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Meet the team

Meet the team2024-03-20T12:05:50+00:00

Core Team

Andrew MacKay  

Co-Director: Operations & Legal

Andrew joined Well Grounded in 2022 as Co-Director, after nearly nine years in the role of Chief Operating Officer at Advocates for International Development, an international NGO focused on promoting justice and the environment.  Andrew has a long-standing, passionate commitment to environmental and social justice, with wide experience in the social justice and sustainability sectors, with a particular focus on assisting the development of civil society worldwide.

Nationality: Scottish

Location/Base : London, UK

Languages: French and English,

Key competencies : Organizational development, knowledge management, human resources management, human rights financial and business management

Andrew has gained experience in a variety of professional and voluntary roles within the social justice and sustainability sectors, with a particular focus on promoting human rights, legal empowerment, and strengthening civil society across Africa. In these roles, Andrew has taken responsibility for human resources, finances, safeguarding, knowledge and data management, legal compliance, and operations and financial management in a civil society environment.

Andrew earned a first-class law degree from Edinburgh University in 2004, and qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 2007 and in England & Wales in 2010. Andrew has four years’ experience practising law at large commercial law firms in Scotland and London, and three years’ working as the legal General Counsel to Ascension Trust.

Andrew worked as Chief Operating Officer for nearly nine years at Advocates for International Development (A4ID), an international non-profit with a vision to see the law and lawyers play their full part in the global eradication of poverty, inequality, injustice and in tackling climate change.

Andrew now lives near London, UK, with his wife and two boys. Andrew has previously volunteered in the roles of Chair, Vice Chair, Trustee, and Committee Member of a variety of UK and international charities.

Kitty Brayne

Co-Director: Programmes & Partnerships

Kitty joined Well Grounded in April 2023, bringing expertise supporting community-led conservation efforts, including a particular focus on Madagascar and Comoros. In her role, Kitty is responsible for coordinating the development and delivery of Well Grounded’s programmes, and establishing partnerships to support our mission.

Nationality : British & Irish

Location/Base : Bristol, United Kingdom

Languages : French and English,

Key Competencies : eam development and leadership, project management, community-based natural resource management, monitoring and evaluation, organisational learning, facilitation, coaching and mentoring.

Kitty has fifteen years experience supporting community-led conservation, initially focusing on community outreach and communications, before moving into programme management.

For the past nine years Kitty has been with marine conservation organisation Blue Ventures, initially managing the Madagascar country programme, and then later establishing and managing their global evidence and learning function.

A central thread through her work to date has been supporting organisational development and leadership within programme teams, community-based organisations and civil society networks, and she is passionate about shifting power in the sector towards local organisations and leaders.

Muhammad Ali

Head of Finance

Ali joined Well Grounded in late 2018 bringing his financial expertise to centralise the organisation’s financial management following the adoption of a new organisational structure. Ali is based in the UK and is Well Grounded’s Head of Finance.

Nationality: British, Pakistan

Location/Base: London, UK

Languages: Urdu, English, Punjabi, Hindi

Key competencies: Financial administration, Financial management, Donor reporting and Project administration

Ali joined Well Grounded in late 2018 bringing his financial expertise to centralise the organisation’s financial management following the adoption of a new organisational structure. Ali is based in the UK and is Well Grounded’s Finance & Grant Manager.

Ali has a very good knowledge of and experience of financial management and administration in the non-profit sector gained through his academic and professional career. He is currently responsible for grants management, donor reporting, financial management and financial administration.

Before joining Well Grounded, Ali worked for Restless Development, an international NGO where he coordinated the intercompany financial transactions within 8 country hubs and financial management of various projects including DFID, Gates and Danish Mission.

Ali has a MSc degree in Accounting & Management from Queen Mary University in London. He is a native of Pakistan and speaks Urdu, English, Punjabi and Hindi.

Stephany Kersten

Organisation Development Lead

Stephany joined Well Grounded in April 2017 bringing expertise on participatory processes and her vast experience in the Congo Basin. Stephany is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and leads Well Grounded’s work on Organisation Development.

Nationality: Dutch

Location/Base: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Languages: Dutch, English and French

Key competencies: Strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, integrating gender and diversity, policy monitoring and advocacy, capacity development, process facilitation, training and coaching.

Stephany joined Well Grounded in April 2017 bringing expertise on participatory processes and her vast experience in the Congo Basin. Stephany is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and leads Well Grounded’s work on Organisation Development.

The red ribbon through her career in development has been setting up and facilitating participatory processes, and supporting local organisations to be empowered to work independently on self-defined issues. Stephany currently leads Well Grounded’s work on Organisation Development setting up frameworks and guidelines and providing support and follow up to associate-consultants working with WG to assure quality work. Stephany prefers to spend at least 50% of her time facilitating OD processes, training and coaching with client organisations.

Before joining Well Grounded, Stephany worked as a consultant, mainly supporting civil society groups to set up advocacy strategies to improve the legal framework to support their activities and improve conditions for their beneficiaries. She has also worked in several West, East and Southern African countries and in Yemen on natural resources management and women’s empowerment.

Stephany is from the Netherlands, where she did her MSc in Tropical Agriculture and Rural Development, followed by a PhD in multi-stakeholder participatory process development obtained in Australia. She speaks Dutch, English and French fluently.

Lea Valentini

Impact and Partnership Lead

Lea joined Well Grounded in 2021 bringing expertise in strategic planning, project management and fundraising. She is based in France and is Well Grounded’s Impact and Partnership Lead.

Nationality: French

Location/Base: France

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Strategic planning, project management, monitoring and evaluation, fundraising, women’s empowerment and civic participation.

Lea joined Well Grounded in 2021 bringing expertise in strategic planning, project management and fundraising. She is based in France and is Well Grounded’s Impact and Partnership Lead.

Lea has extensive skills in project management and wide experience of working with CSOs in the Congo Basin. She currently leads the organisation’s fundraising efforts as well as the development of organisational strategies and associated monitoring and evaluation systems.

Prior to joining Well Grounded, Lea worked for an international development and humanitarian aid agency. She lived and worked in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi where she held senior management positions developing expertise in programme design and management across multiple sectors. She has particular expertise in Governance and Human Rights and Women’s Empowerment programming.

Lea holds an MA in Globalisation from Dublin City University in Ireland. She speaks French and English.

Guillaume Soto

Digital & Process Management Lead

Guillaume started working with Well Grounded in 2013 on a consultancy basis bringing his expertise on project management and the use of digital tools. Guillaume is now an associate and contributes to the digitalisation of Well Grounded.

Nationality: French

Location/Base: Kampala/Uganda

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Project management, Facilitation, Digital tools

Guillaume has vast experience and expertise in the use of digital tools and supports Well Grounded with its digital transformation. He introduces new practices and tools to ensure that digitalisation is an asset for effectiveness. He ensures Well Grounded’s knowledge and data are capitalised and protected.

Guillaume has lived in several countries including France, DRCongo, Haiti, Cameroon and now Uganda.

His professional life spans over 20 years, with three main arcs that complement each other. Telecoms Engineer: His initial background! Passionate about IT, Guillaume began working in multinationals and start-ups. His interest was in automating his work as much as possible, to avoid low added value tasks. Humanitarian project management: He managed projects, related to training and economic development, in Cameroon, DRCongo and Haiti. And finally Team support: Guillaume wanted to serve in the development of people and teams and so developed expertise as a coach and facilitator, and training related to professional effectiveness.

Guillaume is a Telecoms Engineer and has a Master of Business Administration.

Guillaume speaks French and English.

Audrey Ibin

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Communications Officer

Audrey began collaborating with Well Grounded in 2019. Audrey is based in Cameroon and currently works as Organisational Development Associate Consultant & Community Manager.

