PHAP Secretariat

Executive Director
Angharad Laing
Angharad LaingAngharad Laing has worked in the field of humanitarian policy since 2003. The Executive Director of PHAP since its establishment in 2010, she is also a board member of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE) and a member of the Steering Committee of ELRHA. Having previously worked in the private sector, she spent several years with the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Contact Angharad.

Finance and Administration Manager
Barbara Trachsel
Barbara Trachsel Barbara Trachsel has worked for over 13 years in international development and humanitarian assistance, especially related to Africa and Asia. Before joining PHAP in February 2012, Barbara played a leading role in developing the humanitarian assistance program of the Canadian international social justice organization Development and Peace, where she has been a Program Officer since 2001. Over those years, she also managed democratization programs in Southern Africa and reconstruction programs in South Asia. From February 2004 to September 2006, while on leave from Development and Peace, she worked as Finance and Administration Director for CoDevelopment Canada, where among other things she structured CoDev’s fundraising and communications efforts. Beyond her experience in international co-operation, Barbara has worked for various public and research institutions on organizational development, leadership and trust in project management, and management of nonprofit organizations. Barbara holds a Master’s degree in International Project Management from the School of Management of Universite du Quebec a Montreal, as well as a B.A in Anthropology from the University of Montreal. Contact Barbara.

Program Coordinator
Caterina Luciani
Caterina LucianiCaterina holds a Master in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland where she focused on international trade law and cross-sectoral issues, namely human rights and environmental protection. She holds a BA in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Pisa, Italy. Before joining PHAP as Communications and Events associate, she worked two years in Geneva, Switzerland for international and non-governmental organizations alike in the humanitarian policy area. Prior to joining PHAP, she spent several months in Jordan, volunteering with local NGOs. Contact Caterina.

Membership and Communications Coordinator
Markus Forsberg
Markus ForsbergHolding a Master of Politics and International Studies from Uppsala University, Sweden, Markus Forsberg has professional experience from UN institutions in New York and Geneva, the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels, and the Uppsala Peace Museum. In his studies he has focused on the intersection of human rights, sanctions, and democracy, and he conducted a field study in Sri Lanka to evaluate the impact of the EU’s trade measures against the country. Contact Markus.

Finance and Administration Intern
Mouna Beji
Mouna holds a Master's degree in English and International Relations from l'Institut Supérieur des Sciences Humaines de Tunis, Tunisia. She has experience in the fields of communication, events and conference management, office administration, and customer care. Her experience cuts across the private sector and international organisations, the most recent of which was the African Development Bank where she spent six years serving across different departments. She speaks French, English, and Arabic. Contact Mouna.

Management and Governance Intern
Silvia Olivotti
Silvia Olivotti is a Master candidate in the Master of Arts in Human Rights and Conflict Management program of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy. Prior to her internship at PHAP, she was an intern for three months in a local NGO in Nepal to research the impact of anti-trafficking activities in the southern district of Makwanpur in order to write her Master thesis. Contact Silvia.

Leadership and Management of Humanitarian Action Intern
Ben Potter
Ben holds a Masters in Development Management from the Open University, Oxford, where he focused on "war, intervention and development", and "developing trust and inter-personal relationships in complex emergencies". He also holds a BSc in Environmental Hazards and Disaster Management from Kingston University, London, that specialized in "catastrophe and disaster planning", and "professional training for disaster management". Prior to entering the humanitarian sector, Ben served as a Captain in the British Army, and has operational experience from Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Cyprus. Contact Ben.

Communications and Social Media Intern
Eleni Alexandrou
Eleni holds a Master’s degree in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (LL.M) from the University of Essex, United Kingdom. In her studies she focused on the subjects of sex trafficking during armed conflict, child soldiers and humanitarian intervention. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics also from the University of Essex. Prior to working for PHAP, Eleni dedicated her time volunteering with local NGOs in Cyprus and she is also a United Nations online volunteer. She has experience in the field of communication, online events, and social media strategies. She speaks English, French, and Greek. Contact Eleni.

Strategic Communications Consultant
Christan Humphries
Claire Constant With seven years of organization-to-organization and direct-to-individual audience research, targeted messaging, and multi-source communication experience, Christan Humphries holds a Bachelor's degree in Technical and Scientific Communications from James Madison University, USA. In her studies and professional experience, she has worked with a variety of audiences in a wide range of sectors and has focused on effectively connecting them with the specific content and information that can serve them best. Contact Christan.

Senior Advisor
Nils Arne Kastberg
Nils KastbergAfter 32 years of international service, Nils Kastberg is now working as an independent consultant and supporter of a variety of humanitarian and development causes. His last position with the UN was as UNICEF’s Representative in Sudan, and prior to that the Regional Director for the Latin America and Caribbean regions and the Director of the Office of Emergency Programs in New York. While working as a Counselor with the Permanent Mission of Sweden in Geneva, he also led the Task Force on HIV/AIDS Coordination. Mr. Kastberg has served as Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN Organizations in Rome and the Chair of the Western Group and Vice-President of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme. He was seconded to the Office of the High Representative for International Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he covered humanitarian and human rights issues in the northwest of the country. In Sweden, Mr. Kastberg has worked as the Head of Section for Central America with the Swedish International Development Authority and the Head of Section for Humanitarian Affairs with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Sweden. From 1980 to 1988, Mr. Kastberg served with UNHCR in various capacities, holding increasingly responsible positions in a variety of countries, including Zimbabwe, Sudan, Thailand, Switzerland, and Costa Rica. Contact Nils.