Dr. Michael Loadenthal is the founder and Executive Director of the Prosecution Project (tPP). Dr. Loadenthal holds a Ph.D. from the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, and a Master’s degree in Terrorism Studies from the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews. Dr. Loadenthal’s has published frequently in venues including Critical Studies on Terrorism, Perspectives on Terrorism, Journal of Applied Security Research, Radical Criminology, Global Society, and the Journal for the Study of Radicalism, which described his work as “the cutting edge of movement Studies” (2016, 10:2; 5). His most recent single authored book, The Politics of Attack (Manchester University Press, 2017), investigates contemporary, clandestine networks of insurrectionary anarchists and the development of the communique. Dr. Loadenthal also serves as the Executive Director of the Peace and Justice Studies Association, an Assistant Professor at the Global Center for Advanced Studies, and a contract-based security researcher. He has previously worked as a professor of sociology, terrorism studies, and research methods for Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, George Mason University, Georgetown University, the University of Malta’s Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, and Jessup Correctional Institutions’s Prison Scholars Program.

Izzy Bielamowicz (Co-Director of Communications) recently graduated from Miami University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminology. Izzy has been with tPP since August 2018 and has focused her research on grounded theory, analyzing relationships and patterns within the database. Among other topics, Izzy has studied the impact of citizenship status, FTO affiliation, and ‘othered-ness’ on a defendant’s sentence length. Her research on this subject will be published in late 2020. In the Summer of 2019, Izzy participated in the Miami University ‘Inside Washington’ program, interning for the United States House of Representatives. Izzy intends to pursue a career in women’s advocacy or with the intelligence community.

Katie Blowers (Director of Audits) is a sophomore at Miami University pursuing a degree in both political science and psychology. She has a focus on abnormal psychology. Katie has been with tPP since January of 2019, and has focused her work on coding cases, refining procedures and as a lead auditor. She hopes to use this research to further explore her interest in law and terrorism studies.

Megan Burtis (Co-Director of Training) is a Senior pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a Co-Major in Global & Intercultural Studies as well as a Master’s Degree in Political Science with a focus on comparative politics at Miami University . She also plans to apply to law school next year. She joined the tPP team in Spring 2019 and hopes to gain more knowledge about the United States’ legal system through the specialized focus on terrorism and other forms of political violence. In the Summer of 2019, Megan worked as a legal intern for the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio and plans to work for a similar non-profit, nongovernmental organization after graduation. 

Athena Chapekis (Director of Data Science) is a master’s student studying Applied Social Data Science at the London School of Economics. She obtained her B.A. in Sociology from Miami University in 2019, and is a founding member of the Prosecution Project. Her research focuses on quantitative analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning.

Morgan Demboski (Co-Director of Communications) graduated from Miami University in May 2020 with a degree in Social Justice Studies (concentration in Crime & Law) and a minor in Political Science. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Intelligence and Security Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Intelligence Analysis through The Citadel in Charleston, SC. As a senior coder, Morgan devotes her time to coding cases, organizing source files, and cleaning the dataset. She is also Co-Director of Communications, where she focuses on designing and managing the tPP website, overseeing the project’s social media accounts, and devising strategies to increase tPP’s public visibility and promote the project’s current research. Morgan has been with tPP since August 2017, becoming a member of the tPP Steering Team in August 2019 and Co-Director of Communications in May 2020.

Lauren Donahoe (Deputy Director) is a recent graduate of Miami University. She obtained her B.A. in Biology in 2019 and completed a minor in Medical Sociology. She is spending the next year working in an assisted living home while applying to medical school. She has been with the Prosecution Project since Fall 2017 and has focused her work on coding cases, cleaning data, statistical analysis, and organizing the coding teams. She is currently working on completing a full audit of the dataset and serving as Deputy Director beginning November 2020.

Alexandria Doty (Director of Records) graduated from Miami University with her B.A. in Women, Gender, & Sexualities; Social Justice Studies; Latin American Studies; and Spanish in May of 2019. Alexandria has been with tPP since January of 2018. She will be continuing to work on the project as she spends the year in Cincinnati, and will focus on project management and data analysis. She is going to be spending the year working for Women Helping Women before pursuing a law degree.

Brendan McNamara (Director of Finance) is a Junior at Miami University pursuing a degree in Political Science and a minor in Accounting with a focus on law and politics. Brendan has been with tPP since January 2019 and has focused his work on researching and coding cases for the dataset. Brendan hopes to learn more about the different mechanisms of the United States legal system, particularly as they relate to political violence. Brendan is also working as a Judicial Extern with the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals. After graduation, he plans to attend law school to further his legal education.

Madison Weaver (Co-Director of Training) is a senior at Miami University pursuing a degree in both psychology and philosophy with a minor in rhetorical English. She has a focus on cognitive psychology and how racial identity plays a role within the US court system. Madison has been with tPP since January of 2019 and has focused her work on coding cases and further exploring research methods to use with this dataset. She hopes to use this research to explore her interest in law and terrorism studies as she starts to apply to law school. Maddie is also the Co-Director of Training for tPP, as well as the president of Amicus Curiae Pre-Law society, and a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Catie Barry is a Junior at Miami University pursuing a degree in Sociology, with a focus in Criminology. She has been with tPP since the Spring of 2020, and joined to expand her knowledge on the prosecution of terrorism and learn more about process of coding in general. Her work as a pre-coder primarily deals with research, and cleaning and organizing data. Catie has had experience in prosecution from interning at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in summer 2019 and plans to continue to attend law school after graduating.

 Katherine Coate is a Senior at Miami University pursuing a degree in Diplomacy and Global Politics with minors in German and European Area Studies. Katherine has been with tPP since August 2019. As a senior coder Katherine hopes to learn more about the criminal justice system and doing social science research. Katherine was an intern at the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants for the 2019 summer and is a Miami University Global Studies Scholar.

Mi Nei Daley is a Junior at Georgetown University, pursuing a degree in International Politics with a focus on International Law, with minors in Economics and International Business Diplomacy. Mi Nei has been with tPP since November of 2020 as a pre-coder. Mi Nei joined tPP to learn more about the relationship between the political atmosphere and the criminal justice system and to improve her data analysis skills. She is also a part of the Law Office of Philip M. Gommels, a criminal defense law firm in Houston, TX, a Co-Director of Student Activism for the student government, as well as a coordinator for Georgetown’s Center for Social Justice. She intends to pursue a JD/MBA after graduation.

Hallie Filson is a senior at Miami University pursuing a degree in Diplomacy & Global politics with regional focuses on the Middle East and Russia, and minors in French and Criminology. Hallie has been with tPP as a pre-coder since the summer of 2020. Joining tPP to learn more about how terrorism and the legal system interact, she hopes to continue her interest in this subject with a career in intelligence, or public policy. Hallie is also an intern for the Oxford Police Department.

Kate Freeman (Advisory Board Coordinator & Outreach Coordinator) graduated from Miami University in January of 2020 with degrees in psychology and individualized studies. Her previous work centers on masculinities and its intersections with other identities. Kate joined tPP team in July of 2020 to assist in managing communications with collaborators and team members, and in November 2020 began serving as coordinator of tPP’s Advisory Board. Through this project, she hopes to strengthen her passion for social justice and advocacy as well as her skills in data analysis. Kate plans to apply to graduate school for the fall of 2021 to get her advanced degree in sociology.

Abby Goldman is a recent graduate from the London School of Economics, where she studied Human Rights and Politics. Her research at LSE focused on transitional justice and international refugee law. Abby joined tPP in December 2020, and is looking forward to developing a more systemic understanding of the injustices that she has witnessed during her work in the non-profit sector. Abby also recently finished an internship with the Commonwealth Human Rights initiative and served as Events Officer for LSE’s chapter of Student Action for Refugees.

Sara Godfrey is a Junior at Miami University pursuing bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Economics with minors in Arabic, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, and Social Justice. Her studies concentrate on international economic development, and peace and conflict resolution, with a regional focus in the Middle East. Sara has been with tPP since the Fall of 2019 and works as a junior coder with an interest in foreign terrorist organizations and Salafi/ Jihadist ideological affiliates. Outside of tPP she is the treasurer of Miami University’s Ohio Innocence Project chapter, a student organization advocating against wrongful incarcerations. 

Sami Hausserman is a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University pursuing a masters degree in social work with a focus on community practice for social justice. She graduated from Miami University in May with a degree in Social Justice Studies and Comparative Religion. Sami has been with tPP since September 2020, and is interested in ways that this project could influence criminal justice reform, as well as the effects of religion on acts of political violence.

Caelan Johnston is a junior at Georgetown University pursuing a degree in Justice and Peace Studies with a focus on conflict transformation and sociology. Caelan has been with tPP since December 2020, joining as a pre-coder. Caelan hopes to hone her research skills and to fully immerse herself in the legal aspects of political violence with the project. Caelan is also a part of The Global Campaign for Peace Education.

Gina Joon Kang is a Junior at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service pursuing a degree in Culture and Politics and a minor in Justice and Peace Studies with aspirations of attending law school post-grad. Gina has been with tPP since September 2020, joining as a pre-coder. Gina hopes to learn more about the criminal justice system, the process of prosecuting political violence cases, and the research skills needed for data analysis through tPP. At Georgetown, Gina is a part of the Asian American Students Association and Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Sorority.

