Asma is a mid-career civil servant from Pakistan. She belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and brings twelve years of experience in policy administration, HR management, and social welfare. She is currently an MGA student at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. Her professional career has always been in line with her passion for global affairs, sustainability studies, and innovative policy formulation. In past years, she has worked for the uplift of marginalized communities—an experience that she is keen to utilize at the Arctic 360.

Asma also served as the Community Welfare Attache at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai, UAE. During that tenure, she came across immigrant labour communities having poor access to health facilities, adequate living conditions, and quality food. There, she realized the importance of global sustainable development goals in sectors of health, infrastructure, water and food that can ensure equality for all. She also served the Irrigation department and was sensitized regarding the effects of climate change and the dire need of innovative policies in this domain—a situation that is equally relevant to the Arctic region too.

Mishal Khan is a Master of Global Affairs candidate at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Development and Policy from Habib University in Karachi, Pakistan. During her academic tenure, Mishal served as the Head of Youth at the United Nations Association of Pakistan, where she engaged with students nationwide and spearheaded initiatives aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following her graduation, she joined The Citizens Foundation as an Assistant Manager for Organizational Excellence. She also worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Karachi, where she contributed to a research project focused on the Thar Desert in Pakistan, analyzing the intersections of climate change, local economies, and sustainable development. With diverse experience across the development sector, Mishal is eager and excited to leverage her experience and insights in her work at Arctic360.

Alexandra Paul is a graduate student at Sciences Po Paris, pursuing a Master of International Security with concentrations in Global Risks and Environment and Sustainability. She also holds a BAH in History and Political Studies from Queen’s University. Through her coursework, Alexandra developed a deep interest in the Arctic as a unique intersection of security, climate change, industry, and human rights. During her time at Queen’s, she held editorial roles with several undergraduate publications – at Arctic360, she is excited to return to media through her work on the Breaking the Ice podcast series and to explore how Arctic issues connect global security relationships, innovation, and sustainability.

Sofie Poggendorf is a dual degree student pursuing a Master of Global and International Affairs at the Hertie School and Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Geography International at the University of Hamburg in 2024. Previously, Sofie held the position of a research assistant at the Centre for International Security at the Hertie School. She also completed an internship with BUKO Pharma-Kampagne in Germany and participated in a research project at Mount Royal University in Calgary, analyzing the impact of climate change on indigenous communities. During her studies, Sofie brought together her interests in geography and international security—two closely connected disciplines that she looks forward to further exploring and developing at Arctic360.

Jaiden Stevens is a podcast intern at Arctic360, based in Norman Wells in the Sahtú region. He is the founder of his own startup digital media company, which focuses on community storytelling. Born in Winnipeg and a member of the Cree First Nation, Jaiden graduated from high school in Norman Wells and furthered his education through the Indigenous Leadership Opportunity Year (ILOY) at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. During ILOY, he engaged in both military training and academic courses, developing leadership skills tailored for Indigenous youth. Jaiden is advancing his professional skills through the Digital Marketing Institute Professional (DMI Pro) course at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).  At Arctic360, he is excited to apply his knowledge and passion for digital media to help produce engaging content that highlights the unique perspectives of Northern communities and the broader issues facing the Arctic region.