Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate Leadership Institute Summit

Afroza Anannya is an experienced professional in the field of climate and environment in the humanitarian and development sector and with a higher degree in International Environmental Studies from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. As a technical professional at the Norwegian Refugee Council, she focuses on capacity building of national and regional centers working with Climate and weather information and bringing scientific and indigenous community knowledge together to build climate resilience. She is passionate about tackling climate change issues and am highly motivated to drive solution-oriented work to tackle the climate crisis the world is facing at present. As part of her work, she has collaborated with various organizations in different continents, undertaken several field missions, and led several climate change-related projects. Throughout my experience in past years, she has developed program and project management skills as well as operational skills to bring research and operational aspects together.

Anna Rountree brings over 15 years of experience in international affairs, women’s and children’s rights, and mental health. Anna’s expertise lies in developing large scale programs and campaigns that create opportunities for underrepresented populations. As Director of Communications at Clubhouse International, Anna develops and executes strategies that boost awareness and engagement of the Clubhouse approach to recovery for people with mental illness and provides strategic oversight of campaigns and events. On the Advisory Board of ECHO, Anna helps to build global capacity for emergency medicine. As a member of the Clubhouse Racial Justice Committee, Anna addressed inequities experienced by people of color with mental illness. Previously, Anna edited the Governance and Rights Framework for the International Rescue Committee; prepared analytical reports for the General Assembly and Security Council, securing passage of resolutions; and scrutinized policing of poorer communities as Associate Producer at CBS. Anna earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, double minoring in French and International Affairs from Binghamton University, and a Master's Degree in International Affairs from The New School. Anna’s practicum, Bridging the Gaps: Implementation of Comprehensive Abortion Care in Ethiopia, inspired much of her subsequent focus on the voiceless. Anna loves to travel, read, and meet people.

Atupere Phiri is a Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate and Paul Dudley White Fellowship recipient. He has extensive experience in healthcare service delivery, particularly serving vulnerable populations with chronic illnesses. Atupere is studying at Harvard Medical School, pursuing a Master of Medical Science in Global Health Delivery, and taking a child protection course with T.H. Chan School of Public Health-Harvard FXB Center.

Previously, as a clinician, Atupere has spearheaded initiatives in palliative care, oncology, and health system strengthening, forming partnerships with governmental and other key stakeholders in health service delivery at Partners In Health-Malawi. Atupere has a strategic approach to program planning and advanced research and policy analysis skills that enable me to drive impactful interventions and contribute to humanitarian efforts.

Berta Soley holds a Bachelor's in Social Education (sp. in mental health) at Ramón Llull University (Barcelona, Spain) and a Master's in Development and International Relations (sp. in gender studies) at Aalborg University (Denmark). She also completed her leadership training with the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate Virtual Leadership Institute. Berta has vast experience working within human rights and international development and cooperation at the UNDP Samoa and other NGOs, in the areas of M&E and project management. She later on combined this experience with academia, education and research at several universities, where she worked as a professor and coordinated the teaching quality unit, as well as the research and international relations departments. She is well-experienced in project management, as well as the development of e-learning platforms and journal publishing processes. Furthermore, with a great interest in the prevention and response to violence against women, she conducted research on gender studies and specially gender-based violence.
Currently, she is working at the IRCT as Project Manager of different projects related to the quality of rehabilitation provided to survivors of torture. She is also responsible for the e-learning and knowledge sharing spaces, as well as the publication of the Torture Journal.

Bikash Manna is a licensed advocate and passionate humanitarian professional with a deep commitment to making the world a better place. With a career spanning over two decades, Bikash has amassed extensive experience in the humanitarian and development sector, achieving significant milestones in leading large-scale, multi-country humanitarian response, recovery, and reconstruction programs.

Since 2000, Bikash has been a pivotal figure at HelpAge International, where he manages the Global Emergency Fund (GEF) and supports country offices, partners, and network members in humanitarian crisis response. His responsibilities encompass needs assessment, response planning, monitoring, and reporting. To date, Bikash has successfully managed 89 emergency response grants across 73 countries, addressing medium and small-scale emergencies. Additionally, he oversees humanitarian capacity strengthening of partners through a comprehensive three-year process.

Before joining HelpAge International, Bikash played crucial roles in over 200 global emergencies while working with organizations like Action Aid, Lutheran World Service, CARE, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and Terre des Hommes Foundation. His technical expertise spans cash-based programs, nutrition, shelter, child protection, education, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and food security & livelihoods in emergencies.

