Executive Committee (ExCom)
The Executive Committee (ExCom) serves as ECW’s operational decision-making body, supporting the HLSG in the strategic governance of the Fund. It oversees implementation by approving budgets, grants, workplans and key policies. Composed of senior representatives from donor governments, crisis-affected countries, the private sector, civil society, UN agencies and key partners, ExCom ensures accountability, coherence and risk management. Meeting at least three times annually, it refers matters of strategic importance to the HLSG and guides the Secretariat’s programmatic and operational direction. Members, appointed by their constituencies/institutions, serve in a non-compensated capacity.
ExCom Members (as of July 2025, by constituency)
Dr. Heike Kuhn
Dr. Heike Kuhn heads the Education Division at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and holds a Ph.D. in Administrative Sciences. She has over 30 years of experience in European and multilateral development, human rights and financing. Previously the Executive Board Director at IFAD, she co-chairs ECW’s Executive Committee (since June 2023) with Switzerland.
Dominik Stillhart
Dominik Stillhart is Delegate for Humanitarian Aid and Head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit in the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) since March 2023 – also serving as SDC Deputy Director General. Prior to this, he worked over 30 years with the International Committee of the Red Cross, serving as its Global Director of Operations from 2014 to 2022.
Amrita Paul
Amrita Paul currently serves as Director of the Education and Ending Violence Division at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), where she advances Canada’s priorities in global education, gender-based violence and child protection. She has held a wide range of leadership roles at GAC, including as Director of Development Programmes for Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin and Burkina Faso – and is a seasoned international development professional with extensive experience in strategic policy, programme management and intergovernmental coordination.
Dr. Paul St John Frisoli
Paul Frisoli, Ed.D. has over 20 years working in education development and education and emergencies, working as a teacher, practitioner, private sector donor, and bilateral donor. His work has been on the intersections of education programming, research, and policy with a thematic focus on early childhood development, quality and playful education, teacher professional development, mental health and psychosocial support, social emotional learning, literacy, numeracy, and girls´ education. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paul was the Global Director for LEGO Foundation’s humanitarian and East Africa funding portfolios. He holds a doctorate of education in Education Policy, Research, and Administration from the University of Massachusetts.
Mada AlSuwaidi
Mada AlSuwaidi is the Director of Programmes at Dubai Cares with over a decade of experience in global non-profit education. Mada leads programmatic strategy and oversees Dubai Cares strategic partnerships and programmes. Since joining Dubai Cares in 2013, she has been instrumental in driving innovation, strengthening partnerships and ensuring the sustainability of education interventions worldwide.
Annica M. Floren
Annica Floren has a long career in EU development cooperation and currently holds the post as Deputy Head of Unit in charge of Youth, Education and Research, Culture at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships.
Hanna Alasuutari
Hanna Alasuutari is Senior Education Adviser at the Department for Development Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. She has over 25 years of experience in the education sector research and global development in various contexts with specific focus on equity and inclusion in different levels of education, teacher education, and education sector partnerships.
Laurence Mondesir
Laurence Mondesir is Education Technical Advisor at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs since September 2024. She follows and advises on the participation of France in two multilateral funds: Education Cannot Wait and Global Partnership for Education. She has six years of experience in the field of education, both on the ground (Senegal, Gambia, Kenya) and in the headquarters of institutions (Germany, France). She has been dedicated to strengthening education systems in developing countries and fostering global dialogue to promote support to education.
Dr. Justin van Fleet
Justin van Fleet is President of Theirworld and CEO of the Global Business Coalition for Education. He was Director of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, Chief of Staff to UN Special Envoy The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, and helped establish Education Cannot Wait and the International Finance Facility for Education.
Frank McManus
Frank McManus has been leading International Development efforts at multiple civil society organizations, including IRC and GOAL, serving mainly as a Country Director for over 20 years across the world. He has delivered quality multi-sectoral programs in fast-paced and highly complex humanitarian contexts.
Tarek Alami
Tarek Alami, Vice President at The LEGO Foundation, leads global grant-making to advance children’s development. He has transformed education systems, driven large-scale reform, served as Managing Director at Education Development Trust, helped establish Dubai’s education regulatory body and has served on global education boards.
Merete Lundemo
Merete Lundemo has 35 years of diplomatic experience across Europe, Asia and Africa. She served as Norway’s Special Representative for the Sahel, Ambassador to Abidjan, Dhaka and Ethiopia before becoming Special Envoy for Education in Crisis and Conflict in 2022. She also previously advised the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies President and served as an election observer.
Simeon Mawanza
Simeon Mawanza is the lead of the Children in Displacement Challenge at Porticus. He has over 25 years of professional experience spanning the fields of human rights, development and education. He holds an MSc in Development Management.
Sheikha Haya Abdulrahman Al-Thani
Sheikha Haya Abdulrahman Al-Thani has 11 years of experience in high-level government offices, overseeing stakeholder engagement and project management at national and international levels. She has built strategic relationships with government agencies and the private sector, successfully delivering projects with long-term strategic impacts.
Judith Herbertson
Judith Herbertson is the Deputy Director leading the Girls’ Education Department at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. She oversees the UK’s global policies on girls’ education to deliver the government’s commitment to provide all girls globally with 12 years of quality education. She also oversees a portfolio of UK-funded interventions through global funds, multilateral channels and in-country bilateral programmes.
Fadi Yarak
Fadi Yarak is the Director General of Education in the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education. He is responsible for the direction and operation of the Lebanese schools. He also serves as Chair of the Board of the Indemnity Fund for private schools. Formerly, he was Senior Adviser for Education in Arab States at UNESCO.
