On June 18, 2020, the NATO Association of Canada proudly collaborated with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a global think tank that produces data and analysis on the drivers of peace. This inaugural event featured Laurie Smolenski, who brought insights from the findings of the new Global Peace Index 2020 and Holly White, who spoke about her experiences in leadership development and community building, as well as working at Global Affairs Canada.
Laurie Smolenski is a Former Rotary Peace Fellow and the Outreach and Development Officer at the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a global think tank that uses data to better understand and communicate the drivers of peace. She is responsible for managing relationships with foundation and institutional supporters, disseminating IEP’s research through diverse public channels, and supporting IEP’s educational programming. Laurie is passionate about using data for good – be it violence mitigation, policy change, or the pursuit of greater equity and justice, and has previously collaborated with Democracy Now!, the MacArthur Foundation, and Amnesty International. She has a Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of Queensland in Australia and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain.
Holly White is a former Rotary International Peace Fellow and currently works at Global Affairs Canada (Government of Canada) as the Advisor to the Director General responsible for Canada’s engagement in Egypt, Maghreb, Israel and West Bank/Gaza. Her professional background centres around diversity, inclusivity and leadership in the community and education sectors, complemented by a focus on peace and conflict. She has experience as an advisor and policy analyst in the public service; working in a multilateral environment on peacebuilding; youth leadership development; refugee support; adult education; and volunteer management. Holly has received accolades related to leadership, academic achievement, and community building. In 2020, Holly became Rotary International/Institute for Economics and Peace Positive Peace Activator.
To watch the full discussion click here
