Bridget Hancock (Australia) is a Senior Field Security Officer in UNHCR, having worked as a security advisor for over 12 years in the UN. She has extensive field experience and has provided security advice and operational support to UN Senior Management, security personnel and personnel at field, regional and headquarters levels in remote and complex environments particularly throughout Africa, Americas, and the Middle East. Prior to joining UNHCR, Bridget has worked in UN Women as a Regional Security Advisors for both Africas and Americas regions, as well as the UNDSS Security Advisor for North-West Syria. Bridget holds a masters degree in International Security, and a bachelors degree in International Relations and Politics.

UNDSS Deputy Director, Division of Field Operations Florence Poussin

Ms. Florence Poussin is currently serving as the Deputy Director, Division of Field Operations (DFO) in the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). The Division is responsible for the daily coordination and management of safety and security programmes in more than 130 field operations around the world, including peacekeeping and special political missions. The Division provides operational and technical security support to security professionals and to UN leaders responsible for making security decisions (i.e., Designated Officials for Security). The office of the Director provides guidance, monitoring and oversight to ensure consistency in the delivery of security programmes in field operations, the implementation of the UNSMS policies and of UNDSS strategic goals and priorities. Prior to this, Ms. Poussin was the Officer-in-Charge of the Strategic Planning and Policy Service, providing strategic support to UNDSS senior management in all aspects of policies, communications, gender and inclusivity, oversight and partnerships. She was the Chief of the Policy unit for four years supporting the development of security policies for the United Nations System following four years as desk officer supporting the security management of large peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Central African Republic and two years in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Ms. Poussin joined the United Nations following 12 years of experience in the French diplomatic and security service in various positions. Florence graduated from the Institute of Political Sciences (“Sciences- Po”) in Bordeaux, France. She is married with two children.

IOM Security Policy & Training Coordination Officer, Maricar Purugganan Adkins

With almost 20 years of work experience in the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Maricar has been working in Staff Security for almost 16 years. She is currently the Security Policy and Training Coordination Officer in IOM’s Office of Staff Security, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Before that, Maricar also worked in Geneva, Switzerland, and Manila, Philippines.

As the Security Policy and Training Coordination Officer, Maricar manages IOM’s global security learning and training portfolio. This includes developing, reviewing, updating, and delivering security learning and training programmes for security decision makers, security personnel, and IOM personnel. This also includes coordinating all security -related learning requirements of IOM with relevant internal departments and external counterparts.

UN Women Regional Security Specialist, Sanja Potrebic

Sanja Potrebic is Regional Security Specialist for Americas and the Caribbean in UN Women, advising HQ, regional and country offices on security and safety risk management. During the four years in UN Women, Sanja’s focus is on mainstreaming security and safety into programme development and programme delivery; and mainstreaming gender and diversity into security.

Sanja brings experience in policy and analysis from her work with UN Department of Safety and Security; and person-centered approach, risk assessment, critical thinking and interpersonal skills from her work as an attorney at law prior to joining the UN.

Catholic Relief Services Director of Health Operations, Emily Timmreck

Emily Timmreck is a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of healthcare experience. She started her career at the University of Virginia, where she completed both her bachelor and master’s degrees in nursing science. She developed a passion for global health early in her career and has dedicated herself to working within systems that support social justice and peace building while addressing health inequity. Her overseas experience includes time volunteering in Thailand and Cambodia, primarily with organizations supporting victims of human trafficking. She provided short term consultant services in Dhaka, Bangladesh working to improve nursing care within in the local acute care health system. During her time at the Peace Corps, I provided 24/7 consultative services to our overseas Peace Corps Medical Officers on clinical care, policy, and medical technical guidelines. The scope of clinical care ranged from stable to emergent, often requiring use of Medevac or air ambulance services. Currently, she is the Senior Advisor for Health and Safety Operations within Catholic Relief Services. Here, she provides guidance related to outbreak and/or pandemic response, advises and supports emergency medical management needs and leads development of health training resources.

UNHCR Senior Field Security Coordinator, Alhousseyni Ly

Human Rights Watch Physical Security Director, Melanie Murphy

Melanie is the Physical Security Director for Human Rights Watch. She provides strategic and operational oversight for managing security risks that HRW staff face in their work. She entered the human rights security after 15 years in the humanitarian and development sector where she held similar senior global security roles with CARE Canada and Cuso International. Prior to developing her expertise in security management, she lived and worked in Sudan, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Malawi, India, and Mexico, where she gained expertise in camp management, program management, program support, grant writing, and country office leadership.