International Fellows Alumni

Mr. Kaphale has been the Legal and Consumer Affairs Counsel at the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority since 2004. He advises the institution on legal and regulatory issues, educates civic consumers on communications issues, provides legal counsel to the media and postal departments, and monitors and enforces compliance with laws and regulations by communications operators. He holds a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Malawi. He also has certificates in telecommunications regulation from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) in Washington, D.C. During his fellowship year, through a combination of course work and an internship, Mr. Kaphale will focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of media law and how the communications sector is regulated in the United States.

Mr. Anouar Ben Khelifa received a master's degree in public management and auditing from ENA (Public School of Administration), Tunisia. Currently, he serves as Public Services Auditor/ Deputy-Director of the Public Services General Control Office- Prime Ministry where he assesses public policies, such as scientific research programs or public-private partnerships, and audits administrative management of public enterprises and ministries. During his fellowship year, Mr. Ben Khelifa will focus on leadership development and assessment of public policies, program evaluation, accountability, and building public transparency.

Ms. Jasmina Kijevcanin received a master's degree in sociology from the University of Belgrade. Ms. Kijevcanin is the Deputy Team Manager of the Deputy Prime Minister's office for the government of Serbia, where she is responsible for policy coordination, monitoring, and evaluation, especially in the area of poverty reduction. She has international experience in humanitarian aid, working with UN agencies in countries including Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the Balkan region, as well as experience with national NGOs in Serbia. During her fellowship year, Ms. Kijevcanin will focus on policy development, and policy evaluation.

Nia Kurnianingtyas is the Capacity Building Manager of ADKASI (Association of Indonesian Regency Legislative Councils). ADKASI is a non-profit, member-based organization that enhances local council's ability to increase regional autonomy. At ADKASI, Ms. Kurnianingtyas has initiated and institutionalized tailor-based trainings for member councils. She is also responsible for the development of training courses and curricula, and the organizational development of the organization. Prior to her serving in ADKASI, Ms. Kurnianingtyas worked on governance programs in the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Indonesia. She received a bachelor's degree in international relations from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia. During her fellowship year, Ms. Kurnianingtyas will focus on management and leadership within state and local legislators, as well as the development of training programs for legislators.

Mr. Siarhei Lisichonak received a specialist degree in Law from Belarusian State University. From 2007 to 2008 he served as International Coordinator for the Executive Bureau of the Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus. Since 2002, Mr. Lisichonak has been vice-chair of the leading pro-democratic youth organization called Young Front. During his fellowship, Mr. Lisichonak will seek a master's degree in public Policy, specializing in public leadership.

Ms. Marika Maschorov received a master's of business management and a master's of Commercial Economy from the University of Tartu, Estonia. Currently, she serves as Deputy Governor of the Prison of Tartu where she is responsible for recruiting prison staff, managing personnel, and compiling the prison budget. In 2004, she was awarded the Service Medal, the highest award in the Estonian prison system, for her contribution in founding the Tartu Prison. She also has over six years of management experience with a private oil firm, Statoil LTC. During her fellowship year, Ms. Maschorov will focus on human resource management in the public sector, developing strategic human resource management structures, and the reinforcement of public service ethics.

Ms. Inass Akram Masri received a master's degree in biochemistry from the University of Karachi and an advanced diploma in primary health care education from the University of London. She is a social activist from Nablus city in Palestine, where she works as the Manager of the Cultural Center for Child Development. Ms. Masri is deep experience in youth leadership programming, and has been recognized in her community for her work in the development of non-government organizations (NGO). She also serves at the Nablus municipality as a member of the women consultative committee. During her fellowship year, Ms. Masri will focus on non-profit management, community development, and public leadership.

Mr. Vineet Mathur holds a master's degree in business and administration from Podar Institute of Management, University of Rajistan in Japur, India. He also holds a bachelors degree in electronics and communications engineering from Manglore University in 1991. He currently serves as Director in the Central Vigilance Commission, where he is responsible for drafting and implementing the vigilance and anti-corruption policies at the federal level. He also is responsible for initiating systemic improvements in the government of India procedures and processes (procurements, tendering, workflow procedures). He joined the Indian Civil Service in the year 1994 and has served in the Department of Posts and Telegraph, where he was responsible for technology implementation, automation, and computerization of one hundred fifty thousand post offices in India. He has also served in the investigations, loss and fraud prevention department of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He has also served as an advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology of the Government of India on implementation of information technology initiatives, money transfers, and technology implementation in post offices and telecommunications department. During his fellowship year, Mr. Mathur will pursue a masters of public affairs with a concentration in public and non-profit management. 

Mr. Pronab Mohanty received a bachelor's degree in electronics and instrumentation engineering and a master's degree in civil and criminal law from Utkal University, India. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Inspector General of Police with the Central Bureau of Investigation for the Government of India in the state of Orissa. During his fellowship year, Mr. Mohanty will focus on human trafficking, cyber crimes, issues related to women and children equity, and police-public partnerships.

Ms. Elizabeth Petersen received a masters degree in social work from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa in 2006. She became the director of St. Anne's Homes in Cape Town, a century old Anglican shelter caring for abused and homeless women and children in 1997. Her concern for addressing the root causes of domestic violence compelled her to actively engage and train religious leaders in both an interfaith and intra-faith context and she co-facilitated a batterers' treatment group with a prominent national organization in South Africa. Ms. Petersen is the founder and executive director of South African Faith and Family Institute (SAFFI), a non-profit organization focused on domestic violence training and support of religious leaders and their faith communities, as well as the development of restorative justice residential intervention program for batterers. She directly influenced the establishment of the National Shelter Movement of South Africa and continues to serve on its national board. During her fellowship year, Ms. Petersen will focus on women's issues, domestic violence, and transitional housing.

Mr. Ruhanya has been the Programs Manager for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition since 2004. He coordinates the organization’s activities, including the documentation of human rights abuses and research in comparative human rights violations, promotion, and protection in Southern Africa. He holds degrees in communications and sociology, and received an M.A. degree in Human Rights from the University of Essex. He has worked in the media in various capacities advocating for freedom of expression. During his fellowship year, Mr. Ruhanya will focus on international human rights law and the law of armed conflict.

Mr. Sattorov was the head of the Anti-Trafficking Department and the National Legal Advisor for the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Tajikistan from 2003-2007. He holds a diploma in law from Tajik State National University and is a faculty member in the Department of Criminal Law. Mr. Sattorov has worked on a variety of projects related to combating trafficking of persons in his country. He teaches young lawyers about the laws related to this topic. He also works in close cooperation with the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Combating Trafficking of Persons of the Government of Tajikistan. He is the Director of the Center for Socio-Economic Development and Human Rights Protection. During his fellowship year, Mr. Sattorov will focus on the development of effective practices for prevention, protection, and prosecution of human trafficking. He will also work on the development of knowledge, training, and a regional network for combating trafficking of persons.

Ms. Rosana Dennis Hungerpiller Schaack received a bachelor's of science degree in nursing from Mother Patern College of Health Sciences in Monrovia, Liberia. She currently serves as Program Manager - Child Protection Officer for Samaritan's Purse International Relief where she is responsible for the reintegration and rehabilitation of former child soldiers. She also established and is the executive director of a non-governmental organization, THINK (Touching Humanity in Need of Kindness), which addresses youth issues, especially empowering girl mothers through education and vocational skills training. During her fellowship year, Ms. Schaack will focus on human resource management and child protection policy.

Dr. Bermeo Sevilla is one of the founders of CORPORACION DECIDE, an NGO working on human rights and democracy issues. She also is one of the founders of WAM International Chapter Ecuador, which works to advance women in microfinance with a human rights and gender focus. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in Juridical Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and a DESS in Arbitration, Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Paris Pantheon Assas France. She received her training as a family mediator at the European Institute of Family Mediation. Dr. Bermeo Sevilla currently coordinates, organizes, and trains teams for mediation and legal education on issues of human rights, civil rights, citizenship, gender, and nondiscrimination policies in education. She hopes to develop educational material using pyramidal methods, techniques, and learning processes which will engage users to become active participants in their communities. During her fellowship year, Dr. Bermeo Sevilla will focus on issues of constitutional and comparative law and participative processes in the understanding and implementation of laws.

Mr. Shakirov has been a public servant in the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tatarstan since 2005. He holds a diploma in law from Kazan State University and holds a certificate in human rights from the St. Petersburg branch of the State University—High School of Economics. Mr. Shakirov would like to seek partnerships with non-governmental organizations and governmental and law enforcement agencies working in combating human trafficking. He has worked with numerous regional NGOs providing support for victims of trafficking as well as training and establishing a regional network to combat tracking of persons from the Republic of Tatarstan. During his fellowship year, Mr. Shakirov will research the theme of effective law enforcement and prosecution of perpetrators of human trafficking, as well as support services for trafficked victims in the United States.

Mr. Chhun Singha received a bachelor's of science in agronomy science from Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Currently, he serves as Local Capacity Building/Administration Advisor for the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Project in Support of Democratic Development through Decentralization and Deconcentralization in Kampong Chhang Province where he implements decentralization guidelines and systems. During his fellowship year, Mr. Singha will focus on decentralization policy, public policy analysis, local governance, policy research and evaluation.

Ms. Sussekind is a professor of criminology and human rights at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. She has a degree in criminology and a master’s degree in Law and Development Sciences from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. She is a human rights activist, working with problems of violence and prison issues, and has served as Secretary of Justice of Brazil. Ms. Sussekind would like to observe both governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in their methods and procedures used in preventing and combating human trafficking, especially organ trafficking. Additionally, she would like to increase her knowledge base regarding international organizations and their efforts in controlling human trafficking, international organized crime, money laundering, and terrorism. During her fellowship year, Ms. Sussekind will focus on public agencies and NGOs and their treatment of organized crime: prevention, investigative methods, new software/technology, use of the law, and dealing with public opinion.

Mrs. Sonam Pelden Thaye received a master's of public policy, specializing in development administration, from Australian National University. Currently, she serves as Head of the Department of Electoral Registration for Election Commission of Bhutan where she develops electoral systems relating to voter registration and electoral roll preparation. She also serves as media spokesperson and the Head of the Media Unit where she liaises with the national and international media for the provision of information relating to elections. During her fellowship year, Mrs. Thaye will focus on elections and electoral systems and involvement of civil society in elections.

Ms. Al-Hakimi was a Program Officer at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in Yemen from 2005-2007. One of her responsibilities at NDI was running the Democracy Development Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Ms. Al-Hakimi has worked on a variety of projects related to democracy, including developing and designing a 2007 Parliamentary By-Law Manual, which was distributed to Yemeni MPs and political parties. She is a national trainer on fair electoral process and trained observers and those observing in the voter registration and election process. During her fellowship year, Ms. Al-Hakimi will focus on gaining leadership skills and resources for strengthening democracy, legislative processes, human rights, and political reform in developing countries.

Mr. Aluthge is an Immigration Officer with the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka and is currently based in Bandaranaike International Airport. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in International Relations. He is interested in developing a human trafficking and immigration research unit, as well as designing an immigration training program for government enforcement officers. He has been numerously commended for his investigative work in detection of perpetrators of human trafficking. During his fellowship year, Mr. Althuge will focus on issues related to immigration, human trafficking, and public policy.