Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

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Rare green heron at 911�� conference center highlights biodiversity along the Occoquan River

Katarina Benson — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 20:44:37 +0000

Rare green heron at 911�� conference center highlights biodiversity along the Occoquan River Katarina Benson Thu, 08/27/2026 - 16:44

A recent sighting of a pair of juvenile green herons at 911��'s Point of View retreat and conference center in Lorton, Virginia, has drawn attention to the diversity of avian life thriving along the Occoquan River shoreline.

Jessica Avila-Franco, event and operations manager at Point of View, documented the birds earlier this summer. After consulting with local Audubon experts, she learned the observation was the first recorded sighting of green herons nearby.

Green heron. Photo by Getty Images

“I personally have never seen a green heron at Point of View, much less anywhere else,” said Avila-Franco. “I keep an eye on our Audubon monthly reports as we have groups that come and do counts for Audubon, and they have never recorded one at Point of View.”

While green herons are not uncommon in Northern Virginia, spotting them can be a challenge.

"Green herons are much more secretive than the commonly observed great blue herons," said Cindy Smith, professor of environmental science and policy and K-12 outreach director for the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC). "They tend to hang out along the edges of wetlands and remain hidden in dense vegetation."

Smith said the sighting is significant because it documents a species well suited to the wetlands that surround Belmont Bay, the Occoquan River, and Mason Neck.

The semi-sheltered shorelines, abundant food sources, and wooded areas around Point of View create an ideal habitat for the species. The sighting serves as a reminder of the ecological richness of the region.

"The heron’s presence suggests that at least some of Point of View's wetlands and shoreline habitat provide the food, water, shelter, and space that the species needs," Smith said.

The green herons are only the latest addition to a growing list of bird species observed at the property.

Avila-Franco previously documented bald eagles, and staff and visitors have reported sightings of osprey, hawks, hummingbirds, blue jays, cardinals, robins, and geese, among other species.

The nearby Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, located across the river, has documented more than 200 bird species.

Point of View retreat and conference center. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“One doesn’t necessarily think nature reserve when you think of Lorton, Virginia. But being on Belmont Bay next to Mason Neck, it offers us an incredible amount of biodiversity,” said Avila-Franco. “I feel it's our responsibility to be good stewards of the land and continue our conservation efforts. We open our doors several times a month to the Audubon Society, where volunteers conduct flora and fauna surveys regardless of the weather. These metrics have been invaluable because they provide a snapshot of what's happening in our area in terms of biodiversity.”

Faculty and staff at 911��'s Potomac Science Center, located nearby, observe many of the same species throughout the year. Bald eagles, osprey, great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, double-crested cormorants, gulls, purple martins, and barn swallows are regular visitors to the shoreline. Watching wildlife has become a favorite activity for student groups and community members visiting the center.

"Watching a bald eagle soar over the center is often mentioned as a highlight of their visit," Smith said.

For Smith, the observation is another reason to continue documenting the bird life that calls the Occoquan shoreline home. The green heron sighting highlights the value of community wildlife observations such as Avila-Franco's. Scientists increasingly rely on photographs and records submitted through apps such as eBird and iNaturalist to supplement formal surveys and better understand species distribution and population trends.

From bald eagles overhead to elusive green herons among the shoreline vegetation, Point of View, which is part of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, continues to offer a front-row seat to one of Northern Virginia's most vibrant natural ecosystems.

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Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice

ckearney — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:24:45 +0000

Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice ckearney Tue, 08/11/2026 - 13:24

One year after becoming the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Hub Chair for Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911�� is expanding its role as a global convener of research, education, and partnerships aimed at advancing peace and sustainable development.

Dean Özerdem with colleagues at UN Sustainable Development Goal Hub meeting. Photo provided

The appointment positioned the Carter School at the center of an international network of universities working to advance SDG 16, one of the Sustainable Development Goals that underpins progress across the entire 2030 Agenda.

For Dean Alpaslan Özerdem, the first year has reinforced an important lesson: Universities have an increasingly important role to play in addressing complex global challenges.

"Serving as the UNAI SDG 16 Hub Chair has never been about institutional prestige," said Özerdem. "Our goal has been to demonstrate that universities can become trusted global conveners, bringing together scholars, students, practitioners, and policymakers to translate knowledge into action."

Rather than creating another academic network, the Carter School has focused on building an international platform that connects research, teaching, outreach, and practice. Working alongside vice chairs at the University of Oxford, Narxoz University in Kazakhstan, and the University for Peace in Costa Rica, the Hub has emphasized collaboration across regions and disciplines while placing students and early-career scholars at the center of its activities.

That approach reflects the Carter School's broader philosophy that peacebuilding today requires expertise extending beyond traditional conflict resolution.

"Peace today intersects with technology, climate change, governance, migration, public health, and many other fields," Özerdem said. "Universities are uniquely positioned to bring these different perspectives together."

Peace Week 2026 enable participants in a variety of talks and activities. Photo by R. Sison/Office of University Branding

The coming year will build on that momentum. The Carter School plans to deepen engagement with students and young professionals while expanding partnerships across the UNAI network. A key initiative will be the Carter School's upcoming Peace Week, which will bring together universities, international organizations, and practitioners to explore emerging approaches to peace, justice, and institutional resilience.

Faculty members involved in the Hub say the initiative has created new opportunities for international collaboration and applied research, while students have benefited from greater engagement with UN practitioners and global experts working at the intersection of policy and peacebuilding.

That student engagement has also translated into opportunities for students to take an active role in shaping the Hub’s programming and creating spaces for emerging scholars to contribute to global conversations.

“This spring, as students involved with the UNAI SDG 16 Hub, we organized the SDG 16 Graduate Student Research Symposium, bringing together 36 graduate researchers from 19 universities across the globe,” said Carter School PhD student Kamran Mamedovi. “The symposium created a space for emerging scholars to exchange ideas across borders and disciplines and demonstrated the power of the SDG 16 Hub to connect diverse perspectives and give the next generation of scholars a meaningful voice in global conversations on peace, justice, and sustainable development.”

As the international community enters the final years of the 2030 Agenda, the Carter School sees the Hub as an opportunity to demonstrate how universities can move beyond generating knowledge to helping solve global challenges.

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Alpaslan Özerdem

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy

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Building Peace

Katarina Benson — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:03:06 +0000

Building Peace Katarina Benson Thu, 08/06/2026 - 12:03

Silvia Danielak, an assistant professor at 911��’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, is the author of Peace Infrastructures: How UN Peace Operations Build Roads, Bridges, and Solar Farms in the Pursuit of Sustainability (MIT Press, April 2026), the first comprehensive account of infrastructure building in United Nations peace operations. Danielak’s work focuses on sociospatial and infrastructure planning in conflict settings and as part of peace efforts, as well as its coalition with climate and environmental efforts.

Silvia Danielak. Photo provided

What inspired you to write the book?

I wrote Peace Infrastructures because I was struck by how rarely infrastructure shows up in conversations about peace, even though it shapes everyday life in conflict zones in very visible ways. While studying UN peace operations, I kept encountering roads, bases, power systems, and utilities that were treated as technical background rather than as part of how peace is made and maintained. I wanted to understand how peace operations became infrastructure builders, and what their material footprint means for communities living with conflict long after international missions arrive—and leave.

Was there anything that surprised you in your research for it?

What surprised me most was how ambitious peace operations have become as infrastructure actors, even though this role is often underplayed or described as secondary. I was also struck by how much attention goes into building infrastructure, and how much less attention is paid to its afterlife—how it is maintained, repurposed, contested, or abandoned once a mission draws down. But I have also come to appreciate the UN’s willingness to reconsider practices, to innovate and improve.

Peace Infrastructures by Silvia Danielak.

How do you anticipate people will use this book?

I hope scholars will use the book to rethink how peace, conflict, and intervention are studied, by taking material systems seriously rather than treating them as background. For practitioners and policymakers, I hope it offers a vocabulary and set of questions for thinking more carefully about infrastructure decisions—who they serve, what risks they create, and how their impacts unfold over time. I am grateful to MIT Press for including Peace Infrastructures in its open-access program, making it freely available worldwide, including in places that experience the spatial footprint of peace operations. More broadly, I hope the book encourages readers to think about reconstruction not as a technical task, but as a deeply political part of building a durable peace.

What are you working on now?

I’m continuing to think about conflict risk through material and spatial lenses, particularly in relation to environmental hazards and urbanization. I’m interested in how infrastructure interventions designed to mitigate risk can create conflicts but also offer opportunities for dialogue and social cohesion. My current work explores what responsible infrastructure planning might look like in contexts marked by compounding environmental and conflict risk.

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Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation

Katarina Benson — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:08:06 +0000

Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation Katarina Benson Tue, 08/04/2026 - 15:08

When Avery Cotham, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’26, enrolled at 911��’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, she was ready for a new challenge. For 15 years, Cotham worked as a vocalist and choral director in Colorado before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to rethink her career and search for a new way to serve her community.

Cotham at the Department of the Interior.
Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“I did some soul-searching and decided I wanted to make a career change,” Cotham said. “I wanted to do something of service to the community.”

That search led her to conflict resolution — and ultimately to Washington, D.C., where she and her husband relocated so she could fully immerse herself in the 911�� experience. “I didn’t want to study online,” she said. “I wanted to dive into the community and make connections here.”

At 911��, Cotham quickly discovered that the skills she developed as a musician translated naturally into mediation and coaching. Active listening, collaboration, and understanding group dynamics became valuable tools in her new field.

She also took full advantage of internship and professional development opportunities available through the Carter School. After hearing a guest speaker from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service discuss mediation and coaching, Cotham pursued specialized training that would shape her career path.

In 2024, she completed a semester-long internship with the Northern Virginia Mediation Services Conflict Resolution Center, where she earned her mediation certification. The following year, she completed coaching certification coursework through Georgetown School of Continuing Studies.

Those experiences helped prepare her for a yearlong experience, what she calls a “unicorn of an internship,” with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR).

Because of her certifications, Cotham was able to contribute immediately during the yearlong internship. She worked alongside experienced mediators supporting employees across agencies including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Over time, she advanced from co-mediating cases with mentors to independently facilitating workplace mediations, conflict coaching sessions, trainings, and group discussions.

One of the highlights of the experience came when she was selected to travel and co-facilitate a bureau meeting focused on change management and values alignment — a rare opportunity for an intern.

“The internship was focused on mentorship and hands-on experience,” Cotham said. “Working with different mediators, I was exposed to several different styles and received a lot of valuable feedback. It was a highly enriching experience.”

Now, just months after graduating, Cotham has built a multifaceted career as a mediation contractor, private coach, and community mediator. She also volunteers with the Sustained Dialogue Institute and continues to blend her musical background with her coaching work.

“As a choir director, one of my strengths was seeing potential in people and knowing when to push and challenge them, and when to back off,” she said. “Those skills are so applicable in coaching.”

Cotham’s journey reflects the kind of hands-on, career-connected learning opportunities that help 911�� students turn classroom experiences into meaningful professional impact — a hallmark of the university’s All Together Different approach to education and community engagement.

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Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:50:22 +0000

Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit Paul Snodgrass Fri, 07/17/2026 - 16:50

On June 21st, the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911�� hosted a record 63 high school students from around the country for the annual Conflict Resolution Youth Summit (CRYS). This year, students attended CRYS from as far away as New York, San Francisco, and Amman, Jordan.

The program, now in its 10th year, introduces high school students to the field of conflict resolution and associated professional opportunities while teaching foundational skills, such as facilitation, active listening, and negotiation, which are rarely part of the high school curriculum. The students participated in introductory team building activities, fundamental skill building seminars, a movie screening and debrief, and a full-day trip to nearby Washington, D.C.

Additionally, attendees were able to choose from a variety of faculty-led workshop offerings, including nonviolent activism, understanding globalization, and the importance of storytelling in a divided world to further tailor their experience to their interests.

Carter School student Emory Lombino, a member of the CRYS program staff, found the mix of workshops to be engaging and informative, and appreciated the students’ enthusiasm to jump in and answer questions. “I really believe the sessions focused on teaching skills that were useful and engaging for the students, particularly the workshops on Youth Action and Nonviolent Resistance and ‘What Happens There Matters Here,’” Lombino said.

At the conclusion of the four-day summit, students presented a synthesis project to their families during the closing ceremony, identifying a conflict in their school community. Their work drew on their new conflict analysis skills to identify underlying causes and to suggest possible interventions to real conflicts they have experienced in school. Topics presented on ranged from a lack of school spirit and inclusion, to the pressure of standardized testing culture.

Christina Gizzi, a Carter school undergraduate student who participated for the first time this year as program staff was grateful to have met so many wonderful students and was impressed with how caring, thoughtful, and smart the students in her group were. “My favorite moment was after the museum visits, when we were all sitting together at dinner,” she recalled. “The students adopted a wholeheartedness I never expected and were brave and comfortable just being themselves. They were passionate in their work on the synthesis projects and worked hard to create and present actionable solutions for their communities. I’m so happy to have been a part of the summit!”

Their innovative solutions inspired and impressed many in the audience. Kristen Fegan, program director for CRYS, was particularly interested in the interventions for declining school spirit and student engagement. “[The students] decided to create a competition for attending school events, which felt like standard stuff—but then they suggested using a dynamic, algorithm-based system to assign point values to each school event based on its past popularity, gamifying participation and giving the student body a new reason to check-in each day for changing ranks and point values.”

Fegan added, “The way they see their problems and the possible solution is totally different than how we think about it, and their perspective is critical for creating peace in a changing world.”

The summit left a lasting impression on all participants, who walked away with new skills and experiences. Kira, a 12th-grade student from Amman, Jordan, commented, “The summit was engaging and genuinely enjoyable, and everyone was super welcoming. [The program] also gave me a lot to think about when it comes to college and what I want to study. I left the summit with a few new ideas and a better sense of what I might want to go into."

The 11th summer of CRYS is tentatively planned for June 2027.

More Carter School News

Summer summits empower youth to strengthen peace, trust, and engagement in democracy
September 24, 2026
Rare green heron at 911�� conference center highlights biodiversity along the Occoquan River
August 27, 2026
Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice
August 11, 2026
Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026

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Carter School Undergraduate Program

Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Summer Camps

Qatar’s role in building sustainable peace

ckearney — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:26:16 +0000

Qatar’s role in building sustainable peace ckearney Tue, 06/02/2026 - 10:26

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911�� hosted the Minister of State of Qatar, His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, for a presentation on “The Role of Qatar in International Mediation and Peacemaking,” on May 6 at Mason Square.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi with Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Students, alumni, faculty, and partners gathered to hear Al-Khulaifi talk about the critical considerations for effective mediation and sustainable peace, illustrated with examples of the successes and complexities Qatar has addressed as a neutral mediator.

“Hosting H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi at the Carter School was both timely and deeply valuable for our community,” said Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “At a moment when the international system is becoming increasingly fragmented and unpredictable, hearing directly from a practitioner and policymaker operating at the highest levels of international mediation offered a rare opportunity to reflect on how peacemaking itself is evolving.

“What particularly stood out was the emphasis on trust, persistence, and sustained engagement as the foundations of effective mediation—principles that are becoming ever more critical in today’s conflict environment.”

Al-Khulaifi focused on the critical importance of gaining the trust of all parties in the mediation process, based in part on the consent of both parties and respect for the cultures involved.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Neutrality, a thorough understanding of the root issues, location, and the sustainability of the agreement are all critical elements in modern mediation, he said, noting that sustainability is one of the most crucial parts yet also the most difficult to maintain, especially in a complex and politically volatile landscape. Terms must be clear, and not open to misinterpretation, and mutually agreed-upon mechanisms must be established to provide peaceful recourse when a dispute arises, he said, all of which depends on strong communication.

Al-Khulaifi shared several real-world mediation examples. For instance, at the World Cup, representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo approached him about a dispute with Rwanda. After encouraging the envoys to watch the remainder of the match, they met at the diplomatic club. A week later, the parties had an agreement in principle.

He also reflected on the difficulty in creating a sustainable solution to the presidential power vacuum in Lebanon, Qatar’s work to reunify more than 100 children with their families in the Ukraine–Russia War, as well as other disputes, including Libya, Afghanistan, Gaza, and Venezuela.

911�� alumna Isabella Cuevas, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’25, said she was deeply impressed by the presentation. “Instead of it being a distant concept, [His Excellency] grounded the work of international mediation, bringing faces and actions to international peacebuilding,” she said. “The work being done by Qatar and the academic work being performed at the Carter School shouldn’t be separate; we’re working toward the same goals.”

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University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:37:17 +0000

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges Paul Snodgrass Mon, 06/01/2026 - 14:37

In May, Honors College student Avery Shippen graduated from 911�� with a two degrees: A BS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and a BA in Art and Visual Technology from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

To Shippen, the fusion of the two majors, graphic design and conflict resolution, was a natural pairing. “I think both fields work to connect communities. People see conflict resolution as a scientific process, but it’s deeply rooted in people,” she explained. “Graphic design creates a ‘language’ that anyone can understand, which can be effective in the peacebuilding process.”

While managing the workload of a two degrees is impressive, even more impressive is the number of awards and fellowships the University Scholar received during her time at 911��, including a Peraton Scholarship in National Security, Carter School’s Oxford Scholarship, the Noah J. Seidenberg Award, and the Peacebuilding Fellowship.

Shippen said that these scholarships and fellowships provided a financial “safety net,” giving her the ability to gain valuable life experience, such as being the first Carter School student to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference or to study-abroad in Bosnia and Croatia.

The awards also provided Shippen with the financial freedom to undertake several internships, which allowed her to explore the real-world applications of the skills she learned in both academic programs.

During her time at 911��, Shippen held three internships. One was with the World Affairs Councils of America, where she was employed at a global education Intern and helped coordinate the logistics of an annual event that brings high school students from across the country to Washington, D.C., to learn about global engagement and public diplomacy. Shippen also interned with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency under the Department of War. “I saw each side of government and federal contracting,” she said. “Each had a very different approach to resolving conflict.”

“I sought out opportunities that aligned with my personal values,” Shippen said. “The awards put me in a position to give back and inform other students about the opportunities that exist at Mason.”

The desire to give back also drives her career goals. She said her interest in curriculum development stems in part, from the work she performed as part of the Peacebuilding Fellowship. After researching the Appalachian educational curriculum, Shippen wrote a proposal to the school district that recommended a systemic curriculum change that placed greater emphasis on practical and sustainable life skills and de-emphasized rote memorization.

Shippen’s experience in Bosnia and Croatia also contributed to her interest in educational systems development. While studying ethnic narratives in conflict, Shippen found that each of the three major ethnic groups had their own, independent school system and curriculum. Essentially, how and what students learned in any given subject, depended on the ethnic group to which they belonged.

“After speaking with students there, I realized that the conflict analysis skills I learned can be a valuable tool in engaging youth and educational systems,” she explained.

This fall, Shippen will be continuing her studies at Stanford University where she is entering a master's program in global and comparative education/international education policy analysis.

Carter School News

Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice
August 11, 2026
Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026

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Carter School Undergraduate Program

The making of a Carter School conflict coach

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:58:50 +0000

The making of a Carter School conflict coach Paul Snodgrass Fri, 05/29/2026 - 09:58

When the time came to apply to graduate school, Oakley Hill applied to a single program: the master’s in conflict analysis and resolution at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911��.

Born and raised in Utah, Hill attended Utah Valley University (UVU) where he majored in integrated studies, focusing on peace and justice and moral philosophy, supplemented with research and critical thinking courses. “From my studies in peace and justice, I knew I wanted to study peace and conflict resolution, and I wanted to be in the D.C. area," said Hill. "I wanted a program that taught practical skills and would help me find a career where I could have a positive, social impact. And the multidisciplinary nature of the program was very appealing.”

Oakley Hill. Photo by Katelyn Smoot.

Hill went on to apply for his PhD at the Carter School after discovering Solon Simmon’s Root Narrative Theory (RNT) during his graduate studies. He knew he wanted to build his career as a researcher around this theory.

"[RNT] helps us understand how people perceive political situations… the specific story they believe themselves to be experiencing,” he said.

For Hill, RNT was more than an abstract, academic tool. “[RNT] helped me understand my own paradigm shifts, such as moving from Mormon to ex-Mormon and from the political right to the left,” he explained.

“I used to think I have ideas, but now I know the ideas have me,” he joked.

In 2024, Hill partnered with Carter School professor Solon Simmons and the Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School to employ the first national Justice Languages of America Survey (JLAS). Distributed a week before the presidential election, the survey captured how Americans were thinking about politics just before they voted.

The survey found that, on average, liberals, moderates, and conservatives tended to perceive a distinct political situation. Conservatives tended to perceive a situation where criminals and foreigners threatened the innocent, and the masses coerced citizens, while the state cheated the people. Liberals tended to perceive a situation where the elite divided society, cheated the people, and excluded minorities while the state coerced citizens. Moderates appeared to be self-aware—they scored between conservatives and liberals on almost all JLAS measurements.

Hill also paired the survey with a root narrative analysis of campaign speeches from both presidential candidates. He found that who the candidates are and what they communicated were strongly correlated with how Americans perceive the political situation, and that how they perceived the political situation was strongly correlated with their preferred candidate.

Simmons appreciated Oakley's insights. “His systematic survey of the moral commitments of the great ideologists over the course of modern history is both pathbreaking and eye-opening,” Simmons said. “It has been a pleasure to work with Oakley in the development and application of root narrative theory, an approach that allows us to measure commitments to elementary antagonisms, the philosophical foundations of disagreement.”

While working toward his degree, Hill has been a lab manager for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and the facilitation coordinator at the Carter School’s Point of View International Retreat and Conference Center (POV), where he has worked since 2021.

Point of View offers many services, including mediation. As the facilitation coordinator, Hill assesses the needs of every client who reaches out to the center in need of mediation. A mediator himself, Hill conducts informal intake interviews to identify the client’s goals and issues, before matching them with an appropriate, experienced mediator.

“Some clients are looking for conflict resolution in a general sense, such as inter- or intra-departmental issues, interpersonal conflict training or restorative justice practices," said Hill. "Other clients are more interested in strategic planning and require a mediator with a relevant background to engage critical thinking.

"[Hill] has proven to be an invaluable asset to Point of View throughout his time at the Carter School. His ability to match clients with the right mediator ensures that each engagement is tailored to the client's unique goals and objectives—and that meaningful resolutions are achieved,” said Jessica Avila-Franco, event and operations manager at Point of View. “Through his work with the facilitation and mediation program here at POV, we have been able to help numerous public- and private-sector clients reach amicable resolutions to their most pressing challenges."

In the past, Hill coordinated with Point of View to provide services to organizations such as Bowie State University, Loudoun County, and Northern Virginia Community College with their facilitation needs. Privately, Hill has worked as a conflict coach for Latter-day Saint and ex-Mormon families, and mediated dialogues for the Washington, D.C., Police.

As he looks ahead, Hill remains grounded in the same motivation that first drew him to the Carter School: a desire to better understand people and help bridge divides. Whether through advancing RNT research or continuing his hands-on work in mediation and conflict coaching, Hill is committed to applying both theory and practice to real-world challenges. By uncovering the stories people believe they are living, he hopes to contribute to more meaningful dialogue—and ultimately, more constructive paths toward resolution.

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

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Carter School News

Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice
August 11, 2026
Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026

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Narrative Transformation Lab

Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation

Point of View

In This Story

Solon Simmons

From Cambodia to Carter School: Avery Butler builds a future in peacebuilding at 911��

sbrown79 — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:56:30 +0000

From Cambodia to Carter School: Avery Butler builds a future in peacebuilding at 911�� sbrown79 Tue, 05/12/2026 - 13:56

When 911�� senior Avery Butler was 16 years old, his family traveled to Cambodia to visit the Killing Fields, the massacre sites associated with the country’s brutal Khmer Rouge era. The experience would change Butler’s perspective on life and inspire him to pursue a professional career in peacebuilding.

“I walked in and came face-to-face with a giant wall of human skulls,” said Butler, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution in May. “It was such a jarring moment, and I asked myself how human beings could do this to one another and how we could prevent something like this from happening again.”

At 911��, Butler found a place where he could turn those questions into action and has taken advantage of experiential learning opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom. 

Butler’s work at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution highlights 911��’s emphasis on career-connected learning and real-world impact. Through hands-on learning, global experiences, and leadership opportunities, he has built an academic and professional path centered on dialogue, empathy, and impact. 

As part of the Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program, Butler plans to continue his education at 911�� this fall.

Avery Butler. Photo provided.

During his time at 911��, Butler had an internship with the university’s Dialogue Across Differences initiative where he coordinated multiple workshops, including an all-women’s discussion and a session with international students. 

“It was a fantastic experience because by the time it was done, I really felt like I understood what it takes to be a facilitator for discussions on important life topics,” said Butler.

“I was able to strengthen the skills that are central to my work: listening across differences and creating space for multiple perspectives.”

Through a Peacebuilding Fellowship, Butler also works for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR), a nonprofit associated with the Carter School. After previously serving as a research and administrative officer, he now works as the center’s communications manager.

“The center does such amazing work supporting both peacebuilding and mental health,” said Butler. “We’re working with psychosocial support practitioners from all around the world and our main focus is East Africa right now.”

In that role, Butler has planned multiple events for Carter School’s Political Leadership Academy, including the inaugural Global Insider Reconciliation Summit held last year at 911��’s Point of View Retreat Center in Lorton, Virginia.

Butler said working with Carter School PhD student and MHCR insider reconciler research lead Nick Sherwood was instrumental in helping him understand the role of insider reconciler. “I’ve learned from my time working with him  that an insider reconciler is someone who is connected to one or more stakeholders or groups of stakeholders in a conflict and is actively attempting to facilitate reconciliation processes within those communities.”

He described the concept this way: If a fight breaks out between two teams at a football game, a team captain who steps in to calm tensions and encourage resolution is doing more than stopping the conflict in the moment—they’re helping preserve relationships and rebuild trust.

“So long as you have a personal stake in one or more of the communities and understand them at an identity level, anyone can be an insider reconciler, from village elders to civil servants,” Butler said.

Butler’s commitment to cross-cultural understanding also led him abroad. Through the Global Education Office’s Global Gateway program, Butler studied in Madrid, Spain, for a semester.

He later served as a peer advisor for the program working with professor Leslie Durham, undergraduate academic advisor and program coordinator in the Carter School, to help other students navigate the experience.

“I have witnessed Avery jump in, lend a hand, and be a servant leader, not only as a peer advisor, but as a Carter School Ambassador,” said Durham, who had Butler as a teaching assistant in the Global Gateway Spain course. “Avery is empathetic, with a deep sense of cultural humility, and he has a great way of allowing people with varying perspectives have a voice.”

She added, “Avery is the kind of person who isn't afraid to reflect and do the hard work for personal and professional growth. His good nature and positive stance on life have and will serve him well.”

Butler said he enjoys reflecting on his time in the program so far and looks forward to finding out what more it has to offer.

“I have a lot of love for the Carter program,” Butler said. “It's rare to find such a program in any university where it's built upon values of mutual understanding and compassion, and I’m so proud of the important work that we will continue to do.”

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Leslie Durham

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