Nationality: Cameroonian

Location/Base: Yaoundé

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Facilitation, Organisational Development Practitioner

Audrey collaborates with Well Grounded delivering Organisation Development accompaniment to CSO partners. Audrey is also our Community Manager. Audrey’s role is to plan, coordinate, follow up, evaluate and ensure the implementation of WG’s com actions and their coherence with WG’s global strategy and raison d’être on social networks. Specifically, this involves: Organising the creation and dissemination of documents, and com supports, in French and English (annual report, thematic publications, videos, webinars, methodological tools and other resources…) from raw content and propose messages and visuals respecting the graphic charter of WellGrounded on social networks.

Audrey worked in the private sector at the beginning of her career and soon became interested in personal development through coaching and leadership development for women. Since 2015, Audrey has been building her facilitation experience; a journey that has led her onto the path of organisational development.

Audrey holds a Master degree in History, Social Economy and International Relations and certifications in support in setting up and managing income-generating activities; coaching of women and in Asset Based community Led-development. She is interested in human welfare and considers it as a primary factor of environmental safety.

Denis Ndayishemeza

Programmes Officer

Denis joined Well Grounded in 2021 bringing his experience and expertise in project management. Denis is based in Kampala, Uganda and is Well Grounded’s Programmes Officer.

Nationality: Burundian

Location/Base: Uganda, Kampala

Languages: Kirundi, French and English

Key competencies: Project management, Communication and advocacy, conflict management.

Denis joinded Well Grounded in 2021 bringing his experience and expertise in project management. Denis is based in Kampala, Uganda and is Well Grounded’s Enabling Environment Project Officer.

Denis’ main responsibility is to support the management of our F4C project by providing day-to-day administrative support to the F4C team, coordinating the recruitment campaign, filing project documents on relevant online platforms and managing relationships with programme participants. He also provides logistical support to the project team.

Before joining Well Grounded, Denis worked with international humanitarian and development NGOs and with Burundian CSOs where he acquired an experience in various areas of competence such as conflict management, project management, VSLA approach, communication and advocacy.

He holds a bachelor degree in History from the University of Burundi. Denis speaks Kirundi, French and English.

Marcienne Emougou

Country Focal Point: Cameroon

Marcienne joined Well Grounded at the end of 2018. Marcienne is an Urban Planning-Environment Engineer with expertise in environmental assessment. She is based in Cameroon and currently works with Well Grounded as an Organisational Development Associate Consultant and as Well Grounded’s focal point in Cameroon.

Nationality: Cameroonian

Location/Base: Marcienne splits her time between Yaoundé and Douala in Cameroon

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Organisational Development Practitioner, Urban Planning, Environment Engineer

Marcienne is an Urban Planning-Environment Engineer with a seven-year career in the environmental monitoring of infrastructure projects and urban and environmental studies. The field of organisational development is her latest professional endeavour, which she has been working on for the past two years. Marcienne is curious, likes change and is passionate about collective intelligence, training and different types of governance. She never misses an opportunity to discover new approaches, techniques and tools.

She holds a Professional diploma in urban planning and environment engineering with an emphasis on the environmental approach to urban planning in southern countries. Marcienne speaks French and English.

Mary Bakia 

Women Leadership Development Manager

Bakia Mary joined Well Grounded in 2022 as “Women Leadership Development Manager”. Mary has over 15 years of experience in organisational management, facilitation, designing, monitoring and evaluation of trainings for community development organisations.

Nationality:   Cameroonian

Location/Base:  Yaounde

Languages:  English & French

 She has most recently been working as a consultant providing support to numerous organisations, including SNV, GIZ, CARE Cameroon, PEACE CORPS Cameroon for their work on Leadership and Social Inclusion of Women and Youths not only in the Cocoa Production value Chain but also in Gender Based Violence, Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights. in Cameroon. Mary is based in Yaounde.

Mary has significant experience in the field of development as she has worked on projects of diverse nature. She has acquired experiences in the areas of content development, facilitation, capacity building, community mobilization, data collection, training needs assessments and the implementation of projects for a wide variety of development organizations.

Since 2014, Mary has worked for SNV Cameroon as a consultant “local capacity builder” in charge of the “Female leadership and Leadership for change programme” with sole objective being to facilitate the inclusion and effective participation of women and youths in the water hygiene and sanitation (WASH) projects specifically in the water management committees and secondly in the cocoa production value chain.

Prior to joining Well Grounded, Mary has been consulting for The Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA)” and the International Analog Forestry Network “IAFN” as their lobby and Advocacy focal point for Africa covering 04 countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Uganda and Zimbabwe) and training the cocoa cooperatives, partners to GIZ Cameroon on Gender issues and Leadership.

Triomphe Makiedi

Country Focal Poin: Republic of Congo

Triomphe joined Well Grounded in 2022. Triomphe is an environmental lawyer specialising in social and environmental safeguards in the sustainable management of natural resources and has considerable experience in supporting civil society organisations. He is based in Brazzaville, Congo and is Well Grounded’s Country Focal Point for the Republic of Congo.

Nationality: Congolese

Location/Base: Brazzaville, Congo

Languages: French, Lingala, Kituba

Key competencies: Legal advice; organisational support; project management

Before arriving at Well Grounded, Triomphe began his professional career in public institutions, joining several associative movements for sustainable development. He worked for several years in conservation and forest governance INGOs, thus developing considerable experience in supporting CSOs, promoting the rights of local and indigenous communities and preserving the environmental, economic and social value of the forest in the Republic of Congo.

Triomphe holds a master’s degree in private law along with several certified training courses in Sustainable Development and the social aspects of logging and community conservation. He speaks French, Lingala and Kituba.

Jean-Baptiste Badesire

Organisational Development Practitioner and Country Focal Point: Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Jean-Baptiste Badesire joined Well Grounded in 2022 as Organisational Development Practitioner and Country Focal Point for Eastern DRC.  Jean-Baptiste brought to the team his experience in CSO capacity building and networking, human rights monitoring and reporting, advocacy, security risks analysis for HRDs’ protection, training and coaching, and project implementation. Jean-Baptiste has worked before with The Carter Center, Protection International, and the Research Centre for Environment, Democracy and Human Rights (CREDDHO) in Goma, Bukavu and Kinshasa (DRC).

Nationality: Congolese, DR CONGO

Location/Base: Goma, North-Kivu

Languages: French, Lingala, English, Swahili

Key competencies: Legal advice; organisational support; project management

His positions with his previous employers were linked to implementation of community-based projects to fighting human rights abuse and impunity, to protection of human rights defenders and to empowering CSOs and civil society actors. Between 2021 and 2022, Jean-Baptste, as Protection advisor with the Carter Center, lead implementation of a project to support six protection networks composed of more than 300 CSOs in the provinces of North-Kivu, South-Kivu, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Haut Katanga, and Kinshasa in the DR Congo.  Jean-Baptiste has a degree in law studies and worked between 2011 and 2012 as a lawyer with focus on providing judicial support to survivors of sexual abuse in North-Kivu.

Danny Mungamuni Bombay

Organisational Development Practitioner and Country Focal Point: Western Democratic Republic of Congo)

Danny has been working with Well Grounded since December 2019, as an Associate Consultant. He is currently based in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo where he has been working as the Country Focal Point (Western DRC) since March 2023.

Nationality: Congolese

Location/Base: Kinshasa

Languages: French, Lingal, Kikongo, Swahili and English

Key competencies: Organisational support; project management; coaching & mentoring

He brings expertise in  training and workshop facilitations. He has 5 years experience in accompanying civil society organisations working for the protection of the environment and the promotion of social justice and rights of local communities in the Congo Basin.

He has facilitated several training sessions for public administration officials and agents (with the support of international donors). He has participated in several diagnostic, strategic planning and project evaluation missions in the Congo Basin.

