Meet the staff

Sunandan is engaged in strategy formulation, program development, project acquisition, implementation, and partnership building. He oversees and provides strategic guidance to the Resilient Development, Food, Sustainable Mobility, and Circular Development teams. Previously, as Deputy Director at ICLEI South Asia he developed their urban resilience program. Sunandan is an ecologist with over 25 years of experience across a range of sectors.

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 oversees ICLEI’s global approach on climate action, sustainable energy, access to finance, research and innovation, and guides business development. A political scientist, with two degrees from the University of Pretoria, Maryke’s career spans 30+ years – with expertise on subnational climate action (resilience, adaptation, mitigation); sustainable energy; urban resilience; multilevel governance; and access to finance for local action.

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.

Anna assists in communications and daily activities of the Secretary General, including internal and international operations. Anna has Bachelors in political science and economics and previously worked in administration at the World Secretariat

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.

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.

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 coordinates the planning, organization and implementation of ICLEI’s global events, as well as projects related to food systems. 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 of ICLEI’s global events, specializing in the end-to-end management of virtual events. She also contributes to Daring Cities, the Malmö Commitment, and Town Hall COPs. Her background includes migration, development studies, and public policy.

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 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.

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 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.

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 is an urban planner and architect. Her career is focused on socially- and environmentally-conscious urban development and climate advocacy. She studied architecture in Alexandria University and holds a MSc in urban Development from TU Berlin. She co-founded Tabdeel: Centre for cycling urbanism in Egypt and currently works as a sustainable mobility officer in the ICLEI World Secretariat.

Rebecca is coordinating key initiatives under ICLEI’s equitable development pathway. Through peer learning facilitation, knowledge creation and advocacy, she is working to strengthen socially just climate action, community empowerment and fair resource access in urban environments. Rebecca’s previous experience includes event management in the cultural sector as well as education and research in the field of audiovisual journalism. Holding a M.A. degree in humanities, Rebecca advocates for placing people at the heart of urban sustainability efforts and systematically including disadvantaged populations.

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.

Paola Castañeda Rodriguez is an Officer in the Circular Development team, bringing her interdisciplinary background and global perspective to support local governments in advancing circular economy strategies and fostering sustainable urban transitions. She holds a M.Sc. in Sustainable Resource Management from the Technical University of Munich.

Jaume specializes in innovative finance for sustainable urban development. He works to connect local and regional governments with financing solutions that support climate resilience and sustainable growth, leveraging his expertise to drive impactful projects, including the TAP initiative. Jaume has a professional background in advocacy, project management, and climate change consultancy in Southeast Asia.

André is an Officer in the Innovative Finance Team. His work focuses on unlocking finance for sustainable infrastructure projects at the subnational level. André has experience in the public and private sectors, having worked with local development in Brazil, India, and South Africa. He has a background in public administration, political science, and urbanism, holding a Master’s degree from Sciences Po Paris, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Nida works at the intersection of resilience, urban sustainability, and climate finance. As part of the Resilient Development Team, she focuses on participatory planning, disaster risk reduction, and strengthening local capacities in vulnerable urban areas. She also supports the Transformative Action Program (TAP) within the Innovative Finance Team, contributing to investment-ready climate infrastructure projects. With a background in architecture, Nida holds an MSc in Transforming City Regions from RWTH Aachen University.

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 is an urbanist experienced in working on integrated spatial planning, sustainable urban energy transition, and youth engagement in climate policy. She coordinates the UrbanShift project and ICLEI’s engagement with youth. She has academic experience in India, the Netherlands, and the United States and professional work experience in the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, and Germany.

Sumbal leads the CDP-ICLEI Track within ICLEI’s Climate Action team. At the Carbonn Centre, she uses data analysis and visualization to support strategic decision-making. Under the GreenClimateCities Program, she collaborates with Regional Offices, Just Transition, UrbanShift and other initiatives. Sumbal holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from TU Hamburg, specializing in climate data, corporate sustainability, and Net-Zero strategies.

Kanak supports ICLEI’s sustainable energy work through policy research, project management, stakeholder engagement, communications, and strategic inputs related to the expansion of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures at the subnational level. Her background is in energy policy and international relations, and she previously worked and in public policy institutions and international organizations in France and India.

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.

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.

Nida works at the intersection of resilience, urban sustainability, and climate finance. As part of the Resilient Development Team, she focuses on participatory planning, disaster risk reduction, and strengthening local capacities in vulnerable urban areas. She also supports the Transformative Action Program (TAP) within the Innovative Finance Team, contributing to investment-ready climate infrastructure projects. With a background in architecture, Nida holds an MSc in Transforming City Regions from RWTH Aachen University.

Giulia coordinates the planning, organization and implementation of ICLEI’s global events, as well as projects related to food systems. With an academic background in foreign languages and tourism management, Giulia has experience in project management and events organization.

Balance co-lead ICLEI’s CityFood Program and collaborates with ICLEI’s regional offices worldwide to implement urban food systems projects that help transform cities into hubs for healthy people, healthy landscapes and healthy climate. She holds a Master of Business Administration, and previously worked for eThekwini Municipality (Durban, South Africa), where she led initiatives to improve the city’s food system through innovative food and nutrition security programs.

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.

Anna supports the financial project controlling and is responsible for preparing interim and final financial reports, in coordination with the project managers and involved ICLEI Regional Offices; as well as provide support during project audits and prepares travel reimbursements for staff. She has a background in administration and accounting.

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.

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

Julia is part of the Administration team and works closely with the Human Resources department. She is responsible for administrational processes within the office, as well as for the office information and communication technology. She assists other World Secretariat teams with planning and organizing events in Bonn. Julia has a background in administration for telecommunications companies and non-profit associations.