Maya Knepp is a Junior at Georgetown University pursuing degrees in Government and Justice & Peace Studies. Maya has been with tPP since December 2020, starting as a pre-coder. Maya hopes to gain real world exposure to and experience with the criminal justice system as she hopes to attend law school after graduation.

Margaret Kolozsvary is a Junior at Miami University pursuing a degree in Political Science with a minor in Social Justice studies. Her focus is rooted in gun violence that is promoted through political reason. Margaret has been with tPP since August of 2019, and has focused her work on understanding politically rooted violence on both a national and global scale.. Margaret hopes to take her knowledge into the world of law and use her experience within tPP to understand the world of religious and political violence. Margaret has interned with a criminal defense law firm, as well as being a member of the pre law society, Amicus Curiae for two years. Her dream is to work as a civil rights/ human rights lawyer.

Zion Miller is a Senior at Miami University majoring in International Studies and Comparative Religion, combining the two with a focus on extremism and radicalization. Zion has been a member of the tPP since Fall 2019, is a member of Miami Mock Trial, and previously worked for the Iowa Senate. By participating in tPP, he hopes to learn more about the prosecution of extremism and eventually start a career in either law or policy.

Ellie Piszel is a junior at Miami University pursuing a degree in linguistics, with a focus in sociocultural linguistics, as well as a degree in sociology, with a focus in criminology, and a Spanish minor. Ellie has been with tPP since Summer of 2020 and has focused on pre-coding, coding, and working on the summer uprising cases. She hopes to learn more about the criminal justice system in the U.S. especially in relation to terrorism. She also hopes to grow in her research abilities through this project. Ellie is also a copyeditor for The Miami Student and is currently an intern for Butler County Adult Probation.t.

Simon Purdue is a final-year PhD Candidate at Northeastern University, where he is doing research on race, racism and violence, specifically looking at the role of women in extremist right-wing movements 1969-2009. Simon has been with tPP since November 2020. Simon received his BA (international) in history from University College Dublin in 2015. He received his MA, also from UCD, in 2016. His master’s thesis was published in Irish Historical Studies (Cambridge University Press) in Spring 2019. Simon has experience in teaching, having designed and taught an undergraduate course entitled ‘The Global Far Right Since 1945: Politics, Culture and Violence’. Simon is a doctoral fellow with the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right and a fellow with the Institute for Research on Male Supremacy. He has presented his research to academic, public, and professional audiences, and in 2019 he was on the academic advisory committee of the International Symposium on Radicalization and Extremism which took place in Ankara, Turkey.

Megan Roques is a junior at Miami University pursuing degrees in Biology and Political Science with a co-major in Pre-Medical Studies and a minor in Economics. Megan has been with tPP since August 2019 joined to expand her knowledge about terrorism and how these acts are treated in our legal system. She intends to further her education and attend medical school upon graduation with the hopes of obtaining and MD/JD dual degree. Megan is also a part of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), Miami’s Activities & Programming, the Honors Program, and the Society for Women in Medicine.

Sophie Stewart is a Junior at Georgetown University pursuing a degree in Culture & Politics with a minor in French, concentrating in International Law and Women’s Rights. She has been with tPP since September 2020, joining as a pre-coder. At tPP, she hopes to learn more about the criminal justice system and strengthen her research and data analysis skills. After graduation, she plans to attend law school. 

Nitya Sunil is a recent graduate of Miami University. She obtained a B.A. in both Psychology and Political Science as well as a minor in General Business. Nitya has been with tPP since January 2019 and started as a coder to expand the database. Currently, she is working on auditing the dataset. She hopes to learn more about the criminal justice system and is applying to law school within the next year.

 Matt Thierry is a graduate student at the California Institute of Integral Studies pursuing a degree in philosophy and religion with a focus on ecology, extremism, and peacebuilding. Matt has been with tPP since September 2020, and is interested in effective approaches to resolving political violence. He has authored or co-authored various articles on bioregionalism, green anarchy, and right wing terror, and has presented at conferences on diverse topics ranging from cosmic evolution, political religion, technology and spirituality, and green criminology. Matt serves as the social studies department chair at a middle school in the San Francisco Bay Area and as a board member for the Peace and Justice Studies Association.

Marnia Toney is a graduate student at George Mason University pursuing a degree in Sociology with a focus on Colorism in the Black community. Toney has been with tPP since November 2020, and has focused her work on Pre-Coding. Toney hopes to become more actively involved in intelligence research, and better understand the differences in prosecution for political crimes.

Charis Whalen is a junior at Miami University and is pursuing degrees in International Studies and Journalism with a minor in French. Her area of interest in International Studies is global intercultural relations analysis and national defense policy which she hopes to gain deeper knowledge of through her work with tPP. Charis has been with tPP since November 2020, joining as a pre-coder. She hopes to gather valuable insight into the culture of terrorism in the U.S. in order to develop an adequate background for a future career in counter-terrorism and defense policy.