News

Heather Wokusch

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Mental Health, Education, Resilience

Heather Wokusch’s international career in organizational development, instructional design, strategic management, multimedia, cross-culture, and advocacy has spanned five continents and multiple fields.

As Executive Director of MESPERO: Impact for Resilience, she consults corporations, governmental groups, educational institutions and other entities on digital transformation, leadership development, workforce experience, change management, and globalization. This includes innovating effective approaches for scaling EdTech and PeaceTech support to underserved populations.

A firm believer in the democratization of knowledge, Heather is an expert in various forms of virtual learning. She creates customized digital solutions for public and private entities and has developed multiple Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). As the founder of blockhub.care, she innovates hybrid solutions of EdTech and PeaceTech for the humanitarian and development sectors, especially regarding mental health, forced migration, human trafficking, and climate change.

Heather Wokusch

Heather Wokusch’s international career in organizational development, instructional design, strategic management, multimedia, cross-culture, and advocacy has spanned five continents and multiple fields.

As Executive Director of MESPERO: Impact for Resilience, she consults corporations, governmental groups, educational institutions and other entities on digital transformation, leadership development, workforce experience, change management, and globalization. This includes innovating effective approaches for scaling EdTech and PeaceTech support to underserved populations.

A firm believer in the democratization of knowledge, Heather is an expert in various forms of virtual learning. She creates customized digital solutions for public and private entities and has developed multiple Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). As the founder of blockhub.care, she innovates hybrid solutions of EdTech and PeaceTech for the humanitarian and development sectors, especially regarding mental health, forced migration, human trafficking, and climate change.

Malaika Oringo

Chief Policy Officer
Trafficking, Inclusion, Climate

Malaika Oringo is the Founder and CEO of Footprint to Freedom (2019), a survivor-led organization. She is also the Director of Development for the African Survivor Coalition.

Malaika Oringo is a talented advocate and speaks up against human trafficking and stands up for victims’ rights and works to strengthen the survivor’s inclusion and engagement. She has spoken on various stages throughout Europe, such as in Paris, Geneva, Athens, London, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Raised in Uganda in harsh conditions and exploited in the Netherlands, Malaika Oringo has devoted her life to fighting against human trafficking. She believes that since survivors are the most significant stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking, they should sit at decision-making tables from community level to national level and international level. She has lobbied at the European Commission and spoken at the European Parliament about the gaps in the current approach human trafficking. She also advised on the best practices that can provide victim centered trauma informed and survivor centered approaches to improve response to survivors and victims’ needs.

Malaika Oringo

Malaika Oringo is the Founder and CEO of Footprint to Freedom (2019), a survivor-led organization. She is also the Director of Development for the African Survivor Coalition.

Malaika Oringo is a talented advocate and speaks up against human trafficking and stands up for victims’ rights and works to strengthen the survivor’s inclusion and engagement. She has spoken on various stages throughout Europe, such as in Paris, Geneva, Athens, London, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Raised in Uganda in harsh conditions and exploited in the Netherlands, Malaika Oringo has devoted her life to fighting against human trafficking. She believes that since survivors are the most significant stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking, they should sit at decision-making tables from community level to national level and international level. She has lobbied at the European Commission and spoken at the European Parliament about the gaps in the current approach human trafficking. She also advised on the best practices that can provide victim centered trauma informed and survivor centered approaches to improve response to survivors and victims’ needs.

Mădălina Boț

Mădălina Boț advocates for complex social issues via (digital) storytelling. She has a strong background in creating multimedia educational material, including eLearning.

Experienced in projects promoting human-trafficking awareness and gender equality, she works to amplify the voices of those with lived experience. Her aim is to scale outreach while informing human-centered, decision-making processes.

She values the power of creativity in her event planning and communications work.

Mădălina carries out project development and management while supporting outreach strategy and implementation.

Veronica Zeitlin

Chief Legal Officer
International Policy, Trafficking, Trauma Mitigation

Veronica Zeitlin is a lawyer and international policy and program expert. She has over 20 years of experience combating human trafficking and assisting survivors through trauma-informed approaches. Currently a consultant, she served as Chief of Research and Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking, Senior Advisor, Counter-Trafficking in Persons, Gender, and Migration, at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Reports and Political Affairs Analyst at the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, where she covered Africa.

Les Simm

Chief Risk Officer
Business Sector, SDGs

Les Simm founded the International Forum for Understanding and serves as its Executive Director. Les works in the business sector, with governments, the UN, INGO’s and other entities in areas ranging from security risk management and business resilience to humanitarian operations and disaster relief. He has expertise in nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control and verification, security sector reform and countering transnational organised crime. Having trained as a psychiatric nurse in his early career, Les has long-term interest in mental health and wellbeing. Les is a passionate supporter of the SDGs with a particular focus on project implementation and making a demonstrable and direct impact on people’s lives.

Dr. Suad Mohamed

Chief Medical Officer
Healthcare, Humanitarian Aid

Originally from Somalia, Suad has also lived in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan, and Austria. She speaks six languages: Somali, Arabic, German, English, Hindi and Urdu.

Suad graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Karachi. She works as a Social Medical Consultant (including psychological counseling) and as a Team Leader at Diakonie Österreich and as a Consultant at the Austrian Red Cross.

She was awarded Austria’s Bock Preis 2025. In 2023, she was recognized by the Austrian-Arab Women Physicians and Pharmacists Association for her dedication to medical and humanitarian aid.

She is a certified counselor regarding female genital mutilation (FGM) issues and is active in related community outreach. SDG 3 is especially important to Suad.

Suad also worked at Medical University of Vienna in the Public Health Department’s research sector and contributed to the publication of the first research about FGM in Austria.

Suad is an international speaker and a sought-after panelist and presenter, known for her storytelling skills in a variety of areas. She has spoken at the United Nations on interreligious and youth topics, contributed to a migration and health panel at European Forum Alpbach, and contributed to high-level events including at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and at an International Peace Day celebration hosted by the Second President of the Austrian Parliament.

Suad is the CEO and Founder of the Global Health Club and a Member of the UNHCR Refugee Team Austria.

Doaa Al Zamel

(Syria, Sweden)

Doaa Al Zamel (Abo Nabout) is a well-known motivational speaker, human-rights advocate, and subject of a major book.

Originally from Syria, Doaa is one of 11 survivors of the 2014 Malta migrant shipwreck that killed approximately 500 people. The boat capsized after being rammed by the smugglers. Doaa survived four days at sea, holding two infants; she was rescued, taken to Greece and then resettled in Sweden.

Doaa’s incredible story was captured in the bestseller A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea, which has been translated into multiple languages and gone onto achieve global distribution.

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Kaltuma Noorow

Kaltuma Noorow brings over eight years of experience in program management and coordination, specializing in social healing programs across Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Since 2016, she has designed and developed impactful social programs and curricula tailored to diverse contexts in these three countries.

Her leadership was pivotal in overseeing a peacebuilding program with 3,887 participants, a project recognized by the Paris Peace Forum for its success. Kaltuma has also spearheaded the creation of virtual social healing initiatives, curating and producing content and videos for various digital learning platforms.

Kaltuma has pursued studies in Peacebuilding and Development at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, deepening her expertise in the field. She is deeply passionate about the intersection of trauma healing, neuroscience, and spirituality. She is dedicated to mentoring and empowering the next generation of leaders, emphasizing community collaboration in co-creating curricula and peace processes across African contexts.

Currently, Kaltuma manages the Proposed Wajir Peace University in Northern Kenya, a continuation of the peace process that began in the 1990s. The University aspires to connect ongoing peace practices with research and academia. Once established, it will serve as a vital resource for peace education and a research hub for the Horn of Africa and beyond.

Additionally, Kaltuma is a key contributor to the Abyei Women’s Initiative, a groundbreaking project that centers women in peacebuilding efforts. This initiative leverages the challenges of war and conflict as opportunities to foster meaningful change and advance cooperation.

Dr. Suad Mohamed

Suad is the CEO and Founder of the Global Health Club and a Member of the UNHCR Refugee Team Austria.

She was awarded Austria’s Bock Preis 2025. In 2023, she was recognized by the Austrian-Arab Women Physicians and Pharmacists Association for her dedication to medical and humanitarian aid.

Originally from Somalia, Suad has also lived in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan, and Austria. She speaks six languages: Somali, Arabic, German, English, Hindi and Urdu.

