ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network working with more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development.

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ICLEI World Secretariat
Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 7
53113 Bonn
Germany

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network working with more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development.

ICLEI Regional Secretariats and country offices

Meet the staff

ICLEI has more than 600 staff in 27 offices around the world, offering expertise that positions local and regional governments to advance sustainable urban development along our five pathways.

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Gino Van Begin ICLEI Secretary General
Gino Van Begin
ICLEI Secretary General

Gino Van Begin has been the distinguished Secretary General of ICLEI since 2013. Before that, he served as ICLEI Regional Director for Europe and as Deputy Secretary General. He has ensured ICLEI performs as a responsible, forward-looking, not-for-profit local and regional government organization serving its Members worldwide. Gino Van Begin graduated with a law degree from the University of Brussels as a lawyer and speaks Dutch, French, English, German and Russian. For more information, please visit his full profile here.

Emani Kumar Regional Director
ICLEI South Asia Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General
Emani Kumar
Regional Director
ICLEI South Asia Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General

Emani works with all the offices in Asia, to ensure cohesion in the implementation of ICLEI’s agendas and spearhead advocacy activities in the region. Emani has a background in environmental management and planning and more than twenty years of experience in climate change policy and planning, local governance, renewable energy, systems management and auditing.

South Asia Secretariat

C-3, Lower Ground Floor
Green Park Extension
New Delhi – 110016, India Tel. +91 – 11 – 4974 7200 Fax +91 – 11 – 4974 7201

Kobie Brand Regional Director
ICLEI Africa Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General
Kobie Brand
Regional Director
ICLEI Africa Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General

Africa Secretariat

 

South Tower Sable Park, 14 Bridge Boulevard
Century City, Cape Town, South Africa

 

Email: iclei-africa@iclei.org

Gino Van Begin ICLEI Secretary General & Executive Director
Gino Van Begin
ICLEI Secretary General & Executive Director

Gino Van Begin has been the distinguished Secretary General of ICLEI since 2013. Before that, he served as ICLEI Regional Director for Europe and as Deputy Secretary General. He has ensured ICLEI performs as a responsible, forward-looking, not-for-profit local and regional government organization serving its Members worldwide. Gino Van Begin graduated with a law degree from the University of Brussels as a lawyer and speaks Dutch, French, English, German and Russian. For more information, please visit his full profile here.

Secretary General’s Office
The team
Sunandan Tiwari Director, Global Implementation
Sunandan Tiwari
Director, Global Implementation

Sunandan leads the global projects team and coordinates the biodiversity work. He manages and supports the implementation of key projects funded by the International Climate Initiative run by the German government. He previously worked in the ICLEI South Asia Secretariat and developed the urban resilience program. Sunandan has a background in ecology with over 20 years of experience across a range of sectors from rural to urban domains.

Eva Madeira Director, Global Outreach
& Head of Membership and Governance
Eva Madeira
Director, Global Outreach
& Head of Membership and Governance

Eva directs the coordination between the Communications, Knowledge Management and Membership & Governance teams, as well as leading the global membership policy and governance engagement. As Chief of Operations, she also ensures the effective management of internal procedures and steers joint initiatives among the World Secretariat teams. Eva’s 15-year experience also includes a background in human resources and talent management, conference planning and training facilitation, with an education in economics and business management.

Maryke van Staden Director, Business Development | Director, carbonn Climate Center
Maryke van Staden
Director, Business Development | Director, carbonn Climate Center

Maryke directs the global low carbon strategy at ICLEI and is the Director of the Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting (carbonn Center). She oversees global programs and projects, working closely with national and subnational governments on integrated climate action. Linked to this, Maryke also supports ICLEI’s global climate advocacy work. Specializing in local climate action, sustainable energy and energy security, she has over 20 years of experience in the field.

Yunus Arikan Director, Global Advocacy
Yunus Arikan
Director, Global Advocacy

Yunus leads the global advocacy team at ICLEI. Since 2013, he has led global advocacy towards international bodies and multilateral agreements. Yunus helped establish the Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting – carbonn – and served as the Director of the Secretariat for the World Mayors Council on Climate Change. He has a background in environmental engineering.

León Díaz-Bone Chief, Secretary General's Office
León Díaz-Bone
Chief, Secretary General's Office

León assists the Secretary General in his priority planning, supporting decision making, and acting as hub for strategic communication with partners, as well as between different ICLEI teams and offices. León has experience in working with cities and subnational governments. He holds an MSc in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Yunus Arikan Director, Global Advocacy
Yunus Arikan
Director, Global Advocacy

Yunus leads the global advocacy team at ICLEI. Since 2013, he has led global advocacy towards international bodies and multilateral agreements. Yunus helped establish the Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting – carbonn – and served as the Director of the Secretariat for the World Mayors Council on Climate Change. He has a background in environmental engineering.

The Global Advocacy team seeks to build an international policy environment that strengthens subnational government capacity and supports urban sustainability and climate action. Through their efforts, the team has helped reshape the global sustainability landscape where subnational governments are recognized, engaged and resourced.
Contact us at: iclei@iclei.org
Eva Madeira Director, Global Outreach
& Head of Membership and Governance
Eva Madeira
Director, Global Outreach
& Head of Membership and Governance

Eva directs the coordination between the Communications, Knowledge Management and Membership & Governance teams, as well as leading the global membership policy and governance engagement. As Chief of Operations, she also ensures the effective management of internal procedures and steers joint initiatives among the World Secretariat teams. Eva’s 15-year experience also includes a background in human resources and talent management, conference planning and training facilitation, with an education in economics and business management.

The Membership and Governance team engages in outreach to ICLEI Members, Member onboarding and coordinates global membership planning and services among ICLEI offices, as well as managing the ICLEI governance bodies that drive the strategic direction of the association.
Contact us at: membership@iclei.org
The team
Philippe Romero Senior Officer
Membership and Governance
Philippe Romero
Senior Officer
Membership and Governance

Philippe works in the Membership and Governance team. In particular, he contributes to the coordination of ICLEI’s global efforts in terms of membership services and relations, and participates in the facilitation of the work of ICLEI’s governance bodies. Holding a Master Degree in International Relations from Sciences Po Bordeaux, he previously worked in the field of development in Africa.

Ariel Dekovic Head
Global Communications
Ariel Dekovic
Head
Global Communications

Ariel Dekovic is a nonprofit marketing and program development expert with a strong track record of organizational management and community engagement. For over 15 years, she has worked strategically to raise the impact and brand awareness for global organizations in such diverse fields as sustainability, food policy, water management, arts and education. Ariel has an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a BA from Vassar College.

The Global Communications team is responsible for leading and coordinating communications across ICLEI offices. The team plays a key role in strategic communications alongside the global advocacy and policy team. The team uses communications to reach a diverse global audience and is responsible for brand positioning, multimedia production and media relations.
Contact us at: media@iclei.org
The team
Matteo Bizzotto Senior Officer
Global Communications
Matteo Bizzotto
Senior Officer
Global Communications

Matteo is a social media and communication professional with experience in international and governmental organizations in Europe and the US. With a background on economics, politics and rehabilitation support for disabled children, Matteo is committed to fostering inclusive climate action that leaves no one behind. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations & a Bachelor’s in Economics.

Olga Tokareva Officer
Global Communications
Olga Tokareva
Officer
Global Communications

Olga is responsible for the graphic design and multimedia production for ICLEI’s projects. She has experience in brand design, print design and illustration, and has previously worked at the UNFCCC Secretariat. Olga holds a Master’s Degree in Foreign Regional Studies with a focus on environmental policies.

Barbara Riedemann Officer
Global Communications
Barbara Riedemann
Officer
Global Communications

Barbara Riedemann is a journalist with over ten years of experience creating and editing print and digital media content. She has worked in the private media sector and governmental institutions. She is currently a communication master’s student at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.

Joseph Wladkowski Head
Data and Knowledge Management & Global Events
Joseph Wladkowski
Head
Data and Knowledge Management & Global Events

Joseph leads the ICLEI Knowledge Management & Global Events team. He manages the strategic development of data and knowledge management systems used by the global organization, and advises on the development and use of sustainability indicators and performance reporting systems. Joseph has also coordinated several of global conferences at ICLEI. He has a background in environmental governance.

The ICLEI Knowledge Management & Global Events team serves key organizational functions for the World Secretariat and the entire global organization, including global data and knowledge management and research. The Knowledge Management & Global Events team also coordinates local ICT services to all offices and organizes key global events.
Contact us at: events@iclei.org
The team
Snezhana Cfarku Senior Officer
Data and Knowledge Management
Snezhana Cfarku
Senior Officer
Data and Knowledge Management

Snezhana supports the Capacity Center in Data and Knowledge Management. Through her broad technical experience, she facilitates data management process for different ICLEI projects. Snezhana has a background in Computer Engineering, with the main focus in the development and maintenance of Databases and Information Systems. Prior to joining ICLEI, Snezhana worked in the Private Sector as a Developer & Reporting Specialist.

Giulia Salvaterra Senior Officer
Global Events
Giulia Salvaterra
Senior Officer
Global Events

Giulia coordinates the planning, organization and implementation of ICLEI’s global events and worked as administrator for the project “Global Platform for Sustainable Cities”, a multi-faceted project under the Global Environment Facility (GEF). With an academic background in foreign languages and tourism management, Giulia has experience in project management and events organization.

Johanna Buchmann Duck Officer
Global Events
Johanna Buchmann Duck
Officer
Global Events

Johanna supports the planning and implementation of ICLEI’s global events, ranging from event logistics and technical preparations to participant support and communications. Her previous experience includes policy analysis and event planning with the Canadian federal government. Johanna’s academic background is in environmental management and the relationship between circular economy and biodiversity.

Catalina Schlienger Officer
Global Events
Catalina Schlienger
Officer
Global Events

Catalina supports the planning and implementation ICLEI’s global events, mainly focusing on virtual events. She has experience in events management, as well as in communications and recruitment. Catalina has a background in migration and development studies and public policy.

Ipek Genc-Buran Junior Officer
Global Events
Ipek Genc-Buran
Junior Officer
Global Events

Ipek supports the planning and implementation of ICLEI’s global events, from event logistics to participant management and support. Prior to joining ICLEI, she gained experience in climate change – sustainability research and communication. Ipek has a background in urban and regional planning and global change management.

Alex Lozano Morales Junior Officer
Data and Knowledge Management
Alex Lozano Morales
Junior Officer
Data and Knowledge Management
Jiwon Lee Head
Global Projects
Jiwon Lee
Head
Global Projects

Jiwon specializes in designing and implementing international development projects in the themes ranging from climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, and urban food system. She coordinates a BMU-funded project that supports cities in Southeast Asia in developing inclusive climate action plans. She holds a BSc degree in environmental engineering and MSc in environmental governance.

The Global Projects team supports, raises funding for, manages, and implements multi-office projects with the aim of profiling ICLEI globally as a hub of expertise. In addition, it explores and develops new, cross-cutting, emerging thematic areas and related fund raising opportunities.
Contact us at: iclei@iclei.org
The team
Thibault Renoux Senior Legal Officer
Global Projects
Thibault Renoux
Senior Legal Officer
Global Projects
Thibault manages international projects with a focus on biodiversity and specializes in acquiring and managing grants and service contracts. He also provides legal support to ICLEI offices on corporate law, contractual and procedural matters, and supports the development of organizational policies. Thibault holds LLMs in both International Law and in Intellectual Property, and has previously worked at IUCN.
Isabelle Tanangco Senior Officer
Global Projects
Isabelle Tanangco
Senior Officer
Global Projects

Isabelle specializes in the financial and administrative management of international projects and business acquisition. Her expertise lies in developing complex multi-partner budgets, forecasting and controlling project expenditure, and liaising with partners and donors for effective project administration. She also has experience in supporting human resource management and organizational administration.

Balance Phala Officer
Global Projects
Balance Phala
Officer
Global Projects

Balance supports the development and management of ICLEI’s city food program and the implementation of the multi-country projects focusing on urban food systems. She is a qualified aquaculture specialist and previously worked at eThekwini Municipality, South Africa where she led and supported sustainable agriculture and aquaculture projects for small-holder farmer initiatives. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Kwazulu-Natal.

Tim Lazaroff Junior Officer
Global Projects
Tim Lazaroff
Junior Officer
Global Projects
Tim supports the financial and administrative management of the International Climate Initiative projects, with additional communications responsibilities. Previously, he has worked in US politics in communications, governance, and outreach, and researched crisis governance of essential services, including public transport and schools. He holds a Master in Urban Management from TU Berlin, a BA in Urban Studies and BS in Management from the University of Pennsylvania.
Lan Le Junior Officer
Global Projects
Lan Le
Junior Officer
Global Projects

Lan supports the team with project acquisition and implementation of administrative and financial tasks of projects. She worked for a French non-government organization with a focus on fundraising, project implementation, communication and outreach. Her background is in business administration and social policy.

Tu My Tran Head
Sustainable Mobility
Tu My Tran
Head
Sustainable Mobility

Tu My leads the Sustainable Mobility Program at ICLEI, overseeing initiatives towards integrated, socially-inclusive, and environmentally-friendly urban mobility for people and goods. Experienced in partnership building, project management, and workshop facilitation, Tu My has a background in management and international relations. Tu My is proficient in Italian, English, Spanish, and German.

ICLEI’s Sustainable Mobility team supports local and regional governments to provide safe, affordable, accessible, resilient, low-emission and overall sustainable mobility to fulfill the mobility needs of all people and securing a high quality of urban life while respecting the limits of one planet. Sustainable Mobility gives priority to walking, cycling, public transport and shared mobility and helps to reduce the dependency on privately-owned vehicles. EcoLogistics promotes the transportation of goods with minimized impacts on air quality, health, safety, and GHG emissions.
Contact us at: ecomobility@iclei.org
The team
Ana María Cruz Ochoa Officer
Sustainable Mobility
Ana María Cruz Ochoa
Officer
Sustainable Mobility

Ana Maria is a civil engineer with a master’s degree in transportation and extensive experience advising international, national, and local organizations across various regions. Her expertise spans sustainable mobility, transportation systems, urban planning, and traffic engineering. She currently serves as a sustainable mobility officer at the ICLEI World Secretariat.

Heba Mousa Officer
Sustainable Mobility
Heba Mousa
Officer
Sustainable Mobility

Heba is an urban planner and architect. Her career and advocacy activities are focused on inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. She holds a BSc from Alexandria University and an MSc in urban Development from TU Berlin. Heba is a junior sustainable mobility officer in the ICLEI World Secretariat with a focus on community engagement, climate advocacy and mobility projects in the global south.

Magash Naidoo Head
Circular Development
Magash Naidoo
Head
Circular Development

Dr. Naidoo is responsible for the strategic direction of ICLEI’s Circular Development work, overseeing key projects, and fostering strategic relationships to bring about sustainable systemic change. Previously, he spent 14 years with the eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, in multiple Departments such as the Energy Office, where he worked on thematic areas such as the Green Economy. He holds a Doctorate of Business from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

ICLEI’s Circular Development team guides local governments in to embrace circular and sustainable development and shift away from resource-intense models. By prioritizing regenerative resources, preserving what is already made, using waste as a resource and generating new business models, the circular economy helps operationalize sustainable urban development. From policy recommendations and knowledge exchange activities to the development of monitoring and planning tools, we support local circular-focused efforts in an inclusive and practice-oriented manner. The team focuses on collaborative governance, urban metabolism studies, nature-based solutions, city-business engagement and social equity as key entry points to local circular transitions.
The team
Olga Horn Senior Officer
Circular Development
Olga Horn
Senior Officer
Circular Development
Olga’s work focuses on mainstreaming and promoting nature-based solutions in urban areas through knowledge exchange and advocacy. She has an academic background in sustainability science, GIS, international business economics and psychology.
Rebecca Wessinghage Officer
Circular Development
Rebecca Wessinghage
Officer
Circular Development
Rebecca leads the work on urban transitions, social equity and inclusive governance. As part of the Urban Transitions Alliance, she facilitates peer-to-peer learning between industrial legacy cities and coordinates the project’s knowledge creation, cooperation and dissemination activities. Rebecca’s previous experience includes education, curriculum development and research in the field of audiovisual publishing. With her M.A. in humanities, Rebecca advocates to strengthen the citizen focus in sustainable urban development.
Ying-Chih Deng-Sommer Senior Officer
Built Environment and Circular Development
Ying-Chih Deng-Sommer
Senior Officer
Built Environment and Circular Development

Dr. Ying-Chih Deng-Sommer takes charge of Circular Built Environment initiatives, leveraging his expertise in architecture and environmental impact management to influence policies and practices related to circular development. He places a strong emphasis on promoting innovation and resource efficiency. His proven track record and contributions are pivotal in advancing the goal of establishing sustainable built environments within urban areas. Furthermore, Ying-Chih plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration between cities and businesses, thereby facilitating the emergence of circular innovation in practice.

Innovative Finance Team
Innovative Finance Team
The goal of the Innovative Finance team is to catalyze and improve capital flows to cities, towns, and regions and strengthen their capacity to access climate finance and attract investment for their climate resilient and low-emission development. Further to this, through raising awareness and advocacy, the Innovative Finance team contributes to closing the gap between the availability and the accessibility of climate funds by subnational governments.
The team
Jaume Marques Colom Officer
Innovative Finance
Jaume Marques Colom
Officer
Innovative Finance

Jaume supports the management of the Transformative Actions Program (TAP) and ICLEI’s work and engagement in global initiatives in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Jaume holds a MSc on Global Energy and Climate Policy from SOAS University of London and has a professional background in advocacy, project management, and climate change consultancy in Southeast Asian countries.

André Almeida da Vila Officer
Innovative Finance
André Almeida da Vila
Officer
Innovative Finance

André is an Officer in the Innovative Finance Team at the ICLEI World Secretariat. He supports the management of the Transformative Action Program (TAP)’s project pipeline and ICLEI’s engagement in other global initiatives for climate finance, especially in Africa and South America. He has a background in public administration and urban governance, having worked with and researched local and regional development in Brazil, India, and South Africa.

Nida Bilgen Junior Officer, Innovative Finance and Resilience
Nida Bilgen
Junior Officer, Innovative Finance and Resilience

Nida supports the management of the Transformative Action Program project pipeline, assists in the coordination and project activities for the Gap Fund SUP project, and organization of ICLEI’s other international events, webinars, and knowledge exchange workshops in the Innovative Finance Team. She also supports the Resilient Development Team with the Urban Infrastructure Insurance Facility and the Resilience for Communities projects. She is an architect and holds an MSc in Transforming City Regions from RWTH Aachen University.

Alyssa Chenault Operations Manager
Climate Action
Alyssa Chenault
Operations Manager
Climate Action

Alyssa leads the Climate Action team through strategy, program management, stakeholder relations, advocacy and fundraising to support projects like UrbanShift, CDP-ICLEI Track, GCoM, and GreenClimateCities. With over 15 years non-profit and local government experience, Alyssa joins us in Bonn after previously serving as Communications Project Manager representing the mayor’s office for the City of Columbus, USA on their smart city initiative, Smart Columbus. Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration and Communications from Capital University.

The Climate Action team supports subnational governments to assess, act and accelerate climate and energy action to achieve low emission development, climate neutrality, localizing NDCs, towards 100% renewables, ensure energy access, energy security, and SDGs. ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities (GCC) Program is at the heart of this work, with a host of tools and guidance provided to the ICLEI network. Take a look at the Solutions Gateway and join the 100% Renewables Cities and Regions Network where we work with partners on technical and policy guidance.

Contact us at: carbonn@iclei.org
The team
Evgenia Mitroliou Senior Officer
Climate Action
Evgenia Mitroliou
Senior Officer
Climate Action
Evgenia is a climate resilience expert leading ICLEI’s engagement in facilitating integrated climate action planning worldwide through coordinating flagship projects and initiatives, such as the GCC and UrbanShift. She has experience consolidating strategic partnerships and managing large-scale events, including program development, team and project cost management. She has an MA in International Humanitarian Action.
Karishma Asarpota Officer
Climate Action
Karishma Asarpota
Officer
Climate Action

Karishma supports project coordination, climate research, and communication for integrated climate and energy action, supporting sub-national governments to achieve climate neutrality. She also supports ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities (GCC) Program and the Solutions Gateway. Karishma is experienced in working on sustainable urban energy transition, spatial planning and youth engagement in climate policy. She has a background in urbanism and architecture with professional work experience in the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

Dewi Sari Officer
Climate Action & Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
Dewi Sari
Officer
Climate Action & Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy

Dewi supports ICLEI’s engagement in the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience. Activities include coordination support for climate projects and ICLEI’s contribution to all the GCoM technical working groups to harmonize a global approach that showcases local leadership and action. She further supports research and policy analysis to inform ICLEI’s climate advocacy messaging. She is a political scientist with a Master’s Degree in Governance and Regulations specializing in international climate policy and SDGs.

Bongiwe Matsoha Officer
Climate Action
Bongiwe Matsoha
Officer
Climate Action
Bongiwe joins ICLEI in the low-emissions development pathway program, to aid cities in achieving their net-zero targets by 2050 and enhancing their climate resiliency. She has over 7 years of work experience in the Sustainability Sector. Prior to joining ICLEI, Bongiwe worked as a researcher and energy policy analyst, dedicating herself to realizing an equitable and just transition for all. Additionally, she has experience in carbon footprints, carbon tax, and carbon markets. She has an MPhil in Environment Management from the School of Public Leadership, at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Sumbal Tasawwar Junior Officer
Climate Data
Sumbal Tasawwar
Junior Officer
Climate Data

Sumbal leads the coordination for the CDP-ICLEI Track in the Climate Action team. Her work in Carbonn Centre utilizes data to visualize its impact. She works cross-functionally with GCoM, GCC, Just Transition, UrbanShift, Race to Zero, and other teams & ROs within the ICLEI network. Sumbal has a Masters in Environmental Engineering from TU Hamburg. She has 4 yrs of experience in sustainability, data analysis, fundraising, corporate frameworks reporting, stakeholder and project management, Net-Zero and GHGe, acquired through an Agri-Tech start up and Scientific Research on Reg. Agriculture.

Rohit Sen Head
Sustainable Energy
Rohit Sen
Head
Sustainable Energy

Rohit, a senior energy expert, heads ICLEI’s Sustainable Energy program. With over 13 years of expertise in renewables, energy management, and project finance, he leads ICLEI’s flagship effort in transitioning Cities & Regions to 100% Renewables. His portfolio encompasses ICLEI’s vision for global energy transformation toward a resilient, net-zero emission future. Rohit offers policy and technical assistance, along with distilled knowledge, supporting subnational governments worldwide in their commitment to sustainability. With an engineering background in renewables and energy management, he fluently communicates in English and Hindi and possesses professional proficiency in German.

The Sustainable Energy team supports local and regional governments to drive the transition to sustainable energy, aiming for net-zero emissions and climate neutrality. We help integrate sustainable energy into their development plans, boost renewable energy adoption, and align with NDCs and SDGs. Through collaboration with global and local partners, our flagship initiative 100% Renewables for Cities and Regions empowers cities to enhance energy access, security, resilience, and reduce energy poverty. This effort brings about socio-economic opportunities and improved health for both people and nature.

The team
Felix Akrofi-Atitianti Senior Officer
Sustainable Energy
Felix Akrofi-Atitianti
Senior Officer
Sustainable Energy

Felix focuses on low emission development strategies and enhanced air quality in cities. He is ICLEI’s global coordinator of the Urban-LEDS II project, a flagship project involving more than 60 cities. With a background in Environmental Risk Management and Sustainable Development, Felix is an apt climate advocate and provides support for enhancing multilevel governance for local climate action.

Peraiha Sastry Akella Senior Officer
Sustainable Energy
Peraiha Sastry Akella
Senior Officer
Sustainable Energy

Sastry has a Master’s degree in Energy Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Following graduation, he joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as Assistant Director – Renewable Energy, where he implement the solar energy applications across the ISA member nations. He has experience on a variety of projects, programmes, training and initiatives aimed at building capacity, e-mobility, technical due diligence, Detailed Project Report preparation, and knowledge management. He also worked as a country coordinator responsible for six countries.

Kanak Gokarn Officer
Sustainable Energy
Kanak Gokarn
Officer
Sustainable Energy

Kanak supports ICLEI’s work in the 100% Renewables Regions and Cities Roadmaps project under the International Climate Initiative (IKI), as well as the 100% Renewables Network. Her background is in energy policy and international relations, and she has previously worked in various public policy institutions and international organizations in France and India.

Namjung Choi Junior Officer
Sustainable Energy
Namjung Choi
Junior Officer
Sustainable Energy

Namjung supports ICLEI’s sustainable energy team in achieving net zero for cities and regions through projects and activities related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable energy systems. She has experience in sustainable development projects in Ecuador and Sri Lanka, as well as in EU-funded projects for circular economy. Namjung holds an MSc in sustainable urban development and management from the Netherlands, and a bachelor’s in environmental engineering from South Korea.

David Jacome-Polit Head
Resilient Development
David Jacome-Polit
Head
Resilient Development

Formerly Chief Resilience Officer and Metropolitan Director of Resilience in Quito, David works at the intersection of socioeconomic and spatial exclusion and the effects of extreme natural events, including the ones related to climate change. He aims to ensure access to essentials such as water, food, energy, transportation and labor opportunities. The creation of livelihoods and the betterment of living conditions is a must.

The Resilient Development team manages and connects to a variety of topics that fall under the broader umbrella of resilience. This includes urban risk, resilient urban logistics, financing the resilient city, climate insurance urban agriculture and food, smart infrastructure and other issues, in coordination with other World Secretariat and worldwide teams
The team
Anina Hartung Officer
Resilient Development
Anina Hartung
Officer
Resilient Development

Anina is a sustainability and resilience expert who contributes to the global coordination of ICLEI’s Resilient Development pathway, connecting opportunities to subnational governments on a diverse range of topics. She has an academic background in interdisciplinary studies and holds an MSc in Environmental Governance from the University of Freiburg. Anina’s previous professional experiences involve research, project acquisition activities, and supporting the City of Bloomington’s sustainability goals.

Carol Torres Limache Officer
Resilient Development
Carol Torres Limache
Officer
Resilient Development

Carol is a Peruvian architect and holds an Erasmus master’s in urban climate and sustainability from the universities of Finland, Spain and the UK. She has wide experience in construction, sustainability consultancy, assessment tools and research on urban UHIs and nature-based solutions. She has worked in the private and academic sectors in Peru and Germany and most recently for the United Nations (ICAT and UNOPS) in Copenhagen, Denmark. She speaks Spanish, English and German.

Nida Bilgen Junior Officer, Innovative Finance and Resilience
Nida Bilgen
Junior Officer, Innovative Finance and Resilience

Nida supports the management of the Transformative Action Program project pipeline, assists in the coordination and project activities for the Gap Fund SUP project, and organization of ICLEI’s other international events, webinars, and knowledge exchange workshops in the Innovative Finance Team. She also supports the Resilient Development Team with the Urban Infrastructure Insurance Facility and the Resilience for Communities projects. She is an architect and holds an MSc in Transforming City Regions from RWTH Aachen University.

Pourya Salehi Head
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development
Pourya Salehi
Head
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development

Pourya coordinates the research activities at the World Secretariat. He manages, supervises, and coordinates research projects for ICLEI, Chief among them the IFWEN project. Pourya is also the coordinator of ICLEI Global Research. Graduated from the Technical University of Munich and with more than 8 years of professional experience, Pourya represents ICLEI in research-related spaces and is a member of GCoM’s Research & Innovation Technical Working Group.

The ICLEI Urban Research, Innovation, and Development team drives evidence-based policy making and science-informed local action through initiating, maintaining and fostering effective collaboration among relevant stakeholders across the globe. The Urban Research, Innovation, and Development Team, through operationalization of the ICLEI Global Research Strategy, strives to scale up collaborative science-based research across all sustainability themes to support subnational governments achieving sustainability goals.
Contact us at: urban.research@iclei.org
The team
Amy Jones Officer
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development
Amy Jones
Officer
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development

Amy is responsible for supporting the implementation and further operationalization of ICLEI’s Global Research Strategy. She also contributes to the implementation of several research and innovation projects. As well as a BA in Geography with International Study, Amy holds an MSc in Global Urban Development and Planning from the University of Manchester. Prior to joining ICLEI, Amy assisted FGV with a project on innovation in the Food-Water-Energy Nexus.

David Corbett Officer
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development
David Corbett
Officer
Urban Research, Innovation, and Development

David contributes to implementing ICLEI’s Global Research Strategy and supports the coordination of research activities, including the EU-funded project: RethinkAction. He holds an MSc in City and Regional Planning from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and completed his PhD in Urban Studies at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia. Before joining ICLEI, he collected international experience in urban planning and citizen engagement projects as well as urban analytics.

Carmen Gebauer Head
Finance and Controlling
Carmen Gebauer
Head
Finance and Controlling

Carmen leads the finance and controlling at ICLEI. She is responsible for the accounting and project statements, as well as preparing the annual accounts and accompanying the project exams. Through her expertise, Carmen has represented ICLEI in this position for several years. She previously worked for a German professional association.

The Finance and Controlling team oversees all of ICLEI’s accounting processes and financial project reporting. It ensures the books are in order for the Annual Financial Statement and the financial deadlines for all projects are respected.
Contact us at: iclei@iclei.org
The team
Anna-Katharina Kiefer Officer
Finance and Controlling
Anna-Katharina Kiefer
Officer
Finance and Controlling
Anna supports the Finance & Controlling team at ICLEI in the financial project controlling and reporting and is responsible for travel arrangements and reimbursements to staff. She has a background in administration and accounting.
Yasmin Bacharwala Officer
Finance and Controlling
Yasmin Bacharwala
Officer
Finance and Controlling

Yasmin is responsible for financial project controlling, budgeting and supporting in preparation of annual accounts. Leveraging a substantial background in business administration, she ensures the precision of financial statements and spearheads dynamic capacity planning endeavors. Yasmin has a wealth of expertise encompassing both business and personnel management, elevating her prowess in executing strategic project budget planning. She actively collaborates with cross-functional teams and interfaces effectively with ICLEI’s branches worldwide.

Doreen Wuerker Junior Officer
Finance and Controlling
Doreen Wuerker
Junior Officer
Finance and Controlling

Doreen has professional experience in accounting, financial auditing, tax advisory, corporate and retail banking. Within the Finance and Controlling Team at ICLEI, she works primarily in the area of accounting. Doreen holds degrees in Business Administration and Banking.

Natascha Weiler Finance support
Natascha Weiler
Finance support

Natascha is part of the finance team at ICLEI and is responsible for financial project controlling and budgeting. She has a background in accounting.

Petra Heinevetter Head
Human Resources and Administration
Petra Heinevetter
Head
Human Resources and Administration

As a Bachelor Professional in HR Management, Petra is ensuring reliable and customer-oriented operation in personnel work. Her responsibilities include, among others, recruitment, advice to teams and management, and initiatives’ management across the HR lifecycle. She gained extensive knowledge in HR-Management during several years working as Head of HR in the department store industry and for an energy-solution constructing company.

The Human Resources and Administration team deals mainly with internal services for all teams within the ICLEI world secretariat and also acts as the access point for all external inquiries. They look after stock keeping, replenishment and procurement of all kinds of office equipment as well as inventory, keys, job tickets, telephone and mail. Facility management, safety and security in the building are also part of their duties. They logistically prepare meetings and coordinate all kinds of processes and procedures in the office environment.
Contact us at: iclei@iclei.org
The team
Jamie Walker Officer
Administration
Jamie Walker
Officer
Administration
Jamie is responsible for the Administration team and works closely with the Human Resources department. He is the first point of contact for internal and external queries, and supports the organization and maintenance of the World Secretariat building. Jamie has 14 years’ experience working in legal, medical and personal administration. Previous employers include Byrne Wallace Solicitors and The Irish Medicines Board (HPRA)
Julia Reiners Officer
Administration
Julia Reiners
Officer
Administration

Julia is part of the Administration team and works closely with the Human Resources department. She supports the team with internal and external queries, as well as the organization and maintenance of the World Secretariat building. Julia has a background in administration for telecommunications companies and non-profit associations.

Anna Read Administration support
Anna Read
Administration support

Anna is part of the Administration team and works closely with the Human Resources department. She supports the team with internal and external queries, as well as the organization and maintenance of the World Secretariat building. Anna has a background in personnel administration and customer service.

Kobie Brand Regional Director
ICLEI Africa Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General
Kobie Brand
Regional Director
ICLEI Africa Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General

Africa Secretariat

 

South Tower Sable Park, 14 Bridge Boulevard
Century City, Cape Town, South Africa

 

Email: iclei-africa@iclei.org

Zhu Shu Regional Director
ICLEI East Asia Secretariat
Zhu Shu
Regional Director
ICLEI East Asia Secretariat

East Asia Secretariat

 

14/F, Seoul Global Center Building 38 Jongno, Jongno-gu,

Seoul, Republic of Korea

 

Email: iclei-sea@iclei.org

Wolfgang Teubner Regional Director
ICLEI European Secretariat
Wolfgang Teubner
Regional Director
ICLEI European Secretariat

European Secretariat

 

Leopoldring 379098

Freiburg, Germany

 

Email: iclei-europe@iclei.org

Edgar Villaseñor Franco Regional Director
ICLEI Mexico, Central America & Caribbean Secretariat
Edgar Villaseñor Franco
Regional Director
ICLEI Mexico, Central America & Caribbean Secretariat

Central America & Caribbean Secretariat

 

Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 13Building Miguel Abed, Floor 5 Of. 506 and 507,Col. Centro, CP 06050 Del.Cuauhtemoc,

Mexico City, Mexico

 

Email: iclei-mexico@iclei.org

Rodrigo de Oliveira Perpetuo Regional Director
ICLEI South America Secretariat
Rodrigo de Oliveira Perpetuo
Regional Director
ICLEI South America Secretariat

South America Secretariat

 

Rua Marquês de Itu,

São Paulo, SP, Brasil

 

Email: iclei-sams@iclei.org

Kobie Brand Interim Regional Director
ICLEI Oceania Secretariat
Kobie Brand
Interim Regional Director
ICLEI Oceania Secretariat

Oceania Secretariat

 

Level 8, 225 Bourke StMelbourne,

Victoria, Australia

 

Email: iclei-oceania@iclei.org

Emani Kumar Regional Director
ICLEI South Asia Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General
Emani Kumar
Regional Director
ICLEI South Asia Secretariat
| ICLEI Deputy Secretary General

Emani works with all the offices in Asia, to ensure cohesion in the implementation of ICLEI’s agendas and spearhead advocacy activities in the region. Emani has a background in environmental management and planning and more than twenty years of experience in climate change policy and planning, local governance, renewable energy, systems management and auditing.

South Asia Secretariat

C-3, Lower Ground Floor
Green Park Extension
New Delhi – 110016, India Tel. +91 – 11 – 4974 7200 Fax +91 – 11 – 4974 7201

Victorino Aquitania Regional Director
ICLEI Southeast Asia Secretariat
Victorino Aquitania
Regional Director
ICLEI Southeast Asia Secretariat

Southeast Asia

Units 3-6, Manila Observatory
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Heights
Quezon City, 1108
Philippines

Email: iclei-sea@iclei.org

Megan Meaney Executive Director
ICLEI Canada Office
Megan Meaney
Executive Director
ICLEI Canada Office

Canada Office

 

401 Richmond St. W, Studio 204

Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8. Canada

 

Email: iclei-canada@iclei.org

Togo Uchida Executive Director
ICLEI Japan Office
Togo Uchida
Executive Director
ICLEI Japan Office

Japan Office

 

Shimbashi SY Building 4F 1-14-2 Nishi-Shimbashi Minato-ku

Tokyo 105-0003,Japan

 

Email: iclei-japan@iclei.org

Yeonhee Park Executive Director
ICLEI Korea Office
Yeonhee Park
Executive Director
ICLEI Korea Office

Korea Office

(10390) 217-59, Kintex-ro, Ilsanseo-gu,
Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Telephone: +82-31-255-3257
Fax: +82-31-256-3257
Saharnaz Mirzazad Executive Director
ICLEI USA Office
Saharnaz Mirzazad
Executive Director
ICLEI USA Office

USA Office

 

1536 Wynkoop St., Suite 901

Denver, Colorado, 80202USA

 

Email: iclei-usa@iclei.org

Yisheng Yang Executive Director
ICLEI KCC
Yisheng Yang
Executive Director
ICLEI KCC

Kaohsiung Capacity Center (KCC)

6F, Building B, No.834,Chengcing Rd., Niaosong Dist.,
Kaohsiung 833201, Chinese Taipei

 

Email: iclei-kaohsiung@iclei.org

Since our founding, ICLEI Secretary Generals and Deputy Secretary Generals have directed the organization and guided our development into the leading global network we are today.

Former executive management
ICLEI World Secretariat
Europe
European Secretariat
Leopoldring 3
79098 Freiburg, Germany
iclei-europe.org
Brussels Office
Av. de Tervuren 35
1040 Bruxelles
Belgium
Berlin Office
St. Oberholz ROS Team Room 4.02
Rosenthaler Str. 72a
10119 Berlin
Germany
Africa
Physical address:
Unit 1, 2nd Floor,
South Tower
Sable Park, 14 Bridge
Boulevard
Century City
Cape Town
South Africa
Tyger Valley, South Africa
africa.iclei.org
ICLEI Africa Foundation
Ebène Junction, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius
North America
USA Office
536 Wynkoop St.
Suite 901
Denver, Colorado
USA 80202
www.icleiusa.org
Canada Office
401 Richmond St. W
Studio 204
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3A8, Canada
www.icleicanada.org
British Columbia Office
Victoria City Hall
1 Centennial Square
Victoria,
BC V8W 1P6
www.icleicanada.org
Québec Office
Montréal City Hall
275 Notre-Dame St E
Montreal,
QC H2Y 1C6
www.icleicanada.org
Central America & the Caribbean
Mexico, Central American and Caribbean Secretariat
Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 13
Building Miguel Abed, Floor 5 Of. 506 and 507,
Col. Centro, CP 06050 Del.
Cuauhtemoc, Mexico City, Mexico
www.iclei.org.mx
South America
South American Secretariat
Rua Marquês de Itu 70, 14° andar.
São Paulo, SP, Brasil
CEP 01223-000
americadosul.iclei.org
Colombia Office
Carrera 53 N° 40A - 31,
Medellín, Antioquia – Colombia
americadosul.iclei.org
Argentina Office
Boulevard Gálvez, 1150 Planta Alta.
Rosário, Santa Fé, Argentina
South Asia
South Asia Secretariat
c, 3, Green Park Extension Road, Block B, Green Park Extension, Green Park, New Delhi, Delhi, India
southasia.iclei.org
Southern Center
Door No. 6-3-596/47/2
Sri Venkata Ramana Colony
Hyderabad 500 004
Andhra Pradesh
East Asia
East Asia Secretariat
14/F, Seoul Global Center Building, 38 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (110-110)
eastasia.iclei.org
Japan Office
1-14-2 Nishi-Shimbashi,
Minato-ku
Tokyo, Japan 105-0003
japan.iclei.org
Kaohsiung Capacity Center
Xiaogang District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
icleikcc.org
Korea Office
217-59 Kintex-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10390, Republic of Korea
www.icleikorea.org
Beijing Office
B1010 Xiaoyun Center, No. 15
Beijing 100125,
China
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia Secretariat
c/o The Manila Observatory Ateneo de Manila University Campus Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1101 Manila, Philippines
icleiseas.org
ICLEI Indonesia Project Office
Jl. Karbela Sel. No.46, RT.2/RW.4, Kuningan, Karet, South Jakarta City, Jakarta 12940, Indonesia
Oceania
Oceania Secretariat
l8/225 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
www.icleioceania.org