BABAK BAHADOR: DIRECTOR
Dr. Babak Bahador was appointed director of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, effective August 2024.
Babak Bahador’s research examines media and communication in relation to politics/ international relations with a special focus on peace and conflict. He is currently working on projects related to automated hate speech detection and effective counter-speech methods.
Babak is an Associate Research Professor at SMPA where he teaches a course on Media and Peacebuilding and directs the Media and Peacebuilding Project. In addition, Babak directs the peace journalism news service called Peace News. Babak is also a Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Babak holds a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
JACKSON LANZER: RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Jackson Lanzer is a senior at GW majoring in international affairs and minoring in journalism. He is a research assistant at the IPDGC, conducting research on hate speech and polarization during the 2024 U.S. elections. Previously, Jackson interned in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and he served as a co-editor-in-chief of the GW Undergraduate Law Review during his junior year. He is also a staff writer for the GW Hatchet and a senior producer for GW-TV.
DEBANHI GUERRERO: GLOBAL COMMUNICATION MA PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Debanhi Guerrero is a Program Coordinator at The Elliott School of International Affairs where she oversees three graduate programs: International Development Studies, International Economic Policy Master of Arts, and Global Communications. Debanhi obtains a B.A in International and Global Studies from Sewanee: The University of the South. Her research experience includes the study of International Human Rights in Colombia, where she explored the complex dynamics of human rights challenges and responses within the region. Additionally, Debanhi investigated the growing influence of China in Latin America, examining the economic, political, and social impacts of China’s increasing presence in the region.
ROCIO SANTIAGO: IPDGC PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Rocio Santiago is the School Media and Public Affairs Department Administrator, and is also in charge of managing the IPDGC’s social media and website, along with helping plan and manage various events. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Florida, and she is a current first-year Master of Arts student in the Organizational Sciences and Communications program at GWU.
MOHAMMAD FAYAZ YOURISH
Fayaz Yourish is a Student Fellow at the GW Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communications and a second-year Master’s student in Global Communication, specializing in International Development. He has a diverse professional background, having worked as a Communication and Marketing Specialist at GW’s Office of Alumni Relations, a Communication Specialist at the GW Regulatory Studies Center, and a Diplomatic Communications Officer at the Embassy and Mission of Afghanistan in Rome. Fayaz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from John Cabot University in Rome, Italy.