MMC Team

Global

Bram Frouws

Director of MMC

Roberto Forin

Deputy Director, Head of MMC Europe

Gretel Araya

Finance, Grants and Administration Coordinator

Jennifer Vallentine

Senior Research Consultant

Francesco Teo Ficcarelli

Global Information Management Coordinator

Asma Arfaoui

Global Communication Officer

Chloe Sydney

Global 4Mi and Data Coordinator

Kate de Rivero

Global Communications Coordinator

Asia and the Pacific

Fiona Robertson

Manager for Asia and the Pacific

Abdullah Mohammadi

Data and Research Project Manager

Hui Yin Chuah

Research Officer

Md Sazidul Islam

4Mi Project Officer

Europe

Roberto Forin

Deputy Director, Head of MMC Europe

Giulia Testa

4Mi Project Coordinator

Anais Momoli

4Mi Information Management Officer

Julia

Julia Litzkow

Research Officer

Océane Uzureau

4Mi Project Officer

Giulia Bruschi

Data and Research Project Manager

Eastern and Southern Africa

Ayla Bonfiglio

Head of MMC Eastern and Southern Africa / Egypt & Yemen

Lavina Ranjan

Data and Research Project Manager

Jim van Moorsel

Research Coordinator

Sarah Ali

Project Coordinator

Emma Wachira

Project Coordinator

Joseph Mwangi

Information Management Officer

Tracy Haggai

Research Specialist

Joyreen Wanyeki

Program Support Officer

Ahmed Hussain

Quantitative Research Specialist

E. Joan Wamaitha

Project Officer

Latin America and the Caribbean

Simon Tomasi

Head of MMC Latin America and the Caribbean

Laura Tibaduiza

4Mi Project Officer

Ximena Canal

Research Specialist

Pedro Bautista

Information Management Specialist

Charlotte Müller

Research Coordinator

Maria Leon

4Mi Officer

West and North Africa

Aurelia Donnard

Head of MMC West and North Africa

Sarah Doyel

Data and Research Project Manager

Imen Aouani

Project Coordinator North Africa

Abdoul Karim Seydou Harouna

Project Coordinator Niger

Seydou Belem

Project Coordinator Burkina Faso/Mali

Hiba Belhadj

Research Specialist

Thibaut Girault

Research Coordinator

Margot Genin

Data and Research Project Manager West Africa

Ahmed Cherif

Information Management Officer

Mathilde Brachet

Program Assistant Trainee

Sarra Mejri

Research Specialist

Bram Frouws

Director of MMC

Roberto Forin

Deputy Director, Head of MMC Europe

Gretel Araya

Finance, Grants and Administration Coordinator

Jennifer Vallentine

Senior Research Consultant

Francesco Teo Ficcarelli

Global Information Management Coordinator

Asma Arfaoui

Global Communication Officer

Chloe Sydney

Global 4Mi and Data Coordinator

Kate de Rivero

Global Communications Coordinator

Fiona Robertson

Manager for Asia and the Pacific

Abdullah Mohammadi

Data and Research Project Manager

Hui Yin Chuah

Research Officer

Md Sazidul Islam

4Mi Project Officer

Roberto Forin

Deputy Director, Head of MMC Europe

Giulia Testa

4Mi Project Coordinator

Anais Momoli

4Mi Information Management Officer

Julia

Julia Litzkow

Research Officer

Océane Uzureau

4Mi Project Officer

Giulia Bruschi

Data and Research Project Manager

Ayla Bonfiglio

Head of MMC Eastern and Southern Africa / Egypt & Yemen

Lavina Ranjan

Data and Research Project Manager

Jim van Moorsel

Research Coordinator

Sarah Ali

Project Coordinator

Emma Wachira

Project Coordinator

Joseph Mwangi

Information Management Officer

Tracy Haggai

Research Specialist

Joyreen Wanyeki

Program Support Officer

Ahmed Hussain

Quantitative Research Specialist

E. Joan Wamaitha

Project Officer

Simon Tomasi

Head of MMC Latin America and the Caribbean

Laura Tibaduiza

4Mi Project Officer

Ximena Canal

Research Specialist

Pedro Bautista

Information Management Specialist

Charlotte Müller

Research Coordinator

Maria Leon

4Mi Officer

Aurelia Donnard

Head of MMC West and North Africa

Sarah Doyel

Data and Research Project Manager

Imen Aouani

Project Coordinator North Africa

Abdoul Karim Seydou Harouna

Project Coordinator Niger

Seydou Belem

Project Coordinator Burkina Faso/Mali

Hiba Belhadj

Research Specialist

Thibaut Girault

Research Coordinator

Margot Genin

Data and Research Project Manager West Africa

Ahmed Cherif

Information Management Officer

Mathilde Brachet

Program Assistant Trainee

Sarra Mejri

Research Specialist

Vacancies

All our vacancies and consultancies are advertised publicly on the DRC website. For any questions regarding opportunities with MMC contact us at info@mixedmigration.org

