Meet Our Advisory Group!
Alison L. Kahn
Dr Alison Kahn is a visual and museum anthropologist, filmmaker, and art practitioner whose work bridges the creative industries and academia. She began her academic journey studying French, English, and Italian literature and visual culture, living in Paris, Marseille, and Rome before completing her MPhil and DPhil in Museum Ethnology and Social and Cultural Anthropology at Oxford University. Her monograph, Imperial Museum Dynasties: Papal Ethnographic Collections and Material Culture (Springer 2023), examines the Pontifical Exhibition of 1925 within the broader history of European ethnographic museums, exploring the imperial, technological, and religious agendas that shaped early twentieth-century collecting and curating practices. Alison's research and practice explore the intersections of film, literature, digital culture, artificial intelligence, and cultural heritage. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in India, where she directed a multi-award-winning documentary on the first Zeme Naga Tribal Olympics (2021). She founded the Oxford Documentary Film Institute and has led filmmaking and editing workshops for academics across UK and European universities for over a decade. She continues to run workshops on visual anthropology and 'digital children' with colleagues at the Anthropos India Foundation, JNU, and Indira Gandhi National Open University. A pioneer in cross-cultural ethnographic research techniques, Alison has digitised early twentieth-century ethnographic archive films, designed digital learning systems, and created online archives and art exhibitions that connect communities to their cultural heritage. Her work has been recognised with awards from the British Film Institute, Screen South, the Scatcherd Fellowship, an AHRC-funded eBook collaboration with the University of Oxford, and National Lottery funding for cultural heritage ethnography. She is currently Associate in Research and Innovation at Loughborough University, where she is scoping the creation of a University Museum of Artificial Intelligence Cultures (MAIC) as part of a UK Arts and Humanities Research Council Catalyst-funded project. Alison is married with three teenage children and lives in Oxford.
Aparna Dasaraju
Inspired to find innovative solutions to address health disparities and drive efficacy in population health initiatives through evidence-based research, especially in the climate and health space. Self-driven, detail-oriented and highly adaptive with diverse global experiences in population health technology, policy-making, advocacy, research, statistical analysis and health communication.
Apply strong interpersonal and creative problem-solving skills in ensuring quality while managing large scale and fast paced projects. Bring integrity and passion to all my commitments.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparna-dasaraju/?originalSubdomain=uk
Gabrielle Jean-Pierre
I’m a third-year engineering science student specializing in the biomedical systems engineering option to begin fulfilling my goal of optimizing healthcare in a meaningful way. That may be as grand as improving the operation of the Canadian healthcare system or as intricate as optimizing the function of a medical device; I'm not exactly sure yet! The opportunities in BME are broad and I'm currently at a stage of academia where I wish to learn as much as I possibly can.
Ultimately, my greatest skill is adaptability. One summer, I’m isolating broad-host range bacteriophages in a wet lab, and the next I’m diving into the world of human factors engineering and developing a self-management app for sudden cardiac arrest survivors and their families. No matter what, my goal remains the same: Contribute to healthcare in a way that resonates with the community I impact and with my positionality as an aspiring biomedical engineer.
Gerry Craigen
Dr. Gerry Craigen is a psychiatrist with a full-time private practice in Toronto. He holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa, and a medical degree from Queen’s University, Kingston. Dr. Craigen completed his residency at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American College of Psychiatrists. Dr. Craigen served as the CMPA 2nd vice-president (2020-2022) and has served on many CMPA committees including the Human Resources and Compensation Committee, Safe Medical Care Committee, and as chair of the Pension Committee.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerry-craigen-a80837128/?originalSubdomain=ca
Gift
Bio coming soon
Glenn Melvin
Glenn Melvin is a practising clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the School of Psychology, Deakin University. He is co-lead of Clinical Mental Health Care at SEED Lifespan, Deakin University in Australia, and an Honorary Associate Professor at the Centre or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the University of Warwick (UK).
Glenn’s research’s focuses on co-designing interventions and supports for youth mental health challenges. He has a specific interest in psychotherapeutic and digital interventions for school attendance challenges, depressive disorders, and suicide risk. Glenn teaches post-graduate clinical psychology and is active in providing training and consultancy to mental health services and schools.
Kassandra Pierre Bedell
Kassandra Pierre Bedell is a visionary leader, mentor, and advocate for diversity in technology. With over a decade of experience in finance, digital transformation, payments, and IT infrastructure, she has a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and empower global teams. In her current role, Kassandra spearheads the successful execution of payment solutions, ensuring seamless integrations and fostering collaboration between engineering, business, and compliance stakeholders.
Beyond her technical expertise, Kassandra is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and mentorship. She has seen firsthand the transformative impact of diverse and equitable spaces, particularly for women, individuals with disabilities, and multi-minority professionals. She is a founding member and past Affiliate President of the WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity) Neurodiversity Affiliate and a Google Women Techmakers Ambassador. She also serves as an advisor for the Cyber Guild, where she helped the organization to design and launch a mentorship program for women transitioning into cybersecurity.
Kassandra’s dedication to promoting fintech talent equity was realized through her admission to the 2024 Money 20/20 Amplify cohort, and by her concurrent advocacy elevating underrepresented professional voices in fintech. She has launched DYASPURA Digital, a social enterprise actively “connecting innovators around the globe” in the hopes to create globally distributed centers of intergenerational mentorship and learning where new talent is developed. Kassandra is also actively involved in contributing to the advancement of women in technology, project management and product leadership in a variety of organizations across the globe.
Kassandra is currently employed with a global bank as a VP in eCommerce Implementations where she creates technology and servicing strategy for vendors leveraging commercial and corporate banking merchants services. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and collecting books, traveling, playing with her four dogs and cooking with her husband.
