PHAP Secretariat

The core function of the PHAP Secretariat is to implement the activities of the Association in line with the policies and objectives adopted by the Board of Directors. In particular, it is responsible for all matters related to relationships with PHAP members, and it manages the Professional Development Program, ensuring the organization and delivery of high-quality and professionally-relevant training activities across the globe, in close cooperation with PHAP partners.

Staff

The PHAP Secretariat is composed of the following positions:

Angharad Laing has been employed in the field of humanitarian policy since 2003, working primarily with the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University. In her role as Program Associate at HPCR, she was responsible for conducting research and supervising maintenance for the Program's Information Portals on international humanitarian law; preparing briefing notes and information pages on a variety of subjects to be posted on the Portals; and contributing to the production of other Program projects and activities, including policy papers, training sessions, seminars, conferences, and working groups. For four years, Ms. Laing focused in particular on issues of the applicability of international humanitarian law to situations in the Middle East and conducted frequent field research missions to the region, working with a wide range of international and local partners and interlocutors. Prior to her work with HPCR, she was employed by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as the Coordinator of its Visiting Scholars Program. Ms. Laing holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA from Harvard College. Contact Angharad.

Eileen Tufay is currently Program Manager – Professional Development at PHAP in Brussels, Belgium, where she plays a leading role in the operational management and development of partnerships within the framework of the Advanced Professional Trainings on Humanitarian Law and Policy. From 2008 to 2010, Eileen worked at HPCR International as Project Coordinator, playing a key role in overseeing and coordinating international humanitarian law-related projects and worked towards the expansion of the Professional Development Program worldwide prior to its transfer to PHAP. Before taking on her position at HPCR International, Eileen worked for the Conflict Prevention Program at the EastWest Institute’s (EWI) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. At EWI, she provided support to the Secretariat of the International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy, which developed initiatives to help strengthen practical mechanisms to build domestic and political will to shorten the time between early warning and early, effective response to violent conflict. Before pursuing a Master degree (cum laude) in Conflict studies at Leuven University, she worked at two grassroots level non-governmental organizations at the East coast of Sri Lanka, where she was involved in humanitarian aid projects benefitting Tsunami and war-affected victims. Eileen holds a B.A. (magna cum laude) in Political Sciences and International Relations from Louvain-la-Neuve University, and is currently reading an LLM in International Law with International Relations at the Brussels School of International Studies, Kent University. Contact Eileen.

With her academic background in social and cultural anthropology and humanitarian action, Lena Zimmer worked for six years as both an academic and practitioner in humanitarian assistance, protection, and development in Asia and Europe. Her regional specialization is Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand) and Sub-Saharan Africa (Sudan); thematically she focuses on issues related to migration, to children and youth, and to the politicization of aid and humanitarian space. She utilizes documentary film as part of her methodological repertoire. Before joining PHAP as Member Relations Associate, she worked for national and international NGOs, for UNICEF, for academic institutions, and for the European Commission (ECHO). She holds a NOHA Master’s degree in International Humanitarian Action, which she gained from Bochum University, Uppsala University, and Columbia University New York, as well as a Magister Degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the Free University of Berlin. Contact Lena.

Caterina holds a Master in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland where she focused on international trade law and cross-sectoral issues, namely human rights and environmental protection. She holds a BA in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Pisa, Italy. Before joining PHAP as Communications and Events associate, she worked two years in Geneva, Switzerland for international and non-governmental organizations alike in the humanitarian policy area. Prior to joining PHAP, she spent several months in Jordan, volunteering with local NGOs. Contact Caterina.

Location

+32 (0)2 888 72 74