Our alumni
The Ashoka Visionary Alumnae*i Network provides alumni with the opportunity to stay connected, to contribute to the program and to deepen their experience in follow-up events and projects. Ultimately, our alumni expand their network within the social entrepreneurship scene and keep finding solutions. Read more at “Our network“. Also, here you can view all Ashoka Fellows (speakers & participants) at one glance.
Meet our 300 visionaries from three continents, in the regions: Central and Eastern Europe, Mediterranean and East Africa. Click on the photos to learn about their stories
👋 PLEASE NOTE: This page is currently being updated.
All
Alumni
Ashoka Fellows
Ashoka Staff
Central-Eastern Europe Region
East Africa Region
Experts+Speakers
Foundations
Mediterranean Region
NGOs
Participants
Private sector
Public sector
Oleg Belezhenko
Founder
Svetlana Nalepova
Founder and Manager of the Social Enterprise for the Elderly Creative Workshops "Silver Years"
Manuela Achitz
Blühendes Österreich
Gil Tsabari
CEO GTS - Technologies Ltd (Israel)
Judith Schneider
Cultural advisor
Julia Culen
Managing Partner, Culen Mayrhofer Partner
Johanna Kerber
Co-Founder and CEO, DreiKreis Consulting GmbH
Alexandra Nitzlader
Senior Project Manager HYPO NOE Gruppe Bank
Rachel Onyango
Development Specialist fpr NGOs
Elodie Ravion
Finance Manager Ashoka Austria, Visionary Program Manager & Communication
Ojok Okello
Founder and CEO of Okere City
Barbara Mayrhofer
Regional Manager for the Institute for Inclusive Education
Michal Sadeh Goldvasser
Director of the Employment and Economic Program in the village of Jisr al-Zarqa (Israel)
Rana AlZoubi
National Director, SOS Children's Villages Jordan
Alice Emasu
Founder and Executive Director,The Association for Rehabilitation and Reorientation of women for Development-TERREWOD, Ashoka fellow Uganda
Karsten Ottenberg
Former CEO of BSH Home Appliances Group and Innovater and Purpose-driven leader by heart
Klara Michel
Co-Founder, Michel Foundation; Yoga teacher & Coach
Francesca Cavallini
Professor, Founder of Tice
Melek Pulatkonak
Founder of the Turkish Women's International Network & BinYaprak
Christina Matuschka-Baumann
Head of POS Design & Digitalization in A1
Katarina Banicevic
Teamleader South East Europe, Austrian Red Cross
Stella Parris
Account Manager at RxWare
Peter Herreiner
Financial Advisor & Supervisory Board Member
Tomas Reminek
Member of the board of directors, Eduzměna foundation fund
Raluca Cocuz
Sustainability Specialist Enel Romania
Ilya Yacevich
Founding Director, Global Trauma Project (GTP); Ashoka Fellow
Katharina Okulski
Head of scholarship program, NOW: International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Caroline Chege
Municipality Director, Kajiado County Kenya
Nicola Fraccaroli
Consultant for marketing strategies & business model changes
Urška Starc-Peceny
Chief Innovation Officer, lead Tourism 4.0 at Arctur
Angelika Bartholomäi
Director of the coordination office, StartNet Italy
Pascal Kayiranga MD
Rwanda Red Cross Society
Zeina Awaydate
Assistant to VIP & Exhibitor Relations
Nazareth Seferian
CSR and Social Entrepreneurship trainer, educator & consultant
Helmut Rauth
Head of Finance & Service, Österreichische Caritaszentrale
Elin Baranyai-Ulvestad
Project Manager, Austrian Red Cross
Teresa Agovino
CEO Faroo, Environmental Engineerand Sustainable Tourism Consultant
Ursula Miller
Partnership Expert at Light for the World
Johanssen Obanda
Executive Director, Jabulani Youths for Transformation
Markus Raffer
CEO of Tec-Innovation GmbH
Nikolay Mihaylov
CEO & co-founder of CastFolio (Bulgaria)
Simon Rutar
Founder Moonshot Pirates
Andreja Rosandic
Lecturer at Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb
Danijel Baturina
Assistant professor in University of Zagreb
Cornelia Faisst
Senior lecturer and co-academic Director at the University of Liechtenstein
Kseniia Stepanenko
CEO of ANO “Territory”, founder of “Social Lab: city for life” Novokuznetsk, Russia
Klára Rundová
Project Managar Česká spořitelna foundation
Knight Muteti
Founde & Executive Director, Daughters of Kenya (DoK)
Sumita Kunashakaran
Project Manager at the Zero Project
Birgit Straka
Managing Director at Viva con Agua Österreich
David Hudelist
Project Coordinator at Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation - 'fairplay initiatve'
Nikole Stolz
Head Of Department Development at SWISSAID
Astrid Saxl
Head of Information & Reporting in SOS Children's Villages International
Milica Aksentic
Head of Communications and CSR at Western Union International Bank
Mikhail Krivonos
Co-Founder, Rabota-i LLC; Chief Executive Officer, RAOUL charity foundation (till Feb '23)
Federico Garcea
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of Treedom
Danny Mucira
Eastern Africa Managing Director of Trace
Jihad Shoja'eyeh
Founder of “Youth without Borders Network”
Karin Haselböck
European Integrator, Ashoka
Jane Waithera
Founder Positive, Exposure Kenya
Kirsten Tangemann
Managing Director of Social Business Hub Styria
Karin Ondas
Sozialwirtschaft Steiermark
Bas van Abel
Founder, Fairphone
Ricardo Parger
Founder of PHÖNIX - Training For Life
Vadim Poluga
"i3" (I-Cube) Information Engineering Incubator
Babu Edton
Acting Manager Livelihoods, CARE Uganda
Br. Dr. Jonas Yawovi Dzinekou
Director, Institute for Social Transformation Tangaza University College
Irene Drodzowski
Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken
Jose Morales
Founder & Manager; Aurora Coworking Network, Lincoln Island Initiatives, European Rural Coworking Project
Pavel Hrica
Founder, Cesta von; Ashoka Fellow
Jana Krajcovicova
Private Sector Development Specialist at the World Bank
Simone Pies
Business Angel & Mentor
Abla Al Alfy
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & President of the Egyptian Members Association of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Giuseppe Nigro
Consultant on Project Design & Project Evaluation, also: Ashoka Italy
Eleonora Cadone
Community Integrator, Ashoka Italy
Gregor Ruttner-Vicht
CEO of Lower Austrian entity of Sindbad
Charlotte Steenbergen
COO of the European Forum Alpbach
Sabine Pümpel
Initiator & Head of aws Sustainable Food Systems Initiative
Franziska Wizany
Cultural advisor
Valeria Duflot
Co-founder of Venezia Autentica
Katharina Kruppa
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Chairwoman Grow Together
Daniela Herneth
Leadership Coach / People & Business Developer
Katharina Jeschke
Austria Secretary General at IMZ International Music + Media Centre
Eszter Harsanyi
Ashoka Fellow, Owner of Nestingpplay
Matthias Weichhart
Austrian Research Promotion Agency
Aziza Khabbush
Senior business analyst for public health
Evans Njoro
Director, Futures Infinite
Pascal Wambua
Regional Fund Development Director, SOS Children's Villages International, Eastern & Southern Africa Region
Klaus Candussi
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of atempo
Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková
Ashoka Fellow, Chairwoman of the Czech Expert Society for Inclusive Education
Nilton Rubio
Innovation and Sustainability Coordinator, S.C.S. Armonia Work Onlus
Abubaker Musuuza
Ashoka Fellow
Christina Purrer
Project Manager at Hil-Foundation gGmbH
Ruba Warwar
TV host The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
Andrea Martens
Andrea Martens
Armand Colard
ESG Plus GmbH
Marsha Forbes
Global Lead Funding Advisor at Joining Forces Initiative by World Vision
Stefan Kainz
Co-founder and Managing partner of Growth Ninjas
Sebastian Fagarazzi
Co-founder, Venezia Autentica
Sonja Nita
European Commission/Centre of Thematic Expertise on Civil Society Support
Michael Lorz
Managing Director at EnableMe Foundation
Lynn Ngugi
Humanitarian and human rights specialist
Lisa Binderberger
Founder of Boom Creative Lab
Andreas Papp
Emergency Response Director SOS Children’s Villages International
Abbass Abbass
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Director of AlManarah
Sheila Alumo
CEO & Founder, Eastern Agricultural Development Company LTD (EADC)
Masha Djordjevic
Program Manager Open Society Foundations
Gernot Jochum-Müller
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Zeitpolster
Livio Scalvini
Founder & CEO, Venture4Impact
Anastasia Noskova
Founder of "SWOP market - Let's swop"
Christina Kauer
CONCORDIA Sozialprojekte
Samuel Chambi
Coordinator – Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), CARE International in Tanzania
Niki Griller
Managing Director, Griller Kabel
Andra Slaats
Founder of Younited Cultures
Charles Karimbu Kimathi
Head of Corporate Affairs & Partnerships The Standard Group PLC
Amira Saber
Changemaker from Egypt, Member of the Egyptian Parliament
Edit Schlaffer
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Executive Director of Women without Borders
Eduard Trampusch
Head of International Programmes, Austrian Red Cross
Nicole Nassar
Project Management SOS Children’s Villages International
Clarissa Rhomberg
Co-Leader of EU-funded ERASMUS+-project “Society in motion”
Sabrina Stepanian
Founder, STEPANIAN CONSULTING e.U.
Rebekka Dober
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of YEP – Voice of the Youth
Anna Schaden
former Operations Manager Ashoka CEE
Maurizio Bergia
President of the social & agricultural cooperative I TESORI della TERRA in Cervasca
Silvia Silvozzi
Manager Bottega Terzo Settore - Fondazione Carisap
Markus Rhomber
Managing Director of the International Association of Lake Constance Universities
Verena Ahne
Head of Knowledge Transfer & Dissemination, Complexity Science Hub Vienna (on educational leave)
Niels Hansa
Community and partner Manager at talentify.me
Susan Mugera
Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Public Sector Group
Abraham Gossaye
Head of Country Office, Austrian Red Cross in Ethiopia
Benjamin Dragolj
Founder of Igramo Zajedno Inicijativa – IZI
Florin Stoican
Ashoka Fellow Romania
Adnane Addioui
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
Cecilia Toncic-Sorinj
Finding sustainable solutions in gastronomy.
Dan Driscoll
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of The Anou Cooperative
Stefanie Kirwald
Consultant Alumnae*I Network
Martin Hollinetz
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of tech2people GmbH & myAbility Social Enterprise GmbH
Francesca Vannini Parenti
Co-founder and Product manager, Addiopizzo Travel
Harliet Njenga
Founder, Think Opal
Monika Hrochova
Program Manager, Educhange Foundation
Johannes Guger
Head of the department of social affairs and volunteering at the Red Cross
Asetila Koestinger
Founder of the GoodStartup School
Harald Gründl
Managing Partner / Chairman EOOS Design, IDRV - Institute of Design Research Vienna
Elisabeth Mayerhofer
Managing Director, Julius Raab Foundation
Michael Hilbert
Partner at Roland Berger
Michael Kowatschew
Initiator of NOVID20
Ori Shoham
Program coordinator atidim ("home ground", Israel)
Karanja Nduta
Social entrepreneur in EdTech, Future of Work Strategist & Trainer
Michael Marchetti
Founder of wetransformpilots®
Muthoni Kanga
Tangaza University
Jeremy Druker
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Executive Director of Transitions (TOL)
Arianna Tripodi
Child and Youth Participation Advisor, SOS Children’s Villages International
Clemens Mulokozi
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & CEO of the NGO NGO Jambo Bukoba
Ernest Namanya Rwendeire
Executive Director, Latek Stay Alliance Uganda
Mani
Human Rights Lawyer
Eman Bsoul
Changemaker from Israel, Assistant General Director Municipality of Nazareth
Claudia Lingner
Managing Director Ludwing Boltzmann Gesellschaft
Joan Mwachi
Regional Director East Africa at World Reader
Kerstin Dohnal
Founder of destination: development
Torsten Engelage
Risk Management and Compliance for the PwC Advisory
Rosa Bergmann
Co-founder of Vienna Hobby Lobby
Emilie Romon
Partnership Manager Ashoka
Jindra Marešová
Director, Albatros Foundation
Tina Deutsch
Co-founder and Board Member, Klaiton; Strategic Advisor, CoachHub
Guy Beigel
CEO Midot, promoting impact (Israel)
Khalila Mbowe
Founder and CEO of Unleasehd Africa Social Ventures
Karina Lackner
Founder & Project Director for Kicken ohne Grenzen
Katerina Bursikova Jacques
Executive Director, Educational and business centre Sněmovní 7
Simona Sinesi
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & Vice President NEVER GIVE UP Onlus
Elisabeth Campestrini
CEO of Progressive Health Consulting
Fabian Scholda
Regional director of the social enterprise Sindbad
Aris Tufexis
Educator and project manager, AG Di Donato
Stefan van der Swaluw
Program Director at SOS Children's Villages The Netherlands
Bernhard Hofer
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of talentify.me
Lesley Pennington
Founder of multiple social initiatives
Claire Wavamuno
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Hill Preparatory School
Karolina Kartus
Co-Founder of Social Held
Elena Gabriela Ardelean
CEO & Founder of AI4 DevelopmentAgency
Dagmar Kotzmuth
Co-Founder & CEO DAHIR
Magdalena Lima
Project assistant & communication manager, Ashoka Italy
Violeta Philippitsch
Leitung Kundenbereich EU & International, Umweltbundesamt - Environment Agency Austria
Linda Stucbartova
Partner ATAIRU company, Founder Diversio
Ulla Riedle
Co-Team Leader of the Youth&ICT4D department in SOS Children´s Villages International
Mariella Gebhardt
Founder, Babyou
Ole Kassow
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Cycling Without Age and Copenhagen Cycling
Agnes Schillhuber
Online Communication Manager, neunerhaus; formerly: Ashoka Austria
Andrew Spyrou
Changemaker from Greece, Consultant Costas M. Lemos Foundation
Verena Riedler
Initiator, "Steady Steps";Organisational Consultant, Coach
Weirong Li
Founder and CEO of Raw Culture
Monika Ségur-Cabanac
Regional Manager Central & West Africa and Latin America at Missio Austria
Elik Almog
Changemaker from Israel, VP Dualis social investment fund
Desiree Li Bassi
Executive Assistant and head of the Hospitality department, Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi di Sciacca
Walter Emberger
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & CEO´of Teach For Austria
Tanja Tamse
Project Manager of Center Noordung
Marcelina Biro
CEO, Kijana Jasiri-Resilience Organization
Tina Eckert
Founder and Managing Director of Karmalaya
Beata Jaczewska
Managing Director, Visegrad Fund
Alexander Wostry
Social Entrepreneur & Co-Founder, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT)
Mustapha Jazar
Founder and Director, Lebanese Association for Scientific Research (LASeR)
Flavian Majenga
Senior Project Manager CARE Tanzania
Amanda Sundell
Co-Director of Ashoka Nordics
Sylvia Kaawe
Manager, Women Economic Empowerment Program ,CARE International in Uganda
Hisham El Rouby
Ashoka Fellow, MENA Regional Director The Synergos Insitiute
Stefan Lilischkis
Senior consultant, empirica Gesellschaft für Kommunikations- und Technologieforschung mbH
Obayda Abo Asbeh
Founder Sanad Yoth Association (Israel)
Father Charles Chilufya
Director of the Justice and Ecology Office of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM)
Gabriela Vondrusova
Change Manager and Community Mobilizer at Ashoka Czech Republic
Diana Ninsiima
Director for Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Tanzania
Lenah Gideon
Grant Administrator, Porticus Nairobi
Andrea Mörike
Social Business Consultant, Alumna of the Visionary Program
Elisabeth Pipic
Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF)
Hélène Menapace
Founder, WeLovePinkPlanet - SanFem
Katharina Markovics
Professor of Musicology at New England Conservatory in Boston
Andrea Babčanová
HR Manager, Visegrad Fund
Ahmad Abdelgalil
Changemaker from Egypt, Staff Ashoka Arab World
Katja Teuchmann
Founder Safa East Venture e.U. (Austria)
Radek Hábl
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of the Institute for Debt Prevention and Resolution in Prague
Giannis Vikas
Social Entrepreneurship Development Officer Athens Development and Destination Management Agency
Krzsytof Rutkowski
Director Magovox
Haron Wachira
Ashoka Fellow, Akili Holdings
Walter Odhiambo
National Director, SoS Children's Villages Kenya
Christophe Cuny
Individual Giving Department Lead, SOS Children's Villages International
Margarita Rebetskaya
Choreographier, Ballet dancer & Performance Director
Andrea Kretschmer
Manager Accenture
Elisabeth Siencnik
Startup Coach; Co-founder & CFO reha buddy
Carina Linzer
formerly: Communications for Ashoka Austria
Heidrun Gruber-Größwang
Marketing expert; Founder, Gruber-Größwang Consulting
Ondřej Zapletal
Executive Director, Depositum Bonum Foundation Prag
Isaya Yunge
Ashoka Fellow, Executive Director of the SomApp Foundation
Ahmed Abdelgalil
VP alumnus & Gender and Economic Empowerment Specialist
Eva Pavlikova
CEO of Česko.Digital
Diana Mwai
Program Director at Educate!, Kenya
Abebaw Abebe
Ethiopia Program Manager at African Disability Forum
Maurizio Ramonda
SAI (Sistema Accoglienza Integrazione) project for the integration of refugees
Mikhail Rodin
Project Lead Developing Neighborhood Institute
Christiane Holzinger
Managing Partner, 360° Business Planner GmbH, Start-Up Stars GmbH
Kristina Kroyer
Program Coordinator at HORIZONT3000
Cornelia Sima
Account Director at Ketchum
Gregor Demblin
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of tech2people GmbH & myAbility Social Enterprise GmbH
Magdalena Dul-Komosinska
CEE Director, Climate KIC
Tamara Höfer
Prison Research Consultant at United Nations
Agnieszka Franeczek
Head of Consumer Lending Processes at UniCredit Bank Austria
Natalia Peryazeva
Doctor of Social Work and Business Administration
Walburga Fröhlich
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder & CEO of atempo
Ninon Ndayikengurkiye
CARE USA Impact and Innovation Team
Irit Zviely Efrat
Chief Operations Officer at Hillel
Stefanie Kotrba
OPEC Fund for International Development
Artur Nadcrinicinii
Changemaker from Greece, Founder Artos kai Agapi
Maria Raczynska
Co-founder, "The Noon" project
Josep Maria Miró Pascual
Social Innovation Consultant JovesLab (Spain)
Zahra I. Lethome
Office Manager, Ashoka East Africa
Susan Muchemi
Business Development Manager, TRACE Eastern Africa
Manisha Joshi
Account Director at ketchum Publico
Corinna Geissler
Head of Advocacy & Child Rights, UNICEF Austria
Katharina van Zeller
Founder & CEO DreiKreis
Hanna Ahere
Special Assistant & Regional Director, Ford Foundation office, Eastern Africa
Christoph Soukup
Senior Project Manager HYPO NOE Gruppe Bank
Elena Tanase
Founder, Mousse Pamplemousse