Suad graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Karachi. She works as a Social Medical Consultant (including psychological counseling) and as a Team Leader at Diakonie Österreich and as a Consultant at the Austrian Red Cross.

She is a certified counselor regarding female genital mutilation (FGM) issues and is active in related community outreach. SDG 3 is especially important to Suad.

Suad also worked at Medical University of Vienna in the Public Health Department’s research sector and contributed to the publication of the first research about FGM in Austria.

Suad is an international speaker and a sought-after panelist and presenter, known for her storytelling skills in a variety of areas. She has spoken at the United Nations on interreligious and youth topics, contributed to a migration and health panel at European Forum Alpbach, and contributed to high-level events including at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and at an International Peace Day celebration hosted by the Second President of the Austrian Parliament.

Laurent Ziegler

Artist, Author, Consultant, Lived-experience Advocate
A deep curiosity about human connection inspires his artistic work and his engagement as a consultant and lived-experience advocate. Laurent is the author of the print publication »The childhood of my memory«, an autobiographical analysis of traumatic experiences of child trafficking and abuse, captured in paintings, drawings, text and photography. He completed educational programs in contemporary dance and film and initiated an arts-in-education program for photography in Sri Lanka. A nomad at heart, Laurent has work on display globally.

Les Simm

Les Simm founded the International Forum for Understanding and serves as its Executive Director. Les works in the business sector, with governments, the UN, INGO’s and other entities in areas ranging from security risk management and business resilience to humanitarian operations and disaster relief. He has expertise in nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control and verification, security sector reform and countering transnational organised crime. Having trained as a psychiatric nurse in his early career, Les has long-term interest in mental health and wellbeing. Les is a passionate supporter of the SDGs with a particular focus on project implementation and making a demonstrable and direct impact on people’s lives.

Aigerim Seitenova

Aigerim Seitenova is a human rights professional from Kazakhstan with more than three years of experience in the civil society sector of Kazakhstan with particular focus on human rights and peace education, youth and feminist activism.

She worked as the Head of the Department of Programmes in local NGO ‘Wings of Liberty’ based in Astana, Kazakhstan. Her interests center on the most efficient ways of increasing human rights knowledge by engaging and empowering young people, raising awareness about different human rights violations on the local, regional and global levels. Aigerim is an expert for the OSCE #Perspectives20-30 where she contributed to the chapter on human rights and peace education. Her interests also focus on critical analysis of the international human rights law in particular feminist and the so-called TWAIL (Third World Approaches to Law) critiques. She also collaborated with UN Women in Kazakhstan by coordinating the Civil Society Advisory Group.

An alumni of EU Global Campus Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratization in the Caucasus, Aigerim is currently finishing her postgraduate degree in International Human Rights Law at the University of Essex as a Chevening Scholar.

Felix Braunstein

Felix Braunstein is a passionate winegrower and a forward-thinking advocate of biodynamic agriculture. Growing up surrounded by vineyards and the rhythms of nature, Felix developed a deep-rooted respect for the land and a commitment to farming practices that regenerate rather than deplete. Today, he is a key force behind his family’s winery, where he leads the way in producing wines that reflect not only the terroir but also a holistic approach to agriculture.

Guided by the principles of biodynamics, Felix works with the cycles of the moon and the vitality of the soil to create a living vineyard ecosystem. Every step, from composting and cover cropping to hand-harvesting and minimal intervention in the cellar, is designed to enhance the natural expression of the grapes. Sustainability is at the heart of his philosophy—not just in farming, but also in community, energy use, and long-term stewardship of the land.

Felix’s wines have gained international recognition for their purity, vibrancy, and sense of place. More than just a product, each bottle tells a story of harmony between nature and human care. For Felix, wine is also a bridge—an invitation to connect people across cultures, to foster dialogue, and to celebrate diversity through shared experience. He believes that wine has a unique power to bring people together, creating moments of joy, understanding, and exchange that transcend language and borders.

Nour Barakeh

(Syria, Austria)
Experienced project coordinator, communications specialist, and researcher with a strong background in international projects, stakeholder engagement, and public policy. Nour Barakeh aims to support the establishment of sustainable educational projects focused on empowering people through raising awareness. This includes counseling governments, NGOs, and corporations on policies, research projects, science dissemination, and public outreach with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.

With her artistic background and humanitarian work, Nour gained experience in creating and implementing art-based activities and methods addressing child development in polycrisis settings. Combining scientific academic study with artistic work in tandem with public-policy knowledge has enabled Nour to understand society from different viewpoints.

She serves as a project coordinator, researcher and communication consultant at the International Forum for Understanding. She was an Agents of Change Youth Fellow at the Wilson Center, a joint fellowship from the Environmental Change and Security Program and the Middle East Program, whereby, her developed project was presented at the COP28 Climate Conference. She is especially interested in the nexus of climate change, forced migration and human rights.

Her M.A. in Public Administration from Central European University emphasized the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and environmental policies to combat climate change. She previously studied at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus and graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Damascus University.

As a sought-after speaker on the SDGs, She has spoken on numerous high-profile panels, such as: “Democracy Workshop” at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna in 2024, “Fundamental Rights Forum 2024” in Vienna 2024, “Bridging Climate Divides” at the United Nations in Vienna in 2023, Beyond Borders Scotland 2023, a Learning Session for the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2022, International Peace Institute (IPI) 2021, UNHCR Austrian 2020, and European Forum Alpbach 2018 alongside former UN SG Ban Ki-moon and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

Nour Barakeh

Experienced project coordinator, communications specialist, and researcher with a strong background in international projects, stakeholder engagement, and public policy. Nour Barakeh aims to support the establishment of sustainable educational projects focused on empowering people through raising awareness. This includes counseling governments, NGOs, and corporations on policies, research projects, science dissemination, and public outreach with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.

With her artistic background and humanitarian work, Nour gained experience in creating and implementing art-based activities and methods addressing child development in polycrisis settings. Combining scientific academic study with artistic work in tandem with public-policy knowledge has enabled Nour to understand society from different viewpoints.

She serves as a project coordinator, researcher and communication consultant at the International Forum for Understanding. She was an Agents of Change Youth Fellow at the Wilson Center, a joint fellowship from the Environmental Change and Security Program and the Middle East Program, whereby, her developed project was presented at the COP28 Climate Conference. She is especially interested in the nexus of climate change, forced migration and human rights.

Her M.A. in Public Administration from Central European University emphasized the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and environmental policies to combat climate change. She previously studied at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus and graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Damascus University.

As a sought-after speaker on the SDGs, She has spoken on numerous high-profile panels, such as: “Democracy Workshop” at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna in 2024, “Fundamental Rights Forum 2024” in Vienna 2024, “Bridging Climate Divides” at the United Nations in Vienna in 2023, Beyond Borders Scotland 2023, a Learning Session for the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2022, International Peace Institute (IPI) 2021, UNHCR Austrian 2020, and European Forum Alpbach 2018 alongside former UN SG Ban Ki-moon and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

Layla Barakeh

Layla Barakeh is a humanitarian worker specializing in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and livelihood training.

In Syria, she has worked with various NGOs as a trainer in psychological first aid, disaster management, and field communication.

As the Director of Humanitarian Community Life (HCL), she leads a capacity-building initiative for humanitarian workers in the MENA region. In that context, she has also created educational material and conducted virtual trainings.

Layla Barakeh

(Syria, Germany)
Layla Barakeh is a humanitarian worker specializing in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and livelihood training.

In Syria, she has worked with various NGOs as a trainer in psychological first aid, disaster management, and field communication.

As the Director of Humanitarian Community Life (HCL), she leads a capacity-building initiative for humanitarian workers in the MENA region. In that context, she has also created educational material and conducted virtual trainings.

* ‘Child supporters’ below refers to: parents and extended family caregivers, child support networks, teachers in both formal and informal settings, NGO service providers, and other stakeholders in each of the three aforementioned communities.

Increase knowledge among ‘child supporters’ about child trafficking risks, related trafficking prevention strategies, and steps to support healthy recovery and reintegration of survivors.
Increase knowledge among ‘child supporters’ about building personal resilience and mitigating trauma.
Catalyze positive action among ‘child supporters’ to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking and assist survivors to recover and reintegrate.
Catalyze positive action among ‘child supporters’ to share the deployed tools and strategies for building personal resilience and mitigating trauma with children (especially those aged 4-12 years old) while adopting related strategies in their interactions with children 0-12.
Test the effectiveness of this human-centered EdTech/PeaceTech solution, and the hybrid workshop approach, in building resilience, mitigating trauma, and preventing human trafficking in specific contexts.

Our monitoring and evaluation plan integrates both qualitative and quantitative tools to assess progress against the project’s logical framework and proof of concept. Regular monitoring activities, including field visits, recipient surveys and focus groups, and stakeholder consultations, will inform adaptive management and evidence-based decision-making.

Evaluation components include a baseline assessment, mid-term review, and final evaluation. This monitoring and evaluation approach ensures transparency, effectiveness, and learning throughout the project lifecycle.

Disaggregated data analysis is central to our approach. As an example, regarding #5 above: In order to understand the dynamics in each location, all of our delivery methods (EdTech/PeaceTech and in-person workshops, , plus their hybrid approach), not to mention the various kinds of content being delivered, it is imperative to analyze detailed sub-categories. This will prove critical to subsequent iterating and scaling.

Carly Solberg

Carly (he/she/they) believes in the power of language—especially when it comes to honoring the intimate experiences of gender and sexuality. With a background in Women’s and Gender Studies from Sonoma State University, Carly’s research explored trans lives across time and place. As a culmination of his studies, he designed and taught the undergraduate course “Trans Lives in the New Millennium: Trans Visibility and Trans Violence in the U.S.”

Dedicated to making trans and gender-expansive histories central to the archive, Carly also contributed to the LGBTQ history curriculum for the California Fair Education Act, ensuring queer histories are part of public school education across the state.

Now, as a mentor to young people in the San Francisco Bay Area through Summer Search, Carly shows up with an open ear, an open mind, and a commitment to deep listening. She helps teens navigate the systems and cultural landscapes around them, creating space for reflection and conversation—starting with the often complicated question, “How are you?” Carly also recognizes the contradictions and limitations of the nonprofit industrial complex and continuously pushes for student-centered practices within their organization.

Veronica Zeitlin

Veronica Zeitlin is a lawyer and international policy and program expert. She has over 20 years of experience combating human trafficking and assisting survivors through trauma-informed approaches. Currently a consultant, she served as Chief of Research and Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking, Senior Advisor, Counter-Trafficking in Persons, Gender, and Migration, at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Reports and Political Affairs Analyst at the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, where she covered Africa.

Dr. Hyab Yohannes

Dr Hyab Yohannes is a Lecturer in Forced Migration and Decolonial Education with the UNESCO Chair RIELA at the University of Glasgow. He conducts research and synthesises findings to address theoretical, methodological, and policy-related questions. Recently, Hyab co-edited a Special Issue on Intercultural Knowledge Production for the Journal of Language and Intercultural Communication and a book titled Cultures of Sustainable Peace for Multilingual Matters. His forthcoming book, The Refugee Abyss, will be published by Routledge. Hyab’s research interests include poetics, decoloniality, and political theories across physical, onto-epistemic, spatio-temporal, and juridico-political dimensions.

Hyab currently co-supervises four ERASMUS Mundus Master’s students specialising in Education in Museums and Heritage. He actively contributes to teaching courses such as Local and Global Theories and Perspectives (MSc Education for Sustainable Futures) and Decolonising Adult Education (International Issues in Adult and Continuing Education). He is also an educator on a recently launched MOOC.

AI for Developing Countries Forum

Austria Centre for Peace

Digital Rights Charter

International Digital Security Forum

Oslo Freedom Forum

ViennaUP

Heather Wokusch

Heather Wokusch

Malaika Oringo

Malaika Oringo

Mădălina Boț

Veronica Zeitlin

Les Simm

Dr. Suad Mohamed

Doaa Al Zamel

Kaltuma Noorow

Dr. Suad Mohamed

Laurent Ziegler

Les Simm

Aigerim Seitenova

Felix Braunstein

Nour Barakeh

Nour Barakeh

Layla Barakeh

Layla Barakeh

Carly Solberg

Veronica Zeitlin

Dr. Hyab Yohannes