Michael Edward Walsh

Eddie Walsh is the Chief Executive Officer at the Islands Society.


  • Position: President
  • Location: United States
  • Experience: Senior Fellow at Georgetown University; ICC Vice Chair at National Press Club; WSD-Handa Fellow at CSIS; Next Generation Fellow at American Assembly; Young Leader at Pacific Forum; Senior MarCom Manager at Microsoft
  • Education: University of London (PhD*); Harvard Business School (ExecEd); Johns Hopkins SAIS (MA); The Johns Hopkins University (BA)
  • Email: president@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: eddiewalsh

Keiko Ono

Keiko Ono is the Executive Director of Regional Socieites.


  • Position: Executive Director
  • Location: Japan / Papua New Guinea
  • Experience: Strategic Trade and Investment at British Embassy; Policy Researcher at Zambia Imagine Rural Development Initiative; Co-President of Societies at SOAS Student Union
  • Education: SOAS, University of London (BA)
  • Email: vicepresident@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: keikoono

Laurent Ajdnik

Laurent Ajdnik is the Managing Director of Partnerships.


  • Position: Managing Director
  • Location: France
  • Experience: Senior Manager at SNCF; Partner at Haxone International; Vice President at Emerging Science and Technology Policy Centre
  • Education: INSA-Lyon (BS/MSc)
  • Email: marcom@islandssociety.org
  • LinkedIn: ———-

Derek Bolton

Derek Bolton is the Managing Director of the Baltic Islands Society.


  • Position: Managing Director
  • Location: Finland / United Kingdom
  • Experience: Young Leader at Pacific Forum CSIS; Research Associate at Global Co Lab Network; Junior Research Fellow at the American Security Project
  • Education: University of Bath (PhD*); Universiteit van Amsterdam (MSc); University College Cork (BA)
  • Email: derek@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: derekwbolton

John Hemmings

John Hemmings is the Managing Director of the Center for Maritime Security.


  • Position: Managing Director
  • Location: United Kingdom / United States
  • Experience: Deputy Editor at Millennium Journal of International Studies; WSD-Handa Fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS; Consultant at the Asia Foundation; Senior Fellow Coordinator at RUSI
  • Education: London School of Economics (PhD*); King’s College London (MA); Cardiff University (BA)
  • Email: pr@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: john-hemmings-83991931

Cheryl Walsh

Cheryl Walsh is the Managing Director of Public Relations at the Islands Society.


  • Position: Managing Director
  • Location: United States
  • Experience: Board Member at Local Chapter of American Red Cross; Member of American Library Association; Member of American Association of University Women; Member of Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh
  • Education: University of Pittsburgh (MLIS); University of South Carolina (BA)
  • Email: cheryl@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: ——–

Lise Sasaki

Lise Sasaki is a Community Engagement Specialist at the Rito Society and the Pacific Islands Society.


  • Position: Community Engagement Specialist
  • Location: Japan / United Kingdom
  • Experience: Exchange Student at SOAS, University of London; Teacher at Catal Incorporated; Teacher at St. Joan of Arc School
  • Education: Sophia University (BA*)
  • Email: pr@islandssociety.org
  • Linkedin: