Core Team

Allison is the Chair of the Graduate Counterterrorism Program, Chair of the Undergraduate Criminal Justice Program, and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism at Nichols College. She has launched the Nichols Master of Science in Counterterrorism (MSC) Program, the first graduate program in the United States with a focus on Violent Extremism (VE) and leadership for those pursuing careers in the fields of security, intelligence, and public policy. She has spearheaded pioneering innovative approaches to shape understanding of violent extremism and terrorism globally while pursuing data-driven policy security solutions and tackling unique proficiencies needed to understand the field of the study at both private and public sector levels. As an interdisciplinary researcher and educator, she strives to identify and advance criminological approaches that may be relevant to violent extremist and terrorist thought and violence, offering unique perspectives on the often overlooked relationship between the two.

Beyond her teaching experience in the fields of violent extremism and terrorism and program management skills, she has a significant record of collaborating and liaising with law enforcement, military, and intelligence components on security related trends and events, focusing on a wide range of issues, from violent extremist and terrorist motivation to technology and cyber security threats. Prior to her academic life, she has worked in non-profit sector, most recently as a Senior Research Fellow for the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), where she conducted research on ISIS recruitment strategies, de-radicalization processes, and counter messaging.

She obtained a Ph.D. from Northcentral University focused on Homeland Security, Leadership, and Policy; M.S. in Criminal Justice administration from Northcentral University; and B.S. in Criminal Justice from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Email :

Allison.McDowell-Smith@americanctri.org 

Amanda serves as a Cyber Defense Technologist within Raytheon Missiles and Defense, where she is responsible for maintaining security posture of information systems, auditing, ensuring compliance, and upholding key security practices to promote a secure and sustainable network from infiltration. She has previous experience in counterterrorism research and intelligence analysis.

Amanda graduated from Nichols College in 2018 and 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in Counterterrorism degree, respectively. She has explored roles in criminal justice including security, fraud, and risk mitigation. Her interests include examining terrorist recruitment, radicalization, and rehabilitation, and she strives to counter terrorism on a global scale with primary research, actionable recommendations, and consistent program evaluation.

At ACTRI, Amanda researches both far-right and militant jihadi radicalization, recruitment, rehabilitation, communication platforms, and technology. She also looks at structural, psychological, and social processes associated with domestic terrorism and targeted violence in the United States. She is currently leading data collection for the upcoming ACTRI database.

Matteo Gregori is a recent graduate of St. John’s University with an M.A in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice. He also obtained a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Trento, Italy, and an M.Sc in Criminal and Forensic Psychology from the University of Torino, Italy. He worked with the Jihadi Website Monitoring Group at the International Institute for Counterterrorism in Herzliya, Israel, where he aided in developing automated applications to monitor extremist groups on social media and messaging platforms. He is currently Project Coordinator at NextGen5.0, overseeing the data collection phase for the first publicly available dataset on jihadi terrorist perpetrators in Europe. Matteo has published research in the field of Social Network Analysis and Terrorism

At ACTRI, Matteo will continue to explore machine learning and natural language processing when applied to security research.

Natalia is ACTRI Senior Research Fellow and a cybersecurity engineer at Walmart Global Tech.  Natalia is a tenure-track assistant professor at Marymount University, a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). In this role, she teaches undergraduate, master’s and doctoral-level courses in IT and cybersecurity. Natalia earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Affairs, a master’s degree in International Development, and a Doctorate of Science in Cybersecurity. Natalia has authored and co-authored dozens of academic, professional, and conference-related publications in the field of cybersecurity.

At ACTRI and beyond, Natalia’s research interests are focused on global cybersecurity,  cyber diplomacy and cooperation in cyberspace, cyber warfare, mis-and-disinformation and the newly emerging application of AI in cybersecurity. 

Michael is a rising senior at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in both Political Science and Psychology alongside a minor in Russian Language and Culture. Michael has prior foreign policy background through a university-funded research position at RIT and has contributed toward a book focused on the shortcomings of modern democratic peace theory, which won a 2021 Henry and Mary Kearse Writing Award. His practical experience pertains to his prior work as a photojournalist and volunteer worker both domestically and abroad in Quito, Ecuador. These experiences have furthered his interest in human-sourced intelligence (HUMINT) and culturally-focused methods of P/CVE.

At ACTRI, Michael is pursuing research on the transnational capabilities of far-right groups to share training, knowledge, weaponry, and otherwise communicate with one another across borders and individual cultures or movements. He is also researching AI and other technological exploitations by extremist and terrorist groups worldwide. 

Nicholas Gardner is currently pursuing an MA in Security Policy Studies, with a concentration in Transnational Security, at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. His diverse academic background includes a Magna Cum Laude BA in Criminology, Forensic Psychology, and Arabic Language from Western Kentucky University. As a Charles B. Rangel Fellow under the US Department of State, he demonstrated his commitment to public service through a legislative internship with Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) in Washington DC. His global perspective is enriched by experiences such as studying abroad in Morocco and living with a host family in Rabat, supported by the Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship. Through internships with Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) and as a Research Assistant at WKU Psychological Labs, At ACTRI and beyond, Nicholas has showcased an interest in transnational security and research on public attitudes toward law enforcement actions. 

Riley is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Counterterrorism from Nichols College. Riley holds certifications in Public Safety Telecommunications, Next Generation 9-1-1 Equipment, and Physical and Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure. She currently serves as President of the Criminal Justice Organization at Nichols College.

Riley seeks to understand the evolving violent extremism threat landscape and how to counter most effectively the same. Riley has conducted research on international terrorist groups including al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Riley’s research interests at ACTRI extend to researching radicalization factors among the youth particularly, as well as understanding extremist activity via video games and online grooming tactics used through gaming.

Sarah is a rising senior at Columbia University studying Middle Eastern studies and Jewish Ethics with a focus on counterterrorism. Her academic experience also includes one year of study in the Rothberg program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where she focused on international politics and national security. Throughout college, she has studied international relations with a concentration on Israel and Palestine; this has cumulated in an honors research thesis on the genealogy of British counterinsurgency tactics in Mandatory Palestine and post-1948 Israel. On top of her academic work, Sarah has prior experience in policy research, working for the New York City Council as a legislative intern, making further inroads to becoming an advocate within the field of counterterrorism by aiding developments that target the cycle of terrorism.

At ACTRI, Sarah conducts research on the impact of religious extremist groups on American policy discourse on the topic of abortion. Her research is focused on understanding domestic  extremist group activity, especially when that activity deeply impacts American politics.