Akila Radhakrishnan 
President
She/Her/Hers
Akila Radhakrishnan is the President of the Global Justice Center, where she leads its work to achieve gender equality and human rights. In her time at GJC, Akila has led the development of groundbreaking legal work on both abortion access in conflict and the role that gender plays in genocide.
Akila is a globally-recognized voice on issues of reproductive rights, gender-based violence, and justice and accountability. Her unique expertise as a feminist international lawyer is sought by policymakers, academics, media, and grassroots actors around the world. She has briefed the United Nations Security Council and the United Kingdom and European Parliaments, and regularly advises governments and multilateral institutions on issues of gender equality and human rights. Akila’s expert analysis can also be seen across popular media, including in The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, CNN, and more.
Prior to the Global Justice Center, she worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, DPK Consulting, and Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLP. Akila received her J.D. with a concentration in international law from the University of California, Hastings and holds a B.A. in Political Science and Art History from the University of California, Davis. She is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, serves on the Board of Directors of Reprieve US, is a member of the Oxford Group of Practitioners on Fact-Finding and Accountability, and an expert on the International Bar Association Human Rights Law Committee.
Elena Sarver
Senior Legal Advisor
She/Her/Hers
Elena Sarver is a Senior Legal Advisor at the Global Justice Center, where she supports the legal program through research, writing, and advocacy. She holds a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. While in law school, Elena participated in two year-long clinics, the Innocence Project as well as the Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic, where she researched sexual and gender-based violence crimes for regional human rights litigation. She also interned at the National Institute for Reproductive Health. Elena received her B.A. in Political Science from Macalester College and studied abroad in Egypt at the American University in Cairo.
Recent Publications
Ms. Magazine | The U.S. Can’t Be a Global Leader on Democracy While Banning Abortion at Home
Foreign Policy | Trump's Chilling Blow to the ICC
Tess Graham
Legal Advisor
She/Her/Hers
Tess Graham is a Legal Advisor at the Global Justice Center, where she engages in research, writing, and advocacy. Prior to joining GJC, she was a postgraduate fellow at Just Security, where she wrote and edited on international human rights and humanitarian law, emerging technologies, and international and domestic accountability efforts.
She previously served as Human Rights Technical Advisor to ALEF – Act for Human Rights in Beirut, where she analyzed systems of migrant domestic work, conducted advocacy for refugee rights, and researched torture in detention. During law school, she interned with the Global Justice Center, examining international jurisprudence on gender and torture. She also interned at the National Security Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Amman, Jordan. She has consulted with the European Union and Upinion since 2020 on the Brussels IV, V, VI Conferences Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, bringing the voices of local civil society from Syria and the region to the ministerial pledging conferences.
She holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif and scholar at the Institute of International Law and Justice; a Master of International Affairs from the University of Utah; and a B.A. in Economics from Westminster College.
Recent Publications
Just Security | The Facebook Oversight Board’s Trump Ban Decision Is About More Than Trump
Just Security | The Cost of Resilience: The Roots and Impacts of the Beirut Blast
European Commission Brussels VI Conference | Civil Society in the Syria Crisis: Report on Online Consultations for the Brussels VI Conference
Ashita Alag
Legal Advisor
She/Her/Hers
Ashita is an India-trained lawyer and joined Global Justice Center as a Harvard Public Interest Venture Fund fellow. At the Global Justice Center, her work involves supporting the legal team with research, writing, and advocacy. Ashita holds a masters in law from Harvard Law School and has worked as a Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of India.
Recent Publications
The Hill | A tale of two Supreme Courts
Benil Mostafa
Development Manager
She/Her/Hers
Benil Mostafa is the Development Manager at Global Justice Center (GJC), responsible for all fundraising activities, grants management, and relationships with external alliances to enhance GJC's visibility, impact, and sustainability. Benil comes with seven years of change-making experience in advancing human rights through philanthropy, advocacy, and research and has previous work experience with Refugee Solidarity Network, Porticus, Human Rights Watch, and the International Rescue Committee. She received her M.A. in Human Rights from Columbia University and holds a B.A. in International Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with two academic awards. She is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States.
Sean Clifton
Finance and Operations Manager
He/Him/His
Sean Clifton is the Finance and Operations Manager of the Global Justice Center. He oversees GJC’s budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, accounting procedures, and administrative policies. Prior to joining GJC, Sean was Finance Manager of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development in Washington, DC. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Bradley University.
Thomas Dresslar
Communications Manager
He/Him/His
Thomas Dresslar is the Communications Manager at the Global Justice Center, overseeing all of GJC's publications and digital outreach. Prior to joining GJC, Thomas worked in communications at the American Civil Liberties Union, where he focused on primarily on media relations. He also interned at the Center for American Progress and the California State Senate. Thomas holds a B.S. in multimedia journalism from Northwest Missouri State University, where he edited the student newspaper's Opinion section.
Merrite Johnson
Program Coordinator
She/They
Merrite Johnson is the Program Coordinator at the Global Justice Center. She holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Politics from New York University, where her thesis work examined how women have increased their political participation in post-conflict countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Merrite received her B.A. in Politics from NYU and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. Prior to joining GJC, she worked in client relations at a business management firm.
Recent Publications
Ms. Magazine | Mike Pompeo Is Wrong: There *Is* an International Right to Abortion
Ms. Magazine | In Which Trump Reminded the Global Community How Hateful He Really Is
Chloe Stoddard 
Development and Operations Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Chloe Stoddard is the Development and Operations Coordinator of the Global Justice Center. She works with the Development and Operations and Finance teams to achieve the organization’s fundraising, grants management, financial, and administrative goals. Prior to joining GJC, she worked with the NYC Commission on Human Rights, interned with several international human rights organizations, and holds years of experience in gender and labor justice organizing. She is a recent graduate of Stanford University where she earned a B.A. with Honors in International Relations and Human Rights.
Michelle Onello
Special Counsel
She/Her/Hers
Michelle Onello is an attorney serving as a consultant to the Global Justice Center on international human rights issues. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and The Johns Hopkins University, including its SAIS Bologna Center. Following law school, she was a Luce Scholar working for the Phuket Provincial Governor in Thailand. Michelle was an Associate in the New York office of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, where she focused on international financial transactions. Michelle left everyday law practice to become a full-time caretaker for her four children.
Recent Publications
Ms. Magazine | Limiting Scientific Research is Another Front in the War on Abortion
The Hill | The Trump administration's war on abortion rights is worse than you think
Mizzima News | Gender Inequality and Sexual Violence in Myanmar: Part of the Problem is Preventing a Cure