Staff
Dr. Emma Belcher
President
Washington, DC
Dr. Emma Belcher
President
Washington, DC
World-renowned expert on nuclear weapons policy, Dr. Emma Belcher is the President of Ploughshares. In leading the largest foundation singularly focused on reducing the threat of nuclear weapons, Dr. Belcher is an authority on the threat of nuclear weapons and the nuances of nuclear weapons policy. She has experience in a variety of media concerning the threat of nuclear weapons.
Although she’s spent the past 13 years working for foundations, her experience extends beyond philanthropy. She began her career as a Public Affairs Officer at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC; served as a national security and international affairs advisor in Australia’s Department of the Prime Minister; and held multiple fellowships at prestigious organizations, including the Council on Foreign Relations and Harvard University’s Belfer Center during and after earning her doctorate degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Dr. Belcher is available to speak on nuclear weapons reduction, philanthropy, US foreign policy as it relates to nuclear weapons, the importance of intersectionality and inclusion in advocating for peace, and related topics.
To read, view, or listen to Dr. Belcher’s previous media appearances, visit the Ploughshares website. Her 2019 TED Talk on the importance of confronting, humanizing and ultimately solving the existential threat of nuclear weapons can be viewed here.
Please direct all media inquiries to Alex Singer at asinger@ploughshares.org.
Daniela Avila-Macias
Senior Development Associate
San Francisco, CA
Daniela Avila-Macias
Senior Development Associate
San Francisco, CA
Dr. John Carl Baker
Director of Grantmaking
Washington, DC
Dr. John Carl Baker
Director of Grantmaking
Washington, DC
Dr. John Carl Baker is the Director of Grantmaking at Ploughshares. He develops grantmaking strategy, oversees all grants, and serves as Ploughshares’ in-house policy expert. John Carl holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from George Mason University and a Master’s in American Studies from the University of South Florida. His writing has been published by the United States Institute of Peace, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, NK News, and other outlets. He is based in Washington, DC.
Email: jbaker@ploughshares.org
Habib Bako
Chief Program Officer
Washington, DC
Habib Bako
Chief Program Officer
Washington, DC
Habib Bako serves as the Chief Program Officer at Ploughshares. In his role, Habib plays a crucial part in advancing the mission of creating a safer world. Additionally, as the Founder and Principal of Aligned Minds, LLC, Habib leads a consultancy focusing on strategic partnerships, network development, and community engagement.
Habib previously served as the Field Building Director at Ploughshares. Prior to joining Ploughshares, he was the Senior Director of Community Engagement at Independent Sector, a national membership organization that brings together leaders from impactful nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. During his tenure, he spearheaded efforts to integrate results, racial equity, community building, and bridging practices into the organization’s leadership and events programs. Habib played a key role in the launch of Upswell, a series of events centered around racial justice featuring prominent speakers and thought leaders.
He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business from the University of Maryland, College Park and has been trained as a practitioner in Results Count, Facilitative Leadership, Lean Startup, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. He also spends time on his passion of bridging divides and building unity within the African diaspora.
Elizabeth Cleveland
Senior Development Officer
Washington, DC
Elizabeth Cleveland
Senior Development Officer
Washington, DC
Elizabeth Cleveland is the Senior Development Officer at Ploughshares, where she works with the development team to foster donor engagement and stewardship.
Prior to joining Ploughshares, Elizabeth worked as a Program Officer at Democracy International, managing USAID-funded programs in Liberia and Malawi. She has also worked as a Program Officer at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), supporting democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) programs across sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, Elizabeth serves as Executive Director of PridePads Africa, a non-profit organization that produces biodegradable menstrual pads and provides menstrual health education in northern Cameroon.
Elizabeth holds an MA in Gender Studies and Law from SOAS University of London and a BA in International and Comparative Politics from the American University of Paris.
Charles Crosby
Director of Communications & Marketing
San Francisco, CA
Charles Crosby
Director of Communications & Marketing
San Francisco, CA
Charles Crosby is a 25-year veteran of the communications and marketing profession. He spent over a decade as a communications leader in higher education in his native Canada before relocating to California in 2014. Since that time, he has served as the MarCom lead for the Evergreen School District in East San Jose, and Catalyst Family Inc, a statewide organization that is the largest non-profit provider of family care in California, prior to joining the team at Ploughshares. He earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2009, and is a published novelist, produced playwright and former college instructor.
Samara Dun
Executive Director
San Francisco, CA
Samara Dun
Executive Director
San Francisco, CA
Samara Dun brings over two decades of leadership experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management to her role as Executive Director of Ploughshares. She previously served as Vice President of Development, Communications, and Marketing at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, and held senior development positions at Larkin Street Youth Services and Environmental Defense Fund. From 2006 to 2016, Samara was Director of Development at Ploughshares, where she shaped fundraising strategy and supported significant organizational growth. For the past eight years, she has also operated as an independent philanthropy strategist, designing innovative funding models and conducting capital campaign feasibility studies.
Samara’s career has been dedicated to advancing peace and security, social justice, and environmental causes. She believes in the transformative power of strategic philanthropy to address humanity’s most pressing challenges, from nuclear threats to climate change. Her approach emphasizes integrity, transparency, and cross-sector collaboration to maximize collective impact.
A lifelong advocate for nuclear arms control, Samara began as a young activist in the nuclear freeze movement. She brings both personal passion and professional expertise to Ploughshares’ mission of building a future beyond nuclear fear.
Samara holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she graduated with honors in her major. When not working, she enjoys cycling through San Francisco’s hills, reading, birdwatching, and volunteering with direct-service organizations.
Chase Enright
Foundation Relations Officer
San Francisco, CA
Chase Enright
Foundation Relations Officer
San Francisco, CA
Chase is the Foundation Relations Officer at Ploughshares, where he works with the Development Team to support the growth and vitality of the organization.
Prior to joining Ploughshares in 2021, Chase was a research assistant with the Nuclear Security Program at the Stimson Center where he focused on international cooperation on fissile material security, and insider threats. In addition, he was a Future First Fellow with Ploughshares grantee, Beyond the Bomb; and a volunteer researcher with the national office of Physicians for Social Responsibility in Washington DC where he examined the ties between higher education and the nuclear industrial complex. Chase also serves on the board of directors for the Washington DC-based nonprofit, the Nuclear Fusion Project.
Chase holds a BA from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver where he specialized in international organizations, security, and human rights. He has a passion for imagery analysis, and nuclear history.
Rebecka Green
Communications Manager
Washington, DC
Rebecka Green
Communications Manager
Washington, DC
Rebecka Green is the Communications Manager at Ploughshares, where she serves as editor of the organization’s Story Center, manages core digital platforms, and assists with communications strategy across departments.
Prior to coming to Ploughshares, Rebecka worked in communications at a D.C.-based think tank focused on religion in the United States, at a philanthropic resource network, and in higher education. She holds a B.A. in English and religious studies and has a background in the arts, focused on creative writing and digital production. She is based in Washington, D.C. by way of small-town Iowa.
Alex Hall
Senior Manager of Impact
Washington, DC
Alex Hall
Senior Manager of Impact
Washington, DC
Alex is the Senior Manager of Impact at Ploughshares.
Prior to working at Ploughshares, Alex worked for the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide where she conducted open-source research on US policy tools used for the prevention of mass atrocities and related conflicts. She has also worked as a consultant for the Aspen Institute and was co-chair of the Women in International Security New England chapter. In her volunteer capacity, Alex stood up and ran a DC grassroot team for the Friends Committee on National Legislation.
Alex holds a Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a BA from Brandeis University in Politics. Her studies focused on conflict resolution, security studies, and international humanitarian law.
Kaite Lower
Programs and Grant Manager
Washington, DC
Kaite Lower
Programs and Grant Manager
Washington, DC
Kaite is the Program & Grants Manager at Ploughshares, where she oversees the grantmaking and program processes for the Ploughshares team.
Prior to joining Ploughshares, Kaite was the Development Associate at Just Vision, an organization that fills a media gap on Israel-Palestine through independent storytelling and strategic audience engagement. She has worked in various grants management and development spaces across San Francisco, DC, and the American South.
She graduated from Samford University with a B.A. in International Relations and a concentration in Region & Culture. Kaite has studied language, religion, and politics in Jordan and landed in DC after studying under a scholarship for international development and women’s security.
Alex Singer
Operations Manager
Washington, DC
Alex Singer
Operations Manager
Washington, DC
Alex Singer is the Operations Manager at Ploughshares. Previously, she held the role of Special Assistant to the President and Operations Associate.
Scott Strgacich
Roger L. Hale Fellow
Washington, DC
Scott Strgacich
Roger L. Hale Fellow
Washington, DC
Scott Strgacich is the Roger L. Hale Fellow at Ploughshares. Prior to joining Ploughshares, Scott worked as a Research Associate at Defense Priorities supporting various projects related to the analysis of U.S. defense policy and grand strategy. He also has political experience and previously worked on staff in the U.S. House of Representatives. His writing and research have focused on U.S. and NATO nuclear security as well as the Iranian nuclear program.
Scott is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley where he earned a B.A. in Political Science and American University’s School of International Service where he earned his M.A. in International Affairs.