Esra Elmas has over 12 years of experience in management and consultancy roles with international NGOs focusing on human rights, democratization, and conflict resolution. She earned her PhD in 2019 from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Sociology and Ghent University in Political Science, specialising in Conflict and Development Studies. Dr. Elmas serves as a board member at the İstanbul Bilgi University Centre for Conflict Resolution and the Çankaya University Women’s Studies Centre, and is also a member of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network’s Turkey Antenna.