Who we are

Belgian, with some twenty years of work experience in the fields of democratisation and conflict resolution in the MENA region, Africa, and Asia. Geoffrey’s conflict resolution record includes field experience with Search For Common Ground and the United Nations in mediation, track two dialogues, and the use of media as a tool for coexistence. In the democratisation sector, he opened and/or led multiple programmes in third countries and from Brussels for the European Union and INGOs in support of actors of democratic transitions such as civil society organisations andpolitical party members. He is a seasoned political and election expert and participated to election observation missions or election reform projects for the European Union, The Carter Center, DRI and the National Democratic Institute. Geoffrey co-authored DRI reports on Morocco, Sudan, South Sudan, Pakistan and Tunisia. He holds a Master degree in international politics of the Middle East (MSc, SOAS). He is a free lance consultant based in Brussels.

U.S. American. Duncan has extensive experience with constitution making in the Arab world, including as DRI’s former country director in Libya. He holds graduate degrees in law from Stanford University and in public policy from Harvard University.

German, lawyer, PhD in public international law, co-founder and former executive director of Democracy Reporting International. He is the head of the Global Policy Programme of the Ecologic Institute, a leading think tank in environmental policies, based in Berlin, Germany; he is member of the management board of the Ecologic Institute. He worked for the German Federal Ministry of Environment, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the EU as Legal and Election Expert of various Election Observation Missions. He practiced law as an attorney in Berlin and Frankfurt.

German, holds masters degrees in International Human Rights Law (M.St. Oxford) and European Studies (M.A.). Eight years experience as election observer and core team member in various missions of the OSCEand the EU including the United States, Indonesia, Kenya and Georgia. Television journalist presenting daily news and the current affairs programme “Global 3000“ on DWTV, Germany’s foreign broadcaster.

British. Over thirteen years of experience in law, democratisation and elections. He was Team Leader of the EU Democracy and Election Support Mission to the Afghanistan Presidential Elections 2004 and has also observed numerous elections for the EU and OSCE/ODIHR, including recently as Deputy Chief Observer for the 2006 parliamentary elections in Palestine and presidential elections in Yemen. With wide experience of conflict resolution in the Balkans and Caucasus, Richard has also acted as an independent technical adviser to the National Election Board of Ethiopia. He previously worked as a barrister.

Ghassan Moukheiber is a lawyer, a former Member of Parliament in Lebanon (2002-2018), and a human rights and anti-corruption activist. He sponsored the Access to Information Law and followed it through from inception in 2006 to passage in 2017.

Sameera is the Director of Networking and Alliances at WINGS, previously working at the Charities Aid Foundation. Sameera has worked with partners in several countries to increase giving and build the resilience of civil society. Her previous work experience includes setting up an NGO in Canada, a twinning project in India and consultancy projects for several NGOs. She has also worked in the banking sector’s leadership, project management, and change transformation roles.

Mikheil is a seasoned professional with a decade of experience promoting democracy, electoral integrity, human rights and countering disinformation. He led the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy in Georgia as Executive Director from 2016 to 2020 and served as Secretary General of the European Network of Election Observation Organisations. Mikheil has led election observation missions and policy advocacy and pioneered ISFED’s methodology for social media monitoring in elections. He manages USAID’s Information Integrity Programme, implemented by Zinc Network in Georgia.

Kilian Bälz is an international lawyer with more than two decades of experience working in the Middle East and North Africa. Among his clients are international companies, financial institutions, development agencies, governments, and NGOs. Based in Berlin and Cairo, Kilian has been active in the field of law reform for many years and is particularly experienced in working in fragile countries. He also represents clients in arbitration proceedings and advises on trade sanctions and business and human rights. Kilian studied law and Middle East studies at the universities of Freiburg, Berlin (Dr. iur. FU), Damascus, Cairo (AUC) and London (LL.M., SOAS) and was a fellow at Harvard Law School. 

Icelandic, has held a number of positions with the OSCE and the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, focusing on communication on democracy and human rights. With a background in journalism, she was a spokesperson for the OSCE Missions in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina and for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). In charge of press and communication for the Icelandic MFA for over a decade before returning to the ODIHR as a senior advisor to the Director. She is now back with the Icelandic MFA.

In her current capacity, Emilia is engaged in digital content creation, overseeing website and social media management and supports the overall communications strategy. Her professional journey has encompassed a diverse range of roles from facilitating cultural and bilateral cooperation initiatives in different Mexican Missions, to delving into the world of science and publishing policy at Springer Nature Group. For the Beyond Fossil Fuels campaign, a part of Climate Action Network Europe, she worked on internal and external communications, and event coordination. Before that, she worked in communications for the United Nations Volunteers programme in Bonn. Emilia holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Europe and a M.A. in Global Studies from ALUF Freiburg University.

As Communications Officer, Mariam is responsible for content creation, curation, and management across DRI’s social media, website, and newsletters. Prior to joining DRI, Mariam served as a Communications Coordinator at enpact, Communication and Media Officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and in various capacities with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international organisations. Mariam holds an Erasmus Mundus Master’s specialisation in Global Markets and Development.

As Communications Coordinator, Albert oversees DRI’s communications and outreach efforts, guaranteeing a consistent message and visibility across headquarters and country offices. Before joining DRI, he worked in communications at Club de Madrid and as a freelance journalist for outlets such as La Vanguardia, Euronews and Are We Europe. Albert holds a Master’s in European Integration and a Bachelor’s in Journalism, both from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. 

As Human Resources and Administration Coordinator, Karin is the first point of contact for all kinds of HR-related questions for the staff in Berlin. She advises and supports the country offices in HR matters and together with the Director of Finance, HR & Administration actively contributes to the strategic development of DRI as an Employer of Choice in the NGO sector.

Prior to DRI Karin was part of the Special Olympics World Games 2023 Organizing Committee. She was responsible for building up a team of approx. 200 employees, gaining valuable experience in building and working with international teams and project work.

She holds a Bsc in Psychology and an MSc in Business Psychology with focus on Human Resources and Organizational Development and is continuously enhancing her skills in non-violent communication.

As a Human Resources and Administration Assistant responsible for personnel matters and administrative support at her organisation’s Berlin headquarters. Her duties include managing recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding processes, and developing HR policies. She also coordinates office and event management using tools like Personio and SharePoint.

Boutheina’s diverse academic background includes a Master’s in Cognitive Neuroscience and a bachelor’s in business administration and management, with a thesis on the application of neuroscience in marketing. She has significant research experience from her time as a Research Assistant at Eötvös Loránd University.

In addition to her professional role, Boutheina serves on the management board at Recasas, overseeing event management, organisational planning, and communication strategies. In her spare time, she volunteers with Amnesty International and the Alliance of Internationalist Feminists to raise awareness about global human rights violations and feminist issues in Berlin.

Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, and proficient in German, Boutheina enjoys playing beach volleyball, Ping-Pong, reading science fiction, and urban exploring with friends.

As Human Resources and Administration Assistant, Şilan Dağlar Göç assists the team regarding DRI’s recruitment processes, office management, event planning and further development regarding HR related topics. Prior to DRI, she has mainly worked as a student assistant at Center for Comparative Research on Democracy at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and at WZB (Berlin Social Science Center) as well as she volunteered feminist NGO’s in Turkey. She holds a Bachelor’s degree on Philosophy from Bilkent University, Turkey and currently doing a social science master at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. 

Dayan is a Digital Research Analyst working for DRI to strengthen digital democracy measures and combat social media based information disorder in Sri Lanka. His years of experience spans the public, private, and non-profit sector; including political media and election related work (in Sri Lanka & Canada) with Reporters Without Borders, the United Nations, the Green Party of Canada, Liberal Party of Canada, and the Office of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Immediately before DRI, Dayan worked as a Sr. Data Scientist spearheading R&D in Natural Language Processing at LIRNEasia, an ASEAN centric think tank. His other exp. includes two years at McKinsey & Company as a management consultant and a year in mid-market private equity at Stax LLC. He holds a Bachelor In Liberal Arts & Science with a concentration in Mathematics & Philosophy from Quest University Canada, in British Columbia.

As a Research Officer, Dániel focuses on the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in Europe. Before joining DRI, he served as Head of Department at Budapest City Hall and worked as a Legal Officer at the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. He was also a member of the Hungarian National Election Commission and has experience as a journalist. Dániel holds an LL.M. in Comparative Constitutional Law from Central European University, a law degree from Eötvös Loránd University, and a Master’s in EU Studies from the Centre international de formation européenne.

As Programme Assistant, Federica supports projects on the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU. With a robust background in capacity-building and human rights monitoring, she brings extensive international experience to DRI’s mission. Before joining our team, Federica worked with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, supporting the implementation of projects aimed at promoting and protecting human rights across the OSCE region. Her previous roles include serving as a Human Rights Fellow at the EU Delegation to the UN in Geneva and as a Legal Researcher at the Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human Rights.

She holds a European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation from the Global Campus of Human Rights Europe and a Bachelor’s in European Law from Maastricht University. 

As a Programme Associate, Dario contributes to the program implementation of Panafrican Projects about Elections Observation and Capacity Building, notably in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He holds a master’s degree in European studies from the Sorbonne University, and has a solid background is in the international development sector especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa region (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and more). Dario’s main interests are stronger inclusion of women in the political sphere as well as foreign interference and disinformation challenges in the south countries.

As Digital Democracy Research Officer, Camila shapes DRI’s work on online political discourse, focusing on monitoring and analyzing such discourse and contributing to policy debates on regulation, the rise of artificial intelligence, and training on these issues.

With a background in data and policy analysis, Camila leverages her experience in sociology and public policy to produce actionable research that protects and promotes healthy democratic debate online. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Hertie School and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Buenos Aires. Before joining DRI, Camila conducted research on new technologies and their impact on democracy, society, and labor markets at the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Centre for Digital Governance at the Hertie School.

Kateryna is the Programme Assistant at Democracy Reporting International’s European Team, supporting projects in Ukraine, Moldova, and across Europe with a focus on democratic innovation, civic engagement, and EU enlargement. With a strong background in project coordination, research, and event organisation, she brings a versatile skill set to DRI’s democracy-building efforts. Her experience includes serving as Junior Project Manager at Associazione Internazionale per la Cooperazione e l’Educazione nel Mondo (AICEM) and impactful work with the Ukrainian Network of Women Who Use Drugs, where she advocated against discrimination and stigmatisation and promoted social change, engagement, and development. She holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Zaporizhzhia National University, where her research focused on social barriers faced by marginalised groups in Ukraine.

As a Digital Democracy Programme Associate, Tamera coordinates DRI projects, facilitating collaboration between in-house teams and external partners. Her responsibilities include organising events, maintaining project resources, and contributing to program implementation and design.

With a background in human rights and social justice work, Tamera leverages her experience in law and psychology to drive meaningful change in enhancing global democratic participation. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice, as well as a Masters in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.

Roy is currently the Program Coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa at DRI. With a Master’s degree in Management from Paris Sorbonne and another in Genomics from Saint Joseph University, his academic journey reflects his diverse interests and commitment to learning. Passionate about research, Roy has delved into topics such as adaptive programming, resilience processes, and outcomes, resulting in several publications.

Previously, Roy has worked with prominent international organizations including the British Council, Caritas, and Democracy Reporting International in Lebanon. His focus has been on fostering inclusivity and diversity in the online sphere, particularly through his work with alternative media outlets and young content creators. Roy’s dedication extends to grassroots initiatives, where he has managed large scale programs and partnered with over 60 local civil society organizations in youth programming, development activities, election observation, women’s empowerment projects, digital peacebuilding , preventing violent extremism and many other topics.  Beyond his professional endeavors, Roy finds solace in nature and enjoys engaging in various water activities. 

As the Digital Democracy Research Coordinator at DRI, Ognjan coordinates the research projects and activities of the Digital Democracy team. Prior to joining DRI, Ognjan worked at the University of Amsterdam, The Global Disinformation Index and The Global Strategy Network/ExTrac.ai. Ognjan holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the Amsterdam University College and a Master’s in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam. His research predominately focuses on disinformation, computational propaganda and P/CVE. 

As a Research Associate, Duncan contributes to Digital Democracy projects by performing qualitative and quantitative research, social media monitoring, and data analysis. He holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Hertie School of Governance, and has previously focused his research on the consequences of online disinformation, specifically regarding the birth of conspiracy theory movements and their impact on public health and political polarization. Duncan is particularly concerned about the impact AI and deep-fake technology will have on the online information landscape, and is a strong advocate for proactive research and policymaking in this arena.

Stanislav Lyachynskyy is the Country Director for Ukraine. He is responsible for overseeing the work of the DRI Ukraine country office. That includes, among other tasks, design, implementation, and evaluation/reporting on DRI Ukraine’s projects, strategic positioning, and personnel management. 

Stanislav has joined DRI from the Internews, where he managed projects of its Ukraine media support portfolio within USAID-funded Media program in Ukraine. Earlier, he has served for a number of years with the International Renaissance Foundation (IRF), one of the leading civil society donors in Ukraine, and a part of the Open Society Foundations. His roles there included Social Capital Program Director – overseeing the IRF programming on civic engagement, good governance, anti-disinformation, IDP support and other; as well as PR and Strategic Communications Director. At the outset of his career, Stanislav also worked for several years in the Ukraine Parliament, and as an assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.

As Programme Coordinator – MENA, Lea works closely with DRI’s Lebanon project office on project fundraising, reporting and sustainability as well as managing the donors portfolio. She has built her experience with one of the German foundations in Lebanon working as a project coordinator for their Lebanon and Syria desk and was focusing mostly on youth political education, women integration in the politics and refugee human rights. Lea holds a Masters degree in French and Lebanese public law from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut.

As Programme Coordinator Europe, Rieke Wönig is responsible for coordinating the EU-funded Nets4Dem project at Democracy Reporting International. A policy analyst by training, she has extensive experience in program management and project coordination for international organizations and ministries, including at the OECD where she was leading a high-level network of government officials and other relevant stakeholders on migration. She also has work experience at the German Federal Agency for Civic Education. Rieke has a master’ degree in international affairs from Freie Universität Berlin and Sciences Po Paris with specialization in human rights law.

Oksana is a Programme Coordinator at the DRI Digital Democracy programme and is responsible for coordination and providing oversight to the implementation of DRI’s work to support civil society worldwide in defending and strengthening democracy and countering shrinking civic space. Oksana is a programme manager and civil society specialist with over 10 years of experience in managing diverse global and local CSOs projects and programmes with focus on social impact, democratic governance, and citizens’ participation and engagement. She has a deep and detailed understanding of the philanthropy and development sector, with a focus on project management, capacity building, reporting, and fundraising. Oksana previously worked for USAID project in Ukraine, UNDP, and Open Society Foundations. She holds a Master’s in Political Science and Master’s in Peace and Development Work.

In her role as a Research Associate, Francesca actively contributes to projects conducted by the Digital Democracy team, focusing on tasks involving data analysis and visualisation. Prior to this, she worked as a communication specialist within international organisations and companies that specialise in media and data literacy. With a background in law and a Master’s degree in Big Data Analytics, Francesca’s passion lies in the realm of artificial intelligence, as well as ethical and sustainable technological advancement.

As Digital Democracy Policy Officer, Daniela supports DRI’s research on digital policy and platform regulation. She ensures that the team’s empirical research is effectively integrated into policy discussions on disinformation, hate speech, and access to platform data. Daniela also develops outreach and advocacy strategies to support the team’s policy objectives. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the National University of Colombia. Before joining DRI, Daniela conducted research on gender equality, political participation in post-conflict settings, and electoral reform at various Colombian NGOs and GIZ. She also served as a legal adviser at Colombia’s enforcement authority, contributing to electoral crime investigations.

As Programme & Outreach Coordinator, Dennis coordinates the implementation of DRI’s projects in the cluster Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU. He is also responsible for designing and implementing DRI’s outreach strategies and monitors developments among relevant international institutions and actors. Before joining DRI, Dennis worked in communications and public policy in Brussels after completing a traineeship in the Democratic Governance Department of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Dennis holds a Master’s in Democracy Studies and a Bachelor’s in Political Science and German Philology from the University of Regensburg.

As a Research Officer for the re:constitution project, Nino tackles the rule of law challenges in the EU, including issues related to the independence of the judiciary and confrontation of European Courts. Before joining DRI, Nino worked as a senior researcher for the Judicial Studies Institute at Masaryk University, a researcher at the University of Oslo, and Ilia State University. She also worked as a legal advisor at the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. Nino holds a Doctorate in Law from the University of Oslo and an LL.M. degree from Central European University and Leiden University.

As Programme Coordinator, Cartney supports DRI’s project management, especially on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and fundraising. As DRI’s MEL focal point, he advises on the implementation of DRI’s MEL strategy and development. He previously worked in the public policy and human rights sector at Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, where he graduated in Law. He holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Magdeburg’s Otto-von-Guericke University and International Business and Economics from the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences.

As Programme Coordinator, Sorina is responsible for project coordination and fundraising on digital democracy. She also oversees and implements monitoring and evaluation for the Digital Democracy team. Her previous experience includes working with various cities and non-profit organisations in the Netherlands and Romania on initiatives on media and digital literacy as well as good governance. Sorina holds a Master’s in International Relations and a Bachelor’s in American Studies from the University of Bucharest.

As Research Coordinator – Rule of Law, Jakub conducts research and analysis on the rule of law and human rights, working with our Europe Team on the re:constitution – Exchange and Analysis on Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe programme. Jakub has extensive experience in academia, as a researcher at the Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznań, Poland) and lectured at several other universities. He holds a Master’s in Law from Adam Mickiewicz University, where he is currently pursuing a PhD.

Oleksandr Iakymenko is responsible for overseeing the work of the DRI Ukraine country office. That includes, among other tasks, design, implementation, and evaluation/reporting on DRI Ukraine’s projects, strategic positioning, representation duties, fundraising, and personnel management. Oleksandr has over a decade of experience representing international and intergovernmental organizations, managing non-profits, coordinating various projects, and working in governmental sectors at different levels. Before joining DRI, Oleksandr was a Country Representative for the International IDEA. Oleksandr holds an MA in Political Science from Western Illinois University (USA) and MA in Public Administration from the National Academy of Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine.

As Programme Manager, Hannah oversees DRI’s strategic and programmatic work across the Middle East and North Africa. Before joining DRI, Hannah worked for the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, focusing on parliamentary strengthening and constitution-making processes in the MENA region. Hannah holds a Master’s in Comparative Politics of the Middle East from the American University in Cairo and the University of Tübingen, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Arabic Studies from the University of Göttingen.

As Programme Manager, Paul leads the strategic and programmatic work of DRI across Europe. He has over two decades of experience in the fields of anti-corruption, good governance, human rights and organisational development, including in global and regional roles with Transparency International and as an expert advisor to a range of multilateral institutions, development agencies and INGOs. Paul holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degrees in Law, and a BA in Politics and Philosophy from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

As a Programme Finance Coordinator, Nasir supports financial management for DRI HQ Europe projects, including the Ukraine Country Office. With over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, he specializes in the areas of project management, project financial management, administration, and operations. Nasir held key management roles at DRI Country Office Pakistan from 2010 to 2024 and recently relocated to Berlin. He possesses an MBA degree along with multiple international project management and financial management certifications.

As Programme Finance Coordinator, Yousef provides Financial Management support for DRI’s country offices in Tunisia and Libya and acts as the main focal point for Procurements. Yousef has 9 years of experience in the non-profit sector, particularly in the areas of Finance, Administration and Operations management in emergency and post-emergency response setting with international NGOs in the Middle East. Yousef holds a BA in Finance and is a certified project manager.

As Programme Finance Coordinator, Iheb is responsible for all financial aspects of the implementation and management of DRI programmes in Africa.  He will be in charge of setting up a country office in DR Congo and supporting the further development of the ERP System Microsoft Business Central.  Iheb has worked for over 7 years  with local and international NGOs in Tunisia and has gained extensive experience in finance and administration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in IT applied to Management from the University of Carthage in Tunisia.

As Programme Finance Coordinator, Lorand supports the financial operations of DRI’s Pakistan office and of a regional project in the Middle East and North Africa. He started his career as a chartered accountant and youth worker in 2004, and since then has been working mostly with local and international NGOs in Hungary and Serbia. Lorand holds a Master’s in Romanian Language and Literature and a Bachelor’s in Business Economics and Management.

As the Director of Finance, Human Resources, and Administration, Marcel is accountable for providing comprehensive leadership in the development, planning, and implementation of these areas. His primary objectives are to effectively manage and enhance the efficiency of DRI’s operations, ensure sound financial management of projects, and oversee the organization’s overall finances. Marcel brings valuable expertise to DRI, having previously served as the Head of Finance, Human Resources, and Organization at Teach First Deutschland for a period of approximately five years. Prior to that, he gained extensive experience working with various companies, particularly during his tenure as a business consultant and auditor. Marcel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Berlin School of Economics, where he graduated in 2008.

As Executive Director, Nicola provides strategic leadership to DRI’s programmes and staff across our seven country offices. She brings more than 20 years of experience in international affairs, democratisation, human rights and elections. Before joining DRI, she advised on human rights and electoral and legislative reform, devised methodologies and conducted training workshops. She has notably worked with the German Foreign Office and the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. She has lived and worked in many countries and holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin and an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development from London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

Michael is DRI’s Executive Director and one of the organisation’s co-founders. In this role, he is in charge of strategic leadership and overall management of the organisation with the Executive Team. Michael has been working in international relations, diplomacy, media and democracy support for more than 20 years, including at the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the European Union and the BBC. He is a fully qualified lawyer (Freiburg, Berlin) with an LL.M. in European Law (College of Europe, Bruges).