Ricarda Meissner

She is GIZ’s Senior Project Director for Connective Cities, responsible for strategy development and project management and coordination in Connective Cities as well as for cooperation with international partners and organizations. Ricarda Meissner has more than 25 years of professional experience in management of complex programmes in development cooperation for GIZ, European Union and the World Bank mainly in South-East Asia, Central Asia and Africa.
E-Mail: Ricarda.Meissner(at)giz.de

Muna Shalan

Regional Network Coordinator in MENA for Connective Cities. Muna holds a doctoral degree in urban development from RWTH Aachen University in Germany. She has been engaged in planning and implementing several developmental projects funded by the US-Middle East partnership program in the field of decentralization as well as promoting employment opportunities for Jordanian and Syrian refugees. In her current post, she is responsible to provide professional advisory for the orientation of regional service provision to regional demand by cities and technical cooperation projects. Furthermore, she supports the development of the regional network strategy for exchange of experience and joint learning among local practitioners.
Email: muna.shalan(at)giz.de

Sophia Kamau

Connective Cities' Regional Network Coordinator for Sub Saharan Africa. Sophia holds a master's degree in environmental planning and management and has some years' experience in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects in low income areas and Water Resources Management (WRM) in a GIZ Water Programme in Kenya. Within Connective Cities, Sophia is responsible for establishing a network of urban practitioners in Sub Saharan Africa and coordinating the learning processes and exchange.
Email: Sophia.Kamau(at)giz.de

Irakli Samkharadze

Regional Network Coordinator for Connective Cities in Southeast Europe. Irakli is a Ph.D. in Law obtained at Tbilisi State University (Georgia) and he has previously worked as a research fellow at KU Leuven (Belgium) and Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena funded by DAAD (Germany). He holds master’s degree in International and European Public Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands) and his main expertise covers energy and climate law as well as sustainability and Europeanization politics. He has the proven experience in cross-border project management, advisory, consultancy services and, in his current occupation, he supports the establishment of regional urban network and strategies for contributing to the overarching objective of sustainable urban development.
Email: irakli.samkharadze(at)giz.de

Klaudia Sonntag

GIZ’s Project Officer for Administration and Organisation in Connective Cities. Klaudia Sonntag is responsible for organisational coordination with the cooperation partners and for planning and preparing events worldwide.
E-Mail: Klaudia.Sonntag(at)giz.de 

Alice Balbo

Connective Cities Project manager at the German Association of Cities. Master's degree in Trieste/Italy and Paris in International Relations and several years of experience in the fields of climate protection, climate adaptation, innovation and digital transformation at the municipal level. Alice Balbo is responsible for mobilising German municipal actors for international exchange activities, for the Connective Cities Expert Pool and the expert networking events and coordinates with Mr. Wagner the events held in Germany and the resulting learning processes.
E-Mail: alice.balbo(at)staedtetag.de

Alexander Wagner

Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World’s Project Director in Connective Cities, trained at university in Cologne, Paris and Grenoble as a political scientist and in social environment development in disadvantaged cities. Many years of experience in urban district development, European conferencing and community development in Africa. Alexander Wagner is responsible for mobilising German partners for international exchange and coordinates the events held in Germany.
E-Mail: Alexander.Wagner(at)engagement-global.de

Thiago Garcia

Project leader of Connective Cities at Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World. Thiago Garcia graduated in Brazil as an environmental engineer with a focus on project management and holds a master’s degree in public policy and human development in the Netherlands. In Germany, he has been working on sustainability capacity building, climate policy and the local transition to a low-carbon economy. His previous experience includes working in Brazil for sub-national governments in the fields of energy infrastructure, environmental policies and water management. At Connective Cities, Mr. Garcia works closely with his management counterparts Mr. Wagner, Ms. Balbo and Ms. Meissner.
Email: Thiago.Garcia@engagement-global.de

Sina Webber

Project Coordinator of Connective Cities at Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World. Sina Webber has a degree in economics with focus on business psychology and financial management. Sina has experience in sustainable urban development and international learning processes. Within the framework of Connective Cities Sina is responsible for coordinating the cooperation with municipalities.
E-Mail: sina.webber(at)engagement-global.de

Salomé Bravo Ortega

Project Coordinator of Connective Cities at Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World. Salomé has a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies with a focus on development, human rights and migration. Experience in development cooperation and transnational sustainable urban development programmes. In the context of Connective Cities, Salomé is responsible for coordinating cooperation with municipal companies and, in particular, with the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU).
E-Mail: Salome.BravoOrtega(at)engagement-global.de

Ewa Przedecka

Project Officer of Connective Cities at Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World. Ewa Przedecka has a degree in spatial planning and sociology and is responsible within Connective Cities for the organizational coordination of municipal experts and for the planning and preparation of events within Germany.
E-Mail: Ewa.Przedecka(at)engagement-global.de

Álvaro Aguado Hernández

Project Officer of Connective Cities at Engagement Global / Service Agency Communities in One World. Master’s degree in Chinese Studies in London and university education in Barcelona, Beijing and Taipei. Álvaro has many years of experience abroad, especially Greater China and within Connective Cities is responsible for the organizational coordination of municipal experts and for the planning and preparation of events within Germany.
E-Mail: Alvaro.Aguado-Hernandez(at)engagement-global.de