PERIL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Associate for PERIL 's Community Advisory
- CARE Community Organizing Associate
Bryce Kobe (he/him) is a Community Organizing Associate for PERIL's Community Advisory, Resource, and Education (CARE) program. He earned his BA in Psychology from Michigan State University with a minor in Public Policy and is committed to leveraging his experience with behavioral health and analysis to help prevent extremism.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager for the Targeted Violence
- Program Manager, Violent Extremism Education and Resilience ( VEER )
Chelsea Daymon (she/her/hers) is the Program Manager for the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Program, Violent Extremism Education and Resilience (VEER). She is a terrorism and extremism researcher and Ph.D. candidate in Justice, Law & Criminology in the School of Public Affairs at American University. Although her research has focused on a broad range of subjects related to terrorism and extremism, her specialized focus is on communication methods and extremist groups' use of the Internet. She has several publications, including academic journal articles, think tank reports, and popular press pieces and she has engaged in media outreach to an array of local, national, and international news outlets. Before joining PERIL, she worked as a Research Assistant at American University, a consultant on various projects related to extremism and terrorism, and as a Presidential Fellow in the Transcultural Conflict and Violence Initiative (TCV). Currently she is a Research Fellow for the Accelerationism Research Consortium and a contributor at the Global Network on Extremism & Technology (GNET). She holds an MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a BA and honorary MA in Oriental Studies from Cambridge University, UK.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager for the Developing and Using Critical Comprehension
- Program Manager, Developing and Using Critical Comprehension ( DUCC )
Christine German is the Program Manager for the Developing and Using Critical Comprehension (DUCC) program at the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University. She is also currently a PhD candidate in political science at George Mason University. Her dissertation research focuses on comparative studies of extreme ideologies, and the connections between the content of ideologies and their adherents' likelihood to commit violence. Her work more broadly focuses on extreme gender, societal, and religious norms and ideologies and the differences and similarities between different types of ideologies. Prior to joining PERIL, Christine worked in international development for more than 15 years predominantly in the Middle East and North Africa.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Cynthia Kao began the first fifteen years of her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in trauma, addiction and organizational health. She also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Public Affairs Specialist. After transitioning into the digital communications and innovative technology field post military service, Cynthia has created over 120+ user-centered applications and software products and now joins the team at Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) providing human-centered communications needs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Ethics Adviser
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Co - Founder
- Research Assistant
- Founding Co - Director & Associate Director
Dr. Brian Hughes is the co-founder and Associate Director at PERIL. Dr. Hughes is a research assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology in AU's School of Public Affairs. Within PERIL, he founded the Extremism Research and Intervention Studio (ERIS), which produces groundbreaking, cutting-edge solutions to polarization and extremism in the digital sphere through the use of short-form video and other tools. His scholarly work explores the impact of communication technology on political and religious extremism, terrorism and fringe culture. This work looks to identify the social and emotional conditions common to extremists of differing ideologies, cultures, times, and places. His writing has appeared in the CTC Sentinel at West Point, the International Journal of Communication, CNN, and the Center for Analysis of the Radical Right. Dr. Hughes is a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur and earned his doctorate in media and communication studies at American University's School of Communication, with a focus on the affordances of new media and the manifestos of lone actor terrorists.
Job Titles:
- Founding Director
- Professor
Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss is a Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education at the American University in Washington, DC, where she is also the founding director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). She is a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur and recently served as the inaugural creative lead for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's residency program on social cohesion in Berlin, Germany. Dr. Miller-Idriss regularly testifies before the U.S. Congress and briefs policy, security, education and intelligence agencies in the U.S., the United Nations, and other countries on trends in domestic violent extremism and strategies for prevention and disengagement. She is the author, co-author, or co-editor of six books, including her most recent book, Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right (Princeton University Press, 2022), and is currently at work on a new book on the gendered dimensions of violent extremism. Dr. Miller-Idriss writes frequently for mainstream audiences, as an opinion columnist for MSNBC and in other recent by-lines in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and more.
Job Titles:
- Senior Researcher
- Senior Researcher at the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab
Dr. Daniel P. Relihan is a Senior Researcher at the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University and a postdoctoral scholar the University of California, Irvine (UCI). He received a Bachelor of Science in psychology and communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Arts in Psychology from New York University, and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology with a minor in Quantitative Psychology from UCI. His research focuses on how ideology (political, religious), morality, and social identity shape the way people perceive and respond to different societal threats like political instability, natural disasters, and terrorism. Working alongside interdisciplinary teams, his research has shown that how people morally feel can bias the risk they perceive (O'Connor, Relihan, Thomas, Ditto, Stanford, & Weatherall, 2023), and people's perceptions of and reactions to threat can be shaped by their ingroup identities (Relihan, Jones, Holman, & Silver, 2023) and authority threat cues (Relihan, Holman, Garfin, Ditto, & Silver, 2023). This work has important implications for mitigating biases in risk perceptions, devising strategies for risk and public health communications, and understanding the negative psychological consequences of broadcasting group-based threat events across news media. Dr. Relihan's research has been published in top academic journals, such as Scientific Reports and Political Psychology, and he is a recipient of several awards for his research, including the Time-sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences (TESS) Special Competition for Young Investigators Award. Dr. Relihan is passionate about using his research to understand and address the challenges of our time. He is particularly interested in the role of social psychology in understanding and mitigating political polarization, climate change, and other pressing social issues. He is also committed to mentoring and supporting early-career researchers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. In his spare time, Dr. Relihan enjoys outdoor adventures like hiking and scuba diving, as well as traveling to experience diverse cultures.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant
- Graduate Research Assistant
Emily Stingle (she/her) is a research assistant on the D.U.C.C. project. She focuses on digital literacy and social-emotional based interventions to prevent the development and dissemination of mis and dis information. She will graduate in December 2024 with a B.A. in Justice & Law and in December 2025 with an M.S. in Terrorism and Homeland Security Policy, both from American University's School of Public Affairs.
Job Titles:
- CARE Community Organizing Associate
Imani Scott-Blackwell (she/they) is a community organizer with 5+ years of community organizing experiencing centering issues of youth, LGBTQIA+, Black, and/or immigrant and working-class populations. They specialize in facilitation, base-building strategic planning, and organizational capacity-building for grassroots organizations and non-profits.
Joe Yates is the full-stack web developer for PERIL. He brings twelve years of experience in web development and digital marketing while working with nonprofits and advocacy organizations supporting campaigns for international relief, veterans benefits, healthcare, animal rights, access to the arts, and promoting equity of resource access in underserved communities. Sometimes known as the Joe-of-all-trades, Joe received a BS in Biology and Studio Art from Washington College, and has worked as a developer, designer, strategist, and project manager to help organizations of all kinds to make a positive impact on the world. Outside of work he enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons, hiking with his dog Lucy, and watching horror movies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Ethics Adviser
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations at the Polarization
- Founding Co - Director & Director of Operations
Katie Spann is the Director of Operations at the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). As a visionary leader with over 20 years of a successful career in Finance, Event Management, Education, and Faith-Based initiatives, and, most notably, as an educator for the Montgomery County School Systems, has provided her a broad perspective on the importance of inclusion and diversity. She oversees the day-to-day operations of PERIL, where she integrates processes through financial and human resources management. She serves on various boards in her community and enjoys voluntary involvement in her spare time. Katie graduated from Upsala College with a bachelor's in Business Administration/Finance and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. In 2021, she was part of American University's inaugural class of Budget and Finance Certification.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Public Affairs Specialist
Laura Kralicky is the Communications and Public Affairs Specialist for PERIL. Additionally, she leads the Developing and Using Critical Comprehension (DUCC) team, and joined PERIL after DUCC was awarded first place at the national Invent2Prevent competition sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. She is interested in education and social-emotional based strategies to prevent extremism and foster positive youth development on both domestic and international sectors. She graduated with a BA in international studies from American University in May 2022, with a thematic focus in global inequity and development and a minor in education.
Job Titles:
- Senior Curriculum & Training Manager
- Training Manager for the Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab
Marylin Rodriguez is the Senior Curriculum and Training Manager for the Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL). She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Hispanic Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. She's worked for more than a decade in education, starting as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Uruguay, and continuing as a language teacher in Maryland, and in Durham, NC. Most recently, she served as Assistant Principal at a public charter school, working with first-generation Latino and Asian-American students from East San Jose. Her areas of interest are educational equity, community organizing, and learning at all levels, and has expertise in developing curriculum resources and facilitating training for educators. Some of her personal interests include road trips to national parks, traveling, and improving her Portuguese.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Grants Specialist
- Specialist at the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab
Mehraj Parveen works as a Finance & Grants Specialist at the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University. She processes vouchers and invoices and works closely with departmental budget and grants.
She was born in Bangladesh and continued her high school in London, UK. Mehraj then settled in Maryland, where she has been living for the past 30 years. She received her degree in Economics from American University and is proud to be working here. She loves traveling with her family, doing yoga, and oil painting.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Research Assistant
Nora Lewis (she/her/hers) is currently studying for her Master's in Data Science and Computer Science in SPA/College of Arts and Sciences at American University. She is a research assistant working on the D.U.C.C. project and is one of the original students who started the project. She is primarily interested in creating AI tools (specifically anomaly detection and NLP) that can help prevent extremism. She also works as a teaching assistant for the Department of Computer Science at American. Fun Fact: she loves Taylor Swift!
