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Tina Ramirez serves as the President/Executive Director and brings to Hardwired 20 years of experience as a teacher, foreign policy expert and authority on international human rights law and religious freedom. Previously, she served as a policy advisor for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a foreign policy advisor for the U.S. Congress, where she founded the bi-partisan International Religious Freedom Caucus, and former Director of Government Relations and International Programs at Becket Law.

Tina has published extensively and is the author of Iraq: Hope in the Midst of Darkness (2017), a contributing author, and editor of Human Rights in the United States: A Dictionary and Documents (2010 and 2017) and author/editor of Human Rights: Great Events From History (2019). She holds a certificate from the International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, a MA in Education from Vanguard University, and a MA in International Human Rights from the University of Essex, UK.

Tina has spoken before the United Nations and the African Union and testified before the U.S. Congress. In 2012, she was awarded the Second Annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Humanitarian Award for her congressional work defending their community worldwide. She serves as Secretary of the United Nations NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief in New York, and is a former board member for the First Freedom Center in Richmond, VA.

Zeina Dbouk supports the organization’s international training programs and leads our on-line training program. She brings to the organization two decades of diverse experience that spans teaching, training, and curriculum development in multiple countries. She is specialized in cross- cultural education and in the pedagogy of conceptual change. Zeina has led Hardwired trainings in Iraq and Lebanon and contributes regularly to the organization’s research and publications.

Brikena Krasniqi is a highly experienced and accomplished education professional, known for her expertise in early childhood education and development. A Kosovo native, she attended the University of Pristina and graduated as a professor at the University of Albanian Literacy and Grammar, Faculty of Albanian Language. Brikena’s commitment to promoting diversity and pluralism in education has led her to join Hardwired. As part of the team, Brikena is eager to use her skills and expertise to help lift communities out of conflict and promote greater dignity, unity, and freedom for all. 

Dr. Rea-Ramirez supports the development of curriculum, training teachers, and conducting evaluation research. She comes with a doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts, specializing in conceptual change research and theory. Dr. Rea-Ramirez has conducted both professional development and research for over 30 years and is well published, most recently with several articles on using conceptual change theory in social sciences.

Victor Condé is an international human rights lawyer, author and educator based in California and Europe. He holds a J.D. from UC Davis and an LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the Univ. of Essex, UK. He has served as a legal consultant to Hardwired since 2013 and participated in several training programs. He has also been a consultant to the O.S.C.E and to the Holy See (Vatican) at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Cecilia Blankenship, M.S. comes to Hardwired as an administrator after 49 years in public and private education as a classroom teacher, assistant principal and principal. Her background is in science education but has worked with students from pre-school through high school. Her last position was as principal of a public charter school with an emphasis on the arts.

Albana Gashi-Krasniqi is a dedicated professional who recently completed her graduate studies in education. Driven by her passion for elementary education and children's rights, Albana spent three years as a teacher's assistant, gaining significant classroom experience. Her enthusiasm for empowering youth, especially young women, shines through her ongoing work with the community development center House of Hope. Her involvement with Hardwired highlights her commitment to teaching and advocating for children's rights. Albana played a crucial role in establishing our training program in Kosovo and continues to educate and inspire teachers, professors, and school directors on the importance of pluralism education in the region.

Rian Salo Kheder is a passionate advocate for freedom who has been actively involved with civil society organizations since 2010. Rian joined Hardwired in 2017 as a participant in our teacher-training program and has since honed his expertise in human rights education through passionate dedication and training to become our lead trainer in Iraq. As a former engineer and business owner, the conflict in his region led Rian to Hardwired’s work and commitment to pluralism and peacebuilding, which is anchored in a solid foundation of graduate academic studies in law and human rights. Currently, Rian takes the lead on impactful trainings across Kurdistan and Iraq. Through Hardwired’s initiatives, Rian works to elevate human rights education and advocacy for the rights and freedoms of people of all beliefs. 

Keaten Brown supports Hardwired’s international and domestic programs with a focus on operational organization, outreach and development through her role as Program Coordinator. As a recent graduate with a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy, Keaten brings fresh insights and a strong foundation in her areas of interest, including foreign policy and education. Keaten's zeal for public service guides her work, as she contributes to Hardwired's mission through strategic thinking and dedication to creating positive change. She is currently learning Spanish and aspires to attend law school to specialize in human rights.