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Bram Frouws

Director of MMC

Bram Frouws is the Director of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), currently based in the Netherlands. Between 2017 and 2021 he was based in Geneva, initially as Policy and Research Coordinator on mixed migration, after which he was appointed to establish MMC in 2018. Before moving to Geneva, Bram was living and working in the Horn of Africa for 5 years, where since early 2016 he was heading the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS) for East Africa & Yemen in Nairobi. Before that he was working with the RMMS as Migration Specialist and Senior Research Associate. He also worked as a Consultant on mobile populations for UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa as part of the 2014 polio response,and worked on migration research projects for IOM Kenya, the ILO, the European Commission, the Danish Refugee Council Myanmar, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies. Before moving to the Horn of Africa he worked for 5 years as a policy researcher on integration, migration and labour market issues with Panteia, a Netherlands-based consultancy firm. He has authored a range of research publications (reports, papers, articles) on various migration issues, including migration trends and dynamics, irregular migration, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, migration and development and immigration detention. Bram tweets from @bramfrouws
bram.frouws@mixedmigration.org
@bramfrouws

Roberto Forin

Deputy Director, Head of MMC Europe

Roberto Forin is the Deputy Director of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) in Geneva, and since 2022 also Head of MMC Europe. Before moving to Geneva Roberto worked as research coordinator for the Vienna-based International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) where he coordinated a research assessment on Anti-Trafficking along migration routes in Europe and acted as thematic expert on anti-trafficking in conflict and other humanitarian settings. Before that he worked in Greece as Deputy Head of Mission for the ICRC during the height of the migration crisis in 2015/2016. Roberto builds on over ten years of experience in the protection and assistance of refugees and displaced populations, having worked for the ICRC and IOM in Sudan, Colombia, Haiti, Gaza and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 2014 Roberto has been extensively covering migration issues in the Mediterranean and North Africa as researcher. He has conducted research on involuntary immobility and migration in countries in crisis at the university of Oxford and has collaborated with the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute of Florence and the Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute on migrant labour exploitation in Italy and lived experiences of migrants transiting through Libya, respectively. He has authored several research publications mostly focused on mixed migration, protection for people on the move and migration policies in the wider Mediterranean. Roberto tweets from @roberto_forin.
roberto.forin@mixedmigration.org
@roberto_forin

Gretel Araya

Finance, Grants and Administration Coordinator

Gretel is the Finance, Grants and Administration Coordinator for the Mixed Migration Centre, based in Copenhagen. She has several years of experience in administration, finance, managing projects at Danish NGOs and in the private sector in Spain. Before joining MMC, Gretel worked at the Danish Refugee Council´s Civil Society Engagement Unit in Copenhagen as project officer and coordinator as well as administration coordinator for several years, and at Global Aktion as project manager involving the Saharawi refugees and advocacy for the Western Sahara cause for many years. She also completed an internship in the European Institute for Asian Studies in Brussels. Before that, Gretel worked several years in the private sector in Valencia, Spain in the areas of finance, HR and administration. Gretel holds a double Master´s degree in International Development Studies & Global Studies from the University of Roskilde, Denmark in 2019. Moreover, she holds two Masters´ degrees in Sociology and in Political Sciences & Administration from the University of Valencia, Spain in 2012, and a Bachelor´s degree in business from the University of Jaume I, Castellón, Spain in 2006.
gretel.araya@mixedmigration.org

Jennifer Vallentine

Senior Research Consultant

Jen first joined MMC in 2018 where she led the Asia Hub as Regional Manager until 2021. She is now working as a research and policy consultant for the global team. Jen has worked in the migration and refugee sectors for over ten years in a variety of roles spanning program management, research, strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, and community development. She has worked for grass-roots organisations, national and international NGOs, and philanthropic organisations. Jen holds a European Masters of Human Rights and Democratisation completed in Venice and Vienna in 2016, and a Graduate Diploma in Evaluation from the University of Melbourne completed in 2020.

Francesco Teo Ficcarelli

Global Information Management Coordinator

Francesco Teo Ficcarelli is the Global Information Management Coordinator based in Kampala. Formerly, he was MMC East and Southern Africa’s 4Mi Project Coordinator and MMC’s Information Management Officer in East and Southern Africa as well as North Africa. Prior to joining the MMC team he worked for a number of NGOs (IPA, REACH, ACTED, ICARDA) conducting impact evaluation studies, needs assessments and M&E in the humanitarian and development sectors. He has substantial experience in data collection methods, data management and analysis. Teo has a background in economics and international relations, holding a BA in European Studies from Royal Holloway, University of London, and a MSc in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics.
francesco-teo.ficcarelli@mixedmigration.org

Asma Arfaoui

Global Communication Officer

Asma is the Global Communication Officer for the Mixed Migration Center, based in Tunis, Tunisia. Before joining MMC, Asma worked as a local press correspondent in Tunisia, covering subjects related to migration, politics and economics. She also held positions as a Research assistant, working on European and Tunisian projects, and focusing on qualitative research. Her studies took her to Paris where she graduated in Communication (MA, 2020) and in Management (BSc, 2017), spending one semester at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands as an exchange student. She completed her studies with single courses in Migration & Anthropology in 2023 at the Ca’Foscari University of Venice.
asma.arfaoui@mixedmigration.org

Chloe Sydney

Global 4Mi and Data Coordinator

Chloe is the Mixed Migration Centre’s Global 4Mi and Data Coordinator. She has nearly a decade of research experience, with a particular focus on forced migration. Previously, at the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), she led research on the relationship between internal displacement and cross-border movements, as well as displacement in the context of slow-onset environmental change. She has also worked for Forcier Consulting, the Global Survivors Fund, and UNICEF South Sudan. Chloe has a PhD on refugee decision-making with regards to return, which was awarded best thesis prize by the British International Studies Association. She also has a master’s degree in International Migration and Public Policy.
chloe.sydney@mixedmigration.org

Kate de Rivero

Global Communications Coordinator

Kate de Rivero is the Global Communications Coordinator at the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC). With over 20 years of experience in humanitarian work, including 15 years in public communications primarily with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Kate has expertise in developing advocacy and communications strategies on humanitarian and global health issues, as well as crisis communications. She has worked on numerous emergencies and humanitarian crises across different regions of the world, including those linked to forced displacement, migration, and refugees. Prior to this, she worked on conflict resolution and peace building for four years. Before joining MMC, Kate worked as a consultant, conducting reviews to improve organizational strategies for humanitarian delivery and public communications. She holds a BA in International Relations and Development Studies from Sussex University, an MA in Sociology from the University of Geneva, and an MSc in Epistemology, Ethics, and Mind from the University of Edinburgh.
kate.derivero@mixedmigration.org

Fiona Robertson

Manager for Asia and the Pacific

Fiona is the Mixed Migration Manager for Asia and the Pacific, with 8 years of experience in advisory, research, and project management across the private sector, public sector, and the United Nations. She has worked for IOM, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, focusing on the ethical recruitment and employment of migrant workers. Fiona has managed numerous research projects on labour migration and access to remedy for migrant workers in the Asia region. She has also developed and conducted human rights capacity-building activities for the private sector, NGOs, inter-governmental organisations, and governments. Fiona holds an MSc in Global Development from the University of Copenhagen, as well as a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland.
fiona.robertson@mixedmigration.org

Abdullah Mohammadi

Data and Research Project Manager

Abdullah Mohammadi is the Data and Research Project Manager for Asia and the Pacific. He has worked with Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Mixed Migration Center since 2016 and supported the set-up of the 4Mi in the Asia region. Abdullah holds a master degree in Demography from University of Tehran and has extensive field experience in Afghanistan, Iran, India, Sweden and Germany. Before DRC, he worked as a research assistant at University of Tehran where he studied Afghan migration experience. His main research interests are forced migration, return migration and smuggling networks.
abdullah.mohammadi@mixedmigration.org

Hui Yin Chuah

Research Officer

Hui Yin Chuah is the Research Officer at the Mixed Migration Centre for Asia. Prior to joining MMC, Hui Yin worked as a Senior Research Associate at Asia School of Business. She has experience conducting research using both quantitative and qualitative methods. She also co-authored several publications (journal articles, op-eds, book chapters) on issues related to migration and development. Hui Yin holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a bachelor’s in economics from Universiti Malaya.
huiyin.chuah@drc.ngo

Md Sazidul Islam

4Mi Project Officer

Md Sazidul Islam joined the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) in Asia as the 4Mi Officer. In his role, most of his work relies on data management, cleaning, and validation, and closely communicates with MMC enumerators to ensure effective data collection across the region. Before joining the MMC team, he worked on the Rohingya Response for nearly 4 years with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), UNICEF, and UNHCR, mainly supporting their data management, analysis, and reporting in the humanitarian sector. In regard to academia, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Information Science from the University of Dhaka.
md.islam2@mixedmigration.org

Giulia Testa

4Mi Project Coordinator

Giulia Testa is the 4Mi Project Coordinator for Southern Europe. Prior to this project, she worked with MMC as a Mixed Migration Specialist coordinating a global research project focusing on transit migration and as Regional Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, coordinating the organization’s research and data collection projects in the region. Before joining MMC, Giulia covered protection-related positions with UNHCR in Panama, Italy and El Salvador. She holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Bologna, an MA in Institutions and Policies for Human Rights and Peace from the University of Padua and an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex.
giulia.testa@mixedmigration.org

Anais Momoli

4Mi Information Management Officer

Anais Momoli is MMC Europe 4Mi Information Management Officer based in Turin and focused on MMC’s 4Mi quantitative data analysis and management for all research projects implemented in Europe. Prior to joining the MMC team, she gained three years of professional experience for several NGOs (IMPACT, NRC, Data Friendly Space, Solidarités International) designing and implementing both qualitative and quantitative research projects (impact evaluations, needs assessments, third-party monitoring, M&E activities) in different humanitarian and development contexts (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia). Anais holds a BA in Economics from Bocconi University in Milano, a MSc in Food Policy from City University London, and is a certified IPC Acute Food Insecurity analyst. She has substantial experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods, especially around mixed migration, livelihoods, and the economic dimension of food security. She is particularly interested in mixed-methods, area-based, and longitudinal research approaches.
anais.momoli@mixedmigration.org
Julia

Julia Litzkow

Research Officer

Julia Litzkow is the Research Officer for MMC Europe. With a diverse background, including roles at the Joint Internal Displacement Profiling Service, the European Network of Migrant Women, the Council of Europe, Asylum Access, and UNODC, she brings a versatile skill set encompassing research, writing, storytelling, and strategic communications. Her experience extends from conducting research on human trafficking in Europe, to advocating for the human rights of urban refugees in Tanzania, and supporting development of outputs from a data exercise on internal displacement in Mexico. Julia previously worked at MMC between 2019-2022, contributing to communications and research efforts within the global team. She holds an MA degree in International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology from VU Amsterdam.
ulia.litzkow@mixedmigration.org

Océane Uzureau

4Mi Project Officer

Océane Uzureau is MMC Europe 4Mi Project Officer based in Brussels and focuses on research projects implemented in France and Belgium. Prior to this role, she held diverse research positions and used mixed and longitudinal research methods, as well as visual ethnography (graffiti analysis in migrant camps). Her research experiences revolve around unaccompanied minors’ experiences while on the move, funding for complementary pathways programmes, and protection and reintegration support for returnees through IOM AVRR programmes in Niger, Guinea, and Djibouti. Océane holds a PhD in Social Work and Social Pedagogy from Ghent University and a MA degree in International Migrations from Poitiers University-Migrinter.
oceane.uzureau@mixedmigration.org

Giulia Bruschi

Data and Research Project Manager

Giulia Bruschi is the Data and Research Project Manager for MMC Europe. She has thematic experience in protection of refugees and migrants on the Central Mediterranean Route, as well as experience in research and analysis with hard to reach groups and vulnerable populations, data visualization and analysis. Since 2016 she collaborates with international nongovernmental organizations, organizations of the civil society and grassroot movements based in Croatia, Serbia, Italy, Tunisia and Libya for the protection of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. Since 2022, she carried out protection-focused researches in Libya, Tunisia and Morocco, as well as coordinating needs assessments in crisis settings and during humanitarian disaster response. She holds a Master’s Diploma and a Bachelor’s Deree in International Cooperation and Development, respectively from Catholic University of Milan, and University of Bologna.
giulia.bruschi@mixedmigration.org

