Dr. Al Fuertes is an assistant professor at New Century College, George Mason University (GMU) where he teaches courses in Refugee and Internal Displacement, Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Divided Communities, Spirituality and Conflict Transformation, and Conflict, Trauma, and Healing. Dr. Fuertes specializes in community-based trauma healing as an integral component of peacebuilding. He travels to communities affected by war, armed conflict, and natural disaster and works with government, religious, military, and community leaders, as well as NGO development workers, school administrators, teachers, youth, refugees, and internally displaced persons. Dr. Fuertes was a recipient of the 2008 GMU Teaching Excellence Award and the 2001 AT&T Asia-Pacific Leadership Award. He is the author of the book, Community-Based Warviews, Resiliency and Healing: The Case of the Internally Displaced Persons in Mindanao and the Karen Refugees on the Thai-Burmese Border. Dr. Fuertes holds a PhD in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University.