EFC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
- Vice - Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee
Degree and PhD in theoretical physics. After earning a Master's Degree in Economics he worked supporting research groups in attracting and managing competitive funds at EU level. He also worked for the Italian National Agency for Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes and as Innovation Manager. Alberto has gained many years of experience in the non-profit sector, in particular in the fair trade movement. He joined Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation in 2013 and was appointed Secretary General on 27 July 2018. He is board member of Collegio Carlo Alberto, REAM sgr, EASSH
Job Titles:
- Programme Officer
- Programme Officer - Thematic Collaborations
Biography
Alice Forsman role as Programme Officer - Thematic Collaborations at Philea sees her manage and coordinate the network of European funders working in Diversity, Migration, and Integration, as well as the Grantmakers East Forum, while supporting the Children and Youth Thematic Network. Alice has a background of working for Brussels' based NGO's, as well as in the European Parliament. She has a Joint Master's Degree in European Politics and Society, which she graduated from in 2021, with a dissertation mapping the European Commission's response to the surge in irregular migration. Alice is also the Philea office's Harry Potter nerd, with a burning (unhealthy) love for dogs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Between 2005-2017, Alina served as the development director of ARC, a leading national philanthropy support organization in Romania. Alina was responsible for its strategic and impact design, and later led two innovative programs that helped shape philanthropy infrastructure in Romania & CEE.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager - Membership and Foresight
Àngel Font i Vidal holds a PhD in Economics (Barcelona Ramon Llull University) and a Degree in Chemistry (Barcelona University). He also has a diploma in Business Management from EADA. He began his career as environmental engineer, and subsequently joined Intermón Oxfam where he held different management positions, first in programs serving as Latin America Desk Officer and after as a Deputy Director, where he was liaison officer with Oxfam, and strategic planning manager. He funded the Un Sol Món (One World) Foundation financed by Caixa Catalunya, where he runs job placement, social entrepreneurship, and social housing and microfinance projects. In 2010 he joined the "la Caixa" Foundation, in different management positions. Currently is the Corporate Director of the CaixaResearch Institute and Research and Health in Portugal. In May 2020 he assumed the Presidency of Philea on behalf of the "la Caixa" Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Head of Communications and Events
Biography
Angela runs Philea's Communications team. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the organisation's internal and external communications. She has extensive experience working in think tanks, agencies, associations and NGOs in Brussels and Washington DC. She holds an MA in European Studies from the University of British Columbia, a BA in Political Science from Wellesley College in the United States and most recently completed an Executive Masters in Digital Marketing from Solvay Business School. A French and American dual citizen who spent the first 18 years of her life in the Philippines, Angela identifies as a Third Culture Kid and is most at home with a good book or eating something delicious.
Job Titles:
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
- Nomination and Governance Committee Member
Since 2008 Ms. Thöm has been the legal advisor of the Volkswagen Foundation. She heads the unit for Legal Affairs and Policy, Cooperation with Foundations and Associations. In addition, she functions as a member of the executive boards of two smaller Foundations. After completing her studies in jurisprudence at universities in Jena and Berlin, Ms. Thöm started her professional career as legal advisor at the European department of a social security benefits office for the building industry. After that, she worked as the deputy head of the legal department in the office of a district administration. Photo credit: Philip Bartz
Axelle Davezac spent 15 years of her career in various large industrial groups, as chief financial officer. Then she decided to join the philanthropy sector as CEO of the ARC Foundation for cancer research (2005-2016). She was also treasurer of Comité de la Charte (2006-2012) and Board director of both Institute of Managers associations and foundations (IDAF) and Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Strasbourg (2011-2016). She has been a member of the board of directors of the French Foundation Center (CFF), from 2015 to 2021. In September 2016, Axelle Davezac joined Fondation de France as CEO and became vice-president of France générosités (union of the charity organizations in France), a mandate that had already been entrusted to her from 2007 to 2013. In 2019, she became Vice-President of the European Foundation Centre (EFC) and now sits on the Board of Directors of Philea and the Board of Alliance Publishing Trust.
Job Titles:
- Reception and Events Officer
Biography
Carla works in the Operations department of Philea, supporting the Events and Membership teams. For the Events team she helps to coordinate event logistics and content, including processing registrations, preparing meeting materials, researching event venues, event planning, promotion, and on-site execution and her Membership work involves supporting the team with administrative tasks. She also helps to cover the reception of Philanthropy House and works to maintain Philea's databases.
Carla comes from Italy and has a Masters Degree in Area and Global Studies for International Cooperation from the University of Turin.
Job Titles:
- Board Member / Association of Charitable Foundations
- CEO of the Association of Charitable Foundations
Carol Mack is CEO of the Association of Charitable Foundations, the UK's membership association for foundations and grant-making charities. ACF's mission is to support foundations to be ambitious and effective in the way that they use their resources for social good. Chair of the Wales Funders Forum, Carol's previous roles include working at the charity regulator, in a grassroots mediation charity, and in business. She was a founding trustee of the National Emergencies Trust and Vice Chair of Tree Aid. In her spare time, she enjoys learning Welsh in order to keep up with her bilingual daughters.
Carola Carazzone is Secretary General of Assifero, the Italian membership association of family, corporate and community foundations, since 2014. She also serves as Advisory Board member of Ariadne, ECFI (European Community Foundations Initiative), Alliance Magazine Editorial Board, the PCC Philanthropy Coalition for Climate, and of Ashoka Italy. Carola moved to the philanthropy sector after fifteen-year professional experience in human rights based approaches to development programs across 18 countries. She worked with civil society organizations for the promotion and protection of human rights (especially social and economic rights, child rights, rights of persons with disabilities and gender equality), at both national and international level. She is an Italian lawyer specialized in human rights at the René Cassin International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg and holds and International Master in Development Economics and International Cooperation from the University of Pavia. In 2017 she was a Senior Fellow with the Centre on Philanthropy and Civil Society at the City University of New York.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
- Treasurer / Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Christina Lambropoulou is the Chief Financial Officer of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, responsible for the oversight of all the financial activities of the Foundation. She has been with the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation since 2009. Prior to joining, Mrs. Lambropoulou was employed in the retail banking division of Citibank in Greece where she has served for 24 years. During her period of employment with Citibank she has served in a number of capacities in the areas of Financial Control, Marketing, Product Development, Sales and Distribution Management. In her last role with Citi she was the Head of Wealth Management and Distribution, responsible for the development and sales of Deposit, Investment and Insurance products as well as the management of Citi's branch network and alternative sales channels. Mrs. Lambropoulou holds a BA degree in Applied Mathematics and Operations Research from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Biography Director of the National Foundation for Civil Society Development (NFCSD) since 2003, the NFCSD is a public foundation (with independent management structure) with the main purpose of supporting development of organised civil society in Croatia. In the NFCSD there are 102 employees working in the Foundation's Headquarter in Zagreb and in regional offices in Osijek, Rijeka i Split as well as in IMPACT - European Center for Cross-Sector partnerships for Sustainable Development in Zadar. Prior to start working in the NFCSD Cvjetana was first Head of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGO from 1983 till 2003. Before that Cvjetana was a civil servant as Head of Department for Humanitarian Assistance in the Government Office for Victims of War and from 1984-1993, was Community Organizer in one local community in Zagreb with 5.000 inhabitants (organising programmes for children and youth, women, elderly, environment protection etc). As a student Cvjetana established and worked in few youth and cultural civil society organisations.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager - Peer - Exchanges & Knowledge
Biography
Daniel Spiers joined Philea in 2021 and contributes to the implementation of various peer learning activities including the Communities of Practice, mainly on Organisational Development and Data Science, as well the Philanthropic Leadership Platform (PLP) exchanges. Additionally, he assists with the facilitation of ad hoc sessions on a variety of topics and assists the Knowledge Hub, with documenting learnings and creating knowledge products. Daniel has a keen interest in the Western Balkans region, and previously completed a traineeship at DG NEAR in the European Commission. He has worked on the topics of civil society and social rights in the region but also the overall EU enlargement process of Montenegro. He moved to the philanthropic space, as he has a deep interest in the role that third-sector actors can play in areas such as democracy, social justice and rule of law. He holds a BA from King's College London and continued his studies by gaining an MA from the Universiteit van Amsterdam in East European Studies.
Biography
Delphine Moralis is responsible for the overall functioning of the organisation and overseeing the secretariat's strategic direction, as well as playing the lead role in liaising with Philea's President, boards and committees. Prior to joining Philea, Delphine was Secretary General of Terre des Hommes International Federation, Secretary General of Missing Children Europe, and has also held positions in advocacy and public affairs at Child Focus, the European Youth Forum and Cable Europe. In December 2021 Delphine was appointed President of the Board of Directors for Enabel, the Belgian development agency which aims to build a sustainable world where women and men live under the rule of law and are free to thrive. She has a Master's degree in Philosophy and an Advanced Master's Degree in European Studies from KU Leuven.
Job Titles:
- Head of Foresight and Innovation at Philea
Biography
Dr. Hanna Stähle's role as Head of Foresight and Innovation at Philea sees her spearheading strategy and roadmap design for tracking long-term trends and developments in the European philanthropy sector, and fostering innovation. In this role, Hanna is also charged with further developing the PEX community, which unites over 70 philanthropic networks across Europe. Previously, Hanna led European public affairs, strategic partnerships, communications, and member engagement at Donors and Foundations Networks in Europe (Dafne), which is now part of Philea. Between 2018 to 2020, Hanna served as an Aide to the Secretary General of the German Association of Foundations, where she was responsible for international and strategic programmes. Earlier, she was with the Robert Bosch Stiftung, where she oversaw a grantmaking portfolio for civil society, media and journalism programmes in Europe. Hanna holds a PhD in Slavic Cultural Studies (summa cum laude) from the University of Passau, Germany. During her PhD studies she was a Research Fellow at the Higher School of Economics and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Moscow. Hanna is the author of the book "Mediatization of Orthodoxy: Russian Church in the Digital Era," published in 2021 by Routledge. Hanna was born and raised in Belarus. From December 2021 to January 2023, she served as Board Chair of the German-Belarusian Society, which is in charge of the annual Minsk Forum, and has led strategy review, redesign of the logo and launch of a new website.
