Mr. Peter Burds — President, Founder, Chair of the Board
Originating from the northeast United States, Peter Burds is a current PhD candidate in International Security at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. He received his Master of Arts in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University—Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies in Nanjing, China, earning a distinction award for his thesis discussing the applicability of international law to cyberwarfare, written in Mandarin Chinese. He likewise holds a BA (Hons) in English from Northeastern University in Boston, U.S.A. Outside of KOI, Peter has published on nuclear security in Arms Control Today, and centers his current research on autonomous weapons systems and the militarization of artificial intelligence.
Ms. Huong “Suzy” Duong — Treasurer
A native of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Suzy now pursues her Juris Doctor degree at the University of California, College of Law, San Francisco with special interests in intellectual property law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, U.S.A. She has abundant experience in Asian American activism and international engagement — speaking English, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean — and previously served as President of the Asian Student Union at Northeastern University. Her family has previously suffered tragedy due to UXO left behind from the Vietnam War, one among over 100,000 cases of injury and fatality since 1975.
Mr. Edward Fu — Chief Technology Officer, Vice Chair
A native of the west coast United States, Edward is currently employed as a full-time Manufacturing Engineering Specialist with the SpaceX Starlink manufacturing group, where he works to oversee and optimize satellite production output. He has previously held positions as a product development team lead, back-end solar technician, and 3D design and manufacturing engineer across numerous companies, providing him with rich and comprehensive technical experience to supervise and drive forward KOI’s interdisciplinary technological initiatives with systematic and creative vigor. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science from Northeastern University.
Ms. Ivanna Masera — Secretary
Ivanna hails from the northeast United States and is currently pursuing a professional certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography. Her specialization in geospatial risk analysis, remote sensing, and community resource and cultural mapping, combined with distinctive philanthropic experience serving disabled and minority communities both personally and as an essential care worker during the 2020 pandemic, render her a versatile asset across the scope of KOI’s diverse humanitarian initiatives. Ivanna’s Ukrainian heritage and linguistic fluency are being utilized toward laying groundwork for KOI’s prospective expansion into mine action and environmental remediation efforts in Ukraine.
Ms. Meili Vergnolle — Chief Development and External Affairs Officer
A French national, Meili now pursues her PhD in International Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. She holds a Master’s degree in International Governance and Diplomacy from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), and graduated magna cum laude earning a Bachelor of Laws with a concentration in International Politics from Peking University. She has previously held positions at the Denmark Embassy in Beijing, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and as a Public Affairs Intern at UNESCO. Meili is fluent in French, Chinese, and English.