Meet the staff

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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Patricia supports ICLEI World Secretariat’s systems work, including the ICLEI Activity Reporting platform and the maintenance of core data in the global database. She is coordinating the Malmö Commitment on Inclusive and Equitable Communities, and supports the design and implementation of equity guidelines at ICLEI’s global events. Patricia has experience in data analysis and economic research. She has a background in development economics.

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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

Part of the Sustainable Mobility team at ICLEI, Tanya is involved in strategizing sustainable urban freight management and digitalization of urban mobility systems. She is an experienced architect-urban planner with masters in urban and regional planning from CEPT University. Proficient in project management, performance assessment and stakeholder management, she was previously associated with PwC India for smart cities consulting.

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.

Andres is an expert in management and planning of freight transport and digitalization. He thrives in international environments and has interdisciplinary experiences in startups, research institutes, and consultancies. In 2022, he joined ICLEI’s Sustainable Mobility team. He holds a Civil Engineering degree and an MBA in Sustainable Mobility Management.

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.

Charis manages content development and communication activities for the ICLEI Circulars platform and supports ICLEI’s circular development advocacy activities and global efforts to collect needs and priorities from local governments across different world regions. Her previous experience includes engaging stakeholders in the circular economy policy process at European level. She has an academic background in psychology and public policy.

María manages content development and communication activities for the ICLEI Circulars platform. She implements and supports several circular food and social equity projects, while assisting the development of strategic work for the team. María has professional experience in business management and holds an academic background in environmental management and food sociology.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.