Known for his facilitation skills, Bikash has conducted over 200 training sessions on diverse topics, including Participatory Vulnerability Analysis, Community-Based Disaster Risk Management, DRR mainstreaming, school safety plans, and psychosocial care in emergencies. He possesses a profound knowledge of project cycle management and donor policies, working effectively with organizations like USAID, DFID, DEC, ECHO, UNICEF, UNDP, Swiss Solidarity, and more.

Bupe Mulenga Kabamba holds a Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Lusaka, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in demography with economics from the University of Zambia. She has ten over years’ experience in research and evaluation. She currently works as Research and Learning Specialist on a malaria project helping to generate data for decision making to end malaria. Previously, while working as a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research, she contributed to understanding how making data easier for communities to understand can empower them to participate in decision making. Before this she had worked in the agriculture sector contributing to research aimed at improving post-harvest practices among small scale farmers and getting them the right seed varieties for food security. Her career started out at the Zambian chapter of a global standard called the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative advocating for disclosure of remittances of mining companies to the government and receipts of the government from mining companies. Given her experience in diverse sectors, Bupe believes in and is passionate about the application of data-driven and evidence based, sector wide approaches in any intervention as a holistic remedy if people’s lives are to be improved. A feminist, she believes in including women’s and local voices and lived experiences in every space and at all levels.

As Head of Communications, Courtney Calardo oversees the overall development and implementation of BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (UPGI) communications strategy. She has dedicated the last 14 years to amplifying voices of women most affected by issues of inequality and supporting evidence-based approaches that meet their social and economic needs. Courtney joined BRAC in 2020, after working at Family Planning 2020 and USAID Development Innovation Ventures, and has led strategic initiatives to shape policy dialogues to focus more intently on those furthest behind, drive uptake of proven development interventions, and advance partnerships to bring them to scale. With additional experience in the private sector, Courtney has supported the development and execution of communication strategies for a variety of academic institutions, international governments, NGOs and corporations from around the world. Courtney graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and International Studies, focusing on human rights and photojournalism.

Daniel Ng'andu is a technological enthusiast with a focus on community impact. With over five years of experience as a software engineer and program officer, he has worked on four high-profile national projects that have transformed industries, including the taxes and healthcare sectors. Currently, he serves as a Program Officer at PATH, where he has spent the last two years leading digital tool development and implementation.
Daniel holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Zambia, where his thesis explored the transformative effects of digitizing health records on the operational efficiency of healthcare facilities. This research highlighted his passion for leveraging technology to improve access to patient information, streamline workflows, reduce documentation errors, and enhance communication among healthcare stakeholders.
A natural leader, Daniel is known for his infectious energy, passion, and charisma. He excels in inspiring and guiding others, fostering environments where teamwork thrives, and innovation flourishes. His skills in project management, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and digital tool development have been pivotal in his career.

✅Career Accomplishments
• Active member of PATH Zambia Business Development Committee.
• Actively participated in the formulation of the national MoH: Community health service package (CHSP), CHW guidelines, Interoperability Architectural Framework(IAF), and the Digital Health Strategy ( 2022-2026)
• Acting lead developer for a +$2 million project funded by CDC for the Ministry of Health.
• Program officer responsible for digital tools implementation on a + $3 million dollar project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Deogratias Agaba is a public health practitioner with 20 years of combined experience and cross-cutting skills and expertise in policy advocacy, strategic communication, social/behavior change and program management. Currently, he is the Program Manager at PATH in Uganda, leading the civil society engagement portfolio across several Gavi grants to Uganda’s Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI). Under this portfolio, he oversees implementation of subgrants amounting to over US $4 million allocated to 25 local civil society organizations to support demand generation and uptake of immunization services for the country to achieve optimal immunization coverage of 95% and above, between now and 2028. Deogratias also provides advocacy and communication-related technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in the ongoing country plans to introduce the malaria vaccine into the routine immunization schedule. Previously, Deogratias served as the Regional Advocacy and Communications Manager in PATH, supporting a number of countries in Africa and Asia, to advance their policy advocacy agenda for improved access to medical oxygen, immunization, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services. This effort included supporting the establishment of civil society coalitions for increased medical oxygen advocacy in Malawi, Zambia, DRC and India.

Dr. Shyam Kumar Katta, an Atlas Corps Scholar and ClimateBase Fellow, brings 20 years of expertise in social development, focusing on eradicating hunger, poverty, and climate change. As the Director of Programs at Heifer International, USA, he has led 23 diversified projects aimed at enhancing living incomes by 30% in agri-value chains, smallholder farmers' livelihoods, farmer-owned agribusinesses, women's empowerment, climate-resilient agriculture, sustainability, and biodiversity.

Dr. Katta holds five international patents and has published extensively, serving as a reviewer and editor for 43 SAGE Publications journals. His work has significantly impacted 2 million rural families in India through collaborations with 300 Farmer Producer Companies, 6,200 SHG enterprises, 112 corporations, and 450 NGOs, securing $108 million in investments. Known for his strategic planning, program design, and partnership building, Dr. Katta is also a peer coach and mentor to 54 scholars across 27 countries, specializing in climate change, agri-food systems, and human development.

Edrisa Keita is a National Coordinator with Tostan Gambia. His roles include programme development, implementation, monitoring, reporting, forging partnership opportunities with existing and potential institutions, recruitment, staff evaluation, annual assessment, and general coordinator role with staff in the field.
Edrisa completed the University Programme in Population and Development at University of the Gambia. He also attended a trainer's course on Entrepreneurship and Income Generating Activities and Professional Trainer Certificate in Project Planning, Management and Evaluation at the Pan African Institute for Development Cameroon. He also received a diploma in Business Management Administration from the Institute of Commercial Management in London. He also worked as Accounts Clerk in the Ministry of Finance and a Programme Officer in the Women’s Bureau. Edrisa participated in various national development platforms with agencies such as development of UN Development Assistant Framework for the Gambia working group, Trainings of Youth in Project Proposal writing, and the development process of the Women’s Bill of 2010. Edrisa is a proud Atlas Corps Hilton Humanitarian Laureate Institute Alumni that has significantly reinforced his leadership abilities to contribute to community led development and positive social transformation and change.

Godfrey Okumu is a social change advocate/activist and community-led development expert with over 20 years of experience in community-led change, promoting community wellbeing, movement building, program management, leadership training, human rights advocacy, HIV research, and management of social change projects across Africa. In his professional life, Godfrey has supported and nurtured grassroots groups and communities on community-led programming, human rights advocacy, campaigning and networking/building social movements. He previously worked for NIGEE, where his role was to spearhead a campaign on ending child marriage and FGM/C which also included championing girl’s quality education. He also previously worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Field Coordinator for a Youth Intervention, where he was part of the team that adapted the eminently known Adolescents HIV/AIDS Evidence Based Families Matter! and Healthy Choices I&II programs in Kenya and across sub-Sahara Africa. As part of his international assignment, he also worked for ActionAid International Zambia as a National Youth Inspirator where he supported the establishment of a National Youth Coordinating Team with decentralized structures in the rural communities to enhance the rollout of youth social change campaigns in Zambia; his efforts have since made ActionAid Zambia earn recognition as a youth-friendly and vibrant campaign establishment. In 2018, he was appointed to be a member of the International Planning Team for the GNB Global Meeting 2018 under Girls Not Brides. Currently, he is a Global Member of the Girls Not Brides Members Advisory Committee. He is a Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate Leadership Institute fellow, Advocacy For A HIV Cure Academy Fellow and AVAC Fellow. At Tostan, Godfrey is part of the Program/TTC training team and he is supporting in CEP training, conception, learning and mutual sharing, building strategic partnerships, monitoring and evaluating training modules. He’s also part of the Partnership team and he is leading work on influencing (Learning and Mutual Sharing) in five Tostan’s strategic/catalyst new geographies countries namely Kenya, Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

Hayley Bisceglia-Martin is a development professional with over ten years of experience in international non-profits, and a particular focus on building resilience among vulnerable populations. Since 2017, she has been working at One Acre Fund, raising six- and seven-figure grants to support their mission of improving smallholder families’ livelihoods in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Beyond traditional stewardship, Hayley also acts as a liaison between donors and the field to identify frontier opportunities for farmers (e.g., carbon credits, digital tools). She then helps design experimental grants and/or operational partnerships to trial – and if successful, scale – these new and innovative pathways for smallholder impact. Prior to joining One Acre Fund, Hayley served as a volunteer with both the Peace Corps (in Ukraine and Samoa) and AmeriCorps, implementing projects to strengthen child literacy and increase local schools’ capacity.

Hoda Al-Haddad has five years of experience in the non-profit sector and holds a Master of Arts Degree in Arab Studies along with a Diplomacy Studies Certificate from Georgetown University. Presently, Hoda serves as the Global Programs Coordinator at Women for Women International (WfWI), where her responsibilities include coordinating the Global Programs Unit across the organization and providing support to the Chief Program Officer with various programmatic responsibilities. Hoda is also engaged in the Country Power Journey project, which focuses on strengthening the decision making and accountability of WfWI country offices while maintaining an organizational unified global vision, mission, and strategy. Prior to her work with WfWI, Hoda and her team published an Islamic Negotiation Action Guide. The guide is intended as a practical tool to aid negotiators, specifically Muslim women negotiators, in situations where Islam plays a significant role in the negotiation process. The guide also aims to assist non-Muslim negotiators and mediators in acquiring a better understanding of the fundamental Islamic values, principles, and practices that may influence the negotiation and mediation processes.

Ioanna Schuppert, affiliated with METAdrasi - Action for Migration and Development in Greece, recently joined Mercy Corps’ Middle East, North Africa, and Europe regional programs team and is based in Edinburgh. In the last two years, she has completed degrees in Human Rights Law and International Development, and conducted research with the Danish Institute Against Torture and the Disasters Emergency Committee, covering vulnerable populations in Syria, Palestine, and Ukraine. The majority of Ioanna's experience has been in managing projects supporting refugees and migrants. She first joined METAdrasi as a volunteer in 2013. As a program manager from 2019, she worked with institutional donors and multilateral consortia to develop and manage projects supporting vulnerable people. She considers the projects supporting unaccompanied children and torture survivors her biggest achievements. Ioanna speaks English, German, and Greek and is learning Arabic and Spanish. In her spare time, you can find Ioanna dancing salsa, reading novels, or traveling to warm places.

Isaac Gonzales possesses four years of expertise in delivering re-entry services to a high-risk population. Throughout this period, he has obtained an Associate of Arts degree in Sociology, an Associate of Arts degree in Behavioral Sciences, and an Associate of Arts degree in Humanities. Currently, he is actively pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at California State University of Los Angeles. As a Case Manager and Community Health Worker at Homeboy Industries, he has provided re-entry services to underprivileged individuals. Isaac is a highly skilled system management expert who has collaborated with Homeboy Industries, The Justice Care of Opportunities Department, and IBM to develop a platform that would link individuals to social services. This platform aims to benefit a wide range of people whose lives are affected by social injustices.

Isabel Ruiz is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience in the social purpose sector. Based in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, she holds a degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico and a double Master’s in Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Management, and Development from the Technische Hochschule Köln in Germany. For the past two years, Isabel has managed the Social Capital and Women Empowerment Department at Heifer, Mexico. In this role, she ensures that projects promote social cohesion, opportunities for women and youth, and environmental stewardship. She also provides guidance and support to staff, focusing on gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior to her work at Heifer Mexico, Isabel was deeply involved in sustainable development and health projects targeting Indigenous and rural communities across Mexico. She collaborated with national and regional organizations to drive locally-led initiatives. Isabel’s commitment to creating positive change is reflected in her certifications in management skills and her Diploma in Development with a Gender Perspective. Always eager to learn and grow, Isabel continually seeks new experiences to enhance her knowledge and personal development.

Janet is a leader with a broad-based skill set with proven leadership acumen, and currently serves as a Field Coordinator for the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon with the IRC. As a Field Coordinator, she manages the IRC’s humanitarian response program in the Anglopjone Regions, leading both program and operations’ staff to deliver humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons who have been affected by the ongoing war in the regions. Prior to joining the IRC Cameroon, Janet, between February 2021 and March 2022, served as Field Coordinator in Adamawa, North-East Nigeria where in her capacity she managed the IRC Nigeria Country Program humanitarian response and led the Team to respond to the needs of internally displaced persons displaced from their homes by the Boko Haram insurgency. She bravely led the team to some of the most difficult and hard to reach communities to reach out to beneficiaries, providing them the needed humanitarian support. From February 2018 to February 2021, Janet served as the Senior Area Manager for the IRC, Yobe State, North-East Nigeria Program. She led the IRC activiites in Yobe State, providing humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons, victims of the Boko Haram insurgency. One key achievement, amongst several others Janet recorded in her role was the successful evacuation of her Medical Team, patients and caregivers in one of the Medical Facility during an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the location. She successfully coordinated with other key stakeholders the Team’s evacuation shortly before the Health Facility was attacked by the insurgents. Janet joined the IRC in March of 2017 as a Base Manager in Yobe State, and in her position, she was responsible for stablizing the newly set up operation in the location. Janet, with her great leadership and team management skill grew the number of Field Staff from 26 to 120, within the first year of operation. One of her greatest achievements as a Base Manager was increasing the grants portfolio of the field officer form one Donor to multiple donors, astronomically increasing the program thematic areas from three to seven.

Jasmine Rogers is an experienced member of CAMFED International’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Team. Based in Cambridge, UK, Jasmine joined CAMFED in 2018. In her role as MERL manager, Jasmine works to evaluate the impact of the organisation’s programmes, translating data and insights into valuable learning and providing technical and coordination support to CAMFED’s MERL teams in Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Jasmine holds a Master's Degree in Environment, Development and Policy from the University of Sussex, where she explored gendered socio-political relationships between environmental and developmental challenges in low-income countries and a Bachelor's Degree in Geography from Durham University. With seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Jasmine is committed to the promotion of community-based grassroots social change concerning gender equality, agriculture and climate change, and the transformative power of inclusive education.

Juliana Franca Celestino is an accomplished Marketing & Communications Strategist with over four years in the social purpose sector, currently serving as the Brand and Integrated Communications Manager at Women for Women International. Since 2022, Juliana has been pivotal in shaping the organization's brand narrative, developing and executing strategic communication plans that amplify the voices of marginalized women worldwide. Her efforts have significantly enhanced the organization's visibility and engagement with global audiences, contributing to increased support and funding. Juliana's role encompasses content collection, planning, and dissemination, where she has successfully led initiatives that resonate with diverse stakeholders. Her innovative approach to storytelling and her ability to connect with audiences have been instrumental in advancing Women for Women International's mission. Before joining the nonprofit sector in 2020, Juliana honed her expertise as a brand strategist, creating compelling narratives for global clients, including UNICEF, MasterCard, Nestlé, and Kimberly-Clark. Her work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including a Gold Effie LATAM and a Silver Effie Brazil, and she has been shortlisted at the Cannes Lions Festival. Juliana's career reflects her deep commitment to using marketing and communication as catalysts for social change.

Kelly Murillo is a Global Marketing Manager at Operation Smile, bringing over six years of experience in the social purpose sector with a focus on communications and marketing. Her career has been distinguished by her expertise in global communications, creative strategy, marketing, and project management, with a talent for fostering collaboration. In her nearly three years at Operation Smile, Kelly has spearheaded global awareness campaigns and worked collaboratively across teams to amplify the organization’s impact. Notable projects she has supported include Operation Smile’s participation in Women Deliver 2023 and the recent partnership and video with Beast Philanthropy. Throughout her career, Kelly has adeptly turned challenges into opportunities for learning, collaboration, and innovation, demonstrating her commitment to driving meaningful engagement and strategic growth.

Lydiah Salome is a finance professional currently working with Shining Hope for Communities, SHOFCO, as the Senior Finance Manager. She has been with SHOFCO for 13 years, six in her current role. Lydiah has been a key staff in the operational improvements of SHOFCO, an NGO that has grown from managing an annual budget of $<10M in 2018 to $>30M in 2024. Her role is broadly to ensure financial compliance, financial reporting, sufficiency in internal controls and offer financial operational support to ensure smooth running of operations and excellent stakeholder management aimed at ensuring success and sustainability of SHOFCO as a whole. In her role she leads a team of nine finance professionals. She also trains program teams on finance processes and procedures such as grant proposal budgeting, review of periodic finance reports (donor and global reports for budget versus actual spend) and advices on causes of actions to ensure compliance with organizational policies, statutory and donor requirements.

Mahamadou Dao is an international development professional with more than 10 years of experience in project management and operational support in nonprofit programs. Since December 2023, Mahamadou oversees the operational and programmatic support of the Polio Eradication Surge Capacity Program at the Task Force for Global Health. Mr. Dao earned a Master of Law Degree from the University of Cote d’Ivoire and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of West Georgia. Mahamadou is passionate about women's empowerment and social equity. He started a career at CARE International in Cote d’Ivoire as a field supervisor on a women's entrepreneurship program where he trained more than 500 women associations living with HIV on income-generating activity implementation and management in a post-conflict setting which contributed to restoring their social dignity affected by extreme poverty and popular stigma. While completing his degree at the University of West Georgia, Mr. Dao worked at The Carter Center as an intern where he supported the institution’s West African Democratic and Governance team in Niger and Guinea. Before joining the Task Force for Global Health, Mr. Dao was a Project Assistant at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in Washington, DC.

Manisha Maharjan is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience in the project management and monitoring and evaluation within the development sector. With a Master’s Degree in public management from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Manisha has a solid academic foundation in managing for results, policy analysis and advising, and government and governing. Manisha has a proven track record of success in overseeing complex projects and ensuring that activities are implemented in line with the project proposal, donor guidelines, and allocated budget. Currently serving as the Consortium Project Manager at Handicap International Nepal, she leads inclusive education initiatives benefiting over 3,500 children with disabilities. Her main responsibilities include developing and implementing disability inclusion strategies, managing a £2 million budget, and securing significant funding. Previously, she worked as a Senior Project Officer at Handicap International Nepal, where she led the Sikai Project, enhancing educational access for 66,325 marginalized children. As the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Coordinator at Plan International Nepal, she developed PME frameworks and conducted data analysis to optimize resource allocation. Manisha’s career is marked by her commitment to promoting disability rights, fostering community advocacy, and building strategic partnerships. Her leadership has been instrumental in driving policy changes and improving educational outcomes for marginalized communities.

Marisa Grimes has newly shifted into the role of a Grant Manager for a large multi-country grant supporting youth and climate at One Acre Fund. In this role, she works with nine of One Acre Fund's operating countries to implement various youth-focused and new programming that will advance smallholder farmer families journeys to prosperity and create additional resilience to climate change. Previously, Marisa has spent 8 years in field-facing roles on One Acre Fund's Rwanda and Tanzania teams, with a focus on team management and strategy design. Most recently, she helped grow OAF Rwanda's program size from 300,000 to 800,000 farmers served annually through COVID.

Marta Skierkowska serves as Vice President at the Empowering Children Foundation (Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę), the largest child protection organization in Poland, member of ECPAT International. A graduate in psychology from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and a scholar of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, Marta's academic achievements are complemented by her status as a scholar of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Virtual Leadership Institute. Since 2008 she plays a crucial role in the strategic planning and implementation of numerous activities dedicated to advancing child rights, preventing abuse, and promoting safeguarding initiatives. She is also a lecturer at the Ignatianum Univeristy in Krakow, Poland.

Marvin Ngosa is an accomplished IT Specialist and leader with significant experience in Information Technology, especially in the Humanitarian and NGO space. With over a decade in the IT field, he has dedicated many years to working in various technical key roles for international NGOs. He is currently the Lead Regional Systems Administrator for the Africa Region at PATH where he implements and supports systems for the organization’s robust IT innovations. Marvin graduated from Northrise University with an associate degree in Information Systems. He also holds several professional certificates and a bachelor’s degree in information systems from Atlantic International University. Passionate about using technology to drive social change in healthcare, Marvin advocates for its use among healthcare workers to foster development and innovation. He has been instrumental in implementing robust health systems for Zambia’s Ministry of Health and focuses on developing cloud-based information systems to create innovative solutions.

Mary Hodgson (she/her) is Head of Community Action and Learning at St Christopher's Hospice where she has worked to introduce a community-led approach to supporting people experiencing suffering, death, dying and loss. She leads the organisation's strategic work and approach to working with community members to tackle inequalities and a team which uses learning, arts, support and co-production to make changes. Major achievements include a COVID-response helping thousands of people, and introducing community learning networks providing free education to local people. Previously she was at the LSE International Inequalities Institute and was a Director of Research at the Young Foundation where she worked on social innovation and systems change, with a focus on community viewpoints. She has a PhD reviewing how we might change and address inequalities within countries.

Mary Mogona Mochama has been a passionate advocate in the social purpose sector for over 8 years, dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities. She currently serves as a mentorship and community coordinator for the Future Education Program at Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), an organization transforming urban poverty into urban promise within Kenya's informal settlements. In this role, Mary implements a robust support model for SHOFCO graduates, fostering leadership skills, resilience, and providing essential psychosocial support. She also engages with external stakeholders to amplify the program's impact. Mary's zeal for youth empowerment drives her advocacy for equal opportunities and mentorship. She is committed to helping young people discover their potential and devise innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. As a devoted human rights activist and advocate for women and girls' education, Mary champions gender inclusion and sexual reproductive health rights in local communities. Her journey includes 9 impactful years as change agent where she has been instrumental in educating on sexual and reproductive health rights through the Youth Peer Providers program, supported run the shofco community scholarship program mentoring over 300 plus scholars whose first cohort 100 graduates university in 2024. Mary's dedication to community engagement and advocacy has significantly increased awareness and understanding of reproductive health rights. She believes wholeheartedly in the transformative power of community empowerment to effect global change, making her a beacon of hope and inspiration in her field.

