Melissa A. Henriksen serves as Director of Operations and Research Initiatives in the National Security Policy Center. Drawing on 20+ years of experience overseeing a wide array of university research activities, many with a focus on national security and defense, she provides expertise in strategic planning, program and project management, research development, and education, training, and engagement. Melissa holds a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, a B.A. in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross and is a certified project management professional.

George Foresman has over three decades of leadership experience in government and business. While serving as Virginia’s homeland security secretary, Foresman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security.

Melissa Thomas-Hunt is a professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the John Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business. Thomas-Hunt focuses on leadership, team dynamics, and negotiations and her research studies the factors that unleash, leverage, and amplify the contributions made by individuals, particularly women, underrepresented individuals, and numerical minorities. 

Dr. Philip N. Jefferson is the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty, and the Paul B. Freeland Professor of Economics at Davidson College. He was the previous president of the National Economic Association and has taught at Swarthmore College, Columbia University, and the University of Virginia.

Malcolm Stewart is a 2018 graduate of the Batten BA program and currently works as a Product Manager for Makena Capital Management in Menlo Park, California. During his time at UVA, he served as President for the Class of 2018, Head Resident of the Lawn, and in his 4th year received the Sky Alland Scholarship. In addition to the Batten Foundation Board, Malcolm serves as a Trustee for the Sky Alland Scholarship Selection Committee and as a member on President Ryan's 4AG Advisory Group.

I am currently a Post Doctoral Research Associate at the Center for Effective Lawmaking in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. I received my PhD in American Politics from the University of California, Riverside, in June 2020.

Jieun Pai researches social hierarchy and conflict resolution. Specifically, her research seeks to provide insight into how people can satisfy their need for status in teams and organizations harmoniously. Pai received her Ph.D. in Management and Organization from Anderson School of Management at UCLA and holds M.A. in Human Resources from University of Minnesota and B.S. in Chemical Engineering from KAIST, South Korea.

Michele Claibourn is an assistant professor of public policy at the Batten School and Director of Equitable Analysis for The Equity Center at UVA.  Claibourn leads the Center’s community-engaged data science work in support of a more equitable and just region. She has directed or supervised multiple community-based research projects in the Charlottesville community, including racial equity studies for the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless.