Policy Paper: Fairly Trading the World's Timber 

Christopher Bartolotta (WPJ) is a graduate student at the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University where he is specializing in foreign policy analysis and international security. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations, the bi-annual academic journal published by the school. His master’s thesis, written this past summer, examined why powerful states fail to win counterinsurgencies. Christopher received his B.A. in history and M.Ed. from Rutgers University. In his spare time he is an avid reader of the classics, and is currently working through the novels of Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Dovilas Bukauskas (WPJ) is an undergraduate Journalism student at Baruch College CUNY with a minor in Anthropology. He hopes to receive his BA this May. He has also served as the News and Opinions editor at The Ticker, Baruch's weekly student-run newspaper. He maintains an interest in a diverse set of media skills, having interned at Premiere Radio and worked as a photographer and videographer for The Ticker. His interest in traveling and working abroad has seen him interning at Lietuvos Žinios as well, a Lithuanian-language national newspaper in Vilnius, Lithuania. His interests include natural photography, computer and environmental sciences, the intersection of anthropology and journalism, music, and new media forms. He is also an avid hiker, traveler, photographer, wood-worker and cook.

Amanda Dugan (WPI) recently received her MA with honors from the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University. Her areas of focus are human rights, nationalism and Africa. She wrote her thesis on the post-independence nation building projects in Guinea and Tanzania, and spent her final semester working with a professor on a comparative study of the UN’s gender mainstreaming programs in Rwanda and Uganda. Prior to WPI, Amanda worked at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars as a research assistant for two of their senior scholars.

Janek Kubik (WPJ) is a graduate student at the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy at Seton Hall in South Orange, NJ, where he is specializing in conflict resolution and human right's law. He got his BA at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, where he majored in political science. He is also an associate editor for the Whitehead Journal at Seton Hall, and has had other previous internship experience with the Rush Holt for Congress campaign in New Jersey as well as various other political and non-profit organizations. He is currently working on his masters thesis on deciphering the connection between GDP growth and a country's corruption ranking. Aside from the world of politics and international relations, he is also an avid music lover, and you can find him most weekends at your local venues watching the local musical acts on stage.  

Mark Loyka (WPI) is a research, communications and development intern at WPI. He will graduate from the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University in December 2011 with a M.A. in diplomacy and international relations. Mark’s area interests include Latin America and the Caribbean, conflict management, poverty, inequality and foreign policy. His master’s research project examines income inequality in Latin America, specifically the Southern Cone region. He previously interned at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs in Washington, DC. Mark received his B.A. in History from Elon University.

José Martínez-Flores (WPJ) will be graduating in May from the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, where he specializes in Foreign Policy Analysis and Europe. His research interests include Regionalism, relations within the European Union, Latin American politics, American foreign policy, and nationalism. José received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico. Previously, José interned at Democracy Now! as part of its Social Media and Online Outreach team. He was also an Associate Editor for Content at the Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy. At the moment, he is working on his master's thesis; examining whether or not EU Accession agreements have an effect on political corruption in prospective states. Back when he was enjoying the perpetually warm climate of Puerto Rico, José worked for AIESEC, an international student-led organization that promotes cultural exchanges. In his spare time, José is an avid reader as well as an explorer of the urban landscape of New York City.  

Samuel Roods (WPI) is currently earning his MA in Diplomacy from the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, specializing in foreign policy analysis and international security. He is also currently serving as a research assistant for several Whitehead faculty members. In 2009, Sam graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Political Science and Religious Studies from Hartwick College. Sam has previously worked as a project assistant at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, where he researched and wrote short biographies of former Foreign Service Officers. When he has time for things outside of political science, Sam is an avid runner. After completing his first triathlon last year, Sam is now training for a half marathon in the coming months.