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A Voice For the Voiceless

The Advocacy Project (AP) recruits students to help marginalized communities tell their story and claim their rights.

About The Advocac... > Who We Are

Who We Are

Employees

Executive Director

Iain Guest has an extensive background in information and working with civil society in countries in conflict. He was a Geneva-based correspondent for the London-based Guardian and International Herald Tribune (1976-1987); authored a book on the disappearances in Argentina; fronted several BBC documentaries; served as spokesperson for the UNHCR operation in Cambodia (1992) and the UN humanitarian operation in Haiti (2004); served as a senior fellow at the US Institute of Peace (1996-7); and conducted missions to Rwanda and Bosnia for the UN, USAID and UNHCR. He is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, where he teaches human rights. Email Iain

Director, Africa Programs

Mendi Njonjo is the Director of AP’s Africa Program. Before joining AP, Mendi worked for the International Federation of the Red Cross in Nairobi, Kenya and The Center for the Prevention of Genocide in Arlington, Virginia. She is a founder of FAWERS – a network of African women who work for post-conflict reconstruction and seek to end the use of gender-based violence as a tactic of war. Mendi has a Master’s degree in conflict resolution from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. She is fluent in English, Swahili and Kikuyu. She has written on the impact of humanitarian aid on conflict and the influence of women’s rights in post-conflict resolution in Africa, amongst her many other articles. Email Mendi

Deputy Director and Fellowship Coordinator

Tassos Coulaloglou received his BS in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2001. Before graduating, he served one year as an AmeriCorp volunteer in New Bern, North Carolina. Following school, Tassos worked as a freelance journalist in Eastern Europe before returning home to work as a campaign Team Leader during the 2004 presidential race. Tassos went on to receive his Master's degree in international relations and diplomacy offered jointly by Leiden University and the Clingendael Institute in Holland, focusing on postconflict peacebuilding. In 2007, Tassos was an AP Peace Fellow in Nepal with the Collective Campaign for Peace. He now serves as AP's Deputy Director. Email Tassos

Administrative Coordinator

Marina Krikorian received her MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the American University of Beirut in June 2007. Her research interests include diasporas, genocide, conflict resolution and transnational identity. Her MA thesis was on the relationship between the Armenian diaspora in Lebanon and the Armenian homeland. She joined The Advocacy Project as a Diaspora Outreach Intern, investigating the role that diasporas can play to promote human rights in their homelands and has now taken on the role of Administrator. Marina received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003 with a major in political science and a minor in middle eastern studies. Email Marina

Information Coordinator

Erin Lapham graduated from American University with a BA in international studies with a focus on international communication . She also recieved a minor in Spanish and a certificate in women, policy, and political leadership. In 2007, she studied in Madrid, Spain and she has also studied peace and conflict resolution in Colombia. She joined AP in January 2008 as a communications intern and since July 2008 has been AP's Information Coordinator  Email Erin

Media Coordinator

Danielle Zielinski joined The Advocacy Project in May 2008 as a writer and editor. She comes to the organization from the newspaper industry, where she worked for five years as a reporter covering crime and justice, government, and health care. Most recently, Danielle worked at the Daily Press in Newport News, Va., and the St. Joseph News-Press in St. Joseph, Mo. Danielle holds a Master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.,and a bachelor's degree in journalism and international studies, also from Northwestern. She is a native of Long Island, NY. Email Danielle

OFFICE INTERNS

Fellowship/ Development Intern

Andrea Goezinne is a graduate student at Brown University's Taubman Center, where she is pursuing her Master's degree in public policy, with an emphasis on immigration and integration policy. She is particularly interested in immigrants, refugees and human trafficking and hopes to return to her home country the Netherlands next year to work for the national government. She will be working as AP's Fellowship/Fundraising intern. Email Andrea

Communications Intern

Rob Goeke joined the Advocacy Project in May 2009. He graduated from McDaniel College in 2007 with an English Major and Spanish & Journalism Minors. He has worked in corporate PR, at non-profits and on Capitol Hill. He will be working with The Advocacy Project as the Communications Intern. Email Rob

Human Rights Outreach Intern

Natasha Jessen-Petersen is a prospective English or International Relations major at Tufts University. Having grown up in both Geneva and Washington DC, Natasha has been fortunate to travel, volunteer and witness prominent problems in countries across the world. She hopes to pursue a career that would enable her to combine her love of art and humanitarian work. She will be working as a Human Rights Outreach Intern for the Advocacy Project. Email Natasha

Media Inter

Laura Snavely  is a prospective English major and History minor at Georgetown University. Having worked in both the communications industry as well as non-profit organizations, Laura hopes to combine her love for writing with humanitarian work. She spent her fall semester studying abroad in Prague and has been fortunate enough to travel and volunteer in various other countries around the world. While at Georgetown, Laura has worked with court adjudicated youth through Georgetown’s Center for Social Justice with the After School Kids Program. She also spent two consecutive summers teaching and mentoring children of Mexican Migrant workers at the El Centro Foundation in Kansas City, KS. She will be working as AP's media intern. Email Laura

Development Intern

Julie Zimmerman is a prospective Political Science and Communication Studies major at the University of South Dakota. She is currently enrolled in the Fund for American Studies’ program Institute of Philanthropy and Voluntary Service at Georgetown University. Last summer, Julie traveled to Europe to study the drug policies and cultures of Amsterdam and Paris. Julie has worked in the non-profit field as an active member of Habitat for Humanity and participates in their collegiate challenge program. She hopes to pursue a career that continues to work toward social justice throughout the world. She will be working as development intern for the Advocacy Project. Email Julie

Human Rights Outreach Intern

Alissa Perman is an undergraduate student at Brandeis University with majors in Cultural Anthropology and International and Global Studies. She hopes to use these studies to pursue her interests in social marginalization in the developing world. She is looking forward to continuing these pursuits while studying abroad next year for one semester in Yaoundé, Cameroon and one semester in Mérida, Mexico. Alissa will be working as a Human Rights Outreach Intern for AP. Email Alissa



 

Outreach Intern

Tim Hayes graduated from Webster University with International Distinction with a BA in International Studies and a minor in German. He studied abroad in Thailand, Austria and after graduation participated in the Congress Bundestag Program in Germany. Tim currently works full time at Whole Foods Market in marketing and is working as the Outreach Intern for AP. Email Tim

 

 

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