Our team

Joëlle Germanier is the Executive Director of the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN). Previously heading the Operations department, since 2021 she has been leading the CCHN as it transitioned from a pilot project to a long-term initiative.

Before joining the CCHN in 2018, Joëlle has spent a decade as a humanitarian negotiator for both non-governmental and international organisations, deployed in multiple conflict zones. She has worked for several years at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in various field operations in Africa and Latin America, focusing her contribution on protection and operational management. She was then posted as Policy and Outreach Advisor at the ICRC’s Headquarters in Geneva. Before joining the humanitarian sector, she had served for the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs abroad.

Joëlle holds a Master’s Degree in international public law with a specialization in international humanitarian law and a Bachelor’s Degree in international relations from the universities of Geneva, Vienna and Lucerne (Switzerland). Additionally, she earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies in public governance, negotiation and administration from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and has completed several negotiation trainings.

Rehan Zahid became the CCHN Deputy Director in January 2022. He had previously been involved in the Centre’s work as Chief of Advisory Services, providing humanitarian agencies with advisory support in the management of negotiation processes.

During his 10-year tenure at the World Food Programme, he served in various roles in the field as well as in leadership positions at the organization’s Rome Headquarters; most recently, as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Rehan has negotiation experiences across a range of contexts, including Yemen, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Sudan, South Sudan.

Rehan holds a Master of Public Affairs in Social and Economic Policy awarded by the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs (USA) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics awarded by the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan).

Loredana is in charge of managing the CCHN's financial operations. She has experience working with nonprofit organisations and the private sector on finance, operations, and organisational transformation. She strongly believes in the professionalisation of NGO operations as an enabler for their impact; in her capacity, either as staff or as a volunteer, she has strived to contribute to their organisational development.

Originally from Romania, Loredana has a Master’s Degree in Financial Management and is a project manager with certifications in both traditional and agile methodologies. In her free time, Loredana loves volunteering for organisations supporting women's advancement, children's education, environmental protection and professional development.

Toufik Naili joined the CCHN in September 2019 and is in charge of the CCHN’s learning curriculum.

He had previously worked for the ICRC, both as a protection delegate in the Middle East and as the Learning Facilitator for the Humanitarian Leadership Program in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Before, he worked as a Project Coordinator for the French Cooperation for the Middle East.

Toufik holds a Master's Degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Manchester.

Olivier Chassot has been leading the CCHN’s Operations Regional Team since August 2024. He is in charge of overseeing the CCHN operations at a regional level, fostering knowledge management across regions and contributing to the CCHN networking and partnerships.

Previously, he worked for over 11 years with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in various operational and management roles in complex conflict environments. More recently, he was Deputy Head of Mission in Jerusalem, Field Security and Crisis Management Coordinator in Myanmar and Deputy Head of Delegation in charge of the operations in Venezuela. He started his humanitarian career as a UN Volunteer in Darfur, Sudan.

Olivier holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and another one in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the University of the Arts in London. In addition to English and French, Olivier speaks Spanish and rusty German.

Stéphanie joined the ICRC through the Canadian Red Cross in 2013. She worked as a protection delegate in Colombia, supported the Detention Unit in Geneva before taking on a position as a consultant in humanitarian diplomacy for the Regional Delegation for Panama and the Caribbean. Previously she has worked for the International Centre for Crime Prevention in Québec, Canada and for CUSO International in Peru.

Her academic background in social studies, law and public administration led her to professionally focus on development work and humanitarian action.

Thaer Allaw has been leading the CCHN’s activities for the Middle East and North Africa since May 2022. He oversees operations at a regional level, fostering knowledge management across regions and contributing to the CCHN networking and partnerships.

Thaer has worked with multiple humanitarian organisations, including the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, Oxfam, the Danish Refugee Council, and the United Nations. His expertise includes humanitarian protection, capacity development, access and negotiation.

He holds an MA in Global Diplomacy and speaks English and Arabic, can order food in French, and ask for a table for two in Spanish.

Maude manages the Pressure Management, Community of Care and Mentoring projects and collaborates in the Systemisation project. She has more than 15 years of experience as Executive Assistant and Information Management Officer in several ICRC Departments. She is also a certified coach, hypnotherapist, graduate in neuro-linguistic programming and IPMA project manager.

Hala joined the CCHN in April 2023. She is responsible for conducting research on the topics of protection, health care, and diversity in humanitarian negotiations, and overseeing the advanced workshops on humanitarian negotiation.

Hala has extensive experience as a humanitarian professional, having worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Danish Refugee Council, and Action contre la faim among others, in contexts such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. She is particularly interested in the strategic impact of humanitarian work and the daily discussions that make it happen.

Besides her field experience, Hala also worked as a Learning and Development Coordinator at Bioforce Institute and contributed to the development of several capacity-building programmes in contexts like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Haiti, and Central African Republic.

Hala is a Lebanese national who speaks fluent Arabic, French, and English. She holds a master’s degree in public health (MPH) with a specialisation in Health Management and Policy from the American University of Beirut, as well as an MPH in Economic Evaluation and Research from Université de Lyon I.

Marly joined the CCHN as an Operations Associate for the Africa in November 2024.

Previously, Marly worked in project management, knowledge management, and political affairs, notably with the UN Department of Peace Operations and various NGOs, such as Terre des Hommes and Geneva Call.

She holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Geneva, where she also obtained an advanced specialization in quantitative methods.

Originally from France and Guinea, Marly is fluent in both English and French.

Inès joined the CCHN in October 2024. She is responsible for supporting CCHN events, capacity building, research, content development, and engagement with humanitarian professionals in Europe, as well as on protection and healthcare.

Previously, she worked within the Division of International Protection of UNHCR, with the Humanitarian Action Section of OHCHR, as well as in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Inès holds a master's degree in Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, as well as a master's degree in Philosophy of Law and Political Philosophy from the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, where she also obtained a double bachelor's degree in Law and in Philosophy.

Zoia joined the CCHN as the Operations Associate for the Middle East, North Africa and Asia in October 2024. She is responsible for supporting engagement, capacity-building activities, and CCHN events across these regions.

Prior to joining the CCHN, Zoia worked as a Research Assistant for ETH Zurich’s Peace Observatory Project and contributed to the PRIMA Project at the Center for Conflict Development and Peacebuilding. She has also served as a Junior Project Officer at Trust Consultancy and Development and coordinated intercultural and social justice workshops at the University of British Columbia.

Zoia holds an MA in International and Development Studies with a specialisation in Conflict, Peace, and Security from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a BA in International Relations from the University of British Columbia. She is fluent in Arabic, English, and Russian, and conversational in French.

Liza Abdulla joined the CCHN in May 2020. She is currently responsible for organising online and worldwide workshops. Previously she had worked in the travel and tourism sector for 10 years and especially in several travel offices such as P&G, Swiss TV, and ICRC and has also experience in hotel management. She recently obtained the diploma "Event Management 360˚" from the SAWI Academy for Marketing and Communication in Lausanne. She holds a diploma in tourism and apprentice trainer. Liza is very interested in humanitarian aid and gives French lessons to Afghan refugees as a volunteer.

Nikolas Rubiato is currently responsible for the logistics of the different CCHN workshops taking place around the world. Previously he had worked for the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN) as a protocol officer in charge of organizing the visits of the official guests of the directorate. He has a diploma in hospitality management but has always been interested in the organization of events particularly in the humanitarian field.

Barbara has been in charge of the CCHN's communication activities since 2021. Before then, she managed the communication department at Sphere, an Non-Governmental Organization focusing on minimum humanitarian standards, and at ICMC, a humanitarian organisation providing support to migrants and refugees. She had previously worked with Médecins Sans Frontières.

Barbara holds a Master’s Degree in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Switzerland), an undergraduate degree in Human Rights from the University of Padua (Italy), and an Advanced Certificate in Corporate Communications from the University of Fribourg's School of Management. In addition to English and French, Barbara speaks Italian and Spanish.

Ana Paula has been responsible for developing the CCHN's digital marketing strategy since 2021.

Previously, Ana Paula worked as a freelance translator and editor for United Nations agencies and International Non-Governmental Organizations.

Ana Paula holds a master's degree in Legal and Economic Translation from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), an undergraduate degree in multilingual communication and a Strategy of Content Marketing Certificate from UC Davis. She speaks English, Spanish, and French.