Andrew Baird is the President & CEO of the global hub of the Education For Employment Network (EFE-Global). Previously, Andrew was the Program Area Director, Workforce and Economic Development Group for RTI International, where he led a team of 130 employees and a $150 million portfolio. There, he provided leadership, strategic direction and technical support in workforce development, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, youth, and other areas closely related to EFE's work. Andrew brings to EFE more than twenty-five years of experience in advancing private sector-led strategies to create inclusive employment and livelihoods around the world - including in several countries where EFE operates. He co-founded the Global Center for Youth Employment, a membership-based organization devoted to developing collective solutions to the challenges of youth employment. Andrew is a skillful business development expert and has managed a number of long-term donor-funded projects. He has held leadership positions in a range of organizations in the field and home offices of RTI International, Making Cents International, Chemonics International, and the Peace Corps. Andrew holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Jasmine Nahhas di Florio has 25 years of experience spanning the nonprofit, philanthropy, government and private sectors. She is Executive Director of the Bruder Family Foundation. Having joined EFE in 2005, she is currently Senior Advisor at EFE, after working closely with EFE's Founder and Chairman since startup as Senior Vice President for Strategy, Partnerships & Communications. Today, EFE is the leading youth employment and nonprofit job placement network in the Middle East and North Africa. Jasmine ran programs for private donors to support access to education and health care for girls, and women's economic inclusion. Early in her career, Jasmine was a corporate attorney at the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, and she also served as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Treasury. Jasmine consulted the United Nations (UNFIP) on private-public sector partnerships. A Rhodes Scholar, Frank Knox Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, she is a graduate of the University of Alberta, Oxford University and Harvard Law School. She also completed the Columbia Business School's Social Enterprise Program Senior Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals and currently serves on the board of the Middle East Children’s Institute. Jasmine’s expert commentary on economic opportunity, women’s empowerment and youth issues has been featured in The Financial Times, Forbes, Stanford Social Innovations Journal, Arabian Business, and Finance Middle East, among others.

Ana Martiningui has seventeen years of experience in communications, public and corporate engagement, business development, fundraising, project design and management, and research in the non-profit and private sectors. She joined the EFE Network in 2016 managing business development and research in EFE-Europe, and became the organization's CEO in 2020. Prior, she was Communications Chief and Publications Coordinator at the international think tank FRIDE, organization she joined in 2004. During the same period, she also acted as Communications Advisor for several institutes, including Concordia21, DARA, ECFR, Toledo International Centre for Peace or the Global Observatory. Previously, she worked in the private sector at Globalia Corporation, one of the largest holdings of the travel and tourism industry. She holds an MA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews and an MA in International Relations and Communications from the University Complutense of Madrid. She is author and editor of various publications on communications, European foreign policy, youth unemployment and the Middle East and North of Africa. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Amr Abdallah has over 20 years of experience working in the MENA region in senior roles in non-for-profit, public and private sector. Prior to joining EFE, Mr. Abdallah served as part of the MENA leadership team at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Before moving to the US, he taught Public Administration, Principles of Business Administration, Strategic Management and Business Policy at Egyptian and Arab Universities. He held several Senior Executive level positions in projects funded by international donor organizations like USAID, UNDP and is used to mediating and facilitating negotiations at the highest levels of national and international institutions. He has significant professional experience in designing, directing, implementing and evaluating public, private programs, and performing management-consulting services to government, public and private companies and institutions in the MENA region. Amr joined EFE in 2015.

Sarah Little joined EFE in 2009 as a program coordinator and has held several different positions on the team over the past eight years. Before joining EFE, Ms. Little worked for SOS Children’s Villages, a Washington, D.C.-based international non-profit organization, and for the Michigan State University Office of Study Abroad as a student adviser. She also interned for a non-profit, humanitarian organization called Secours Populaire Francais in Paris, France, where she worked mostly with French immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa. Sarah holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with specializations in Muslim Studies and Western European Studies from Michigan State University.

Dima Najim has over 13 years of experience working in the MENA region in senior NGO roles. Prior to joining EFE, Dima served as part of the World Wildlife Foundation - UAE fundraising team. Before moving to the UAE, she held the position of Chief Operations Officer of Relief International/MSME in Iraq, and in 2010 was part of the team assigned by AGFUND to establish the first microfinance bank in Syria, where she assumed the role of Operations Manager. Also, she was part of UNRWA's Microfinance Department management team. Dima has significant professional experience in women and youth empowerment and financial inclusion, in addition to her experience in partnership management, fundraising and operations management of NGOs. Born and raised in the MENA region, Dima holds a BA in accounting from Damascus University and a Master’s degree in finance from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences.

Nour has over 10 years of experience working in the non-profit and private sectors in Egypt. Over the past seven years she focused on youth empowerment: training for employment, entrepreneurship, TVET, and more recently a focus on gender. Prior to joining EFE, she was the Egypt country director for IECD, a french non-profit organization that was starting up in Egypt. There she led the establishment of their country office and development of their operations. Before that, she worked at EFE-Egypt as partnerships and communications officer. Early in her career, Nour worked in branding and advertising. She holds a Master of Science in NGO Management from EDHEC, France, a Master of Marketing from EADA, Spain and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the American University in Cairo. She is fluent in English, French and Arabic

Rita joined EFE in 2017 as an Evaluation and Learning Analyst. Previously, she worked as Research Manager at J-Pal in Mexico and as a Senior Research Assistant at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, D.C. She has participated in several multi-country international development projects, being responsible for data management and analysis, and program and policy impact evaluation, including field work on the implementation of several randomized control trials. She has experience in a wide range of policy topics, from food security and technological adoption in agriculture, to labor markets and education, her main areas of interest. She holds a BA in Economics from Universidade de Vigo, an MA in Economic Analysis from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, and an MPP from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.

Ms. Dandachli holds a B. Sc. in Environmental Sciences, an M.A. in International Relations and African Studies, and advanced studies in Euro-Mediterranean Relations and International Development Cooperation. She joined EFE-Europe in 2013, where she provides business development and overarching strategic and technical oversight and assistance to multi-million high-impact USD projects across the Education For Employment Network, funded by international public and private institutions. Prior to joining EFE, she worked at the Autonomous University of Madrid, as well as at international and non-profit organizations, including the World Leadership Alliance - Club de Madrid, UNDP Burkina Faso, and Nantik Lum Foundation. She is an expert in international development, with over 18 years of progressive experience in programs, fundraising, and business development at different non-profit organizations. She has ample experience in fundraising, leading and overseeing multi-million USD programs and projects funded by public and private multinational, national and local organizations and institutions, including, but not limited to: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), UKFCDO, MEPI, the Bill & Melinda Gates, MasterCard, Citi, Trafigura, Chanel or Cartier Philanthropy. Ms. Dandachli's expertise lies in ensuring that all projects are carried out to the highest international standards and providing technical assistance in various areas such as overall project management, compliance, fundraising, writing and presenting project and funding proposals, and coordinating multi-country projects. She is fluent in French, Arabic, English, and Spanish.

Joana joined EFE in 2019 to manage EFE-Global programs in the UAE. Prior to joining EFE, Joana has accumulated seven years of work experience in the UAE, first as a Communication and PR Executive at GEMs Education, and later as the Regional Business Development Manager for an international company, at which she managed UAE operations. Joana relocated to the UAE from Syrian as the conflict there escalated. Prior to the move , she had assumed the position of Head of Marketing and Communications in one of the country’s leading banks. Joana has a degree in Business Management from Damascus University and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School. She speaks English, Arabic and Bulgarian fluently.

Abbey brings more than three years of experience in designing and implementing programming for youth as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) in Southern Morocco. Her accomplishments in this role include increasing attendance of girls at the local youth center by 60%, securing two USAID grants to fund local projects aimed to educate youth on healthy lifestyle and inclusion projects, delivering a 2-day Training of Trainers to educate other PCVs and their local counterparts on working with people with disabilities, and organizing an inclusive week-long camp for youth with and without special needs. Abbey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies with a minor in International Business from American University and is fluent in Moroccan Arabic.

Yolanda Merayo joined EFE in 2020 as Finance Director. She has over twenty years of experience in financial management and control, contracts and grants management, and financial systems, specializing in the non-profit sector. She has worked in both public and private foundations, managing Spanish, European and international grants. Prior to joining the EFE Network, Yolanda also helped NGOs set up Enterprise Resource Planning (EPR) systems – Netsuite (Oracle) and Navision (Microsoft). She has a BA in Economics from the University of Valladolid, an MA in Communications Management from Cesma Business School, as well as several executive courses on NGO financial management.

Agustin Perez Vilaplana has more than 27 years of experience in operations, technology and project management in Citibank, working as Senior Country Operations Officer in 8 different countries in Latin America, the United States and Europe. Prior to joining the EFE Network, his last position was Senior Vice President in charge of Latin American Account Services for Corporate Clients out of Bogota, Colombia. Mr. Perez Vilaplana also run his own consultancy company, focusing on human resources and operations in Spain, Morocco and Chile.

Ashley joined EFE in 2015, offering a breadth of experience in the technology, conservation, education, and international development fields. Before joining EFE, she worked in corporate and foundation relations at The Nature Conservancy. Prior to that, she worked at Facebook, participating in the launch of the Arabic site. She also served as a faculty member at the Middlebury Arabic School and as an election observer with the Carter Center during Tunisia’s parliamentary elections in 2014. She has worked to advance young women’s employment in the MENA region, authoring the report, First Jobs for Young Women in the Middle East & North Africa: Expectations and Reality, produced by EFE in partnership with YouGov and Bayt.com. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a B.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures: Arabic from the University of California, Berkeley.

Álvaro Muñoz joined EFE in October 2021 as Financial Assistant. Previously, he worked in several organizations in the consulting and financial sectors, and also has experience in different activities related to the third sector. Álvaro obtained a double degree in Business Administration and Law from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and also holds a Master in Governance and Human Rights from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. As part of this last degree, he did his internship in Elcano Royal Institute, taking part in several research projects on public security policies in Latin America.

Akshay joined EFE in September 20201 as a Program Associate supporting projects in Tunisia and Yemen. Akshay is a recent graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University where he completed a Master’s degree in International Education Development with a focus on International Humanitarian Issues. Prior to Teachers College, Akshay worked as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn, NY while completing his Bachelor’s in elementary education at Brooklyn College. Akshay recently worked as a research assistant supporting research on refugee teacher wellbeing and completed internships at Jusoor, a Lebanese NGO, and the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section. Outside of work, Akshay loves watching soccer, playing disc golf, taking hikes, and cooking.

Samiya joined EFE in November 2020 as a Development & Communications Associate. She graduated from Western University with a joint degree-diploma in Media, Information & Technoculture and Broadcast Television Production. Prior to EFE, Samiya worked as a Producer and Production Coordinator on documentaries, comedy TV pilots, music videos, and commercials. She has experience working at a variety of creative agencies in New York and Toronto on campaigns promoting youth empowerment and diversity.

Javier joined EFE-Global in October 2021 as a Program Associate, providing programmatic support across projects in Morocco, Palestine, and Jordan. Prior to joining EFE, he served as an Education and English Outreach Assistant at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers, where he implemented social media campaigns and advised Algerian students preparing to attend university and enter the workforce. Javier is a recent graduate of the Dual Degree Program between Sciences Po and Columbia University, earning Bachelor’s degrees in Politics and Government and Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, respectively.

Brad Kushner has been the C.P.A. and Treasurer at Brookhill Property Management since 1992 and Treasurer at EFE since 2003.

David Sloane has been IT Administrator at EFE since 2005.

Julio Andrés joined EFE-Europe in February 2022 as Business Development Assistant, following an internship at the organisation. Prior to this, he had worked and held internships in banking and volunteered in several NGOs. Julio has an MA in International Relations from the IE School of Global and Public Affairs and a BA in Economics from the University CARLOS III of Madrid. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Hala joined the EFE Network in September 2022 as a Senior Program Officer in Madrid. She has over seven years of experience in education, non-profits, and the United Nations system. She previously worked in Jordan with international non-profit organizations such as Save the Children and Blumont, where she managed and coordinated programs in Zaatari camp, the world's largest Syrian refugee camp. She has also worked with the United Nations System Staff College in supporting and managing online learning programs for professionals. Hala holds an M.A. in International Development from IE University in Madrid and speaks fluent Arabic and English, and is intermediate in Spanish.

Jessica Wakim joined EFE in June 2022 as a Program Officer. She has experience working in conflict resolution and peacebuilding with MARCH, a Non-Governmental organization located in Lebanon. Jessica obtained a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (Lebanon) with training in International Humanitarian Law in collaboration with the Lebanese Army. She completed her education through an internship at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the diaspora department and is currently enrolled in an M.A. in Diplomacy and International Security. Jessica was an active Emergency Medical Technician volunteer with the Lebanese Red Cross over the course of three years, and has also volunteered with the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) in monitoring and evaluating the 2022 Lebanese Parliamentary Elections.

Sofiane M. Timtaoucine is Partnerships and Business Development Officer at EFE-Europe since February 2022. Prior to this, Sofiane consulted for institutions in Algeria and Lebanon supporting their efforts in developing and monitoring projects that assist refugees and conflict impacted communities. Along with that, he was the main Researcher on North Africa on a public policy research at the University of St. Gallen. Previously, Sofiane served as Policy and Liaison Assistant at the UN Migration Agency office in Algeria working on coordination efforts, communication, project development, and implementing social cohesion and capacity building projects for migrants in the country. Sofiane holds an MA in Public Policy and International Affairs from the American University of Beirut and a BA in Political Science/International Affairs (minor in Conflict Analysis & Resolution) from the Lebanese American University, Byblos. He is fluent in English and Arabic.

Ivan joined EFE-Europe in March 2023 as Communications and Development Officer. Originally trained in technical architecture at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid, he worked for a number of years in project management firms. He moved to London in 2008 to pursue postgraduate studies in psychotherapy at the Tavistock Centre - University of Essex in London, where he also worked with vulnerable adults in the British National Health Service. Ivan returned to Madrid in 2021, after two years in Paris working for the British Council, to complete a master's degree in Corporate and Institutional Communication at the Universidad Carlos III, during which he also collaborated with Unidad Editorial, one of Spain's leading newspaper and magazine publishing companies. He is fluent in Spanish, English and French.