Kathleen Guan
Kathleen Guan is a multidisciplinary researcher passionate about all things digital health and (global) community engagement. Her PhD research focuses on involving young people in the design of personalized AI and emerging technologies.
By combining participatory approaches with a focus on preventative health, she aims to shape how digital tools can become meaningful parts of everyday life and help reduce mental health challenges as well as the risks of chronic conditions.
She is committed to implementation and works closely with stakeholders across policy, industry, and civil society.
Kathleen studied human rights and developmental neuroscience (BSFS, Georgetown; MRes, UCL) and has worked in the digital innovation and public health fields (WHO, Johns Hopkins, Yale, various start-ups) as both a research collaborator and advisor.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenwguan/?originalSubdomain=nl
Maritijie Botes
Dr. Marietjie Botes is a legal scholar with a specialisation in neurolaw, neuroethics, and data governance. With over 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney in health law and biotechnology, she brings a uniquely interdisciplinary approach to the legal and ethical challenges posed by emerging neurotechnologies. Her research focuses on the implications of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), neurodata, and AI-driven neurotechnologies for fundamental rights such as mental privacy, cognitive liberty, identity, and autonomy.
Dr. Botes holds BProc, LLB, LLM (Intellectual Property Law), and LLD (Biotechnology Law) degrees. She is currently based at the Pestilli Neuroscience Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, where she contributes to the BRIDGE (Brain Research International Data Governance & Exchange) Project. Her work investigates regulatory and ethical frameworks for the protection and equitable governance of brain data.
She has published widely on the intersection of law, neuroscience, and ethics, and serves as co-editor for the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience special issue on Legal and Ethical Reforms for Neurotechnological Advancement in the Global South. Dr. Botes also co-edited the Digital Ethics special issue in the Humanities and Social Sciences Communications Journal (Springer Nature).
Dr. Botes is an elected member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the Association for Responsible Research and Innovation in Genome Editing (ARRIGE) and serves as South Africa’s representative in the African Bioethics Network. She is a regular contributor to national policy debates and public scholarship in neurolaw, using innovative tools like comics to engage the public on ethical issues in neuroscience.
Her current work aims to inform regulatory reform and rights-based protections in an era of neurotechnological transformation.
Mohhadiah Rafique
Mohhadiah Rafique is a PhD Candidate in Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University (SU) and an NRF-funded doctoral fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest, under the SARChi Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma. She holds a Master’s in Research Psychology, a BA Honours in Psychology (Cum Laude), and a BSc in Human Life Sciences with Psychology, all from SU. Her Master’s research critically analysed South African Hip Hop’s role in promoting and normalizing codeine culture amongst youth. Mohhadiah is also a part-time research assistant with the Africa Neuroethics Research Group and serves on SU’s Department of Psychiatry Transformation Committee. She is also an active member of the Africa Global Mental Health Institute’s (AGMHI) Advocacy and Policy Working Group and the SU Neuroethics Working Group. Her work has been presented at national and international conferences, including AGMHI (2024), and International Neuroethics Society (2025). She has authored publications in mental health and neuroethics, with research interests in decolonial psychiatry, the mental health of marginalized communities, and creative arts-based research methods.
Omar Reid
Omar Reid is an AI engineer and founder focused on practical, ethical applications of machine learning that improve lives.
He is an AI Fellow at The Boston Globe, where he builds foundational AI capabilities to help local journalism better understand and serve its audience.
Previously, he led Reid Innovations, a profitable AI agency delivering measurable outcomes for clients across Asia, Europe, and Africa, and served as CTO at Alena, where his work contributed to a ten-point reduction in social anxiety symptoms in a pilot trial. He has shipped products in healthcare, media, and esports, and writes about culture and mental health.
Omar’s interests include trustworthy AI, digital mental health, and community impact across global contexts
Patricia Shaw
Patricia Shaw is a Global AI and Data Adviser, working at the intersection of human rights, law, policy governance, technology and ethics. She is a registered Solicitor in England, Wales, and Ireland, and has over 25 years’ experience in the field of technology law, having worked for FTSE50 companies and the NHS. She has authored several works on law, regulation, policy, ethics, and AI, and is a public speaker.
Her expertise focuses on algorithmic bias, autonomous decision-making in high-impact AI systems, privacy, and fairness, particularly examining AI's discriminatory effects on gender, religion, and belief.
Patricia holds numerous advisory roles. Including advising the Council of Europe on Generative AI and Freedom of Expression, sits on OECD’s Global Partnership on AI's project advisory board for Gender, Diversity and Equality, and serves on multiple technical committees including UKAS AI Technical Advisory Committee, and the Institute for the Future of Work's Responsible Regulatory Plus Forum. She also represents Equinet (the Network of European Equality Bodies) in the development of EU AI Act standards sitting on Working Groups with both BSI and CEN-CENELEC.
As an IEEE Maestro (one of only three globally), she participates in IEEE standards, and serves on the IEEE's CertifAIEd ethical certification authorised assessor panel.
Patricia is the first female Chair of the UK's Society for Computers and Law in its 50-year history and sits on boards of iTechlaw, IFCLA, and Women Leading in AI, through which she co-founded the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights with EqualityNow. Her other advisory roles extend to AI & Faith, Baylor University’s Center for Standards in Ethical AI, and ForHumanity as a Fellow.
Recognised for her achievements she was named on the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ list in 2021 and Computer Weekly's Most Influential Women in UK Technology longlist every year from 2021-2025.
Pia Tesdorf
Senior advisor in dataprotection / infosec / cybersec / privacy enhancing technologies.
A more detailed bio coming soon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/piatesdorf/?originalSubdomain=dk