Executive Team

Growing up in Brazil and Argentina, I was confronted at an early age with social inequality, poverty and children's problems. This is also one of the reasons why I like to dedicate my professional life to the weakest members of our society – children. For ten years, I led a development project for SAM global in Guinea and then served as Deputy Managing Director for the same organisation in Switzerland. For the last five years I was CEO of TearFund Switzerland. I have a Master in Law and a Bachelor in Theological and International Studies. Through my commitment to Save the Children I can contribute to the fulfilment of our vision – that every child survives, learns and is protected.

After completing my degree in International Relations, I originally worked in the diplomatic service. Wanting to make a difference through my work for the world's most disadvantaged I soon decided to pursue a career in fundraising and have been working in it now for 20 years. On various trips and project visits, I have seen the unimaginable conditions under which so many children suffer. This pains me because as a mother of four I know the potential that lays in child development. At Save the Children, together with many loyal supporters, I want to change the world for the better - so that children can simply be children.

The more I saw of the world as a young, curious person, the more I felt the need to do something about the omnipresent inequality and injustice. In my position, I am responsible for translating the valuable funds provided by the government, our partners and private individuals into programs that not only provide immediate relief for children, but also have a lasting positive impact on their lives. My team of experts in the fields of education, health and nutrition, child protection, disaster prevention and humanitarian aid and I take this responsibility very seriously. My work is based on my experience in global humanitarian and development work since the early 1990s and on my MSc in International Relations with a focus on human rights.

Due to my more than ten years of experience in leading positions at several international NGOs, most recently at the Max Havelaar Foundation as Head of Finance & Administration and Member of the Executive Board, I am very familiar with the challenges and functioning of aid organizations. During my several years of assignments in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Côte d'Ivoire, I also gained important financial experience in the field and saw the difference aid makes to the beneficiaries. As a family man in Switzerland, I know what children need for a safe, healthy and happy development. In less privileged areas of the world and contexts, children need additional support. I am very pleased that in my position at Save the Children I can make a contribution to this.

For several years now, I have been active in the universal implementation of human rights regardless of ethnicity, identity or place of residence. Before I came to Save the Children, I worked for various NGOs in Switzerland and south-eastern Europe, advocating for equality, protection from violence, and anti-discrimination. I headed gender-based violence programmes as well as violence prevention programmes in schools, and while doing so I constantly strived for sustainable change. I now bring that experience with me to Save the Children, helping to empower children in Switzerland and protect their rights. For despite the many support programmes for children and families, there are still large gaps in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. I am committed to closing these gaps and making sure that the interests of children are heard.