Leslee Udwin 🇬🇧
Leslee was voted by the NY Times the No 2 Most Impactful Woman of 2015 (second to Hillary Clinton), and has been awarded the prestigious Swedish Anna Lindh Human Rights Prize (previously won by Madeleine Albright). In 2019, she received the Activism in Arts and Education award from the UN Women for Peace Association, UN Association USA’s Global Citizen of 2019, and the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award. She has also been named Safe’s Global Hero of 2015, and Global Thinker by Foreign Policy. A BAFTA and multi-award winning filmmaker and Human Rights Campaigner, Leslee’s documentary “India’s Daughter”, has been critically acclaimed around the globe, won 32 awards (including the Peabody Award and the Amnesty International Media Award for Best Documentary 2016) and sparked a global movement to end violence against women and girls. The searing insights yielded by the 2 and a half year journey making “India’s Daughter”, led Leslee to turn her back on filmmaking and devote herself to Think Equal.
Lina Benete 🇱🇹
Lina Benete has 20 years of experience in education strategy development, programme design and management, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management in UNESCO, the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education. She has led teams to support education planning, financing and implementation in diverse country contexts in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Lina has managed country programmes with projects on strengthening transversal competencies, teacher training and teaching and learning materials. She believes that the best way to strengthen education quality is to focus on human values and develop socio-emotional competencies from an early age to ensure sustainable development.
Angélica Aguilar 🇨🇴
Angelica has worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for over eight years. She has experience implementing projects with governments, nonprofits, universities, and international organizations in countries like Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and the US. She holds an undergraduate degree in Government and International Relations completed in Colombia and France, and an MPA from BYU. She has expertise in finding and implementing innovative solutions for education projects. Through her work she aims to expand access to literature, art, and cultural resources for children, since she believes they are key components for positive and life lasting socioemotional learning (SEL). She’s in charge of expanding the reach of Think Equal’s impact over Latin America and the US.
Ruby Jewitt 🇬🇧
Ruby has recently completed her Masters in International Political Economy at the University of Sheffield, having completed her Undergraduate Degree in International History at The London School of Economics and Political Science. Throughout her studies, she has maintained a keen interest in global systems, from their formation to their current status, and her interest in education is catalysed by its ability to target the inequalities, conflict and social ills found so frequently in our history. She loves exploring the Peak District, on her doorstep in Sheffield.
Diego Villamizar 🇨🇴
Diego has extensive experience designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating social programmes. He has worked mainly with government organizations and as a consultant in agencies such as UNICEF, The World Bank and UNDP in Colombia. Diego has experience in childhood development, family services, food security, displaced populations, and poverty alleviation. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in economics from Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics. Diego is convinced of the relevance of the early years’ development and the family as fundamental determinants of children’s future.
Bianca Fletcher 🇿🇦
Bianca’s career is marked by a passion for organisation and a deep appreciation for working with people. Throughout her journey, Bianca has honed her skills in coordinating and executing projects, ensuring they are delivered efficiently and effectively. Her dedication to HR stems from her genuine interest in fostering positive workplace environments and nurturing the growth and development of individuals within organizations. She strongly believes in the power of compassion and empathy in both personal and professional interactions. She is excited to bring her skill sets to the organisation as a Global Coordinator for Think Equal.
Natalia Tertusio 🇦🇷
Natalia has a degree in Psychology and a background in children’s books illustration, education, and technology. After participating in the making of +5 educational and literacy projects with the UNHCR, the Panamanian government and independent authors, she believes art and education are the sunflowers of the present. She is the guardian of Think Equal’s original narrative picture books and coordinates the digital media of the charity.
Joanna Ainsworth 🇬🇧
Joanna is a qualified Early Years Montessori Teacher and passionate advocate for creating responsive, joyful learning environments and pedagogical cultures accessible to all children, enabling them to thrive, learn, and practice care of self, community, and planet. Joanna holds a Master of Arts in Education with specialisms in ‘Critical International Perspectives on Special and Inclusive Education’ and ‘SEN Learning, Teaching and Assessment’. She has extensive international experience in early years teaching and has a track record of designing, implementing, and disseminating innovative mixed-methods research celebrating children’s voices across a broad range of Early Childhood Education (ECEDU) stakeholders.
Joanna has a deep passion for the arts and holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts. She has London and international art gallery management and exhibition curatorship experience and continues to practice sculpture and photography.
Joanna loves wild places, running, and animals and is a proud mother to three boys.
Manavi Bahl 🇮🇳
Manavi is a graduate in Sociology from Delhi University and post graduate in Gender Studies from Pune University and has a keen interest in working with children to be able to provide them with tools for an empowered life. In the past, she has conducted workshops in India on various issues such as Child Sexual Abuse, Gender and Sexuality, Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene, Self- Esteem – to name a few. At Think Equal, she is responsible for the partnerships and projects being carried out in India. Apart from English, Manavi is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi and is an ardent animal lover.
Lucy Hammond 🇬🇧
Lucy holds a bachelor’s degree in International Development from the University of Leeds and a postgraduate certificate in Education from the University of Lancaster. She has over fifteen years of experience in primary education and has taught in schools in the UK, Nigeria and Uganda. As part of middle management for ten years, Lucy has experience leading and training in her specialism ‘Humanities’. During her years in the classroom, Lucy was passionate about the key role she played in not only a child’s academic education but in developing their social and emotional skills. She strongly believes that teachers are role models and must encourage this critical part of a child’s early education through the work and activities they organise, helping them to become rounded individuals and responsible future citizens.
In her spare time, Lucy enjoys spending time with her young family, walking, running or cycling in the Yorkshire Dales, where they live.
Tinotenda Chigeza 🇿🇦
With a passion for managing and implementing projects that create a meaningful impact, Tinotenda possesses a diverse skill set and experience in project management. Having completed her Master of Management Degree in Development and Economics at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, she has successfully coordinated and executed a diverse range of projects spanning from non-profit organisations, corporate social responsibility, and in international organisations such as UNHCR. This and many other valuable experiences have equipped her with a solid foundation in project planning, implementation, and monitoring while honing her ability to forge strategic partnerships and drive the delivery of impactful programs. As Africa Programme Coordinator at Think Equal, her key priority is to facilitate efficient project management and build collaborative partnerships that contribute to achieving project goals across the African continent.
Memory Kadau 🇿🇼
Memory has 15 years of experience in project planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), program management, and development communication. She has successfully led teams in implementing programs and projects focused on human rights, leadership, gender justice, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), particularly addressing sexual violence. As an Organizational Development Specialist, Memory has a proven track record in managing organizational change, fostering effective teams, and developing policies and Information Management Systems (IMS). Memory is passionate about mental health and its radical safeguarding, promoting well-being within organizations and communities. She is also dedicated to climate justice and actively supports efforts to preserve the environment. Her academic background in Journalism and Media Studies, Project Management, Systems Family Therapy, Feminist Leadership for Justice, Equity and Ecology, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding further enhances her expertise. Additionally, she is currently pursuing legal studies, expanding her knowledge and skills in the legal field.
Maria Galiano 🇵🇾
María is from Paraguay and has lived in the UK since late 2021. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Institutional Communication and a Master’s in Educational Innovation. Maria has worked as a teacher for about 13 years, mainly in Primary Schools, and coordinated a charity programme to support children from deprived communities in literacy and math. She has also volunteered for different charity organizations since 2005. Besides being very passionate about education, in her free time, she likes taking walks, being with her cat and dog, and hanging out with her friends.
Vanessa Cathline 🇬🇧
Vanessa has over five years of experience in primary education and is a qualified teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Sunderland, as well as a postgraduate degree in Education with QTS from Middlesex University.
Vanessa’s unwavering commitment to equality and education is evident in all aspects of her work. During her time in schools, she made it her mission to foster safe and nurturing learning environments for children to flourish. She firmly believes that the early years are critical in shaping a child’s social and emotional development.
In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, exploring museums and visiting theatres.
Shahruk Hossain 🇧🇩
With a profound background in humanitarian response, programme management, and research, Shahruk offers unparalleled expertise to the non-profit sector. He has worked with ICRC, RCRC movement and collaborated with international agencies and government organizations. Shahruk has had the privilege to work with diverse groups of people, such as refugees, children and young people, in some of the world’s most challenging emergency settings, including the Ukraine Crisis and the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, which also concerns other countries in Asia – Pacific. Shahruk believes even a baby step can ignite genuine transformation if a well-intentioned guideline exists.
Shahruk’s expertise covers a broad spectrum, from providing essential support to families of missing and safeguarding the civilian population, child protection, access to education, and handling case management. Additionally, Shahruk excels in capacity building and managing projects during intricate situations arising from irregular migration, conflicts, and disasters.
Academically, Shahruk holds advanced studies in “Designing Strategies and Projects in Humanitarian Action” from the Geneva Center of Humanitarian Studies. This knowledge is complemented by a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, specializing in International Relations, from the University of Chittagong.
Ropafadzo Moyo 🇿🇼
Ropafadzo Moyo is a Zimbabwean national and our Think Equal Programme Assistant. She holds a BSC Degree in Local Governance Studies and a Masters in Business Administration. Ropafadzo has over six years of working experience in the non-governmental sector, whose thematic priorities were Education, HIV/AIDS and Food Security in Zimbabwe. Her major tasks were: programme implementation, grant proposal writing, donor and budget tracking, final editing of modules for teacher training programmes, monthly progress reports and general office administration. She worked with Africa University (Examinations Invigilator), Teach for Zimbabwe, Higherlife Foundation and Africare Zimbabwe. Her passion for positive change has triggered the intrinsic desire to help disadvantaged communities.
In addition to her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending quality time with her daughter and loves watching TV.
María Paula Ariza 🇦🇷
Paula is a graphic designer with a degree from Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Argentina and a master’s in Graphic Design from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, with a thesis in editorial work.
Always leaning her work towards non-profit organizations, Paula has worked pro bono in her childhood sports club as a designer and has also participated in an organization that rescues animals from the streets.
Thelma Agbakpe 🇬🇭
Thelma is a seasoned Marketing and Communications Professional with a rich background in executive assistance, boasting over seven years of experience in nurturing startups and scale-ups. Based in Accra, Ghana, her expertise spans project management, community engagement, and digital marketing, alongside her adept handling of executive-level administrative duties. Thelma’s contributions have consistently led to notable increases in brand awareness and market expansion for various organizations.
Thelma skillfully blends her marketing acumen with executive support skills, demonstrating a unique ability to manage high-level tasks while driving strategic marketing initiatives. Her approach combines strategic planning with innovative marketing techniques, optimizing competitive advantages in rapidly evolving environments. Thelma’s blend of marketing savvy and executive assistance prowess makes her an invaluable asset in any dynamic professional setting.
Mosharraf Hussain 🇧🇩
Mosharraf Hussain is an animator and illustration artist from Bangladesh. He graduated from Dhaka University with a degree in fine arts, and also studied filmmaking. He learned skills as a storyboard artist and art director and worked with many local and international projects in Bangladesh (including for BBC). Mosharraf has created comics, animated TV serials and commercials over the last 12 years.
Eliska Kubatova 🇨🇿
I started studying film in the Czech Republic, where I studied Multimedia at the College of Arts and Management in Brno. I continued my studies in London at Middlesex University, graduating with a BA in Television production. I have always been interested in documentary filmmaking as I love the idea of creating programmes which are not only entertaining but also have educational value. I also love video editing because I like to see projects coming together. I love to find the story in the footage. I truly believe that with factual pieces, it is the editor who puts the story together. Sometimes in the editing process, you find such a strong piece of information that completely changes the narrative, and you end up with a completely different story than you thought you had at the beginning. I find that fascinating, and it motivates me to be creative and look at things from different perspectives.
Emma Estelle Welsh 🇦🇺
Emma has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Melbourne University and an MBA from INSEAD France. She is a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Emma spent quite some time in the corporate world with Cargill, Mars, LEK Consulting and in banking with the National Australia Bank. In 2003 she left the corporate world and started the healthy drinks and snacks company Emma and Tom Foods- a registered B Corporation of which she is the CEO and Managing director. She is also a non-executive director of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, a not-for-profit representing the food industry. With Yale and Federation Universities, Emma managed a Think Equal Randomised Control Trial (RCT) research project in Australia in 2019. The impact of the Think Equal Programme was assessed on the behaviours and attitudes of the children in the trial compared to those in a control group over 30 weeks across approximately 40 kindergarten services in Melbourne and Brisbane. The RCT found a strong positive impact.
Manjushree Patil 🇮🇳
Ms Manjushree Patil is the Founder and Director of Aatman Academy, a customized learning and specialized instruction school for students with Learning Disabilities (LD) and Differences, and the Country Director of Think Equal India. A two-time TEDx Speaker, a TEDx performer and a recipient of the ADA Anniversary Fellowship on Inclusive Education in 2017 by the US State Department of Education at the University of Minnesota, Ms Patil has also been selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards International Fellowship (2021-22), awarded by the USIEF and the US Dept. of States Teachers Exchange Branch, at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. With over three decades of experience in the field as a teacher and a teacher educator, Manjushree has been an Advisor, Consultant and Chief Trainer for a year-long state-wide programme on Inclusive Education with the Gov. of Maharashtra, impacting more than 500,000 teachers from 36 districts of Maharashtra. Manjushree has been an Indian classical vocalist from a very young age and is now a music composer.