Natalia Arno is a prominent Russian pro-democracy activist and the founder and president of the Free Russia Foundation, a Washington-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting civil society and human rights defenders. Previously serving as the Russia Country Director for the International Republican Institute, she was forced into exile in 2012 after the Kremlin threatened her with fabricated treason charges. Despite facing ongoing transnational repression, including a suspected political poisoning in Europe and an physical assault in London, Arno continues to lead global movement hubs that unite exiled dissidents and advocate for a democratic Russia free from Vladimir Putin’s regime.