MMC Team

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

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.

Jane joined the Mixed Migration Centre as the Global Coordinator of the 4Mi project in May 2019, and is based in Geneva. Jane was previously a researcher and managing editor at Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and analysis team coordinator at ACAPS. She has worked with a number of other international NGOs and think tanks.

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.

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 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.

Fiona Servaes was the Global Communication Coordinator for the Mixed Migration Centre from 2022. She has experience managing global and regional campaigns, projects, and communications on human rights and migration issues at various NGOs. Before joining MMC, she led advocacy on migration and human rights for parliamentarians in Southeast Asia at ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) in Bangkok. Prior to that, she was responsible for media relations and communications at APHR. She also supported the Deputy Regional Representative at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office for South-East Asia, and managed national grant programs at the Peace Development Fund in the US. Fiona graduated from the European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation in Venice and Maastricht University in 2018, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2015.

Clémence is currently a Master´s student in Advanced Migration Studies at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark). She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Social Sciences at the Lycée du Parc (France), spending one year as an exchange student in Spain. Clémence has been volunteering for several years: she was a Spanish teacher for newcomers in Accem (Spain) and, later on, she became leader of a group of volunteers at the Danish Red Cross Youth (Denmark). As the communication student assistant at the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW, University of Copenhagen), she has experience with communication and event planning.

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.

Abdullah Mohammadi is the 4Mi Coordinator for Asia. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lavina Ranjan is the 4Mi 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.

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.

Sarah is the 4Mi Project Coordinator in Sudan for MMC Eastern and Southern Africa, based in Khartoum. Prior to joining MMC, she worked in multiple humanitarian assistance and development agencies, including GIZ and 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 PO, Sarah is responsible for coordinating 4mi data collection activities in Sudan and liaising with partners in country.

Emma Wachira is a 4Mi 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.

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.

Dennis Mwangi is the 4Mi Project Support Officer for the Eastern & Southern African region, based in Nairobi, where he supports administrative programme and grant management needs; financial tracking, reporting and budgeting; and supply chain and procurement. He has over 6 years of experience in donor reporting, working with humanitarian and development partners such as USAID, SIDA, GIZ, DANIDA and Ford Foundation. Previously, he worked at HAART Kenya as the Team Lead Finance, Administration and HR where he oversaw grants and financial management, budgeting, compliance, procurement, project operations, human resources, and office administration. Dennis is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) finalist and holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Kenyatta University. He is currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sarah Doyel is the 4Mi 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Iyed holds a Master's degree in Business Analytics and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. With 4 years of experience in data analytics and information management with Tunisian and international NGOs, he contributed to advocacy efforts for democratic transition in Tunisia, and assisted in the development of efforts of evidence-based humanitarian interventions.

Pauline is the Project Officer for the Mixed Migration Centre West and North Africa, based in Dakar. She is experienced in project development and quality assurance, donor compliance and knowledge management. Before joining the MMC team, Pauline managed development, emergency response and research projects for several NGOs in France and Senegal, including ALIMA and the French Red Cross, and also worked for an association focused on the social and educational integration of vulnerable children in Saint Louis, Senegal. In 2022, she joined the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Regional Office in Dakar as a Program Assistant. Having built a strong interest in mixed migration and the protection of people on the move, Pauline is now keen to put her skills to good use at the MMC. She holds a Master's degree in Conflict Transformation & Peace Studies from the University Paris-Dauphine.

Sophia is the current MMC Program Assistant at the DRC Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal. In her role, she supports the research outputs and implementation of projects carried out by the MMC West and North Africa Team. She is passionate about research and writing and obtained her Master's degree in Migration Studies from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Previously she studied for her Bachelor's degree in International Relations at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. Among other previous work experiences, Sophia gained insights into migration research by assisting on the SLAFMIG (Slavery and Forced Migration in Western Mali) project where she focused on women’s anti-slavery activism.

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.