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Valens Global Introduces Three New Team Members

Washington, DC, June 29, 2016 – Valens Global, a consulting firm focused on the challenges posed by violent non-state actors (VNSAs), today announced three new additions to its team: Jacob Zenn, Donté Stallworth, and Meghan Conroy. Jacob Zenn joins Valens Global as a Senior Consultant. He comes to the organization with years of experience conducting field research throughout the globe, most notably in the Sahel, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. He excels in assisting clients in understanding highly granular details about the leadership, ideology, and operational trends of VNSAs as well as macro-level trends about how VNSAs are evolving in geographic, socio-cultural and historical context. In addition to his new role as Senior Consultant for Valens Global, Zenn is a fellow at The Jamestown Foundation in Washington, DC. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Valens Global’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I have long admired Zenn’s careful, detailed, and invariably insightful work. We have already worked with him closely on several projects, and it’s an honor to officially add him to the Valens team.” Donté Stallworth joins Valens Global as a Strategic Development Consultant. Following an illustrious career as a wide receiver in the National Football League, Stallworth transitioned from the playing field to the field of national-security affairs and journalism. He previously completed a fellowship with the Huffington Post, where he wrote about a plethora of national-security issues. At Valens, Stallworth will be overseeing a project examining how improved venue design can reduce the lethality of terrorist and mass-shooting incidents, and also will be contributing to the full range of the organization's priorities, including client development and research. Gartenstein-Ross said of Stallworth: “He and I have been discussing his interest in national security for well over a year, and I have given a great deal of thought to how best to leverage the many strengths he brings to the table while also giving him room to grow in his mastery of this field. We’re all looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish as a part of our team.” Meghan Conroy joins Valens Global as an Associate. She recently completed her Master’s degree in International Security and Terrorism at the University of Nottingham in Nottingham, UK. Conroy was awarded the Centre for Conflict, Security, and Terrorism’s sole postgraduate dissertation prize for her thesis employing social network analysis and socio-cognitive quantum mechanics to examine the Islamic State’s organizational evolution. “Everyone in the organization was impressed by Conroy’s intellect, skills, and dedication when she first worked for us as an intern in the fall of 2015,” Gartenstein-Ross said. “We’re thrilled to bring her back to the team.” About Valens Global Launched in 2014, the Washington, DC based consulting firm specializes in understanding and formulating responses to the challenges posed by VNSAs. Valens Global provides governments, non-governmental organizations, and corporations with in-depth, innovative reports, training, analysis, services, and advice. For more information, please visit http://www.valensglobal.com/, or find the organization on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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