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Marwa Azelmat has extensive public policy and advocacy experience on cyber policy issues, focusing specifically on the Global South. She has engaged substantively and influenced multiple internet-related policy processes, including with treaty bodies, special procedures and in relation to internet governance. Marwa has a particular interest in the intersections of gender, technology and social justice in the MENA region and currently holds the position of Digital Rights Expert at RNW Media.

Isabelle Baur advises Soliswiss members and non-members who want to emigrate, live abroad or return to Switzerland. Thanks to her previous work, she has extensive knowledge and experience in all areas of social security.

Pascal Bijleveld has over 20 years of leadership experience in global public health at country, regional and global levels. He has straddled the private as well as public sectors, working with McKinsey, WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, based in Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, New York, and Geneva. In his current role as CEO of ATscale, he works to increase access to assistive technologies (wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.) in low-income countries. He believes that localisation is necessary for international cooperation and that Swiss professionals have important contributions to make in this context.

Patricia Danzi is Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Previously, she worked at the ICRC in various roles of increasing responsibility, including Head of Operations between 2008 and 2015 and Regional Director for Africa between 2015 and 2020. She holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics, geography and environmental science, followed by development studies in Geneva.

Liliana brings 23 years of experience working in international cooperation. Positions include working as Senior Advisor at the Swiss Executive Director’s Office at the World Bank in Washington, as Private Sector Development Specialist for the IFC, and as Head of the Swiss Contribution Office in Budapest. Her international background is rooted in her family; her father is from India, and she spent a year of her childhood in Brazil. She has always been interested in economic policy issues which led her to pursue a Master in Economics and Political Science as a minor. Today, she lives with her husband, 11-year-old daughter and dog in Biel, Switzerland.

Stefan Germann is the CEO of Fondation Botnar. He is a global expert in children’s health and well-being with over 30 years of experience. He has lived in seven countries and worked in over 80 countries with a passion for the progressive realisation of children's rights. He has launched several social development organisations and programmes in Africa and Asia (Masiye Camp, REPSSI, One Goal Asia).

Shazia Islamshah is Senior Advisor at cinfo. She has worked for over 20 years in the human rights and humanitarian sectors, as well as in philanthropy, holding both leadership and technical thematic roles with UNDP, OCHA, the ICRC, women’s and children's rights organisations, as well as the Drosos Foundation. She has worked at national, regional and international levels, including in fragile contexts, based in Nepal, Myanmar, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, South Sudan, Iraq and Kenya, as well as in Nairobi, Geneva, Bern and Zurich, from where she has collaborated with local offices and partners in Brazil, Indonesia, Burundi, Chad, Sudan and Lebanon. Shazia is also a member of Re-Alliance, which promotes a regenerative vision for the humanitarian and development sectors.

Jean-Luc Marcelin works as a Partnerships and Talent Outreach Specialist in the UNDP Office of Human Resources. Jean-Luc is responsible for various activities and initiatives related to talent outreach and communication, employer value proposition strategy and social media presence; resource mobilisation, partnerships and reporting; and programme development in a talent acquisition context. He is also involved in recruitment and selection activities to identify young talent for the UNDP. Jean-Luc is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Science Po). He has 25 years of professional experience in cooperation and programme development activities, including 21 years with the UN.

Victoria Martinez always knew she wanted to pursue a career in international cooperation, working for the United Nations. After completing her Master’s degree in political science and Russian literature from the University of Zurich, she did several internships, working for the Estonian MFA in New York, a Tajik NGO in Panjakent, and for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In 2016, she got a JPO position with OCHA in South Sudan. Today Victoria works as a Humanitarian Affairs Officer for OCHA in Cameroon. She lives with her two young children as a single mother in Yaundee, where she is enjoying the life she has created for herself. 

Issa Sanogo was appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Madagascar in 2020. He brings over 25 years of development and humanitarian experience from the United Nations, as an economist at the World Bank and in government positions in Côte d'Ivoire.

Kimon Schneider is a senior lecturer at NADEL. A social anthropologist by training, he obtained a MAS in Development Cooperation at NADEL. Kimon worked for several years as a Country Director and Programme Manager as well as a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor for various NGOs abroad and at headquarters in Zurich.

Since 2005, anundpfirsich has been improvising on stages in Switzerland and Europe. The ensemble creates and performs innovative forms of improvisational theatre and offers theatre courses, training for organisations and seminars on personal presence, self-presentation and spontaneity. Its’ members are internationally recognised as proven experts in the field of improvisation, both on stage and in everyday life.

Nicole Töpperwien provides expert advice on social security matters when emigrating, returning home or working for multilateral organisations (in Switzerland or abroad). Before joining Soliswiss, she worked internationally and in multilateral organisations. At the request of the Swiss government and mandated by cinfo, Nicole conducted a study on the social security of Swiss professionals working in multilateral organisations in 2020.

Amélie Yan-Gouiffes is currently on assignment in Madagascar as the Disaster Risk Reduction & Recovery Advisor for the United Nations. She has worked for 25 years in emergency response and recovery and disaster risk reduction and resilience with NGOs, the Red Cross, the UN and the European Union in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, the Pacific, Europe and Africa. She is also a certified coach, podcaster and published author.