The LIDS Executive Board is composed of current students actively engaged in the organization. It is responsible for the overall management of the organization and implementation of its activities. Each spring semester, new co-presidents are elected and a new board is appointed for the following academic year.
Co-President: Sarah Weiner
Sarah Weiner is a member of the J.D. class of 2015 at Harvard Law School. In addition to serving on the LIDS Board, she is also captain of Harvard’s Foreign Direct Investment Moot team and has been an Article Editor for the Harvard International Law Journal. With LIDS, she previously worked on a project looking at the use of performance requirements to facilitate technology transfer through foreign direct investment and also served as VP of Projects.
During law school, she has interned at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and worked as a summer associate at Skadden Arps LLP. Prior to attending law school, she served for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tonga. She was involved with a variety of development projects there, including helping her village start a community library and designing a climate change awareness program for primary schools. She received her B.A. from the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas and is originally from New Orleans.
As Co-President, Sarah manages LIDS, runs Board and general meetings, and interacts with the Harvard Law School administration in matters relating to strategic initiatives and funding.
Co-President: Elizabeth Nehrling
Elizabeth Nehrling is a member of the J.D. class of 2015 at Harvard Law School, where she is a part of the Law and International Development Society, Harvard Immigration Project, HLS Advocates for Human Rights, Harvard Africa Law Association, and the Journal of Law and Gender.
Elizabeth is passionate about issues at the crossroads of migration, gender, and development. Prior to law school, this passion led her to spend three years living and working on gender-based development and female empowerment projects in rural west African villages, including time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso, and over four years working with asylum-seekers in the US and UK, including direct service work at the Tahirih Justice Center, a non-profit organization that works to protect immigrant women and girls from gender-based violence. During the summer of 2013 Elizabeth worked with refugees and asylum seekers at Lawyers for Human Rights in Johannesburg, South Africa. Elizabeth spent the summer of 2014 working with the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practice, in Washington, DC, and at Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (Center for Migrants Rights) in Mexico City.
She has her M.S. in Migration, Mobility and Development from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, where she focused on gender roles and human rights within migratory patterns.
As Co-President, Elizabeth manages LIDS, runs Board and general meetings, and interacts with the Harvard Law School administration in matters relating to strategic initiatives and funding.
Co-Vice President, Projects: Sam Datlof
Sam Datlof is a joint-degree J.D.-M.P.P. student graduating in 2017. Since joining LIDS, Sam has been a co-project leader on a project for the ABA Criminal Law Section’s International Committee and also worked on a project for the Vale Center for Sustainable International Investment. He is also a member of the Harvard International Law Journal and the Harvard Immigration Project.
Prior to law school, Sam worked for a community education organization in Guatemala called Niños de Guatemala, where he was engaged in social enterprise and communications. During summer 2014, Sam worked on impact litigation at the New York Legal Assistance Group.
As Co-Vice-President of Projects, Sam generates, organizes, staffs, and oversees the development projects implemented each semester with partner organizations.
Co-Vice President, Projects: Carol Tan
Carol is a member of the M.P.P. class of 2015 at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she is also the co-President of the Southeast Asian Caucus and a Research Assistant. Prior to joining the LIDS board, she led the PILPG project on spoiler management strategies for a post-conflict African nation. Her primary focus is on conflict management and humanitarian affairs policy; she spent summer with the International Committee of the Red Cross developing a Syrian regional response and researching frontline negotiations. Carol was also a researcher on a Harvard field study to Jordan to assess the Syrian refugee crisis and make intervention recommendations.
Born in Singapore, Carol was previously a management consultant in Southeast Asia with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). She worked primarily with public sector clients, particularly on economic development, infrastructure, transport, strategic planning etc. Outside BCG, Carol devoted time to development and anti-human trafficking issues in Cambodia. Carol graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science.
As the Co-Vice President of Projects, Carol generates, staffs, and supervises the development of pro-bono projects implemented with partner organizations. She hopes to apply her consulting experiences toward professionalizing the delivery of LIDS advice and creating even higher impact projects going forward.
Vice President, Communications: Katie King
Katie King is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Harvard Law School. In addition to serving on the LIDS board, she is also the Secretary of the Harvard African Law Association and a member of the Harvard Human Rights Journal. In her first year of law school, she worked on two LIDS projects, developing humanitarian border management protocols for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and researching legal recognition of community-based paralegals.
Katie is from Ohio, where she received her B.A. in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs (concentrating on Sub-Saharan Africa) and Latin American Studies from Miami University. Last summer, she worked for the Equal Education Law Centre in South Africa.
As Vice-President of Communications, Katie is responsible for keeping LIDS members and interested HLS students up to date on LIDS activities and events related to international development.
Co-Vice President, Press & Media: Elisa Dun
Elisa Dun is a 2L at Harvard Law School. In 2010, she graduated from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, where she graduated first in her major, was a John Carroll Fellow and a Lisa J. Raines Independent Research Fellow. As a Raines Fellow, she conducted field research on rural female migrants working as domestic maids in China and ultimately presented her findings to Georgetown’s Board of Regents. She also spent a summer in college conducting field research in Israel/Palestine.
Elisa has worked for over a year in Lahore, Pakistan, where she was a Babar Ali Fellow and the Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Several of the projects she oversaw in Pakistan were commended by the United Nations, including by UN General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon. In her first year at Harvard Law School, Elisa received HL Central’s T.J. Duane Community Grant and used the funds to organize HLS’s first “Diversity and Disability” event. She also worked with HLS’s Prison Legal Assistance Program, the Women’s Law Association and the Harvard Negotiation Law Review. She spent spring break during her 1L year navigating migrant trails in Arizona with other HLS students on Harvard’s No More Deaths Pro Bono Alternative Spring Break Trip.
In addition to her involvement with LIDS, Elisa works with the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB), one of Harvard Law School’s three honors societies. Elisa grew up in California, Taiwan, and China and has also lived in Israel/Palestine, Turkey, and Pakistan. She is highly proficient in four languages, including Mandarin, Arabic, English and Urdu, and has traveled to 17 countries.
As Co-Vice President of Press & Media, Elisa is responsible for media relations, coverage and promotion of LIDS events and projects, including on social media. Elisa is also responsible for managing LIDS Live.
Co-Vice President, Press & Media: Ameya Naik
Ameya Naik is a student of the Class of 2016 at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he is completing a Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a Masters of Law in International Law. At the Fletcher School, Ameya is a Staff Editor for the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and works for the school’s Office of Communications & Public Relations. Prior to joining Fletcher, he served as Executive Assistant to Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for Human Resource Development in the Government of India. In 2013, he was awarded a Research Scholarship by the Takshashila Institution, an Indian think tank, where he explored the link between energy security and foreign policy; he will serve as Scholar-in-Residence with the Takshashila Institution once again in summer 2014.
Ameya holds a B.A. in Psychology and a Bachelors in Law (LL.B.) from Mumbai University, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Humanitarian Law from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. He participated in the Spring 2014 LIDS research project with PILPG on security-sector reform with non-state actors in transitional states.
As Co-Vice President of Press & Media, Ameya is responsible for media relations, coverage and promotion of LIDS events and projects, including on social media. Ameya is also responsible for managing LIDS Live.
Vice President, Finance: Kristin Beharry
Kristin Beharry is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Harvard Law School, where she is also involved with the Social Enterprise Law Association and Harvard International Law Journal. Prior to joining the LIDS Board, Kristin worked on a project through LIDS researching the process necessary to undergo the transformation of a Samoan microfinance institution into a commercial bank.Kristin is from Michigan and graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and International Studies: Political Economics and Development at the University of Michigan in 2013. As an undergraduate, she was the Executive Director of the Detroit Partnership, a nonprofit aimed at building community between the University of Michigan and Detroit through the art, health, and educational programming. During the summer of 2011, Kristin worked with Clean Water for the World in El Salvador, promoting health through implementing water purification units and surveying local communities as to the effectiveness of those units. During the summer of 2014, Kristin will be working with the Accountability Counsel in San Francisco, defending the environmental and human rights of marginalized communities affected by internationally-financed projects.
As Vice-President of Finance, Kristin procures financial support for LIDS activities and works on establishing new funding partnerships with sources from within the Harvard community as well as externally. Kristin is also responsible for establishing LIDS’ budget and managing operating expenses.
Co-Vice President, Events (Symposium): Akhila Kolisetty
Akhila Kolisetty is a member of the J.D. class of 2015 at Harvard Law School and graduated from Northwestern University in 2010 with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. She is passionate about the intersection of rule of law, access to justice, and gender-based violence. As a member of LIDS, Akhila led a project with Namati on mapping laws recognizing the role of paralegals across the world. At HLS, Akhila is also involved with the Human Rights Journal, HLS Advocates for Human Rights, and the Women’s Law Association.
Prior to law school, she worked for a civil rights law firm, conducted research on the impact of legal empowerment programs in Bangladesh with BRAC, and served as a Technical Advisor to a local non-profit in Afghanistan that strives to expand access to legal services for women and girls. During the summer between her 1L and 2L year, she worked to provide grassroots legal awareness and legal aid in Sierra Leone with Timap for Justice. Last winter term, she researched Islamic family law in India with the Institute for Rural Research and Development. During the 2014 summer, Akhila worked with Human Rights Watch and the New York Legal Assistance Group.
As Symposium and Events Chair, Akhila will be organizing this year’s Law and Development Symposium and other events throughout the school year.
Co-Vice President, Events (International Women’s Day): Melanie Emmen
Melanie Emmen is a member of the JD class of 2016 at Harvard Law School. In addition to serving on the LIDS Board, she is also a board member for the Harvard African Law Association and a Research Assistant for the Global Access in Action: Access to Medicines project. During her first year of law school, she worked with the Trade Incubator Initiative to assess non-tariff barriers to agricultural exports in Lesotho and led a project looking at co-operative law and access to credit in Rwanda.
Prior to attending law school she worked for l’Association Camerounaise pour le Marketing Social managing an HIV education and training program targeting young urban women in Cameroon, before which she served as Peace Corps Volunteer, designing and implementing high-school girls’ empowerment programs. She also worked with The Whitaker Group researching US-Africa trade flows and promoting public-private partnerships in sub-Saharan African health sectors.
As Co-Vice-President of Events, Melanie organizes events on behalf of LIDS—in particular the 2015 International Women’s Day celebrations—bringing together academics, policymakers and practitioners working in law and development.
Co-Vice President, Collaborations: Elizabeth Loftus
Elizabeth Loftus is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Harvard law School. She graduated from Cornell University in 2010 as a double major in history and political science with a concentration in comparative politics. After college, she worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon where she collaborated with communities to address water sanitation, reforestation, food security, and literacy. At HLS, she is involved in the Harvard Human Right Journal, the Law and International Development Society, and the Trade Innovation Initiative. Her research with LIDS and TII has explored incentivizing anti-corruption efforts in public sectors and improving access to finance for cooperatives and small enterprises. During the 2014 summer, she worked in the Special Litigation Unit of the World Bank Integrity Vice Presidency in Washington, D.C.
As Co-Vice President of Collaborations, Elizabeth works to capitalize on relationships between students and community members – in the Boston area and around the world – who are passionate about international development.
Co-Vice President, Collaborations: Christopher Crawford
Chris Crawford is a member of the JD class of 2016 at Harvard Law School, and 2010 graduate of Trinity University. Chris became involved initially through LIDS Global, a project that coordinates joint research between LIDS at Harvard and other like-minded student organizations around the world. The 2013-2014 research focused on issues in transnational corruption, a topic that Chris plans to continue researching during his time at Harvard.
Prior to attending law school, Chris lived for two years in Shanghai, where he taught AP United States history and persuasive writing among other subjects. He also lived in Bulgaria and worked at an NGO that served victims of human trafficking and sought to reform the nation’s juvenile justice system. At HLS, Chris is a contributor to the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology and spent a summer interning at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C.
As Co-Vice President of Collaborations, Christopher works to capitalize on relationships between students and community members – in the Boston area and around the world – who are passionate about international development.
Vice President, External & Alumni Relations: Marian Grove
Marian Grove is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Harvard Law School. She first got involved with LIDS during her 1L year as a team member on two projects.
Marian is from Narberth, PA. She graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in History in 2008. After a brief stint working for the 2008 Obama Campaign, she moved to Washington, DC and worked primarily as a Senate legislative assistant for international, trade, and defense policy. Before starting law school, she and her husband spent 7 months backpacking through several continents.
As VP of External Relations, Marian serves as liaison with the LIDS Board, alumni, and outside groups.
Vice President, Community: Ishita Kala
Ishita Kala is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Harvard Law School. Before joining the board Ishita worked on a LIDS project with CAfGEN researching biobank policies and procedures for pediatric populations in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ishita is originally from Waterford, Connecticut and graduated from Dartmouth College in 2013 with a B.A. in Government and Psychology. She is particularly interested in the development issues of post-conflict reconstruction and constitution drafting. During the summer of 2014, she interned at USAID Office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C.
As Vice President of Community, Ishita will be working both to recruit new members and to build a greater sense of community within the organization.
Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy Liaison: Jake Kuipers
Jake Kuipers is a member of the J.D. class of 2016 at Boston College Law School and is also completing a Masters in Law and Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is a staff member of the Boston College International and Comparative Law Review and is a founder of Fletcher Families and Partners, a student-led community group for students with families. As a team member of LIDS, Jake worked on two Public International Law and Public Policy Group projects helping countries approach and develop constitutional and judicial reforms.
Jake is passionate about helping governments use the rule of law to generate effective and meaningful economic development. To further this interest, he was awarded a grant for the summer of 2014 to model how Singapore’s Economic Development Board facilitates the entry process for foreign investors. He hopes this model will help enable policymakers in cities, states, and countries to replicate some of Singapore’s success in attracting foreign investment.
Prior to law and graduate school, Jake worked for the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the Harvard Business School, and the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. He has a B.A. in political science from Middlebury College.
As the Fletcher School liaison, Jake will help to strengthen ties between LIDS and the Fletcher School community, and to further promote an interdisciplinary approach to development.
Harvard Kennedy School Liaison: Gayatri Shetty
Gayatri Shetty is a member of the MPP Class of 2015 at Harvard Kennedy School where she is concentrating in Political and Economic Development. Gayatri began her involvement with LIDS during her first year at HKS, when she led a PILPG project on prison-sector reform with a post-conflict MENA country-client. Gayatri is also involved with Harvard’s public policy journal, the Kennedy School Review, as Managing Editor, and is an Economics Course Assistant.
Originally from India, she spent her formative years living in various parts of the world. Prior to HKS, she worked at the United Nations Department of Political Affairs in New York, in its Africa Division, where she gained extensive exposure to the UN’s preventive diplomacy, mediation and peacebuilding activities. She has also worked at the UN Treasury Office and Amnesty International in London, UK. Gayatri graduated from Vassar College in 2008 where she studied Economics and French.
As the HKS Liaison, Gayatri will work to build stronger ties between LIDS and the Kennedy School community, and promoting involvement with LIDS in general.