
An expert Board and a dedicated team working from 6 offices across Europe to drive the change towards more just and sustainable communities

Nataša Vučković is currently the President of ALDA, elected during the ALDA Festival and General Assembly 2024 that took place in Barcelona, Spain. Nataša joined the Governing Board of ALDA in 2020 and became Vice President of the Association in 2023. She represents the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), Serbia.
Since 1994 she works on head position at the CDF – Founder, Secretary General and Executive Director. She has a great experience in overall management in non-profit organizations. She has great experience in financial planning, fundraising and cooperation with key donators for the organization, but also for design/implementation and evaluation of projects.
Topics that interest her the most are democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights, European integration and European values, human rights and socio-economic rights. Ms Vučković represents CDF in the National Convention of the EU (NCEU) as a coordinator of the Working group for Chapters 2 and 19 (migration of workers and employment and social policy).
She got a long experience in governmental and regulatory branch, since being a member of National Parliament, Republic of Serbia, as well as, member of Committee on European Integration, Committee on Judiciary, Foreign Affairs Committee. Moreover, she was a president of the Committee on European Integration.
Nataša Vučković also was a member of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France for Turkey. She has published articles and analysis and has lectured and hold trainings at various institutions and organizations, including Regional School for Public Administration (ReSPA), particularly in the field of EU integration of the Western Balkans, rule of law, human rights, parliamentary procedures, as well as in the non-profit management.
Emir Coric is ALDA Vice President since 2024 and a Governing Board member representative of the Municipality of Centar, which has been member of ALDA since 2016. In these years of cooperation, together with Municipality of Centar ALDA has implemented several projects, namely the project RECOV. Moreover, many initiatives in Skopje in the interest of young people from North Macedonia and Balkan Region were implemented successfully.
Mr. Coric is a young and dynamic person working in the Municipality of Centar. As contact point for the cooperation with ALDA he has brought up many initiatives for involvement of the municipality in European programmes. He is motivated to engage in international projects and discuss global issues and their implications on local level.
Maurizio Camin is at his third mandate in ALDA’s Governing Board representing Associazione Trentino per i Balcani, Italy. He has been elected ALDA Vice President in 2024.
He has more than 10 years of experience in dealing with International Cooperation as coordinator of the Association “Trentino con i Balcani”, that works mainly in Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Albania on mandate of Trento Autonomous Province.
In the last period Maurizio Camin has been a member of the ALDA’s Board where he has tried to represent the issues of the Balkan Region, but also taking care of the needs of other territories. Thanks to this experience he could see how much ALDA and the Agencies for Local Democracy effectively have done and are still doing on the field in order to promote participation at the local level.
He believes that this issue is really important in a time so difficult and plenty of sorrow as the present is and he deeply convinced of the need to keep working to break fences and barriers, self-referential attitudes engaging to build spaces of dialogue and participation among territories, people, institutions and communities creating network of knowledges and development through concrete and shared actions.
He also believes in the importance of creating relations able to involve communities and citizens, what is the essence of International Cooperation.
Roger Lawrence is the Vice President of ALDA and a member of the Governing Board as individual member from the United Kingdom, representing Wolverhampton City Council. Until 2024 he was the Treasurer of the Association.
Indeed, Roger Lawrence led Wolverhampton City Council from 2002-2019, Council of the year 2017 (MJ), Council Leader of year 2018 (LGIU). Mr Lawrence remains an elected councillor with regional roles for transport and asylum/ migration issues. He is also a non-exec Director of Birmingham Airport Holdings. Roger holds a doctorate from the University of Bristol in European Regional Policy (cross border relations in Central and Eastern Europe).
Mr Lawrence is supporting ALDA and act as Treasurer since 2008. He has a strong feeling of the need to support our vibrant and resilient leadership and it’s record of innovation evidenced by ALDA+ and ALDA med while not neglecting our original mission in the western Balkans and Eastern Partnership.
His participation in ALDA is based on this vision of a strong E.U. working with our neighbors and building the capacity of both local government and civil society. He also supports ALDA’s commitment to sustainable development goals.
After concluding a third mandate as President of ALDA, Oriano Otočan became treasurer of the Association during the ALDA General Assembly 2024. He represents the Region of Istria, Croatia, since 2016. Since 2005, he served first as a Member of the Regional Government, and afterwards as Director of Department in charge of international cooperation and European integration in the Region of Istria. His duties included the activities of bilateral and multilateral inter-regional cooperation, coordination of EU programs and projects, development of human resources and informing citizens of the Euro-integration processes.
Thanks to his experience in working in a region that has reached an enviable level of tolerance and respect for minority rights, experience in local development, interregional cooperation, work of international organisations, knowledge of Euro-integration process and with his knowledge of the current political reality of Southeast Europe he is actively contributing to the further development of ALDA as an exceptional and unique European organisation which in its work involves individuals, local and regional public authorities and civil society. From 2014 to 2019 he has been working in the European Parliament as Policy advisor and MEP Head of Office.
In 2014 he was awarded the Officer of the Order of the star of Italy, assigned by the President of the Republic of Italy for the particular attention and the strong activity in developing good relationships and important cooperation.
Andrea Rilievo is a member of ALDA’s Governing Board, representing Società Cooperativa Sociale Studio Progetto, Italy.
He is a member of ALDA for 9 years. Studio Progetto has been working for 30 years in the province of Vicenza, in the north of Italy, proposing social projects for disadvantaged people, mainly dealing with job placement and building several social services.
Besides social services Mr Rilievo in the last 9 years took part in developing an internal department that is currently working with European funds, mainly with Erasmus+ and Europe for Citizens programs.
Mr Rilievo sees that the values and vision of social cooperation, a model of business centered on nonprofit development and on human beings and social inclusion as the main pillar on which build the growth of our community.
Mr Rilievo believes that the more that society will evolve quickly, the more will be productive, effective, stable. In this scenario, the will and know-how to propose and generate adequate social services, and projects that include people in need, will be a key-element, in the local context but even more so in the European community, tracing a route of sustainable and inclusive growth.
As an expert in this field, he put all his knowledge and experience at disposal of AlDA’s growth by deeply representing the Italian context in this field with sharing his experience of building projects at European level, focused on social services, and fragility.
Inna Volkova is a member of ALDA’s Governing Board since 2024. She is an active member of Odesa Rayon Council, Ukraine and holds a PhD in Law. Inna has been serving in the Council since 2019, contributing to local governance, civic initiatives, and international cooperation. There, she was involved in the receipt and distribution of humanitarian aid in 2022-2023. Her perspective was enriched through the role of assistant on international issues to a Member of Parliament of Ukraine and through an internship at the German Federal Foreign Office in the framework of High Level Experts Programme (HLEP), where she gained practical insights aimed at implementing European expertise in Ukraine. In 2023 she took part in the ALDA Advisory Board as an expert contributing to the Thematic HUB on Civic Engagement.
As Head of Partnerships, Irina Sahakyan Vetter leads the work of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in building partnerships and institutional relations with the European Union institutions, European associations of local and regional authorities, multilateral organisations, such as the United Nations, and Council of Europe non-member states.
Prior to joining the Congress, Ms Sahakyan Vetter served as the Country Director for Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Belarus in the United Nations Office for Project Services and as the Deputy Head of Office of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade. Before joining the Council of Europe, Ms Sahakyan Vetter’s career was in the Canadian public service, preceded by work in the World Health Organization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Ms Sahakyan Vetter has extensive experience in international development and cooperation both at the country and HQ level, with a focus on strategic partnership engagement and management in the field of local democracy, good governance, human rights, infrastructure, education and health. Her portfolio of work includes programmes in the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries, Central Asia, South and West Asia, and Africa.
A dual Canadian and Armenian national, Ms Sahakyan Vetter holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Ottawa (Canada) and a Master’s degree in Educational Policy, Research and Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (USA). She also holds a postgraduate management certification from Stanford University (USA).
Kerim Medjedovic is the delegate of the Local Democracy Agency Montenegro (Montenegro), and member of ALDA Governing Board.
Kerim Medjedovic emerged as a peace and civil activist in the 1990s amidst the tumultuous period in Yugoslavia. He became a dedicated member of student and environmental NGOs in 1998. Following an extensive training programme for trainers in 2001, he embarked on a career as a capacity-building trainer for NGOs, pioneering this field in Montenegro. His primary areas of focus included human rights, peacebuilding, public advocacy, and the establishment of democratic institutions.
In 2004, Kerim Medjedovic assumed the role of Executive Director at the Local Democracy Agency Montenegro (LDA), an Agency focused on enhancing the capabilities of both citizens and local authorities to participate in democratic processes. The LDA undertakes projects funded by the EU and other donors in collaboration with partners such as local authorities, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the extensive ALDA network. These projects span various areas including citizens’ participation, good governance, youth empowerment, EU accession, and local economic development.
In response to tough socio-economic conditions in Montenegro and globally, Kerim Medjedovic directed his efforts towards promoting citizen participation in the economic sector, with a particular emphasis on social economy initiatives.
Kerim was born in Podgorica, Montenegro in 1973. He graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Podgorica and pursued a postgraduate course in Peace Research at the University of Oslo.
Maddalena Alberti is ALDA’s Governing Board Member since 2024. She is the Director of the Association Ambasciata della Democrazia Locale a Zavidovici, based in Brescia, Italy. Maddalena has worked for several Italian municipalities as an expert in migration, designing services, processes and building multi-stakeholder relationships with migrant citizens, as well as promoting inclusion processes and dialogue between local authorities, institutions, and citizens with a migratory background. Through her work with ADL Zavidovici, she specialised in material housing and legal assistance services, orientation and labor integration. Since 2021, she has been part of the Advisory Board of ALDA for the Migration Thematic Hub.
Mario Žuliček is a member of the ALDA Governing Board since 2024. He is Advisor at the Association of Cities of the Republic of Croatia, based in Zagreb, Croatia. Mario holds a PhD on the topic of communication elements that positively influence people’s willingness to cooperate, which ultimately contributes to a motivation of citizens in being involved in decision-making processes. He is active in the implementation of various participatory processes at the local, national, and international levels. He coordinates the participatory budgeting mentoring programme for Croatian cities and the certification system for Croatian cities in the field of youth policies. He is an educator for local youth council members, and a mentor in the largest youth European project – Europe Goes Local.
Marta Sys is a member of the Board of the Merkury Foundation located in Lower Silesia Region of Poland since 2010. She was responsible for applying for sources, implementation of social projects aimed on labour market, youth and building civil society as well as international cooperation. She is involved in many actions on local and regional level dedicated to civil society building eg Lower Silesia Youth Forum (4 editions), Lower Silesian Citizens Congress (5 editions). On local level, Marta is involved in NGO’s fairs (5 editions) as well as events dedicated to volunteering, such as „ Power of Help” (2 editions). She is also involved in the process of building the social economy in Poland as coordinator of innovative project financed by EU initiative EQUAL called „Muflon Partnership”. Marta is a lawyer and career counselor and member of the Board of ALDA since March 2023 as well.
Núria Parlón Gil is a member of ALDA’s Governing Board since 2024. She is the Deputy for the Presidency and Delegate for International Relations of Diputació de Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. Núria is also a Provincial Councillor in charge of International Relations, Agenda 2030, New Urban Agenda and Public Policies Innovation. She has also been serving as Mayor of Santa Coloma de Gramenet since 2009. She is also the national coordinator of the Network of Trafficking-Free Municipalities. From 2012 to 2015 she held a seat in the Parliament of Catalonia as a deputy for the Barcelona constituency. Among her responsibilities are the “Feminism and equality” area, the “Democratic Memory” and Global Observatory on Local Democracy and Decentralisation.
Thibaut Guignard is a member of the Governing Board of ALDA. He is Mayor of Plœuc-L’Hermitage, a rural new commune since 2014, Thibaut Guignard, a 42-year-old Breton elected official, is committed to supporting rural areas and Europe.
Endowed with expertise in rural development, European fund management, and the implementation of projects dedicated to local territories, Thibaut Guignard presides over Leader France, the national federation of rural territories engaged in the European rural development program Leader.
Since January 1, 2023, Thibaut Guignard has been presiding over ELARD, the European Leader Association for Rural Development. ELARD is a European association that represents nearly 2,600 territories in 29 countries, including those in the vicinity of the European Union, which have adopted and are implementing the LEADER methodology for local development by local actors.
Driven by his European convictions and a desire to promote the interests of European rural areas, Thibaut Guignard is dedicated to developing decentralized cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe. In this capacity, he leads the France-Poland working group within the French Association of Councils, Communes, and Regions of Europe (AFCCRE).
With a dynamic and European vision of rural areas, the Breton elected official also co-chairs the European Commission of the French Mayors’ Association and serves as an alternate member of the European Committee of the Regions.
Since March 2, 2021, Thibaut Guignard has presided over the French Delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CPLRE).
Ahmed works as an advisor at the Tunisian National Constituent Assembly. Having been active in civil society through many NGOs, Ahmed is currently thevice-president andproject manager at “Youth Without Borders,” a Tunis based NGO aiming to supportyouth engagement in society. Ahmed is a specialist in the youth field with a focus on sports management. He also is a national and international election observer and election observer trainer.
Participatory processes and Youth Engagement Advisor at the Istanbul Development Agency, will cooperate with the Association for the activities carried out in Türkiye. Elif Avcı holds 3 master’s degrees in Human Rights Law, Political Marketing, and Peace, Resilience, and Social Justice. She started her career as psychologist at TOÇEV and later worked as a Social Policy Specialist at Şişli Municipality. She served as Secretary General at Şişli City Council. After completing a Rotary Peace Fellowship, she joined the social policy team for the Istanbul Mayoral candidacy campaign. She worked in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality as Social & Cultural Policy Coordinator and NDI Turkey as Program Manager. Avcı co-founded and chairs Local Monitoring Research and Implementation (YERELİZ) and currently advises the Istanbul Planning Agency on participatory policies and youth engagement. Her work reflects a strong dedication to inclusive cities and rights-based policies in collaboration with various civil society organisations.
With over 15 years of experience in the area of Governance, Leadership, Peace and Conflict transformation, Political studies and decentralisation, Ibrahim Ndagijimana exercised high level responsibilities in the management of local government and worked as a coach for Districts organisational performance under Rwanda Governance Board in the framework of the Rwanda Decentralisation Support Program, supported by the Belgian Technical Cooperation/BTC/ENABEL).
He has a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Management, Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict transformation together with other relevant trainings and he possesses an excellent proficiency in Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili.
Kirsi Verkka is currently working as a participatory budgeting development manager for the City of Helsinki. She believes that renewing democratic processes, harnessing collective intelligence and deliberation are key aspects towards more democratic and sustainable societies. Her key areas of expertise are participatory democracy, digital participation and project management.
Kirsi’s background is in the field of education, with a focus on sustainable development, youth participation, teacher training and curriculum development. Her educational background has equipped her with a systemic approach to democracy innovation and citizen participation. She brings a wealth of experience in utilising various development methods, including network management, service design, experimentation, and co-creation.
Kirsi excels in conceptualisation, communication, and marketing of development work, ensuring effective dissemination of ideas and engaging stakeholders in the process. With a focus on empowering individuals and communities, she aims to drive positive change through collaborative efforts and meaningful engagement.
Maite Arrondo is an expert on innovation in housing policies. Nowadays she works for the `Housing and Renovation Institute of Barcelona Municipality´ where she supports the international social and affordable housing agenda through international networks, events organisation such as the European Housing Research Conference or the International Social Housing Festival and EU projects. Currently, she is the coordinator of the “Network of Cities for Collaborative Housing” (NETCO) on behalf of Barcelona Council. Besides, she also collaborates with HOGARSÍ Foundation, where she supports the international agenda stakeholders like the UN Homelessness Working Group and at the European Housing First Hub among others.
A passionate advocate of the interplay between homelessness and housing policies, she has expertise in gender mainstreaming and human rights based approach into public policies. She has wide experience working as urban expert in EU projects and programmes, and has collaborated with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, European Research Centre or the European Federation of Organisations to End Homelessness among others. At the end of the day, she is the proud mum of a little girl and finds great joy in live music, yoga and cycling, and traveling.
Senida is an Albanian politician and professor. She served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Albania from 13 September 2017 to 17 January 2019. Now she is a member of parliament. Mesi lectured at the University of Shkodër “Luigj Gurakuqi” until she was elected to Parliament in 2017. In 2015, Mesi was elected a member of the municipal council for Shkodër. During the 2017 parliamentary elections, Mesi ran as a member of the Socialist Party. On 25 June 2017, Mesi was elected a member of the Parliament of Albania for Shkodër. In August 2017, Edi Rama announced that Mesi would be the next deputy prime minister of Albania. Expert on civil society local governance, she will be the point of contact for the Western Balkans area.
Tamara Ehs is a political scientist and consultant for democratic innovation from Vienna. She works with municipalities, ministries and parties in Austria, Germany and the Centrope region to foster citizens’ participation.
Tamara is the scientific advisor to the State Councillor of the Baden-Württemberg State Government on issues of citizen participation, to the European Capital of Democracy, and a member of the Commission for Dialogue Processes at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection and Innovation. Moreover, she is involved in diverse forms of political education, especially for first-time voters, and taking part in several COST-Actions (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) as her consultancy is based on scientific research.
Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA since 1999, has a senior experience in promoting local democracy, empowerment and participation of civil society, and good governance in Europe, in the Balkans, in Eastern Europe, and in the Mediterranean area. She is a European senior consultant on local development with a focus on the implementation of participatory processes for urban regeneration. She manages a network of 300 members mainly composed of local authorities and civil society groups, in over 40 countries in Europe and beyond.
Antonella Valmorbida was President of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and Member of the Advisory Board of Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development, Armenia. After 6 years as President of EPD, she is now part of the Board. She has been Chair of the EPAN working group of CONCORD until 2016, Chair of the Committee on Democracy and Civil Society of the Conference of the INGO of the Council of Europe from 2008 to 2011, and she was the coordinator of the subgroup on local government and public administration reform of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership. In 2012-13, she was board Member of CIVICUS – the World Alliance for Citizens Participation.
Antonella Valmorbida has an academic career at the university of Padova, Italy, and published two books on the involvement of citizens at the local level to promote democracy as well as various articles. Antonella Valmorbida is a French and Italian native speaker and she is fluent in English and Russian.
An article concerning Civil Society engagement in the European Parliament Elections of 2024, produced by Antonella Valmorbida, was published on the Civil Society Organisations’ Bulletin (December issue) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), accessible here.
Adrien Licha joined ALDA in February 2022 as coordinator of the Secretariat Office.
Fully convinced that sustainable development has to be reached at the local level, he has been a local government advocate since 2012, both in his professional and private life.
In previous positions he had the chance to work along many local governments from the Middle East and Western Asia, as well as with European national associations involved in decentralized cooperation. Being based in Istanbul for 5 years, he has gained extensive knowledge of local governance in Turkey and contributed to the recognition of the importance of local governments hosting Syrian refugees. During his stay in Turkey, he managed to learn Turkish and he is currently learning Arabic.
His research areas include local governance, participatory processes and city diplomacy, with a particular focus on Turkey and the Middle East.
Originally from France, he is member of the twinning committee between his home town, in the South of France and the city of Troyan, in Bulgaria. After moving to Belgium, he became Vice-President of the Consultative Council on European Affairs of the commune of Ixelles, which aims at raising awareness on European policies at the local level and promoting social inclusion. More generally, being a part of the international municipal movement has allowed him to observe the diversity of local democracy all around the world.
She works as Event Manager in the Vicenza office of ALDA since 2022. She has a Master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Turin, where she was also a student of the Scuola di Studi Superiori dell’Università di Torino, the school of excellence of the University. After her studies, she had experiences in Italy, Croatia and Sierra Leone, mainly in the project development and management sector. She is native Italian, but thanks to the experience gained abroad she is also fluent in English. Moreover, she has an intermediate level in French, German and Spanish.
Alexandre Météreau is ALDA’s Campaign and Communication Officer in the Brussels office. He works on the 2024 European elections, the “Get the Trolls Out!” project, and the advocacy and outreach of ALDA towards European and international stakeholders.
Alexandre has lived in Brussels since 2018. Passionate about European politics and communication, he created in 2022 ‘The Beubble’, a newsletter for lobbyists and activists in the European bubble. His previous experiences include communication, marketing, and EU affairs roles in various organisations such as trade associations, NGOs, businesses, and consultancies.
Alexandre holds a double Master’s Degree in International Business Management (major in marketing) from Excelia Business School, La Rochelle, France, and the Alpen Adria Universität, Klagenfurt, Austria.
In his free time, Alexandre plays improvisation theatre and enjoys urban gardening.
Erica works as Membership Officer within the Secretariat and she is based in the Vicenza office. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Trento and a master’s degree in International Relations from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, focusing on international law and human rights. During her master’s studies, she followed a training on advocacy, EU food policies and due diligence with the Fair Trade Advocacy Office.
Before joining ALDA, he trained at the European Union Delegation to the Lao PDR, where he supported the Green Deal Programme Manager in developing a cooperation programme on sustainable agriculture and forestry and contributed to public diplomacy activities.
Italian native speaker, she is fluent in French and English.
Elisabetta has been working in ALDA since 2014. During the first years in the Association, she covered the role of Assistant Financial Manager, directly reporting to the Head of the Financial and Admin Department of ALDA. In 2021, she took over this role and in light of her broad knowledge and experience she became the Head of the Admin and Financial Department of ALDA.
She has an in-depth knowledge and an experience in the financial management and in the reporting of projects, both European and non-European ones. In the framework of the over 300 projects ALDA implemented in the past 10 years, Elisabetta went successfully through the audits of the European Commission for projects that received funding by various EU-programmes, such as LIFE, ERASMUS+, Horizon2020, AMIF, EfC, External Actions programmes and so on. She is now Head of Admin & Financial Department.
Working as Financial Officer at ALDA, Giulia has three years of experience in the financial reporting of European projects.
She has a Master degree in Local Development and she worked as project manager in different organisations in Italy and UK. She then developed an interest for the financial reporting and in the last four years she has followed the implementation and financial reporting of different projects, mainly funded by European Programmes, but also by other public and private donors.
As a teenager she hated numbers and maths and now she feels satisfied when everything adds up in the reports, but do not ask the same in her personal life and hobbies!
Lina has been working in the ALDA’s Admin & Financial Department since 2015. After working as assistant to the Head of the Department for projects reporting in the frame of DEAR actions, as well as of mostly public and private donors, since 2021 she became Paying Manager and General Accountant.
She studied administration and management. She benefits from over 20 years of experience in administration/management assistant positions in Italy and abroad.
As far as her linguistic skills are concerned, she speaks fluently Italian, English and Spanish.
Raffaella works in the ALDA’s Admin and Financial Department since 2019.
She collaborates in the financial reporting of projects, the most part financed by the European Commission, some of them financed by private funds. In the past she had various work experiences in commercial, import/export and retail offices. She also had some experience in teaching foreign languages.
She graduated in Chinese Language and Culture at Venice at Ca’ Foscari University and she is very passionate about chinese history and culture.
She speaks Italian, English, French and Chinese.
Martina works as an Accounting and Financial Officer. She has a degree in business administration and she is attending a master’s degree in Vicenza of “Management and business strategy”.
Thanks to her studies she got passionate about sustainability, especially as far as business sustainability concerns. She speaks Italian and English.
Silvia Piccoli joined ALDA as Financial Reporting Officer in 2021 and she is based in the Vicenza office. She completed her studies at the University of Verona, earning a Master Degree in Languages for Communication in Tourism and Commerce.
During her previous main work experience at Villa Fabris Foundation – European Centre for Heritage Crafts and Professions and Niuko Innovation and Knowledge she was responsible for management, coordination and tutoring of training projects.
Italian native speaker, she is fluent in English and French.
Faty works at ALDA as Grant Manager for the WYDE Civic Engagement project and she is based in Senegal. She holds a master’s degree in urban geography from the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis in Senegal. Prior to joining ALDA; she worked at GGGI on a waste management project in Touba. She is fluent in French and has an intermediate level in English and Spanish.
Natalie joined the ALDA Team in 2022. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow.
She has worked in different fields and has various experiences in working as an employee, but also as self-employed while also managing a small enterprise she founded while living in Moscow. The main work experience is related to business projects, legal and financial documents, accounting, and the digital sphere.
Working as an administrative, logistical and financial assistant at ALDA, Fatma has 19 years of experience in administration, including three years working in the non-profit sector. She has a Master’s degree in New Information Technologies, A Master’s degree in accounting and financial techniques, and several certifications in computer management. After starting as an accountant, she took up broader responsibilities running a small IT services company for ten years. The Tunisian revolution was a defining moment for Fatma’s interest in the associative work. Taking up responsibilities in several NGOs voluntarily, she decided to switch careers by working for Handicap International on two EU funded projects in Tunisia. Passionate about Art, communication, and translation. She introduces touches of what she is passionate about in her everyday work, which gives more appeal to her work and meaning to her life.
Fatma follows also the Project “AUTREMENT” – Aménagement Urbain du Territoire pour REinventer les Mobilités et ENgager les Tunisiens: to her “AUTREMENT is not a project, it’s a lifestyle!”.
Employed in ALDA+ as an Administrative assistant in the Vicenza Financial and accounting department.
She holds a degree in foreign languages from the University of Belgrade and she has gained work experience in a different sectors, especially in the transport and logistics sector as well as commercial sector and customer care, where she was able to apply her language skills and work closely with foreign clients and collaborators.
She has always enjoyed working with the public and taking part in solidarity and humanitarian initiatives.
She is Serbo-Croatian native speaker and she is fluent in Italian and English. She has good knowledge of German and a basic level of Russian.
Nadia joined ALDA as a Reporting Officer in 2024 and she is based in the Vicenza office.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and a Master’s Degree in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Trieste.
She worked as a communication and fundraising officer in different NGOs and volunteered in Mumbai, India, thanks to the Italian National Civic Service. Beyond her professional background, she is keen to discover new places and cultures. She is passionate about nature and loves spending time in the mountains and trekking. She is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of German.
Laura joined the ALDA team in December 2023 and works as a Report Officer in Vicenza. She obtained a degree in Languages and Business Communication in Verona, and with the Erasmus program she studied in Germany at the Universität Potsdam and participated to an internship project in Madrid.
Keen on travel, art and communication, she has many years of experience in the tourist promotion of the city of Vicenza, she carried out a volunteer experience in Ecuador and also worked in the commercial and logistics dept. of production companies.
Italian native-speaker, Laura speaks fluent German, Spanish and English and has a basic level of French and Russian.
Marina joined the ALDA Team in August 2024 as a Grant Manager at the Skopje office. With a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and nearly 20 years of professional experience, Marina has developed a robust skill set in financial oversight and budget coordination and control.
Marina’s professional journey began in 2005 with the City of Skopje as the Head of the Budget Unit, during the pivotal period of decentralisation in North Macedonia. Her role focused on fiscal planning and resource allocation, significantly enhancing accountability and governance within municipal operations. With a strong commitment to optimising public sector finances, Marina has driven efficiency in various projects.
Her experience extends to her role as a Grant Coordinator at Goethe-Institut Skopje, where she successfully managed funding for civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Western Balkans, facilitating numerous impactful projects. Additionally, Marina provides consultancy services to municipalities, helping them enhance their resource utilisation. Her dual expertise in hands-on financial management and advisory services makes her an invaluable asset in any financial management capacity.
Fluent in English, German, and Serbo-Croatian, Marina’s diverse background and commitment to effective fiscal stewardship position her to significantly impact the ALDA Team and its mission.
Alice holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Language and Literature from the University of Trieste, during which she took part in an Erasmus programme at the University of Valencia. She then did a Master’s in International and European Studies at the University of Turin.
Throughout her academic journey, Alice delved deep into the complexities of international relations, particularly focusing on European dynamics.
She is passionate about human rights, environmental protection and food systems, and determined to build a fairer and greener world.
At ALDA she is working at the Hub Environment and Climate, in the Brussels Office.
Alice is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Alice started her Civil Service at ALDA as a Project Manager Assistant in July 2024.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Palermo, during which she took part in an Erasmus+ program at the University of Navarra, Pamplona. She then did a Master’s in Languages for International Communication and Cooperation at the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, during which she took part in another Erasmus+ program at the University of Birmingham.
After graduating, she participated in a European Solidarity Corps volunteering project in the South of France, working for one year with Europe Direct Pyrénées.
Alice is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and Spanish, with a good command of French.
Alp is currently working as a Membership Intern in the Secretariat. He is completing his Master’s degree in European and Global Studies in the University of Padova, with a focus on Global Communication Policies. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Yaşar University in İzmir, Turkey.
Before joining ALDA he was working as a Project Manager Assistant and he has working experience in marketing and communication.
During his studies, he was working voluntarily in the AIESEC İzmir Office and he attended a global volunteer project in Moscow about ecological life. He was also working as a volunteer in the communication team at İGAM which is an organization focusing on migration and refugee issues.
