Heather Tsavaris has worked across sectors-- including the federal government and the philanthropic and private sectors-- to develop and implement innovative and award-winning solutions to some of society’s most difficult challenges. Heather’s time in government included more than a decade at the U.S. Department of State and an additional year at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where she served in senior roles focused on preventing terrorism. In addition, Heather has worked for the Columbus Foundation, Gap Inc., Cisco Systems, and Innovation Fund America to create and scale programs that promote economic and social well-being in under-served communities. Heather’s formal degrees include an MBA from NYU and an MA in International Affairs from George Washington University. Heather has also studied and coached design thinking at Stanford University’s d.school. She is currently a Mira Fellow and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Amanda Ussak is a public policy professional with more than a decade of experience across federal and local government, non-profit, and international field work. She takes a people-centered approach to improve systems, use resources more efficiently, and create better solutions to the most pressing social problems. She currently serves as the Civic Design Lead for Montgomery County, Maryland, where she has tackled challenges including police officer recruitment and retention; managing mail-in ballot changes during the pandemic; and providing Medicaid applicants a user-friendly experience. Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and a master’s degree from Stanford University. She lives in Washington, DC with her partner who is an active duty soldier.

Jonathan is a freelance writer and consultant to nonprofits and foundations. Previously he served as entrepreneur-in-residence in the VA Center for Innovation (VACI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, focusing on optimizing veterans’ military-to-civilian transition. Prior to joining VACI, Jon was a senior program officer in Entrepreneurship at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he developed and led strategies to improve conditions for entrepreneurial success in small and mid-sized cities around the country. He also managed the Foundation's work on expeditionary economics, a research agenda in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and civilian researchers examining the role of entrepreneurship in economic growth in post-conflict areas. Jon served for eight years on active duty and as a drilling reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry, including as a weapons company section leader in Iraq and Mozambique. He was Honorably Discharged in 2011. Robinson was a communications consultant at Edelman in New York, and previously was a reporter for The New York Times, the Financial Times, and an editorial assistant at the International Herald Tribune in Paris.

Mikenzie Howard is a communications and counterterrorism professional who has worked for federal, state, and private sector partners for the past fifteen years in the interest of national security. Mikenzie’s time in government includes more than a decade of award winning work for the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center where she worked active homeland terrorism issues focused on English-language propaganda and the recruitment of and radicalization to violence of individuals in the United States. For the last seven years, Mikenzie has worked with government, state, local, community, and private industry partners to enhance whole of society prevention efforts across the nation. Mikenzie’s formal degrees include two MAs from Boston University in International Public Relations and Middle Eastern studies and a BA in world history from Roanoke College. She is a military spouse and resides in Memphis with her husband and children.