lana Banin is a strategist, writer, and policy analyst, currently working at the intersection of AI governance, public-sector innovation, and global development. She serves as Interim Communications Director at Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change and the Governance Lab, leading editorial strategy for the Reboot Democracy Blog, translating research on AI, civic capacity, and democratic governance into accessible insights for public leaders.

Elana is also a Research Fellow at Capita, where she focuses on the societal impacts of emerging technologies on families and children; a Research Group Member at the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP); and an Advisor to the Multifaith Alliance (MFA) and Instant Aid, supporting strategic communications and program strategy for humanitarian response in the Middle East and beyond. Previously, Elana was a Policy Advisor at the International Rescue Committee, leading public policy engagement on issues affecting women, children, and families.

She brings 15 years of experience across development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding work. Her past roles include leading strategic planning in UNICEF’s Division of Communications, directing research analytics for policy and advocacy at PATH, and serving as a Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, where she examined regional dynamics during the onset of the Syrian conflict.

Her earlier research also focused on the external financing flows that shape the Israeli-Palestinian landscape. Elana is the founder of the MENA2050 Gender Working Group, an initiative aimed at advancing gender-informed policy, inclusive regional cooperation, and long-term social and economic resilience across the MENA region.

She holds an MA in Security and Diplomacy from Tel Aviv University.