He is a Turkish native speaker and fluent in English. He also has a certain knowledge in French and Spanish, and he is currently learning Italian.
Elisabetta started working as Assistant Project Developer at ALDA (Universal Civil Service) in July 2024.
She holds a Master’s degree in “European and International Studies” from the University of Trento. She also completed her Bachelor’s degree in “Political Science and International Relations” at the University of Parma and an Executive Master in “Leadership for International Relations and Made in Italy” at the Italy USA Foundation. She worked as an editorial collaborator for a local newspaper in Italy, and recently she volunteered for a Romanian NGO developing projects on “Lenity and Digital Skills”.
Her fields of interest are political communication, gender, and migration studies.
Emma Carboni joined ALDA’s Brussels office in July 2024 as Civil Service Project Developer Assistant.
She’s currently getting her bachelor degree in Social, Political and International Sciences with the University of Bologna. She also spent an academic year at SciencesPo Lyon with Erasmus+ through which she refined her French speaking skills.
Last year, before joining ALDA, she completed a two-semester course on International Cooperation and Voluntary work in her hometown of Modena, Italy, which introduced her to the field of project development.
She’s incredibly passionate about women’s and minorities’ rights, disability, accessibility and intersectionality, making her part of ALDA’s Gender Inclusion and Human Rights Hub.
Federico Grumo joined ALDA as Project Manager Junior in the Skopje Office for the Universal Civil Service programme of Italy.
His background is in Theatre and Music, in particular he studied at the Sapienza University in Rome and at University of Bologna, where he graduated in Musicology.
After his Master’s degree, he started working in many important Italian Opera Theatres as Stage Manager, Assistant Director and Production Assistant.
In that pivotal position, he was the reference point for all the people involved in the show, from the technicians to the artists. Moreover, he followed many important projects collaborating with international teams and important artists of the cultural panorama.
Gaia started her internship at ALDA as Executive Assistant Director of Programs in May 2024.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and a Master’s Degree from KU Leuven. During her studies, she participated in an Erasmus programme at the Goethe University of Frankfurt.
Because of her passion for international cooperation and civil society, she has been involved in various volunteering experiences in the non-profit sector and in youth organisations.
She is a native Italian speaker. She has a proficient level of English, a solid knowledge of German and a good level of French and Chinese.
Giulia d’Agostino joined the ALDA team in May 2024 as a Project Developer Assistant.
She graduated in International Development and Cooperation at the University of Bologna and holds a master’s degree in Project Cycle Management for International Cooperation.
Motivated since an early age by a strong sense of social justice and a passion for making a positive impact, Giulia has participated in several volunteer missions in Africa. During these missions, she engaged in various projects aimed at improving living conditions, healthcare, and education for local communities. These experiences have not only deepened her understanding of global development issues but also fueled her dedication to creating sustainable change through grassroots initiatives. Additionally, she spent six months in Ireland, immersing herself in a different culture and further broadening her perspectives. Giulia is a native Italian speaker and she is fluent in English.
Kristine holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a specialization in Middle East Studies from the Free University of Tbilisi. She is currently completing an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in European Studies, with a specific interest in the EU-Georgia relations.
Kristine’s expertise lies in youth work and development projects; she facilitates workshops in Peace Education and Conflict Analysis. Before joining ALDA, Kristine worked with local and international organizations in Georgia on projects in civic engagement and democracy building, and has solid socio-political knowledge of the Eastern Partnership countries. Currently, she works as an intern at the ALDA Strasbourg office in the Project Development Department.
Kristine is a native Georgian speaker, fully fluent in English, and has limited expertise in French, Russian, and Arabic.
Laura Vaiani joined ALDA’s Vicenza office in July 2024 as a Project Manager Assistant in the Environment and Climate hub.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Development, Socio-Health International Cooperation, and Conflict Management, during which she completed a six-month Erasmus program at SciencePo Lyon. Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance in Padua. She is passionate about human rights and international cooperation, and during her studies, she frequently took advantage of opportunities offered by the university to engage in development projects aimed at addressing societal challenges.
Laura is a native Italian speaker and, thanks to her experiences and master’s studies, she is fluent in English.
Lune is a Project Manager Assistant at the Hub Gender, Inclusion and Human Rights. She is currently studying Development and Humanitarian Action at the University Pantheon Sorbonne of Paris 1, France. Previously, she graduated in International law and International Relations and in Feminist Studies at the University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM), Canada. Lune’s expertise lies in gender and feminist issues, to which she would like to devote herself in the future.
Before joining Alda, she did an internship in UNDP on women and water issues (New Delhi, India), in Silaiwali a social enterprise working with Afghan Refugee women (New Delhi, India) and in the organisation Elan Interculturel on gender and intimacy (Paris, France). In 2023, she co-created SoliDAHrité, her master’s student organisation, aimed at providing support in various areas such as administration, inclusion, and mental health. Lune is a native French speaker, fully fluent in English, has a good knowledge in both written and spoken Spanish, and has limited expertise in Italian and Hindi.