Long before joining the WG team, he worked as a consultant specialising in education system governance and collaborated with Cambridge Education.

Danny holds a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health with a focus on health systems financing since 2010.

Emini Timothée Aurélien

Indigenous Peoples Leadership Programme Coordinator

Emini Timothée Aurélien joined Well Grounded as Indigenous Peoples Leadership Programme Coordinator in September 2023.

Nationality: Cameroonian

Location/Base: Yaounde, Cameroon

Languages: French, English, Baka

Key competencies: Facilitation, Network coordination, Indigenous rights, Policy and advocacy

Timothée is a member of the Baka Indigenous group from the Eastern region of Cameroon. The discrimination he experienced growing up has provided him the motivation  to change how others perceive him, as well as to change the system, and inspiring other Indigenous youth became his life goal. Nowadays he is recognised as a prominent leader of the Indigenous forest peoples in Cameroon, with a strong track record coordinating and facilitating networks of Indigenous organisations including Gbabandi in Cameroon, and as part of the regional network REPALEAC. Timothée is a skilled facilitator, and also brings to Well Grounded his experience and expertise in policy and legal matters – he is currently completing a Ph.D in International Law.

“From now on, indigenous peoples will chart their own course and write their own history in accordance with their aspirations and their identities.”

Associate Consultants

Mireille Kayijamahe

Senior Leadership Advisor

Mireille joined Well Grounded in its early stage of creation in 2012. She has played different roles since then, including Co-director: Programmes and Business Development until mid-2022. Mireille is currently working part-time with Well Grounded as Senior Leadership Advisor, leading the Canopy leadership programme, supporting leaders working in community forestry in the Congo Basin. Mireille is an experienced leadership and organisation development practitioner, with extensive skills in facilitation and coaching. Her passion and commitment is to empower women.  She is currently based in Kampala, Uganda.

Nationality: Democratic Republic of Congo

Location/Base: Kampala, Uganda

Languages: French, English, Swahili and Lingala

Key competencies: Organisation Development, Leadership Development, Women’s Empowerment, Course Design, Coaching and Facilitation.

Mireille joined Well Grounded in 2012. As part of the first generation Well Grounded team she was a driving force behind the establishment of Well Grounded in the region, setting the foundations of Well Grounded’s mandate, practice and unique approach to sustaining civil society organisations.  Mireille has extensive skills in facilitating change with organisations, individuals, especially women and has played a key role in designing and implementing Well Grounded’s leadership programmes.

Mireille stepped back from her role as Co-Director for Programmes and Business Development in mid-2022. She is now involved part-time with Well Grounded as the Senior leadership Advisor, alongside working as an independent consultant. Mireille leads the Canopy programme, a 12-month leadership development programme, jointly implemented with Maliasili to support community forestry leaders in the Congo Basin.

Mireille is from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and her native language is Swahili. She is also fluent in Lingala, French and English and has basic Kinyarwanda, Kirundi and Creole. She is currently based in Kampala, Uganda.

Peter Sargent

Peter worked with Well Grounded from June 2022 – April 2023 as interim Co-Director – Programmes and Business Development, bringing expertise in organisational development, governance, and facilitation. He continues to collaborate with Well Grounded as an Associate Consultant, with a particular focus on strategic partnerships and transforming power dynamics.

Nationality: British

Location/Base: Cardiff

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Organizational development, project management, governance, facilitation, coaching and mentoring.

Peter has built his career in the international development sector, focusing on the pursuit of operational excellence to help NGOs succeed. He strongly believes that by building the capacity of individuals and organizations, it will be possible to help people achieve social, economic and environmental justice wherever they are.

He has significant experience working on management teams and with local partners of Concern Worldwide, Oxfam GB and the UN in Burundi, DRC and Sudan to implement sustainable development programs. He has also worked extensively as a consultant with a variety of donors and grassroots organizations of all shapes and sizes across Africa, Asia, Europe, Russia and the Americas.

Most recently, he served as Director of Operations at United Purpose, where he oversaw both country program teams and corporate functions. He built an improved financial control and operations infrastructure to better integrate with programs to enable country programs to achieve the common strategy.

Then, prior to joining Well Grounded, he was Executive Director (interim) of INTRAC, where he facilitated an organizational transition, while focusing on providing quality services to build the skills and knowledge of organized civil society to be more effective in addressing poverty and inequality.

Peter holds a degree in management and French from the University of Bradford and an international diploma from the “Institut Commercial de Nancy”, France.

Doudou Kalala

Doudou Kalala joined the Well Grounded team in March 2014 and is based in Kenya. He is an accomplished community development practitioner and youth empowerment programming expert.

Nationality: Democratic Republic of Congo

Location/Base: Nairobi, Kenya

Languages: French, English, Swahili and Lingala

Key competencies: Programme development and management, monitoring and evaluation, community asset mapping and capacity building

Doudou Kalala joined the Well Grounded team in March 2014 and is based in Kenya. He is an accomplished community development practitioner and youth empowerment programming expert who has lived, worked, and contributed to projects in more than 25 countries. He has developed skills in programme development and management, monitoring and evaluation, community asset mapping and capacity building. His professional focus is Climate Change, Conflict Management, and Community Mobilisation for social change and community building from within.

Doudou holds a first degree in International public law and an MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding from Royal Roads University in British Columbia, Canada.

Hermine Tuekam epse Nkuintchua

Hermine joined Well Grounded at the end of 2018. As a sociologist, Hermine has substantial experience in working with formal and informal community groups. She has completed professional training in the fields of social responsibility, forest management and conservation. Hermine is based in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, and currently works with Well Grounded as an Organisation Development Associate Consultant.

Nationality: Cameroonian

Location/Base: Republic of Congo

Languages: French and English

Key competencies: Organisation, Community Development Practitioner, forestry auditor

Hermines holds a master 2 in Sustainable Development and certificates in social aspects of forest exploitation, high conservation values assessment, women’s leadership in community development and Asset Based Community Driven Development.

Hermine speaks French and English.

Mathilde Bullot

Mathilde joined Well Grounded in early 2019. She supports CSOs and CS networks in Africa and Europe, particularly in organisational development, strategic thinking and women’s leadership. She is based in France and works with Well Grounded as an Organisational Development Associate Practitioner and Women’s Leadership facilitator.

Nationality: French

Location/Base: Lille (France)

Languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Criolo (Guinea-Bissau), German

Key competencies: Organisational support, individual and collective coaching

Mathilde studied foreign languages and international relations in four European countries (Germany, Spain, Ireland and France) and then worked since 2004 in different areas of the African continent (Djibouti, Namibia, Guinea-Bissau) and in France with regular field missions.

She held several positions in the field of international solidarity, first as a manager of small funds for civil society at the French Embassy in Namibia, then for NGOs, as a financial manager and later projects manager in Guinea-Bissau. She came back to France in 2014 and started supporting projects related to social development and institutional support for civil society in Guinea Bissau, Chad and Mozambique.

In 2017, while following an advanced training in coaching, she started working as an independent consultant, working with civil society organisations in different parts of Africa (Cape Verde, DRC) and Europe.

Mathilde supports civil society organisations so that they become stronger at the organisational, financial, human and operational level. She also supports civil society organisations and individuals on gender issues and women’s leadership development, using an ecofeminist approach towards social change.

Appolinaire Etono Ngah

Appolinaire Etono Ngah is an International Consultant in Institutional Development/Organisational Strengthening. He has accumulated over 25 years of experience working with international and local actors through facilitating workshops, providing training, strategic planning, and supporting various organisations in different contexts.

Nationality:

Location/Base:

Languages:

Key competencies: Performance Coaching, Team Coaching, Life Coaching & Personal Development

Appolinaire also possesses proven expertise in institutional development for the integration and facilitation of change processes, particularly in the transfer of skills and resources to local actors (NGOs, associations, networks, religious organisations, community based organisations, and other civil society actors) as partners in development projects in Africa, including the health sector.