Masalu Luhula is a Senior Land Tenure Specialist at Landesa, Tanzania office. Masalu is Master of Laws (LL.M) Candidate at the University of Dar es Salaam and holds a Bachelor of Laws from the same university. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice from the Laws School of Tanzania and has a certificate of International Environmental Law from the American University Washington College, USA. Masalu joined Landesa in 2019 and prior to that, he worked with the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) coordinating the land based investment working group of the National Engagement Strategy (NES), an initiative by the International Land Coalition (ILC), facilitated by the Tanzania Land Alliance (TALA).
He has ten years of experience working as an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and more than 12 years working on land and natural resource rights, community, government and private sector engagements, supporting land use planning for secure land tenure rights for men, women, and youth, especially those living in rural areas. For years also, he has worked on facilitating responsible investment in property and land. Masalu has authored and co-authored different publications on land rights, women's land rights, land-based investments, community engagements on land rights and redress mechanisms on natural resource conflicts.

Dr. MD Shabab Hossain is a clinician and researcher who is aimed at contributing to the field of gut enteropathy and maternal and childhood malnutrition through community-based and clinical research. Dr. Hossain commenced his research career at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh in 2017. Currently as an Associate Scientist, Dr. Hossain is leading a number of projects as the Principal Investigator related to gut health, enteropathy, and malnutrition. He is involved in projects aiming to evaluate the transmission of gut microbiota from mother to child and explore the complex biological mechanism of inter-generational malnutrition. Dr. Hossain is also involved in research projects exploring antibiotic responsiveness and resistance in certain gut infections like enteric fever, exploring the pathophysiology of poorly defined GI diseases like functional dyspepsia, etc. Dr. Hossain is a member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) and American Committee of Global Health (ACGH). Dr. Hossain has published a number of scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals; i.e. the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Scientific Reports, BMJ Open, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, etc. and has received a number of awards for presenting his research findings at national and international platforms.

Mónica Llaguno, an accomplished program evaluation and research practitioner from Ecuador, brings over eight years of experience in international children and youth-focused programming. Serving as the Vice President of Research, Evaluation, and Learning at Covenant House International, she leads the design and implementation of strategies for measuring and documenting work across 34 cities in five countries in North and Central America. Her efforts reach over 58,000 children and youth, targeting a range of socioeconomic issues, including homelessness, human trafficking, unaccompanied migration, gender-based violence, among others. Fluent in Spanish, Mónica has played a pivotal role in facilitating efficient communication strategies and knowledge management efforts, fostering a shared understanding of effective program models across the Covenant House federation. Previously, she contributed to global initiatives at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), influenced legislation as a Public Policy Consultant for a former New York City Council member, and secured funding to expand a school feeding program in Ethiopia. Mónica holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from The New School and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Augustana University, both earned with notable scholarships.

Mouhamadou Moukhtar Diallo is a Senegalese-born professional operations manager with 17 years' experience, currently working with Tostan. His career has been spent in the development and humanitarian fields. He has worked as a community capacity-building assistant, accountant, country head of accounting, operations manager, director of Tostan's training center and regional deputy to the head of finance and operations. He has worked in numerous duty stations such as Senegal, Somalia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. He been involved in many projects implementation in partnership with UNICEF, UNFPA, USAID, NORAD, SIDA, Gates Foundation, etc, with a deep involvement that leaded to deep experience and knowledge of social norms and culture of many African countries, He is a member of the 2023 Atlas Corps Hilton Humanitarian Prize Virtual Leadership Institute.

Olivier Gingweze, a humanitarian logistician and logistics trainer from the Democratic Republic of Congo, now lives in Goma, Nord Kivu. With eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electromechanical Engineering from the Institut Supérieur Pédagogique et Technique de Kinshasa “ISPT-KIN” and is a Master's candidate in Humanitarian Practice from the University of Manchester. Currently, he serves as a logistics coordinator at the Norwegian Refugee Council, responsible for strategic management of logistics activities. His role involves providing guidance, technical support, and ensuring compliance with logistics procedures, policies, and donor requirements. His skills include fleet optimization, budgeting, and procurement planning. Throughout his career, Olivier has worked with organizations before joining NRC, such as Memisa Belgium, ACTED (as a logistics and environment officer), ICRC, MSF (holding various positions including Field Logistics Manager), and BAT Congo (as a spare parts storekeeper). He is also a logistics training consultant for Bioforce, a humanitarian organization that provides training and capacity building for humanitarian workers. He is passionate about greening the supply chain, environmental sustainability and empowering other humanitarians through logistics training on behalf of Bioforce.

Dr. Papy Kilongo Mulailwa is a General Surgeon with over ten years of experience in clinical and programmatic medical practice. Currently, he is the medical director at Partners In Health-Sierra Leone, where he coordinates clinicians across various departments and oversees program planning. Previously, Dr. Papy served as the Clinical Services Lead for one year and as the General Surgeon Consultant and Lead for five years at Koidu Government Hospital, also supported by PIH-Sierra Leone. His work there focused on enhancing surgical care, staff training, implementing quality improvement projects, and mentoring medical staff in resource-limited settings.
Dr. Papy's career includes roles as a Consultant General Surgeon in Manisa, Turkey, and as a pediatric medical officer in Bukavu, D.R. Congo. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Medicine from Bukavu Catholic University, D.R. Congo, and specialized in General Surgery at Aegean (Ege) University, Turkey. He is dedicated to making specialized medical care accessible to vulnerable and marginalized patients, believing that advocacy, training, mentorship, and system building are essential for achieving this goal.

Rael Esther has dedicated over a decade to the social purpose sector, with the past 10 years spent at SHOFCO (Shining Hope for Communities). Following their recognition as a Laureate, Rael was promoted to the position of headteacher at one of SHOFCO's schools. In this role, she has demonstrated exemplary leadership and commitment to educational excellence. Her responsibilities include overseeing the school's operations, implementing educational programs, and fostering a supportive learning environment for both students and staff. Under Rael's guidance, the school has seen significant growth and improvements in student performance and teacher development. She has been instrumental in introducing innovative teaching methods and ensuring the professional growth of the team through comprehensive training sessions. Prior to her tenure as headteacher, Rael gained extensive experience in various educational and leadership roles within SHOFCO, contributing to the organization's mission of transforming urban slums into thriving communities. Her dedication and impact in the social purpose sector is a testament to her unwavering commitment to creating positive change.

Renée Roodhuizen has been an active professional in the social purpose sector for over six years. Currently, she has been working with Defence for Children - ECPAT for one and a half years. In this time, she has gained invaluable insights into civil society and the mechanisms for creating social impact. Renée's primary responsibilities at Defence for Children - ECPAT include policy advocacy, program management, and direct intervention strategies to combat child sexual abuse and protect children's rights. Her daily activities involve monitoring political activities and translating cases into patterns and trends that can inform legislative changes.

Before joining Defence for Children - ECPAT, Renée served as a policy advisor for the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), focusing on Justice and Security (J&V), and as a City Councillor for a capital city. Through these roles, she developed extensive knowledge of how politics works, how to translate people's needs into sustainable legislation, and how politics responds to developments in society.

Renée holds a degree in Political Science from Leiden University. Her combined experience in both governmental policy-making and non-governmental advocacy equips her with a unique perspective on driving systemic change and reinforcing children's rights on multiple fronts.

Sophia Tiajoloff is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Fountain House based in New York City. Her work focuses on engaging diverse audiences in support of funding innovative, evidence-based programs and public health strategies for people living with serious mental illness. During her years at Fountain House, Sophia has played a critical leadership role in developing an organizational funding strategy, tapping into new key audiences to expand Fountain House’s private philanthropy from $6 million to $21 million. As public demand for mental health solutions grew at the peak of the pandemic, Sophia led a Covid emergency response fundraising campaign and built an engagement plan that developed new pathways for the next generation of mental health advocates to fund and support Fountain House. Most notably, in all her work, Sophia has intentionally centered and engaged people with lived experience, fostering a new culture of philanthropy where both donors and members are active partners in generating revenue for social impact.

Tekalegn Lejo earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health from Jimma University in Ethiopia. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Lead Star College of Management and Leadership in Ethiopia. With over 11 years of experience in humanitarian and development projects in Ethiopia, he has held various positions from technical to managerial levels, such as public health team leader, program manager, camp coordinator, deputy field coordinator, field coordinator, and program coordinator in different humanitarian non-governmental organizations. Currently, he serves as the deputy head of the humanitarian program at HelpAge International Ethiopia country office. He is known for his exceptional commitment, empathy, hard work, and strong conviction for humanitarian principles. Recently, he completed Virtual Leadership Institute from Atlas Corps as his organization was a member of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate.