Staff

QUNO has fully-staffed offices in Geneva and New York.

Geneva

Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge

Director

Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge joined QUNO (Geneva) on 11 November 2021. She is a pacifist and lifetime campaigner for human rights and justice. She has wide-ranging experience as a leader, working inside and outside of government structures. In her youth, she joined the national liberation struggle to end apartheid and co-founded the Natal Organisation of Women (NOW), an affiliate of the mass democratic movement led by the United Democratic Front (UDF). She was a delegate at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), a multi-party negotiations forum which negotiated South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. During South Africa’s first democratic national election in 1994, she was high on the African National Congress (ANC) party list to Parliament and served for fifteen years as a Member of Parliament. During this time, she also served as Deputy Minister of Defense (1999-2004), Deputy Minister of Health (2004 – 2007) and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (2008 – 2009). In 2009 she co-founded Embrace Dignity, a feminist, human rights non-governmental organisation campaigning for law reform to end the gendered power inequalities that continue to oppress women and girls through the intertwined systems of patriarchy and sexual exploitation. Nozizwe has Diplomas in Microbiology, Chemical Pathology, and an Advanced Diploma in Adult Education, a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Political Science from the University of Natal, and a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) Degree in Philosophy from the University of Cape Town. She is a recipient of the Tanenbaum Peacemakers Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Haverford College, Philadelphia. She is a member of the Quaker Community of the Western Cape.

Lindsey Fielder Cook

Representative for Climate Change

Lindsey holds a BA in Politics from the Durham University, an MA in Literature of Conflict from York University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from DeMontfort University. She joined QUNO in 2013, following a career in conflict areas, initially as a volunteer in reconciliation youth work in Northern Ireland and as a teacher in the Israeli Occupied West Bank.  She has worked with UNRWA on refugee protection in the West Bank, with OHCHR (formerly UNCHR) during the war in the Former Yugoslavia, with UNOSOM in Somalia to help coordinate humanitarian efforts, with UNSCO in Gaza on donor coordination to implement of the Oslo Peace Accords, and in Bonn with UNV on communication of development efforts. Lindsey’s work at QUNO focuses on climate change and environmental degradation as a peace and justice concern, engaging at a international level with the climate change negotiations, climate science, human rights efforts, while seeking to connect international progress with grassroots efforts.  Lindsey is a Member of German Yearly Meeting and lives with her family in Bonn, where QUNO has an office space.

Florence Foster

Representative for Peace and Disarmament

Florence holds an MA in International Relations from Bristol University, UK, and has since specialized in displacement and conflict analysis, with an increasing emphasis on disarmament, mediation and conflict transformation. She began her career as an intern at the Global Protection Cluster and the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva, before moving on to focus on West African conflict dynamics at the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, with work in Côte d’Ivoire and Mali. Through her latest roles as Programme Manager at the Fondation Suisse de Déminage and Finn Church Aid, Florence led mediation and armed violence reduction initiatives in the Central African Republic.

Laurel Townhead

Representative for Human Rights and Refugees

Laurel Townhead has a Degree in Law & Politics from the University of Manchester and a Masters in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex. Laurel joined QUNO as Human Rights and Refugees Representative in 2014 and has over 15 years experience working on human rights protection nationally and through the UN human rights system, during which time she has worked on a wide range issues, including women’s rights and refugee protection. Immediately before coming to QUNO, Laurel was Policy and Campaigns Manager for Women in Prison; a role that included advocating for national implementation of the Bangkok Rules on the Treatment of Women Prisoners, which she contributed to drafting. At QUNO Laurel continues to work on human rights and criminal justice, with a focus on the rights of children of incarcerated parents. Laurel leads our work on human rights of migrants. Building on work to secure an ambitious, effective and human rights based Global Compact for Migration, Laurel focuses on how the UN system can better promote and protect the rights of migrants regardless of status. Laurel also takes forward our long term commitment to recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service. Laurel is an attender of Geneva Monthly Meeting.

Yasmin Beldjelti

Programme Assistant, Human Rights and Refugees

Yasmin holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations, specialising in Migration and Refugee Studies, and a minor in Media Communications from Webster University in Geneva. She obtained her master’s degree in social sciences with a specialisation in Migration and Citizenship Studies from the University of Neuchâtel.

Yasmin had the opportunity to work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, during which she participated in organising the Nansen Refugee Award in 2016. Over the years, she has also volunteered with humanitarian organisations supporting migrant integration and protection in Switzerland, such as Caritas Geneva, International Social Service, and Interactions. These experiences have shaped Yasmin's interest in pursuing a professional career in the fields of international cooperation, diplomacy, and humanitarian affairs. Her interest in the intersection of human rights, human security, and peacebuilding, along with adopting an intersectional and intercultural approach to her work, ultimately led Yasmin to join the Human Rights & Refugee team at QUNO Geneva.

Born in Nairobi and originally from Jordan, Morocco, and Switzerland, Yasmin has lived in over a dozen countries in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East while attending schools in the French, US, and Swiss systems. Her multicultural household and cross-cultural background led her to learn to speak four languages and inspired her from an early age to advocate and address issues related to global inequalities and multicultural tensions.

Sabrina Mignone

Programme Assistant, Peace and Disarmament

Sabrina holds a master's degree in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics where she focused on the relationship between structural violence against indigenous communities in Guatemala and the transitional justice instruments in the post-conflict justice process in the country. In her most recent position, she worked with indigenous and Afro- Latino women and their communities in Guatemala for the Swedish NGO We Effect. The programs focused on rural development, the right to adequate housing and the right to food. Over the years she has also worked with IOM in Geneva, with asylum seekers and refugees at Caritas Colombia, and the Council of Europe in Geneva. Her interest in the dynamics between structural violence, peacebuilding and human rights are what drives her work and what brings her to the P&D team at QUNO Geneva. 

Sabrina is from Italy and  Côte d'Ivoire but grew up in a multicultural household having lived and worked in 9 countries and fluently speaking four languages.

 

Andres Naranjo

Programme Officer, Sustainable & Just Economic Systems

Andrés joined QUNO in September 2021 as a Programme Assistant for both the Sustainable and Just Economic Systems (SJES) and Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) programmes. Since then, he has progressed to become a Programme Associate for the SJES programme in 2023. Andrés holds a B.A. in Political Science from Kenyon College, with a year abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a double Master's degree in International Relations from the Geneva School of Diplomacy & International Relations and the University of Business International Studies. Throughout his career, Andrés has gained valuable experience supporting United Nations work in various fields, such as disarmament (UNODA) and humanitarian action (UNICEF), as well as contributing to academic work on sustainability and climate change. With a keen interest in exploring the interconnectedness of various global challenges, Andrés is driven by the principle of justice and the power of human stories in his professional and academic pursuits.

In his role as a Programme Associate for the Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme at QUNO, Andrés looks forward to building meaningful connections and exploring synergies across various initiatives. His motivation is rooted in a genuine desire to contribute positively to the world and foster a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Sophie Naeye

Office Manager

Sophie holds a Master’s degree in Languages, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Business Studies with Human resources, and a MBS in Internationalisation of Affairs from Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. Sophie first joined Shaza Hotels' headquarters (Kempinski branch) in Geneva in 2011 where she assisted two Vice-Presidents in Product Development and Technical Services, before serving the Executive operations' team with the opening of the first Shaza hotel in Al Madina, Saudi Arabia and other projects based in the United Arab Emirates. From 2016 to 2022, she then moved to a non-for-profit organisation, the Medicines Patent Pool, as office manager. Aiming at supporting access to affordable medicines in low-and-middle income countries, Sophie was responsible for the development and implementation of the Geneva offices' policies and procedures amongst various other human resources tasks under her responsibility. Sophie enters QUNO in September 2022, bringing over 10 years' office management experience and has competencies in planning and executing a range of services, including ensuring a smooth-running office, and overseeing arrangements for meetings and events. At QUNO Sophie will serve both institutional administrative needs and attend to the internal arrangements of the Director’s office. She is driven to work with people across the globe and diverse cultures. In her free time she gives support to people in needs and is involved in local, religious and youth communities. She is a passionate yogi and horse-rider, a proficient snowboarder and wakeboarder.

Alana M Carlson

Programme Assistant, Human Impacts of Climate Change

Alana holds a MA in International Affairs with a dual specialization in environmental and security studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute. Previously she has worked in collaboration with Geneva Water Hub to conduct research on how the financialization of water affects the human right to water.

She has long been passionate about safeguarding human rights and advocating for marginalized populations. Prior to her time in Geneva, Alana assisted Diabetes Canada's British Columbia office with research and community outreach. Additionally she has multiple years of experience working with and lobbying alongside local grassroots organizations for women's and queer rights in Colorado, USA. After witnessing first hand the devastation climate change is spreading across the Western United States, Alana became particularly concerned with climate change. She is strongly committed to intersectionality and a human rights based approach to international policy. Alana believes that addressing our modern environmental challenges is one of humanity's gravest moral imperatives and a necessity if we hope to build a more just world.  

Yazeed Kamaldien

Communications Consultant

Yazeed Kamaldien is a journalist, photographer and documentary filmmaker born in Cape Town, South Africa. He has a degree in journalism from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a post-graduate diploma in media management from Rhodes University and a master's degree in international peace-building from Hartford International University in the United States.

Yazeed's journalistic work has been published in newspapers, magazines and websites in various countries. He has held photographic exhibitions about his time spent in Sudan and Yemen and has also participated in group photo exhibitions. He reported from various conflict zones and locally in Cape Town for radio and TV stations.

Yazeed has independently produced 'Imagina na Copa' in 2013, telling the story of Brazilians protesting against their country's hosting of the Fifa Soccer World Cup. In 2015, he made a short documentary film 'Inside Kobane', showing the impact of conflict in Syria. In 2017, he produced 'This Was Our Home', a short film about the former District Six residents in Cape Town and those who have returned reflecting on what the future of the area should look like after apartheid.

Yazeed was also the production manager on the award-winning documentary film Miners Shot Down which won an international Emmy award in 2015.

He joined QUNO Geneva in January 2023.

New York

Sarah Clarke

Director & Quaker UN Rep

Sarah Clarke serves as Director of the Quaker UN Office in New York. In this capacity, she leads QUNO’s engagement with the UN, diplomats, and civil society representatives, bringing Quaker practice and insights to the work of the UN system. Sarah holds a master’s degree in international political economy from the London School of Economics and has worked in the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation for over 20 years. Previously, she served as Quaker Representative at QUNO from 2002 – 2014, before undertaking work with a variety of peacebuilding actors in Myanmar, including the UN. In her work, Sarah brings a passion for building inclusive dialogue between stakeholders, and strengthening engagement between non-state actors and international policy makers. Sarah is originally from Canada and is a member of Ottawa Monthly Meeting. While working in New York, she resides with her family in Philadelphia.

Megan Schmidt

Quaker UN Representative

Megan serves as a Quaker UN Representative with QUNO. She holds Masters degrees in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University and in Human Rights and Genocide Studies from Kingston University. Having worked with the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect, the Wiener Library, and the Kurdish Human Rights Project, Megan has conducted comparative genocide research, worked to advance the Responsibility to Protect at the UN and globally, and implemented a diverse range of atrocity prevention programs throughout the world. She has written materials focusing on the Responsibility to Protect, and women’s rights and participation, among other issues related to the field of atrocity prevention.

Kavita Desai

Quaker UN Representative

Kavita serves as a Quaker UN Representative with QUNO. Prior to joining the team, she worked with the UN Foundation's Global Policy Team where she supported UN processes around sustainable development and led engagement at the regional and global levels across development and human rights issues. Prior to that she was Adviser to the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the United Nations from 2010 to 2016, where she negotiated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, advocating for the adoption of SDG 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies. 

Kavita holds a BA from Rutgers University College where she double majored in political science and art history, and a Juris Doctorate (JD) from Pace University Law School with certificates in environmental and international law.

Sigrid Corry

Programme Assistant

Sigrid Corry holds a BA in Social Anthropology and Politics from the University of Cambridge, and an MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Sigrid joins QUNO with having researched Danish and UK border and asylum issues at anti-racist thinktank, Institute of Race Relations, and legal charity Bail for Immigration Detainees. Prior to the pandemic she worked as coordinator in a grassroots community project with people facing deportation in Copenhagen. She is looking forward to engaging with issues of global justice with Quaker methods and perspectives and learning more about what community centered approaches to peace and justice issues can look like in an international political context.

Sadhbh O'Driscoll

Programme Assistant

Sadhbh graduated from University College Cork, Ireland in 2020 with a BA in Criminology. In 2015, she visited the QUNO NY office during a youth pilgrimage with Irish Young Friends and decided she wanted to return to work as a Programme Assistant. As part of the service work on this pilgrimage she volunteered with Youth Services Opportunities Project (YSOP) and got to see the work done by many volunteers around New York City – running food banks and providing day care for children whose parents were incarcerated. In 2018, she travelled to Athens, Greece with Irish Young Friends where they worked with refugees and cleared out homes devasted by recent wildfires. A member of the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) for over ten years, she visited Pune, India in 2019 and participated in service projects there with IGG.

Sadhbh is passionate about women’s rights and empowering young girls and has seen firsthand the positive impact grassroots organisations can have on their lives. Sadhbh loves to travel and explore new countries and cultures. She is excited to explore the city and experience the different cultures that New York is home to.

Daulton Beck

Office Coordinator

Daulton Beck serves as the Office Coordinator with QUNO. Prior to joining QUNO, Daulton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Politics and Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University. Throughout his studies, he conducted research on international conflicts, with a particular focus on the Middle East, which ignited his interest in working with multilateral institutions like the UN. Additionally, during his undergraduate career, Daulton held leadership positions, including serving as the Vice President of Communications for Pi Lambda Phi, a social club, and Director of Activities for the Pennsylvania United Nations Conference, which allowed him to refine his leadership and organizational skills. In his free time, Daulton cultivates his interests in floristry and cooking. He frequents local farmers' markets in search of new ingredients to experiment with or new plants to add to his collection.