As a former Research Analyst, Shannon has contributed to the Plakhov Group's Podcast Summaries and researched the rise of spiritual security in Russian academic and governmental publications. Currently, she works as a Policy Analyst at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) in the G7 and G20 International Relations Unit.

Shannon obtained an MA from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs where she researched the Artic as a potential avenue for cooperation with Russia prior to 2022. She also holds an Honours BSocSc International Studies and Modern Languages and a Minor in Russian Language and Culture from the University of Ottawa.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Francis was documenting the effects of international sanctions on Russia’s presence in the Arctic, reporting on Radio Free Europe’s The Week Ahead in Russia podcast, and expanding the Plakhov Group’s professional and academic networks.

Francis was selected for the Policy Officer Recruitment Programme (PORP) at the Department of National Defence (DND), to eventually become a Defence Policy Officer. Francis holds an MA in International Affairs with a specialization in Security and Defence Policy, and a BA in Global and International Studies with a specialization in Global Politics, both from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. 

Francis was also a previous Program Officer in the Caribbean Engagement Division at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), where he worked to facilitate Canada’s political, trade, and security relationships with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). 

As a former Senior Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Dylan conducted research into the Putin regime in Russia and levels of authoritarianism and fascism. Dylan also reported on the Plakhov Group's continuous analysis of the war in Ukraine by monitoring The Telegraph's Ukraine: The Latest podcast, based out of the UK.

MA Candidate - European, Russian and Eurasian Studies with an Academic Concentration on the EU and Europe and a Specialization in Balkan Political and Military Affairs, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. BA (Distinction) - Double-Major in International Relations and Political Science, Minor in Italian from St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. 

As a former Research Analyst, Tigran has contributed to the Plakhov Group's Podcast Summaries and Plakhov Quick Takes and researched topics pertaining to Russia and Armenia. He currently works as an Investigations, Diligence and Compliance Associate at international business consultancy Kroll, Inc.

In 2023, Tigran obtained his Honours BA in History and Political Science from Trinity College, University of Toronto and his MA degree in European and Russian Affairs at the Center of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (CERES) at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Roman Vysochanskyy worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports. Roman is a published scholar in the fields of public policy, international relations, governance, and security.

From 2016 to 2022, Roman functioned as an independent scholar and tutor after holding a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Ivan Franko National University of L’viv, Ukraine, from 2008-2016. Roman’s vast academic journey includes prestigious awards such as the Fulbright Scholar Program at Columbia University and a grant from the Polish National Commission for UNESCO.

Roman holds a Master of Arts in International Public Policy at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, and a Ph.D. in Social Philosophy and Philosophy of History from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine. He also holds an MA and BA in Middle Eastern Studies from the same institution.

Roman has contributed to both English and Ukrainian scholarship literature with publications on a variety of subjects, including conflict analysis, information security, and postcolonial studies.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Oleksii worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Oleksii Yemelianenko is a recent Carleton University EURUS MA graduate and a current Program Associate at the Canadian Red Cross. 

He is a former Ukrainian diplomat who represented Ukraine in Belarus and Palestine for over a decade total - not including his work at the Ukrainian MFA. 

Oleksii came to Canada recently and speaks Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, and Czech.

As a former Grant Researcher/Writer at the Plakhov Group, Humboldt sought out eligible funding opportunities and wrote proposals on behalf of the organization.

Humboldt is currently pursuing a BA Honours Specialization in History at Western University. His research interests focus on World War II, particularly the daily life within Nazi Germany and the military strategies employed on the Western and Eastern fronts in Europe.

As a former Senior Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Algis worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, Event Debriefs, and bilateral meeting readouts.

MA Candidate - European, Russian and Eurasian Studies. BA - Major in Criminology with a concentration in Sociology, and a Minor in History from Carleton University.

