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