About us - Diplo US

Diplo US, founded in 2018, is a non-profit organization working to increase the capacity of individuals and institutions to follow and engage in digital policy and diplomacy. It aims to improve global governance and international policy development.

Diplo US supports a wide range of stakeholders to build their capacity in order to engage effectively in US and international policy processes, negotiations, and diplomacy.

Diplo US seeks to:

Strengthen stakeholders, especially from small and developing states to allow them to effect their own futures and development;
Increase accountability and inclusivity in the sphere of digital policy, whether in the US or globally;
Enhance the legitimacy of international policy making;
Advance global governance and international policy development.

In particular, the niche of Diplo US is exploring the impact of digitalization and emerging technologies on core diplomatic functions such as:

Digital policy issues on the US and international diplomatic agenda (from cybersecurity and digital commerce to big data and blockchain technologies);
Trends and tools in diplomatic training, from visual elements such as infographics and illustrations, to massive open online courses (MOOCs), webinars, and blended learning;
Artificial intelligence (AI), automation, robotics, and their potential impact on the core social and ethical pillars of humanity;
Trends and practical insights into the use of technologies in our daily lives.

To accomplish these goals, Diplo US

Provides capacity development programs in areas of digital policy and multilateral diplomacy;
Trains officials from small and developing countries; and
Provides specialized academic programs for professional diplomats in both traditional and contemporary diplomacy topics;
Develops and uses tools for e-participation in global governance, including remote participation in international meetings and social media for global negotiations; and
Undertakes and publishes policy research activities on issues related to digital policy and diplomacy to support and enhance the organization’s impact.

Board members

Anne-Rachel InnéPresident

Executive Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). She has a wealth of experience in the Internet Governance and Policy arena, having served most recently at ICANN as the Vice President of Global Engagement and Manager of Regional Relations and in the Regional Internet Registry system where she served as the Chief Operating Officer at AFRINIC.

Dustin LoupVice President and Treasurer

Executive Director of ICANNWiki. In this role, his responsibilities include managing and carrying out all aspect of the organisations operations and activities alongside his team. Dustin was originally hired as Editor and Community Manager in June 2015. Since then he has attended a variety of conferences and worked with a diverse set of stakeholders to move the project forward in a way that benefits the Internet governance community as a whole. In addition, Dustin is Assistant Director of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Internet of Society.

Vladimir RadunovićSecretary

Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy Programs Director for DiploFoundation. He is a lecturer in cybersecurity policy, Internet governance, and e-diplomacy and serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) and as an expert with the Geneva Internet Platform. He served as a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group of the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from 2012 to 2014.

Tereza HorejsovaMember of the Board

Originally from the Czech Republic, Dr Tereza Horejsova is currently based in Washington DC. Joined Diplo in 2012, Tereza has had an international career in academia and the non-governmental sector in the Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland. During her stay in Geneva (2012‒2016), she coordinated the activities of the Geneva Internet Platform. She holds an MA in International Area Studies and a PhD in European Studies, both from the Charles University in Prague.

Martin RauchbauerMember of the Board

Senior Austrian diplomat and a tech governance expert who currently is on a sabbatical in the San Francisco Bay Area after having served for two years as Austria’s first Tech Ambassador to Silicon Valley and more than five years as Head of Open Austria and Austrian Consul in San Francisco. Martin shaped the emerging field of tech diplomacy, engaged in transatlantic tech diplomacy and digital human rights. He also developed digital humanism as a strategic focus of Austrian foreign policy. In Silicon Valley Martin founded Open Austria’s Art + Tech Lab, and co-founded the European art + tech + policy initiative The Grid. Currently, he is focussing his research on how tech governance is conceptually based on our understanding of humans, nature, and technology.

Team members

Pavlina IttelsonExecutive Director

Ms Pavlina Ittelson joined Diplo in 2017 and currently serves as senior program officer at Diplo US. She focuses on the legal aspects of internet governance in the fields of internet jurisdiction, cybersecurity, and alternative dispute resolution. She also curates the topics of Jurisdiction, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Intellectual Property Rights on the GIP Digital Watch observatory website.
Prior to joining Diplo, Pavlina practiced law as an attorney and a legal project manager in the fields of international business, science, and technology. Pavlina received her degree in Law from Comenius University, Bratislava, and her LLM in International Business Law from the Central European University, Budapest. A native of Slovakia, she now resides in the Washington, DC area.

Annual report and Financials

Diplo US’s mission is to provide educational programs online and in person, as well as conducting research related to internet policy and diplomacy. The main mission is to empower all actors involved in the digital policy discourse on international level to be able to actively engage and represent their viewpoints in the digital policy fora. Financial and other information about our charity’s purpose, programs and activities can be obtained by contacting Pavlina Ittelson, Executive Director, 1100 15^th Street NW, Floor 4, Washington, DC 20005-1707, 202-834-4946. If you are a resident of any of the following states, please review the relevant disclosure statement.

ILLINOIS: Contracts and reports regarding Diplo US are on file with the Illinois Attorney General.

NEW YORK: Upon request, a copy of the latest financial report filed with the Attorney General as well as a full description of the programs and activities supported by contributions can be obtained by contacting Diplo US at 1100 15^th Street NW, Floor 4, Washington, DC 20005-1707. Financial reports can also be obtained from the charities registry on the Attorney General’s website or by writing the Charities Bureau at 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005. For more information about charities, visit the Charities Bureau online at www.charitiesnys.com or call 212-416-8401.

WASHINGTON: The notice of solicitation required by the State Office of Consumer Affairs is on file with the Washington Secretary of State, and information relating to financial affairs of Diplo US is available from the Secretary of State, and the toll-free number for Washington residents: 800-332-4483.

CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF DIPLO US BY THE STATE.