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
All
Alumni
Ashoka Fellows
Ashoka Staff
Central-Eastern Europe Region
East Africa Region
Experts+Speakers
Foundations
Mediterranean Region
NGOs
Participants
Private sector
Public sector
Madeleine Pawlowicz
Project Lead Saving Angel, Germany
Heidemarie Messnitzer
Senior Expert Federal Ministry of Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport
Lisa Binderberger
Founder of Boom Creative Lab
Christina Matuschka-Baumann
Head of Projects at YEP Youth Empowerment Participation
Nicola Fraccaroli
Consultant for marketing strategies & business model changes
Isaya Yunge
Ashoka Fellow, Executive Director of the SomApp Foundation
Lynn Ngugi
Humanitarian and human rights specialist
Karin Haselböck
European Integrator, Ashoka
Marcelina Biro
CEO, Kijana Jasiri-Resilience Organization
Irene Drodzowski
Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken
Elin Baranyai-Ulvestad
Project Manager, Austrian Red Cross
Edit Schlaffer
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Executive Director of Women without Borders
Bas van Abel
Founder, Fairphone
Bernhard Hofer
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of talentify.me
Danijel Baturina
Assistant professor in University of Zagreb
Clara Conrad-Billroth
Venture Creation Lead University of Vienna
Michael Lorz
Managing Director at EnableMe Foundation
Lesley Pennington
Founder of multiple social initiatives
Georg Schön
Co-Director Ashoka Austria
Aziza Khabbush
Senior business analyst for public health
Markus Rhomber
Managing Director of the International Association of Lake Constance Universities
Katarina Banicevic
Teamleader South East Europe, Austrian Red Cross
Elisabeth Mayerhofer
Managing Director, Julius Raab Foundation
Helmut Rauth
Head of Finance & Service, Österreichische Caritaszentrale
Beata Jaczewska
Managing Director, Visegrad Fund
Nikolay Mihaylov
CEO & co-founder of CastFolio (Bulgaria)
Aris Tufexis
Educator and project manager, AG Di Donato
Wellington Nogueira
Judith Schneider
Cultural advisor
Muthoni Kanga
Tangaza University
Eszter Harsanyi
Ashoka Fellow, Owner of Nestingpplay
Milan Medić
President of LEADER Network Croatia
Mariella Gebhardt
Founder, Babyou
Gabriele Hampson
Managing Director at W*ORT
Andrea Babčanová
HR Manager, Visegrad Fund
Guy Beigel
CEO Midot, promoting impact (Israel)
Elena Tanase
Founder, Mousse Pamplemousse
Christina Purrer
Project Manager at Hil-Foundation gGmbH
Orsolya Ifi-Valde
Anti-corruption and human rights lawyer, Founder Jazzpiknik, Hungary
Krzsytof Rutkowski
Director Magovox
Elisabeth Siencnik
Startup Coach; Co-founder & CFO reha buddy
Ernest Namanya Rwendeire
Executive Director, Latek Stay Alliance Uganda
Markus Raffer
CEO of Tec-Innovation GmbH
Verena Ahne
Head of Knowledge Transfer & Dissemination, Complexity Science Hub Vienna (on educational leave)
Ursula Miller
Partnership Expert at Light for the World
Johanssen Obanda
Executive Director, Jabulani Youths for Transformation
Clemens Mulokozi
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & CEO of the NGO NGO Jambo Bukoba
Matěj Bulant
Director of Department National Pedagogical Institute, Czechia
Martin Lupa
Founder of Young Public Affairs Leaders Academy
Corinna Geissler
Head of Advocacy & Child Rights, UNICEF Austria
Melek Pulatkonak
Founder of the Turkish Women's International Network & BinYaprak
David Hudelist
Project Coordinator at Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation - 'fairplay initiatve'
Katharina Jeschke
Austria Secretary General at IMZ International Music + Media Centre
Eduard Trampusch
Head of International Programmes, Austrian Red Cross
Selene Orellana
Communications Lead at Planeterra Foundation
Rana AlZoubi
National Director, SOS Children's Villages Jordan
Petra Wűnschová
Founder Centrum LOCIKA, Czech Republik
Nicole Nassar
Project Management SOS Children’s Villages International
Claudia Lingner
Managing Director Ludwing Boltzmann Gesellschaft
Haron Wachira
Ashoka Fellow, Akili Holdings
Charles Karimbu Kimathi
Head of Corporate Affairs & Partnerships The Standard Group PLC
Johannes Gärtner
CEO Respekt.Net GmbH, Austria
Andra Slaats
Founder of Younited Cultures
Manisha Joshi
Account Director at ketchum Publico
Eghosa Erhumwunse
National Director SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria
Sheila Alumo
CEO & Founder, Eastern Agricultural Development Company LTD (EADC)
Simon Rutar
Founder Moonshot Pirates
Zeina Awaydate
Assistant to VIP & Exhibitor Relations
Caroline Chege
Municipality Director, Kajiado County Kenya
Stefan Lilischkis
Senior consultant, empirica Gesellschaft für Kommunikations- und Technologieforschung mbH
Ahmad Abdelgalil
Changemaker from Egypt, Staff Ashoka Arab World
Veronica Marin
Founder and Vice President of De-a Arhitectura Association Ⅰ Ashoka Fellow
Ilya Yacevich
Founding Director, Global Trauma Project (GTP); Ashoka Fellow
Father Charles Chilufya
Director of the Justice and Ecology Office of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM)
Vera Penêda
Director of Programmes European Journalism Center (EJC)
Sebastian Fagarazzi
Co-founder, Venezia Autentica
Diana Filimon
President Forum Apulum, Ashoka Fellow
Ruba Warwar
TV host The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
Raluca Cocuz
Sustainability Specialist Enel Romania
Samya El Mousti
National Director SOS Children’s Villages Morocco
Elena Gabriela Ardelean
CEO & Founder of AI4 DevelopmentAgency
Katharina Markovics
Professor of Musicology at New England Conservatory in Boston
Yumi Tsoy
Head of Operations at Bethnal Green Ventures
Torsten Engelage
Risk Management and Compliance for the PwC Advisory
Gregor Demblin
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of tech2people GmbH & myAbility Social Enterprise GmbH
Tina Deutsch
Co-founder and Board Member, Klaiton; Strategic Advisor, CoachHub
Daniela Herneth
Leadership Coach / People & Business Developer
Armand Colard
ESG Plus GmbH
Julia Obereder
Founder and Executive Director of BRAVE Aurora
Florin Stoican
Ashoka Fellow Romania
Walter Odhiambo
National Director, SoS Children's Villages Kenya
Stefanie Kotrba
OPEC Fund for International Development
Vadim Poluga
"i3" (I-Cube) Information Engineering Incubator
Christof Gruber-Harrich
Consultant, Austria
Jeremy Druker
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Executive Director of Transitions (TOL)
Astrid Lendel
Communications and Marketing Expert
Elodie Ravion
Finance Manager Ashoka Austria, Visionary Program Manager & Communication
Simona Sinesi
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & Vice President NEVER GIVE UP Onlus
Pascal Kayiranga MD
Rwanda Red Cross Society
Francesca Cavallini
Professor, Founder of Tice
Teresa Agovino
CEO Faroo, Environmental Engineerand Sustainable Tourism Consultant
Harliet Njenga
Founder, Think Opal
Sarah Deckenbacher
Social Responsability Specialist at Sparkasse Oberösterreich
Violeta Philippitsch
Leitung Kundenbereich EU & International, Umweltbundesamt - Environment Agency Austria
Mikhail Krivonos
Co-Founder, Rabota-i LLC; Chief Executive Officer, RAOUL charity foundation (till Feb '23)
Claire Wavamuno
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Hill Preparatory School
Lenah Gideon
Grant Administrator, Porticus Nairobi
Federico Garcea
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of Treedom
Eva Pavlikova
CEO of Česko.Digital
Samuel Chambi
Coordinator – Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), CARE International in Tanzania
Masha Djordjevic
Program Manager Open Society Foundations
Ferdinand Pelzlmayer
Human Rights Lawyer, Switzerland/Austria
Artur Nadcrinicinii
Changemaker from Greece, Founder Artos kai Agapi
Tomasz Pruszynski
Founder of Captain‘s Nemo Foundation
Anastasia Noskova
Founder of "SWOP market - Let's swop"
Christina Kauer
CONCORDIA Sozialprojekte
Pascal Wambua
Regional Fund Development Director, SOS Children's Villages International, Eastern & Southern Africa Region
Andrew Spyrou
Changemaker from Greece, Consultant Costas M. Lemos Foundation
Elisabeth Campestrini
CEO of Progressive Health Consulting
Evans Njoro
Director, Futures Infinite
Angelika Bartholomäi
Director of the coordination office, StartNet Italy
Tomas Reminek
Member of the board of directors, Eduzměna foundation fund
Susanne Gahleitner
Co-founder Parola, Austria
Karolina Kartus
Co-Founder of Social Held
Monika Hrochova
Program Manager, Educhange Foundation
Verena Riedler
Initiator, "Steady Steps";Organisational Consultant, Coach
Joana Breidenbach
Rebekka Dober
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of YEP – Voice of the Youth
Simone Pies
Business Angel & Mentor
Katja Teuchmann
Founder Safa East Venture e.U. (Austria)
Michal Sadeh Goldvasser
Director of the Employment and Economic Program in the village of Jisr al-Zarqa (Israel)
Gernot Jochum-Müller
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Zeitpolster
Karin Ondas
Sozialwirtschaft Steiermark
Clarissa Rhomberg
Co-Leader of EU-funded ERASMUS+-project “Society in motion”
Paulina Braun
Founder Intergenerational Dancing Poland
Monika Ségur-Cabanac
Regional Manager Central & West Africa and Latin America at Missio Austria
Klara Michel
Co-Founder, Michel Foundation; Yoga teacher & Coach
Ricardo Parger
Founder of PHÖNIX - Training For Life
Alexandra Nitzlader
Senior Project Manager HYPO NOE Gruppe Bank
Eva Petrová
Head of Implementation Unit Ministry of Justice, Czech Republik
Ninon Ndayikengurkiye
CARE USA Impact and Innovation Team
Magda Pohec
Co-Funder Feminist Fund, Ashoka Fellow, Poland
Maike Kauffmann
Founder at Purpose Foundation, Germany
Alice Emasu
Founder and Executive Director,The Association for Rehabilitation and Reorientation of women for Development-TERREWOD, Ashoka fellow Uganda
Valeria Duflot
Co-founder of Venezia Autentica
Claire de Lafarge
Founder and CEO, Dialogue Social Enterprise; Ashoka Fellow
Rachel Onyango
Development Specialist fpr NGOs
Michael Kowatschew
Initiator of NOVID20
Amira Saber
Changemaker from Egypt, Member of the Egyptian Parliament
Birgit Radl-Wanko
Managing Director of younus Mentoring
Sabrina Stepanian
Founder, STEPANIAN CONSULTING e.U.
Walburga Fröhlich
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder & CEO of atempo
Margarita Rebetskaya
Choreographier, Ballet dancer & Performance Director
Svetlana Nalepova
Founder and Manager of the Social Enterprise for the Elderly Creative Workshops "Silver Years"
Nikole Stolz
Head Of Department Development at SWISSAID
Johannes Guger
Head of the department of social affairs and volunteering at the Red Cross
Karsten Ottenberg
Former CEO of BSH Home Appliances Group and Innovater and Purpose-driven leader by heart
Abebaw Abebe
Ethiopia Program Manager at African Disability Forum
Nilton Rubio
Innovation and Sustainability Coordinator, S.C.S. Armonia Work Onlus
Andrej Fric
Director at Kino Zona, Croatia
Tamara Höfer
Prison Research Consultant at United Nations
Ulla Riedle
Co-Team Leader of the Youth&ICT4D department in SOS Children´s Villages International
Arianna Tripodi
Child and Youth Participation Advisor, SOS Children’s Villages International
Susan Muchemi
Business Development Manager, TRACE Eastern Africa
Jane Waithera
Founder Positive, Exposure Kenya
Tina Eckert
Founder and Managing Director of Karmalaya
Asetila Koestinger
Founder of the GoodStartup School
Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková
Ashoka Fellow, Chairwoman of the Czech Expert Society for Inclusive Education
Heidrun Gruber-Größwang
Marketing expert; Founder, Gruber-Größwang Consulting
Maurizio Bergia
President of the social & agricultural cooperative I TESORI della TERRA in Cervasca
Birgit Straka
Managing Director at Viva con Agua Österreich
Kerstin Dohnal
Founder of destination: development
Dagmar Kotzmuth
Co-Founder & CEO DAHIR
Karanja Nduta
Social entrepreneur in EdTech, Future of Work Strategist & Trainer
Linda Stucbartova
Partner ATAIRU company, Founder Diversio
Kristina Kroyer
Program Coordinator at HORIZONT3000
Magdalena Dul-Komosinska
CEE Director, Climate KIC
Jose Morales
Founder & Manager; Aurora Coworking Network, Lincoln Island Initiatives, European Rural Coworking Project
Sonja Nita
European Commission/Centre of Thematic Expertise on Civil Society Support
Anna Greil
Co-Founder & COO at Minimist, an award-winning social entrepreneur in the field of circular economy
Christiane Holzinger
Managing Partner, 360° Business Planner GmbH, Start-Up Stars GmbH
Ori Shoham
Program coordinator atidim ("home ground", Israel)
Adnane Addioui
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
Gregor Ruttner-Vicht
CEO of Lower Austrian entity of Sindbad
Jana Krajcovicova
Private Sector Development Specialist at the World Bank
Abla Al Alfy
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & President of the Egyptian Members Association of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Susan Mugera
Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Public Sector Group
Niels Hansa
Community and partner Manager at talentify.me
Nazareth Seferian
CSR and Social Entrepreneurship trainer, educator & consultant
Weirong Li
Founder and CEO of Raw Culture
Astrid Saxl
Head of Information & Reporting in SOS Children's Villages International
Cecilia Toncic-Sorinj
Finding sustainable solutions in gastronomy.
Tanja Tamse
Project Manager of Center Noordung
Kirsten Tangemann
Managing Director of Social Business Hub Styria
Benjamin Dragolj
Founder of Igramo Zajedno Inicijativa – IZI
Francesca Vannini Parenti
Co-founder and Product manager, Addiopizzo Travel
Abubaker Musuuza
Ashoka Fellow
Joan Mwachi
Regional Director East Africa at World Reader
Alicia Rodriguez
Youth and ICT4D Project Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages International
Jihad Shoja'eyeh
Founder of “Youth without Borders Network”
Irit Zviely Efrat
Chief Operations Officer at Hillel
Babu Edton
Acting Manager Livelihoods, CARE Uganda
Sonja Betschart
Charlotte Steenbergen
COO of the European Forum Alpbach
Johanna Kerber
Co-Founder and CEO, DreiKreis Consulting GmbH
Milica Aksentic
Head of Communications and CSR at Western Union International Bank
Niki Griller
Managing Director, Griller Kabel
Pavel Hrica
Founder, Cesta von; Ashoka Fellow
Ole Kassow
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Cycling Without Age and Copenhagen Cycling
Hélène Menapace
Founder, WeLovePinkPlanet - SanFem
Anna Schaden
former Operations Manager Ashoka CEE
Karina Lackner
Founder & Project Director for Kicken ohne Grenzen
Stefan Kainz
Co-founder and Managing partner of Growth Ninjas
Magdalena Lima
Project assistant & communication manager, Ashoka Italy
Christophe Cuny
Individual Giving Department Lead, SOS Children's Villages International
Stella Parris
Account Manager at RxWare
Julian Juen
Founder of One4One Social Business
Maurizio Ramonda
SAI (Sistema Accoglienza Integrazione) project for the integration of refugees
Emilie Romon
Partnership Manager Ashoka
Marsha Forbes
Global Lead Funding Advisor at Joining Forces Initiative by World Vision
Livio Scalvini
Founder & CEO, Venture4Impact
Danny Mucira
Eastern Africa Managing Director of Trace
Cornelia Faisst
Senior lecturer and co-academic Director at the University of Liechtenstein
Andrea Kretschmer
Manager Accenture
Jindra Marešová
Director, Albatros Foundation
Radoslav Pittner
Co-Country Representative Czech and Slovakia, Facilitator & coach for social impact
Abraham Gossaye
Head of Country Office, Austrian Red Cross in Ethiopia
Ondřej Zapletal
Executive Director, Depositum Bonum Foundation Prag
Flavian Majenga
Senior Project Manager CARE Tanzania
Cornelia Sima
Account Director at Ketchum
Veronica Pistyur
Co-Founder and CEO of Bridges Budapest Ⅰ General Partner at Oktogon Ventures
Ahmed Abdelgalil
VP alumnus & Gender and Economic Empowerment Specialist
Andrea Mörike
Social Business Consultant, Alumna of the Visionary Program
Gabriela Vondrusova
Change Manager and Community Mobilizer at Ashoka Czech Republic
Abdikadir Dakane
National Director SOS Children’s Villages Somalia
Christoph Soukup
Senior Project Manager HYPO NOE Gruppe Bank
Alexander Wostry
Social Entrepreneur & Co-Founder, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT)
Markéta Pěchoučková
Head of Social Innovation Unit at Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Czechia
Franziska Wizany
Cultural advisor
Hisham El Rouby
Ashoka Fellow, MENA Regional Director The Synergos Insitiute
Diana Mwai
Program Director at Educate!, Kenya
Maribeth Aquino
Founder of Coding School for Underserved Women
Agnieszka Franeczek
Head of Consumer Lending Processes at UniCredit Bank Austria
Elisabeth Pipic
Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF)
Michael Hilbert
Head of Business Unit Banking
Br. Dr. Jonas Yawovi Dzinekou
Director, Institute for Social Transformation Tangaza University College
Andrea Martens
Andrea Martens
Stefan van der Swaluw
Program Director at SOS Children's Villages The Netherlands
Fabian Scholda
Regional director of the social enterprise Sindbad
Agnes Schillhuber
Communications neunerhaus; formerly: Ashoka Austria
Stefanie Kirwald
Consultant Alumnae*I Network
Sabine Pümpel
Initiator & Head of aws Sustainable Food Systems Initiative
Silvia Silvozzi
Manager Bottega Terzo Settore - Fondazione Carisap
Radek Hábl
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of the Institute for Debt Prevention and Resolution in Prague
Marie Ringler
Member of Ashoka's Global Leadership Group, Leading Ashoka's work in Europe
Rosa Bergmann
Co-founder of Vienna Hobby Lobby
Klára Rundová
Project Managar Česká spořitelna foundation
Sumita Kunashakaran
Project Manager at the Zero Project
Katharina van Zeller
Founder & CEO DreiKreis
Mani
Human Rights Lawyer
Sylvia Kaawe
Manager, Women Economic Empowerment Program ,CARE International in Uganda
Mustapha Jazar
Founder and Director, Lebanese Association for Scientific Research (LASeR)
Zahra I. Lethome
Office Manager, Ashoka East Africa
Julia Culen
Managing Partner, Culen Mayrhofer Partner
Giuseppe Nigro
Consultant on Project Design & Project Evaluation, also: Ashoka Italy
Katharina Kruppa
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Chairwoman Grow Together
Katerina Bursikova Jacques
Executive Director, Educational and business centre Sněmovní 7
Ole Kassow
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of Cycling Without Age and Copenhagen Cycling
Kseniia Stepanenko
CEO of ANO “Territory”, founder of “Social Lab: city for life” Novokuznetsk, Russia
Katharina Okulski
Head of scholarship program, NOW: International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Barbara Mayrhofer
Regional Manager for the Institute for Inclusive Education
Dan Driscoll
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of The Anou Cooperative
Giannis Vikas
Social Entrepreneurship Development Officer Athens Development and Destination Management Agency
Eleonora Cadone
Community Integrator, Ashoka Italy
Diana Ninsiima
Director for Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Tanzania
Josep Maria Miró Pascual
Social Innovation Consultant JovesLab (Spain)
Mikhail Rodin
Project Lead Developing Neighborhood Institute
Martin Hollinetz
Ashoka Fellow, Founder of tech2people GmbH & myAbility Social Enterprise GmbH
Harald Gründl
Managing Partner / Chairman EOOS Design, IDRV - Institute of Design Research Vienna
Ojok Okello
Founder and CEO of Okere City
Elik Almog
Changemaker from Israel, VP Dualis social investment fund
Carina Linzer
formerly: Communications for Ashoka Austria
Hanna Ahere
Special Assistant & Regional Director, Ford Foundation office, Eastern Africa
Urška Starc-Peceny
Chief Innovation Officer, lead Tourism 4.0 at Arctur
Eman Bsoul
Changemaker from Israel, Assistant General Director Municipality of Nazareth
Natalia Peryazeva
Doctor of Social Work and Business Administration
Knight Muteti
Founde & Executive Director, Daughters of Kenya (DoK)
Oleg Belezhenko
Founder
Andreas Papp
Emergency Response Director SOS Children’s Villages International
Emmanuel Tamakloe
Founding President and CEO of Atomic Gateway Sporting Academy
Anikó Cserjes
Country Representative of Ashoka Hungary
Gil Tsabari
CEO GTS - Technologies Ltd (Israel)
Abbass Abbass
Ashoka Fellow, Founder and Director of AlManarah
Khalila Mbowe
Founder and CEO of Unleasehd Africa Social Ventures
Walburga Frölich
Andreja Rosandic
Lecturer at Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb
Michael Marchetti
Founder of wetransformpilots®
Obayda Abo Asbeh
Founder Sanad Yoth Association (Israel)
Raphaela Toncic-Sorinj
Co-Director Ashoka Austria and Nordics; Director Ashoka Visionary Program
Matthias Weichhart
Austrian Research Promotion Agency
Peter Herreiner
Financial Advisor & Supervisory Board Member
Desiree Li Bassi
Executive Assistant and head of the Hospitality department, Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi di Sciacca
Goran Medakovic
Senior advisor at the National Foundation for Civil Society Development, Croatia
Klaus Candussi
Ashoka Fellow, Co-Founder of atempo
Maria Raczynska
Co-founder, "The Noon" project
Walter Emberger
Ashoka Fellow, Founder & CEO´of Teach For Austria
Amanda Sundell
Co-Director of Ashoka Nordics
Manuela Achitz
Blühendes Österreich
