About WIIS Switzerland
WIIS Switzerland is an affiliate of Women In International Security (WIIS) Global. WIIS Global, based in Washington DC, is the premier organization in the world dedicated to advancing the leadership and professional development of women in the field of international peace and security. WIIS Global and its over 30 national affiliates sponsor leadership training, mentoring, and networking programs and organize events on current policy debates. WIIS Global and its affiliates also aim to inform and educate the broader public about the nexus between gender and international peace and security by supporting research and advocacy activities.
WIIS Switzerland, founded in 2020, aims to support, connect, and engage women working in international peace and security across Switzerland, to provide a platform for collaboration and exchange across sectors – from government to international organizations, the private sector, civil society, and academia – and to build bridges to the global community of WIIS. As we grow, we will also keep expanding our portfolio and activities – so stay tuned!
Leadership
Julia-Silvana Hofstetter
President & Founder
Julia-Silvana Hofstetter is President and Founder of WIIS Switzerland. She is also Senior Advisor at the ICT4Peace Foundation, Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley, and Co-Head of the Peace & Security Program at the Swiss Forum on Foreign Policy. She was a Global NextGen Fellow on Cybersecurity & Gender 2021 and previously worked for Chatham House, the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich, the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP), the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), and various academic institutions. Julia holds an MA in International Relations and Political Science from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) Geneva. As an independent consultant she advises organizations such as the ICRC, NATO, and the US Department of State. Her areas of expertise include the WPS agenda, digital peacebuilding, emerging technologies in armed conflict, and cybersecurity & gender.
Communications
Lara Twerenbold
Communications Officer
Lara is a graduate student in International Affairs specializing in Global Security at the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID). She is currently completing an exchange semester at Sciences Po Paris in the International Security program. Previously, Lara worked as Program & Communications Associate at the Geneva-based Martin Ennals Foundation on the topics of human rights defense and advocacy. She also worked as an interview contributor for the London-based organization Women in Foreign Policy. Her interests include the WPS agenda, feminist foreign policy, international humanitarian & human rights law, strategic studies and European security policy. Also a classical musician, Lara is currently pursuing lyrical voice studies at the Geneva Conservatory of Music. She regularly performs as a soloist in concerts with piano and orchestra.