Political scientist and researcher in the fields of transparency, accountability and democracy. MA in Political Science and Public Administration at the University Complutense of Madrid and Master in Development Studies and International Aid at Complutense Institute of International Studies (ICEI).
I have experience as a researcher, campaigner and coordinator of various participation, transparency, access to information, and accountability projects -at both the pan-European and national level- with a special focus on human rights, social justice, and international development issues.
Passionate about political analysis and social and democratic change, I like to interact and teamwork. I am an enthusiastic person, continuously interested in learning from different backgrounds.

Fadya Salfiti is the Advisory Committee Chairperson at the Creative Palestinian Communities Fund (Rawa). Born in Kuwait to parents originally from Nablus, she studied International Relations in San Francisco while working as a grassroots activist on women and youth empowerment, advocating for and working on a myriad of issues pertaining to the Palestinian cause. In 1992, she returned to Palestine and settled in Jerusalem, holding posts with several international, regional and Palestinian organisations, including the UNDP Rural Development Programme, the Italian Cooperation Agency, the Swedish International Development Agency, Tamer Institute for Community Education and the Palestinian Planned Parenthood Association, among others. Her experience with multiple developmental issues, her engagement with young people and her work with several outfits as a programme specialist on education, health and the Palestinian private sector have enabled Fadya to work on a wide range of cross-sectoral needs.

Marion Duquesne has been working for the Mediterranean Women’s Fund since 2018 and became Deputy Director in January 2023. Before joining the world of philanthropy, her decade of feminist and political activism, as well as her professional experience, led her to fight for women’s rights in France, Italy, Argentina, India and Morocco. Having been on the receiving end of grantmaking and experienced firsthand the difficulties and frustration generated by the dominating rigid, constraining, project-based approach of philanthropy, she was immediately attracted by the feminist funding principles of women’s funds, which are centered around the needs of the women who are on the forefront of the fight for gender equality.

Olga leads Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ thought leadership efforts, developing original research, publications, and both internal and external programs to advance philanthropic growth and innovation, and accelerate philanthropy in pursuit of a just world. In this capacity, Olga also leads hallmark programs, including the Theory of the Foundation and Strategic Time Horizons initiatives, which seek to build knowledge, catalyze collaboration, and contribute to more powerful impact for the philanthropic ecosystem. She is a frequent speaker at philanthropic conferences, workshops, and other events.

Previously, Olga held positions at the National Endowment for Democracy and the Open Society Foundations. Olga holds a Master of Arts, International Affairs from Georgetown University and a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University. She also holds a certificate from INSEAD’s International Leaders Program. Olga is a native English and Russian speaker, and counts Polish, Turkish and German among her other languages. She currently lives in Munich, Germany, and uses these languages to cheer loudly with her husband and son for the Bayern München Football Club.

Romy is the Managing Director of the Guerrilla Foundation that backs activists and social movements across Europe to build grassroots power and help them tackle the root causes of systemic crises. She is one of the founding members of FundAction and Leap Collective in an effort to bring more participation and systems change orientation into traditional philanthropy (until we finally are able to abolish philanthrocapitalism). She holds a MA in Psychology and a PhD in Business-Society Management from the Rotterdam School of Management for which she examined organising processes and power struggles in transnational anti-mining movements based on extensive fieldwork in East India. In the past, Romy has developed and implemented online and offline support programs for young activists and social entrepreneurs from 50+ countries. She lives in Berlin with her son and partner.

Eva Blake (she/nâkum), Managing Director of Philanthropic Partnerships, is an enrolled member of the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation. As the daughter of a traditional chief and environmental activist, Eva has participated in social justice and community organizing all her life. Prior to joining Grassroots International, Eva served as the Philanthropic Relations Manager for the Indigenous Environmental Network. Earlier, she served as the Senior Director and founder of YouthBuild USA’s Green Initiative, where she created opportunities for thousands of youth to build healthy green homes, pursue careers in weatherization, and develop environmental leadership skills. Eva an advisor of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, and founding advisory committee member of Native Voices Rising. She received her degree in Community Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz with a concentration in environmental justice in Indian Country. She lives in her traditional homelands on the South Coast of Massachusetts.

Laura is a Mexican feminist who has advocated for human rights, social justice, and civil society throughout her career. Before joining Global Greengrants, Laura served for seven years as the Executive Director of Fondo Semillas, a Mexican nonprofit organization that finances grassroots organizations to achieve gender equality. Laura has vast experience in grassroots philanthropy, human rights, and movements for social justice, and she has co-created networks to promote community philanthropy in the Global South. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Peace and Security, from King’s College, London. She currently serves on the boards of Oxfam Mexico, Co-Impact, and the Global Fund for Community Foundations.

Michael Kourabas works across UUSC’s programs to maximize the impact of its grassroots partners around the world. In addition to directing UUSC’s grantmaking and partner support work, Michael has conducted on-the-ground assessments of UUSC’s work and convenings with UUSC’s grassroots partners in Croatia, Greece, Haiti, Nepal, and the Philippines.

Trained as an attorney, Michael has a strong background in international human rights law and corporate accountability. In various roles prior to joining UUSC, Michael implemented the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and worked to support the International Criminal Court’s investigations in Kenya and northern Uganda. He also helped launch one of the nation’s first Business and Human Rights practices at an American law firm.

Michael received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Michigan in 2004, and his law degree from William & Mary School of Law in 2008. Michael is passionate about organizing philanthropy for systemic change. He is on the board of the Engaged Donors for Global Equity (EDGE) Funders Alliance and has served as an advisor to the EDGE Global Engagement Lab learning community. From 2019-2021, he was a member of the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Human Rights Commission, to which he was appointed co-chair in 2020.

Valeria Scorza (BIO)Executive Director of Avina Americas (FA’s 501c3 legal entity) and the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Fundación Avina. Previous to her current role, she led Avina’s Political Innovation and Migration Programs. Prior to joining Avina in 2015, Valeria was deputy director for Proyecto de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (ProDESC), a non-governmental organization that promotes labour, land, and territory rights in Latin America. She has also worked at the International Center for Transitional Justice and Amnesty International in New York City, and participated in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Valeria holds a BA Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and a master’s degree in International Relations from Columbia University in New York City. She serves on the International Advisory Board of the Business and Human Rights Center and Boards of the Human Rights & Business Award, Ethos Laboratorio de Políticas Públicas and Equis Justicia para las Mujeres.