Andrew Block received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at University of Michigan and is now earning a online certificate degree in Conflict Resolution. Block worked as a policy analyst for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for 14 years and is now looking to apply his skills and knowledge at an NGO or state/local government.  

Research Interests Include:

• Interethnic and interstate conflict

• Government repression

• Violence prevention strategies in urban areas  

Rala Cocco holds a BA in Modern Languages (Italian and French) from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and an MA and PhD in Italian Studies from Brown University. She currently works in Higher Education, and hopes to apply her skills in conflict resolution to educational and union environments. 

Research Interests Include: 

• Conflict Resolution 

• Peace Studies

• Labor Studies

• Translation and Social Justice

• Historical perceptions of conflict

Paloma Fernandes received her Bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She is currently earning an online certificate degree in Conflict Resolution. Her career goals involve community building and building bridges between people and institutions. 

Research Interests Include:

• Community-based healing

• Neurodiversity

• Social-emotional learning

Sanaa Bezzat received her Bachelor's degree from UMass Boston in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She focuses on the importance of rehabilitation, and restorative justice. As a Trial Court Probation employee she intends to heighten her knowledge and experience in trying to help provide resources for people to be successful independently from the system. 

Aanchal-Annalee Deprince received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston in International Relations and is currently pursuing an Accelerated Master's in Conflict Resolution. Her career goals include becoming a Foreign Service Officer and a UN special rapporteur. 

Research Interests Include:

• Intervention of Conflict Resolution theories toward balance of Power theories

• Early Democracy versus shifting version of Democracy to the idea of Democracy

• Knowledge versus Politics

• Does Peacebuilding have a say in core Realist theories

• Realism

Lee is an accelerated master's student at UMass Boston, his bachelor's degree is in Global Affairs. His interest is in conflict resolution, particularly in collaborative environments where diverse perspectives come together to find peaceful solutions. He chose UMass Boston because of its diverse student body, commitment to diversity, and focus on social justice. His goal is to gain practical skills in this program and apply them to resolve conflicts effectively while leading more inclusive, productive teams in the future.

Makia N. Lemar received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston in Psychology and is currently pursuing an Accelerated Master's degree in Conflict Resolution. Her career goals include Humanitarian Aid Worker, Outreach Coordinator, or Mediator.

Tess Mason-DiBurgo received her Bachelor's degree in Human Services from Fitchburg State University. She is interested in working in education and teaching adult learners.

Research Interests Include:

• Intrapersonal conflicts

• Interpersonal conflicts between family members, and between youth

• Conflicts within the criminal justice system and department of corrections

Andrea McCarron earned her Bachelor's degree in Ethnic and Gender Studies at Westfield State University. 

Research Interests Include:

• Housing Instability

• Intragroup Conflict in Organizations

Robert 'Bob' Naiman received his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Illinois - Urbana. His career goal is to advance public awareness of the importance of enforcing Article I Congressional War Powers for ending and preventing U.S. wars. 

Research Interests Include: 

• Article I Congressional War Powers - forcing Congress to vote on wars as required by Article I of the Constitution.

Maya Spielberg Friedrich received a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Simmons University. She is focused on building a more empathetic world from the grassroots level. Inspired by her Jewish-Palestinian solidarity/co-resistance experience in the occupied West Bank, she seeks a solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict that reconciles the past and creates a future where Palestinians and Israelis enjoy equal rights.

White received her Bachelor's degree in Professional Counseling and Biblical Studies from Lancaster Bible College. She is studying Conflict Resolution because "pervasiveness of white supremacy throughout centuries cries that we must better understand it to effectively dismantle it."  She chose UMass Boston for its community, accessibility, and practical/applied academics.

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