Adedamola is a design researcher specializing in adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, and the intersection with climate change. She holds a PhD and a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Child and Adolescent Health, both from the University of Ibadan. Adedamola began her career at Population Council Nigeria and her work has since been driven by a commitment to advancing evidence-based solutions and improving health outcomes for diverse populations through rigorous research and strategic planning.

With over seven years of experience in research implementation and community development, she has conducted research and engaged with stakeholders across diverse international contexts. Her expertise includes designing and managing research projects that utilize both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including participatory approaches. Adedamola also has significant experience in drafting safeguarding protocols and assisting organizations with implementing these plans.

In addition to her research work, Adedamola co-founded the Racheal Adebayo Foundation (RAF), which runs programs aimed at improving the health and well-being of adolescents and young people. Notable initiatives include ‘Love on the Streets,’ targeting adolescents on the street to give them hope and get them back to school, and ‘Period Party for Boys,’ which trains adolescent males to become champions for menstrual health and to break the stigma surrounding menstruation.

Adedamola’s contributions to the field of adolescent health research and development have been recognized through awards and publications in academic journals. In her personal time, she enjoys cooking and playing video games.

Beatrice Okech, a dynamic multi-hyphenate from Kenya, embodies a genuine commitment to catalyzing positive change through her diverse skill set. With a robust background in policy advocacy and youth-led initiatives, Beatrice specializes in the intricate art of movement building and digital communications, adeptly conceptualizing advocacy campaigns, and overseeing complex projects. Her proficiency extends beyond strategy and management, as she possesses an appetite for reading and an exceptional talent for crafting compelling narratives. Beatrice's mastery of words is a cornerstone in her mission to empower young voices through technology, ensuring that critical issues relevant to the youth are heard and effectively addressed.

At the heart of Beatrice's advocacy lies a steadfast commitment to gender equality and championing the sexual and reproductive health rights of young people, channeling her passion into tangible, meaningful change.

In her previous roles as Advocacy and Campaigns Manager at Transform Health and Partnerships and Communications Advisor at the YIELD Hub, she's navigated the intersection of technology, advocacy, campaigning, and youth empowerment, orchestrating initiatives that resonate with the lived experiences of young individuals and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive future. Beatrice's journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication to amplifying voices, fostering change, and creating lasting impact in the realms of youth-led and focused advocacy for SRHR, gender equality, and global health.

Bergen Cooper is the COO of The Torchlight Collective, and an executive manager, researcher, and advocate in the field of human rights, specializing in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). She has a proven track record in senior leadership, guiding organizations and staff through transformative processes, including a merger, development of organizational strategies (including a Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategy), and staff wellness during COVID. Bergen’s expertise is in analyzing the scientific, policy, and advocacy landscape for SRHR, and uses that analysis and knowledge to support organizations, policymakers, donors, and governments in their efforts to advance access to SRHR in the U.S. and globally.

A prominent researcher in the field of SRHR, Bergen is the architect of the groundbreaking SRHR Index – the first-ever Index that catalogs every U.S. policy, strategy, law, and official position related to global health. She is a leading expert on the implementation and revocation of the U.S. Global Gag Rule. Additionally, Bergen is a leader in the field of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women past reproductive age, with a specific focus on gender-based violence and HIV. Her broad research portfolio includes comprehensive sex education in the United States, resource allocations and financing for gender equality priorities, as well as brief sexuality related communications.

Prior to joining The Torchlight Collective, Bergen served as the Director of Policy Research at Fòs Feminista, leading policy research for a Global South led international alliance for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Bergen came to Fòs Feminista from the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), where she created and led CHANGE’s policy research department and served on the Executive Management Team. Bergen holds a Master of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, Magna Cum Laude, from Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and three children.

Caitlin Chandler is a journalist and writer. She is the recipient of a 2020 International Women’s Media Foundation Fund for Women Journalists, EU Migration Media Award (2019), European Cross Border grant from Journalismfund.eu as part of a team, International Reporting Project Africa Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution fellowship on Sudan, the German Otto Brenner Preis for investigative reporting (as part of a team), Anne LaBastille Writing Residency for creative nonfiction, and an Investigative Journalism for Europe cross-border team grant. She is also an editor at Africa is a Country. Prior to journalism, Chandler worked in global health and human rights.

Catherine is a project management specialist with nearly two decades of experience working in international development and human rights. She is passionate about sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice and has spent the past 15 years working in this area. Catherine has managed person-centred abortion projects across the entire project cycle and supported capacity strengthening through shared learning approaches. She has worked alongside SRH partners in numerous countries across a range of policy environments and health systems. Catherine also has extensive experience in organizational learning and knowledge management and supporting teams to continuously improve. 

Catherine’s skills include project management and leadership, abortion and contraceptive programming, qualitative research, data analysis and presentation, partnership management, facilitation, and knowledge management. She is an experienced writer and editor, with a portfolio spanning across website content, training curriculum, impact reports, donor reports, and peer-reviewed journals. She is a leader in the field of medical abortion and is committed to working tirelessly to improve access to quality medicines, information, and care globally. 

Catherine holds a Master of International Social Development from the University of New South Wales (Australia), and a BA in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA). Born and raised in the US, Catherine now lives in London. 

Ceci is a feminist and human rights advocate with over a decade of combined experience working in the civil society sector, the public sector and as an independent consultant to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality. She started her activism in Mexico as the co-founder of a youth-led organization where she developed and consolidated the organization’s Gender Program. Member of the Torchlight Collective since 2016, she has participated in different consultancies, and worked with clients such as CARE International, Open Society Foundations and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Most recently, she began collaborating with a global partnership to ensure that girls’ and women’s movements in Latin America have the data they need to strengthen their advocacy efforts and to hold their governments accountable on the  commitments made in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve gender equality. Cecilia has also served in different governance and advisory roles in Mexico, and at the international level, including the Board of Directors of Women Deliver, The Partnership for Maternal Newborn & Child Health, and the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights. 

Cecilia holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Gender from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Mexico), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.  

Celeste has a degree in Sociology from the University of Buenos Aires and is a specialist in Care Policies with a Gender Perspective from CLACSO. She has extensive experience in the planning and implementation of public policies on human rights, memory policies, human trafficking, violence and care. In addition, she has been dedicated to research on these issues. She was part of the founding team of the former Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada (ESMA), one of the most important memory sites in Argentina, recently declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. There she carried out archiving, research, and articulation tasks with actors of great international relevance, and with survivors of that concentration camp, assisting them as witnesses in the trials for crimes against humanity that took place in that country during the last civil-military dictatorship. 

She was also a member of the first Directorate of Care Policies that existed in Argentina, with the creation of a Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity. There she worked as an advisor for the drafting of a bill for the creation of a national care system, which involved advocacy work with political, union and social leaders, congressmen and congresswomen, academics, and United Nations agencies. Celeste also writes chronicles and essays for different digital media on gender, care and political analysis. She has also participated in academic publications and books. Currently, in addition to working as an independent consultant, she is director of the Special Commission on Human Trafficking in the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires. Thanks to her feminist militancy, she has territorial knowledge and articulation with different actors such as social organizations, trade unions, NGOs, and human rights organizations. 

She has also worked as a university lecturer. 

I have 14 years of experience in communications and advocacy departments of Nongovernmental Organizations nationally, regionally, and globally. I am a passionate professional who enjoys using various tools and channels to communicate and advocate for developmental issues. Some notable organizations I have worked with include Ipas,safe2choose, African Youth Commission, African Women’s Development and Communications Network(FEMNET), and Let’s Do It World. I am the Board Director for the Africa Region at Lets Do It World and also the founder of Let’s Do It Kenya - the Kenyan chapter of Let’s Do It World that aims to raise awareness on and create innovative approaches to waste management and the pioneer of World Cleanup Day.  I hold a Master of Arts Degree in Development Communications from the University of Nairobi and am a Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa graduate in Financial Journalism from Strathmore Business School.

Clarisa Regede is a human rights policy specialist with 9 years experience of working on diverse humanitarian issues in multi-cultural contexts. She is currently a policy consultant working with grassroots organisations in Southern Africa, building their capacity to solve SRHR community problems through efficient grant processes, prudent evidence-building, deliberate stakeholder engagement, and innovation. She is an expert in global policy analysis work, innovative finance, non-profit management, philanthropy, agile leadership, agile fundraising, and strategy development. She has previously worked in sectors that include disaster preparedness and response, education in emergencies, refugee response, health, WASH, nutrition, protection, food security, and livelihoods programming. She has comprehensive experience with regards to working on the World Bank, UN, USAID, CDC, FORD, Global Fund, DFID, SIDA funded projects. Clarisa is skilled in engaging governments, policymakers, marginalised groups, and traditional and religious leaders as stakeholders in policy and law processes. She has served as an adviser on meaningful youth engagement initiatives for young people globally working with philanthropies and donors, that include the Children Investment Fund Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Clarisa's most recent academic qualification is a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from SOAS University of London and she is a fellow of the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship for 2021 representing Zimbabwe in the Civic Leadership track at Kansas State University.

Daniel is a strategy, policy and organizational development consultant. He is originally from Jamaica and began his career at Jamaica AIDS Support as the advocacy and policy officer advocating for the health and human rights of people living with HIV, young people and sexual minorities. His practice focuses on clarifying strategic intent and planning, organizational change management, leadership development, and health policy and planning.

He has over 15 years experience in global HIV policy, community development, research, and advocacy, with significant experience at designing evaluations for diverse populations facing multi-dimensional and intersectional barriers. He has provided leadership in community-based and culturally adaptive research, evaluation, and quality improvement processes, designing and implementing projects that combine rigorous, evidence-informed methodologies used in social science research with anti-oppression and intersectionality principles. His areas of expertise are sexual reproductive rights, HIV key populations programming and research, strategic planning and global public health. Daniel holds a MSc in Health Policy from Imperial College London and is presently pursuing a PhD at the University of Toronto.

Born in Italy, raised in Ghana, and currently residing in Mexico, Enrico seeks a culturally open and structurally sound way to communicate for a better world. His varied and ever-expanding cultural roots drive a profound curiosity around how identities are created and perceived as part of the contemporary human experience. He has over 20 years of experience in editorial, graphic design, and visual communication, as well as ongoing additional work in a range of artistic media. His undergraduate studies in studio arts and art history provide a solid underlying aesthetic and critical thinking foundation applied to concept and idea development. A postgraduate formation in visual design and communication, with a focus on identity perception and creation, offers a practical knowledge base to create clear, conscious and reliable design work. Enrico has worked with numerous stakeholders in the global health / human rights / international development sectors -- such as INGOs, UN Agencies, and donors -- to design functional, beautiful products and collateral, including reports, toolkits, data visualization, resources, and campaign materials.

Consultant, trainer, and researcher integrating multidisciplinary approaches to advance human rights. 

With over a decade of experience working with civil society organizations, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions, Erick's expertise encompasses technical assistance and applied research on participatory methodologies, capacity building, public policy, advocacy, community feedback, organizational learning, and evaluation.

His previous work focuses on issues such as risk and protection of Human Rights Defenders, Gender Justice, Sexual Rights, Freedom of Expression, and Civic Space. He has produced numerous reports, policy briefs, desk reviews, research papers, and book chapters on these topics.

Erick holds a Master's degree in Theory and Practice of Human Rights from the University of Essex. He is a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship and the Prize for the best performance overall in the Human Rights Centre's Masters programs for 2011-2012.

Génesis (she/her) is a Venezuelan behavioral and social psychologist, as a feminist advocate, she specializes in sexual health and rights and reproductive justice. She has conducted research, curriculum development, and advocacy for local and global organizations aimed at advancing access to health and education in Latin America and the Caribbean in projects like developing training materials with and for CSE peer educators, policy mapping for tracking government commitments towards sex and repro health, and coordinated internal communications coordination for COVID-19 research in México. Génesis is always thrilled at analyzing data and evidence, deep-diving into literature. 

She's a Women Deliver and Atlas Corps alumna. Her work on meaningful youth engagement has been featured on international media like Al Jazeera and Ms. Magazine. She loves biking, running, reading and access to safe abortions. Always up to meet up for coffee!

Gillian Njika is an independent contractor with 2 decades of experience in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and HIV prevention. Her technical expertise and skills include program management, research, and curriculum development. She has adopted different behavior change interventions for parents of pre-adolescents and adolescents to improve communication about sex and sexuality and prevent child sexual abuse; sexual and reproductive health life skills and HIV prevention interventions for adolescents including adolescents living with HIV. Gillian has worked with diverse stakeholders from government, donors, community, academia, and faith institutions to advance evidence-based solutions for improved health and development outcomes. She has provided technical support for program implementation, scale-up, and process monitoring of evidence-based interventions and capacity building in over ten Sub-Saharan countries. Her experience also includes health systems strengthening, policy analysis, and program evaluation. She is especially passionate about working with young people and women to enable them to realize their full potential. Gillian has a Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management from Maseno University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies from Moi University in Kenya.

As a human rights and gender specialist with a legal background, Heather has extensive senior-level experience in the design, development, and implementation of high-level strategies. Across her career, she has developed monitoring and evaluation for learning frameworks, assessed programmes for qualitative and quantitative impact, and supported civil society organizations to advocate for change. She has extensive experience in designing online and in-person inclusive consultation processes, including for structurally excluded groups. She has used a range of methodologies to capture reflections, including art, interviews, group discussion, and “mood polling”.  As a member of a leadership team, she has spearheaded organizational refreshes to deepen impact, increase profile, and balance power. 

Through her consultancy work, she has had the privilege to support organizations to define their strategies and organizational values, strengthen fundraising and external communications, review programme scope, and facilitate conferences. She is a strong writer, and has drafted speeches, briefing materials and presentations for senior leadership, fundraising materials for government and private donors (including competitive bids, one-page snapshots and proposals for core funding), communications for the public and media (press releases, newsletters, social media posts and blogs), and organizational documents (annual reports, organizational strategies, theories of change and logical frames). She excels at synthesizing complex documents into short, easy to access and often visual representations.

Isabella is a strategic, creative, delivery-focused Prince2 certified project manager, researcher, and facilitator with extensive experience in implementing strategic programmes, leading multi-region and multi-lingual engagement, and working across diverse communities. They are experienced in matrix organisations with vertical and horizontal management, multiple decision points, and autonomously driven. Their early background in events, coupled with experience in managing high-level and governance-focused convenings, ensures their work is audience-focused, engaging, and delivers impact. Their project management work covers diverse organisational change, strategic partnership, policy, and advocacy projects in sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ), and LGBTQIA+ rights.

As Project Manager, they enjoy directing diverse stakeholders around a specific goal and bringing teams together towards greater integration and collaboration. They have a high level of written and verbal communication skills and write in diverse styles according to audience and aim, and have authored scientific papers, institutional reports, and queer popular journalism. They have excellent verbal communication skills, often presenting project work to trustees and senior members of staff.

In 2015 Isabella completed their Master of Arts (MA) at the University of Glasgow, achieving a Joint Honours in English Literature and Philosophy with a 2:1 and a 1st class dissertation. Where they developed skills in clear writing and academic research, as well as skills in critical thinking and assessment, and in structuring and defending arguments. They trained in the basic principles of epidemiology at the National Research Council Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Epidemiology, and Health Services Research Department. The experience highlighted the role of health research in mental health and addiction to redress stigma and misinformation, and to positively influence policy.

Isabella has been a member of Friends of the Joiners Arms (FOTJA) since 2018 and Vice-Chair since 2022. FOTJA is a community benefit society that defends and creates social spaces for LGBTQI+ people for improved community wellbeing. Isabella is interested in the links between societal marginalisation and health outcomes, and how to use the law to redress inequalities.

Emmanuel Adebayo is a researcher and a University lecturer with specific interest in Adolescent health and development. He has contributed to several international and National efforts to improve the health and development of adolescents and young people. He participated in the development of the Nigerian Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum and developed the M&E plan and indicator framework for Adolescent Health within the country. Emmanuel is currently the PRO for the Society for Adolescent and Young People’s Health in Nigeria (SAYPHIN); a member of the Leadership and Mentorship committee of the International Association for Adolescent Health’s Young Professional Network (IAAH-YPN); He is also a WHO expert on Adolescent Health Metrics – a co-chair of the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent Health (GAMA). He is a member of the Nigerian National Adolescent Health Technical Working Group. As part of his passion for writing and publishing, Emmanuel is the Assistant managing editor of the Nigerian Journal for Child and Adolescent Health. Emmanuel has a master’s degree in public health and a PhD in Adolescent Health.

Emmanuel is currently a Research Fellow at the Adolescent Health Unit, Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Humphres Evelia is a freelance consultant with over fifteen years’ experience in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights research, programming, and advocacy in Kenya and the Eastern Africa region. He is well versed in: designing and implementing operations research studies; monitoring and evaluation including output, outcome and impact evaluations; coordinating large networks on SRHR; policy development, formulation and assessments; up-scaling of large multisectoral sexual and reproductive health and HIV programs; supporting utilization of best practices for decision making and for policy; and, documentation. He holds a Master’s degree in Population Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Katherine (Kat) is a qualified lawyer and researcher with over 15 years of experience. During the early years of her career, Kat worked as a Gender, Youth, and Rights Officer at IPPF, where she had opportunities to grow as a technical specialist and advocate whilst cultivating a personal and professional passion for sexual and reproductive justice (SRJ). Kat has been a consultant since 2014 and was a founding member of The Torchlight Collective.

During her freelance years, Kat has worked with organisations such as WHO, Rutgers, Women's Fund Asia, UNESCO, and AJWS on policy and legal analyses, evaluation, research, strategy development, academic writing, and advocacy. She thrives at the 'frontiers' of SRJ, where connections are needed between research and programming, advocacy, and movement strategy. Kat loves collaborative processes that involve thinking through the complex intersections of gender, rights, youth, sexuality, and the law.

Kat attended Boston University, where she graduated with a BA in Spanish after having explored world religions and political science along the way. In 2006, she graduated with an MSc in Global Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and was called to the Bar in 2012. She's currently pursuing a part-time PhD at Leiden University focused on how the law constructs and regulates adolescent sexuality and is based in Germany, where she lives with her partner and two sons.

Kate is a social justice advocate with over fifteen years’ programmatic, research, and advocacy experience in gender and sexual health and rights across all global regions, in both development and humanitarian contexts.  Kate’s skills include programme design and management, SRHR technical capacity building and strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, participatory research, bid writing and supporting the work of local and global feminist girls’ and youth movements that challenge the status quo. Kate’s emphasis of work is to ensure adolescent girls, marginalized groups and grassroots advocates have their experiences and voices intentionally centered in all aspects of programmes, policy, and research that relate to them. After a ten year stint at the International Planned Parenthood Federation working in both the Resource Mobilisation and Gender and Adolescent teams, Kate has been consulting with talented and creative teams working on gender justice and girls' rights on behalf of organisations such as With and For Girls Collective, Plan and Global Fund for Women.

Kayonaaz is a writer and researcher who specialises in using communications for development. Her passion lies in enabling communities to voice their concerns and experiences to the world themselves in order to create programmes and policies that cater to their unique needs.

Over the past ten years her work has spanned qualitative research, storytelling for advocacy, audio-visual production as well as programme evaluations and learnings. She has worked extensively with the community media movement, feminist funds, as well as coalitions working on adult education and technical, vocational education in South Asia and the Pacific. Kayonaaz has focused her work on issues like sexual and reproductive health rights, digital literacy, gender and caste-based marginalisation and environmental justice.

Through her work she hopes to contribute towards a global network of knowledge and resources to build resilient and intersectional social justice movements. Prior to joining the Torchlight Collective, she has worked with clients including Asia South Pacific Association of Adult and Basic Education, BBC Media Action, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Oxford Policy Management, Urgent Action Fund Asia and Pacific, Women’s Fund Asia, and The YP Foundation. Kayonaaz has an MA in Media and International Development from the University of East Anglia.

Lindsay is the Founder and CEO of The Torchlight Collective, bringing nearly a decade of activism, organizing, and forceful optimism to her work with young people and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). She has served as an advocate and communicator at the intersection of youth mobilization, SRHR, movement-building, and global health. Prior to transitioning into consulting in August 2015, Lindsay worked for over three years as the Senior Manager of Youth Programs & Advocacy at Women Deliver, where she designed, led, and raised funds for the Young Leaders Program, and for four years in the global HIV response as the Program Manager with the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA). In addition to technical experience in youth participation, SRHR, global health, and human rights, Lindsay has demonstrated political advocacy and communications experience; her blogs have appeared on Huffington Post and RH Reality Check. 

Lindsay has a Master’s degree in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University, where she wrote her thesis on sex worker rights organizing, and a B.A. from the University of New Hampshire where she double-majored in English and Women’s Studies. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her son Mac.

Lowri Davies is a seasoned professional with 8 years of experience in the international development and humanitarian sectors, specializing in research, evidence, and impact. Her career is marked by significant contributions in program management, partnership development, and both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Lowri's work has spanned various regions, including East Africa and South Asia, where she has been instrumental in advancing key projects in health, education, and menstrual hygiene.

Currently, Lowri serves as the Coordinator for the African Coalition for Menstrual Hygiene at UNFPA, where she manages the Coalition Secretariat and oversees critical communication, advocacy, and resource mobilization efforts. Her role involves coordinating with diverse stakeholders, including UN agencies, private sectors, and community organizations, to promote menstrual health across the African continent.

In her previous roles, Lowri was the Senior Assessment Officer for Impact Initiatives in Ethiopia, where she led a comprehensive assessment of health facility functionality. She also worked as the Strategic Partnerships and Impact Manager at AFRIpads in Uganda. At AFRIpads, she was pivotal in managing strategic partnerships and developing impact-tracking processes, contributing to the organization's growth and expansion across 42 countries.

Lowri's academic background includes an MSc in Reproductive and Sexual Healthcare Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BSc in Politics and International Relations from the University of Bath. She has also undertaken various professional training courses, including Gender Analysis and Planning, and holds a strong command of multiple languages, including English, Dutch, French, and Spanish.

Lowri's expertise in research is complemented by her technical skills in data analysis and visualization Her work has been published in reputable journals including the British Medical Journal, reflecting her deep commitment to advancing health and gender equity through evidence-based interventions.

I am a queer feminist who for more than 15 years has been working on the politics of resource justice. I have over a decade of work experience in research and feminist Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), specifically focusing on qualitative and participatory methodologies. I have extensive experience in coordinating and managing feminist participatory evaluation projects at both the national and multi-country/ regional levels. I have considerable experience working with participatory and contribution-based MEL frameworks, specifically with grassroots groups and small civil society organizations. My specific interests lie in exploring the intersections of feminist economic models, data, and technology.

Over the years I have the experience of working with multiple established organizations and institutions. It includes ILGA World, Women’s Fund Asia, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and the Gujarat Institute of Development Research. I hold a Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India, and an M.Phil. in Multi-disciplinary Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge. I have a part-time P.G. Diploma in Human Rights Law from the National Law School of India University (2023) and a certificate course on Artificial Intelligence and Conflicts in Human Rights (2023). This certificate course was conducted by the National Law School of India University and was supported by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bengaluru.

Margherita Sgorbissa (she/her) is a Southern European, queer, and working-class-born senior consultant in the social justice and impact space. She has a background in Culture, Communication & Gender Studies. Backed by 9 years of experience in organizational operations and development developed in the intersection between the corporate and nonprofit space, she combines her expertise around organizational operations and strategic planning with her lived experience + knowledge around intersectional feminism to help feminist nonprofits and social impact organizations access resources and consolidate their organizational structures, so that they can accelerate their longterm development goals. She has been consulting global executives and organizations in the areas of strategic planning, fundraising, impact strategies, and organizational development. Margherita has been working with global CEOs and social justice organizations, recording a successful proven track of consulting experiences with organizations and leaders operating across geographies, including MENA, UAE, LATAM, Europe, North America (US and Canada), within the space of SHRH, GBV, gender economics, community building and equity in access to professional opportunities and resources.

She delivers a unique set of solutions to her clients by bridging the knowledge of organizational growth and feminist-led impact, providing highly specialized expertise on strategic planning and impact scaling designed to respond to the new challenges and opportunities of the emerging social justice/impact trends.

I am a sociologist from the University of Buenos Aires. At the University of Buenos Aires, I completed a Master's degree in Social Science Research. I hold a PhD in Social Sciences (UBA) with a scholarship from the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas). I did postdoctoral stays at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, at Paris 8, and at the Escuela Interdisciplinaria de Altos Estudios Sociales. I am currently an Assistant Researcher at CONICET and coordinator of the Programme of Intersectional Studies between Nature and Gender. My lines of research are on sexualities, genders and affectivities.

I teach in the Master's Degree in Feminist Studies at UNSAM. 

I won grants and awards for my work as a researcher. I have published articles and books, including: Deseo y Conflicto (Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2023), Different ways of taking care of oneself. How Argentinian gay men negotiate COVID-19 protocols for hooking-up (Journal of Gender Studies, 2023).

Since 2015 I have carried out consultancies for Argentina and abroad. Among them, we can find: Researcher for Unesco France project on  Sex Education, contracted by The Torchlight Collective (2023-2024); Consultant for Security Ministry of Argentina (Argentina) (2023), Consultant for Prospera, International Network of Women's Fund (Mongolia) (2022). Consultant for Greenpeace Mexico on discrimination and harassment at work Greenpeace (Mexico) (2021-2022); Consultant for the Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute (Mexico) (2021).

Marija has 15 years of engagement connecting feminism, human & environmental rights, peacebuilding, social & solidarity economy and progressive philanthropy. She holds a MA in Sociology. Marija speaks Serbian, English and Spanish. 

She started as an activist on SRHR, fighting against sexual harassment in high school. Recognized as one of the most engaged students, she became an alumna of the Welcome to Germany program run by BAYHOST & EMIS. Her engagements led her to 30+ countries. She’s been exploring social changes and innovations from the roles of researcher, journalist, coordinator, consultant, etc. From 2017 she’s been working with women’s and peace funds, served in the Steering Committee of Prospera’s MEL COP and as a WG member in Foundations for Peace Network, through which she contributed to peer-learning on peacebuilding from Northern Ireland to Indonesia. She joined Global Resilience Fund for girls and young women as a participatory grantmaking panelist supporting responses to COVID19.

Marija is particularly helpful for those wanting to shift the power, connect theory & practice of different domains, hold space for critical discussions, engage in responsible and non-harmful manner, develop mindful programs & collaborative initiatives, set flexible funding and/or participatory/rapid grantmaking, find the appropriate model for resource mobilization, approach organizational development or organizational transitions from a collective care perspective, be agile and learn in a non-extractive way through feminist MEL.

Harby is an SRHR advocate combining a MSc in Global public health and policy and more than 7 years of professional technical experience in planning, implementation and evaluation of SRHR programmatic and advocacy projects at national, regional and global levels, with experience in using human rights-based, human-centered and participatory approaches for facilitation.

Harby started his career as a Reproductive Health Officer at IPPF's Member Association in Egypt. In 2016, he moved to Tunisia as the Advocacy Advisor at IPPF Arab World Regional Office. In 2019, he moved to Bulgaria with his family to start his consulting work. Since then he worked with RNW Media, WHO and IPPF. He is currently the Lead for IPPF's Global Social Movements Centre based in Morocco that aims at building stronger momentum for SRHR movements across the globe.

Marissa Billowitz is an accomplished senior-level professional with twenty years of experience in local and global non-profit and academic organizations. Marissa has extensive experience in gender and sexual and reproductive rights strategy design and implementation, with a focus on ensuring the integration of human rights and gender transformative approaches in health programs, particularly for adolescents. She has a background in the study of social movements, and has supported the capacity building and funding of feminist and LGBTQI organizations. With experience supporting programs and partners throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as South Asia and Southern Africa, Marissa's skills include strategic planning, capacity building and training, curriculum development, and qualitative research and evaluation. She holds a Master’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University.

Mwikali is a public health specialist that advocates for the sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR) of young people, women and marginalized groups at the national, regional and international levels. She focuses on advocacy, research, and policy development and communication of youth groups. She has extensive experience in various health fields including in health systems strengthening, policy development and analysis, Advocacy, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) including family planning, HIV/AIDS, WASH, gender equality & equity, behaviour change communication, capacity building, infectious diseases, nutrition.  Mwikali has a background in Applied Behavior Science; Community Health and Development from the University of Kansas and a MPH from the University of Sheffield. Mwikali is the National Coordinator at the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance in Kenya promoting sexual reproductive health and rights and likes to move between high-level policy development and grass-roots fieldworks to support individuals and communities to access and participate in the social development process. Mwikali’s passion is in health systems strengthening and health financing to improve reproductive health and Non-communicable disease prevention and management.

Mwikali has lived in Africa, North America, and the UK.

Olaoluwa (Ola) Abagun is a Nigerian human rights lawyer, an unapologetic feminist, and an ardent advocate for youth-led change-making. She is the Executive Director of ATHENA Network - a global feminist collective that advances gender equality and human rights in the global response to HIV/AIDS. Ola brings 9 years of experience in grassroots and high-level gender equality advocacy, facilitating participatory processes with young people, as well as programme management and research on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues, gender transformative education, and gender-based violence. From 2019 - 2021, she served as the Coordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Gender Equality Network (CYGEN), supporting collaborative advocacy efforts among 200 youth advocates across all regions of the Commonwealth. She has also worked as a Consultant with several INGOs and multilateral organisations, including UNICEF, UNGEI, Plan International, and the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP) where she designed and co-implemented youth engagement processes, learning/capacity strengthening interventions for SRHR advocates, and qualitative programme evaluation. Ola holds a Master in Gender and Development (with distinction) from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex.

RADHIKA BIJOYINI is a writer and researcher with an interest in environment, gender, land rights and sustainable lifestyles. With 14+ years of experience, Radhika has worked in mental health and youth advocacy, later moving to community media, creating networks of citizen journalists across India, conducting training on documenting gender issues, and developing and sustaining partnerships with grassroots movements and global, feminist organisations, to support and advance citizen-led advocacy at local and policy level. 

She currently consults with rights based organisations and funders like ARROW, CREA, World YWCA, UNESCO and various Women’s Funds in South Asia to document, evaluate and research their work to better understand the scope of advocacy and impact of their programs. She is a former Fellow of Change.org Foundation (India), where she worked with a cohort of over 150 female campaigners using digital action to escalate campaigns.

Radhika serves as Advisor, Strategic Partnerships, with Rati Foundation, a Mumbai based non-profit focused on prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation. She holds a Master’s degree in Gender, Culture and Development Theories & Practice, from the Women’s Studies Centre, University of Pune.

Ricardo is an activist and researcher from Mexico with extensive experience in sexual and reproductive rights, HIV and STIs, LGBT+ health, drug policy, and harm reduction in Latin America and beyond. Ricardo has been part of many local and international organizations where he coordinated projects, led advocacy efforts, and conducted qualitative and quantitative research. Also, he is a professional speaker and a capacity-building expert. He has consulted for many agencies including the Global Fund, UNFPA, and UNAIDS. Ricardo is also a regular collaborator in traditional media and a social media content creator. He loves dancing, running and reading. Ricardo currently lives in a wonderful CDMX and he’s always happy to show people around his city.

Sanne Thijssen is an independent consultant working on sexual and reproductive health and rights and meaningful youth participation. Through her consultancy work, Sanne strives to shift perspectives, create unique solutions and stimulate engaging conversations in and between both fields. She successfully supports national and global actors to create an impact by bolstering their advocacy, research and communication efforts.

Sanne has a BSc in European Public Health (Maastricht University) and an MSc double-degree in Public Policy & Human Development (United Nations University- MERIT / Maastricht University). Amongst others, Sanne’s previous experiences include working as the Dutch Youth Ambassador for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights(2016-2017) and supporting research efforts at the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM).  She is also the founder of Stories To Action, a platform dedicated to amplifying young people’s voices and perspectives on SRHR and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanne’s ongoing and previous work within the field of SRHR has led to her nomination as a Women Deliver Young Leader (2018-2020 Class).

Sara Pellegrom has been an advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights for a decade. As a consultant for The Torchlight Collective, she specializes in program design and implementation aimed at advancing the health and rights of young people. She leverages her expertise in technical assistance, advocacy, and project management to advise donors and program implementers on how to reach, engage, and support youth advocates. She also uses her skills in research, technical writing, and storytelling to support the development of toolkits, training curricula, and communications materials. Before joining Torchlight, Sara spent four and a half years at Women Deliver, where she contributed to the strategic development of the Young Leaders Program and supported the program’s capacity-building activities, grantmaking efforts, and advocacy strategies. She has also interned and consulted with the International Planned Parenthood Federation / Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR) and credits her internship with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Nairobi, Kenya for piquing her interest in public health. Sara holds a Masters of Public Health from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Rhodes College.

Sarah Zaman is a feminist activist, social sector researcher, development practioner and (adjunct) university lecturer. She has held leadership positions in different women's and human rights organizations in Pakistan for over 14 years, including War Against Rape, Indus Resource Center, Aurat Foundation, and Shirkat Gah - Women’s Resource Center. As an intersectional gender expert, she has lent technical and research expertise to different government and non-governmental organizations within Pakistan in terms of policy reviews, policy & legislative drafting, organizational evaluations & strategic planning. As a consultant, her repertoire of organizations include the Rural Support Programs Network in Pakistan; UN WOMEN; Population Council; Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); the Asia Pacific Alliance for SRHR (APA); the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD); the World Bank Group; and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 

Sarah centralizes women and girls in all her work, and frequently explores the intersections between gender, bodily autonomy, violence & conflict, governance & public policy, social justice & human rights in different contexts.  She holds a Masters’ degree in Mass Communication, and as an activist, she organizes and campaigns with diverse national, regional and global feminist civil society groups & networks. 

Sharaf Boborakhimov is an independent consultant in the development and humanitarian sectors with over 8 years of experience across the Global South, including in Afghanistan, Argentina, Bulgaria, Jordan, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Ukraine. He has a proven track record in project management, strategy development, research, inter-agency coordination, and community engagement, particularly in health and education projects focusing on marginalized groups. He holds a Master's Degree in Global Studies from Humboldt University of Berlin, complemented by exchange semesters at FLACSO (Argentina) and Chulalongkorn University (Thailand). He also earned a Diploma of Specialist in International Economy from Tajik National University.

His expertise includes managing complex projects, advancing innovative approaches in communication for impact, developing curricula and learning, facilitating workshops and training, and engaging with diverse stakeholders. Sharaf has been actively involved in global sexual and reproductive health and comprehensive sexuality education projects through civil society organizations and United Nations agencies. He is fluent in English, Russian, and Tajik, with conversational skills in Farsi and German. Passionate about advocacy for marginalized communities, Sharaf enjoys traveling and connecting with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Sophie is a talented project manager and researcher with nearly two decades of experience in international development. She leverages a robust background in global health, emphasizing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equity, and reproductive justice. With competencies honed through impactful roles, including Program Adviser at the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Sophie has mastered the intricacies of program design, management, and evaluation. Her skill set is reinforced by solid MBA credentials and complemented by community development and engagement expertise.

In collaboration with a multitude of international and not-for-profit organizations, her contributions have spanned curriculum development on comprehensive sexuality education and the provision of technical guidance on youth SRHR. Her recent endeavors include leading a significant project on youth social accountability for Save the Children US and synthesizing research for UNESCO on education for health and well-being. Guided by a commitment to social justice, Sophie excels in engaging multiple stakeholders and empowering communities with sustainable health solutions.

Sophie is bilingual (English-French) and holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School, Scotland, and an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Yemurai Nyoni specializes in building youth advocacy and accountability networks in low and middle income countries, developing SRHR accountability and advocacy strategies, and facilitating meaningful youth engagement in decision-making on adolescent health. He has over ten years of experience in facilitating civic engagement, with substantive work completed in Africa and Europe. Yemurai has held positions in multiple non-profit boards and has helped facilitate the establishment of youth engagement platforms in Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, India and the United Kingdom. Through these engagements, he has helped establish and lead initiatives on ending child marriage, maternal mortality reduction, family planning, gender equality, youth employment, youth participation and comprehensive sexuality education.

He holds a BA in Development Studies and International Relations from the University of Westminster, and is the author of, ‘Seeds of Change: Six Letters’.