Sasha Lezhnev
Founding Director
Sasha Lezhnev is the Founding Director of GRG and Policy Consultant at The Sentry. He was previously Deputy Director of Policy at The Sentry & the Enough Project, where he focused on conflict, governance, corruption, and corporate accountability issues in Central & East Africa. He has also been Policy Advisor at Global Witness, where he led the organization’s U.S. advocacy on conflict resources and energy policy issues. Sasha worked for 2 1/2 years in Uganda as Senior Program Officer with the Northern Uganda Peace Initiative & peace process advisor to the Northern Uganda Mediator. He is author of the book Crafting Peace: Strategies to Deal with Warlords in Collapsing States. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from Cambridge University and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. He is also founder of the website Off the Beaten Travel, a Hub for Hidden Travel Gems. You can reach him at sasha@grassrootsgroup.org or follow his photography at www.imagejourneys.org
Marisa R. Bassett
Vice Chair and Secretary
Marisa is an Associate Legal Officer in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. She previously practiced law at White & Case L.L.P. She has held positions with the Human Rights Watch, the Public International Law & Policy Group, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the United Nations Development Programme. Marisa has a J.D. from the American University, an M.P.P. from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Brionne Dawson
Board member
Brionne is a results-driven global public policy practitioner in Washington, DC with two decades of experience in program management, sustainable development, and government affairs. Brionne serves as Emerging Markets Lead at Google. She previously served as Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State supporting U.S. economic growth priorities and private sector engagement around the globe. Prior to the State Department, Brionne worked at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advising multinational companies operating in East and Southern Africa on navigating regulatory, political, and operational risks in emerging and frontier markets. Brionne also served as Congressional Liaison at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and in leadership capacities at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington, DC, and South Africa. Brionne holds a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University, an M.A. in international business from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. You can reach her at brionne@grassrootsgroup.org.
Anna-Maria Kaneff
Chief Financial Officer
Anna-Maria Kaneff is the Vice-President, Commercial Group, for the Kaneff Group of Companies. Ms. Kaneff is responsible for managing the portfolio of existing commercial properties as well as overseeing the development and construction of new office and retail projects. Prior to joining the Kaneff Group, Ms. Kaneff was an Associate with a Toronto-based hedge fund and an Investment Analyst with the World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation, in their Oil, Gas, Mining & Petrochemicals Group. Ms. Kaneff also worked as an Analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley in New York and San Francisco. Ms. Kaneff graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Foreign Service degree from GeorgetAnna-Maria Kaneff is the Vice-President, Commercial Group, for the Kaneff Group of Companies. Ms. Kaneff is responsible for managing the portfolio of existing commercial properties and overseeing the development and construction of new office and retail projects. Before joining the Kaneff Group, Ms. Kaneff was an Associate with a Toronto-based hedge fund and an Investment Analyst with the World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation, in their Oil, Gas, Mining & Petrochemicals Group. Ms. Kaneff also worked as an Analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley in New York and San Francisco. Ms. Kaneff graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and obtained her Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. The Kaneff Group of Companies is a private Peel-based real estate development and building company that develops and manages commercial and residential real estate and golf properties in Southern Ontario.
You can reach her at anna@grassrootsgroup.org.
Michael “Mick” Mulroy
Board Member
Michael “Mick” Patrick Mulroy is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East. As the DASD, he was responsible for defense policy for 15 countries and represented the Department of Defense of national policy in that area. He is also a retired CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer in the Special Activities Center and a United States Marine. He is a Senior Fellow for the Middle East Institute, an ABC News National Security Analyst, and a Co-founder of Lobo Institute.
In addition to being on GRG’s board, Mulroy is the Co-founder of End Child Soldiering, a group that seeks to end the use of children as soldiers worldwide and rehabilitate those forced to fight. He is also the Co-creator of a documentary called “My Star in the Sky,” which portrays the true story of two child soldiers that escaped the LRA.Mick is also a volunteer for the Third Option Foundation and with various veterans organizations. He is married to Mary Beth Mulroy, the father of a son, a U.S. Marine, a daughter, four goddaughters, and three godsons. Mick is also a leading proponent of the U.S. military incorporating the Stoicism philosophy into their ethical and resiliency efforts officially.
Eric “Olly” Oehlerich
Board Member
Eric “Olly” Oehlerich is co-founder of the Lobo Institute and co-director of “My Star in the Sky”. He is a former 20+year Navy SEAL Officer, ending his career while serving as the Commanding Officer of Naval Special Warfare Development Group- Squadron 2 from July of 2017 – 2019. At the pinnacle of his career, as Commanding Officer of this elite unit he was responsible for the development of technology and tactics for SEALs to use against the nations’ hardest problems. The geographic scope of responsibility spanned the Pacific, Africa and Middle East. By galvanizing over 1,100 personnel combined with collection technology he provided a security blanket against extremism for the International Community.
Kate Tickel
Outreach Officer
Focused on the intersection of human rights and the humanities, Kate has worked in Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health, she has previously studied at MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, and graduated from UCLA with a degree in Philosophy. An advocate for ethical and sustainable business practices, Kate has consulted with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, and many businesses in the private sector. You can reach her at kate@grassrootsgroup.org
Grassroots Reconciliation Group 