Ms. Celina Agaton
Founder and Managing Director
MapPH
Celina Agaton is the Filipino-Canadian Founder and Managing Director of MapPH. She helps regenerate supply chains in Indigenous, remote communities and conflict areas to support governance, gender, and MSMEs. She developed the Open Knowledge Kit Regeneration Program to create local and remote work with free and open source tools and cross sector coordination to address knowledge stewardship, gender gaps and climate change. She leads projects for World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership. She is also the Executive Director of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines and Chair of OSGEO Oceania Outreach and Communications. She has been nominated for an honorary membership for the Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas global consortium. Celina won the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and Pacific EdTech competition for innovation in technology for resilience. She grew up in Jakarta, Manila and Toronto.
Founder and Managing Director
MapPH
Celina Agaton is the Filipino-Canadian Founder and Managing Director of MapPH. She helps regenerate supply chains in Indigenous, remote communities and conflict areas to support governance, gender, and MSMEs. She developed the Open Knowledge Kit Regeneration Program to create local and remote work with free and open source tools and cross sector coordination to address knowledge stewardship, gender gaps and climate change. She leads projects for World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership. She is also the Executive Director of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines and Chair of OSGEO Oceania Outreach and Communications. She has been nominated for an honorary membership for the Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas global consortium. Celina won the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and Pacific EdTech competition for innovation in technology for resilience. She grew up in Jakarta, Manila and Toronto.
Ms. Christine Ahn
Executive Director
Women Cross DMZ
Christine Ahn is the Founder and Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of women mobilizing to end the Korean War and ensure women’s leadership in peace building. She has addressed the United Nations, US Congress, Canadian Parliament and the ROK National Human Rights Commission. Her op-eds have appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor on MSNBC, Democracy Now!, and CNN. She is the recipient of the 2020 US Peace Prize for her bold activism to end the Korean War, heal the wounds from the war, and women’s leadership in peacebuilding. Ahn has a master’s degree in International Policy from Georgetown University.
Executive Director
Women Cross DMZ
Christine Ahn is the Founder and Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of women mobilizing to end the Korean War and ensure women’s leadership in peace building. She has addressed the United Nations, US Congress, Canadian Parliament and the ROK National Human Rights Commission. Her op-eds have appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor on MSNBC, Democracy Now!, and CNN. She is the recipient of the 2020 US Peace Prize for her bold activism to end the Korean War, heal the wounds from the war, and women’s leadership in peacebuilding. Ahn has a master’s degree in International Policy from Georgetown University.
Ms. Shamima Ali
Coordinator
Fiji Women's Crisis Centre
Shamima Ali is the Coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre for the past 36 years. She’s the chairperson of the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women & a founding member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement. She also served as a Human Rights Commissioner in Fiji from 2004-2006. A feminist activist, Shamima works with women & community groups in Fiji & across the Pacific to raise awareness about gender, violence against women & human rights. Much of her work has been developing and conducting training with police and other service-providers in Fiji as well as the Pacific. Her achievements include the US State Department’s inaugural Women of Courage Award in 2007, the Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s inaugural Human Rights Defender Award in 2009, being named a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation in 2009 and Pacific Person of the Year by Islands Business Magazine in 2011. Named one of 100 influential persons of the last Century in Fiji for the advancement of Women’s Rights. Currently she’s a member of the Technical Working Group Secretariat for the National Action Plan for the prevention of VAW. She is an ardent advocate for democracy, rule of law and human rights.
Coordinator
Fiji Women's Crisis Centre
Shamima Ali is the Coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre for the past 36 years. She’s the chairperson of the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women & a founding member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement. She also served as a Human Rights Commissioner in Fiji from 2004-2006. A feminist activist, Shamima works with women & community groups in Fiji & across the Pacific to raise awareness about gender, violence against women & human rights. Much of her work has been developing and conducting training with police and other service-providers in Fiji as well as the Pacific. Her achievements include the US State Department’s inaugural Women of Courage Award in 2007, the Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s inaugural Human Rights Defender Award in 2009, being named a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation in 2009 and Pacific Person of the Year by Islands Business Magazine in 2011. Named one of 100 influential persons of the last Century in Fiji for the advancement of Women’s Rights. Currently she’s a member of the Technical Working Group Secretariat for the National Action Plan for the prevention of VAW. She is an ardent advocate for democracy, rule of law and human rights.
Wing Commander Jennifer Atkinson
NZDF Gender Advisor and Implementation Officer for Women, Peace and Security
New Zealand Defence Force
With over 20 years of service, WGCDR Atkinson initially joined the RNZAF as a psychologist and has deployed many times in support of missions in the Pacific and the Middle East. A particular highlight was deploying in 2015 as the Chief of Staff for the US Navy led mission Pacific Partnership where a separate WPS line of effort was led by WGCDR Atkinson, including over 20 WPS initiatives across 5 countries. WGCDR Atkinson is currently the Gender Advisor for the NZDF tasked with implementing the NZ Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan. Working at Joint Forces Headquarters, her focus is also on embedding gender into operations, training, and planning. Having worked on the first NZ National Action Plan in 2015, WGCDR Atkinson is looking forward to developing the next reiteration this year. Jennifer lives in Wellington with her partner and two kids and enjoys trail running.
NZDF Gender Advisor and Implementation Officer for Women, Peace and Security
New Zealand Defence Force
With over 20 years of service, WGCDR Atkinson initially joined the RNZAF as a psychologist and has deployed many times in support of missions in the Pacific and the Middle East. A particular highlight was deploying in 2015 as the Chief of Staff for the US Navy led mission Pacific Partnership where a separate WPS line of effort was led by WGCDR Atkinson, including over 20 WPS initiatives across 5 countries. WGCDR Atkinson is currently the Gender Advisor for the NZDF tasked with implementing the NZ Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan. Working at Joint Forces Headquarters, her focus is also on embedding gender into operations, training, and planning. Having worked on the first NZ National Action Plan in 2015, WGCDR Atkinson is looking forward to developing the next reiteration this year. Jennifer lives in Wellington with her partner and two kids and enjoys trail running.
Ms. Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls
Regional Manager / Regional Representative
Shifting the Power Coalition / GPPAC Pacific
Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls is a second-generation Fiji Island feminist, the great-grandaughter of Girmit’Mas Sukhdei and Jinki, and #FeministNaniJi to Aadarsh. She is passionate about contributing to and nurturing an information and communication ecosystem to progress feminist practice and women's rights to drive an inclusive peace, development, and humanitarian nexus approach to build and sustain peaceful and inclusive societies. As the Regional Manager of the Shifting the Power Coalition her work today supports 23 diverse Pacific Island women leaders and young women to enhance their collective power, influence, and leadership to redesign systems and responses to disasters and climate change. Sharon is currently the Co-Chair of Global Fund for Women Board of Directors and Board Chair of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, a member of the World Pulse Global Council, and National Vice President of the YWCA of Fiji. Between 2010 –2012 she coordinated civil society input into the development of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2012-2015) and successfully lobbied to support GPPAC Pacific to get two significant words - “climate change” - into the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2242 (2015).
Regional Manager / Regional Representative
Shifting the Power Coalition / GPPAC Pacific
Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls is a second-generation Fiji Island feminist, the great-grandaughter of Girmit’Mas Sukhdei and Jinki, and #FeministNaniJi to Aadarsh. She is passionate about contributing to and nurturing an information and communication ecosystem to progress feminist practice and women's rights to drive an inclusive peace, development, and humanitarian nexus approach to build and sustain peaceful and inclusive societies. As the Regional Manager of the Shifting the Power Coalition her work today supports 23 diverse Pacific Island women leaders and young women to enhance their collective power, influence, and leadership to redesign systems and responses to disasters and climate change. Sharon is currently the Co-Chair of Global Fund for Women Board of Directors and Board Chair of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, a member of the World Pulse Global Council, and National Vice President of the YWCA of Fiji. Between 2010 –2012 she coordinated civil society input into the development of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2012-2015) and successfully lobbied to support GPPAC Pacific to get two significant words - “climate change” - into the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2242 (2015).
Ms. Charity Borg
WPS Planner
Pacific Forum
Lieutenant General Sklenka currently serves as the Deputy Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He is from Marietta, Georgia, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1988 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. His service in the Operating Forces includes assignments as a Supply Officer, S-4, Company Executive Officer, Detachment Commander, and Company Commander, and Commanding Officer at the Battalion and Group levels, Chief of Staff, and Commanding General. He has also served in numerous assignments outside of Operating Forces to include most recently as the Principal Director for South and Southeast Asia in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and J5, Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He is a combat veteran having deployed in support of eight U.S. military operations from the Pacific, Central, and Southern Command areas of responsibility. He has also had numerous academic assignments most notably to include, Naval Command and Staff College, Fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Timothy T. Day Foundation Marine Corps Executive Fellowship at the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.
WPS Planner
Pacific Forum
Lieutenant General Sklenka currently serves as the Deputy Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He is from Marietta, Georgia, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1988 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. His service in the Operating Forces includes assignments as a Supply Officer, S-4, Company Executive Officer, Detachment Commander, and Company Commander, and Commanding Officer at the Battalion and Group levels, Chief of Staff, and Commanding General. He has also served in numerous assignments outside of Operating Forces to include most recently as the Principal Director for South and Southeast Asia in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and J5, Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He is a combat veteran having deployed in support of eight U.S. military operations from the Pacific, Central, and Southern Command areas of responsibility. He has also had numerous academic assignments most notably to include, Naval Command and Staff College, Fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Timothy T. Day Foundation Marine Corps Executive Fellowship at the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.
Tevvi Bullock
Sessional Academic (Casual)
Pacific Forum
Tevvi Bullock (AUS) holds an Advanced Master of Diplomacy from the Australian National University, with a thesis focused on gender, Pacific Islands countries and climate diplomacy, a Graduate Certificate of Gender, Peace and Security from Monash University, and a Bachelor of Global Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. Her current research is concentrated on climate change and environmental insecurity, the WPS Agenda, and gender roles, norms and identities, and she hopes to embark upon a PhD investigating these areas of interest. Tevvi is also a Pacific Forum Young Leader, a 2021 Women in International Security (WIIS) Next Generation Fellow, and the recipient of the 2020 Australian German Association & Goethe-Institut Research Fellowship. She has previously worked at the Australian National University in research and tutoring roles, and the Australian National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Sessional Academic (Casual)
Pacific Forum
Tevvi Bullock (AUS) holds an Advanced Master of Diplomacy from the Australian National University, with a thesis focused on gender, Pacific Islands countries and climate diplomacy, a Graduate Certificate of Gender, Peace and Security from Monash University, and a Bachelor of Global Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. Her current research is concentrated on climate change and environmental insecurity, the WPS Agenda, and gender roles, norms and identities, and she hopes to embark upon a PhD investigating these areas of interest. Tevvi is also a Pacific Forum Young Leader, a 2021 Women in International Security (WIIS) Next Generation Fellow, and the recipient of the 2020 Australian German Association & Goethe-Institut Research Fellowship. She has previously worked at the Australian National University in research and tutoring roles, and the Australian National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Ms. Mavic Cabrera-Balleza
Founder and CEO
Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
Maria Victoria “Mavic” Cabrera Balleza is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. She is one of the two civil society initiators of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund. She is also a founding member of its Global Funding Board. Ms. Cabrera Balleza is also a Board Member of the Generation Equality Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action representing GNWP and the Beijing +25 Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security. Ms. Cabrera Balleza has worked with civil society, governments, and the UN in implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda for over fifteen years. She initiated the first Philippine National Action Plan on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. She has provided technical support in 1325 national action planning and pioneered the Localization of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 program in various countries. In 2014, Ms. Cabrera-Balleza established the Young Women Leaders for Peace (YWL), an international network of young women who are leading peacebuilding efforts in local communities. Ms. Cabrera Balleza has a master’s degree in Communication Research from the University of the Philippines.
Founder and CEO
Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
Maria Victoria “Mavic” Cabrera Balleza is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. She is one of the two civil society initiators of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund. She is also a founding member of its Global Funding Board. Ms. Cabrera Balleza is also a Board Member of the Generation Equality Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action representing GNWP and the Beijing +25 Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security. Ms. Cabrera Balleza has worked with civil society, governments, and the UN in implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda for over fifteen years. She initiated the first Philippine National Action Plan on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. She has provided technical support in 1325 national action planning and pioneered the Localization of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 program in various countries. In 2014, Ms. Cabrera-Balleza established the Young Women Leaders for Peace (YWL), an international network of young women who are leading peacebuilding efforts in local communities. Ms. Cabrera Balleza has a master’s degree in Communication Research from the University of the Philippines.
Ms. Joan Carling
Co-convenor of IPMG and Executive Director of IPRI
Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development (IPMG); Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
Joan Carling is an indigenous activist from the Cordillera, Philippines. She has been working on indigenous issues at the grassroots to international levels for more than 20 years. Her fields of expertise are on human rights and indigenous peoples rights, environment and climate change, and sustainable development. Ms. Carling served as the Secretary General of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)-- a coalition of 50 indigenous organizations across Asia, from 2008 to 2016. She was an expert- member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFii) for 2014-16. Ms. Carling received the Champion of the Earth for Lifetime Achievement Award given by the UN Environment Programme in 2018. She is currently the co-convenor of the Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group (IPMG) for Sustainable Development and the Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Rights International-IPRI.
Co-convenor of IPMG and Executive Director of IPRI
Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development (IPMG); Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
Joan Carling is an indigenous activist from the Cordillera, Philippines. She has been working on indigenous issues at the grassroots to international levels for more than 20 years. Her fields of expertise are on human rights and indigenous peoples rights, environment and climate change, and sustainable development. Ms. Carling served as the Secretary General of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)-- a coalition of 50 indigenous organizations across Asia, from 2008 to 2016. She was an expert- member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFii) for 2014-16. Ms. Carling received the Champion of the Earth for Lifetime Achievement Award given by the UN Environment Programme in 2018. She is currently the co-convenor of the Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group (IPMG) for Sustainable Development and the Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Rights International-IPRI.
Group Captain Michael Carver
Group Captain
UK Embed in US INDOPACOM
Group Captain Michael Carver joined the RAF in 1986 and became a Hercules pilot. In 2001, he was posted to the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, initially on the Balkans and UN Ops Team and later becoming Staff Officer to the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations. Carver returned to flying duties, as a flight commander in 2003 and was appointed Personal Staff Officer to Air Officer Commanding 2 Group, in 2005. In 2007, he completed Advanced Command and Staff Course and then became a member of the Directing Staff. Following this, he was appointed Officer Commanding Operations Wing at RAF Lyneham before setting up and commanding the Air Mobility Force Headquarters. In 2012, Carver moved to the US Central Command Headquarters to work within the Special Plans Working Group. He returned to Headquarters Air Command as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Plans in 2013. Promoted Group Captain, Carver then took up the 2 Group Senior Operator post. In Nov 2016, Carver was reassigned to US CENTCOM and became Base Commander RAF Northolt in Jul '17. He took up his current role in the US Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters, in Oct '19. Married to Sharon, he has 4 children and a slightly crazy springer spaniel.
Group Captain
UK Embed in US INDOPACOM
Group Captain Michael Carver joined the RAF in 1986 and became a Hercules pilot. In 2001, he was posted to the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, initially on the Balkans and UN Ops Team and later becoming Staff Officer to the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations. Carver returned to flying duties, as a flight commander in 2003 and was appointed Personal Staff Officer to Air Officer Commanding 2 Group, in 2005. In 2007, he completed Advanced Command and Staff Course and then became a member of the Directing Staff. Following this, he was appointed Officer Commanding Operations Wing at RAF Lyneham before setting up and commanding the Air Mobility Force Headquarters. In 2012, Carver moved to the US Central Command Headquarters to work within the Special Plans Working Group. He returned to Headquarters Air Command as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Plans in 2013. Promoted Group Captain, Carver then took up the 2 Group Senior Operator post. In Nov 2016, Carver was reassigned to US CENTCOM and became Base Commander RAF Northolt in Jul '17. He took up his current role in the US Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters, in Oct '19. Married to Sharon, he has 4 children and a slightly crazy springer spaniel.
