

Pulitzer-prize winning historian

Anne Applebaum is a staff writer for The Atlantic and a Pulitzer-prize winning historian. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the SNF Agora Institute. After graduating from Yale University, she was a Marshall Scholar at the LSE and St. Antony’s College, Oxford. She was a Washington Post columnist for more than fifteen years and a member of the editorial board. She has also worked as the Foreign and Deputy Editor of the Spectator magazine, and as a columnist at Slate and the Daily and Sunday Telegraphs. She has lectured at Yale, Harvard, Stanford and Columbia Universities, as well as Oxford, Cambridge, London, Heidelberg, Maastricht, Zurich, Humboldt, Texas A&M, Houston and others.

Samuel Arias Arzeno

Judge, First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, Dominican Republic

Law graduate, cum laude, from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU); holds a Master in International Conflict Resolution from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC); specialized in Judicial Law at Escuela Nacional de la Judicatura (ENJ), with further studies in pedagogy, conflict resolution, and judicial training. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Law from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), Universidad Externado de Colombia (UEC). He has taught Law at PUCMM since 1996, directed its Law School in Santo Domingo, and also taught at UNIBE, UASD, and ENJ.

Kamel Ayadi

Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Mr. Kamel Ayadi is a distinguished Tunisian engineer, public servant, and international expert in governance, with 36+ years in anti-corruption, ethics, and regulatory reform. He serves on the Board of the World Justice Project and is a member of the Chandler Sessions on Integrity at Oxford University. He held top government roles in Tunisia, including Minister of Public Service, Governance, and Anti-Corruption; Secretary of State; Senator; and Chairman of the Regulatory Authority of Telecommunication. He served as President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations in 2003, representing over 100 member countries, and served as the founding Chair of its Standing Committee on Anti-Corruption. He holds degrees in engineering, law, and a Cambridge Business English Certificate.

Abdulkarim Ba Abad

Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Yemen

Judge Abdulkarim Ba Abad is a distinguished legal professional from Yemen. He currently serves as Deputy Minister of Justice for the Courts and Documentation Sector and Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He has been active in judicial reform and development, participating in and leading numerous committees on judicial movement, court classification and staffing, judicial fees, legal aid, and electronic judicial systems. Beyond the bench, Judge Ba Abad has contributed to legal education, lecturing at the Faculty of Law, Aden University, and the Higher Judicial Institute. Judge Ba Abad earned his Bachelor of Law degree from Aden University with honors. He further obtained a Higher Diploma in Criminal Judiciary and a Higher Diploma in Civil Judiciary.

Janet L. Banda

Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit, Government of Malawi

Dr. Janet L. Banda is Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit in Malawi. Her 32 year public career includes senior government roles, including Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice; Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Principal Secretary (Government Contracts) in the Office of the President and Cabinet; and Chief Law Reform Officer, and Acting Law Commissioner. As Chair of Malawi’s OGP Steering Committee, she leads governance reforms championed by government and civil society and is the supervisory head of the OGP Secretariat in Malawi. She holds a PhD in Law and Development (University of London), LLM in International Legal Studies (University of Georgia), and LLB (University of Malawi). She was conferred as Senior Counsel in 2016.

Daniela Barba

Director of Research on Access to Justice, World Justice Project

Daniela Barba is Director of Research in Access to Justice at the World Justice Project. She leads survey research on barriers to justice and develops people-centered justice measurement tools and political economy assessments for reformers. Daniela holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Politics and Social Policy from Princeton University and an M.A. in Comparative Politics from NYU. Previously, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at Vanderbilt’s LAPOP Lab. Her work focuses on access to justice, human rights, criminal and gender-based violence. She has also worked with the Mexican government and U.S.-based nonprofits on budgeting, services for at-risk children, and civic education in marginalized communities.

Ena Bavčić

EU Advocacy Officer and Advocacy Coordinator, ECPMF

Ena Bavčić joined the team in December 2024, focusing on the EU-based advocacy, and developing advocacy approaches to promote Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and ECPMF work and programs. With an MA degree in Human Rights and Democracy, and over 15 years of experience in the sector, Ena has been working on multifaceted projects aiming to improve freedom of expression and status of journalists, protect human rights defenders, gender equality and promote freedom of assembly and association. She has a thorough experience in digital rights research and policy development, and is a member of OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association.

Jan Beagle

Director-General, International Development Law Organization

Jan Beagle is Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO). She has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance; Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS; Deputy Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva; and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources. Ms Beagle has held senior roles in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and UNDP, and led interagency efforts, including as Chair of the CEB Task Force on sexual harassment. A champion of gender equality, she is a member of the International Gender Champions network.

Luciana Bercovich

Senior Manager, Grassroots Justice Network

Luciana is a Senior Manager at the Grassroots Justice Network, convened by Namati. She leads the Network’s work in Latin America and contributes to shaping a collective agenda for learning and action in the field of legal empowerment. Previously, she served as Co-Director of ACIJ — the Civil Association for Equality and Justice in Argentina. A human rights lawyer, Luciana holds a Law degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, a Master’s in Urban Development from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), and an MS in International Affairs and Development from The New School in the United States. She has authored books, papers and op-eds about social rights, access to justice, gender equality and housing rights.

Sumit Bisarya

Head of Constitution Building, International IDEA

Sumit Bisarya heads International IDEA’s Constitution-Building and Rule of Law Programme, which produces comparative knowledge, engages in policy advocacy, and supports national constitution reform processes. In 2020-2021, he was seconded to the UN as Senior Constitutional Advisor in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Previously, he worked with the International Development Law Organization, managing rule of law programmes in Afghanistan and East Africa, including initiatives on legal aid, judicial training, and institutions addressing violence against women.

Adam Bodnar

Minister of Justice, Republic of Poland

Adam Bodnar is the Minister of Justice of Poland, a legal scholar, and human rights advocate. He holds a PhD and habilitation in law, and earned an LLM in comparative constitutional law from Central European University. He served as Poland’s Ombudsman (2015–2021) and is Dean of the Faculty of Law at SWPS University, visiting professor at the University of Cologne, and senior fellow at CEU’s Democracy Institute. He has advised the UN, EU, and co-founded several NGOs. A published author, he is a recipient of the Rafto Prize and WJP’s Rule of Law Award. In 2023, he was elected Senator representing Warsaw’s 44th district and the Polish diaspora. 

Elisa Samuel Boerekamp

High Court Judge, Director-General, Centre for Judicial and Legal Training, Mozambique

Judge Elisa Samuel Boerekamp is a High Court Judge and Director-General of the Centre for Judicial and Legal Training of Mozambique. She oversees judicial education, legal research, and institutional capacity building. With over two decades of experience, she previously served as Judge President in Machava and Bilene-Macia Districts and was a Member of the Superior Council of the Judiciary. She has led reforms in procedural law, training curricula, and judicial integrity. A legal scholar, she contributed to the Commentary on the African Charter and the Maputo Protocol, and serves in international judicial networks promoting excellence in training.

Giuliano Borter

Public Policy Professional and SDG Advocate

Giuliano Borter is a dynamic public policy professional and SDG advocate with experience across the public sector and international NGOs. His work centers on human-centric, impactful policy, diplomacy, and collaboration with international organizations on security, international law, and emerging tech. With a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, he brings innovation, strategic communication, and strong stakeholder management to his work. Giuliano is also a Young Justice Leaders at Pathfinders from Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Susan J. Brison

Susan and James Wright Prof. of Computation and Just Communities, Dartmouth College

Susan J. Brison is the Susan and James Wright Professor of Computation and Just Communities and Professor of Philosophy at Dartmouth College, where she directs the Wright Center for the Study of Computation and Just Communities. She has held visiting positions at Tufts, NYU, and Princeton, and was a Mellon Fellow at NYU and a member of the Institute for Advanced Study. She is author of Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self and co-editor of Free Speech in the Digital Age. Her work appears in Ethics, Signs, Legal Theory, and The New York Times Magazine, among others.

Stanisław Burdziej

Professor, Department of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University

Stanisław Burdziej is a Professor of Sociology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. He holds degrees from Heidelberg University (MA) and Nicolaus Copernicus University (MA, PhD). His research focuses on procedural fairness and court legitimacy in Poland. He co-founded Court Watch Polska, an NGO promoting court monitoring and legal education. He has collaborated with leading Polish universities on problem-solving justice and community courts, and with ODIHR on court visits in Armenia, Croatia, Georgia, and Montenegro. He also contributed to the Euro-Expert project led by Prof. Livia Holden (Oxford), studying expert witnesses. His current work explores youth and digital tech. He has published in Law & Social Inquiry, Utrecht Law Review, Employee Relations, and other journals.

Ana Cardenas

Director of Justice Projects, Mexico, World Justice Project

Ana Cárdenas González de Cosío is a researcher and project manager committed to advancing access to justice, peaceful conflict resolution, and due process. She leads justice projects at the World Justice Project in Mexico, coordinating the first Open Justice Metric and promoting open justice practices. She has championed restorative justice and access for indigenous communities. Previously, she worked at the Federal Electoral High Court on transparency, electoral integrity, and freedom of expression. She holds a Ph.D. in Law from King’s College London and a Master’s from the LSE.

Kevin Casas-Zamora

Secretary General, International IDEA

Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora has been Secretary-General of International IDEA since 2019 and is a Senior Fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue. With over 30 years of experience in democratic governance, he has served as Costa Rica’s Second Vice President, Minister of National Planning, and OAS Secretary for Political Affairs. He has held fellowships at the Brookings Institution and taught at Georgetown, George Washington University, and UT Dallas. He holds a Law degree from the University of Costa Rica, an MA from Essex University, and a PhD from Oxford University. An expert in political finance, elections, and democratization, his award-winning research includes Paying for Democracy in Latin America. In 2007, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

CHEUK Chi-yan Kate

Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong SAR

Ms CHEUK Chi-yan Kate joined the Independent Commission Against Corruption as an Assistant Investigator of the Operations Department in 2001 and rose through the ranks to Principal Investigator in 2018, where she served in various positions responsible for conducting and supervising corruption investigations in both public and private sectors, intelligence-related duties, as well as undertaking management and operational support work. Since 2024, Ms CHEUK has been cross-posted to the Corruption Prevention Department as an Assistant Director to lead a division to advise public and private organisations on corruption prevention systems and controls. Ms CHEUK holds a Bachelor degree in Arts from the University of Hong Kong, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London.

Luisa Chiodi

Director, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

Luisa Chiodi has been the director of Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa since 2006. She holds a PhD in Social and Political Science from the European University Institute of Fiesole (Florence) and a degree in Political Science from the University of Milan. From 2003 to 2008 she was lecturer for the chair of ‘Eastern European studies’ at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Bologna. She coordinated several research projects and is author of publications on civil society and transnational social dynamics.

Helena Chmielewska-Szlajfer

Assistant Professor, Koźmiński University; Visiting Fellow, LSE

Dr hab. Helena Chmielewska-Szlajfer is an Assistant Professor at Koźmiński University and a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She received her PhD in Sociology from The New School for Social Research (2014). Author of “(Not) Kidding: Online Tabloid Politics» (Brill, 2024, Haymarket 2025), “Reshaping Poland’s Community after Communism: Ordinary Celebrations” (Palgrave, 2019), “Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz: Marxism and Sociology” (Warsaw University Press, 2014; Brill, 2018). Recipient of scholarships from the Minister of Science and Higher Education in Poland, the Kosciuszko Foundation and The New School. She studies everyday civic practices, news media and online politics, as well as news avoidance.

Antony Cook

Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft

Antony Cook has over 30 years of experience in the tech sector and more than 20 years at Microsoft. He is Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, overseeing 380+ legal and government affairs professionals in 50+ countries. His team supports Microsoft’s global commercial sales and develops legal solutions to advance business goals and benefit communities. Previously, Antony led Microsoft’s legal affairs in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa from bases in Singapore, Istanbul, and Dubai. He is Chair of the National Center for APEC, a Board member of the World Justice Project, and serves on the Advisory Board of Singapore Management University School of Law.

Matt Covey

Founding Partner, CoveyLaw

Matt Covey is an arts worker, attorney, and activist dedicated to helping artists build bridges across international communities. A former touring musician, agent, and manager, he is a leading advocate for artist mobility. He is a founding board member of Tamizdat, a Brooklyn-based NGO focused on legal research, education, and advocacy for US-bound artist visas. He is also the founding partner of CoveyLaw, a firm serving the international cultural sector. Covey speaks globally on immigration, equity, and law at legal and cultural forums. He serves on the boards of On The Move, the Brussels-based artist mobility network, and Voices of a People’s History, a New York-based group using performance and education to amplify underrepresented voices.

Aitor Cubo Contreras

Director General for Digital Transformation of Justice, Spain

Aitor Cubo Contreras earned a MS in Computer Engineering from Complutense University of Madrid, and MS in Psychology from Spain’s National University for Remote Education (UNED). In 2006, he joined the Superior Corps of ICT of the Spanish State Administration. Ever since, he has experienced several positions within national and international Administrations. Area Manager, Coordinator and later Director of the ICT Division at the Ministry for Territorial Policy and of the Civil Service, he was later promoted to Deputy Director-General for the promotion of digital administration and citizen services at the Ministry of the Treasury of Spain. In 2019, he joined the Inter-American Development Bank as Senior Specialist in Digital Government, to finally became Director General for Digital Transformation of the Justice Administration of Spain in 2020, a position he has held ever since.

Robert J. Currie

Viscount Bennett Professor of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Professor Robert J. Currie, KC is a specialist in the area of international and transnational criminal law. He is the Viscount Bennett Professor of Law at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. He is the co-author of International & Transnational Criminal Law, soon to be published in its 4th edition, as well as the Routledge Handbook of Transnational Criminal Law. An award-winning teacher, he has authored and co-authored numerous articles and comments in this field and his work is regularly cited by Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a regular contributor to continuing legal education for both the judiciary and the practicing bar.

Seth A. Davis

Adjunct Professor and Environmental Law Practitioner, ABA House Delegate

Seth Davis is marking his 50th year in legal practice. Specializing in environmental law since 1980, Seth has worked both in law firms and corporate law departments, and now maintains a solo practice. He is a Past Chair of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and currently serves in the ABA House of Delegates. Seth spoke at the World Justice Forums in 2017 and 2019. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, where he teaches a course in Environmental Law in Commercial Transactions. He is vitally concerned with the intersection of environmental and corporate law, the recognition of environmental rights, the ability of the law to respond to new environmental challenges, and the preservation of the rule of law. 

Jonathan Day

Advocacy Officer, Liberties

Jonathan works on the Liberties advocacy team, having previously worked on the communications team and leading the video advocacy program. Before joining Liberties in 2017, he worked in Budapest with the European Liberties Platform, interned with the Mexican chapter of Transparency International, and did video production work in the United States. He holds a Master of Public Policy from Central European University and a BA in political science from Trinity College.

Lee A. DeHihns III

Co-Chair, ABA SEER Int’l Bar Coordination Committee

Lee DeHihns retired from the law firm of Alston & Bird in Atlanta in 2014. Currently he is the Co-Chair of the ABA SEER International Bar Coordination Committee. He was the moderator of the program on Protecting the Most Vulnerable Populations from Climate Change at the 2022 World Justice Forum in The Hague. He was Special Counsel to the ABA Representative to the United Nations for Sustainable Development Goals. Member of the ABA House of Delegates 2009-2017 and its Committee on Drafting Policies and Procedures. Chair of the ABA Sustainable Development Task Force 2013-2015. Chair of ABA SEER 2007-08. Received his JD from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in 1974 and his BS from the University of Scranton in 1967. He served as an officer in the US Navy 1967-1969.

Emilia Díaz-Struck

Executive Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network

Emilia Díaz-Struck is the Executive Director of the Global Investigative Journalism Network and former Data and Research Editor at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). She participated in over 20 ICIJ award-winning projects, including the Panama Papers, Offshore Leaks, and Pandora Papers, collaborating with journalists in 110+ countries. She was investigative reporting coordinator at the Press and Society Institute of Venezuela and in 2012 Reporter in Residence at Boston University and CONNECTAS. A data journalism pioneer in Venezuela, she co-founded Armando.info and has contributed to The Washington Post, El Universal, and El Mundo. Emilia has taught at Columbia University and the Central University of Venezuela and mentored hundreds of Latin American journalists

Inbal Djalovski

Member of Compliance Review Panel, Asian Development Bank

Inbal Djalovski is a legal professional with two decades of experience in international law, human rights, international and internal investigations, as well as accountability mechanisms in development finance institutions. She is a Member of the Compliance Review Panel of the Asian Development Bank, and an Independent Expert Panel Member for the Independent Complaints Mechanism of three European development Banks. She is a pro bono member of the international expert group assigned to draft a treaty for the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court. Previously, she served as Prosecution Lawyer at the International Criminal Court. Prior to that, she served as a legal advisor to judges at the ICTY and ICTR Appeals Chamber, and as gender equality and SGBV focal point.

Patricia Peace Ejang

CEO and Co-Founder, LawBot Africa

Patricia Peace Ejang is a feminist, writer, activist, and lawyer. An alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative, she has contributed to access-to-justice projects on gender equality, SRHR, and youth issues through research and advocacy. She interned with the Refugee Law Project to support justice for refugees and host communities. She is an editor at Poetic Africa magazine and has volunteered with the Youth for Tax Justice Network and Women with a Mission. As CEO and co-founder of LawBot Africa, an AI-powered legal tech platform, she works to expand legal access. Patricia is also a Young Justice Leaders at Pathfinders from Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Mai El-Sadany

Executive Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Mai El-Sadany is the Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) and a human rights lawyer focused on the MENA region. She has worked to advance accountability, leverage regional mechanisms, and publish accessible analysis on legal and constitutional issues. She previously served as TIMEP’s Managing Director and Legal Director, and held roles at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, RFK Human Rights, and Carnegie Endowment. She sits on the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy and the board of HuMENA. She was named one of Washington, DC’s 500 Most Influential People by Washingtonian in 2024 and 2025. 

Khaled Emam

Executive Manager, Justice Call

Khaled Emam is a human rights lawyer from Egypt and Executive Manager of Justice Call, a nonprofit empowering youth in the MENA region to lead peacebuilding and justice efforts. He founded key initiatives like the MENA Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security and the Regional Network on Prevention. He is currently a visiting fellow at Harvard’s Carr Center and has served as a Teaching Fellow and Course Coach at Harvard. He was the first Arab Co-Chair of the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development. His work focuses on building democratic, people-centered institutions that uphold dignity and political rights. He holds master’s degrees in international law and public administration.

Serena Epis

Researcher and Advocacy Officer, OBC Transeuropa

Serena Epis holds a master’s degree in European and International Studies from the University of Trento. She joined OBC Transeuropa in June 2021 as a researcher and advocacy officer. Her work has focused on research, training, advocacy, and project management in areas such as media freedom, the rule of law, civic engagement, and the EU’s enlargement toward the Western Balkans.

Gianluca Esposito

Director General, Human Rights & Rule of Law, Council of Europe

Gianluca Esposito has served as Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe since August 2024. He was previously Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, as well as Executive Secretary of GRECO and Head of several departments, including Crime Problems and Equality and Human Dignity. Since joining the Council in 1995, he has led negotiations on key conventions in anti-corruption, cybercrime, terrorism, and human trafficking. From 2009 to 2015, he was Senior Counsel in the Legal Department of the IMF in Washington, DC.

Aidan Eyakuze

CEO, Open Government Partnership

Aidan Eyakuze is the Chief Executive Officer of the Open Government Partnership. He previously served as Executive Director of Twaweza East Africa, promoting open governance and citizen agency in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Aidan joined the OGP Steering Committee in 2016 and served as civil society co-chair (2021–2022). He sits on the Board of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and is a Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Before joining OGP, Aidan was Associate Regional Director of the Society for International Development (SID) and Head of the SID Tanzania. He has over 15 years of experience in scenario-building and futures thinking across Africa.

Meila Nurul Fajriah

Lawyer, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)

Meila is a public interest lawyer with YLBHI – the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation, where she has worked since 2022. Prior to this, she worked with the Legal Aid Foundation in Yogyakarta since 2016. She has various experiences with human rights issues, especially on issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights defenders (HRDs). She also has expertise on social media movements and has led the public campaign department since 2018. Within YLBHI, she is developing the grassroots movement through social media called PARAMEDIA YLBHI as a tool of advocacy. This initiative develops narratives and creates a digital movement among the communities YLBHI works with.

Marco Fandiño

General Coordinator, Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries

Marco Fandiño is the General Coordinator of the Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries (COMJIB). Previously, he worked as an international civil servant at the Justice Studies Center of the Americas (CEJA), supporting judicial reform processes in Latin America. He also served as the head of the Cooperation and International Affairs Unit and the head of the Studies Unit of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Chile. He has been a consultant for UNDP, OSF, UNODC, the Public Criminal Defense Office of Chile, the Ministry of the Interior of Uruguay, and the Prosecutor’s Office of Guatemala. Marco is a lawyer from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain and has a master’s degree in governance and human rights from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Pratiwi Febry

Co-Chair, Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation

Since graduating from law school in 2009, Pratiwi has worked in the Jakarta branch of the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI, Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia) as a human rights and public interest attorney. She works on human rights cases, focusing on gross human rights violations, labor rights, and the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, as well as policy advocacy. In 2022, she was appointed as a co-chair of YLBHI, where she focuses on organizational development and research. YLBHI was founded in 1970 as one of the first legal aid organizations during Soeharto’s authoritarian regime. To improve democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, YLBHI continues to provide structural legal aid services today. Legal empowerment has always been a key aspect of YLBHI’s work.

Ángel Salvador Ferrer

Researcher and Coordinator, Torture Prevention Program, DOCUMENTA

Ángel María Salvador Ferrer is a researcher and coordinator of the Torture Prevention Program at DOCUMENTA in Mexico. He has led initiatives such as the Observatory against Torture and a Permanent Dialogue between civil society and the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture. He has authored several guidelines and led numerous workshops to support public institutions in investigating and prosecuting torture and related crimes. Ángel is a lawyer with a master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Barcelona.

Moussa Fofana

Sahel Regional Representative, HiiL

Sheila Formento

National Coordinator, Alternative Law Groups

Sheila Formento is the National Coordinator of the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), a coalition of twenty legal resource NGOs in the Philippines that adhere to the principles and values of alternative or developmental law. She is a human rights and child rights advocate, a community organizer, and a lawyer. Prior to joining ALG, she served as National Training Officer for the Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT). Over her 20 years of experience, Sheila has immersed herself in the struggles of several marginalized sectors such as fisherfolk, women, urban poor communities, and children. She holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Community Development from the University of the Philippines and Bachelor of Laws from Arellano University School of Law. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2018.

Blair Glencorse

Co-CEO, Accountability Lab

Blair Glencorse is Co-CEO of Accountability Lab- a translocal network that makes governance work for people. Blair and his team have done everything from building large-scale socially conscious music campaigns across Africa; to monitoring and improving public services in South Asia; to running a prize-winning TV show around the world called Integrity Icon to “name and fame” honest government officials. Blair is also the outgoing Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and an outgoing member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Good Governance. He was previously a member of the World Bank’s Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement. Blair speaks and writes regularly on issues of open governance, citizen participation, anti-corruption and democracy.

Ken Godfrey

Executive Director, European Partnership for Democracy

Ken Godfrey is the Executive Director of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and has led the organisation since 2015. Prior to joining EPD, Mr. Godfrey worked as an Electoral Advisor for the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste. He has also worked for the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan, at the European Parliament and as an external consultant for the European Commission. He holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics in Comparative Democratisation. Mr. Godfrey has also lived and worked in Argentina, Canada, China, Japan, Senegal and the United Kingdom.

James A. Goldston

Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative

James Goldston is executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, which promotes the rule of law and rights protection worldwide through advocacy, litigation, and research. A leading human rights and criminal law practitioner, he has litigated landmark cases before the European Court of Human Rights and UN treaty bodies on counterterrorism, discrimination, and torture. He previously served as a senior trial attorney at the ICC, legal director of the European Roma Rights Centre, and prosecutor in New York’s Southern District. He holds degrees from Columbia College and Harvard Law School and has taught at Columbia, NYU, and CEU.

Mary Beth Goodman

Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

Mary Beth Goodman serves as the Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, overseeing portfolios on environment, public governance, and development, including sustainable development, climate finance, anti-corruption, and the Blue Dot Network. From 2021 to 2023, she served as U.S. Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security, and earlier as Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Development and Democracy at the National Security Council. A former diplomat in Pakistan, Mali, and Washington, D.C., she also co-founded a civil society organization focused on corruption and human rights in Africa. Before her diplomatic career, she practiced international trade law participating in free trade agreement negotiations and advising on trade compliance matters.

Barbara Grabowska-Moroz

Senior Research Fellow and Director of Rule of Law Clinic, CEU Democracy Institute

Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Rule of Law Clinic at the CEU Democracy Institute in Budapest. She holds a PhD in constitutional law from the University of Warsaw and an LL.M. from Central European University. Dr. Grabowska-Moroz has extensive experience in rule of law, human rights, and oversight of security services, previously working as a lawyer and project coordinator at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

Martin Gramatikov

Director of Knowledge and Research, HiiL

Martin Gramatikov is Head of the Measuring Justice team at HiiL User Friendly Justice. Martin graduated with a law degree from the University of Sofia, where he also obtained a PhD in Public administration. He has worked in diverse organisations – private companies, governmental agencies, NGOs and universities. His work has always been related to access to justice, legal needs and dispute resolution. Martin has designed and implemented empirical legal research in more than 30 countries to measure the justice gap in daily life. These studies exposed the justice needs of millions of people and led to tangible positive change.

Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram

Board Member, Free Courts Foundation

Attorney, human rights defender, co-founder and member of the Board of the Free Courts Foundation. Before courts and tribunals, she represents national and sexual minorities and victims of violence. She is involved in activities for the development of civil society, protection of the rule of law and systemic changes in the Polish justice system. She also actively participates in the defense of women’s rights, supporting several NGOs in this regard.  

Maja Groff

Executive Director, Climate Governance Commission; Chair, Planetary Governance Program at The New Institute

Maja Groff, Esq. is Executive Director of the Climate Governance Commission and Chair of the Planetary Governance Program at The New Institute. A board member and Senior Treaty Advisor at Integrity Initiatives International (III) Europe, she leads the drafting of a treaty to establish an International Anti-Corruption Court. As a Principal Legal Officer, she has previously worked on the development and administration of multiple multilateral treaties, as well as at international criminal tribunals. She has taught at the Hague Academy of International Law and Leiden University. She is a co-winner of the 2018 New Shape Prize for global governance innovation and is a co-author of Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century (Cambridge).

Laurent Grosse-Kozłowski

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Deveopment Initiative (IDI)

Laurent Grosse-Kozłowski has been working as a Senior Manager in the INTOSAI Deveopment Initiative (IDI since January 2021. He works on governance issues, particularly the legal aspects related to the independence of supreme audit institutions, which he also supports in strategic management. Before joining the IDI, Laurent worked for 27 years (1991–2018) at the INTERPOL General Secretariat, where he held various positions, including General Counsel & Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Administration and Budget, and Executive Director of Resource Management. In 2018, he set up a consulting firm (lgk consultancy) specialising in legal and governance issues.

Arturo Herrera Gutierrez

Global Director for Institutions, World Bank Group

Arturo Herrera is the Global Director for Institutions in the Prosperity vertical at the World Bank. A Mexican national, he brings extensive experience in governance from development, academic, and practitioner perspectives. He joined the Bank in 2010 and held several leadership roles before serving as Mexico’s Deputy Finance Minister and later as Minister of Finance and Public Credit (2018–2021). In his current role, he focuses on country-level governance, particularly in fragile settings, public financial management, procurement, and legal and judicial reforms. He has taught economics at El Colegio de México and NYU, where he pursued doctoral studies. ​

Leah Guyot

Program Associate, Justice for All, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just Societies

Léah Guyot is a Program Associate in the Justice for All team at Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies, hosted by the NYU Center for International Cooperation. She leads the Young Justice Leaders program, supporting the next generation of justice advocates, and provides strategic support to the Secretariat of the Justice Action Coalition. Her work focuses in particular on improving access to justice for women. Prior to joining CIC, Léah worked as a research consultant on issues including displacement, conflict, and disarmament. She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from The New School.

Hon. Justice (Retd) Evans Mweembani Hamaundu

Board Chairperson, Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia

Hon. Mr. Justice (Retd) Evans Mweembani Hamaundu is the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zambia since February 2025, following his appointment by the President, after serving as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Zambia from January 2014. J. Hamaundu holds an LLB from the University of Zambia, and began his career in the Legal Aid Department, later working in private practice and the corporate sector. He joined the Judiciary in 1996, serving as Resident Magistrate, Deputy Registrar, Registrar of the High Court, and Judge of the High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court. Known for his expertise in criminal law, his judgments reflected deep legal insight. He retired in January 2025 after 29 years of service and was appointed Chairperson of the Commission shortly after.

Milena Harizanova

Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland

Ms Harizanova is a child protection and programme management specialist with over 25 years of experience in different country contexts. Throughout her career she has designed, managed and monitored implementation of complex national reforms and programmes in Bulgaria, Georgia, Liberia and Poland in a variety of child protection areas such as: violence against children, child protection system building, de-institutionalization, alternative care, social services, and access to justice. In response to the escalation of the war in Ukraine, she joined UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland where she leads a programme for strengthening the capacity of the child protection system, services and mechanisms in Poland to protect the needs of refugee children.

Alvaro Herrero

Executive Coordinator, International Open Justice Network

Dr. Alvaro Herrero is the  Executive Coordinator of the International Open Justice Network. He is a seasoned expert in governance, rule of law and justice reform.  From 2015 to 2019 he led the open government agenda at the government of Buenos Aires city. He is the author of numerous articles and book on open justice, the rule of law, transparency and public innovation.  He has provided technical support to supreme courts, governments and civil society organizations in 20 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean working with international institutions such as the UNDP, IDB, the World Bank and USAID. He holds a law degree (Universidad Nacional de La Plata), a master’s degree in Latin American Studies (Georgetown University) and a PhD in Political Science (University of Oxford).

Coby Hobbs

Associate Editor, CamboJA

Coby Hobbs is a journalist based in Phnom Penh and associate editor at CamboJA, where he leads English-language coverage and investigative reporting for what is widely considered Cambodia’s last independent newsroom. His work has appeared in Al JazeeraThe KenSoutheast Asia GlobeThe Diplomat and other regional and international outlets. He covers political, economic, social and environmental issues, with a particular focus on transnational crime in Cambodia and the wider region.

Martin Hoppe

Head of Division Governance, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Martin Hoppe is Head of Division Governance at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Previously, he served as Head of Division Food and Nutrition Security, Global Food Policy, Fisheries. In 1998 he became legal counsel at the German Patent and Trademark Office 2002 at the BMZ. In BMZ, he held positions as a policy advisor on environmental protection in China, on principles and procedures, as a chief speechwriter and as Head of Division for Peace and Security, Disaster Risk Management. Postings abroad were to the German Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and the Head of Economic Cooperation and Development at the German Embassy, Hanoi.

William C. Hubbard

Co-founder & Board Chair, World Justice Project

William C. Hubbard is the Co-founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of the World Justice Project, and the Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Law. He served as President of the American Bar Association (2014-2015). He previously chaired the ABA’s House of Delegates and is a past president of the American Bar Foundation and American Bar Endowment. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, he is also an Honorary Master of the Bench of Middle Temple in London. He also served on the University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees (1986-2020) and was Chairman (1996-2000). He received the 2007 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award and the 2016 Burton Foundation’s «Leadership in Law» award.

Kathryn Grace Hulseman

Senior Research Associate, World Justice Project

Grace Hulseman is passionate about advancing sustainable development, social justice, and human rights. As a Senior Research Associate at the World Justice Project, she supports global research on people-centered justice. Her previous work includes roles with the World Bank, Fundación Paraguaya, and the Center for American Progress. She also served in Belize with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, supporting housing access. Grace holds a Master’s in Global Human Development from Georgetown and a BA from Fordham University. Grace is also a Young Justice Leaders at Pathfinders from Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Park Hyekyung

Director of Anti-Corruption Policy Division, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

A Korean attorney, Ms. Park Hyekyung has over 20 years of experience in anti-corruption, institutional reform, and legislative affairs as a public official. She contributed to the enactment of key laws such as the Anti-Graft Act and the Public Finance Recovery Act. As director of key policy divisions, she led reforms in whistleblower protection, expanding protected laws from 180 to 467, and overhauled Korea’s public sector integrity assessment system. She now serves as Director of Anti-corruption Policy Division at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, overseeing national anti-corruption policy.

Serena Ibrahim

Founder & Executive Director, Youth Against Corruption (YAC)

Serena Ibrahim is the founder and executive director of YAC, a youth-led organization promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship to combat corruption. She is a board member at Integrity Initiatives International and advisory board member for the UNODC Grace initiative. Serena has served as anti-corruption consultant for international organizations such as Transparency International and the UNODC focusing on rule of law and transparency. A frequent keynote speaker at global anti-corruption events such as the UNGA special sessions, UNCAC special sessions, and OECD events. She also advises governments in the GCC on smart cities, transport, and digital economy projects. Serena holds a master’s degree in architecture and an international master’s in sustainable territorial development.

Muslih Irwani

Associate Professor, Founding Director, Center for Policy Research, AUIB

Muslih Irwani joined the American University of Iraq-Baghdad in January, 2021 as Associate Professor of Social and Public Policy in the College of International Studies, and later as founding director of the Center for Policy Research.  A graduate of Nottingham University in the United Kingdom with a PhD in Social Policy and Administration. He has over 20 years of professional experience as lecturer, researcher and consultant. His research interest spins around minorities, displacement, social protection, public policy, governance and development.
 

Nozomi Iwama

Deputy Director General, Governance and Peace Building Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Ms. Nozomi Iwama is the Deputy Director General in charge of governance cooperation of JICA, at the Governance and Peace Building Department. Prior to this assignment, she was the Senior Director and Head of Office for Global Issues and Development Partnership, Operations Strategy Department of JICA from February 2021 to February 2024. She was responsible for JICA’s partnership relations and strategic dialogues with development partners. She served as Senior Representative of JICA’s Vietnam Office from 2017 to 2021. Her other previous assignments include Director for Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, Deputy Director of Office of International Affairs of Financial Services Agency of Japan. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration in International Development (MPAID) from John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.
 

Krzysztof Izdebski

Board Member and Director for Advocacy, Stefan Batory Foundation

Krzysztof Izdebski. Legal and policy expert. Member of the Board and Director for Advocacy and Development at the Stefan Batory Foundation. Marshall Memorial and Recharging Advocacy for Rights in Europe (RARE) Fellow. Member of the OECD Innovative Citizen Participation Network. He is a lawyer specialized in the rule of law, access to public information, and relations between technology and democracies.

Katarzyna Jakimowicz

Director of the Department of Analysis and Strategy, Ministry of Justice of Poland

A manager with over 20 years of experience in the public administration sector: responsible for correct operation of institutions; expert in public budget, administration, property, civil law and employment; responsible for drawing up and appropriate implementation of annual budget and multiannual investments. She has extensive experience in HR management and implementation of new HR solutions and projects. She is a competent specialist in conducting public procurement procedures, responsible for institutions’ legislative processes, including the development and implementation of regulations, decisions, expert reports and legal opinions. Advisor to and member of top management bodies, participating in financial negotiations and agreements with trade unions.

Jakub Jaraczewski

Research Coordinator, Democracy Reporting International

Jakub Jaraczewski is a Research Coordinator at Democracy Reporting International, a Berlin-based NGO dedicated to supporting democracy and the rule of law worldwide. As part of the re: constitution programme, he works with journalists and policymakers to improve the public debate on the rule of law in the European Union. Jakub focuses on the situation in Central and Eastern Europe. His insights have been featured in the New York Times, Guardian, Politico, Euronews, and other leading European and global media. Jakub holds a magister (M.A.) in law from Adam Mickiewicz University, where he also taught constitutional and human rights law.

Khunan Jargalsaikhan

Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia

Mr. Khunan Jargalsaikhan, Master of State and Law Science, is a Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (NHRCM), previously serving as Chief Commissioner (2022–2023) and Acting Chief Commissioner (2020–2022). He is a member of the LAWASIA Executive Committee and former President of the Mongolian Bar Association. He has held roles at the UNDP and Open Society Forum, managing access to justice and legal empowerment projects. With expertise in human rights and judicial reform, he has led research on judicial independence, legal aid, and treaty application. He holds an LL.M. from Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary.

Jesper Johnsøn

Deputy Head of Division, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government, OECD

Dr. Jesper Johnsøn supports governments in strengthening anti-corruption and public sector integrity systems, working with senior officials through the OECD Working Party on Public Integrity and Anti-Corruption. He leads the OECD Public Integrity Indicators team and specializes in indicator development, evaluation design, and methods. Previously, he led work on SIGMA’s Principles of Public Administration for EU Enlargement countries, the Government at a Glance: Western Balkans report, and led the Evaluation and Measurement efforts at the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre. Jesper holds a PhD and a Master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and another Master’s degrees from the University of Copenhagen.

Udo Jude Ilo

CEO, HiiL

Udo Jude Ilo is the CEO of The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) and a human rights advocate with over 21 years of experience addressing impunity, advancing democratic reforms, and promoting good governance. As Director of Open Society Foundations in Nigeria for a decade, he led efforts to expand civic space, support emerging activist movements, and strengthen accountability. He has held key leadership roles at the Nigerian Bar Association’s social justice program, the Forum of Federations, and the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), where he served as Interim Executive Director. Udo is widely recognized for his thought leadership on civic engagement, rights protection, and democratic resilience in West Africa.

Jaewoo Jung

Judge, Jinju District Court, South Korea

Jaewoo Jung is a presiding judge at the Jinju District Court in South Korea. Since his appointment as a judge in 2013, he has served for 12 years in various levels of courts, including the Seoul Central District Court. Notably, for the past two years, he served as a Director of Criminal Procedure at the Court Administration Office, responsible for the overall policies and administration of the South Korean judiciary. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Law in 2008 and received his LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School in 2022. Drawing upon his extensive experience in criminal trials and criminal justice policy within the Korean judiciary, as well as his focused studies on criminal justice at Harvard, Jaewoo Jung is eager to share his insights on judicial justice in Korea with legal professionals worldwide.

Sokhna Dié Ka Dia

Director, Natural Justice's Dakar Hub

Sokhna Dié Ka Dia is the Director of Natural Justice’s Dakar Hub and formerly served as Program Manager for its West Africa and Francophone Office. With over 18 years of experience in environmental law, she has worked on legislative development, legal drafting, and project implementation in areas such as protected areas, fisheries, and waste. Before joining Natural Justice, she collaborated with civil society organizations, universities, and national and international institutions. She teaches environmental law and waste management at UAD, holds degrees from UGB and UAD, and is an associate researcher at LERPDES/UCAD.

Adna Karamehic-Oates

Lead, Policy & Partnerships, OGP

Adna supports the cross-team efforts to mobilize coalitions, strengthen partnerships, provide knowledge resources and technical support to OGP governments, civil society and other stakeholders who leverage OGP to advance reforms in priority thematic sectors. Before joining OGP, Adna spent 11 years at the Open Society Foundations in Washington DC, in program management as well as advocacy roles focusing on the central/eastern Europe region as well as rule of law and transparency/accountability issues globally. After leaving Open Society and Washington, she continued working on the Millennium Challenge Corporation as an independent consultant. Adna holds a PhD in Globalization and Governance from Virginia Tech University.

Martha Karua

Senior Counsel and Former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Kenya

Hon. Martha Karua is a leading Pan-African jurist and democracy advocate with four decades of experience defending rule of law, human rights, and judicial reform. Known as Kenya’s “Iron Lady», she served as Minister of Justice (2005–2009), where she championed constitutional reforms and anti-corruption measures. She played a key role in Kenya’s post-election peace process and helped bring evidence to the ICC. Karua has defended political prisoners, advanced women’s rights, and continues cross-border legal advocacy, including in Uganda and Tanzania. A 2027 presidential contender, she remains a steadfast voice for judicial independence and democratic accountability across Africa.

Gentil Kasongo

Programme Manager, Democratic Republic of the Congo for Impunity Watch

Gentil Kasongo is Programme Manager for the Democratic Republic of the Congo for Impunity Watch.

Alyson Kilpatrick

Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Alyson Kilpatrick, a barrister called in England & Wales and in Northern Ireland, has extensive public law and human rights litigation experience, advocating for individual rights in cases like gerrymandering and transgender rights. A legal author, she served on NI’s housing commission and chaired the Simon Community NI. She advised the Irish government on UN Resolution 1325 on policing oversight and was the NI Policing Board’s Independent Human Rights Legal Advisor (2009-2017) and a UK terrorism legislation advisor (2016-2021). She conducted an inspection of the national police (An Garda Síochána) and reviewed Operation Kenova’s ECHR compliance. She is currently the Chief Commissioner of the NI Human Rights Commission, she was elected to the ENNHRI Board, and appointed GANHRI Secretary.

Kittipong Kittayarak

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Thailand Institute of Justice

Professor Dr. Kittipong Kittayarak currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). A distinguished legal expert and former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, he is recognized for his leadership in criminal justice reform, restorative justice, and advancing the rule of law in Thailand. Dr. Kittipong previously served as TIJ’s Executive Director, elevating its international standing within the UN network. He holds advanced law degrees from Stanford, Harvard, and Cornell, and continues to contribute to national and international justice initiatives through various prestigious board and advisory roles. 

Wambua Kituku

Executive Director, Kituo Cha Sheria

Wambua Kituku is Executive Director of Kituo Cha Sheria and represents the African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice. Dr Kituku, an esteemed Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, distinguished scholar, and programme management expert. With over two decades of experience in democratic governance, human rights, and humanitarian work, Dr Kituku brings a wealth of expertise in environmental law, climate change, strategic planning, and policy advisory.

Anna Korzeniewska

Founder and CEO, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe

Founder and CEO of the Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe and the Scholarship Fund for the Talented. The first Polish woman to earn a Professional Certificate in Fundraising from New York University, complemented by an Executive MBA. Jury member in regional impact challenges, Forbes contributor, and Global Philanthropy Fellow. A strategic thought partner for global and regional stakeholders, with a deep understanding of the region’s context, actors, and solutions. Anna promotes social responsibility as an integral part of personal and business decision-making.

Marta Kożuchowska-Warywoda

Director of HR and Organisation, Common & Military Courts, Ministry of Justice, Poland

Marta Kożuchowska-Warywoda is a judge at the Warsaw-Wola District Court in Poland. In 2024, she was delegated to the Ministry of Justice, where she currently serves as Director of the Department of Human Resource and Organisation of Common and Military Courts. She is also a member of the Team for Counteracting Hate Speech and Crimes Motivated by Bias.

Adam Krzywoń

Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland

Adam Krzywoń was appointed as Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland on 1 January 2025. Currently, he serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Constitutional Law at the University of Warsaw. His academic focus includes Polish and comparative constitutional law and the protection of human rights. Additionally, he is a researcher at the German Research Institute for Public Administration (FÖV), where he leads an international research project examining the transformation of public service systems across Europe. Prof. Krzywoń’s professional experience includes, inter alia, working at the Constitutional Tribunal (2007–2008). From 2010 to 2018, he was a secretary and member of the Prime Minister’s Legislative Council

Ewa Kulik-Bielińska

Member of the Board, Stefan Batory Foundation

Ewa Kulik-Bielińska is a translator of fiction and a long-time activist in non-governmental organisations. Since 2000, she has been associated with the Stefan Batory Foundation, where she has served as director since 2010, responsible for information, development and external relations, among other things. She is actively involved in activities aimed at improving the functioning of social organisations and developing philanthropy and civic engagement in Poland and abroad. 

Margaret Kulujian

Restorative Justice Court Coordinator, Cook County Circuit Court, USA

Margaret Kulujian is Restorative Justice Community Court Coordinator in the Office of the Chief Judge Circuit Court of Cook County.

Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

Artist-in-Residence, Yale University

Grzegorz Kwiatkowski is a writer, musician, activist, and academic whose work centers on history, memory, and ethics. He is the author of several books published internationally and is a member of PEN America and Versopolis. His work has appeared in major outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and NPR. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at Yale and curates programs at Oxford. He co-directs international forums with scholars at Oxford and UCLA and is part of a research project on postwar El Salvador. He has lectured at top universities and performed globally with his band Trupa Trupa. As an activist, he works to preserve the memory of Jewish communities in Poland and led a campaign to protect artifacts found near the former Stutthof concentration camp.

Reza Lahidji

Founding Partner, Future Horizons (Oslo)

Dr. Reza Lahidji is an economist specializing in policy analysis and evaluation. He is a founding partner of Future Horizons, a research consultancy in Oslo, and an associated researcher with the Climate Economics Chair at Université Paris Dauphine. His work focuses on applying economic evaluation to government policies, especially in access to justice, fundamental rights, and the rule of law, as well as to public investments under uncertainty. He has advised governments across continents and organizations such as the OECD, IMF, and UN. He co-authored the OECD White Paper on «Building a Business Case for Access to Justice.

Eva Langbehn

Human Rights Lawyer

Eva Langbehn, a human rights lawyer and public policy specialist, is committed to advancing justice for marginalized groups, especially women and children in Argentina. With a background in law and ongoing studies in public policy, she focuses on holistic, evidence-based solutions. Her experience includes legislative drafting, research, and work with international organizations addressing systemic injustices. Recently, she has concentrated on the secondary victimization of children and adolescents in the justice system. Eva is also a Young Justice Leaders at Pathfinders from Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Maaike de Langen

Senior Policy Advisor, OECD

Maaike de Langen is a Senior Policy Advisor at the OECD, leading initiatives on justice and rule of law and supporting governments to build people-centred justice systems. She is a Visiting Scholar at Arizona State University’s Justice Futures project and a Senior Fellow at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation. Her career began with socio-legal research in Mali and governance work with UNDP in Chad and New York, contributing to the Legal Empowerment of the Poor report. As a senior civil servant, she founded and led the Department for Strategy and Policy of the Dutch National Ombudsman. At NYU, she directed the Pathfinders for Justice Program, co-led the Justice for All report, and helped launch the Justice Action Coalition, Ibero-American Justice Alliance, and Young Justice Leaders.

Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Philippines

Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier was appointed in 2019 as the 182nd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in the Philippines. She chairs the 2025 Philippine Bar Examinations, she’s President of the Philippine Women Judges Association, VP of the International Association of Women Judges, co-chairs an ASEAN working group on children’s cross-border disputes and leads several other key committees like on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns and the one on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary. Formerly an Assistant Solicitor General for 14 years and an Appellate Justice for 12, she previously graduated Valedictorian (Magna Cum Laude) from UST Law and Philippine Normal College (PNC). Her awards include the 2025 PDI Women of Power and 2024 Thomasian Outstanding Alumni, and the prestigious 2008 Ulirang Ina Award.

Suet-Fern Lee

Managing Partner, Morgan Lewis LLP, Singapore Office

Ms. Lee is Managing Partner of the Singapore office of Morgan Lewis LLP, with a practice focused on M&A, capital markets, and corporate finance. She has advised on many of Singapore’s most significant transactions and is consistently recognized in leading legal publications, including Chambers Global, Asia Law, Who’s Who Legal, and Euromoney. She received the inaugural Asian Legal Business Lifetime Achievement Award and was featured in 100 Inspiring Rafflesians. A past president of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, she also served on the IBA Council. Ms. Lee sits on several corporate and public boards, and holds roles with the National Heritage Board, Singapore Management University, and Nanyang Technological University. She earned her MA in Law from Cambridge University in 1980.

Isabel Matyola Lemba

Permanent Secretary for Administration, Zambia’s Ministry of Justice

Ambassador Lemba is a career civil servant with over 30 years of experience in diplomacy and international relations. She began her career at Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993 and rose to Director before becoming Permanent Secretary in 2021. In 2024, she was appointed Permanent Secretary for Administration at the Ministry of Justice, overseeing governance and democracy, including Zambia’s OGP work. She has represented Zambia at SADC, COMESA, the AU, and the UN, and led participation in SADC and Carter Center election observation missions. She is a Fellow of the UN Disarmament and US International Visitors Leadership Programmes.

Margaret Levi

Prof. Emerita, Stanford; Sr. Fellow, CDDRL; Bacharach Prof. Emerita, UW

Margaret Levi is Professor Emerita of Political Science, Senior Fellow of Center for Democracy, Development and Rule of Law (CDDRL), and co-director of Ethics and Society Review, Stanford University; and Bacharach Professor Emerita at the University of Washington. A past president of the American Political Science Association, she was Sara Miller McCune Director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS). Awarded the 2019 Johan Skytte Prize2020 Falling Walls Breakthrough, and an honorary doctorate Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, she is in the National Academy of Sciences, British Academy, American Academy of Arts and Sciences and American Philosophical Society. The author of eight books and numerous articles, she studies trustworthy governance and cooperative behavior in the interest of others.

Mark Lewis

Chief of Public Sector Partnerships, World Justice Project

Mark Lewis is Chief of Public Sector Partnerships at the World Justice Project, leading engagement with governmental and intergovernmental donors. He previously spent over 25 years at the IMF, where he expanded donor support for global capacity-building programs and led partnerships with regional and multilateral institutions. His IMF work also included economic policy, outreach, and resource mobilization, and he served as IMF representative in Turkey (2010–2014). Earlier, he worked at the World Bank and on relief efforts in southern Sudan. He holds a B.A. from Swarthmore and an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Rueben Lifuka

Zambia Country Director, Chandler Foundation

Mr. Rueben Lifuka is a Zambian anti-corruption activist and researcher with 25 years of experience. He served as Vice Chair of the global board of Transparency International and was previously Chapter President of TI Zambia. Rueben is the current Chair of the International Anti-Corruption Conference, board member of the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST), part-time Country Director for Zambia at the Chandler Foundation, and runs Riverine Zambia Ltd., a governance and environmental management consultancy firm. He is a Chartered Environmentalist with the Society for the Environment-UK. Rueben earned a Master of Development Policy and Practice from the University of Cape Town, an MSc in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Bath, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Copperbelt University in Zambia.

Justice Madan B. Lokur

Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India

Justice Madan B. Lokur is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and the first Indian to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji, where he served until January 2025. He currently serves as Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council and continues his work as an independent arbitrator and legal commentator. As a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Lokur was known for handling key social justice cases, with his Bench becoming widely known as the “Social Justice» Bench. Justice Lokur has been a strong advocate for judicial reform, access to justice, child rights, and environmental protection. He chaired key committees in the Indian judiciary, including the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee and the E-Committee for court computerization.

Abbas Luyombo

Lawyer and Young Justice Leader

Abbas Luyombo, a 27-year-old Ugandan lawyer with visual impairment, is a Young Justice Leader passionate about climate justice, human rights, and gender equality. With an LLB from Makerere University, he is committed to legal research, policy advocacy, and supporting vulnerable communities. Certified in Law and Development and Leadership (A4ID UK, Oxford), he advocates for internet freedom and responsible business. He has served as a Clinical Fellow at Makerere’s Public Interest Law Clinic, coordinated pro bono justice at DLA Piper Africa, and supported diversity at UNILEVER Kenya. His volunteer work with NETPIL and Makerere’s Disability Law Centre reflects his commitment to inclusion.

Ross Maclaren

Program Officer, Mott Foundation

Ross Maclaren is a program officer responsible for grantmaking in the Increasing Access to Justice program area. Based in the Foundation’s London office, he previously managed grantmaking in Russia and Ukraine. Prior to joining Mott in 2006, he worked as director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities’ Russian Far East office in Khabarovsk. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in Central/Eastern European and Russian area studies from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

Themba Mahleka

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Themba Mahleka is a Senior Program Officer for the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies. He has over ten years’ experience in areas such as transparency, accountability, governance, access to justice, legal tech and innovation. He has worked in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the US. Before joining Pathfinders, Themba worked at Transparency International Zimbabwe (TI Z) as the Senior Legal Officer, heading the policy and legislation unit there, and for the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) first as an Innovating Justice Agent, and then as the Co-Head of the HiiL Innovation Hub, Southern Africa. Themba holds an LLB from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Corporate Governance from the University of Johannesburg.

Judge Razi Sikder Mahmudur

Justice, High Court Division of Supreme Court, Bangladesh

Judge at High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Obtained LL.M. and LL.B. (Hons) from University of Dhaka. Enrolled as an Advocate of the District Court, the High Court Division and the Appellate Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court in 2005, 2007 and 2021 respectively. Elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court Division on 09 October 2024. Participated in Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition held at Dhaka on 15th September 2005 and was awarded with the best memorial prize. Represented team Bangladesh in First Henry Dunant Memorial Regional Moot Court Competition for South Asia held in 2005 and was awarded the best memorial prize.

Revai Makanje Aalbaek

Global Lead, Rule of Law Justice and Security, UNDP

Revai Makanje Aalbaek is the Global Lead for Rule of Law Justice and Security for UNDP. She has served in various capacities, including as UN Women Acting Country Representative for Zimbabwe, Deputy Country Representative UN Women Papua New Guinea, Team Leader Governance and Gender equality with UNDP Zimbabwe and UNDP Team Leader for Effective Governance for the Pacific Region based in Fiji. Revai started her career with Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, a civil society organization working on legal empowerment, access to justice and human rights protection for marginalized groups. She has worked extensively in Africa and the Pacific. She holds an LLM in Human Rights from the University of Pretoria, South Africa and a Masters in Women’s Law from the University of Zimbabwe.

Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla

Supreme Court Justice, Nepal

Hon. Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla is Nepal’s senior-most Puisne Supreme Court Justice since 2016. A leading voice for judicial independence and human rights, advocating for women’s property rights, criminalizing marital rape & domestic violence, and decriminalizing abortion. Her judgments reinforce judicial accountability, environmental protection, gender and electoral justice. She was a legislator in Nepal’s First Constituent Assembly who helped draft the constitution, and a member of the UN Committee Against Torture. She chairs the Supreme Court’s Planning and Research Committee, spearheading judicial digital transformation and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion initiatives in the judiciary. She holds an LL.M. from Delhi University and a MPA from Harvard.

Clare Manuel

Senior Research Associate, Politics and Governance programme, ODI Global

Clare is a lawyer specialising in access to justice, financing for justice, business enabling environment, women in business, institutional strengthening, legal reform and adaptive programming, with 25 years’ experience of research, policy and programming in these areas. Clare was a city and UK government lawyer. She worked as an embedded adviser in Uganda and Fiji, before co-founding international development consultancy, The Law & Development Partnership which she ran for 20 years, leading projects and providing policy advice for DFID, World Bank, EU and other donors. From 2015-2017 she was programme director of DFID’s LASER (Legal Assistance for Economic Reform) Programme. She now works as an independent consultant, is co-founder of a digital dispute resolution company in the UK, and runs a free legal advice clinic in north London.

Fernando Marani

Program Director, Justice, Inclusion, and Equality, NYU’s Center on International Cooperation

Fernando Marani is Program Director of Justice, Inclusion, and Equality at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation. He works with the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies. A career diplomat from Argentina, he served four terms as a senior member in the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly. Since 1997, he has worked on international law, human rights, sustainable development, and youth issues. He holds a law degree from Universidad Nacional del Litoral and was a scholar at Argentina’s National Foreign Service Institute and a fellow at the Rio Branco Institute in Brazil.

Judy Perry Martinez

Vice President, Board of Directors, World Justice Project

Judy Perry Martinez is past president of the American Bar Association and Of Counsel at Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn. She served as Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Northrop Grumman and was a Fellow at Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative. She led numerous ABA entities, including the Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary and the Commission on the Future of Legal Services. In Louisiana, she chaired bar committees on professionalism, diversity, and capital defense. Judy has received multiple awards for public service and professional excellence. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Louisiana Bar Foundation. She earned her JD with honors from Tulane Law School and her BS from the University of New Orleans.

Macarena Martinic

Coordinator of the Empowerment and Public Participation Area, FIMA

Macarena Martinic is Coordinator of Empowerment and Public Participation at NGO FIMA and a lawyer with a degree from the University of Chile. She has extensive experience in strategic litigation and supporting communities across Chile, promoting transformative empowerment by helping people organize and use legal tools for environmental protection. FIMA is a Chilean non-profit that has worked since 1998 to influence environmental policy, legislation, and access to justice, promoting the right to a healthy environment and safeguarding nature.

Vivek Maru

Co-Founder and CEO, Namati; Co-Convenor, Grassroots Justice Network

Vivek Maru is co-founder and CEO of Namati, which advances social and environmental justice by combining the power of law with the power of people. Namati works with partners deeply in six countries, from Myanmar to the United States, and co-convenes the Grassroots Justice Network, a community of 3000+ justice organizations from over 170 countries. Vivek is co-author of Community Paralegals and the Pursuit of Justice. His TED talk, “How to Put the Power of Law in People’s Hands,” has been viewed over a million times.

James R. May

Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University

James R. May is Richard S. Righter Distinguished Professor of Law at Washburn University, where he teaches environmental and constitutional law and human rights, and co-directs the program in environmental, energy and resources law. He founded award-winning institutes in environmental law, sustainability and human dignity rights at Widener University Delaware Law School.  May has championed environmental justice policies, practices and programs at the ABA, including the Environmental Justice Task Force, for which he serves as Legal Advisor. These efforts in part led ABA SEER to award May the Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy. May received his BS and JD from the University of Kansas and LLM in Environmental Law from Haub School of Law at Pace University. 

Maia Mazurkiewicz

CEO, PZU Foundation; Co-founder, Alliance4Europe

A lawyer, President of the PZU Foundation, co-founder of Alliance4Europe, and host of the program «Anatomy of Disinformation» on TVP World. An expert in the field of countering disinformation and communication, with 15 years of experience in political management, foreign affairs, and communication across public administration, business, and civil society organizations.

Darek Mazzone

Executive Director, SAMA: Music and Art

Darek Mazzone is a cultural producer, DJ, and technologist bridging global music, innovation, and diplomacy. He is co-founder and Executive Director of SAMA: Music and Art, a Seattle-based nonprofit presenting sacred, traditional, and diasporic music through performances, films, and education. SAMA now runs international projects in Portugal and Poland to build cultural corridors across continents. For over 30 years, Darek has hosted Wo’Pop on KEXP, shaping its global identity. His initiatives include youth storytelling in Jordan’s refugee camps and Crossfader, a Microsoft platform connecting artists worldwide. He has also supported startup ecosystems in China, South Korea, Nepal, and India – always using music and tech as tools for empathy, resistance, and cultural connection.

Ian McDougall

Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexus

Ian McDougall joined LexisNexis in 2004 as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel where he oversees the legal function for the group. Mr. McDougall sits on the United Nations Rule of Law Steering Committee and is a member of the UN General Counsel Advisory Board. Until Mr. McDougall’s move to New York he was a Board Director and Trustee for U.K. charity Peaceful Place, which is dedicated to providing support to sufferers of early-onset dementia. He was also appointed as judge in the Barrister’s Disciplinary Tribunal and is a broadcast cricket commentator in association with the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Michael McGrath

Commissioner, Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission

Michael McGrath is the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection (2024–2029) of the European Commission. In this role, he leads the EU’s efforts to uphold democratic values, safeguard judicial independence, and protect consumer rights. Formerly Ireland’s Minister for Finance, and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, he has held several senior government positions, contributing to fiscal policy, economic recovery, and social protections. Commissioner McGrath is known for his pragmatic leadership and strong commitment to transparency, accountable governance, and the rule of law. He focuses on reinforcing EU legal frameworks and advancing democratic resilience across Member States.

Mary Margaret McKeown

Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Judge M. Margaret McKeown has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1998. A Georgetown Law graduate, she was the first woman partner at Perkins Coie, specializing in antitrust and IP law. Judge McKeown is also a member of the Board of Directors of the World Justice Project. She is the former President of the Federal Judges Association and chaired the U.S. Judicial Conference Codes of Conduct Committee. She leads the Ninth Circuit Workplace Environment Committee and served on Chief Justice Roberts’ National Workplace Conduct Working Group. A global lecturer on law, she has led rule of law initiatives worldwide. Her honors include the ABA Margaret Brent Award and John Marshall Award. She has published widely on IP, ethics, and the rule of law.

Jeffery McMillan

Director of Brand, Marketing, and Communications, PwC Central and Eastern Europe

Jeffery McMillan is Director of Brand, Marketing, and Communications for PwC Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), leading a regional team of over 30 professionals and coordinating efforts across 20+ countries. Originally from Canada, he is committed to building international communities and promoting the role of business in addressing societal challenges, with a focus on sustainable growth in the CEE region. Jeffery has served as a juror for the Baltic Communications Awards and the Emerging Europe Summit & Awards. He is active in the alumni network of the Center for Leadership in Poland and is an alumnus of the Advanced Leadership Program (2022).

Jacek Michałowski

Advisor to the Minister of Justice, Poland

Jacek Michałowski is Advisor to the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland, Adam Bodnar. Previously (2010-2015), he held the position of Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski. In 2000-2010, he was the Program Director of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation. In 1998-2000, he was the General Director of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Prof. Jerzy Buzek. In 1989-98, he was employed in the Chancellery of the Senate of the Republic of Poland—the first non-communist office in Poland, created from scratch, after the memorable elections of June 4, 1989.

Henry Molina

President of the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic

Henry Molina Peña has served as President of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Council of the Judiciary of the Dominican Republic since 2019. He holds a law degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and a postgraduate degree in Constitutional Law from the Catholic University of Chile. He previously served as Executive Director of the National School of the Judiciary and was the first Secretary General of the Ibero-American Network of Judicial Schools. From 2012 to 2016, he was Vice Minister of the Presidency, and in 2018, he became President of the Board of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute. He has worked with the World Bank and the European Union on initiatives to modernize justice systems and advance legal education and digital justice across Latin America.

Oliver Money-Kyrle

Media Development Expert and Press Freedom Advocate, IPI

Oliver Money-Kyrle is a media development expert and press freedom activist with over twenty years’ experience defending the rights of journalists in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Turkey. He joined IPI in September 2019 to head up the #FreeTurkeyJournalists campaign. Prior to that he was the Director of Projects with the International Federation of Journalists managing their global programmes and campaigns on journalists’ rights. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Bristol and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from Boston University Brussels.

Ana María Montoya

Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project

Ana María Montoya is Director of Data Analytics at the World Justice Project. She leads data analysis, research, and operations for WJP’s global, thematic, and country-specific reports, and supports survey design, methodology, and proposal development. Ana María holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Duke University and B.A. and M.A. degrees from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). Her research focuses on land restitution and rule of law in post-conflict settings. She has worked with LAPOP, the Colombian Inspector General’s Office, and USIP, where she was a Minerva Peace and Security Scholar. She also collaborates with Duke’s DevLab and the Women’s Rights After War Project at LSE, and has led evaluations of USAID development programs in Colombia.

Utaara Mootu

Member of National Assembly, Parliament of Namibia

Utaara Mootu is a Namibian politician, youth leader, and activist, serving as a Member of Parliament and spokesperson for the Landless People’s Movement (LPM). She holds a diploma in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Public Management with honors in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Namibia. Mootu joined LPM in 2017, becoming its youngest national spokesperson and a founding member when it transitioned into a political party. Sworn into Parliament in 2020 at age 24, she advocates for youth inclusion in decision-making, land justice, educational equity, and human rights.

John Morijn

Professor of Law and Politics, University of Groningen; Fellow, Hertie School

John Morijn is Endowed Professor of Law and Politics in International Relations at the University of Groningen and Henrik Enderlein Fellow at Hertie School Berlin. He is also a member (and former chair) of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency’s Scientific Committee and the Founding Mentor of the Our Rule of Law Foundation, a for-students-by-students democracy education project.

Marcin Mrowicki

Deputy Head, Criminal Law Department, Ministry of Justice, Poland

Marcin Mrowicki is a human rights lawyer. Currently, he works in the Ministry of Justice as Deputy Head of Criminal Law Department and Secretary of the Interministerial Team for Restoration of Rule of Law and Constitutional Order. He is also Assistant Professor at the University of Warsaw (Centre for Europe) where he teaches human rights and EU constitutional law. He is a re:constitution fellow and specializes in rule of law and EU law and proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights. He is the author of many academic and science publications.

Justice Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya

Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa

​Chief Justice Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya, appointed in September 2024 as South Africa’s first female Chief Justice, is a trailblazer for gender equality in the judiciary. With an LLM from Duke University, she has served at all levels of the judiciary, including as President of the Supreme Court of Appeal. A founding member and former president of the South African chapter of the International Association of Women Judges, Justice Maya has championed women’s rights and judicial transformation throughout her career. Her jurisprudence has advanced protections for women and marginalized groups, notably through her influential dissent in Minister of Safety and Security v F (2011), which was later upheld by the Constitutional Court. ​Justice Maya will be this Forum’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Keynote Speaker.

Freddy Yves Ndjemba

Senior Manager, INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI)

Freddy Yves Ndjemba, leads IDI’s work on SAI independence, which includes managing the SAI Independence Rapid Advocacy Mechanism, the SAI Independence Research Centre, the relationships with Donors on SAI Independence, and interactions other accountability institutions. Concurrently, he also operates as IDI’s Regional Manager for CAROSAI. Before that, he developed and managed IDI’s flagship initiative on Strategic Management SPMR (Strategy Performance Measurement and Reporting). Before joining IDI in 2017, he worked in the SAI of Cameroon for a decade as an engagement leader in performance audit, and later as the Chief Operating Officer of the AFROSAI Secretariat. Finally, he is an alumnus of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University (Masters in Audit, Control and PFM) and the National School of Administration of Cameroon.

John Nery

Director, WJP Board of Directors

John Nery is a journalist from the Philippines, currently a columnist and editorial consultant at Rappler, and a convenor of the Consortium on Democracy and Disinformation. He serves on the board of the Asian Center for Journalism at Ateneo de Manila University and lectures on media and politics. Formerly with the Philippine Daily Inquirer for 20 years, he was senior editor, editorial writer, and columnist. He is the author of Revolutionary Spirit: Jose Rizal in Southeast Asia and a former Visiting Fellow at ISEAS. He is also a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and a SOPA awardee in opinion writing.

William Neukom

Co-founder & CEO, World Justice Project

William Neukom is Co-founder and CEO of the World Justice Project. A retired partner at K&L Gates, he served as Microsoft’s lead lawyer for 25 years managing its legal, government affairs, and philanthropic activities. He retired from Microsoft as its Executive Vice President of law and corporate affairs in 2002. He is former President of the American Bar Association (2007–2008), receiving the ABA Medal in 2020. He was CEO of the San Francisco Giants (2008–2011) and serves on several nonprofit boards. In 1995, he and his four children founded the Neukom Family Foundation, which supports not-for-profit organizations in the fields of education, environment, human services, justice, and public health.

Karimov Alisher Nishanovich

Deputy Minister of Justice of Uzbekistan

Karimov Alisher Nishanovich holds a law degree from Tashkent State Law Institute (1999) and the Academy of Public Administration (2011). He began his career at the Ministry of Foreign Economic Affairs and later held senior roles in the Ministry of Investments and Trade and the Embassy in Ukraine. Since 2017, he has worked at the Ministry of Justice, where he became Deputy Minister in 2021. He oversees law-making policy, regulatory impact assessment, anti-corruption expertise, and coordinates multiple departments, including legislation, legal harmonization with WTO agreements, and registration of legal acts.

Vy Nop

Executive Director, Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Vy Nop is the founder and current Executive Director of the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA). He previously served as Media Director of CCIM from 2007 to May 2020. Vy holds an associate degree in journalism from the Royal University of Phnom Penh and a master’s in private law from the Royal University of Law and Economics. He has worked for over 20 years in leadership roles, including program manager, media director, and editor-in-chief, across various media outlets and NGOs in Cambodia. Throughout his career, Vy has championed press freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights.

Maciej Nowicki

President of the Board, Helsinki Foundation

Lawyer, graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw. Since 1998, he has been associated with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, where he has served as President of the Management Board since 2021. As part of the Foundation’s activities, he supervises the Migration Department and the Communications Department, and also deals with the crisis of the rule of law in Poland. 

Jonathan Nwagbaroacha

Chair, ABA Section on Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources

Jonathan Nwagbaroacha is Chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. He is currently Corporate Counsel – Environmental Sustainability at Cisco. He stays current on regulations and provides advice to legal and business colleagues; aids in the development and progress of strategy concerning new laws, regulations, and environmental sustainability goals; and supports government affairs leads on emerging regulatory trends and frameworks, and influence regulatory developments on priority issues. He obtained a J.D. and M.P.P. from the University of Maryland.

Paulo Mendes de Oliveira

Deputy Attorney General, Brazil

Paulo Mendes de Oliveira has been a Prosecutor at Brazil’s National Treasury Attorney’s Office (PGFN) since 2005 and currently serves as Deputy Attorney General of the Union. He holds a Ph.D. and Master’s in Law from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, with postdoctoral studies at the Federal University of Bahia and the University of Salamanca. He specializes in fundamental rights and constitutional guarantees, and completed advanced negotiation training at Harvard. Paulo is a professor in Brasília and a visiting professor in Peru. He has held leadership roles within PGFN, has experience across all levels of the judiciary, and is a published legal author.

Habiba Osman

CEO/Executive Secretary, Malawi Human Rights Commission

Habiba Osman is a well-versed professional in human rights and gender. Currently, Habiba is leading the Malawi Human Rights Commission in the capacity of CEO/Executive Secretary, a Constitutional Body, that is mandated to promote and investigate human rights violations in Malawi. Also famously known for her Award for a Global Freedom Exchange Fellowship for her work in sex trafficking by Vital Voices, Heineken and Hilton Hotels USA.

Laura Ospina

Senior Program Officer, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Laura Ospina is a Senior Program Officer for the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies. Laura has supported a series of development projects (with USAID, UNDP, INL, SIDA, GIZ) as well policy design and implementation initiatives in Colombia, Rwanda, Guatemala, Ghana, and Moldova, on strengthening formal and community justice initiatives, capacity building of public sector officials to provide more effective, efficient, people and gender-oriented justice services, as well as supporting local capacities and empowerment of armed conflict victims. Laura is a lawyer from Los Andes University in Colombia, has an LLM in International Human Rights Law and Criminal Justice from Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands, and an MSc in International Development from Tulane University.

Clare Ovey

Director of Human Rights, Council of Europe

Clare Ovey became Director of Human Rights on 1 August 2024. A London native, she studied law at Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor in England, specializing in criminal law. She worked on law reform at the Law Commission before joining the European Court of Human Rights in 1995. In 2015, she began working on the execution of the Court’s judgments, first with the Secretariat of the Committee of Ministers and then as Head of the Department for the Execution of Judgments from 2020. Ovey is widely recognized for her expertise on the European Convention system and is co-author of a leading textbook on the subject.

Márta Pardavi

Сo-Chair, Hungarian Helsinki Committee; Co-Lead, RARE Programme

Márta Pardavi is co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a leading human rights NGO based in Budapest. She focuses on the threats to the rule of law and civil society in Hungary and in the EU. She co-leads the Recharging Advocacy for Rights in Europe (RARE) programme, supporting human rights defenders to build stronger organisations and alliances for action on civic space and rule of law in the EU. Márta holds a law degree from ELTE Law School and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Hertie School. She is a receipient of several international human rights awards, is a member of the Council of Europe’s Expert Council on NGO Law, and serves on a number of international NGO boards.

Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha

Advocate and Head, Independent Law Chamber

Over the past decade, Advocate Nizamuddin Pasha has argued some of the defining cases concerning civil rights in courts in India, particularly the Supreme Court. Some of his landmark appearances include the challenge to electoral bonds as an opaque system of political funding, the hijab ban in schools and colleges in Karnataka, sectarian violence in Manipur, and petitions asking the Supreme Court to take action against hate speech. He served at the office of the Attorney General for India under the previous government. For the last several years, he has been heading an independent law chamber.

Laurent Pech

Dean and Professor of Law, Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin

Laurent Pech is Full Professor of Law, Dean of Law and Head of the Sutherland School of Law at University College Dublin. He is also a Visiting Professor of Law at Bordeaux University and Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas; the Clinical Co-Director of the CEU Rule of Law Clinic in Budapest; and the Co-Director of The Good Lobby Profs which he co-founded in 2021.

Flávia Pellegrino

Executive Director, Pacto Pela Democracia

Flávia Pellegrino is the executive director of Pacto pela Democracia, a broad and cross-ideological coalition that orchestrates the pro-democracy ecosystem in Brazil in order to counter authoritarian threats, defend the Democratic Rule of Law, and revitalize the democratic environment in the country. Over the past decade, Flávia has built and coordinated networks focused on democracy and human rights. She holds a degree in journalism and a master’s degree in political science. Pellegrino has become a key figure within the Brazilian pro-democracy movement, and, internationally, she’s been engaged in different initiatives aimed at strengthening transnational cooperation on promoting democratic values, practices and strategies to counter the current autocratization phenomenon worldwide.

Tabaré Perlas

CEO, Daniel Barenboim Stiftung; Conductor and Arts Manager

Since 2008, Uruguayan-German conductor and arts manager Tabaré Perlas has served as CEO of the Daniel Barenboim Stiftung in Berlin, overseeing international music education projects including the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, the Barenboim-Said Akademie, and the Barenboim-Said Music Center in Ramallah. A graduate in orchestral conducting and arts management from Nuremberg and Weimar, Perlas has managed the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra since its founding in 1999. He has led its acclaimed international tours and collaborations with soloists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Martha Argerich. Since 2016, he has also played a key role in the Barenboim-Said Akademie, advancing music education for young talents from the Middle East and North Africa.

Mikołaj Pietrzak

Former Dean of the Council of the Warsaw Bar Association

Advocate, former Dean of the Warsaw Bar Association (2016-2025), and Partner at Pietrzak Sidor & Partners. He specializes in criminal law and human rights protection, representing clients before Polish and international courts, including the European Court of Human Rights. He is a member of several international legal organizations and has served as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (2021–2022). Mikołaj Pietrzak is also a co-founder of the Prof. Zbigniew Hołda Association (est. 2010) and has been recognized for his commitment to justice and the public good. 

Bartosz Pilitowski

CEO, Court Watch Poland Foundation

Bartosz Pilitowski is the founder and chair of the Court Watch Polska Foundation, a leading Polish NGO promoting judicial transparency, accountability, and professionalism. A manager with private sector experience, data analyst, and legal sociologist, he brings a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach to justice reform. Since 2010, he has led the «Civic Court Monitoring» program, mobilizing nearly 4,000 volunteers in 260 towns, generating over 60,000 court hearing reports. This work has supported systemic improvements and reduced judicial irregularities. He co-authored the “Court Monitoring Methodology” and has shared it internationally. His efforts have fostered dialogue within the judiciary, including with Poland’s Supreme Courts.

Monika Stanisława Płatek

Head of the Department of Criminology, University of Warsaw

Monika Stanisława Płatek is the Head of the Department of Criminology in the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw.

Srirak Plipat

Regional Director for Asia Pacific

Srirak Plipat is the World Justice Project’s Asia Pacific Regional Director, where he leads initiatives to advance the rule of law through partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and platforms for action. He has 20+ years’ experience in international law, governance, and human rights. He previously served as Executive Director of Freemuse, and as Asia Pacific Director at Transparency International, where he led anti-corruption research and advocacy. At Amnesty International, he directed global movement building and regional operations. Dr. Plipat also worked with the World Bank Institute and holds a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Atanas Politov

Europe Director, Positive Impact and Pro Bono, Dentons

Atanas Politov is Dentons’ Europe Director for Positive Impact and Pro Bono, based in the Budapest office. Since joining in 2016, he has coordinated pro bono efforts across continental Europe and led Dentons Europe’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and ESG program. Previously, he was Director for Programs at PILnet, managing global pro bono and access to justice efforts. He has led anti-discrimination and legal aid reform projects in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, and developed PILnet’s pro bono programs in China and across Europe. Atanas holds a law degree from Sofia University, an LL.M. from Columbia Law School (2002), and a degree in Theology and Philosophy from Plovdiv University.

Alejandro Ponce

Executive Director, World Justice Project

Dr. Alejandro Ponce is Executive Director of the World Justice Project, where he leads global efforts to advance the rule of law through research and strategic initiatives. As Chief Research Officer (2012–2025), he developed the WJP Rule of Law Index and key data products, including justice diagnostics, environmental indicators, and the global justice gap study. He also led WJP’s expansion in Mexico and the EU. A former economist at the World Bank and researcher at Yale, his work on behavioral economics, financial inclusion, and justice has been published in top journals. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.

Mariela Ponce Villa

Presiding Magistrate, Criminal Chamber at the Superior Court of Justice of Querétaro, Mexico

Mariela is a Presiding Magistrate of the Criminal Chamber at the Superior Court of Justice of Querétaro, Mexico. With a 30-year judicial career, she has extensive experience as a criminal judge and juvenile criminal judge. She holds a legal degree and a PhD in Law with a specialization in Constitutional Law and has authored two books. During her tenure as Head of the Superior Court of Justice of Querétaro (2021–2024), she championed transparency and citizen participation as key elements of open justice, fostering public awareness and the judiciary’s legitimacy. Notable initiatives she led include creating the Citizen Observatory, implementing new judicial accountability policies for state judges, and establishing specialized courts for violence against women.

Rosaura Quiñones

Director of Public Policy, Judiciary of the Dominican Republic

Rosaura Quiñones is a senior economist and policy advisor at the Judiciary of the Dominican Republic where she currently leads institutional strategies on open justice, transparency, legislative agenda, and evidence-based decision-making. Under her leadership, the Judiciary became an official participant in the Dominican Republic’s 6th Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan. She is currently coordinating the development of the institution’s first Open Data Policy. Her career includes key roles at the National Budget Office, the Ministry of Health, and the OECD Development Centre in Paris. Her contributions include co-authoring reports such as the OECD Multidimensional Country Review of Uruguay. She holds a MA in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Barna Business School. She advocates for public sector modernization, people-centered justice systems, and open government initiatives to foster transparency and accountability.

Ketakandriana Rafitoson

Vice-Chair, Transparency International

Dr. Ketakandriana Rafitoson is a Malagasy anticorruption and pro-democracy activist and independent researcher. She is current Vice-Chair of Transparency International and served as the Executive Director of TI Madagascar from 2018 to 2024. She is also a member of the International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and sits within the Advisory Board of the African Women Against Corruption Network (AWACN). Moreover, Dr. Rafitoson co-founded several social movements in Madagascar and was appointed as Publish What You Pay’s global Executive Director in July 2024 – fighting for a better governance of extractive industries in 60+ countries. Dr. Rafitoson holds a PhD in Political Science, and a second one in Sociology Applied to Development. She is lecturing on local democracy and citizens’ engagement at the Catholic University of Madagascar.

Manuel Ramos-Maqueda

Governance Specialist, World Bank

Manuel Ramos-Maqueda is a Governance Specialist in the World Bank’s Institutions Global Department, where he leads work on justice reform, public sector innovation, and institutional design using data science and digital tools. He has worked across Latin America, East Africa, and Europe and Central Asia. Previously, he was with the World Bank’s Development Impact Department (DIME), the OECD, and Innovations for Poverty Action. He holds a dual degree in Law and Economics from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, an M.A. in International Policy from Stanford University, and is completing a Ph.D. at the University of Oxford.

Sirpa Rautio

Director, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Sirpa Rautio is Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), a role she assumed in March 2024. Previously, she was the founding Director of the Finnish Human Rights Centre (2012–2024) and chaired the European Network of Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) from 2022 to 2024. She has over 20 years of international experience with organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, OSCE, Council of Europe, and the EU, working in both field and leadership roles. Rautio also served on FRA’s Management Board (2015–2020), including as Chair. She has extensive experience working in post-conflict settings and countries in transition. A lawyer by training, she graduated from the University of Turku, Finland.

Maria A. Ressa

2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Co-founder and CEO, Rappler

Maria Ressa is the co-founder and CEO of Rappler and a 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, honored for defending freedom of expression. With nearly 40 years of journalism experience in Asia, she has faced political persecution under the Duterte regime. She is a Professor of Practice at Columbia University and co-leads its Technology Initiative. Maria previously led ABS-CBN’s news division and served as CNN’s bureau chief in Manila and Jakarta. She has received global recognition, including Time’s Person of the Year (2018), 100 Most Influential People (2019), and BBC’s 100 Women. Her books include Seeds of Terror, From Bin Laden to Facebook, and How to Stand up to a Dictator.

Andrea Reyes

Congresswoman, Guatemala

Andrea María Reyes is a Guatemalan attorney and notary committed to human rights, transparency, and civic participation. She holds a Master’s in Human Rights and Democratization from UNSAM and a Bachelor’s in Legal and Social Sciences from Universidad Rafael Landívar. In 2023, she was elected to the Guatemalan Congress (2024–2028) with Movimiento Semilla, where she held key legal and electoral roles. She has advised civil society on constitutional litigation, legal reform, and oversight mechanisms, and served as anti-corruption attorney for CristoSal. Reyes brings legal expertise and a strong ethical commitment to democratic transformation.

Jimena Reyes

Director for the Americas, International Federation for Human Rights

Jimena Reyes is a Paris Bar human rights attorney. As FIDH’s director for the Americas since 2003, she has conducted many investigations in Northern and Latin American countries, particularly on the rule of law, corruption, business and human rights and international crimes. Jimena frequently speaks as an expert before international bodies. She litigates before the ICC and before the Inter-American system of human rights representing victims from Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Nicaragua. She was a visiting professional at the International Criminal Court Trial Division and an Eleonor Roosevelt visiting fellow at Harvard Law School. She holds a Bachelor of Law from King’s College, a Maîtrise de droit from the Panthéon Sorbonne, and a master’s in European studies from the College of Europe.

Lucy Rigby

Solicitor General for England and Wales

Lucy Rigby is a British Labour MP for Northampton North since 2024 and was appointed HM Solicitor General in December 2024. A former Treasury Select Committee member, she previously stood for Parliament in 2015. A solicitor by profession, she trained at Slaughter and May, later working at the OFT, Which?, and becoming a partner at Hausfeld. She specialised in competition and consumer law, receiving multiple legal accolades. Rigby studied Politics at Durham and law in Nottingham and Oxford. Elected to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in 2024, she now serves as Vice-Chair of its Transition and Development Sub-Committee.

Muhammad Rizaldi

Adjunct Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS)

Muhammad Rizaldi is Adjunct Researcher at the Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS). He graduated from the Faculty of Law of Universitas Indonesia and subsequently pursued his Master degree in Law from the University of Melbourne. As a researcher, Rizaldi has been involved in court reform projects in Indonesia since 2013. He joined the Supreme Court of Indonesia’s team in designing an implementation guidelines for article 11 of UNCAC regarding measures to strengthen integrity and to prevent opportunities for corruption among members of the judiciary. In IJRS, his research area include issues such as access to justice, anti-corruption, and vulnerable group rights. Recently, he is active as the Program Officer in IJRS to advocate for the institutionalization of Open Government Indonesia

Andrea Rocca

Head of Policy and Advocacy, Transparency International

Andrea Rocca is Head of Policy and Advocacy at Transparency International (TI), where he also led or contributed to the organisation’s work on civic space, protection of anticorruption activists, corruption and human rights, and TI partnership with investigative journalists. Prior to joining TI, Andrea worked at Front Line Defenders and the International Service for Human Rights. Andrea holds a law degree from Italy and a LLM in Public International Law from the University of Nottingham.

Maria Fernanda Rodriguez 

Senior Fellow NYU’s Center; Lead, Technical Secretariat, Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice

María Fernanda Rodríguez is a Senior Fellow at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation and Lead of the Technical Secretariat of the Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice. She is also advisor to the Council of the National Magistracy in Argentina, and specialized consultant in human trafficking for the IOM. Previously, María Fernanda served as Vice-Minister of Justice of Argentina and Under-Secretary-General for Access to Justice. She was also Sherpa and co-chair of the Pathfinders Task Force on Justice, working on the drafting of the Justice for All report. María Fernanda is a lawyer from the University of Buenos Aires and has a Diploma in Human Rights of the American University Washington College of Law.

