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Meet the secretariat The Friends of the Earth International Secretariat supports and strengthens a global network of environmental activist groups and its international campaigns for an environmentally and socially just and sustainable world. The small Friends of the Earth International Secretariat based in The Netherlands supports the network's campaigns and other activities through fundraising, campaign coordination, workshops, translations, electronic communications, information collection and dissemination, database maintenance and publications. The work of the international secretariat depends heavily upon volunteers.
Wieke Wagenaar joined in May 2000 and is the Operations Manager. She is in charge of the Support team, overseeing finance, human resources, office management and logistics. She previously coordinated the international secretariat of an NGO focused on academic freedom and the right to education. She studied economics and philosophy for a few years but eventually graduated in English language and literature in Amsterdam. Wieke is Dutch and has one son.
Nina Ascoly is our International Programmes Facilitator. Prior to joining Friends of the Earth International in May 2010, she was a coordinator at the Clean Clothes Campaign International Secretariat. Nina has degrees in journalism, political science and women and development and more than 20 years experience with social and environmental justice organisations, ranging from strategy development and coordination to communications and fundraising.
Celia Alldridge joined the International Membership Development team in March 2016. She has over 15 years of experience working and struggling with social movements in Brazil and internationally, including rural and urban workers movements and the World March of Women. Celia is specialised in programme coordination and grassroots feminism work, training and organising, with a Masters in Gender and Development and many years of activism in the feminist movement. Celia is based in Brazil.
Colleen F. Halley, with FoEI since 2018, serves as the International Fundraising Officer focused on raising funds from US-based donors to support the federation. Her work is informed by 10 years as Associate Director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, 25 years of volunteer leadership with Amnesty International, and a decade strengthening civil society in Russia and the former Soviet Union. She has an undergraduate degree in Writing and History and a master's degree in International Studies - Russian. Colleen spends her free time surfing in New Jersey where she lives with her 2 rescue dogs.
Fieke Jagers joined in September 2018, as the International Program Officer for the Climate Justice and Energy program and the Economic Justice Resisting Neoliberalism program. She previously worked as a Program Officer for ActionAid. She holds BAs in Cultural Anthropology & Sociology and Fine Arts, and a MSc in International Development.
Willie Meester joined us as Human Resources Officer in October 2018, following four years living and working in Thailand. She has studied Hospitality Management, Communications and Human Resource Management and has held various HR roles. Willie lives in Amsterdam, where she also runs a coaching and holistic health practice working with clients to boost their overall performance, health and wellbeing
Madeleine Race joined the Communications team in May 2019, as Communications Officer. Her work involves web content, social media and press work, as well as supporting groups and regions. Originally from the UK, Madeleine has worked and volunteered for social causes in various countries, including Uganda, Ecuador and India. Her specific work experience in communications and network support includes two years with a community-driven development NGO in Senegal and one year with a health charity in the UK. She holds a BA in Modern Languages and an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development.
Our work would not be possible without the dedicated work of our regular volunteers