Dr. Perlman is the Executive Director of the Paragon Institute for Enduring Security. She is a political psychologist, the author of various papers on counter-terrorism and conflict resolution. Diane's expertise are in the psychology of enmity, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, gender and violence, post-conflict processes of restorative justice, and strategies of tension reduction and nonviolent conflict transformation.

She is co-chair of the committee on Global Violence and Security for Psychologists for Social Responsibility and the American Psychological Association Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence (Division 48), on the Global Council of Abolition 2000, and a member of Transcend, a Peace and Development Network. She brings knowledge from social sciences to inform policy makers, media, congressional staff, academics and activists regarding nonviolent strategies capable of reversing cycles of violence to produce more enduring security.

Lynn Montgomery M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Montgomery is a graduate of numerous  self-actualization, personal productivity and advanced communication programs provided by Landmark Education and Erhard Seminar Trainings. His academic, professional and activist pursuits span over 25 years. He is a practicing Psychiatrist who has worked for a number of notable institutions such as Friend’s Hospital, University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pennsylvania Counseling Services, Harrisburg, PA which he founded and Crozer Chester Hospital, Chester, PA,

Dr. Montgomery been on numerous TV and radio shows such as “Second Opinion, M.D.”, Q102 (WIOQ), “Perspectives” on TV6 in Philadelphia, on Channel 10 and Channel 12.  He was also Chairman, Sister Cities Project, Philadelphia–Leningrad, Chairman, Medical Committee for Human Rights and Search for Common Ground. He is a Board Member of the Philadelphia County Medical Society. He is also a member of the American Medical Association, the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the American Psychiatric Association

Lowell Gustafson, Ph.D.

Dr. Gustafson is Chairman of the Department of Political Science at Villanova University and is a notable public speaker on international relations.  He attained his Ph.D. and M.A.in Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia in 1984. He is the author of the following books: The Religious Challenge to the State, Economic Development under Democratic Regimes: Neoliberalism in Latin America, Thucydides' Theory of International Relations: A Lasting Possession, Ancient Maya Gender Identity and Relations, Economic Performance Under Democratic Regimes in Latin America in the Twenty-First Century as well as, National and Human Security Issues in Latin America: Democracies at Risk. His articles include: "The Principle of Self-Determination and the Dispute about Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands," "Is there any hope for Argentina?" The World and I and "Factionalism, Centralism, and Federalism," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, The Sovereignty Dispute over the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands

Jeffrey W. Hahn Ph.D

Dr. Hahn is a Professor of Political Science at Villanova University specializing in Russian politics. He also serves as the Director of the Russian Area Studies Concentration (RASCON) at Villanova. Jeffrey W. Hahn is a Professor of Political Science at Villanova University specializing in Russian politics. He also serves as the Director of the Russian Area Studies Concentration (RASCON) at Villanova. Professor Hahn received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966 and his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1971. He is the author of Soviet Grassroots: Citizen Participation in Local Soviet Government (Princeton University Press, 1988) and co-editor (with Theodore H. Friedgut) of Local Power and Post Soviet Politics (M.E. Sharpe, 1994). In February of 1996, a book was published which he edited entitled Democratization in Russia: The Development of Legislative Institutions. In October 2001, Johns Hopkins University Press published another book edited and written by Dr. Hahn: Regional Russia in Transition: Studies from Yaroslavl’ He has also published articles on political culture, on political participation, and on local government in Russia. These have appeared in the British Journal of Political Science, Slavic Review, Post-Soviet Affairs, Problems of Communism and Polity, among other journals.

Many of Dr. Hahn’s recent publications draw on field work conducted in Russia from 1990-1998 supported by grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, from the National Council for Soviet and East European Research, and from the International Research and Exchange Board (IREX). In 1998, Professor Hahn received “The Outstanding Faculty Research Award” from Villanova University. Hahn is currently (2004-2006) conducting research on Russian attitudes toward democratic values and institutions in Yaroslavl’ Russia with the support of a research grant from the National Council for East European and Eurasian Research. The initial results of this research were presented at a conference held at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University in July 2005

Professor Hahn was a visiting Fulbright Professor for a semester in the Law Faculty of Moscow State University in 1987. He also spent the 1990-91 academic year as a visiting Professor in the Political Science Department at the University of California in Berkeley. He has been as a consultant for various agencies of the U.S. government, including the Department of State, and for private organizations as well. In addition to his professional academic work, Hahn held elective office for two terms (1976-1984) as a city councilman in Radnor, Pennsylvania, where he served on the personnel committee (chair) and on the community development committee.

Joy Helmer RN, MS

Joy is a psychiatric nurse at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She is also the manager and creator of the “Peace by Design” Blog and a graduate of Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally Joy is a graduate of advanced communication and self-actualization programs offered by Landmark Education. She is the Past President of the Board of Directors of The Compassionate Listening Project and presently serves on the Board of the Israel Palestine Project. Joy is  is the author of various peace and justice essays such as, “Can We Really Design Peace?”, “The Daily Deceptions that Lead to War”; “The Price We Pay to Keep Armed Violence Going” and “Feeling at Home, Known and Safe in the World”. Longer essays include: “Forgiving the Ancestors”; “Peace as Empowerment”’; “Upstream Solutions”; “Healing Racism” and “Self-Compassion for Peacemakers.”

www.peacebydesignblog.com  

Charles Hauss

“Chip” Hauss wears three professional hats: he teaches comparative politics and conflict resolution in the Public and International Affairs Department (political science) at George Mason University; he is a member of the Board of Directors and a staff member of the Alliance for Peace Building where he helps to coordinate relations with the United States government; and, finally, Chip is the author of numerous books, including the leading textbook on comparative politics, two tomes on conflict resolution, and three works on French politics. Before beginning at George Mason University, he taught for 17 years at Colby College, Maine and three years at the University of Reading, England.

Hauss is thereby one of the few academics who is also deeply involved in “real world” politics. After involvement in the effort to end the war in Vietnam, he discovered the field of conflict resolution in the early 1980s through the Beyond War movement, now the Foundation for Global Community.

Since then, conflict resolution has been the focus of his scholarly and political life, including leading several hundred workshops in places as diverse as West Belgrade, Maine and the West Bank in Palestine. In 2000, he joined the staff of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest conflict resolution NGO, for its project on U.S. domestic politics. Currently, he focuses on strengthening ties to the national security community and with Evangelical Christians. The focus of his work at the Alliance, is to strengthen communication and collaboration with government agencies.

Chip holds a BA from Oberlin College, where he serves on the alumni council. His MA and PhD are from the University of Michigan.  He lives inside the infamous beltway with his wife, Gretchen Sandles, and their brilliant half  border collie, Jessie. Chip and Gretchen have the foolish idea that they could write a book together on redefining national security. In his copious spare time, Chip devours mystery novels, watches any game on television that has teams and bouncing balls (no golf, yes netball), and delights in explaining the laws of soccer, cricket, and rugby (both codes) to bewildered Americans