Kate Harrell has been with the Conflict Observatory in various capacities since it was stood up in 2022. Kate began as a researcher with the CO as a Senior Research Fellow at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. She then became the Project Manager for the Conflict Observatory at the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations at the Department of State. She has now returned to a research position within the CO and serves as the Director of the CURIA Conflict Observatory. Her research areas include monitoring the Russian destruction of cultural property in Ukraine and investigating Russian influence operations and cultural warfare campaigns through social media. Kate holds a Ph.D. in archaeology.

Damian Koropeckyj (M.A.) is a field archaeologist and specialist in cultural heritage and conflict. He previously worked as a Senior Analyst at the Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab (CHML), Virginia Museum of Natural History and Visiting Scholar at the Smithsonian Institution. His research on the exploitation of cultural heritage in conflict in Ukraine has been presented to members of the U.S. Congress and U.K. Parliament. Damian’s research interests include Russian destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage and construction of new Russian monuments in their place. His prior experience includes working at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia.