Staff

Dr. Harvey Langholtz

Executive Director

Dr. Harvey Langholtz is the Executive Director of the Peace Operations Training Institute. He has spent the past 30 years working in international relations, with the UN, and on e-learning for military personnel. During his military years, he was the Commanding Officer of the US Coast Guard Institute and responsible for all distance learning in the service. He was a member of the US Delegation to the UN, serving on the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. He is the founding director of POTI. Dr. Langholtz holds an M.S. from the US Naval Postgraduate School and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. He has served as the Editor of the Journal of International Peacekeeping. His published books include The Psychology of Peacekeeping and The Psychology of Diplomacy, among others.

Ramona Taheri

Deputy Director and Senior Editor

Ramona Taheri is the Deputy Director and Senior Editor at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She is responsible for managing the Institute in keeping with its mission. She previously worked as a Research Assistant for Columbia University’s Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, a Training Analyst for a claims resolution firm, and an intern for Amnesty International USA and the Red Cross. She received a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Political Science from Columbia University.

Vanessa Anderson

Registrar and Chief of Institutional Relations

Vanessa Anderson is the Registrar and Chief of Institutional Relations at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She is responsible for managing student support, administering student records, and advising on student services. She also manages institutional relations with peacekeeping training providers, including with national peacekeeping training centres which utilize the Institute’s online training to complement their classroom courses. She previously worked at the Trust for the Americas and interned with the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads. She received a B.A. in International Studies with a minor in Latin American Studies from Old Dominion University. She also serves as Secretary on the POTI Board of Directors.

Lindsay April

Chief of Content

Lindsay April is the Chief of Content at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She works in the Content Department to maintain the high quality of the Institute’s training materials. She previously served on the Editorial Board for the Millennium Journal of International Studies. Lindsay received a B.A. in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and an M.Sc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Christopher Leber

Chief of Technology

Christopher Leber is the Chief of Technology at the Peace Operations Training Institute. He oversees the IT department, and is responsible for managing the Institute’s technological aspects, security, and data compliance. Christopher has worked in the IT field since 2006. He holds a B.S. with honours in Marketing, B.S. with honours in Information Systems with a double concentration in Application Development and Network Management, an M.B.A., and an M.S. in Information Systems, all from Virginia Commonwealth University. Outside of work Christopher engages in numerous volunteer activities within the community.

Marianne Wrightson

Chief of Programme Services

Marianne Wrightson is the Chief of Programme Services at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She began working in education in 1988, including student services positions at Chesapeake College and the College of William & Mary. In addition to education, she has worked in sales and marketing for the Hanes Corporation. She has held a myriad of volunteer positions in the non-profit sector, including governance, fundraising, and teaching. She holds a B.A. in American Studies from the University of Dayton and has training in literacy education and hospice care.

Susan Terrien

Treasurer

Susan Terrien is Treasurer at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She manages all financial transactions for the Institute, maintains and manages grant-related financial records, and coordinates the preparation and submission of financial reports required by granting nations. She also serves as office manager to accommodate day-to-day operations and is Treasurer on the POTI Board of Directors.

Tiffany Clarke

Copy Editor

Tiffany Clarke is a Copy Editor at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She edits courses and other POTI content for clarity and consistency and is passionate about providing quality educational materials relating to international relations. Tiffany previously interned at the Atomic Heritage Foundation and the American Shakespeare Center in their education departments. She graduated with an M.A. in Conflict Resolution and Nuclear Policy from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

Frank Benner

Programme Assistant

Frank Benner is a Programme Assistant at the Peace Operations Training Institute. Previously, he worked as an intelligence analyst in the US Army. He is also a student at the College of William & Mary pursuing a B.A. in International Relations. At the college, he is the Managing Editor for the Monitor: Journal of International Studies.

Jeffrey Baxter

Software Engineer

Jeffrey Baxter is a Software Engineer at the Peace Operations Training Institute. He works in the IT department where he assists in managing the Institute’s website and student classroom. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Old Dominion University.

Lauren Null

Grants Specialist

Lauren Null is the Grants Specialist at the Peace Operations Training Institute. She helps ensure compliance with grants, prepare financial reports, and provide ongoing oversight of budgets, expenditures, and revenues. She previously worked in the mental health field as a Regional Operations Manager for a company that provides Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Lauren also interned with two nonprofits: one providing programmes to newly resettled refugees in Virginia and the other offering microloans and business coaching to women in developing countries. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor’s in social work.