Job Titles:
- Director of Research
- Director of Research for the Polarization
Pasha Dashtgard is the Director of Research for the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). He has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine, and was formerly a postdoctoral Fellow at Loyola Marymount University's Psychology Applied Research Center (PARC). He has an MA in Mental Health Counseling and an Ed.M. in Education from Columbia University, Teacher's College. Pasha's research interests include masculinities, online radicalization, PTSD, and large-scale mental health policy/service delivery. Research projects include analysis using his Male Supremacy Scale (MSS) and its intersections with online behavior, PTSD in solitary confinement, and various projects intervening with populations beset by misinformation, conspiratorial thinking, and political polarization.
Job Titles:
- Researcher
- Deputy Director of Regional Partnerships
Pete Kurtz-Glovas is a Researcher and Non-Profit Professional with a focus on Extremism and Democracy. He brings eight years of experience working in community-based nonprofits, with six of those years working on housing and homelessness issues in Seattle, WA using a whole-of-community lens. In 2022 he shifted his focus to Extremism and began working with the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism while getting his master's degree. Pete specializes in analyzing and monitoring far right extremism and violence in the United States and combines this with a passion for managing diverse teams to deliver evidence based and data backed results. He holds an MPP from The Pennsylvania State University and is a two-time AmeriCorps alumni.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Ethics Adviser
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant
- Executive
Samantha Garvin (she/her) is the Executive and Administrative Assistant for PERIL. She specializes in health advocacy, event coordination, and women's empowerment. She has a M.B.A. and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Fairmont State University. She has over 10 years of experience working for government agencies and non-profit projects in Washington, DC and California.
Job Titles:
- Rabbi
- Author
- Founder of Repair Consulting
- Senior Regional Policy Analyst
Seth M. Limmer, Rabbi, DHL he/him/his, serves as Senior Regional Policy Analyst for the Midwest for PERIL, bringing the powerful work of countering extremism and polarization to a strategically crucial region.
Seth is the founder of Repair Consulting, working with philanthropists and philanthropies to increase their impact in building a world of justice and peace. For over two decades, he served as Senior Rabbi of Chicago Sinai Congregation and Congregation B'nai Yisrael of Armonk, NY. He holds a BA in Philosophy from Cornell University ('95), and received his Doctoral in Hebrew Literature (2009) from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the field of Rabbinic Hermeneutics.
Seth is passionate about the work of justice, was appointed and elected to the highest levels of leadership in the Reform Movement with the CCAR and Religious Action Center, sits on the Illinois State Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, and was a founding member of both Westchester United (an IAF Affiliate in New York) and RAC-IL (which organizes the Reform Jewish Community in his home state). He helped lead a campaign to ensure the passage of a positive trailer bill for Illinois' signature criminal justice reform bill, the SAFE-T Act, and is a frequent presence in Chicago City Hall where he advocates with faith leaders for pragmatic and proven gun violence prevention policy.
Rabbi Limmer is the author of many articles and essays, frequently appearing in the pages of the Chicago Tribune. 2016 saw the publication of his Medieval Midrash: The House for Inspired Innovation. Rabbi Limmer also served as co-editor of Moral Resistance and Spiritual Authority, published by CCAR Press in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory and Ethics Board
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Policy Analyst
- Senior Program Manager
- Senior Program Manager and Policy Analyst for PERIL 's Translational Research
Wyatt Russell (he/him) is a Senior Program Manager and Policy Analyst for PERIL's Translational Research and Education Development (TRED) team. He manages the development and testing of resources that equip community members and practitioners with the tools needed to prevent the uptake of supremacist ideologies, propaganda, misogyny, and mis- and disinformation. Wyatt focuses on building, organizational resilience, lab-wide infrastructure, and inclusive, collaborative team cultures. Using the lab's findings, and researching needed reforms, Wyatt also works to create policy recommendations at the local, state, and federal levels. Focused on institutional and systems-level change, Wyatt also works to develop and apply processes that ensure sustainability and equity within communities served. Wyatt's interests include researching decentralized, community-based approaches to extremism prevention, and more broadly, frameworks for evaluating prevention. Centering community needs, he is interested in how community member decision-making can be incorporated to create transformative change, and avoid performative processes within programs. Wyatt is also interested in the connections between how research findings are translated into policy, and how policy is converted to impactful programs that serve communities to meet localized needs. He holds a Master of Public Administration from American University, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a focus in Data Analysis from North Carolina State University.