Institute for a Greater Europe
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The Administrative Team of the IGE
Our administrative team assists and supports the Chair in his everyday activity and ensures that organization operations are in the best course, from recruiting new members, updating policies, to being responsible for finding and completing applications for funding, as well as planning and administering budgets, soliciting, communicating and renewing donations.
Petra Grech
Treasurer
treasurer@institutegreatereurope.com
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Petra, an International Political Economy student at the Brussels School for International Studies within the University of Kent, is currently at the final phase of her Master’s degree. She has a passion for policy-making and economics, which is one of the main reasons why she decided to pursue her Master's in this area within the heart of Brussels!
By profession, Petra is an Accountant with numerous years of experience within the field of Audit and Accounting in well-renowned global companies. However, last year, she decided to make a career change and instead focus on chasing her passion for policy. Petra has always had a passion for student activism and over the years, she has been heavily involved in numerous student organisations and unions in her home country, Malta. When she moved to Brussels last year, Petra has continued to be involved in as many student initiatives and organisations as possible, so when she is not studying or doing any readings, you will find her keeping herself busy with different projects. Whilst reading for her current Masters, Petra has also worked for a couple of months within an agency of the European Commission and also currently works for Wetlands International Europe, as their Communications and Project Management Assistant.
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Marcell Ottó Ormándy
General Secretary
generalsecretary@institutegreatereurope.com
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In 2019, Marcell graduated from the Eötvös Loránd University on an International Relations BA programme and in 2020 he graduated cum laude on the Master of European Studies programme at KU Leuven. He has fulfilled a number of administrative roles in Mensa International Youth and the Hungarian Debating Union before joining the Institute. His academic interests relate to the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice of the European Union, comparative politics, the concept of rule of law and the Enlargement process of the Union.
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Fotios Kotzakioulafis
HR Assistant
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Fotios has received the nomination of the European Climate Pact Ambassador, and he is working in various European and international think tanks, while also involved in local politics and European Union-funded youth programs. Now he possesses the position of the Human Resources and Chair Assistant of the IGE.
Shefika Manaj
Grant and Fundraising Officer
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Shefika is a graduated Lawyer, with a MA in criminal sciences, from the National School of Advocacy in Tirana, Albania. She has consolidated experience in procurement and legal issues in central institutions such as the Ministry of Transport and infrastructure of Albania and several other institutions. She is very well acquainted with legal issues and public procurement legislation and has advanced knowledge of EU directives in this field. She has also been engaged in various part-time projects and training, such as in the field of gender equality, integration of the ILGBT community, media, etc. Another passion of Shefika has been the engagement in promoting the cultural aspects of her country. She will be consistent and interested in the above issues as well as pursue further academic training and conduct in-depth academic research.
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Khanh Phan
Grant and Fundraising Officer
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Coming from Vietnam, Khanh is in the final year of his Bachelor's degree in International Business in Finland. In recent years, he has been involved in many youth-led organizations and political simulations across Europe owing to his keen interest in international relations and policy-making. His main aspiration is to work in the field of Sustainable Development, as he perceives it to be of utmost importance for future generations. Currently, he is very excited to be part of IGE, since he considers it a great privilege to work alongside people from all over Europe and beyond.
Communications & Marketing Team
Our communications team is responsible for the Institute's outreach and communications! It is such an essential part of the organisation, managed by the following members and many others of the Institute, who work behind the scenes to bring new projects to our supporters in Europe and beyond.
Michela Zabaglia
Communications Director
communications.director@institutegreatereurope.com
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Born Italian but European in the heart, with a BA in Foreign Languages, an MA in Linguistics and Journalism, and love of publication in political communication, Michela eventually came to the heart of the European institutions to follow her love for words and graduated in an MA in Journalism. She now works at the EFSA in Parma as a Communications office. Besides the passion for the EU, she also volunteered for many youth and anti-mafia associations because she strongly believes in the citizen power to change the society we live in. She is also an Erasmus addicted and spent many years living around the EU.
Leonor Rodrigues
PR/Marketing Director & Social Media Officer
socialmedia@institutegreatereurope.com
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Leonor holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Catholic University of Portugal and a Postgraduation in Law and Financial Markets. She reveals an acute interest in EU/external affairs, marketing, digital innovation, and financial technology. Being her first experience in an international think tank, she desires to acquire a lot of knowledge, while making a real positive contribution to the IGE team.
