Kateira is a senior program specialist for countering violent extremism at the U.S. Institute of Peace. She serves as the research and project manager, as well as the associate director of the research advisory council, for the RESOLVE Network, a global consortium of individual experts and organizations housed at USIP that focuses on better research, informed practice, and improved policy on violent extremism.

Aryaeinejad joined USIP in 2016 as a research assistant for the countering violent extremism team. Prior to joining, she researched, conducted fieldwork, and worked on issues associated with the evolution of—and local support for—violent extremist groups and narratives, geopolitical alliance patterns, forced migration, and localized peacebuilding efforts and conflict resolution in both the Middle East and Europe.

She has contributed to a number of publications on topics related to violent extremism, conflict, and violence, including most recently, “There and Back Again: How White Nationalist Ephemera Travels Between Online and Offline Spaces.”

Aryaeinejad holds a master’s in international peace and conflict resolution with a concentration in international conflict management from American University’s School of International Service, as well as a bachelor’s in both political science and international studies from the University of Utah.