Catherine Putz is managing editor of The Diplomat. She tweets @LadyPutz.

Colleen Wood is a PhD student at Columbia University's Political Science Department, focusing on state-building and identity issues in Eurasia.

Paolo Sorbello is a journalist and researcher from Italy. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, studying state-business relations in Kazakhstan. He is also the Business News Editor of the weekly newspaper The Conway Bulletin.

Umida Hashimova is an Associate Research Analyst in the Strategic Studies division of CNA. Umida, whose native languages are Russian and Uzbek, is a scholar on Central Asia’s current affairs.