Founding Director
![Abu Bakarr Bah](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Bah-Abu-e1702257996399.webp)
Abu Bakarr Bah
Presidential Research Professor of Sociology at Northern Illinois University and Founding Editor of African Conflict & Peacebuilding Review (ACPR)
Founding Director
Senior Staff
![Ibrahim Bangura](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IbrahimBangura-e1715307758873.jpg)
Ibrahim Bangura
Associate Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
Assistant Director for Policy
![Sebastian Paalo](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SebastianPaalo_KNUST_Ghana-e1715307858165.jpeg)
Sebastian Paalo
Lecturer, Department of History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Assistant Director for Research
![David Hurlbut](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DavidHurlbut_BUSTH_USA-e1721054777588.jpg)
David Hurlbut
Publications Coordinator
Advisory Board
![Wale Adebanwi](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Wale-Adebanwi-e1702902481228.jpg)
Wale Adebanwi
Director of the Center for Africana Studies & Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies, Department of Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Advisory Board
![Sirojuddin Arif](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Sirojuddin-Arif-scaled-e1652518009114-uai-258x258-1.jpg)
Sirojuddin Arif
Head of the MA in Political Science Program, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
Advisory Board
![Matthias Basedau](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Matthias-Basedau-1-scaled-e1702906231145.jpg)
Matthias Basedau
Director of GIGA Institute for African Affairs (IAA), German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Advisory Board
![Nic Cheeseman](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Nic-Cheeseman-e1702906369409.jpg)
Nic Cheeseman
Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham
Advisory Board
![James Earl Davis](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/James-Earl-Davis-1-e1702908011911.png)
James Earl Davis
Bernard C. Watson Chair in Urban Education & Professor of Higher Education, Department of Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies, Temple University
Advisory Board
![Ismael Montana](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ismael-Montana-3-scaled-e1702907942801.jpg)
Ismael Montana
Associate Professor, Department of History, Northern Illinois University and President of the West African Research Association
Advisory Board
![Cyril Obi](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cyril-Obi-1-e1702908086664.png)
Cyril Obi
Program Director of the African Peacebuilding Network program and the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program at the Social Science Research Council (New York)
Advisory Board
![Ismail Rashid](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ismail-rashid-1-e1702908163695.jpg)
Ismail Rashid
Professor of History & on the Marion Musser Lloyd '32 Chair of History and International Relations, Vassar College
Advisory Board
![Ousmane Sène](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ousmane-Sene-1-e1702908286618.jpg)
Ousmane Sène
Director of West African Research Center (WARC) and Associate Professor of Literature in the Department of English, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal
Advisory Board
![Kurt Thurmaier](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Kurt-Thurmaier-1-e1702908347149.jpg)
Kurt Thurmaier
Distinguished Engagement Professor, Department of Public Administration, Northern Illinois University
Advisory Board
![Philips J. Vermonte](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/researcher_20.png)
Philips J. Vermonte
Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
Advisory Board
![Teresa Wasonga](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/teresa-wasonga-1-e1702908494266.jpg)
Teresa Wasonga
Presidential Engagement Professor, Department of Leadership, Ed. Psychology & Foundations, Northern Illinois University
Advisory Board
![Andreas de GUTTRY](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Andrea-de-Guttry-picture-e1706498104901.jpg)
Andreas de GUTTRY
Full professor of Public International Law, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
Advisory Board
![Leonardo A. Villalón](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Leonardo-Villalon-2-e1706501274909.jpeg)
Leonardo A. Villalón
Professor of African Politics at The University of Florida and Coordinator of the Sahel Research Group
Advisory Board
![Virginia Blaser](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/virginia-e1707967777346.jpg)
Virginia Blaser
Senior U.S. Diplomat (ret)
Advisory Board
![Bob Brinkmann](https://irpia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/robert-brinkmann-e1707969573996.jpg)
Bob Brinkmann
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Professor of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Northern Illinois University
Advisory Board