Authors

Ben Frankel
Ben Frankel is the Editor in Chief of the Homeland Security News Wire. He has more than thirty years of experience as a writer and editor in the fields of international security, defense, and foreign policy. Ben did his undergraduate work at the University of Tel Aviv, and his graduate studies at the University of Chicago. He currently lives in Washington, D.C. and Chicago.

Dr. John Chanqiz Vafai
Dr. John Chanqiz Vafai is a Contributing Editor for the Homeland Security Newswire, specializing in international security. Awarded Man of the Year by the Azeri Foundation, he grew up in Iran, where he also served as General Counsel for OPEC, and has been a writer for more than forty years. Dr. Vafai holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tehran and a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from Yale University. A member of the American Political Science Association (APSCA) and the American Bar Association, he also speaks five languages, English, Farsi, Azeri, Turkish and Arabic, and currently resides in New York.

Grant Lally
Grant Lally is a Contributing Editor for Homeland Security Newswire specializing in public policy and international policy. A member of the Society of Professional Journalists and American Bar Association, he has been an editor for twenty-five years, injecting excitement and value into his work. Currently living in New York, Grant holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The John Hopkins University and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University.

Derek Major
Derek Major is the Executive Editor of the Homeland Security News Wire. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Derek developed an ambition to succeed in as well as a love for journalism. He enjoys using words and painting a picture of what’s going on in the world for readers. Derek holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Penn State University in Pennsylvania. He also has a background in sports writing and sound editing.

Arash Kashanian
Arash Kashanian is a Senior Writer for Homeland Security Newswire with a deep interest in public policy. Awarded Writer of the Year, he has been an investigative journalist for five years, previously serving as a United States Marine. Currently living in New York, Arash holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Stony Brook University in New York, and is working towards a dual degree in Juris Doctor / Master of Business Administration at Hofstra University.