Scott Vlachos is the Executive Director of the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs, an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and national security. His research focuses on the evolving intersection of irregular warfare, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and operations in the information environment.

Umar Khalid is an award-winning digital media professional and volunteer contributor to the Media Education Lab. He is an MA student of Media and Communication Science at Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany. He works at the intersection of social media storytelling, community-focused communication, and video-first content strategy. He was recognized with the Intercultural Commitment Award 2024 from the City of Ilmenau and TU Ilmenau for his contribution to intercultural collaboration and community engagement.