Evaelle Dhainaut
Social Media Officer
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Evaelle is from France, born in Germany, and currently living in The Hague, The Netherlands. She is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University. Evaelle holds a strong interest in the European Union and diplomacy and aims in continuing her study through a Master of Public Affairs. This curiosity about the EU has led her to get invested in the Institute for Greater Europe where it is her first experience in a European think tank. She aims at being an asset for the institute while learning and exchanging even more about the EU.
Kira Pakarinen
Event Officer
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Kira is originally from Helsinki and holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Malmö University. Before pursuing a Master's degree in International Governance and Diplomacy at Sciences Po Paris, she is currently working for the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Kira believes that there is a certain beauty in gathering people together, even virtually, and that it leads more easily to people taking real action. Although Kira has some experience in organizing events, she has never been involved in a think tank before. She is very excited about joining the IGE, planning interesting online events, and acquiring new knowledge!
Krista Tammila
Event Officer
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Krista is from Finland and Singapore and currently resides in Barcelona, Spain. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and has lived in six other countries in both Asia and Europe. Besides her native English, Krista speaks Finnish and has a B2 in Spanish. She is a LLM graduate of international law from Vrije University Amsterdam and holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Tallinn Technical University. Her main fields of interest are international conflicts, human rights law / humanitarian law, and sees the latter as necessary for the future of our generation. She is currently working as a writer for STEAR – Student Think Tank for Europe Asia Relations, ambassador to Spain for the European Student Think Tank, as well as is a counter-terrorism research intern at Rise to Peace. Previously, she worked as a trainee for the Human Rights Consultancy in Amsterdam as well as was involved in many youth events and conferences, as she is someone who has a diverse background and therefore loves to meet people from all corners of the globe.
Bernardo Maranha
Partnership and Outreach Officer
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Bernardo is finishing his bachelor's in International Relations at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He has sizable experience in working with international Youth Organizations focused on Europe and the EU. He is passionate about the EU, but also security and geopolitics. At the IGE, he will occupy the role of Outreach and Partnerships Officer.
Karolina Pańko
Partnership and Outreach Officer
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Karolina is a 22-year-old student of International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University (Campus The Hague). She is a yoga practitioner and enthusiast about experimenting in a kitchen with plant-based products. As for her future career, she aspires to work in the realm of governance of sustainability since environmental issues are close to her heart. She is particularly interested in the question of how the European Union incorporates and commits to sustainable development. Topics that are lively in her research include reducing carbon footprint and sustainable and inclusive growth which contribute to the overall improvement of people's lives. She is very keen to gain an even broader perspective on European matters and connect with people from various settings.
Podcast Team
Eylül Erva Akın
Podcast Director
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Eylül Erva Akın is originally from Istanbul and currently based in Belgium. Being a qualified lawyer, she earned her degree in law from Istanbul University. She completed her Master of Laws (LLM) in information technology and intellectual property law from Leibniz University Hannover and Queen Mary University of London. Following her master’s degree, she worked as a trainee at the Council of Europe’s European Audiovisual Observatory, where she gained policymaking expertise in audiovisual media. She also studied documentary filmmaking at University College London. She enjoys writing and photography, and her work focuses on documenting daily life, as well as personal and cultural identities.
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Anna Gruber
Podcast Member
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Anna is a 19~year old student from Hungary. She has lived in multiple places including Budapest, London, and Brussels, so she became interested in encountering culture and experiencing multiculturalism from a young age. Currently, she is completing a bachelor's in International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University. Her main interests are international security, sustainability, human rights, and their interaction within the international sphere; and she is planning to complete a Masters's in International or European security. Later, she would like to pursue a career in European diplomacy focusing on making sustainable change and creating a stable international community. She joined the institute because she would like to network and further exchange knowledge about the European Union and its connection to the rest of the world. Her biggest passion is horse riding.
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Design Team
Wojciech Sokolow
Head of Design
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Wojciech Sokolow is a polish graduate of Administrative Studies and History at the University of Gdańsk. His interests are focused on History, Politics, local and cultural life, event organizing, sports, and China. Within his lifetime he was involved in several groups that organized a lot of interesting activities. Currently in Brussels, after finishing his traineeship at European Parliament, developing his abilities in graphic design and the Chinese language.