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• 

  Carmen de los Rios

   Madrid, Spain
   English, Spanish, French

  Carmen is a passionate person who strongly believes in the power of individuals supporting each other and the fact that when you support others, you get much more than what you give, a motto that has guided her life and she translates into her Coaching practice.

  Carmen´s international career in Human Resources where she has occupied positions up to Chief HR, has taken her to live in 6 countries over 3 continents. After 10 years in the engineering private sector, she spent 20 years working for several International Organizations, including the European Space Agency (ESA), the UN System (UNFPA, UNICTR, UNMIL and the UN Secretariat), both in headquarters and hardship locations, as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). She has a master’s in Psychology and Coaching certification by ICF. With a practical and action-oriented approach, she accompanies clients in identifying and focusing on what is needed to grow personally and professionally while developing the competences required to successfully fulfil their goals. She offers a full array of Coaching services for personal, professional, and cross-cultural matters, whether you want to develop your career up to executive level or successfully transition to, from or within International Organizations.

• 

  Linda Bawazir-Davin

   Stockholm, Sweden
   English, Arabic, French

  Passionate about unlocking the boundless potential of individuals, Linda is a seasoned Leadership and Career Coach specializing in guiding humanitarian and development professionals and leaders on their journey to creating meaningful impact in the world. With a profound commitment to empowerment and inspiration, she serves as a motivational catalyst and change partner for her clients as they navigate through crucial transitions. 

   

  Her holistic, collaborative, and empathetic coaching approach is rooted in the belief of co-creation, recognizing her clients as rich repositories of resources.

   

  Boasting an extensive career spanning over 20 years, Linda has honed her expertise as a Human Resources and Talent Acquisition Partner at prominent organizations such as the US Department of State, UNICEF, UNRWA, and WFP (World Food Program) across diverse regions including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Her in-depth understanding of the intricacies of the United Nations recruitment and career framework has enabled her to assist professionals and leaders from various backgrounds in revitalizing their career trajectories and gaining a competitive edge in their professional pursuits.

   

  Hailing from a multicultural background, Linda is fluent in French, Arabic, and English, allowing her to effectively engage with a global clientele. 

   

  She holds certifications as a Professional Career Coach accredited by the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC), a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) recognized by the International Coaching Federation, an Emotional Intelligence and Master NLP practitioner, and a Cross-Cultural Coach.

   

• 

  Javier Martín

   Barcelona, Spain
   English, Spanish, French

  Javier has worked in global development and humanitarian operations for more than 20 years, primarily for Oxfam and had executive HRD experience in the intergovernmental sector. He has worked in Africa and Latin America, resourcing talent, fostering leadership and developing organizational and individual capacity. Certified Professional in Career Coaching and Associated Professor at the Deusto University in International Careers. Javier holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science & International Relations, with a specialization in peace and conflict management, from Uppsala University in Sweden. Javier is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

• 

  Michele Damone

   Vienna, Austria
   English, Italian, Spanish

  Michele is an incurable optimist who believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. He collaborates with Executives, Senior UN leaders, and professionals to amplify their influence and harness their innate abilities for unprecedented growth.

  With a foundation built on founding two thriving companies and more than 12 years of diverse experience in global organizations, including the United Nations, Michele brings a wealth of insight. His journey spans various sectors, from nuclear energy and banking to government and law enforcement, and encompasses extensive international living experiences, notably in developing countries.

  Michele's extensive background in talent acquisition, talent development, and organizational development within these organizations and sectors deeply informs his coaching philosophy. His coaching is guided by practical, real-world knowledge and an acute understanding of the challenges leaders face in these complex environments.

  Michele holds a PostGraduate in Executive Coaching from the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, and a master's degree in Profiling from the University of Bologna. He is a chartered expert in Psychometrics recognized by the British Psychological Society. Additionally, he is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as a Professional Certified Coach, boasting over 1000 registered coaching hours. His core competencies revolve around conscious leadership development and career enhancement. In addition, Michele is a nominated member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a frequent contributor to Forbes's articles, relating to Leadership and Career development.

  As a fervent advocate for embracing one's inherent potential, Michele concentrates on individuals' natural talents and characteristics. He guides them in making mindful leadership choices and taking actionable steps aligned with their authentic selves. In today's dynamic and intricate world, new work methodologies are essential. Michele believes that the most effective leaders operate consciously, leveraging creative intelligence and leadership prowess for greater impact.

  Michele's coaching approach is pragmatic and compassionately straightforward. He is both thought-provoking and authentic, with a guiding principle encapsulated in the mantra: "Where your energy goes, your energy flows."

  Please note that Michele is not available for coaching clients seeking positions at the OSCE.

• 

  Veronika Ambertson

   Stockholm, Sweden
   Swedish, English

  Veronika has extensive experience with recruitment, career transitions, and international moves, having spent her 20+ years in HR working in the private staffing industry, as a staff member with UNDP, and served as an HR Consultant to a range of UN entities and other international organizations.

   

  Being an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Veronika has coached clients from all continents on life and career matters, with a particular focus on career coaching and guidance for UN personnel and those who aspire to join the impact sector.

   

  Pulling from her varied professional and coaching experience, as well as her interest in human nature, Veronika combines her in-depth understanding of policy, processes, and systems, with how we function as human beings, to inform her broader knowledge sharing and her individual coaching, which is aimed to be strategic and action-oriented, direct and kind, and suits seasoned as well as early-stage professionals.

   

  Veronika holds an MBA in Management and a Professional Certificate in Organizational Development. She engages in ongoing capacity building activities to hone her skills and keep abreast of the latest developments in the Coaching profession as well as trends and best practices in talent management.

   

  Having lived and worked abroad for many years, Veronika now lives in, and coaches from, her native Sweden (Central European Time zone).

• 

  Anna Cope

   Sweden
   English, Italian, Swedish

  Anna has 20+ years experience in the UN (UNICEF & WFP) and International Organisations, in progressively responsible roles within Human Resources Management in field and HQ duty stations. This includes experience as a Recruiter, Young Professionals Coordinator, and HR Operations Manager. Anna thrives in multicultural environments as a 3rd generation global nomad, and knows how international life opportunities can challenge and impact work/life choices.

  Anna now works as a Solutions Focused Coach, HR Consultant, Blogger, and Small Business Owner. Proud to be one of the first coaches on Impactpool since 2016. Anna is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and an accredited Senior Practitioner by the  European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).

   

• 

  Katarina Holm-Didio

   New York City, USA
   English, Swedish, Finnish

  Kat is a leadership coach with over 20 years of international experience in human resources, learning, and as a consultant, coach and trainer both in the multilateral and corporate sectors. She provides global leadership, career and performance management, and cross-cultural competence coaching and training.  She also serves with Seton Hall University Buccino Leadership Institute as a leadership coach. She has worked as a coach and trainer with UNFPA and UNDP, and a Staff Development Officer with the UN Secretariat in HR - Career and Performance Management Section. Early in her career she worked in academia and adult education. She is ICF Certified in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance; has a diploma from the Academy of Executive Coaching in International Systemic Team Coaching and a Certificate in Accelerating Role Transitions from the Connected Commons. From Finland she lives in New Jersey, USA. She has dual Masters in Mental Health Counseling and Social Science.

• 

  Beate Pawlikowski

   Munich, Germany
   English, German

  Beate looks back at a successful career in Human Resources, having worked twenty-five years in HR at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in New York and Copenhagen where she was instrumental in the relocation and build-up of the JPO Service Center.  Beate also worked several years in the private sector in Germany.  She has experience in the various HR areas with emphasis on recruitment, staffing, learning, talent management and leadership development.  In 2010/2011 she trained at the leading Coaches Training Institute (CTI), accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), to become a Certified Professional Co-active Coach (CPCC).  In 2013/14 she graduated from a ten month Leadership Development Program with CTI. In 2019, Beate also certified as a coach in the Process Communication Model® (PCM).

  Since her retirement from UNDP in 2014, Beate works as a professional coach at the national and international level. Beate shares the conviction that we are all naturally creative, resourceful and whole. She is committed and grateful to support others in developing their full potential. She is particularly passionate about individuals seeking professional transformation and helps them on their journey to realize the envisioned change. Beate holds a M.Sc. in Human Resources Management from the New School For Social Research, New York, USA, with a Certificate in Organizational Development; a M.A. in Translation French and Spanish from the University of the Saarland, Germany and a M.A. in Linguistics/Terminology from the Université Laval, Québec, Canada.

  
  For RC/RCAC requests, kindly email careercoach@impactpool.org for support

  Beate will be not available from 3 December 2024 to 16 January 2025.

• 

  Amaya Gillespie

   Amman, Jordan
   English

  Amaya has lived and worked overseas for more than 20 years working with a number of UN agencies. She has a PhD in public health and behavioural science and has worked directly in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East  in emergencies and development contexts.
  
  

  As a career coach with particular expertise in executive coaching, she has diverse clientel and is attuned to cross-cultural issues. Her approach is practical, focussing on taking steps to move forward while deepening understanding of unhelpful patterns and how to manage or interrupt them. Part of her secret to success is her direct experience in the UN and international settings which means a shorter intro period, less explaining and more action. She is also good at converting the latest evidence into practical actions that build the skills and confidence so many people are seeking in their personal and professional lives. And she knows the tricks of the UN, how it can be simultaneously the best and worst place to be, what it feels like to burn out, and how to refresh and reinvent yourself.
  
  

   

• 

  Wolfgang Weiszegger

   Manama, Bahrain
   English

  Wolfgang has some 38 years of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping and special political missions experience, both in the field and at UN headquarters in New York. He knows what it takes to get hired by the UN, having served as chairperson and member in hundreds of expert and regular recruitment panels interviewing and selecting candidates up-to the D-2 level. He is trained in the competency based interview technique of the UN, its core values, core competencies and managerial competencies including its indicators required to pass interviews.  He also knows what it takes to advance careers in the UN having himself started at the lowest FS-2/1 level and progressed through the ranks up to the highest Director D-2/6 level. Human Resources and Training were Sections under his direct leadership and management. 

  After retirement from the UN in August 2018 he continued to be involved with UN peacekeeping, serving as a mentor at the UN’s Senior Mission Administration and Resources Training (SMART) programme held in Brindisi, Italy for Middle and Senior UN Managers, as well as reviewing the implementation of the UN’s Management Reform and it’s impact on UN Peace Operations as an independent consultant with the International Peace Institute (IPInst.org). He is currently engaged as an Independent Consultant, Mentor, Coach and International Guest Speaker. Member of the International Coach Federation (ICF).

  
  Wolfgang is currently not available. You are welcome to contact careercoach@impactpool.org. 

• 

  Merlijn Angad Gaur

   The Hague
   English, Dutch

  Merlijn brings many years of experience in Human Resources in the world of international organisations. Before joining Impactpool working on Executive Search and currently as the Director, Talent Solutions, he was the Head, Talent Acquisition at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) where he worked for many years.

  He has over 20 years of experience in both personal development and personal assessment, interview, and career coaching. He has worked as a facilitator in corporate learning programs for a broad range of international companies, and he is a composer as well as a performing artist. For Impactpool he is also engaged as a Senior Executive Search Consultant. As such, his coaching is mostly focused on those applying for more senior roles.

  “In my work, my focus is on people: who they are and what makes them unique. I have a unique outset of how to interview, what to do to prepare, and align your resume to the role that you are applying for, ensuring that you get across those essential personal attributes that you have to offer.

  There is an overlap in the way I approach music as well as coaching, sourcing, and recruiting people. I believe it is about the connection you make with people. It is about finding the essence of the story you want to share, and which story needs to be shared in which context. This is also how I approach a personal development journey – what it is that you want in its essence.”

  The focus in his coaching is very much on taking a step back, looking at who you are, and with the attributes that make you unique, focus on your next step; be it a career move, an upcoming interview, or just exploring what opportunities are out there.

• 

  Antonio Fidalgo

   Lisbon, Portugal
   English, Spanish, Portuguese

  Antonio is a former Head of Talent Outreach & Acquisition with UNHCR, former HR manager for Syria with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and a learning and development specialist with UNESCO in Paris. For the last few years, he has been part of the Emergency Roster of NRC as an HR specialist and advisor having been deployed to Iran, Afghanistan, and most recently to Ukraine. Antonio has vast experience in international organizations in the US, Europe, and Africa in the areas of recruitment, career development, training, and organizational development. Background in Psychology and organizational behavior, expertise in cross-cultural management and communication.

• 

  Yuki Gotanda

   Rome, Italy
   English, Japanese,

  Yuki has over 20 years of international experience in the private sector, UN (UNDP and WFP), and NGO. She has extensive international experience - worked in 19 countries throughout Africa, Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe.
  Yuki worked in deep field locations, country offices, and headquarters. Having managed humanitarian projects in hardship duty stations, she understands the reality and challenges of humanitarian/international development work on the ground first-hand. She is passionate about supporting the career development/transition of international development/humanitarian aid professionals.
  
  Yuki works with:
  - Mid-career professionals who wish to transition into international development/humanitarian careers.
  - International development/humanitarian professionals who are transitioning into new roles.
  - International development/humanitarian professionals considering leaving the field and looking for new career paths (finding a job in the home country, starting a small business, etc.)
  - Spouses & partners of international development/humanitarian professionals.
  - International development/humanitarian professionals transitioning into retirement.
  
  Yuki is an International Coaching Federation (ICF)-certified coach and Trauma-Informed Certified Coach (TICC). She holds M.A. in Human Rights and M.Sc. in Rural Planning and Development.

• 

  Matanat Rahimova

   Vienna, Austria
   Azerbaijani, Russian, English, German

  I am a coach and consultant with 20 years’ international managerial experience in IT, HR and institutional development in the United Nations system and international organizations (UN Secretariat, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNWFP, UNESCO, WB, OSCE and CTBTO). It means that I hired and developed staff and teams, delivered capacity building programmes that helped thousands of experts, managers, and diplomats to enhance their personal and professional development in local and international contexts. My international career has taken me around the world, to numerous field offices and Headquarters in Europe, Asia, and North America. I gained an MBA from Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria, and Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, USA. I am a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF), an ICF member and a certified EQ i2.0 Practitioner.

• 

  Ronda Ansted

   Washington DC, USA
   English

  Ronda, through her experience and research on international development NGOs and social enterprises, is committed to using career coaching to transform lives, communities, and the world. For more than 20 years, with a primary focus on international development and social services, Ronda has worked with hundreds of people, helping them to translate their skills into rewarding work and meaningful lives. Past clients have found their calling by working with US Government Agencies such as USAID, multilateral organizations like the World Bank, NGOs, non-profits, and other social impact organizations. Several clients have also started their own social enterprise, leveraging their unique talents, skills, and perspectives to make the world a better place. Her main focus is to help those who want to make a different design a career path that leads to maximum impact as well as a balanced and healthy life. Ronda holds a Doctorate of Management from University of Maryland University College, a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, a Bachelor of Arts in World Studies from the School for International Training, and is a Global Career Development Facilitator.

• 

  Salma Zulfiqar

   United Kingdom
   English

  Salma has worked in different communication roles in the UN all over the world over the past 15 years. This includes strategic communications, video production, social media, writing for the web, media liaison and event management. Salma has worked with UNICEF, UNOCHA, UNDPA, UNESCO and UNDPKO on major national and international projects and has extensive experience of working with the UN in the field as well as Headquarters.

  Salma's work has taken her from Kabul to Kenya, Yemen to Syria, Egypt to Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Salma has worked with UN Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow and Malala Yousafzai. Salma has also worked as a Consultant and has established her own award-winning creative humanitarian social enterprise ARTconnects. 

  Prior to working with the UN Salma was a journalist with the Associated Press TV, BBC and ITV.

  In 2023, Salma Zulfiqar was honoured with The British Empire Medal (BEM) in King Charles III Birthday Honours List for services to The Arts and Education.
  
  Salma also received the prestigious British Citizen Award, dubbed the ‘People’s Honour Award’, at the Palace of Westminster for her exceptional contribution to humanitarian arts. In 2021 ARTconnects was awarded The U.K Prime Minister's Points of Light for exceptional service. 

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  Jens Behrendt

   Berlin, Germany
   English, German

  Jens has more than 25 years of human resources, project and organizational management experience spanning over the multilateral institutions, government, NGO and the private sector. Since 2003 he has been in senior HR functions, e.g. Deputy Director HR and Head, Talent Management in the OSCE in Vienna, and Director Human Resources at the European University Institute in Florence. After an interim position with Germany's leading corporate branding company, he is now the HR Head of Wikimedia Germany. Jens also has 9 years of service with UNV/UNDP and has been teaching at Free University Berlin, Hertie School of Governance, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna Pisa, and the UN Staff College.

   

   

• 

  Jens Broll

   Geneva, Switzerland
   English, Spanish

  Jens is an experienced HR Manager and Transition Coach with over 20 years of experience designing and implementing talent acquisition and performance management programs for humanitarian and development organizations, including the World Bank, UNICEF, and IFC and the private sector.

   

  He is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and has been coaching professionals from UN Organizations (UNICEF, UNDP, UN Secretariat, UNOPS, WFP, WHO, IOM, UNHCR), NGOs (Plan, PACT, Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children, NRC) and Job Seekers, to assess their job situations, plan the next career steps and prepare the application and search processes. Jens is a trained Competency Based Interviewer and familiar with current recruitment standards and job market trends in both the development and private sector. As International Mobility Manager and Coach, having designed and implemented mobility and recruitment programs for international organizations, he has extensive experience with international relocation and cross cultural management topics. Jens lived and coached job seekers on 6 continents and enjoys to connect with an international network of UN and NGO colleagues to keep updated with the latest recruitment and HR practices.

   

  Jens’ coachees describe his Coaching as “engaging, honest and effective”. He applies a reflective and forward looking coaching style, that enables coachees to look inwards and get more aware of their own self and their career search habits, so that they can identify sustainable solutions and ways forward to their questions and concerns. Jens is a committed Coach who gets energized when working with his coachees to identify the best fit for their career path and lead them to success.

  
  
  

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