John Romano

Director, TAP Network

John is the Director of the TAP Network, based in New York. Previously, he worked at Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), coordinating global advocacy campaigns around the UN’s Post-2015 development agenda. He has also worked for the UN Secretariat with UNDESA’s Division for Sustainable Development, where he helped facilitate the engagement of civil society in the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, and coordinated the UN’s social media coverage for the conference. He has a MS in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a BA in Environmental Studies and Geography from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Lesley Rosenthal

Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary, Juilliard School

Lesley Rosenthal is the Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary of The Juilliard School, leading operations, governance, and strategy. Formerly General Counsel of Lincoln Center, she helped drive its $1.2B campus transformation. In 2021, she co-led the airlift of 273 Afghan musicians and educators to safety. A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, she is author of Good Counsel and a thought leader in nonprofit law. She has taught at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Georgetown, and Juilliard, and is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. An active artist, she co-wrote Dear Erich, a jazz opera on human rights, and performs as a violinist. In 2025, she will receive the Maria Callas Festival Medal in Verona, Italy.

Dagmara Rybicka

Spokesperson and Head of the Press Office of the SME Ombudsman, Poland

Dagmara Rybicka is the Spokesperson and Head of the Press Office of the SME Ombudsman in Poland, experienced PR strategist, journalist, and consultant. She specializes in public relations, crisis communication, CSR, and public affairs, with over 15 years of experience. Author of expert publications and original training programs. She has led media strategies, managed reputational crises, and conducted more than 150 interviews with leaders in business, sports, and culture. As an Ombudsman office expert, she contributes to the AI Task Force. Passionate about new technologies and their use in modern crisis management and strategic communication.

Phiset Sa-ardyen

Executive Director, Thailand Institute of Justice

Dr. Phiset Sa-Ardyen is the Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), where he leads efforts to strengthen the rule of law and justice system through a people-centered, evidence-based approach. He also promotes implementation of the UN Bangkok Rules in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Previously, he served as TIJ’s Director of External Relations and held key positions at Thailand’s Ministry of Justice, including Director of the ICT Center, leading digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives. He holds degrees in Bioengineering, Chemistry, Law, and Translation from institutions in Japan, the U.S., and Thailand.

Gisele Samvura

Rule of Law Officer, United Nations

Gisele Samvura is Rule of Law Officer, Justice and Corrections Standing Capacity, DPO/OROLSI/JCS, UNGSC Brindisi, Italy

Rebecca Sandefur

Professor and Director, Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics

Rebecca L. Sandefur is Professor in and Director of the Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics and Professor (by courtesy) in the Sandra Day O’Conner College of Law at Arizona State University. In addition to her appointment at ASU, Sandefur is Faculty Fellow at the American Bar Foundation, where she founded and leads the Access to Justice Research Initiative. In 2018, she was named a MacArthur Fellow for her work on inequality and access to justice. Sandefur was born in and spent her early years in Oklahoma and is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Margaret Satterthwaite

UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

Margaret Satterthwaite was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers in October 2022. She is a Professor of Clinical Law at NYU School of Law, where she directs the Global Justice Clinic and co-directs the Bernstein Institute and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Her work focuses on access to justice, legal empowerment, and human rights innovation. She has worked globally with communities and litigated in international forums. A graduate of NYU School of Law, She clerked for a US Court of Appeals judge and subsequently for judges of the International Court of Justice, and held roles with Amnesty International USA, WHO, the World Bank. She has been a member of the boards of directors of several human rights organizations.

Roby Senderowitsch

Practice Manager for Public Administration, Governance Global Practice, World Bank Group

Roby Senderowitsch is Practice Manager for Public Administration in the Governance Global Practice at the World Bank. He previously held roles including Practice Manager for Europe and Central Asia (West), Manager of the Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA), and Country Manager in the Dominican Republic. His work focuses on political economy analysis, coalition-building, anti-corruption, and performance-based public management. He has lectured on HR management in nonprofit organizations and served as director of educational programs, community development, and HR management in the private sector.

Hon. Alpha Sesay

Attorney General & Minister of Justice, Sierra Leone

Alpha Sesay is the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone. Before his appointment, he served as the Deputy Minister of Justice for Sierra Leone. He holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Notre Dame and an LLB from the University of Sierra Leone. Before joining the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Sesay served as the Senior Democracy, Rights, and Governance Advisor for USAID in Sierra Leone. He also held the position of Senior Advocacy Officer at the Open Society Justice Initiative in Washington, DC. He has worked with Institutions such as the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the International Criminal Court, and regional human rights bodies, including the ECOWAS Court, the African Commission, and the Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Milbert Dongjoon Shin

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNMIK

Milbert Dongjoon Shin was appointed Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) on 24 July 2024. He brings 30 years of experience in international peace and security, international law, and human rights, including field missions. Since 2022, he served as Chief of Rule of Law and Security Institutions in UNMISS. He was previously Chief of Legal Strategy and Investigations at UNITAD in Iraq, and Chief of Justice and Corrections in MINUSMA. He also served as Chief of Political Affairs in UNMIL and earlier as Legal Adviser in UNMIK. Mr. Shin has worked with the U.S. Department of State and consulted for multilateral and non-governmental organizations.

Amrit Singh

Professor & founding Executive Director of the Rule of Law Impact Lab, Stanford Law School

Amrit Singh is Professor of the Practice of Law and founding Executive Director of the Rule of Law Impact Lab at Stanford Law School, which studies and deploys legal tools to defend democracy and the rule of law worldwide. A human rights lawyer, as well as an expert on democracy and the rule of law, she has litigated landmark cases in US courts, as well as before the European Court of Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She is a frequent commentator in the U.S. and international press. She is a graduate of the Yale Law School, Oxford University, and Cambridge University.

Karam Jeet Singh

Deputy Director, Integrity Initiatives International (III)

Karam Singh has 25 years of experience in anti-corruption, human rights, and law reform. He is the Deputy Director of Integrity Initiatives International (III), which advocates for creation of an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACCourt). Prior to joining III, Karam served as Executive Director of Corruption Watch, South Africa’s leading anti-corruption NGO. His career has also included key roles in the South African government’s Special Investigating Unit and the South African Human Rights Commission. Karam is an admitted attorney in both the U.S. and South Africa, with degrees from Brown University, Georgetown, University of Cape Town, and the University of Pretoria.

Anoushka Sinha

Social Entrepreneur and Activist

Anoushka Sinha, a social entrepreneur and human rights activist, has advocated for gender and education equality since age 10, reaching one million people through advocacy, radio, and grassroots SDG initiatives. She began with local NGO campaigns, led her own organization, and became India’s youngest radio jockey at 12. A former UNEP regional ambassador, she has held roles with UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and UNESCO’s SDG4 YSN. She works with the ONE Campaign, Plan International, and the UN Foundation. A Diana Award recipient, she’s been honored by UN Women, GirlUp, and others. Anoushka is also a Young Justice Leaders at Pathfinders from Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Konrad Siwinski

Head of Research, Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe; Senior Partner at Minds & Roses

A researcher, social activist, team leader, and academic lecturer. As the Head of Research at the Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe he is actively involved in projects at the intersection of business and social impact. He also lectures on Marketing Research at the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw. As a Senior Partner at Minds & Roses, he leads a research team. Previously, he spent 10 years as a Managing Consultant at Kantar. He specializes in innovation, strategy, and experience design, combining analytical expertise with a deep understanding of business realities. Konrad leads a working group on education within the Polish Society for Market and Opinion Research. He trains for long-distance running. You can also find him at Dziki Warszawa basketball games.

Maria Skóra

Policy Fellow, Das Progressive Zentrum; Research Fellow, IEP Berlin

Maria Skóra is an advisor on democracy and European politics with a transatlantic spin. Her expertise focuses on populism, democracy and (re)democratization, elections, political parties, and policy analysis. She offers advice on Germany, Poland, European politics and policies, and transatlantic relations. Today based in Berlin, with previous stops in Warsaw, Washington DC, and frequent visits to Brussels, she is a non-resident Research Fellow at the Institut für Europäische Politik, a Policy Fellow at Das Progressive Zentrum, and a re:constitution Fellow.

Anda Smiltēna

Deputy State Secretary on Law Policy, Ministry of Justice in Latvia

Anda Smiltēna holds Ph.D in law and a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Latvia. She is the author of several scientific publications and co-author of several books on constitutional and administrative law issues. She has worked in various civil service positions at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia since 2006, has led several reforms and worked in the institutions of the European Union in Brussels. She currently holds the position of Deputy State Secretary on Legal Policy, overseeing policy-making in the areas of civil law, criminal law and constitutional law, as well as supervising the activities of 8 state institutions subordinated to Ministry of Justice. She is the Head of the Latvian Delegation to the OECD Working Group on Bribery.

Andrew Solomon

Senior Rule of Law Advisor, USAID

Andrew Solomon is a seasoned expert and innovator in the field of international legal and judicial reform, with three decades of experience culminating in his recent role as a Senior Rule of Law Advisor at USAID. He has led in developing evidence-based policies, designing cutting-edge programs, and facilitating locally-led initiatives to close justice gaps, combat impunity and insecurity, and strengthen trust in justice institutions around the globe and he specializes in court excellence, people-centered justice, and legal empowerment. Andrew currently sits on the board of the International Association for Court Administration and will soon join the board of the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. In the meantime, he is developing a Rule of Law IDEAS CoLab to inventory select justice innovations, aggregate new design tools, and build a space for rule of law leaders and influencers to collaborate in solving people’s primary justice problems. 

Panupun Som-skul

Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, NHRC Thailand

Panupun Som-skul is the Director of the Human Rights Situation Monitoring and Evaluation Bureau at the Office of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand. With over 20 years of experience in human rights, public health and legal analysis, he leads national efforts to monitor and evaluate human rights situations, conduct investigations and prepare Thailand’s annual Human Rights Assessment Report. His areas of expertise include community rights, environmental justice and the rights of vulnerable groups. Panupun holds degrees in Occupational Health and Safety and Law, and is a Royal Thai Government Scholar.

Søren Stauning

Special Advisor, Election Unit, Ministry of the Interior and Health, Denmark

Søren Stauning is a special advisor at the Election Unit within the Ministry of the Interior and Health of Denmark. Holding this position for the past 10+ years, he has been working to harness democratic resilience and transparency throughout the democratic infrastructure. A political science graduate, he represents Denmark in the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM) and the EU Election Cooperation Network on Elections (ECNE) as well as in central government election readiness fora. He has presented at international conferences on reforming and strengthening mature democracies and is the contact person for research on turnout and democratic resilience.

Christopher Stephens

Senior Vice President & General Counsel World Bank Group

Christopher Stephens is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group, overseeing the Legal Vice Presidency and advising on legal aspects of operations, development finance, anti-corruption, corporate governance, and risk. He serves as principal legal advisor to the Board of Governors, Executive Directors, and senior management. Previously, he was General Counsel of IFC (2019–2022), General Counsel of ADB, and a Managing Partner at Orrick. He leads with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and impactful legal support to advance the World Bank Group’s mission.

Joanna Szymanska

Head of Programmes and Strategy for Europe, Article 19

Human rights advocate with a focus on freedom of expression, media freedom, and digital rights. She is also an experienced project coordinator, human rights trainer and researcher working across Europe and Central Asia.

Clare Tan

Deputy Director, Corporate Communications, CPIB

Clare is Deputy Director of Corporate Communications at the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), overseeing prevention, engagement, and communications. With 30 years in public service, she joined CPIB in 2011 after roles in health, police, and immigration agencies. Clare has led impactful campaigns, including anti-corruption videos in cinemas, creative competitions, exhibitions, and social media via CPIB’s persona Kopi Lim. She helped launch Singapore’s ISO 37001 and ACPN, strengthening business integrity. She also led projects like the docudrama Abyss of Greed and CPIB’s history book Scrupulous, Thorough, Fearless. Clare has managed high-profile media cases and received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2023.

Mehmet Tank

Former Judge, Republic of Türkiye

Mehmet Tank, a former representative of the Judges Association (YARSAV), is known for his strong advocacy for the rule of law and judicial independence. His credible reporting and principled cooperation with the international judicial organizations played a crucial role in mobilizing global solidarity for Turkish judges and prosecutors targeted during the regime change in 2016. Thus, he was suspended, dismissed, and imprisoned for over five years, along with 5.000 judges and prosecutors. Now in exile in Switzerland, he holds a Ph.D. from Istanbul Law School and completed a sabbatical at Penn State Dickinson Law. He plans to work as an international arbitrator.

Tatyana Teplova

Head of Division and Senior Counsellor, Public Governance Directorate, OECD

Tatyana has over 20 years of experience in governance, rule of law, justice, integrity, gender equality, and public sector reform. She joined the OECD in 2010 and is currently Head of Division and Senior Counsellor in the Public Governance Directorate. She leads OECD’s work on justice, rule of law, gender equality, and inclusion, developing international standards, advising governments, and managing multi-country projects. Her work spans OECD countries, MENA, Eurasia, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Tatyana began her career as a Senior Analyst in Canadian public administration and has taught at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. She holds a Doctorate in Public Policy from Carleton University and a postgraduate diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Oxford.

Robert Jan Uhl

Project Officer, EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)

Robert-Jan Uhl leads the Fundamental Rights Agency’s project on fundamental rights and the rule of law. He also works on civic space, disability issues and the link between EU funds & fundamental rights. He previously worked for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as legislative support officer, advisor on freedom of religion or belief and human rights officer. He started his career at the Netherlands section of the International Commission of Jurists. He has masters degrees in law from Leiden University (Netherlands) and in human rights and democratization from the Inter-University Centre for Human Rights (EIUC) in Venice.

Urška Umek

Head, Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division, Council of Europe

Urška Umek is Head of the Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division at the Council of Europe. Prior to this, she was responsible for policy development in the field of freedom of expression and media freedom in the Council of Europe’s Information Society Department. Urška previously worked as a lawyer at the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights (2012 – 2016) and as a lawyer-linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Union (2008), having started her career as a legal advisor at the Constitutional Court of Slovenia, where she also headed the Research and International Cooperation Department. She contributed, among others, to the commentary on the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia.

Carolien van Ham

Professor of Empirical Political Science, Radboud University Nijmegen

Carolien van Ham is Professor of Empirical Political Science at Radboud University Nijmegen. Her research focuses on legitimacy and political representation, democratization and authoritarianism, electoral integrity and fraud, and the connection between democracy and human rights. She is also a research associate at the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW Sydney, a senior research fellow at the Electoral Integrity Project at Sydney and Harvard University, and a research associate at the Varieties of Democracy Institute at the University of Gothenburg. She previously worked as a (Senior) Lecturer at the University of New South Wales, as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Twente, and as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Gothenburg.

Catarina Vaz Pinto

Independent Arts and Culture Consultant

Catarina Vaz Pinto holds a law degree from the Portuguese Catholic University and a postgraduate degree in European Studies from the College of Europe. She served as Portugal’s State Secretary for Culture (1997–2000) and as Deputy-Mayor for Culture of Lisbon (2009–2021). She was also executive manager of the Gulbenkian Creativity and Artistic Creation Program at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2003–2007). Currently, she works as an independent consultant in arts and culture and serves on the Supervisory Boards of the European Cultural Foundation (since 2021) and the José Saramago Foundation (since 2024)

Roxana Vitan

President, Romanian-American Foundation

Roxana Vitan is an accomplished senior executive with over 25 years of experience developing and managing high-performing programs, companies, and investments in transitional economies. After 12 years as a senior member of the investment and management teams at the Romanian-American Enterprise Fund, she was appointed to lead the Romanian-American Foundation from its start-up phase. She holds a Master’s degree in Cybernetics, Statistics, and Planning from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, and an MBA from the Romanian-Canadian MBA Program, administered by the University of Quebec, Montreal.

Max von Abendroth

Senior Advisor, Social Impact Alliance, Central and Eastern Europe and Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)

Senior Advisor for the Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe. Senior Advisor Europe & Germany at MDIF, a global 300mio USD blended capital fund sustaining media freedom. He is the Chair of the Philanthropy in PPPs Chapter at the World Association of PPP Units and Professionals, WAPPP, in Geneva (CH) as well as the Lead Public-Private-Philanthropy Collaboration at The Partnering Initiative, TPI, in Oxford (UK). Max is the former Executive Director of Dafne (today Philea). He is passionate about strengthening collective, systemic impact by ensuring networks are well-connected, well-resourced, and aligned toward shared goals. He lives with his family in Brussels.

Waringa Wahome

Coordinator, Legal Empowerment Hub, Mathare Social Justice Centre

Waringa Wahome, is a lawyer and community organiser from Mathare Social Justice Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Her work is rooted in legal empowerment – building people’s agency through social justice movement building. She coordinates the Legal Empowerment Hub (LEH), a space that connects social justice lawyers, community paralegals, and grassroots organisers and activists into a network advancing community-led legal strategies. Waringa believes that the law is a political tool – shaped by power, and should be available to those who organise to reclaim it, pushing for a justice system that reflects the struggles and dignity of the people.

Regina Waugh

Senior Global Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Regina Waugh is a Senior Global Advisor at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), where she leads work on gender equality and provides expertise on rule of law, electoral dispute resolution, and democratic trust. She previously served over a decade in U.S. public service, focusing on human rights, women’s empowerment, and LGBTQI+ rights. Regina was a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. State Department and later served as Director for Human Rights and Gender at the White House National Security Council and Chief of Staff in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. She holds a BA, MPP, and JD from UC Berkeley and is a member of the California Bar.

Michał Wawrykiewicz

Member of the European Parliament; Co-founder, Free Courts initiative

Michał Wawrykiewicz is a lawyer and newly elected Member of the European Parliament (2024) from Greater Poland, representing the Civic Coalition and sitting with the EPP Group. He is a full member of JURI and D-US, and a substitute on LIBE (vice-coordinator) and EUDS. A leading voice in Poland’s rule of law movement, he co-founded «Free Courts» and KOS, representing persecuted judges before Polish courts, the CJEU, and ECHR – including in the landmark A.K. case. He co-founded DemoCrisis to counter authoritarian threats. He has received multiple awards, including the European Citizens’ Prize and the Rule of Law Award from UIA, and was a Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Thierry Wickers

President, Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe

Thierry Wickers, President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), has been a distinguished lawyer since 1978. He has held numerous leadership roles, including Bâtonnier of the Bordeaux Bar (2000-2001), President of the Conference of Batonniers (2004-2005), and President of the National Council of Bars (2009-2011). A co-author of Rules and Uses of the Lawyer Profession, the definitive reference on legal ethics in France, he has been deeply engaged in shaping the legal profession. Since joining the CCBE in 2012, he has led the French delegation and chaired the «Future of the Profession and Legal Services» committee (2016-2022), contributing to key initiatives on Brexit, governance reforms, and quality standards in legal practice.

Marcin Wiśniewski

Country Officer, Poland, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Country Officer at the Warsaw office of International Finance Corporation (IFC) responsible for IFC’s operations in Poland. Purpose driven leader and finance professional with a diverse career in the financial, energy and public sectors, passionate in making tangible and sustainable impact for the broad society and local communities. Marcin holds a MA in Finance and Accounting from the Warsaw School of Economics Fellowship of the Association of Charted Certified Accountants (FCCA) designation.

Anna Wójcik

Assistant Professor, Kozminski University

Anna Wójcik is a rule of law expert and co-founder of Rule of Law in Poland and the Wiktor Osiatyński Archive, published by the Foundation for Civic Monitoring OKO. She is an Assistant Professor at Kozminski University in Warsaw and the Principal Investigator in a National Science Centre, Poland project on EU media regulation and the rule of law (2024-2027). Prior to that, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law.

Christiane Wolowiec-Musich

Rule of Law Adviser, GIZ

Christiane Wolowiec-Musich is a Rule of Law Adviser at GIZ, advising the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on justice reform, access to justice and people-centred justice. Previously, Christiane worked on different projects focusing on good governance in South-Eastern Europe and Asia. Christiane holds degrees in law, human rights and international relations and is an experienced lawyer who has worked for 20 years on justice and governance issues.

Mirosław Wyrzykowski

Associate Professor, University of Warsaw; retired Constitutional Tribunal Judge

Professor of Law at the University of Warsaw, former judge of the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland (2001–2010), and a leading expert in constitutional law and human rights. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw (1996–1999) and was the founding head of its Human Rights Department. Prof. Wyrzykowski has held numerous public roles, including as a member of the Legislative Council to the Prime Minister (1996–2001) and as Director of the Centre for Constitutionalism and Legal Culture at the Institute of Public Affairs. 

Keongmin Yoon

Counsel, Legal Advisory and Knowledge Unit, World Bank

Keongmin Yoon is Counsel in the Legal Advisory and Knowledge Unit of the World Bank, where he advises on digital policy, data governance, and legal frameworks for digital transformation. His work spans cybersecurity, cross-border data flows, and institutional governance. He serves as the Bank’s lead delegate to UNCITRAL on digital and technology law and represents the institution in related multilateral forums, including the UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime. He also leads the Bank’s engagement in the Legal Working Group of the Development Data Partnership. His work supports the creation of legal and institutional frameworks that enable governments to adopt, share, and manage digital services and data across sectors and borders.

Dorota Zabłudowska

Judge, District Court Gdańsk-Południe

Dorota Zabłudowska is a judge at the District Court Gdańsk-Południe, serving in the criminal department since 2002. She is Vice-President and spokesperson of the Gdańsk branch of the Polish Judges Association Iustitia. Committed to defending judicial independence and citizens’ rights, she received the Gdańsk Equality Award in 2019 for protecting the right to an independent court. She actively promotes the role of the judiciary in upholding democratic values, using the Polish experience to engage with judges worldwide on the importance of judicial resistance and the protection of the rule of law. She has delivered lectures to judges in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Central America.

Ross Mclaren

Program Officer, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Ross Maclaren is a program officer at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, responsible for grantmaking in the Increasing Access to Justice program area. Based in the Foundation’s London office, he previously managed grantmaking in Ukraine and Russia. Before joining Mott in 2006, Ross served as director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities’ office in the Russian Far East, based in Khabarovsk. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in Central/Eastern European and Russian area studies from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

Aminatou Suleyman Hainikoye

Country Manager for Niger, HiiL

Udo Jude Ilo

CEO, HiiL

Udo Jude Ilo is the CEO of The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) and a human rights advocate with over 21 years of experience addressing impunity, advancing democratic reforms, and promoting good governance. As Director of Open Society Foundations in Nigeria for a decade, he led efforts to expand civic space, support emerging activist movements, and strengthen accountability. He has held key leadership roles at the Nigerian Bar Association’s social justice program, the Forum of Federations, and the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), where he served as Interim Executive Director. Udo is widely recognized for his thought leadership on civic engagement, rights protection, and democratic resilience in West Africa.

Shai Lustig

Violinist, America-Israel Cultural Foundation Scholar (2017–2025)

Shai Lustig, born in Israel in 2005, began violin studies at age 8 at the Ra’anana Music Center with Marina Ziskind, and now studies with Mihaela Martin at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin. A recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship (2017–2025), she won first prize at the Aviv Competition (2016, 2019, 2020) and the SF International Innovative Music Competition (2017). She has participated in elite programs at the Jerusalem Music Center, including Young Strings, the Young Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Huberman and Goldman programs. She also performed in the Zeist Music Days in 2021 and 2022. Shai plays a violin generously loaned by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.

Mohammed Alshaikh

Pianist, Student, Barenboim-Said Akademie

Mohammed Alshaikh, a Palestinian pianist born in Russia in 2003, began his musical journey at age nine at the Barenboim-Said Music School in Ramallah. He later studied in Jerusalem and now studies under Prof. Michael Wendeberg at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin. He has won major awards, including the Grand Prix at Villahermosa (Mexico), 1st Prize in Estonia’s Chopin Competition, and the Solange Jospé Prize in Jerusalem. He has performed across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, appeared on NPR’s From the Top, and is the subject of The Pianist from Ramallah documentary. He has studied with Barenboim, Perahia, and Vardi, among others.

Idil Bursa

Award-Winning Cellist, Member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Idil Bursa, born in Turkey in 2004, began cello studies at Bilkent University with Artur Rahmatulla and debuted as a soloist at age 10. She has since performed with orchestras in Turkey and Germany. A prizewinner of major competitions in Croatia, Bulgaria, and Czechia, she has studied with artists like Kian Soltani and Antonio Meneses. After graduating from Musica Mundi School, she began her bachelor’s at Barenboim-Said Akademie in 2022. A member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, she has performed under Daniel Barenboim and Zubin Mehta across Europe and Asia. In April 2025, she performed at the Wiener Musikverein after winning the 6th Vienna International Music Competition.

Nazibrola Janezeshvili

CEO, Georgian Court Watch

Ted Rosenthal

Jazz Pianist, Composer, Winner of the Thelonious Monk Competition

Ted Rosenthal is one of the leading jazz pianist/composers of his generation. He has performed worldwide as a soloist, with his trio, and with jazz greats including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, and James Moody. Winner of the Thelonious Monk International Competition, he has released 16 acclaimed CDs. His Rhapsody in Gershwin reached #1 on iTunes and Amazon. In 2025, he will release four new CDs featuring arrangements of the Great American Songbook, classical reimaginings, and original works. He has appeared with major orchestras including the Detroit and Phoenix symphonies. His jazz opera Dear Erich premiered at New York City Opera in 2019. Rosenthal has received three NEA grants and commissions from Alvin Ailey, the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. He teaches at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music.

Ingrida Milkaite

Member Legal Affairs Committee, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

Ingrida Milkaite earned her PhD in 2021 with a thesis on privacy and data protection from a children’s rights perspective. Her research with Prof. Eva Lievens received the Council of Europe’s inaugural Stefano Rodotà Award. Ingrida advises on rights-respecting digital governance and works with international organisations on tech and human rights policy. She is part of the EU Code of Conduct Special Group on Age-Appropriate Design and the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom. She consults for UNESCO, edits the Strasbourg Observers blog, and holds a Master’s with distinction from Vilnius University.

Andrews Kananga

Executive Director, Legal Aid Forum, Rwanda

Magdalena Tabernacka

Head of the Department of Comparative Public Administration, University of Wrocław

Magdalena Tabernacka is Head of the Department of Comparative Public Administration in the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics at the University of Wrocław, where she founded the Centre for the Study of Mediation and Other Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods in the Public Sphere.

Issifou Ganou

Executive Secretary, National Land Observatory-Burkina Faso (ONF-BF)

Issifou Ganou is the Executive Secretary of the National Land Observatory-Burkina Faso (ONF-BF).

Pascale Bambara

Director of Access to Justice and Aid to Victims, Ministry of Justice of Burkina Faso

Hamzabet Aminatou

Chief of the Canton of Bambèye

Chief Hamzabet Aminatou is Chief of the Canton of Bambèye, and also represents the Association of Traditional Chiefs of Niger.

Mai El-Sadany

Executive Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Mai El-Sadany is Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) and a human rights lawyer focused on the MENA region. She has advanced creative accountability pathways, leveraged international mechanisms, and published accessible analysis on legal and constitutional issues. She previously served as TIMEP’s Managing Director and Legal and Judicial Director, and has worked at ICNL, RFK Human Rights, and the Carnegie Endowment. Mai is on the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy and the board of HuMENA. She holds a J.D. from Georgetown and a B.A. from Stanford. In 2024 and 2025, she was named one of DC’s 500 Most Influential People by Washingtonian.

Tawee Sodsong

Minister of Justice of Thailand

Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong is the current Minister of Justice of Thailand, appointed in September 2023. He graduated from the Royal Police Cadet Academy (Class 37) and holds a Master’s Degree in Social Development from Kasetsart University. His extensive career includes roles as Deputy Director General and Director General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Secretary-General of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center, and Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister. In politics, Tawee joined the Prachachat Party in 2018, serving as its Secretary-General and is currently a leader of the party. He was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 2020.

Flutura Kusari

Head of Legal Support, ECPMF

Flutura leads ECPMF’s legal support programme which has supported hundreds of media workers across Europe. She also advocates with international organisations to improve legislation to defend freedom of expression. During the last decade, she has been engaged in building capacities of judges, prosecutors, police officers, and lawyers on freedom of expression across the Western Balkans. In addition, she advises journalists on pre- and post- publication legal matters such as defamation, access to information, contempt of court, and privacy. Flutura co-leads the Anti-SLAPP work at the European level as part of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and as an expert for the European Union and Council of Europe. She holds a PhD in Media Law from Ghent University, Belgium.

Margaret (Meg) Satterthwaite

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers

Margaret (Meg) Satterthwaite is an international human rights scholar, practitioner, and advocate. She is a Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, where she directs the Legal Empowerment and Judicial Independence Clinic and serves as a faculty director of the Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights and co-director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. In 2022, the UN Human Rights Council appointed her as the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers.