Abiola, Hafsat
Hafsat Abiola is a YES Campaign Committee Member and the Director for the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, which offers organizational support and training opportunities to women and youth to strengthen Nigeria's civil society so as to secure lasting democracy for its people. Honors received include the Youth Peace and Justice Award from the Cambridge Peace Commission in 1997, the State of the World Forum Changemaker Award in 1998, the Association for Women in Development's "Woman to Watch for" Award in 1999, a and the World Economic Forum's Global Leader of Tomorrow in 2000. Hafsat holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University.

Ahluwalia, Poonam
Ms. Poonam Ahluwalia is the Executive Director of the YES Campaign. She is seen as the torch bearer of hope by the unemployed youth of over 60 countries! The California Legislature and the Indian-American Trade and Commerce Council have honored Ahluwalia for her work. YES believes in the involvement of youth as proactive planners and partners, not beneficiaries. Under Ahluwalia's stewardship, in addition to working towards attaining its primary objective of creating productive employment, YES is actively pursuing its objective of mainstreaming the world's youth by creating opportunities for them to become "architects of their own future".

Akunwa, Nneka
Nneka Akunwa is presently the National Coordinator of the GTZ's Employment oriented Private Sector Program (EoPSD) . Over the years she has acquired a wide range of development project management experiences in Africa and Europe. She has special interest in the nurturing of enterprises, people and development systems. Nneka's main target is to enhance the sustainability of Small, Medium and Micro enterprises in Nigeria and strengthen them to become comfortable players in the global economy. She holds an MBA and studied at Feldaffing, Germany.

Ames, Nancy
Ms. Nancy Ames is the Vice-President and Director for the Center for Family, School and Community, at EDC Inc. A leader in education reform and youth development, Ms Ames has nearly 40 years of experience in program design and management, policy development, research and evaluation and training and technical assistance. Most of her work has focused on promoting equal opportunity for all, especially those young people who are at risk of educational failure and unemployment due to poverty, gender, disability or racial/ethnic/religious prejudice. Ms. Ames also helped launch Learning in Deed, a four-year service-learning initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to promote service-learning in K-12 schools throughout the United States.

Atacik, Can
Can Atacik is a consultant with the World Bank Institute's Finance and Private Sector Development Division. He is currently coordinating the development of an on-line training course on Introduction to Corporate Governance with the Global Corporate Governance Forum. He has experience in community engagement, building government and business partnerships and managing economic and community development projects. Most recently, he coordinated the youth contribution to the World Bank Conference in Shanghai on Scaling Up Poverty Reduction and an online discussion involving more than 1300 participants. Can, a Turkish national, holds a Master's in Governmental Administration and International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Barajas, Maria de la Paz López
Maria de la Paz López Barajas has a master in Demography from the Colegio de México. Since 1995, she has worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Mexico, Central America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean. She has also worked as a consultant for other international organizations, such as IDB, UNICEF and UNFPA. She has coordinated various UN publications. In the academic ambit, she is author or coauthor of some 20 publications on family, poverty, health, political participation and migration. The majority of these with a gender focus.

Beauvy, Melanie
Melanie is the EQUIP3 / Youth Trust Associate Project Director for youth involvement. She helps ensure the full participation of young people at all levels of the EQUIP3 / Youth Trust Project. She develops and maintains an international network of youth in development organizations; helps identify young people to serve as project advisors and consultants; and coordinates the efforts of the EQUIP3 / Youth Trust youth advisory board. She is also responsible for the management of diverse EQUIP3 / Youth Trust projects and activities. Melanie has worked in different sectors of development, including youth development, youth social entrepreneurship, community leadership and local governance.

Biswas, Monica
Monica Biswas is a Research Associate at the Education Development Center, where she works with the YouthLearn Initiative to provide technical assistance to youth workers. For almost 2 years, she has developed and implemented teacher trainings in rural areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, focused on active learning methods and the effective use of technology to support educators. Prior to coming to EDC, Monica worked with various community-based organizations in the areas of service learning, alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, and youth development. She then received her Master's in Public Health specializing in Health and Social Behavior.

Busgopaul, Mahendranath
Mahendranath Busgopaul, YES-Mauritius Country Coordinator is also the Secretary-General of the Halley Movement. He has served on the board of the National Children's Council in Mauritius and has initiated community based programmes in areas relating to children, young people and the elderly. He has also done research work in various fields and has been a trainer for volunteers in the Indian Ocean Islands region. Mahendranath is the IAVE board member for Africa. Mahendranath holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Administration.

Calvert, David
David Calvert coordinates the YouthBuild program of Fundación Vamos in Mexico. The Latin American version of YouthBuild is called Jóvenes Constructores de la Comunidad. In 1978, Mr. Calvert helped found the original YouthBuild program in his home-neighborhood, East Harlem, and worked eleven years at Youth Action Program as part of that effort. He was the first YouthBuild director, and worked closely with YouthBuild president Dorothy Stoneman and many hundreds of young people to gain citywide and national acceptance and support for YouthBuild. He has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Codera, Audrey
Audrey Codera is the Country Coordinator for YES Philippines and Executive Director for the Philippine Youth Employment Network. She represents PYEN and the YES campaign in local and international forums, workshops, conferences and contributes in project development, policy formulation, research, and resource mobilization and establishing partnerships. She also handles the information dissemination from the YES Campaign, coordinates with the grantees and the grant coordinator and prepares other required documentation. Audrey has a Masters of Arts in Political Economy - International Relations & Development from the University of Asia and the Pacific in Pasig City and a Certificate on Corporate Social responsibility from the World Bank Institute.

Evans, Warren
Warren Evans is the Sector Director of the World Bank Environment Department. His main responsibilities include oversee the implementation of the Bank's Environment Strategy, in particular, for mainstreaming environmental objectives in lending and non-lending operations; and provide leadership to the global environment agenda with internal constituents and external stakeholders including the expansion and strengthening of global environmental partnerships.Prior to joining the World Bank, he was the Director for the Environment and Social Safeguards Division of the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines, an advisor to the Thai National Environment Board from 1978-1981, and managing director of an international environmental consulting firm.

Fajana, Samuel Deola
Samuel Deola Fajana is the National Coordinator of the Nigerian Youth Network on HIV/AIDS, Childcare, Human-trafficking and Social-reforms, Youth-HACHS, being championed by Global Vanguard. He is also the Director of Programs, Media and Publicity of the National Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Project (NEEP). Deola is the formulator of the Total Participatory Campaign Technique (TPCT), being used in Nigeria to involve primary and secondary schools' pupils as well as young people in religious organisations in the campaign against HIV AIDS and other social menaces. Deola has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development at the University of Ibadan, Nigerian premier University.

Fernández-Castilla, Rogelio
Dr. Rogelio Fernández-Castilla is presently the Representative for Mexico and Director for Cuba and Dominican Republic of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). He is also the Director of the UNFPA Country Support Team for Latin America and the Caribbean headquartered in Mexico and President of the UNAIDS Thematic Group in Mexico. From 1993 until the year 2000 he assumed the position of UNFPA Representative in Africa and Latin America and acted as Liaison Officer with the Economic Commission for Africa. He obtained an advanced degree as Doctor in Medical Demography from the University of London.

Figueres, Jose-Maria
President of Costa Rica (From 1994-98.) Currently Chief Executive Officer, World Economic Forum. Jose-Maria Figueres was the youngest president of any Central American country in modern times. Jose Maria has been recognized by diverse international groups for his notable achievements in favor of sustainable development policies. These include the 1998 Global Environment Leadership Award by the Climate Institute Jose-Maria has been recognized by diverse international groups for his notable achievements in favor of sustainable development policies. These include the 1998 Global Environmental Leadership Award by the Climate Institute and the Leadership award from the Global Environment Facility. He also serves on a number of nonprofit organizations including the Board of the World Resources Institute, the World Wildlife Fund, FUNDES International, and the Stockholm Environmental Institute.

Flansburg, Sundra
Sundra Flansburg is a Senior Project Director/Research Associate at EDC. She is currently working on a Science of Learning Center grant focused on learner diversities and technology-supported learning. She is a former director of the Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) Resource Center, a national U.S.-based technical assistance project on gender-equitable education (early childhood through adult education). She was coordinator of an Inter-American forum on the role of education in preventing gender-based violence, which created and co-moderated a bilingual electronic discussion list on gendered violence prevention that promoted peer learning among practitioners and researchers. She holds an M.S. in gender studies at the Universidad de Costa Rica/Universidad Nacional.

Fücher, Rodolfo
Rodolfo Fücher is currently the Regional Community Affairs Manager in Latin America for Microsoft Corporation, based in Fort Lauderdale. He is responsible to manage the company's regional community investments, employee voluntarism and disaster relief programs. One of his main focuses is to drive the Microsoft Unlimited Potential, a global initiative designed to promote digital inclusion that impacts positively the social and economical lives of underserved people through IT skill training. Fücher has also been a board of directors’ member of Software Associations such as BSA- Business Software Alliance and ABES - Brazilian Software Association, playing a valuable role to improve the Intellectual Property rights throughout Latin America. This has been helping the Latin American Software industry to improve their businesses, leading to a positive social impact due to the creation of hundreds of jobs and to the government tax revenue increase. Rodolfo Fücher has a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology from Mackenzie University and a Master's Degree in Marketing from ESPM, both schools in Brazil.

Guilfoy, Vivian
Vivian Guilfoy is a Senior Vice President of the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and Director of its Education, Employment, and Community Programs division. She designs, evaluates, and disseminates innovative programs in workforce development, education reform, and community development. Examples include Youth Learn, enabling youth development professionals to create exciting learning environments for young people; Young Leaders, helping young people cultivate their leadership skills and serve their communities and Gender and Diversities Institute, a global forum that promotes the exchange of resources to advance human development. She has an M.A. in Educational Research from the University of Pittsburgh.

Hallowell, James
James Hallowell is the Country Coordinator for YES Sierra Leone and the Program Coordinator PEACELINKS and a second year student in the Department of Sociology, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He has served as a full time assistant lecturer at the Makeni Teachers College and at the same time was the Administrative Officer Independent youth forum Freetown,Sierra Leone. He has also undertaken a number of courses abroad in development cooperation, public advocacy, project management and more. James is certified with a Higher Teachers Certificate in Performing Arts from the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology.

Hurel, François
François Hurel in October 2003 was named President of the International Forum of the OECD LEED Program. He is the General Manager of the Agence Pour la Création d'Entreprises as well as of the National Company of Auditors in France. He was technical adviser at the Cabinet of Mr. Alain Madelin, Minister of enterprises and economic development and then of Mr. Jean Pierre Raffarin, Minister of SME, trade and craft, between 1993 and 1997. He is the author of several publications on entrepreneurship and of the report to the Prime Minister on the development of economic initiative and business creation (2002).

Joseph, Debbie
Debbie grew up in Queenstown, a residential community less than one kilometer from the Atlantic Ocean, within the capital of Guyana, Georgetown. At present she is pursuing Diploma in Social Work at the University of Guyana. Debbie is an exceptional communicator with a positive attitude, strong interpersonal skills, self-assured, confidential, and high energy level. She is very good at problem solving and critical thinking skills and has over 5 years Office Management experience. She collaborates very well as a team leader or a team member and has over 10 years supervisory experience and strong calendar management and scheduling skills.

Khan, Ali Raza
Ali Raza Khan, founder and Country Coordinator of YES Network Pakistan, had a lifelong devotion to empower the marginalized young people. He holds a Master's Degree in Political Science and also attended courses in McGill University, Canada and Johns Hopkins University, USA. He has provided inspiration and vision to large number of young people across the country. He has a wide experience of working with youth which is filled with change and challenge, vision, planning and program development, innovative and social action initiatives and much cooperative exciting work, both within and outside the country. He has won numerous awards worldwide.

Kota, Subu M.
Mr. Subu M. Kota is the Chairman/CEO of The Boston Group and has a lengthy and distinguished career in IT sector. Mr. Kota joined TBG in 1992 after spending 17 years at Data General Corporation where he held a number of positions including managing the company's global technical support and quality assurance organizations, and managing strategic partnerships and business alliances. Mr. Kota also co-founded a number of innovative IT service companies that focused on Internet-based on-line education, year 2000 compliance, pen optics and ERP implementation services. Mr. Kota holds a Master Degree in Computer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Krishnan, Subramanion Anantha
Mr. Subramanion Anantha Krishnan is the Chief of the Partners and Youth Section of UN-Habitat. He has experience in policy development, programme administration, resource mobilisation and evaluation, International Governance, environmental, urban and ecological matters, consumer issues, as well as particular competency and networking skills related to Youth NGOs/Civil society in mobilisation of civil society inputs to UN processes, policy issues related to sustainable development nationally and internationally, and human rights related issues including emergency relief services in war torn or civil strife areas of the Third World. He has a M.Sc. in Social Analysis, University of Bradford, UK (1985), M..Tech in Civil Engineering (Hydraulics), IIT Bombay, India (1972), Post Graduate.Diploma in International Management, Oslo, Norway (1975).

Lara-Meloy , Teresa
Teresa Lara-Meloy is a Research Associate of the Community, Technology & Learning Group at EDC. Having received a Masters in Technology & Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she has worked in the U.S. and Mexico around issues of technology, culture and education, focusing on the digital-divide and underserved communities. One of her current interests is how teaching and learning occurs in non-traditional settings.

Macaulay, Fiona
Fiona Macaulay is the Founder and President of Making Cents International, a consulting and training firm based in Washington DC. She specializes in working with organizations to develop effective entrepreneurship and micro and small enterprise training programs for youth and adults. Fiona uses experiential learning methodology in all of her program design work to empower entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs with the necessary mind-sets and skills sets to create successful livelihoods. Making Cents works around the world and has curricula available in these languages: Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Rwandan, Spanish, Turkish, and the indigenous West African languages of Bambara, Diola, Mandingue, Pulaar and Wolof.

Magarinos , Carlos
Carlos Magarinos joined UNIDO in 1997 as Director General. UNIDO is a specialized agency in the UN system. He is currently the youngest Director General in the history of the UN. In the last two years he has implemented an aggressive reform program at UNIDO. The program has earned widespread esteem from the international community for its accomplishments and foresight. In contrast to recent events in many multilateral agencies, UNIDO's reforms received full budgetary backing with even a slight increase for the 2000-2001 biennium. Moreover, greater confidence of the member states in UNIDO is being reflected in renewed and increased voluntary contributions to the UNIDO Development Fund.

Mqushulu, Ntombohlanga
Ntombohlanga, born in Umtata, Eastern Cape Province, holds a BA Degree in Social Work. In the past 9 years she has held various positions in the Youth Sector. Having worked for NICRO as a Social Worker and as a Project Manager on the Diversions Project, Ntombohlanga then moved to the Joint Enrichment Project (JEP). She spent three years co-ordinating a skills training project with inner city youth and managing the life skills component of JEP's Youth Service Project. She is curretly working at the YDN as a Project Co-ordinator of the Youth Employment Summit (YES) Regional Project that aims to stimulate youth employment in Southern Africa through targeted initiatives.

Monga, Pradeep
Dr. Pradeep Monga is a Senior Industrial Development Officer at UNIDO for environment and energy. Prior to that, he had been working as assistant resident representative dealing with the environment, GEF and Montreal Protocol portfolio at UNDP/India office for almost 5 years. Besides leading a team of international experts he will be involved in providing policy advisory and advocacy services to member countries on global issues like climate change, biodiversity, clean energy and pollution in international waters. Pradeep is currently working with several YES Networks in augmenting entrepreneurial opportunities for youth in the renewable energy sector.

Monticone, Regina
Regina Monticone is currently Senior Specialist in Youth Employment Policy and Advocacy in the Secretary-General's Youth Employment Network, a collaborative effort of the ILO, UN and the World Bank. For the past 20 years, she has brought her technical and negotiating expertise to bear in the field of sustainable development issues, with international institutions, civil society organizations and the media. These range from UNICEF, the InterAmerican Development Bank and the World Bank to parliamentary networks and Greenpeace. She holds degrees in political science and communications. She has authored publications on youth in the world of Work.

Mueller, Maria Helena Henriques
Maria Helena Henriques Mueller has been the Chief of the Section for Youth of UNESCO's Bureau of Strategic Planning since 1998. In this function, she is responsible for stimulating, motivating and mobilising UNESCO and its Member States to 'mainstream' and create partnerships with youth in all programmes and activities. A Doctor in Population Sciences, Ms Henriques Mueller has worked as an expert and project manager of social and health programmes for various governments, research institutions and UN agencies all over the world and has published extensively on issues of family, health and social security.

Nath, S.
Dr. S. Nath is Honorable Chairman & Medical Director of the Sulabh International Institute of Health & Hygiene. Dr. S. Nath is a Graduated in Medical Science in 1957 and worked for 32 years in State Medical Services. He has developed Cost effective Method through toilet complexes in urban slum and Rural set up. He has introduced a new concept of total health care on Health, Hygiene, Sanitation and Safe drinking water. He has developed the technology for SAFE PIT FOR SHARP and also developed model village and model urban slum under the leadership of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh Sanitation Movement.

Oelrich, Ludo
Ludo Oelrich is Program Director Moving the World with TPG NV based in Amsterdam. He has been involved as managing director in the development of TNT Logistics in the Benelux and the pan European logistics business development. In 2001 he founded TPG's-Geneva based- venture capital company LogiSpring. In 2002 he developed TPG's social leadership programme 'Moving the World'. He is board member of the Holland Distribution Council and member of the advisory council TIAS Transport & Logistics Management (University Brabant). He has an MBA Transport & Logistics Management from the University of Brabant and an engineering degree in Transport and Town and Country Planning.

Pinto, Rafael
Rafael Pinto is working for the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), a non-profit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), on programs throughout the Americas in an effort of promoting and developing entrepreneurship amongst young people. With this international background, he learned of the differences between people from distinctive regions and cultures and aims to complement his knowledge with his current work and skills background, and better contribute to designing and implementing programs that can help communities and people throughout the world. Having studied International Relations and graduated from Florida International University in Miami, Rafael moved to Washington D.C. in 2002 to pursue a career in the international development field.

Rarela-Barcelona, Delia
Delia Rarela-Barcelona is Senior Technical Officer in the Reproductive Health Branch of the Technical Support Division of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Headquarters in New York where she serves as focal point for education, communication and related youth issues. Before joining the United Nations, she was a Consultant to various international organizations working in the area of population communication in several developing countries. She holds a doctorate degree in Sociology from the University of Chicago. She obtained a Master's degree in Communication Research and a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Communication, from the University of the Philippines. She was formerly the Dean of its College of Mass Communication where she served as faculty member for many years.

Santis, Wendy
Ms. Wendy Santis is a Senior Research Development Associate in the division of Health and Human Development Programs at EDC. She has more than 17 years of public health experience including HIV prevention, health education, training and curriculum development. Ms. Santis was the lead author of a paper for the YES Hyderabad Regional Forum 2003. On behalf of the World Bank Institute (WBI), Ms. Santis is conducting research exploring the link between HIV/AIDS and youth livelihoods in Africa. Ms. Santis has a Master's degree in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard School of Public Health and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Serageldin, Ismail
Ismail Serageldin is Director of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Library of Alexandria, and Distinguished University Professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands . He was formerly Vice-President of the World Bank for Environmentally Sustainable Development and Chairman of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) at the World Bank. He joined the Bank in 1972 where he designed and managed a broad array of poverty-focused projects in developing countries. Educated at Cairo University and Harvard University where he earned a Ph.D., Dr. Serageldin is an internationally published author on economic development, human resource issues, the environment, architecture, urbanism, the Arab world, Islam and culture. He has received numerous international awards and honors for his work and civil society efforts.

Stoneman, Dorothy
Dorothy Stoneman is President and Founder of YouthBuild USA, chairperson of the National YouthBuild Coalition of 1000 member organizations, and founding co-chair of the Campaign for Youth. She joined the Civil Rights Movement in 1964, and spent the next 24 years in East Harlem, New York, developing community-based schools, youth programs, housing projects, and grass-roots coalitions designed to engage youth and their parents in community development and to increase public support for community-based programs. She was founder of the first YouthBuild program in 1978 and served as its director for 10 years. Stoneman has a Masters and a Doctorate from Bank Street College of Education and has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and the John Gardner Annual Leadership Award.

Teller, Tanya Cruz
Tanya Cruz Teller, Associate Director of YouthBuild Academy for Transformation, heads up YouthBuild USA's international partnership with Umsobomvu focused on enhancing youth livelihood and development opportunities in South Africa. She has more than 10 years of experience in the nonprofit field as a trainer, director, community organizer, and advocate. In her current role, Cruz Teller oversees more than 15 national organizational and personal development events per year in accordance with private and federal contracts. Tanya has a Master of Science in Intercultural and International Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Wade, Magatte
Mr. Magatte Wade, one of the 12 Members of The High Level Panel of the Secratary General of the UN on the Youth Employment Network, is the Director General of AGETIP-Senegal, an executing agency for works of public interest for combating underemployment. He is former Regional Director of IBM in Africa and is concerned with the social responsibility of business. AGETIP-Senegal started a decade ago under his direction with World Bank and donor support, as a programme designed to provide employment opportunities to youth negatively affected by structural adjustment. Mr. Wade is well placed to link employment policy with practice and will provide a practical, operational dimension to the work of the Panel. AGETIP-Senegal is also a member of the AFRICATIP Network involving similar programmes geared toward working with urban authorities in labour-intensive urban development with youth as a key area of focus. Both World Bank and ILO have collaborated with these programmes.

Wangmo, Dechen
Dechen Wangmo is the Country Coordinator for the YES Bhutan Network, Coordinator for Phuentsholing Woman Association (PWA), Executive Member in the Phuentsholing Town Committee, and Deputy Coordinator Multi Sectoral Task Force for HIV/AIDS Prevention initiated by the Royal Government of Bhutan and Member in the Business Community (BCCI). She has experience in organizing workshops, seminars and an interaction program on HIV/AIDS awareness activities, community development, private enterprises, awareness on environment and social development sectors. Dechen has received the Entrepreneurship Outstanding Award in 2003 from the Federation of Indian Women in Mumbai and the Entrepreneurship Development Award from the Royal Government of Bhutan .

Whitla, Janet
Janet Whitla has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Education Development Center, Inc., and a member of its Board of Trustees since 1981. Ms. Whitla has played a significant role in shaping EDC's philosophy and work in education, health promotion, and social services and has been instrumental in bringing EDC programs to national and international attention. In recent years, she has been engaged in leading EDC's world-wide efforts to increase opportunities for sustainable livelihoods for young people and to address the range of development issues related to this global challenge.

Wright, Daryl Douglas
Daryl Douglas Wright is currently Director of Knowledge Development for YouthBuild USA and has been involved in youth work and community building for the past twenty-eight years. Starting out as a YMCA camp counselor, Wright has continued his work as an organizer, youth worker, program developer, manager, and researcher in community settings. He was the Director of Technical Assistance for YouthBuild USA for four years. He has a Master's Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.