He also has proven skills in coaching as a certified professional coach:

Performance Coaching: Supporting managers in their new roles and professional transitions – Strengthening talents and resources – Identifying and addressing obstacles.

Team Coaching: Supporting teams in achieving their development goals in alignment with the organisation’s/project’s strategy – Creating and strengthening multicultural team cohesion – Managing internal conflicts – Non-violent communication.

Life Coaching & Personal Development: Building self-confidence – Unleashing one’s potential – Stress and emotion management.

Board of trustees

Cath Long

Caesar Ngule

Nationality: Kenya

Location/Base: Nairobi, Kenya

Languages: English, Kiswahili

Key competencies: Strategic Planning, Monitoring And Evaluation, Safeguarding And Risk, Programme Design And Implementation,  Capacity Development/OD, Sustainability, Localization/Shiftingthepower

Currently working for KCDF as the Programmes Director, Caesar is an experienced and skilled project management professional with over 15 years demonstrable experience providing full accountability for planning, structuring, leading and executing projects and programmes of high impact.

He is highly skilled in Organisational Development, Market Systems & Social Enterprise Development, Education Programming, Environment and Climate Change mitigation, and Secure Livelihoods Approaches  in the context of community led approaches and Local Philanthropy all aimed effectively Shifting Power to Communities.

He is a seasoned leader, trainer, coach, and facilitator, passionate sustainable southern led/ community led development.

Caesar has also worked as a Manager at Food for the Hungry International (FHI), and Caritas Kenya where he worked with numerous communities to design and roll out health, education and livelihood programmes. He has implemented multi-year programmes with funding from various government and intergovernmental organisations, private and public foundations, corporates and other grant-giving non-governmental organisations.

Caesar holds a Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in Community Development and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Development.

Alison Coburn

Joined the board in:

Past experience/background: 

Alison has spent most of her career working with leaders across the world, often in challenging environments. She is one of the founders of Common Purpose, an international leadership development organization that now has 100,000 alumni worldwide.

As Chief Executive of Common Purpose International she spearheaded the development of Common Purpose in France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, the Netherlands, South Africa and Turkey. She led Common Purpose’s work across the Middle East and North Africa for a number of years. This included the leadership of an EU supported capacity-building programme in Libya from 2011 to 2013 – during and after the conflict in the country.

In 2020 she founded Sky Blue, a programme that gathers leaders from around the world who are focussed environmental challenges. She is passionate about providing support and leadership development for the people who are tackling our climate, waste and biodiversity crises.

In the early stages of her career, Alison worked for the Arts Council of Great Britain, Community Service Volunteers and the BBC. She has a BA in American Studies from the University of Kent – she studied both in the UK and the US.

She is a Board member of Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) and a Trustee of Well Grounded.  Alison is also an Ambassador for the Tutu Foundation UK and a member of the International Advisory Council of the Human Health Education and Research Foundation.

Yulia Stange

Nationality: Canadian, German

Location/Base: United Kingdom

Languages: German, English & French

Key  competencies: She draws on over 20 years of experience in the public sector, private sector, civil society, academia and international organizations to address the challenges of climate, development and biodiversity.

Yulia serves as the Director of the Nature Crime Alliance Secretariat. Hosted by the World Resources Institute, the Alliance is a global multi-stakeholder initiative to combat illegal logging, illegal fishing, illegal wildlife trade, illegal mining, and illegal conversion of land and forests to agriculture. She is particularly interested in multi-stakeholder coalitions for change and supporting processes and organizations that promote community action.

Prior to joining WRI to develop the Nature Crime Alliance, Yulia was Head of the Climate and Forests Program at environmental law charity ClientEarth. She coordinated, developed and managed several multi-year, multi-million euro initiatives, including forest governance and community forestry projects in West and Central Africa, as well as projects on illegal logging and trade, and deforestation commodities in Europe, China and globally.

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