Margherita is an intern in the communication office of ALDA.
She has a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage at Ca’Foscari and she is currently attending a Master’s degree on History of Arts and Conservation of Cultural Heritage with a one-year Erasmus period that includes two mobilities: one in Lille, France, and one in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
During her academic period, Margherita was involved in various volunteer activities in the field of organisation and promoting of festivals and cultural events.
For her internship at ALDA, she assists the communication group in the production of promotional material for events to be held in the summer 2024.
Margherita is mother tongue Italian with a high level of English and French.
Martina joined ALDA in June 2024 as an Assistant to the Secretariat in Brussels, where she is involved in daily advocacy initiatives and supports the organization’s mission.
Martina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in ‘International and Diplomatic Studies’ from the University of Genoa, a Double Master’s Degree in ‘International Studies’ from the University of Pisa and MGIMO in Moscow, and a II level Master’s in ‘European Law and Policies’ from LUISS Guido Carli in Rome. During her studies, she also participated in the Erasmus programme at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland.
Passionate about International Relations, particularly European politics and the Eastern Partnership, she has professional experience in legislative analysis, lobbying, and diplomacy.
A native Italian speaker, she is proficient in English and Spanish, and has a basic knowledge of French and Russian.
Senya is an Executive Assistant Intern in the Vicenza Office of ALDA.
She is a Master’s Degree student in European and Global Studies at the University of Padova and she is specialising in European Policies. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Management of Cultural Tourism from the University of Padova, and during her studies she participated in an Erasmus exchange programme at the University of Liège (Belgium) and worked as an intern for the Municipality of Padova.
She is a native Italian speaker and thanks to her previous education and experience abroad, she is fluent in English, French and Spanish.
Simona Papa joined ALDA’s Strasbourg Office in July 2024 as Communication Officer Assistant.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistic and Cultural Mediation from the University of Naples “L’Orientale” and a Master’s Degree in Semiotics, Philosophy and Communication Department of Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna. Currently she’s also volunteering for Animenta, a non-profit association based in Rome that raises awareness about eating disorders.
Her interests are in music, theatre, and the performing arts, in particular, in how these forms of communication can convey political and inclusive messages and meanings. She also took part in different theatre workshops on the themes of gender violence and discrimination.
She is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of Spanish.
In ALDA, she is working as Assistant Project Developer in the Skopje office through Italian Civil Service.
Tea holds a bachelor’s degree in Political, Social and International Sciences from the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, during which she spent six months at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest (Romania) through an Erasmus project.
She then holds a joint master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Research and Studies on Eastern Europe (MIREES) at the University of Bologna together with the University of Zagreb and the University of Kaunas. During her master’s degree, she undertook compulsory mobility at the Comenius University of Bratislava in Slovakia.
In the course of her studies, she focused particularly on topics such as democracy and democratic backsliding in Visegrád Countries. In addition, she has been volunteering for several years for a local animal protection association in Bologna.
Tea is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English. She has a basic knowledge of Russian, Romanian and Slovak language.
Valeria is a Project Management Assistant under the Environment and Climate Hub as a Civil Servant volunteer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs and, she’s completing her Master’s Degree studies in the same field, focusing on climate change and economic inequality. She is currently working on a dissertation on the European Union’s CBAM and its economic and social impacts on selected EU’s trade partners.
Before joining ALDA, she was an intern at the Delegation to the EU of the Emilia Romagna Region and did an internship at the Territorial Commission for the Recognition of International Protection in Forlì (Italy).
She is passionate about the environment and social justice and is fluent in Italian, English, Spanish and French.
Valeria joined ALDA in July 2024 as a Universal Civil Service Volunteer in the Project Management Department, specifically in the Environment and Climate Hub at the Brussels office.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Development and International Cooperation from the University of Bologna and a Master’s Degree in International Sciences and European Studies from the University of Turin.
During her academic career, Valeria explored international cooperation dynamics, with a particular focus on the European Union. She completed two Erasmus+ Traineeships: one with a local NGO in Barcelona promoting European citizenship, and another at SOLIDAR in Brussels, where she supported advocacy campaigns on just transition and EU-Latin America relations. Additionally, she worked for Oxfam Italy on a fundraising campaign, and most recently at the Europe Direct Centre of the Emilia-Romagna region.
Valeria is passionate about international cooperation, environmental and climate change issues, inequalities, and human rights.
She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Viola started her internship at ALDA in June 2024 as a Secretariat Assistant in Vicenza.
She is currently studying at Leiden University, The Hague Campus, where she is completing her International Studies Bachelor. Within her studies, she explores the social, political, and economic dynamics of international relations in general, and among different regions, she is specializing in the European Union. Before that, after obtaining a Humanities High School Diploma in Vicenza, she moved to The Hague, in the Netherlands, and worked as an au pair for one year in an international household. With her 3-year experience living abroad, she has had the opportunity to immerse herself in diverse cultures and perspectives.
She is a native Italian speaker, and she can speak English fluently and French at a good level.
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