Scholars

Fernanda Cassiano is a seasoned professional in humanitarian and development operations with a distinguished career that spans across continents and focuses on refugee protection, program development, and donor relations. Fernanda holds an MSc (Merit) in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she specialised in food security, social protection, and multi-dimensional poverty, supported by the prestigious Chevening Scholarship. She serves as the Head of Programme at NRC, overseeing a comprehensive range of technical areas, including Food Security and Livelihoods, Cash and Voucher Assistance, Education and Youth, Legal Protection, Protection from Violence, WASH and Shelter. Fernanda has been instrumental in leading strategic initiatives, managing partnerships, and steering the development of technical strategies aligned with NRC regional and global priorities, including gender equality, disability inclusion, and durable solutions. Prior to her current role, Fernanda demonstrated her expertise in various capacities, including as Programme Development Manager with Save the Children International in Africa, where she supported strategy alignment and managed donor relationships. Her experience also extends to regional business development and awards management with Save the Children International in LAC, highlighting her ability to foster partnerships and secure funding for programmes aimed at the most marginalised and vulnerable groups. Fernanda’s career is driven by a passion for addressing social issues such as refugee protection and social inclusion. Her work reflects a deep commitment to humanitarian principles and a strategic approach to programme management, and advocacy, ensuring impactful interventions in complex and challenging environments.

Giovana is originally from São José dos Campos, Brazil. Giovana earned a Bachelor’s degree in Translation from Sao Paulo State University – UNESP in 2014. Five years later, she earned a Master’s degree in International Marketing from the Brazilian Association of Consultancy and Advisory in Foreign Trade. In 2023, she earned a postgraduate degree in Sustainability and Environmental Studies from Getulio Vargas Foundation – FGV. Now, Giovana has accumulated extensive experience in operations and content creation. For two years, she worked at BOOMI, an online marketplace for eco-friendly brands supporting daily operations, developing new sustainable products, and creating some of the digital marketing strategies. Previously, Giovana worked for three years at AliExpress, an international B2C e-commerce platform, developing the content strategy and content localization for the Brazilian market as well as leading a team of 9 international writers. She also had the chance to develop customer-oriented skills during her one-year experience as a Customer Service Specialist at a 5-star hotel working with different departments to anticipate the needs of VIP customers. Giovana also learned about different subjects and fields while working for around nine years as a freelancer Portuguese, English, and French translator. Giovana is interested in sustainability, climate change and social impact; she is committed to regenerative development, social responsibility, and advocates for climate action. She has been an active member of the Climate Fresk Organization, facilitating workshops for the local community. Giovana was also a member of CISV (Children International Summer Village) for many years.

Host Organization: Generation

Role at Host Organization: As a Global Learner Engagement (LE) Programs Fellow, Giovana will support the operations of Generation’s newly launching GYE Direct (fully remote) programs in Ghana, Colombia and 1-2 additional countries by 2024. Giovana will work alongside dedicated project teams and Global LE team members to design offerings, develop supporting tools, support the hiring and training of operations staff, support program launches and monitor / troubleshoot outcomes for learner mobilization, onboarding and mentorship support. The Fellow will also manage global alumni engagement (for GYE Direct alumni) and serve as the primary point of contact for learner engagement topics for GYE Direct Programs.

Júlia Regina Gabriel has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector and seven years of experience in business consultancy. Júlia has a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of Amazonas. She is determined to fight for social causes such as economic empowerment, women entrepreneurship, and education assessment. While working and studying, Julia volunteered at the Tchibum Institute. She led several groups of volunteers, organized events to raise funds to needy institutions of various causes, and negotiated with companies to get free services and donations to volunteer activities. Later, Julia joined the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, aiming to motivate Amazonas teenagers and young adults to engage in volunteer activities. She left her job at Tchibum Institute as Vice-President to start Urban Hero, her social startup to unite donors and institutions in need. As a result of working with NGOs and small social projects, Julia realized volunteers needed background in management to evolve their projects, so she started the School of Heroes, free workshops for social entrepreneurs and volunteers to learn how to improve their projects. Presently, she is Director at CDL Jovem, an association whose principal goal is Economic Empowerment. In her current role, Julia has created the Pink Wave, a group that focuses on uniting, developing, and empowering female entrepreneurs. She plans to evaluate her work with women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in CDL Jovem and improve Urban Hero as a disruptive social project.

Juliana Franca Celestino is an experienced Marketing & Communications Strategist that is passionate about social impact and currently leading as Brand and Integrated Communications Manager at Women for Women International. Juliana’s career trajectory is a testament to her innovative spirit and unwavering commitment to fostering societal change. With a foundation in qualitative research and social trend analysis, she has developed forward-thinking strategies for renowned clients such as GM and Nike. Her expertise further extends to her role as a brand strategist, where she has crafted impactful narratives for global entities, including UNICEF, MasterCard, Nestlé, and Kimberly Clark, throughout Latin America. Her exceptional work has placed her on the Cannes Lions Shortlist and earned her prestigious accolades, such as the Gold Effie LATAM and Silver Effie Brazil. In a significant career pivot in 2020, Juliana embraced the nonprofit world, channeling her vast experience and insights into strategic communication plans aimed at effecting tangible social change. Her journey reflects a profound dedication to leveraging marketing and communication as powerful tools for good, positioning her as an influential leader in the social impact sector.

Marcos Melo works as Campaigns Manager at All Out, a global movement for the rights of LGBT+ people, and has three years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He has interned in seven different public agencies, enabling him to improve his knowledge in different areas and to be invited to the position of Legal Advisor at the Federal Prosecutor Service, where he worked for five years on environmental and anti-corruption defense. He is the Co-Founder, President, and Communications Director of Actum Brazil, an organization focused on fighting regional inequalities, developing, and empowering young people in the Amazon region. Marcos works continuously on human rights and social inclusion issues, having represented Brazil as a Global Ambassador of Youth Opportunities, one of the largest platforms with free access to international opportunities for young people. He has since become one of the organization’s Regional Coordinators, and he coordinates 14 young leaders from Latin America.

Rebecca Castello is a public employee at the Federal University of Pará, where she has been an administrator for eight years. She has worked in nonprofit sector for over three years as a volunteer. She obtained a PhD in Social and Environmental Development from the Center of Higher Amazonian Studies in Brazil, focusing her studies on public university management. She also has an MBA in entrepreneurial education from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro-PUC, as well as in public and people management. She works in social projects in her own community, organizing events and actions focused on the distribution of food and clothing in areas with vulnerable people, assisting newcomers in nursing homes, and distributing toys to low-income children. She participates as the manager of a start-up project that aims to reduce food waste in the Brazilian Amazon region, combining sustainable development and greater access to low-cost food for the local population. In addition, she has worked in an institution for children for adoption, where she developed storytelling and children’s games. Through these experiences and her academic background, she has developed skills in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and research, always focusing on sustainable development, economic development and philanthropy aimed at distributing food to low-income people.

Victoria Schor has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law from PUC São Paulo in Brazil, an LLM in European and Global Law from Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona in Spain, and an MA in Human Rights from the Universität Wien in Austria. She is now pursuing two specializations from PUC Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil: one in Criminal Law and Criminology and the other in Sociology, History and Philosophy. She previously worked as a conciliator, where she conducted conciliation sessions between parties in order to reach agreements. She has also worked with human rights research, with a focus on human rights defenders, how nonviolent civil rights movements can shape international human rights law, and how individuals can engage with international organisations. She is currently part of Article 20 Network, where she provides legal assistance to protesters regarding the right to peaceful assembly and cases of the violations of human rights, including situations of police brutality. She is also part of People’s Planet Project, where she works with indigenous communities and environmental lawyers in the protection of the environment and human rights. Victoria focuses her studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, specifically on the rights of minorities, and the connection between human rights and the environment.