As a former Research Analyst, Jake contributed to the Plakhov Group’s Podcast Summaries, Quick Takes and Event Reports. Currently, Jake works as a Program Manager at Edelman Global Advisory and is the Ottawa Operations Manager for the NATO Association of Canada where he is also a contributing writer. Jake is also the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies Graduate Recruitment Coordinator.

He holds an MA, specializing in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies and a BA Honours in Political Science, both from Carleton University.

As a former Senior Research Analyst with The Plakhov Group, Colby composed a bilateral relations database covering over 50 countries and contributed to leading international affairs podcasts such as Foreign Policy Live and War on the Rocks, reporting on Ukraine’s counteroffensive. He also played a key role in expanding the Plakhov Group’s professional and academic networks.

Previously, Colby was a Research Assistant at Carleton University under the European and Eurasian Studies Network (EETN) and the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS), where he supported research on regional security and foreign policy in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

Colby currently works as a Junior Policy Analyst at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), where he supports Canada’s foreign policy initiatives. He is also pursuing a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA).

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Political Studies from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Colby is passionate about national security, foreign policy and military/strategic studies.

As a former Research Analyst at the Plakhov Group, Taylor is currently working on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Taylor specializes in International Diplomacy, Security, and Peace Studies, with primary research expertise concerning human rights and international cooperation, particularly within Transatlantic relations. 

Taylor often complements his lucid policy analysis with spatial analytics, allowing him to garner unique quantitative insights.

Taylor is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in Geographic Computation at the University of British Columbia. 

As a former Grant Writer and Researcher with The Plakhov Group, Matt helps to grow and expand the organization by identifying new grant, funding, and contracting opportunities.

Matt is a skilled writer and researcher with experience in client service. Before joining The Plakhov Group, Matt split his time between two major Canadian media companies. While in media, Matt used his research, writing, editing, and communication planning skills to help hundreds of national, regional, and local clients reach their customers with targeted advertising campaigns. During this time, he worked with clients in a variety of public sectors, including consumer goods, agriculture, and transportation, along with clients in the public and non-profit sectors.    

Since March 2025, has Matt been a full-time policy and public affairs coordinator with Canadian Strategy Group, one of Western Canada’s leading public affairs firms. He previously served as a member of the communications committee for 880 CHED Santas Anonymous, an Edmonton-based charity that delivers toys to over 20,000 less-fortunate children every Christmas.  

Matt holds a Master of Arts (MA) degree in history from the University of Birmingham, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in communication studies from Athabasca University, and a diploma of technology in broadcast and media communications from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). In his spare time, he plays ball hockey, golf, and curling. He also enjoys travelling the world with his wife, Jess, and cheering on his beloved Edmonton Oilers. 

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Thomas contributed to the PG Daily Ops. He holds a BA (Honours) in History from Queen’s University and is pursuing an MA in U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security at American University’s School of International Service. He has previously interned with the Center for European Policy Analysis and is currently a Research Assistant at the Shahal M. Khan Cyber and Economic Security Institute in Washington, D.C.

His research interests include Russia’s evolving global alliances, transatlantic relations, and the global diffusion of advanced technologies.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Alice worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

A deep interest in human intelligence, espionage, warfare analysis, and security relations drives Alice’s academic journey. Alice has worked with the G7/G20 Research Groups, where she analyzed member states' compliance in the Official Development Assistance and Health sectors. Her research has led to presentations at multiple conferences, including the Trinity College Undergraduate Research Conference (TCURC) and the Trinity-IID Student Conference on Intelligence and Security. Alice also serves as an executive member of the International Issues Discussion Series.

Alice is currently an undergraduate student pursuing an H.BA in International Relations, Political Science and East Asian studies at the University of Toronto.  

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Antoine worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in Political Science, with a specialization in Public and International Affairs, from the Université de Montréal. A researcher with wide-ranging interests, Antoine primarily works in the fields of public administration and politics. After serving as a research assistant at the Centre for International Peace and Security Studies at the Université de Montréal, he also held positions at Global Affairs Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency. He is currently working as a Political Advisor for the Government of Québec.

Antoine is fluent in French and English, and has an advanced level of Italian and an intermediate level of Spanish.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Liam is currently working on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

His research focuses on far-right populism, EU politics, and multilevel governance in Europe and the post-Soviet space. His current research examines the local governance strategies of far-right parties, with a particular emphasis on France, analyzing how they navigate mainstream political institutions while maintaining their populist appeal. He is especially interested in how far-right movements adapt their rhetoric and policy positions in response to local and national political dynamics. Additionality, his work also engages with questions of nationalism and the governance challenges facing de facto states and supranational institutions.

Liam is a current master’s student in European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at Carleton University. He obtained his BA (Honours) in Political Science from Brandon University.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Marc-Antoine worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Marc-Antoine holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a Joint Honours BSocSc in History and Political Science from the University of Ottawa.

He is currently an executive in military relations at YATA Canada, with previous experience working at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and on Parliament Hill.

His main research interests, both outside and inside academia, focus primarily on the geopolitics of Eastern Europe and the evolution of warfare, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Alex worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Alex is in his final year at Toronto Metropolitan University, majoring in International Economics and Finance with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His professional experience spans both the private and public sectors, including roles with the Ontario Public Service and several boutique consulting firms. Alex speaks English and Russian.

His research and analysis focus on international economics, foreign policy, defence, and geopolitics, with a specialized interest in the Middle East, Russia, and the Korean Peninsula. 

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Darcy contributed to Quick Takes, podcast summaries, and event reports.

He holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Saint Mary’s University. His research focuses on the intersection of human rights and security. He has conducted fieldwork and applied research across diverse international contexts, including research in Colombia on post-conflict reconciliation, working closely with the FARC and the Colombian government; analysis of EU foreign aid distribution across ethnic groups in The Gambia; research on the law of armed conflict in Lithuania, with a focus on Russia’s war in Ukraine; and work on Canadian foreign aid and cooperative development in Malawi.

Xavier de Salaberry was a Research Analyst was assigned to Podcasts with The Plakhov Group.

After a decade of working in the arts and in hospitality and client relations, Xavier returned to higher studies, pursuing a Major in International Affairs and a minor in Russian at the University of British Columbia. After graduating in 2025, Xavier elected to pursue his MA at Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, specializing in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, which he will conclude in December 2026. In his time at UBC, Xavier was asked to present two research projects at research conferences: "Food Insecurity in Small-Scale Conflict Zones" and "Imagery in the Game 'Atomic Heart' and Soviet Nostalgia".

Focusing on the social, historical and cultural intersections between international and domestic politics, Xavier is currently working with the IRCC while continuing to expand his research experience with the Plakhov Group. Fluent in French and with an intermediate level of Russian, Xavier hopes to contribute to PG's analysis of global affairs.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, William worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports. As the Team Europe Lead, he leads a group of research analysts on Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus. 

William holds a BA in Peace and Conflict in International Studies from the University of Montreal and is currently a master’s student at Charles University in Prague in International Security. His thesis focuses on Central Asia, researching how internal grievances influence their cooperation and geopolitical alignment. 

His academic path has led him to study in Poland and Russia in the scope of his focus on Eastern European and post-Soviet spaces. His research interests include geopolitics and foreign policy, especially in the Transatlantic and Eurasian contexts.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Nikolai worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Nikolai's research covers topics including US-Russia relations, Arctic security, and economic warfare. He holds over two years of professional experience in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa. Having interned at The U.S. Russia Foundation and working as a Junior Policy Analyst for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Nikolai has researched Russian domestic and military affairs and produced briefing products on European and Arctic security. He has acted as a research assistant for UBC's CENES and Political Science departments.

Nikolai is in his last semester at the University of British Columbia studying International Relations and Russian. During his degree, he has published and presented works on economic warfare, Russian civil society, and contemporary US-Russia security affairs at UBC's CENES department, its Journal of International Affairs, and New York University's Jordan Centre Research Symposium. He has a working proficiency in Russian.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Elisha worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Winnipeg, where she developed a strong foundation in research and analysis. She currently works for the Government of Manitoba as a Compliance Officer.

Elisha’s primary research interests include international affairs, global governance, and the socio-political dynamics that shape migration and security policy. She is particularly drawn to topics involving diplomacy, intelligence, and transnational cooperation.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Şerif contributed to the Europe team, supporting research and analysis on international security, geopolitics, NATO affairs, and regional security dynamics across the Balkans, post-Soviet space, Middle East, and Eurasia.

Şerif holds a BA in International Relations and Psychology from the University of British Columbia and will begin his Master of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He has completed the NATO Field School and previously interned at the Center for Eurasian Studies in Ankara and the Istanbul Peace Research Center. His research has focused on Serbian security, European political economy, NATO affairs, BRICS, technofeudalism, Russia’s influence in the Baltics and Caucasus, AI, cybersecurity, and energy security. He is also the founder of UBC Young NATO and has a background as a water polo player and open-water swimmer. Originally from Istanbul, his main research interests include international security, NATO, Balkan security, energy security, and emerging technologies.

As a former Research Analyst at the Plakhov Group, Sofia contributed to the PG Daily Ops.   

Her research has previously focused on audience consumption of the news and far-right populism. As a finalist in the Canadian Undergraduate Policy Competition, she also created a policy brief centered on the use of AI in education. Sofia’s areas of interest include international security, diplomacy, and journalism.  

Additionally, as an Event Assistant with the Italian Chamber of Commerce, Sofia promoted economic relations between Italy and Canada while utilizing her Italian language skills. She supported senior staff and attendees ranging from diplomats and business leaders to university students.  

She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science at the University of British Columbia.

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Bogdan worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Bogdan received his undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia, where he studied history, international relations, and economics. During his senior year, he produced an undergraduate research thesis on Russia’s privatization and democratization during the 1990s. 

He also gained experience in policy analysis, assisting in collaborative research projects with government agencies and professional associations, with a focus on disruptive innovation and transportation networks. He went on to work as a policy analyst in Ontario with a focus on transportation, workforce development, and regional economics. 

With his fluency in Russian and his background in Russian political economy, he hopes to contribute to the efforts of Plakhov Group in disseminating factual, high-quality analysis on Eastern European and Transatlantic geopolitics.

As a former Research Analyst at the Plakhov Group, Jimmy worked on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, Event Debriefs, and other intelligence products.

Jimmy is currently enrolled and pursuing a Master of International Affairs with a Concentration in International Security at the Hertie School in Germany. He holds a Bachelor's Degree with Honours, Major in Political Studies & History from Queen's University, Canada.  

As a former Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Jacob worked on various short-form intelligence products including Quick Takes, Background Notes, and more.

His research interests focus on industrial policy, trade weaponization, and European security. His thesis research examined the defence-industrial strategies of key NATO states, analyzing production specialization and capacity building efforts over the past decade. He served as a Balsillie Graduate Fellow from 2024 to 2025, and is a current Emerging Scholar at the Network for Strategic Analysis (RAS-NSA). His professional experience spans both the federal government and private industry.

Jacob is completing his master’s degree in Global Governance from the University of Waterloo’s Balsillie School of International Affairs. He holds a BBA in Strategic Management and International Public Policy from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Fred received his M.A. in International Public Policy from Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurid University and Ph.D. in International Relations from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He served as a Fulbright exchange Ph.D. at American University in Washington, D.C. 

 His research is centered on technological competition between superpowers, digital authoritarianism, trade war, and far-right populism. He is currently working on cyberattacks and disinformation targeting Canadian infrastructure and elections by foreign regimes. He is also keen on the correlation between neoliberal globalization and the rise of far-right populism as backlash.