Ayla Bonfiglio

Head of MMC Eastern and Southern Africa / Egypt & Yemen

Dr. Ayla Bonfiglio is the Head of the Mixed Migration Center Eastern and Southern Africa | Egypt and Yemen. From 2019-2022, she was the Head of MMC’s North Africa hub. For 15 years, she has worked on issues of forced migration and mobility. Her doctoral research (UNU-MERIT/Maastricht University) examined how refugees and migrants make strategic decisions about their movements in relation to higher education. In this role, she conducted several hundred in-depth interviews with refugees and migrants in Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. In 2016, Ayla co-founded the Conflict and Education Learning Laboratory (CELL) in the Netherlands, a non-profit research foundation. Formerly, she was a Research Officer at the International Migration Institute, Oxford. She obtained an MSc in Forced Migration from the University of Oxford and a BA (Hons) in Political Science from Columbia University where she won the Charles Beard Prize for her dissertation on refugee self-reliance. She has worked and carried out research in a number of countries across North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and for a variety of organizations, including GIZ, ICMPD, IOM, UNESCO, UNODC, and UNHCR.
ayla.bonfiglio@mixedmigration.org

Lavina Ranjan

Data and Research Project Manager

Lavina Ranjan is the Data and Research Project Manager for the Eastern & Southern Africa region, based in Nairobi, where she manages data collection projects from Egypt to South Africa focusing on children and youth on the move, climate related mobility, movement intentions and returns. Previously, Lavina worked at Chatham House as Progamme Manager for the Environment and Society Programme where she oversaw programme management for research projects covering the climate and energy transition, circular economy, and sustainable food/land/natural resources solutions. Before Chatham House, Lavina worked in the humanitarian and development sector in South Sudan, South Africa and the Caribbean with Canadian Red Cross, IOM, IFRC, Johns Hopkins and REACH where she gained experience in data collection in humanitarian settings, running large scale analyses and dissemination to various stakeholders. Lavina is an epidemiologist with a specialty in climate change and health and WASH in humanitarian settings.
lavina.ranjan@mixedmigration.org

Jim van Moorsel

Research Coordinator

Jim van Moorsel is the Research Coordinator with MMC East and Southern Africa, specialised in qualitative migration research and migration policy and programming engagement. Prior to joining this region, he was with MMC focusing on mixed migration research in North Africa for 2 years. Previously, he worked as a Migration Assessment Officer on Libya and Tunisia with REACH Initiative. His experiences also include providing support to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tbilisi, Georgia, on projects related to public administration reform, good governance and inclusive societies, and to the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) on the EUROMED Migration IV Programme, in Valletta, Malta. During his studies, he volunteered at the Dutch Refugee Council, contributing to a local community-based project targeting Eritrean asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Jim holds a BA in Romance Languages and Cultures and an MSc in Globalisation, Migration and Development (Human Geography) from Radboud University (Nijmegen, The Netherlands). For his master thesis, he carried out research in Spain and Morocco on the multi-faceted perception of borders by refugees and migrants.
jim.moorsel@mixedmigration.org

Sarah Ali

Project Coordinator

Sarah is the roving Project Coordinator for (MMC) Eastern and Southern Africa. Prior to joining MMC, she worked in multiple humanitarian assistance and development agencies, including GIZ and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), on a variety of topics such as migration, livelihoods, gender-related projects, political engagement, and development. Sarah holds a GD in International Development from the University of London (LSE), and a BA in Knowledge Management from The Future University of Sudan. As the MMC Project Coordinator, Sarah is responsible for coordinating and implementing research in several countries across the region.
sarah.ali@mixedmigration.org

Emma Wachira

Project Coordinator

Emma Wachira is a Project Coordinator covering multiple countries in MMC Eastern and Southern Africa based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has 5 years of experience in the design and implementation of various projects in the migration sector, working with humanitarian and development partners such as UNICEF, UNHCR, IGAD, GIZ, DANIDA and IOM. Over the years, she has gained a nuanced understanding of the migration dynamics across the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Great Lakes region and Southern Africa. Her expertise is in quantitative research including data collection, validation, storage and analysis. Emma enjoys working with data and aims to contribute to inclusive decision-making by reducing bias in migration data. Before joining MMC, Emma worked at Self Help Africa in M&E and data management dealing with agricultural data. Prior to that, she worked at PLAN International in the Quality Education department. She holds a degree in Economics and Sociology from Egerton University in Kenya.
emma.wachira@mixedmigration.org

Joseph Mwangi

Information Management Officer

Joseph Mwangi is MMC Eastern and Southern Africa’s Information Management Officer, where he’s responsible for data management, analysis and generating reports on mixed migration trends. Joseph enjoys using data analytics to drive sustainable development and action and has been working in the development and humanitarian sectors as a data analyst consultant & data management officer for various projects across Sub-Saharan Africa for more than 5 years. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Computer Science.
joseph.mwangi@mixedmigration.org

Tracy Haggai

Research Specialist

Tracy Haggai is a Research Specialist with MMC Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt and Yemen based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has 5 years of experience in conducting qualitative research and implementing projects on issues of child mortality, depression in deaf adults, the social dimensions of renewable energy, memory studies, queer studies and migration studies. Tracy has a proven track record in developing diverse research designs, steering data collection, analysing qualitative data and presenting findings to a variety of audiences. She has published in the Journal of Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability on the Social and Economic Impact of Solar Mini-Grids in Rural Africa. Prior to joining MMC as the Research Specialist, she was a Consultant Researcher for KU Leuven on their EU-funded TMSS project that focuses on tracing the trajectories of migrants from the Great Lakes region in Africa. Tracy has a BA in Anthropology from the University of Nairobi. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts (MA) in Anthropology of Conservation at the University of Nairobi.

Joyreen Wanyeki

Program Support Officer

Joyreen Wanyeki is the Program Support Officer at MMC Eastern and Southern Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya. With over 7 years of experience in grant management, budget administration, and program coordination, Joyreen has significantly contributed to Health Systems Strengthening and Refugee Resettlement programs at Options Consultancy Services Ltd and Church World Services/Resettlement Support Centre Africa. She has a proven track record in managing complex projects, mitigating risks, and fostering collaboration. Joyreen is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a background in Economics and Statistics and a Master’s in Cooperation & Human Development. She capably aligns MMC’s initiatives with donor requirements and organizational goals.
joyreen.wanyeki@drc.ngo

Ahmed Hussain

Quantitative Research Specialist

Ahmed Hussain is the Quantitative Research Specialist at MMC Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt and Yemen. For the past five years, his research work at various international research institutions and foundations including United Nations University – MERIT, Conflict and Education Learning Laboratory (CELL), and Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI) has focused on both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In this capacity, Ahmed has contributed to several projects, providing insights on research and survey design, data collection and analysis, and finalising research outputs, including featured publications. Formerly, he worked on a project with the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) and conducted field research in Pakistan with the Fletcher School of Tufts University. He has also carried out needs assessments and M&E in the humanitarian and development sectors, including work with the US Embassy and Comprehensive Disaster Response Services (CDRS) in Pakistan. He holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Human Development from the United Nations University-MERIT and a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
ahmed.hussain@mixedmigration.org

E. Joan Wamaitha

Project Officer

Joan is a Project Officer with MMC Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt and Yemen based in Nairobi, Kenya, responsible for the coordination and support of enumerators, data collection and other 4Mi project activites. Having worked in both humanitarian and development settings, Joan has over 6 years of experience in protection mainstreaming, case management, sexual and reproductive health, child protection, GBV, Mental Health and Psychosocial support, research, capacity building and partnership support and management. Previously, Joan worked with the Danish Refugee Council in Kenya as a Protection Officer for an Urban Program funded by Danida, SIDA and DMDP. In this role, she took the lead on mainstreaming, designing and implementing protection activities for a Fair Recycling project, Gender Based Violence, Child Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Protection Monitoring, coordination and partnership management. She has also worked with DREAMS, a USAID-funded project, VSO Jitolee, Swiss Tropic and Public Health institute as a research consultant and Unbound Kenya. Joan is a sociologist and holds an Masters in Medical Sociology and Bachelors in Social Work.
wamaitha.esther@mixedmigration.org

Simon Tomasi

Head of MMC Latin America and the Caribbean

Simon Tomasi is a geographer with an M.A. in international cooperation and sustainable development and a M.A in geography of health. Before joining MMC, Simon has worked in public and private institutions in different countries as field monitor, fieldwork coordinator and researcher. He has experience in research and intervention projects, mainly about undernutrition, vector born diseases, epidemiological surveillance and community participation in health. Simon has worked in Colombia for over 5 years, in various territorial contexts and with vulnerable populations.
simon.tomasi@mixedmigration.org

Laura Tibaduiza

4Mi Project Officer

Laura Tibaduiza is a psychologist with knowledge on humanitarian principles, human rights protection, care routes, and issues related to mixed migration. Currently, she is working as 4Mi Project Assistant in LAC. Before joining MMC, Laura worked 2 years with the Danish Refugee Council in a multipurpose humanitarian assistance program for Venezuelans and Colombians in Cundinamarca (Colombia). Laura also worked 3 years in social programs with families and children in Colombia.
laura.tibaduiza@mixedmigration.org

Ximena Canal

Research Specialist

Ximena Canal Laiton is a sociologist, specializing in Social Research Methods and Techniques from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO). She worked as an Information Analyst Technical Officer in the NRC for 4 years, in areas of armed conflict and mixed migration in Colombia, leading the design and implementation of humanitarian needs assessments in emergencies and the development of context documents. She has worked at ICRC Americas and as an Information Analyst for the UN-OCHA in Chocó (border with Panama), one of the areas most affected by armed conflict and trafficking in persons in Colombia.
ximena.canal@mixedmigration.org

Pedro Bautista

Information Management Specialist

Pedro Bautista is a cadastral and geodetic engineer with a master’s in Business Intelligence and Analytics, and specialized studies in Project Management and Applied Statistics. Previously, he worked in various organizations, including UNHCR, IMMAP, IFRC, NPA, and DANE, in roles involving Information Management and Geographic Information System design. Pedro has extensive experience in research and intervention projects in the sectors of Protection, Migration, and Mine Action, having worked in different contexts across the Americas in countries such as Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. He possesses substantial skills in data collection methods, data management, and data analysis.

Charlotte Müller

Research Coordinator

Charlotte Müller is a migration and development researcher and practitioner with eight years of experience in both the UN system and academia. Her expertise encompasses diasporas, private sector engagement, and socio-economic integration. She has led data collection, analysis, and implementation projects across countries such as Afghanistan, Ecuador, Mexico, and Somalia, collaborating with organizations including IOM, ILO, and GIZ. Charlotte holds a PhD in Migration Studies and a Master’s in Public Policy and Human Development.
charlotte.mueller@mixedmigration.org

Maria Leon

4Mi Officer

Maria Camila Leon is a political scientist with specialized studies in human rights, international humanitarian law, and project management and extensive experience in investigation, data collection, and protection. She also has extensive experience in academic research and community communication within government agencies. Prior to joining MMC, she worked with DRC for nearly two years, where she implemented protection monitoring and provided humanitarian assistance to refugees, migrants, and victims of the armed conflict in Colombia.
maria.leon@mixedmigration.org

Aurelia Donnard

Head of MMC West and North Africa

Aurélia is the Mixed Migration Manager for West Africa since June 2020 and has recently integrated the North Africa region within her portfolio as MMC merged West and North Africa to follow a route-based approach to its research and analysis. She is based in Dakar within the Regional Office of the Danish Refugee Council. Aurélia has been working in the NGO sector for the past decade. She has been focusing on the promotion of human rights working with organisations such as Amnesty International where she started her career before joining the Senegal-based organization Tostan to support social norms change. She has extensive experience developing and implementing projects and partnerships for the benefit of the most vulnerable. Aurélia holds a BA in Law and a LLM in International Law from the Aix-Marseille III University, France.
aurelia.donnard@mixedmigration.org

Sarah Doyel

Data and Research Project Manager

Sarah Doyel is the Data and Research Project Manager for the North Africa region, based in Tunis. Prior to joining the MMC, Sarah worked with the Migration and Sustainable Development Division in the International Organization for Migration (IOM) headquarters, delivering guidance and tools to support the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration. She has extensive policy research and analysis experience in academic and practitioner settings, including through engagement with the UN Network on Migration, local governments, and grassroots organisations. Sarah has also managed a direct services programme in the US facilitating access to social protection for marginalised groups. She holds an MSc in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a BA in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California.
sarah.doyel@mixedmigration.org

Imen Aouani

Project Coordinator North Africa

Imen Aouani is the Tunisia 4Mi Project Coordinator at the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) in North Africa, where she manages a network of field enumerators situated along frequently used mixed migration routes in Tunisia and was acting focal point for establishing a data collection architecture in Sudan. Imen joined MMC in 2017 after working with the African Development Bank as a Research Assistant. She is specialised in quantitative and qualitative data collection and data collection software, training in data collection techniques, aggregation and modelling. Imen has a Master’s in Business and Economic Management from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania in Greece (MAICH) and a BSc in Rural Economics from the Higher School of Agriculture in Mograne, Tunisia.
imen.aouani@mixedmigration.org

Abdoul Karim Seydou Harouna

Project Coordinator Niger

Abdoul Karim joined the MMC team in August 2021 as MMC Specialist in Niger. After his university studies in sociology at the Abdou Moumouni University of Niger, Abdoul Karim worked as a research assistant at the Laboratoire d’Etudes et Recherches sur les Dynamiques Sociales et le Développement Local (LASDEL), where he acquired significant experience in the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. He has participated in several research programmes, including AFROBAROMETRE, an international network of researchers. He was also the field officer of a national research firm, which enabled him to acquire multi-skills with increased knowledge in strategic planning, team management and database management among others.
abdoul.harouna@mixedmigration.org

Seydou Belem

Project Coordinator Burkina Faso/Mali

Seydou joined the MMC team in September 2021 as MMC Coordinator in Burkina Faso. After obtaining a master’s degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Belem participated in several surveys with various organisations, including the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), first as an interviewer and then as a supervisor. He worked as a database management and mapping assistant at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and as a protection information management assistant at the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). He has gained a solid experience in data collection coordination, quality control and data analysis. He also has a good knowledge of migration issues in Burkina Faso.
seydou.belem@mixedmigration.org

Hiba Belhadj

Research Specialist

Hiba Belhadj is the MMC Research Specialist for West and North Africa (WANA). She holds a master’s degree in Migration and Refugee Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the American University in Cairo (AUC). Before joining MMC, Hiba worked as a research assistant on several projects with the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS), where she focused on the EuroMed and Middle East regions. Hiba also served as a teacher assistant for courses covering “Migration and Refugee Movements in the MENA” and “Migration and International Development.” In addition to academia, Hiba interned with the Migrant Protection and Assistance (MPA) unit at the Egypt country office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as well as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) representative office in Egypt.
hiba.belhadj@mixedmigration.org

Thibaut Girault

Research Coordinator

As MMC WANA Regional Research Coordinator, Thibaut’s role is to promote high-impact research that informs migration policy and programming in West and North Africa. With a diverse background combining project and research management, he has experience working with both international NGOs and UN agencies. In each context in which he has worked (Tunisia, Rwanda, Lebanon and others), he has been committed to building an evidence-based, nuanced and shared understanding of sensitive issues such as mixed migration, social cohesion, violent extremism, and conflict.
abdoul.harouna@mixedmigration.org

Margot Genin

Data and Research Project Manager West Africa

Margot is the Data and Research Project Manager for West Africa at MMC West and North Africa, based in Dakar. Within the past 15 years, Margot has built a substantial career in human rights protection and refugee legal protection. Before joining MMC, Margot worked in Europe in human rights protection with various NGOs, leading her to then focus on refugee legal protection at national and institutional level in France. She also provided assistance to vulnerable displaced people in mixed migration contexts in Italy. She later joined UNHCR in several North and West African countries (Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal) where she developed extensive knowledge and practice in refugee and displaced people’s protection and gained experience in strengthening national asylum systems. In addition to her practical experience, Margot has engaged in capacity building and training delivery, including partnerships with the Bioforce Institute in Dakar. Her work has consistently focused on displaced people’s protection, human rights promotion, and migration policy. Margot holds a BA in Law and an LLM in International Law from the Tours François Rabelais University, France. Committed to leveraging her practical experience and profound knowledge of mixed migration in WANA, Margot is dedicated to advancing MMC’s mission and contributing to the organization’s research and initiatives in West Africa.

Ahmed Cherif

Information Management Officer

Ahmed Cherif is a Data Analyst with a Bachelor’s in Business Analytics. He previously worked on Monitoring and Evaluation projects in Libya, which often required handling quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, Ahmed has been extensively involved as a volunteer in student organizations. He was in charge of managing multiple projects, in partnership with UN agencies, such as UNDP, UN Women, and UN Volunteers.
ahmed.cherif@mixedmigration.org

Mathilde Brachet

Program Assistant Trainee

Mathilde is the Mixed Migration Centre Program Assistant Trainee for West and North Africa (WANA). Prior to joining the MMC, Mathilde worked in various contexts with different organizations within migration and refugee protection fields, both in France and internationally (Greece and Thailand in particular). She has experience in grants and project management, social work and communication. Throughout her studies Mathilde has conducted multiple research projects, mostly based on qualitative data. She holds an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Program in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) and a bachelor’s degree in political sciences from the Political Studies Institute of Bordeaux as well as a University Degree in Psychiatry and Mental Health from the University of Paris and a University Degree in Migration, Social and Health studies from the University of Lyon 1.

Our Team