Job Titles:
- Head of Membership and Governance
Biography
Francesco manages the membership and governance at Philea, which he had joined as the EFC in 2018. He looks after membership administration and strategy, and with the membership team, he supports the Philea team and leadership in their relations with members. He also has the pleasure of introducing Philea to organisations interested in joining our network, and walking them through membership application, induction and involvement. With his governance hat, he focuses on the internal dynamics of Philea as an association, assisting the governance bodies of Philea (Board of Directors, Nominations and Governance Committee, General Assembly), and managing electoral processes. A native Italian, he has a Master's degree in International Relations from Università Cattolica di Milano, and a Master's degree in Environmental Evaluation and Management from Tongji University in Shanghai. Prior to joining Philea in 2018, he spent time managing membership, governance, and communication in a number of European associations in the environmental and scientific sectors, and developed a passion for bringing people together around shared values.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee Member / ERSTE Foundation
- Deputy - Chairman of the Supervisory Board
- Senior Advisor to the Management Board of ERSTE Foundation
Franz Karl currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Management Board of ERSTE Foundation and the Savings Bank Group in Austria. Before this he was a member of the Management Board of ERSTE Foundation where he also served as CEO and Chairman. Franz Karl joined ERSTE Foundation in 2005 as Programme Director for Social Development, building and directing support to social service CSOs in Central and South-Eastern Europe as well as developing the social business and impact investment activities of ERSTE Foundation.
Prior to 2005 Franz Karl held various positions in Caritas Austria (1988-2005), where he last served as Secretary General in charge of International Programmes from 1996 to 2005.
Franz Karl holds a BA in International Studies from Webster University, St. Louis/USA and a Master of Science degree in Development Management from the Open University in England.
Franz Karl serves as Deputy-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Zweite Sparkasse in Austria and on the Supervisory Board of Banca Comerciale Romania Social Finance, a microfinance institute in Romania.
Job Titles:
- Senior Programme Manager - Climate Collaborations
Biography
Giulia Lombardi joined Philea (formerly the EFC) in 2011 as an EU Affairs Officer where she worked mainly on the European Foundation Statute. Since 2016 she has been part of the Policy and Programmes department and currently coordinates the European Environmental Funders Group (EEFG) and the European Foundations for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (EFSAF) thematic networks. Giulia has also worked for two years as project manager at the Polytechnic University of Turin within the initiative climate_change@polito and as External Relations Officer at the Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition. Prior to joining the philanthropic sector, Giulia worked for an Italian consultancy monitoring EU strategies, managing several projects funded within the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) of the European Commission.
Biography
Hanna Hanses role as Policy Manager sees her works mainly on policy monitoring and analysis and policy engagement, bridging Philea's work towards an enabling environment for philanthropy with policy priorities including climate, democracy and equality. In 2019 she joined Dafne, where she worked on the joint Dafne and EFC Philanthropy advocacy initiative, communications, and co-developing the PEX community for philanthropy infrastructure organisations and the European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate.
Hanna is a Belgian-German national with an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex, UK.
Biography Hanna Surmatz is heading the policy work at Philea and is an expert on philanthropy and foundation law. Her main responsibilities include monitoring and mapping/analysis of relevant developments that affect foundations'/funders operating environment in Europe and beyond and strengthen the overall engagement with policymakers. Between 2001 and 2004 she was employed by the Association of German Foundations (Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen) in Berlin, where she worked on foundation law issues and international matters. She studied law at the Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, Germany and at the University of Poitiers, France and worked as assistant researcher at the University of Münster for several years. She served two terms on the board of the European Center for not for profit Law (ECNL). Since 2017 she's been a representative of the philanthropic sector in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Private Sector Consultative Forum (PSCF) and since 2019 in the OECD Tax Business Advisory Group. In 2021 she became a member of GECES the European Commission expert group on Social Economy. She also represents Philea in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) CSO Liaison Group and together with ONCE foundation in the Social Economy Europe board.
Job Titles:
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
- Nomination and Governance Committee Member
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
- Nomination and Governance Committee Member / European Climate Foundation
Ida Kenny serves as Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships,at the European Climate Foundation (ECF). She has dedicated most of her career to building sustainable and well-funded organisations deand her professional experience spans climate, adaptation and bio-diversity, higher education and human rights. Prior to joining ECF in 2018, Ida was Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at Open Society Foundations. She also served in a variety of roles at INSEAD. Ida speaks English and French and she earned her MA and BA in her native Dublin, back in the day. Most of all Ida enjoys etching and printmaking when time allows.
Job Titles:
- Head of Programmes - Thematic Collaborations
Biography
Ilaria d'Auria role as Head of Programmes, Thematic Collaborations sees her oversee the collaborations among philanthropy organisations at Philea, facilitated through Philea's thematic networks, and helps them get inspired, act together and achieve greater impact. Before Philea, Ilaria worked for networks of European regions in the fields of research and innovation, developing strategic EU-funded project proposals and facilitating project opportunities for regional innovation ecosystems. Ilaria holds a graduate degree in Sociology and a Master in Social Business and Innovation Management.
Job Titles:
- Conference and Events Manager
Biography
Isabel Valero is in charge of organising the yearly conference, the Philea Forum, working together with members to plan their events all over Europe and organising meetings and events taking place at Philanthropy House. With a background in Law, Business and Project Management, Isabel is passionate about organising events that allow the exchange of knowledge between countries and help raising awareness on topics that would not be discussed in international environments otherwise.
Isabel has been involved in the Erasmus+ project at the University Nova de Lisboa and worked at the Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations in New York City as an advisor on Political issues and human rights. Before joining Philea, Isabel managed a European Association representing healthcare professionals in Europe, working in projects that had an impact on hundreds of thousands of patients.
Job Titles:
- Information and Knowledge Manager at Philea
Biography
Isabelle Piette's role as Information and Knowledge Manager at Philea sees her contribute to the information services provided by Philea Knowledge Hub and to the development of Philea knowledge management.
Before being hired in 2002 at the European Foundation Centre, she worked in the field of office automation training and administration. Of Belgian nationality, Isabelle speaks French and English. She holds a master's degree in Art History and Archaeology, as well as a postgraduate degree in Information Management Sciences.
Biography
Jack arrived at Philea in late 2023, taking the position of Data Officer. His work involves analysing data and identifying trends to help Philea develop better insights for the wider philanthropic community. Having a firm grasp of Philea's member engagement, he is charged with identifying trends, patterns and insights to assist senior staff members' decision making in relation to Philea's members and growth.
Jack comes from Ireland and has an undergraduate degree in World Languages, namely French, German and the Irish language. Language acquisition is an area he is incredibly passionate about. Additionally, Jack holds a master's degree in information systems, and completed a thesis on the topic of ‘The Feasibility of Digital Transformation as a Managed Service Offering (DTaaS)'. He enjoys academic and personal writing, having experience as a blog writer for a software company in addition to his master's thesis. Jack also has experience volunteering in his local community in Ireland, and has received awards in recognition of this volunteer work, such as the Lions Club Student Ambassador of the Year Award (2017) and the Leaders of Tomorrow Award (2023).
Jack is a naturally sporty person and aims to one day complete a marathon. He follows football as well as hurling - a native sport in Ireland. Jack's curiosity and interest in helping the community is something that he wishes to maintain in his professional development, and is some will undoubtedly extrapolate these values into his work at Philea.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- CEO of Realdania
- Member of Several Boards / Committees
Jesper Nygård is the CEO of Realdania (since 2073}, a private member based philanthropic association in Denmark, with 775,000+ members, which supports philanthropic projects in field of the built environment and sustainability.
Jesper is also a member of several boards/committees including Ph ilea member Danish Foundations' Knowledge Center (Chairman), The Danish Management Society and C40. Jesper is a skilled moderator and active public debater both nationally and internationally, where Jesper advocates for co-creation, building trust, working with complex societal problems, e.g. climate solutions.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Manager
Biography Josh manages the production and publication of content on the website, and social media channels of Philea and oversees the production and distribution of multimedia products like mappings, reports and videos. He also helps to maintain the Philea brand and oversees the production of newsletters and marketing emails. A former intern at the European Foundation Centre, his work history includes working in the retail (hell) sector, as a tour guide in Canterbury and a solitary game as a semi-professional footballer. When not working in the environs of Philanthropy House, Josh can be found cooking, reading, gaming, going on long walks in the country and watching his local team fail to impress at football.
Biography
Jon's role as Senior Communications Manager at Philea sees him leading the Editorial Board and writing content for speeches, articles, and opinion pieces on behalf of Philea. He also helps enhance the Philea brand and ensures the creation of material that supports key objectives, ideals and desired identity, to which end he manages the daily activities of a content team (social media, website).
A former intern at the European Foundation Centre, he worked briefly for an investment bank in Brussels before deciding he was (much, much) better suited to the non-profit sector. In his free time he is dedicated to practicing a variety of martial arts including ninjutsu and jujutsu, as well as creative writing.
Biography Josh manages the production and publication of content on the website, and social media channels of Philea and oversees the production and distribution of multimedia products like mappings, reports and videos. He also helps to maintain the Philea brand and oversees the production of newsletters and marketing emails. A former intern at the European Foundation Centre, his work history includes working in the retail (hell) sector, as a tour guide in Canterbury and a solitary game as a semi-professional footballer. When not working in the environs of Philanthropy House, Josh can be found cooking, reading, gaming, going on long walks in the country and watching his local team fail to impress at football.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee Member / Kone Foundation
- Director of Funding at Kone Foundation
Biography Nevgül Bilsel Safkan graduated from the Austrian High School in 1989, the İstanbul University School of Business Department of Business Administration in 1993, and the Boğaziçi University Executive MBA Program in 2003. Starting her career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen, she worked in the CFO and General Manager positions for leading companies. Spending 11 years of her career with the Sabancı Group, Nevgül Bilsel Safkan started to work as the General Manager of Sabancı Foundation in September 2018. She is also the Vice President of the Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TÜSEV) and a member of the Executive Board of the Education Reform Initiative (ERG). In 2021, she was granted the title of Zero Project Ambassador for a period of 4 years by the Essl Foundation which is based in Austria and works globally on disability rights. Nevgül Bilsel Safkan is married with one child.
Kalle Korhonen is Director of Funding at Kone Foundation, one of the biggest private grantmaking foundations in Finland. He is responsible for all the grants awarded by the foundation, which supports humanities, social sciences, and environmental research, as well as all fields of art, including artistic research.
Korhonen's background is in cross-disciplinary academic research. His PhD, from 2003, combines historical and linguistic approaches to the cultural heritage of Greco-Roman Sicily. Afterwards, he has collaborated with biologists in looking at the diversification of languages from an evolutionary perspective. He was University Lecturer in Classics at the University of Helsinki from 2007 until 2012.
At Kone Foundation, Korhonen started in 2012 as Head (later Director) of Research Funding. Since January 2021 he has been responsible for art funding, too. This line of work is compatible with his long-time interest and networks in contemporary art, especially visual arts, performing arts, and music.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager
- Programme Manager - Climate Coalition
Biography
Karalyn Gardner role as Programme Manager - Climate Coalition sees her coordinate the work of the European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate within Philea. Her ambition is to see all foundations, regardless of their mission, integrating a climate lens across their work and philanthropy playing a catalytic role in the transition towards a more sustainable future for all. She leads the European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate's peer-exchanges and communications, and supports the development of the global #PhilanthropyForClimate movement in collaboration with WINGS and the national commitment hosts including ACF (UK), AEF (Spain), CFF (France) and Assifero (Italy). Karalyn graduated from the College of Europe (Natolin, Poland) with an Advanced Master's degree in European Interdisciplinary Studies, specialising in the EU and its Neighbourhood. She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Exeter in Classics.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager - Equality Collaborations
Biography
Letizia manages three networks of philanthropic institutions working on issues of equality, diversity and inclusion. In this role, she co-designs and implements multi-annual programmes and annual operating workplans aiming at achieving the network's objectives in accordance with Philea's strategy and objectives; and she develops and maintains relations with stakeholders active in fields relevant for the thematic networks. Before Philea, Letizia worked in luxury real estate in Italy, while completing her political science university education with a Master in Fundraising and Communications for the non-profit sector. She is is passionate about sports - from skating to surfing, volleyball and tennis.
Biography
Lorena Marin, oversees and maintains the good functionality of Philanthropy House in Brussels, its office and meeting spaces, as well as the front desk and exhibition area. She joined the EFC in 2018 and took on a variety of roles such as supporting the events department and being involved in the governance aspects of the organization. Prior to this, she worked in journalism and administration, and has a bachelor's degree in Sociology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Biography With more than 17 years of experience at ONCE Foundation, where she is currently in charge of Alliances, Social and International Relations. She holds a Law Degree, a Master in Management of Foundations and other non-profit entities and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from IESE Business School. After working for the public as a consultant, she assumed different positions to promote inclusion and equal opportunities mainly for people with disabilities, but also regarding the monitoring and promotion of policies and regulations to guarantee the Rights and Economic sustainability of the Disability, Foundation, Social Economy Sectors at national and European level. Among her responsibilities, she develops strategic projects in the field of social innovation and promotes relationships and alliances with legal operators, social providers, international organization, public institution and social investment platforms. Willing to take the potential of philanthropy to a higher level and tackle the difficult challenges we are facing, she is committed to share her expertise, promote mutual peer-learning and enhance the benefits of transnational cooperation.
Job Titles:
- Senior Knowledge Development Manager
Biography
Lucia joined Philea (then the EFC) in 2012, and worked initially for the Professional Development and Communications departments of the organisation while also working as a Fundraiser officer for ERAB Foundation, a research foundation based in Brussels. Since 2014, she has worked with the knowledge team, where she collects and analyses data from Philea members, responds to research requests and produces mappings on different themes at the heart of European foundations' work.
On the side, and after working for documentary festivals and cultural associations in Italy, Lucia has founded a cultural association based in Brussels, and sits on the board of AIF+, the Flemish umbrella organisation of intercultural associations in Belgium. Lucia holds a MA in Linguistic Science for Intercultural Communications from Universitá per Stranieri di Siena.
Biography
Lucia joined Philea in September 2022. In her current role, she mainly supports legal work within the "Enable" cluster and assists with policy engagement on strategic files. She has experience working on various topics of International and European Law in law firms in Brussels and Milan, and on policy matters in the European Commission. She holds an LLM in European Law from the College of Europe, Bruges.
Job Titles:
- Membership Development Officer
Lucía works within the membership team at Philea, acting as a first point of contact for potential members, and coordinating the membership application and induction process for new members. She also monitors and encourages existing members' involvement in Philea activities.
She has worked in different areas related to human rights, with experience in gender equality and human rights defenders protection. She holds a double Bachelor's in Criminology and Law from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and an MA in Human Rights from Columbia University in New York.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Founder of Genio
Madeleine Clarke is founder of Genio, which manages philanthropic and public funding and provides capacity-building for scaling successful citizen-centred innovations - social and environmental. Genio works at national and EU levels and is a trusted partner of government agencies, EU institutions and international foundations. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the ESF Social innovation + Initiative; chairs the Steering Group for the establishment of a National Centre for Social Innovation in Ireland; and is on the Steering Committee for the King Baudouin Foundation's European Programme. Madeleine has been Chairperson of the European Venture Philanthropy Association, Board Director of Social Venture Partners International, and was the Inaugural Chairperson of the Children's Rights Alliance in Ireland. Previously Madeleine held a number of leadership roles as a professional psychologist, manager, and consultant to philanthropic, government and social service providing organisations. She holds an M.A. Psychology, and M.Sc. [Econ.]
Job Titles:
- Programme Officer - Climate Collaborations
Biography
Marco joined Philea in March 2023 as a Programme Officer - Climate Collaboration and supports the work of the European Foundations for Sustainable Food and Agriculture network and European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate (EPCC).
Prior to joining Philea, Marco had internship experiences with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, the Green Climate Fund and the European Commission. He also worked as an analyst for PFAN, where he supported the implementation of projects focusing on climate mitigation and adaptation in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds two Master's degrees, the first on Paleoclimatology from Utrecht University, the second on Climate Science and Policies from King's College London. Before his master degrees, he completed a Bachelor's degree in Sustainable Development at Kingston University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Manager
Biography
Marianne Johnston provides editorial and general communications support to staff, and works on streamlining communications processes across the organisation. In 2000 she joined the European Foundation Centre (now Philea), and since then has contributed through a variety of communications roles. Over the years, Marianne has greatly enjoyed watching European philanthropy bloom into what it is today. Prior to this, she worked in the field of news media research in New York City while also authoring a number of educational children's books. Marianne is a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US.
Job Titles:
- Board Member / Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
- CEO of Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
Dr. Hedin is the CEO of Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. She received an MA in American History from the University of Notre Dame, USA in 1990, and a PhD in history from Stockholm University in 2002. Previously a Museum Director, she has worked at the Nobel Museum, the Vasa Museum and the Uppsala University Museum. Dr Hedin's own writings has dealt with Swedish liberalism, the history of the Nobel prizes, the history of science, and various aspects of public history. She has also worked with public history in radio and on TV, programme committees and numerous conferences and symposia. Dr Hedin was appointed Life Member of Clare Hall College (Cambridge University) in 2006 and received an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Uppsala University in 2012. She has served on several Museum Boards nationally and internationally, and is currently on the Board of Philea.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Managing Director of Fondation CHANEL France & Europe
Marion serves as Managing Director of Fondation CHANEL France & Europe, a corporate foundation striving for the creation of the condition for women and girls to be free to shape their own destiny.
Job Titles:
- Events and Impact Manager
Biography
Marta Gallerani works within the Events team at Philea. In this role, her mission is to monitor that there is a strong engagement of members in Philea's activities, most notably the events, and to channel this knowledge for membership purposes. She is also the responsible person for the creation and maintenance of all events' websites, for any registration issue, as well as the point of contact for the Thematic Network Coordinators' needs in terms of events. Ahead of the Philea Forum, she supports the Conference Manager in the preparation of the biggest event of Philea. Marta holds a bachelor's degree in Interpreting and Translation, as well as a master's in Intercultural Communication.
Job Titles:
- Reception and Admin Assistant
Biography
Martina joined Philea in February 2024 as Reception and Admin Assistant. She assists the Facilities Manager in maintaining the smooth operation of Philanthropy House and managing the front desk. Additionally, she provides support to the administrative and events department.
Before her current position at Philea, Martina interned for various NGOs and organisations dedicated to peacebuilding and human rights. These experiences covered a range of perspectives, including disarmament, peace education, and people on the move rights. In her free time, Martina also served as a coordinator for an NGO focused on social inclusion.
Martina holds a bachelor's degree in Peace Studies and a master's degree in International Studies from the University of Turin.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee Member / the Lutheran World Federation
Educated as banker and lawyer, international development specialist with a Master of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a doctorate in International Studies from the Graduate Institute Geneva, Matthias has worked in multiple UN organizations, led the Geneva Advocacy work of Amnesty International, and build up the Europe Office of a major US education non-for profit. Matthias also teaches international relations and serves on several boards. Currently he leads Global Innovative Partnerships at the Lutheran World Federation, a major international faith-based actor, and builds finance innovations and created a new foundation separate from LWF but financed by it, the Stiftung Olivenzweig.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Biography Nevgül Bilsel Safkan graduated from the Austrian High School in 1989, the İstanbul University School of Business Department of Business Administration in 1993, and the Boğaziçi University Executive MBA Program in 2003. Starting her career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen, she worked in the CFO and General Manager positions for leading companies. Spending 11 years of her career with the Sabancı Group, Nevgül Bilsel Safkan started to work as the General Manager of Sabancı Foundation in September 2018. She is also the Vice President of the Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TÜSEV) and a member of the Executive Board of the Education Reform Initiative (ERG). In 2021, she was granted the title of Zero Project Ambassador for a period of 4 years by the Essl Foundation which is based in Austria and works globally on disability rights. Nevgül Bilsel Safkan is married with one child.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager - Democracy Collaborations
Biography
Before working at Philea, Nils spent six years negotiating refugee housing rights at the Flemish and Belgian policy level. He also coordinated a network of non-profits across Flanders that tackled refugee homelessness. Prior to that he was a researcher at Auckland University where he published research on the sense of community in New Zealand neighbourhoods, and was an intern at UNHCR where he analysed the electoral programmes of the Belgian political parties with regards to migration. In his spare time Nils volunteers as an unaffiliated consultant for LGBT refugees who need help preparing for their asylum hearings. Nils has a Master degree in Theory and Research in Psychology at KUL with a focus on social and cross-cultural research and also studied International Politics at UGent.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Biography Regional Director Europe at Porticus (2017-today). Professional in philanthropy, civil society support, analyst, author, former Minister of Education. Worked with Václav Havel's Forum 2000 Foundation, then as adviser on social cohesion in the European Parliament. Later became a Member of Czech Parliament and of the Government as the Minister of Education (2006-2010). He worked as analyst at Glopolis (Prague Global Policy Institute) and as advisor on advocacy to Open Society Foundations (inclusive education). 2014-2017 he focused on supporting changemakers in CEE with Ashoka, world largest network of social entrepreneurs. Founder of several initiatives and CSO‘s. Graduated in Political Science and Comparative Studies of Religions. Lectured around Europe and Asia on education, civil society, transitions to democracy, green economy and human rights. In 2017 joined the global philanthropic entity Porticus as Regional Director for Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa, since 2020 acting as Regional Director for Europe.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Nomination and Governance Committee
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
Rana has more than twenty years of experience in business and non-profit sectors. She currently serves as the Secretary General of the Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TUSEV). Prior to TUSEV, Rana was the Director of Programs and International Relations at the Sabanci Foundation. Rana is a board member of BCSDN. She served as Governing Council member of EFC from 2013 to 2017 and as National Advisory Group member of TACSO from 2014 to 2017. She is a contributor to Alliance Magazine. She earned a BS in Business Administration from Bosphorus University and an MBA from Yale School of Management.
Biography
Rebecca oversees the grant funding for Philea's various projects and programmes.
Rebecca has over 15 years of experience in fundraising and operations for the NGO sector, primarily in the sector of children's rights.
Job Titles:
- Director for International Relations and Community
- Member of Nominations and Governance Committee
- Nomination and Governance Committee Member
Rosa Gallego is Director for International Relations and Community Foundations at the Spanish Association of Foundations (AEF). Since September 2020, she is in the lead of the programme to support the creation of community foundations, in collaboration with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Daniel&Nina Carasso Foundation. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Candid. She is also part of The Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society's Senior International Fellows Program. Between 2015 and 2020 she has been a member of the Board of Directors of WINGS and, from 2009 to 2017, she chaired Dafne. Previously to the foundation sector, she worked in the education field at the American Field Service in Spain and UK and in responsible tourism as Secretary-General at International Young NatureFriends in Brussels. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Complutense University and an Advanced Management Programme from Esade Business School. She studied International Business at the Hanzehogeschool in Groningen (Netherlands) as an Erasmus grantee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Gulbenkian Foundation in 1999 As Advisor
Secretary-general (since 2012) and Secretary to the Board (since 2005). Rui Esgaio joined the Gulbenkian Foundation in 1999 as advisor to the Office of the President, becoming Director of this Office in May 2001 (until 2015). Graduating in Economics from the Catholic University of Portugal and with a post-graduate qualifications in Development and International Cooperation and in Financial Analysis. Also made the Advanced Management Program of INSEAD in 2013. He began his professional career under the auspices of the project "Building the Competitive Advantages of Portugal", run by Harvard Professor Michael Porter, having also held the post of Assistant to the Secretary of State for Agro-food Production before later serving as Assistant to the Secretary of State for Agricultural Markets and Agro-food Quality.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Officer
- Finance
Biography
Sarah's role at Philea sees her work closely with the Head of Finance to manage the day-to-day financial operations of the organisation and also sees her support the Philea team in ad hoc activities and projects. Passionate about social progress and development, Sarah has always strived to work for the third sector.
Before joining Philea, Sarah worked for a Berlin based international NGO and she holds a Master's in Emerging Economies and International Development from King's College London. During her time off, you can find her travelling, wandering in nature, or getting lost in libraries.
Job Titles:
- Head of Research and Knowledge Development
Biography
Sevda leads on Philea's research and knowledge development work to contribute to building Philea's knowledge base on European philanthropy, and increasing the quality of data being created and used by the philanthropic organisations to make critical decisions, improve their practices, and enhance their impact. With experience in the full research project life cycle both within industry and academic/research-intensive contexts, her work entails providing high level research support to the Knowledge team, developing and managing Philea's research agenda; seeking out new opportunities for research collaboration for Philea; serving as liaison to academic institutions and research centres on philanthropy; turning data into insights; using learnings from peer exchanges to create new knowledge products; and ensuring that peer exchanges are informed by the latest research in the field.
Sevda has worked in and around philanthropy for two decades and is deeply invested in blending practice with the study of philanthropy. She has a PhD in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and a Master's degree in Philanthropic Studies and Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Bologna.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee Member / Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Shannon Lawder directs the Mott Foundation's Civil Society program. Based in the London office, she provides overall guidance for Civil Society grantmaking in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the United States. Lawder joined the Foundation's office in Prague in 1995 as a program officer responsible for grantmaking in Russia and Ukraine. She subsequently served as regional director for Central and Eastern Europe until she was promoted to program director in 2008. She also managed a grant portfolio focusing on improving the effectiveness of global philanthropy and non-profit support organisations. Prior to joining Mott, Lawder was international program director at the Olga Havel Foundation in Prague. Lawder has served on the Governing Council of the European Foundation Centre and the boards of WINGS and the Alliance Publishing Trust, and she is currently a board member of the Global Greengrants Fund.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee Member / Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH
- Senior Manager to the Board of Management
Silke joined the Robert Bosch Stiftung as Senior Manager to the Board of Management in 2017, working closely with the boards on strategic realignments and governance of the foundation. In her current role, which she moved on to in 2021, she is responsible for international philanthropy and sustainability within the future issues and foundation development team that reports directly to the CEO. She monitors trends and debates within philanthropy in their relevance for the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the role the foundation plays in shaping the sector. Together with the programme teams, Silke aims to further develop the foundation's grantmaking practices. She's also coordinating the foundation's activities to reduce its carbon footprint. Before joining the Robert Bosch Stiftung, Silke has been working for the German Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in London and Stockholm.
Job Titles:
- Personal Assistant to the CEO
Biography
Silvia manages the CEO's complex calendar and activities, ensuring that time is utilised effectively. She supports in organising meetings and travel arrangements, while contributing to a positive team culture.
A passionate Latin-languages enthusiast, Silvia holds a Bachelor in Translation and Interpreting, after which she pursued a Masters in cultural tourism in Bergamo and Lyon. She immersed herself in the world of museums through an internship and a thesis on the role of cultural initiatives for community development. She also embarked on a volunteering experience for a Greek NGO, teaching English to refugees and asylum seekers, after which she ventured to Brussels for an internship at the European Travel Commission, where she developed strong organisational and collaboration skills and managed to apply her results-oriented mindset. Silvia aspires to a career with a profound social impact that revolves around meaningful human interactions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Head of President
Biography Director of the National Foundation for Civil Society Development (NFCSD) since 2003, the NFCSD is a public foundation (with independent management structure) with the main purpose of supporting development of organised civil society in Croatia. In the NFCSD there are 102 employees working in the Foundation's Headquarter in Zagreb and in regional offices in Osijek, Rijeka i Split as well as in IMPACT - European Center for Cross-Sector partnerships for Sustainable Development in Zadar. Prior to start working in the NFCSD Cvjetana was first Head of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGO from 1983 till 2003. Before that Cvjetana was a civil servant as Head of Department for Humanitarian Assistance in the Government Office for Victims of War and from 1984-1993, was Community Organizer in one local community in Zagreb with 5.000 inhabitants (organising programmes for children and youth, women, elderly, environment protection etc). As a student Cvjetana established and worked in few youth and cultural civil society organisations.
Stefano Viglione is the Head of President's Office, external relations and communications officer and studies and research office coordinator at Fondazione CRC. Throughout the last twenty-three years, his interest in the community brought him to fulfil several roles in public administration. His acts include ten years as mayor and thirteen years of engagement with the Province of Cuneo and as town councillor.
At twenty-one years of age, following a car accident, Stefano was forced on a wheelchair. His disability has never defined his life, rather it let him grow his passions further and pursue his goals. Indeed, he keeps practicing his best-loved sport - skiing - as a retired athlete. Stefano describes himself as a citizen of the world given his upbringing between Italy and the UK, where his mother was from. As an enrichment of his cultural baggage, he counts many experiences abroad during his academic years. Lastly, although most importantly, Stefano is a proud husband and father.
Job Titles:
- Head of Programmes - Peer - Exchanges
Biography
Stefanos's role at Philea encompasses the strategy, implementation, and M&E for the Philea portfolio of communities of practice and peer-exchange programmes. Stefanos is passionate about weaving networks; and enabling sharing of best practices pertaining to both strategic and trust-based philanthropy. In this way, he hopes to contribute to a more effective, accountable, and inclusive sector. Prior to his current role, Stefanos worked with the EFC as Thematic Networks Coordinator, stewarding six communities of practice in a range of areas including grantmaking; investments; strategic communications; and operations. This work entailed designing and implementing programmatic activities; nurturing relationships with project stakeholders; and taking care of project governance. In his early days with the EFC, Stefanos worked in various roles related to grants management, membership, and the flagship annual convening of the sector. Stefanos also gained experience in policy, project management, and communications with the European Institute for Gender Equality in Lithuania; the pan-African nonprofit Make Every Woman Count, and the U.S-based National Democratic Institute. Stefanos has a master's degree in political management and electoral politics from The George Washington University; and an undergraduate degree in media studies (liberal arts) from The University of Athens.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Thomas grew up and went to school in a little town south of Munich close to the Alps. He studied Political Science and History at the universities of Freiburg and Munich. After university, Thomas worked at the Center for Applied Policy Research, a think tank. He spent half a year as guest professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and then decided to explore the private sector joining the HypoVereinsbank (now UniCredit) and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2004, Thomas moved back to the non-profit sector joining Körber-Stiftung as head of their newly established Berlin office and director for international affairs. In 2015, he became a member of the executive board at the headquarters in Hamburg, where he is responsible for our programs in the areas of international affairs, history, education, and science. In addition, he serves as CFO of the foundation.
Biography
Valentina Nerviani is responsible for developing, monitoring and maintaining a learning and development strategy and plan for all team members at Philea, as well as monitoring and supporting staff welfare. In addition, she supervises the HR administrative processes and takes care of the day-to-day HR activities. She first joined EFC in 2013, working as an Assistant to the CEO and HR Officer until 2017. At the end of that year, she moved to the Netherlands and started working at the European Patent Office as an HR Specialist until 2021. After this experience, she decided to return to Brussels and was happy to accept the position of Human Resources Coordinator at Philea.
Previously, Valentina worked in Turin and Milan as an HR consultant in learning and development. She holds a degree in European Affairs from the University of Turin and was an Erasmus student at the Utrecht School of Law.