About us
WIIS UK is a branch of the WIIS global network, committed to promoting women’s careers and professional development and providing a network for women working in the field of international security and on international security issues. WIIS UK is defined by our brilliant members (hailing from different age groups, sectors and nationalities) and our invaluable institutional partnerships with organizations across the UK.
WIIS UK activities may include socials, skills workshops, panels and open conversations with experts. Through our activities, WIIS UK members generate an active network of individuals and organizations willing to provide support, advice, and promotion of the activities, expertise, and role of women in international security.
WIIS UK is an open, inclusive, and constantly evolving platform that is open to all, regardless of gender identity or existing professional involvement in the international security field.
In short, WIIS UK is:
A vector for the excellence and expertise of women in international security
A diverse, inclusive and dynamic community reaching beyond the UK, with London as a hub for global exchange
An agent for positive, lasting change in the international security sector
Executive Leadership Committee
Sophie Smith
Sophie Smith works in the political and security risk sector, and is currently part of an in-house intelligence function for a major entertainment company, providing analysis on geopolitical and security issues across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to this, Sophie worked for two political risk consultancies, providing country risk reports to a variety of clients, and has previously worked in government and for an NGO. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and French from the University of Leeds.
Sabrine Dao
Sabrine Dao is a multilingual international security & peacebuilding consultant, as well as a human rights lawyer. She serves as a Security & Intelligence Research Analyst at the Africa Center for Strategy & Policy. In recent years, she held positions at the Peacebuilding organisation Search for Common Ground in global affairs and development and at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in transatlantic leadership and strategic engagement. Sabrine draws on a diverse and interdisciplinary blend of international academic and professional experience in primarily geopolitics, peace & security, climate security, international law and global governance. She grounds her expertise in multiple field experiences across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. At WIIS, Sabrine is chairing the Human Security & Peacebuilding working Group. She is a 2022 Feminist Foreign Policy & Development Fellow with the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Isabella Wilkinson
Isabella Wilkinson is a Research Fellow in the Digital Society Programme at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank. Wilkinson is an expert in technology and geopolitics, global technology governance, and gender and LGBTIQ+ inclusivity in technology. Formerly, Wilkinson was a Research Associate in the institute’s International Security Programme, an Editorial Associate at the Journal of Cyber Policy and a Visiting Fellow at the Hague Program on International Cybersecurity. Wilkinson gained her MA from Georgetown University and BSc from the London School of Economics and was recognised on the ‘35 Under 35’ Santander-CIDOB Future Leaders list.
Kristin Thue
Kristin Thue is the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Conflict, and the Communications Coordinator at the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA). She previously worked as a researcher in the Defence and Security team at RAND Europe. Kristin completed her MA in International Conflict Studies at King’s College London in 2020, where she specialised in gender and terrorism. Kristin has a background in advocacy and communications in Norway, and has participated actively in national debates on gender equality, ISIS’ foreign fighters, and counterterrorism. Twitter: @kristin_thue
Shona Warren
Shona Warren is a Policy Analyst at the Center for Global Development, in the Migration, Displacement and Humanitarian Policy Team. Shona specialises in migration, climate change, and human security. Previously, she worked for an international development consultancy, managing research projects and evaluations for clients including bilateral donors, foundations, and international organisations. She holds a Master of International Relations, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. Twitter: @shonajwarren. Twitter: @shonajwarren
Previous Leadership
Thank you to all who have contributed their time, energy and skills to developing the WIIS UK network:
Sophia Besch, Alice Billon-Galland, Perla Bronzi, Jen Deegan, Dr Alexi Drew, Sofia Martinez Fernandez, Ulrike Franke, Ashlee Godwin, Laura Hamilton, Olivia Kearney, Johanna Moehring, Camilla Molyneux, Armida van Rij, Heather Williams.
Interested in joining the Leadership Team? Send a 300-word statement of purpose and CV to wiisuk@outlook.com. WIIS UK receives applications on a rolling basis.