Education
Ph.D. Conflict Analysis and Resolution
George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 5/04
M.A. Social Sciences
Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, 1/98
B.A. History
Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, 5/89
Certificate of Specialization in Russian Area Studies
Professional Experience
George Mason University - School of Public Policy
Peace Operations Policy Program, Arlington, Virginia
Co-Director and Assistant Professor: 8/08-
Academic Director and Assistant Professor: 9/04-7/08
Acting Director: 2/04-8/04
Research Associate and Adjunct Faculty: 2/01-2/04
Instruct Experiential Applications in Conflict Environments, Theory of Peace Operations, Practice of Peace Operations and Governance and Public Policy Processes courses. Admitted and counseled students in graduate degree program. Served on thesis committees, Curriculum Committee, hiring committees, and in Faculty Senate. Manage monthly Peace and Stability Operations Colloquium Series events. Research questions in the field of peace operations and developed fifth version of the Conceptual Model of Peace Operations (CMPO), a domain model capturing the functions, tasks, relationships, and organizations involved in these operations. Conduct sponsored research:
- (1/0-9/09) Investigated the types of humanitarian assistance activities the US Navy may perform pro-actively.
- (7/08-7/10) Evaluating the United Nations University for Peace's International Institutes Cooperation Program, which has been establishing conflict resolution master's degree programs in universities worldwide.
- (7/07-9/07) Facilitated discussions with Afghanistan and Sudan subject matter experts to validate expert opinion variables in Measuring Progress in Conflict Environments (MPICE) metrics framework.
- (7/06-11/06) Assisted in creation of a scenario (knowledge base) for Zeta model to represent conflict prevention and peacebuilding in Nigeria through content analysis of news articles.
- (10/04-7/05) Led investigation of tasks accomplished by civilian and military actors in 14 post-Cold War peace operations for Joint Forces Command and NATO Modeling and Simulation Working Group to determine which actions take place in operations versus those currently represented in training models and simulations.
- (7/04-11/04) Conducted study of the effectiveness of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs for ex-combatants in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and Cote d'Ivoire for the National Defense University's Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
- (1/04-6/04) Supplied civilian-side subject matter expertise for development of Phase V of the Strategic Management System (STRATMAS), a joint US-Swedish project designed to assess the cost-effectiveness of different combinations of military and civilian entities for undertaking peace enforcement, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, and noncombatant evacuation operations. Post-occupation Iraq served as the case.
- (8/03-11/03) Created dataset of violent incidents committed in post-war Bosnia and Kosovo through content analysis of news articles for analysis and calculation of levels of insecurity, in response to NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) study in the areas of patrolling and control in peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations.
- (12/02-9/03) Analyzed prediction, management, and response processes for development of a model of counterterrorism on behalf of the National Defense University.
- (9/02-9/03) Supplied civilian-side subject matter expertise for Phase III and IV versions of STRATMAS. Afghanistan and Iraq served as the cases.
- (9/01-3/02) Provided functional decomposition subject matter expertise to US Pacific Command during its development of a Peace Operations Support Tool for use in planning during Cobra Gold 02 exercise.
- (9/01-1/02) Developed peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and peacekeeper extraction mission task analyses for NC3A's effort to devise rational force structure templates for peace operations.
- (2/01-9/01) Directed Team Building in Diversity grant for provision of capacity-building and team-building seminars to D.C. residents. Hired, trained, and monitored individuals on interactive computer simulation—Synthetic Environments for National Security Estimates (S.E.N.S.E.)—modeling post-conflict transition of a fictitious country that served as platform for participants to practice collaborative decision-making.
United States Institute of Peace, Washington, D.C.
S.E.N.S.E. Program Officer: 2/04-
Research Assistant: 2/00-7/02
Conduct S.E.N.S.E. training programs domestically and abroad for senior Iraqi, Polish, Moldovan, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Georgian military and government officials, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) personnel. Researched topics and edited documents prepared by CH (CAPT) Paul McLaughlin, US Navy (8/01-7/02); Violeta Petroska-Beska, professor of psychology, University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje (10/00-10/01); and Stojan Cerovic, late columnist for the Belgrade-based, independent news weekly, Vreme (2/00-10/00).
Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Virginia
Tutor-Coach/Consultant: 5/99-9/02
Trained military officers, foreign and domestic officials, development and NGO personnel, and academics on S.E.N.S.E. program: Partnership for Peace and S.E.N.S.E. (9/02), S.E.N.S.E. Training for Post-Conflict Political and Economic Transitions (7/01-8/01), Georgia II Symposium – Gudauri, Republic of Georgia (10/00-11/00), Senior Leaders' Symposium – Bosnia and Hercegovina (9/00), Managing Post-Settlement Transitions (7/00), Montenegrin S.E.N.S.E. Simulation (4/00), S.E.N.S.E. Seminar – Bosnia and Hercegovina (1/00), and Managing Post-Settlement Transitions (7/99).
Save the Children Federation (US), Sarajevo, BiH
Needs Assessment Consultant: 7/98-8/98
Performed community specific reconnaissance and needs assessment for expansion of playroom program in Republika Srpska. Gathered data from internal and external sources to prepare grant proposals, concept papers, and reports. Disseminated information and developed strategies for continued sustainability of local NGOs advocating provision of early childhood education. Interfaced with aid organizations to provide material support for program.
Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe, Sarajevo, BiH
Registration Supervisor: 5/98-6/98
Observed registration of citizens for September 1998 elections to prevent discrimination, fraud, and irregularities. Trained local staff on computer program to accurately confirm citizenship and domicile. Performed house calls to 150 disabled and elderly registrants in Sarajevo Canton and registered over 400 individuals residing in hospitals and pensioner homes. Provided information concerning document requirements, claims period, and polling procedures.
Danas za Bolje Sutra, Sarajevo-Ilidza, BiH
International Consultant: 2/98-8/98
Assisted multi-ethnic community center in transition from an international to local NGO. Coordinated Stabilization Force (SFOR) personnel language classes and international volunteers performing activities in center. Co-facilitated Human Rights and Youth Discussion Groups. Provided English language instruction to youth and adults. Developed accounting system for recording receipt and use of grant funds. Trained local staff. Prepared research and gathered data to support grant proposals.
Conflict Resolution Catalysts, Sarajevo-Ilidza, BiH
Project Associate: 5/97-8/97
Helped Bosnians using community center to become sufficiently comfortable to discuss their war trauma and to begin a healing and reconciliation process. Escorted and guided youth from Banja Luka sister-facility while visiting the Federation. Liaised with SFOR personnel to develop peace-making initiative for the ground forces. Taught English as a foreign language to local youth and adults. Mentored and encouraged Bosnians in drafting resumes, completing job applications, and filing claims for property damage. Acted as deputy for project coordinator concerning budgeting and accounting for the center, reporting to the US office, and attendance at inter-agency meetings.
Publications
Bailey, Robert, Dave Davis, Richard Cousens, and Allison Frendak-Blume. 2003.
Development of force allocation rules for urban, rural, and border control in crisis response operations. Oxford-on-the-Henley, UK: Systems Consultants Services.
Davis, Dave, Allison Frendak-Blume, Jennifer Wheeler, and A.E.R. Woodcock. 2005. A conceptual model of counterterrorist operations. Intelligence and Security Informatics: IEEE International Conference on Intelligence and Security Informatics, ISI 2005, Proceedings 3495 : 305-317.
Frendak, Allison M. 2000. Religious dimensions in the battle for Kosovo: Violence and the sacred in the Serb mind. In Religious considerations of peace operations: Summary of workshop proceedings, ed. Ivan L. King, 143-195. Arlington, Va.: Program on Peacekeeping Policy.
Frendak, Allison M., et al. (eds.) 2001. Conflict analysis and resolution: From marital discord to state transformation. Fairfax, Va.: Graduate Students in Conflict Studies.
Frendak-Blume, Allison M. 2006. Conceptualizing the peace operations environment. Journal of International Peace Operations 1, no. 6 (January-March) : 1.
2006. US military chaplains' contact with local communities in Bosnia (1995-2002). Kernvraag 2, no. 135 : 67-74.
Perry, Valery, Landon Hancock, and Allison Frendak. 2001. Perspectives of the Western European Union as portrayed in mainstream US media and other sources. In Conflict studies: Reflections on theory, practice, and research, ed. Alex Scheinman and Allison M. Frendak, 64-79. Fairfax, Va.: Graduate Students in Conflict Studies.
Works in Progress
Frendak-Blume, Allison. 2009. Linking output activity to outcomes in complex contingency environments.
2009. Saarland revisited: Lessons the League of Nations' administration can teach us today.
2009. Assessment of the effectiveness of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs in West Africa.
2009. Orders promulgated by the Coalition Provisional Authority (2003-04): Governance in post-invasion Iraq.
2009. A mapping of supervisory orders issued for the Brcko municipality: International administration re-examined.
References
Available upon request