Advisory Board

Cynthia Burleson founded the International Sibling Society in 1998, as an extension of her graduate studies at the University of Memphis. The Society commissioned the "Defining Sibling Bonds" study in 10 different countries creating a collection of children's paintings made by over 1000 children living in orphanages around the world. Ten years later this exhibition, now called PAINTING A VOICE, was exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, creating awareness of child abandonment around the world.

For those who know her well, she goes by Cindy. In 2009, the US Olympic Committee chose Cindy to participate in The International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia, Greece to present the power of the Olympic Truce in modern-day peacekeeping where she detailed how international sporting events promote peace between countries and peoples worldwide.

Earning a Bachelor's in Legal Studies and a Master’s in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in International Relations, Cindy pursued her PhD at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she studied international development, peacekeeping as well as conflict resolution strategies for post-conflict societies. Building on specialized study in political journalism she received at Georgetown University, Cindy published collaboratively with academic colleagues around the world through various international platforms including Rutledge publishing.

In 2012 and 2014, Cindy Burleson ran for a Congressional seat in the US House of Representatives.

Mason McCoy is a graduate student in Data Science at Johns Hopkins University and a Spring 2026 ISS intern alumnus. During his internship, he served as Leadership Council Lead for the Mentor, Platform Development, and Research working groups, and was elevated to mentor within the same cohort. His professional background includes technical writing, data analytics, and full-stack development across finance and industrial sectors. Mason brings a rigorous, data-driven perspective to the ISS Advisory Board.

Mason McCoy joined the ISS internship program on January 20, 2026, as part of the Spring 2026 cohort. His internship term runs through May 31, 2026, and his status on the platform is active.

Background. Mason holds an undergraduate degree in English with a focus on technical communication and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Data Science at Johns Hopkins University. His professional background spans over six years in industrial supply, where he held roles in sales, product data, and compliance — all with a data analytics dimension. He previously worked as a technical writer for the in-house data team of a Chicago hedge fund, where he developed his technical foundation alongside data engineers and quantitative analysts. He has completed bootcamps in data visualization and full-stack web development. His core technical skills include Data Visualization, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Modeling and Evaluation, and Machine Learning, with proficiency in Python, SQL, and JavaScript. He is based in Maryland.

Intern Contributions. During the Spring 2026 cohort, Mason served as a Leadership Council Lead across three working groups simultaneously: the Mentor Team, the Platform Development Team, and the Research Team. This triple leadership role reflects the breadth of his contributions and the trust placed in him early in the program. His stated focus as an intern was applying data science methodology to identify key problems, define outcomes with computational rigor, and deliver actionable, data-driven solutions — a mission that aligned directly with ISS's operational growth needs during its first full semester.

Mentor Role. Mason was elevated to a mentor role on March 3, 2026, approximately six weeks into his internship — an unusually fast progression that reflects his demonstrated capability. His mentor profile was created with a capacity of up to five mentees. His mentor record is active on the platform.

Transition to Advisory Board. Mason applied for and was approved to join the ISS Advisory Board on May 7, 2026, making him one of the earliest interns in the program's history to advance directly from intern to Advisory Board member within a single cohort. His position on the board is listed as Graduate Student, reflecting his current academic standing at Johns Hopkins.