Hon. Omot Okony Olok Guon
Hon. Omot Okony Olok Guon is a distinguished education leader and reformer with over three decades of experience in teaching, curriculum development, teacher education and quality assurance. He currently serves as Undersecretary of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction in South Sudan, providing strategic leadership in education policy, curriculum oversight and system-wide reforms that strengthen the delivery of quality education across the country. Prior to this appointment, Hon. Omot served as Director General of the National Curriculum Development Centre and Director General for Quality Assurance and Standards, leading national initiatives in curriculum reform, teacher professional development and the integration of EiE into the broader educational system.
Friedrich Affolter
Friedrich Affolter is UNICEF’s Global Education Coordinator, leading programs on inclusive education, peacebuilding, early childhood development, and psychosocial protection. He has worked in Syria, Afghanistan, Angola, South Africa, Sudan, and UNICEF HQ in New York, focusing on risk-informed education and community mobilization for resilience and gender-sensitive learning systems.
Michelle Brown
Michelle Brown has 25 years of experience in humanitarian response leadership and co-ordination and has worked in a range of country roles in Africa and Asia with Save the Children and Merlin. She holds an MSc degree in Health Promotion Sciences and graduate diploma Coaching Leadership in times of crisis and transformation.
Margarita Focas Licht
After leading the Global Partnership for Education’s country support (2015-2019), Margarita Focas Licht now strengthens partnership effectiveness and engagement. She has 30+ years in education support in lower-income countries with UNICEF, Save the Children and UNESCO. She advances marginalized children’s education via formal and alternative pathways, spanning development and emergency contexts.
Dr. Faiza Hassan
Faiza Hassan became the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies Director in 2025, bringing 20 years of experience in education in emergencies. A chemical engineer turned education leader, she worked with UNICEF, CARE and Save the Children across East Africa. Raised in Somalia, Yemen, the Netherlands and the UK, she speaks Somali, Arabic, Dutch and English.
Min Jeong Kim
Min Jeong Kim has 25+ years of experience in educational development and global advocacy. She previously served as UNESCO Head of Office in Jordan and Myanmar and led the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative. Kim holds advanced degrees from Amsterdam, Yonsei and Seoul National University, and has worked in Tanzania and Lebanon.
Dr. Rebecca Telford
Dr. Becky Telford is Chief of UNHCR’s Education Section, with 20 years’ experience supporting crisis-affected children. She has worked at headquarters and in the field across sub-Saharan Africa, UNICEF, NGOs, and corporate foundations. Becky holds a doctorate from the University of Leicester on technology, teaching in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp.
Nazim Khizar
Dr. Pia Rebello Britto
Pia Rebello Britto became UNICEF’s Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development in August 2024. She previously served as UNICEF Representative in Lao PDR and as Global Chief of Early Childhood Development. A former Yale assistant professor with over 100 publications, she holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia.
Ilaria Dettori
Ilaria Dettori is the Director of the Nutrition, School Meals and Social Protection Service at WFP, overseeing global efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition, ensure every child has the opportunity to receive nutritious school meals and strengthen nationally led social protection systems. Ilaria brings over two decades of experience within WFP, combining deep organizational knowledge with a strong track record in both programme and operational leadership. She also steers and provides strategic guidance to the School Meals Coalition Secretariat. Prior to joining WFP, Ilaria worked with CARE International and other international NGOs in a variety of humanitarian roles across Malawi, Southern Africa, Burundi and the United Kingdom.
Christian Bodewig
Christian Bodewig is the World Bank Group Director for Education and Skills. Prior to this assignment, he served as Practice Manager in the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labor global department and in the Western and Central Africa region, based in Dakar. Christian brings extensive regional experience and technical expertise in social protection, labor, youth employment, skills, and education.
Ahanonou Odinakachi
Ahanonu Odinakachi is a passionate development advocate with strong background in education policies and community engagement to advance equity and resilience across undeserved communities through coalition building and evidence-based advocacy. She has been instrumental in shaping national discourse on critical issues such as, Out-of-school children, Gender Inequality and Girl-Child Education and Education Financing and Accountability, Currently, the Policy Advisor of CSACEFA, a leading coalition dedicated to promoting inclusive, equitable, and quality education across Nigeria.
Dr. Dennis Sinyolo
Dr Dennis Sinyolo is Africa Director of Education International. He sits on several boards and committees, including the Global Partnership for Education, the International Task Force on Teachers, the Executive Committee of Education Cannot Wait and UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa. Dr Sinyolo is also chairperson of the African Union’s Teacher Development Cluster. He has written several books and articles on education and teachers. Born in Zimbabwe, Dr Sinyolo holds diploma in education, a bachelor’s degree in Educational Administration, Planning and Policy Studies from the University of Zimbabwe, a masters degree in the same area from Zimbabwe Open University, and a doctorate in Education Management from the University of South Africa.
Hector Enoc Ulloa Chinchilla
Hector Ulloa was the President of the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund and Steering Committee Member of the Global Students Forum. Through these positions he worked internationally with the right to education, academic freedom, and human rights. Currently, he is Outreach Director of Skatteforsk - Centre for Tax Research.
Tyler Arnot
Tyler Arnot, Director of Global Programmes at Street Child, has spent his career in education in emergencies. Previously, he developed MYRPs and manuals for ECW, advised on policy with Global Affairs Canada, and co-led the Global Education Cluster, championing localized solutions in crisis settings. Tyler is also a former teacher.
Petra Heusser
Petra Heusser has worked for nearly two decades in the international humanitarian field for the protection and education of children, refugees and migrants. Since its establishment in late 2020, Petra heads the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies Secretariat and strategically steers collective objectives. Petra worked previously for the UNICEF-led Global Child Protection Area of Responsibility and has extensive field experience spanning Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, collaborating with Governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations.