Laura Mcdonald
Senior Advisor, New Technologies & Conflict at BetterLab.io
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Summary
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Senior🎓
Top SchoolLaura Mcdonald is a senior technology policy leader with 13+ years of experience shaping responsible AI, data ethics, and digital protection in humanitarian and conflict settings. As Senior Advisor for New Technologies & Conflict at the ICRC she founded a Future of Warfare research program, led 70+ expert consultations, and built a Washington DC tech-policy network bridging governments, military, academia, and industry. She has a track record managing teams and $3M+ budgets, translating complex tech risks—AI, biotech, cyber—into pragmatic governance and foresight for vulnerable populations. Laura combines hands-on product and community experience from BetterLab and BetterBox with deep sectoral credibility from roles at DIAL, SIMLab, and the UN, and brings a multilingual, international perspective shaped by living in the UK, Germany, and Kenya. Off-duty she’s a migrant mum who grows things, hosts thoughtful feasts, and designs tools that center the most vulnerable voices in tech policy.
13 years of coding experience
5 years of employment as a software developer
LL.B 1st Class, Law, French and German, LL.B 1st Class, Law, French and German at University of the West of EnglandMasters (LL.M), International Development Law and Human Rights, Masters (LL.M), International Development Law and Human Rights at University of Warwick
French, German
Github Skills (3)
react7
desktop6
javascript6
Programming languages (1)
Github contributions (4)
laurawmcd/betterbox
Oct 2023 - Jan 2025
Contributions:71 pushes, 1 branch, 1 issue in 1 year 2 months
socialimpactlab/feedbackmechanisms
Aug 2016 - Dec 2018
Contributions:15 pushes in 2 years 4 months
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