Team & Experts

Misza Czerniak joined Ashoka in August 2019 to develop, coordinate and promote the Journey to Changemaker Certificate Program. He is responsible for strengthening the relations with the existing participants of the program as well as for engaging new higher education institutions from Poland and beyond.

Misza is a human rights advocate, translator, and musician. He was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984. Since 2011, he’s been living in Warsaw, Poland. Professionally trained in linguistics, IT and choral conducting, Misza has been involved in various levels of project management and international cooperation facilitation, serving as the concert producer at the Catholic Cathedral in Moscow (2007-2011), the manager of the Russian-Polish Reconciliation Conference in Warsaw (2012-2013) and as the programme officer of the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups, involved in political and church human rights advocacy (2014-2019). In 2014, Misza founded Voces Gaudii, the first choir for LGBT persons and friends in Poland.

mczerniak@ashoka.org

Agata is an Ashoka Fellow since 2001. She is dedicated to reshaping public opinion by educating the civil sphere on the effective use of media. By working to create alliances among media professionals, marketing executives, and changemakers, she brought attention to shared problems in Poland and in Serbia. She worked for Danone as corporate responsibility manager and for PwC as a co-leader of the sustainable business solutions team. Now as a country director for Ashoka Poland she still works for the same goal – to make the world know more about the great Ashoka Fellows in order for everyone to feel they could become changemakers as well.

“We know ourselves only to the extent to which we have been tested.”
Wisława Szymborska

astafiejbartosik@ashoka.org

Dr. Luca Solesin is Change Manager at Ashoka Italy. With 15 years of experience in cultural and artistic movements, Dr. Solesin holds a bachelor’s degree in literature and a master’s degree in political science. He worked at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the Education Sector following research projects on the future of education, leading to the creation of UNESCO’s publication “Rethinking education: toward a global common good?”, and the evaluation process of the Civil Society Education Fund. Dr. Solesin holds a Ph.D. on global education policies at the University of Bergamo focusing his research on global education governance mechanisms and the evolving role of educational stakeholders in a global context. At Ashoka, he is in charge of the Children and Youth program in Italy.

Ross worked for Ashoka in 2014-2019. Currently, he leads the Weaving Lab, a global learning community of leaders who are advancing the practice and profession of weaving thriving learning communities.

Ross has founded and grown more than 20 businesses around the world. Over the past 8 years, he has focused his energy on building a ground-breaking education programme that aims to empower and incline young people to be changemakers – to make a better world. The ‘Better World’ programme aims to develop a sophisticated understanding of what quality of life actually is - and a deep knowledge of our inner powers that most determine our quality of life. The programme is currently live with 500,000 children in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, and is now being extended to Ghana, the UK and Mexico. This grew out of earlier projects that Ross conceived and led for Pearson (under the banner of Education for Economic and Social Development), which involved ministries, employers and educators evaluating and improving the effectiveness of education systems, institutions and programmes around the world.

Raphaela Toncic-Sorinj is Co-Director of Ashoka Austria, the head of fundraising of Ashoka Europe and the Co-Funder and Director of the Ashoka Visionary Program. She was born in Salzburg, Austria, grew-up in Strasbourg, France, studied Political Science, History and Social Psychology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany, and holds a certificate from the Johns-Hopkins-University, School for Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy.

She started her professional career as a Business Consultant with Ernst & Young and later Capgemini in Process-, Organization- and Change Management and lead numerous projects in this field. After seven years as a Business Consultant, she changed her career path to help building-up the WU Executive Academy, the Business School of the Vienna University of Economics. Besides becoming its Deputy Director, she was responsible for Business and Program Development of the School that grew considerably during those years, not only by people and turn-over, but also by successful programs launched.

Raphaela is happy that the strings of her professional life came together through the opportunity to found the Ashoka Visionary Program and support Ashoka to maximize the impact of our Social Entrepreneurs.

Marina’s work in social entrepreneurship dates back over a decade. She started at Stanford University, leading the Future Social Innovators’ Network, the Social Entrepreneurs’ Challenge, and co-founding the university’s first minor in social innovation. Since then, Marina co-founded and leads Ashoka U, working with campuses to embed social innovation as an educational focus and core value of the university culture. Marina’s work has been featured on Social Edge, change.org, in the Chronicle of Higher Education and the New York Times. Marina was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 for Social Entrepreneurship, recognizing her work with Ashoka U.

Ana (Bulgar) Murray is one of the co-founders of Black Button Books – the first woman-owned publishing house in Romania, devoted to bringing progressive, life-changing books to local readers. Prior, Ana was part for over 9 years of the management team of the largest Southeastern integrated oil & gas company, with a focus on strategy, reputation management, digital communications and program management.
With over 10 years dedicated to public policies, civil and social engagement either through the Lions Clubs International to Aspen Institute Romania (Fellow, 2010) or The German Marshall Fund (Fellow, 2016), Ana strives to find a sustainable path to have an impact. Lately, she launched a pro bono knowledge transfer platform – Social Design Hub – aimed at connecting professionals with NGOs, students and entrepreneurs.

David is currently working at Camilo José Cela University (UCJC), with two main responsibilities: Director of Student’s Personal/Professional Development and Director of the Master's Degree in Social Impact Entrepreneurship

He worked in Ashoka for +6 years. As “Global Strategy Officer” he was in charge of designing and developing the organization strategy and programs worldwide related to Education, Children & Youth. He also provided support to country offices on their efforts preparing the next generation to navigate this rapidly-changing world by ensuring all young people have the critical skills they need to be positive changemakers.
He was part of the Global Education Leadership Team, heading their international Global Alliance, engaging “change leaders” from Changemaker Schools, Ashoka Fellows and other key partners working together for a new paradigm of growing up and education where every child becomes a changemaker.

Until December 2018 he was the co-Director of Ashoka Spain and responsible of the Changemaker Education and Youth strategy. Their impact was recognized in Spain by the prestigious national prize: Premio Magisterio 2015. He was also awarded in 2017 with the prize “Innovation Genius” in Education by the communication group Vocento.

In 2017 he published the book “¿Por qué educamos?” (Why do we educate?). It develops the vision on how to empower young people as changemakers through an ecosystemic effort. It has conversations with 18 relevant change leaders from Spain and other countries, such as Andreas Schleicher, Sir Jim Knight, Kiran Bir Sethi, Montserrat del Pozo, Carmen Pellicer, César Bona…

As an entrepreneur, he's the founder of www.cibercorresponsales.org, an educational program of citizen journalism for young people under 18. Young people driving change in their communities and sharing thoughts and impact. It was recognized by the European Union as one of the best Spanish practices in youth participation in 2013, and it has been awarded by the Media Users Association in Spain.

David has worked for important organizations always in charge of their strategies for fostering changemaking skills in children, youth and teachers, along with different actors in the educational system from primary schools to high schools and universities.

He managed the Education for Development department in Unicef Spain for 6 years, creating from scratch and running their star programme “Enredate.org“, including an active network that today has reached than 5.000 schools.

He also launched and directed the ‘University Amnesty International Groups’ in Spain in 2007. They are still running.

Work/Life Coach certified by ICF.

His background is also a conjunction between education and communication. His degree is in Communications, with a Master's Degree in Educational Television and Media Literacy. Although his additional courses have usually been linked to communications as a tool for social change and people’s empowerment.

Website: https://davidmartindiaz.wordpress.com/