Our Team

GenPol’s international team share a keen interest in gender equality issues, have excellent interdisciplinary research skills, and experience in policy-making, the media world and campaigning. The international profile of the team also allows them to research, import and spread best practices across different countries.

Dr Lilia Giugni

Dr Lilia Giugni

Chief Executive Officer

    Dr Lilia Giugni is a Research Associate at the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge, an intersectional feminist activist, and GenPol’s co-founder and CEO. Her research interests and advocacy work include gender-based violence, online abuse, the intersections and synergies between different social justice movements, and the gendered side of work, education, technology and social innovation. A multi-disciplinary researcher, Lilia holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts and Commerce. She has worked in academia, policy and the third sector in Italy, France, the UK, and Vietnam. She regularly writes and delivers talks and keynote speeches on matters of gender and social justice, and sits in the board of several charities, social enterprises and feminist networks.

    Chiara De Santis

    Chiara De Santis

    Chief Policy Officer

      Chiara is GenPol's co-founder and Chief Policy Officer. She chairs GenPol's Research Associates network. She's based in Brussels and works as an independent consultant on matters of EU policies and advocacy. She has experience in EU and global policy, including experience on human rights, gender, social rights, health, education and sustainability issues. She has previously worked for the European Commission, the European Parliament, the UN and both the no-profit and private sector. She holds a Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees in Politics and International Relations and has researched matters of regionalism, foreign policy and gender.

      Ellen Davis-Walker

      Ellen Davis-Walker

      Chief Communications Officer

        Ellen is completing a PhD in French at the University of Edinburgh having completed her Ba and MPhil at the University of Cambridge. She is a freelance writer and translator, and has worked at several international film festivals in France, Italy and the UK. She has additional experience in simultaneous interpretation, and has previously worked as a legal researcher focusing on international and employment law in Francophone Africa. Her academic research focuses on colonial memory and transnational migration, and their impact on city spaces.

        Francesca Di Nuzzo

        Francesca Di Nuzzo

        Chief Financial Officer

          Francesca is a consultant for the cultural sector with a background in environmental economics and statistics. She has worked on matters relating to gender, organised crime and environmental policy, and has experience working in the public sector and academia in Italy and the UK. She started reflecting on matters of gender during her time at female-only Newnham College (Cambridge University), where she obtained her master's degree.

          Giorgia Carofiglio

          Giorgia Carofiglio

          Junior Advocacy Officer

            Giorgia is currently based in Cambridge. She recently completed a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory at UCL in London, working mainly on feminist theory. Her final research project was at the crossroads of political philosophy, ethics, and art theory, and focused on the relationship between art and structural injustice in the context of gender inequality.

            Alessandra Sciarra

            Alessandra Sciarra

            Junior Advocacy Officer

              Alessandra recently graduated from LSE with a master’s degree in International Social and Public Policy. She is interested in gender dynamics, economic inequality and informality and has recently conducted a research on the effects of informality on the exploitation of women’s body in the agricultural sector. She identifies as a feminist and advocates for the rights of women and minority groups.

              Our Board

              Lara Miller

              Lara Miller

              Non-Executive Director

                Lara Miller is the co-founder and CEO of AmaElla, a Cambridge-based social venture specialised in premium sustainable and ethical lingerie and nightwear. Lara is Cambridge MBA with a marketing background in fast moving consumer goods and e-commerce. She has experience managing brands ranges from leading media campaigns to conducting market research and launching new products. Prior to founding AmaElla, Lara attended courses at the London University of the Arts with a focus on fashion design and the lingerie industry. A lover of natural spaces, she likes to spend time by the sea and at the countryside. Her concept of active lifestyle involves physical exercise, thought provoking conversations, and meditation.

                Dr Simone T. A. Phipps

                Dr Simone T. A. Phipps

                Non-Executive Director

                  Dr. Simone T. A. Phipps is an Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business at Middle Georgia State University, and an Associate Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School's Centre for Social Innovation. Her research interests include management history, entrepreneurship, HR practices, leadership, and social issues, especially relationships between the organization and society. Usually, her research involves the exploration or examination of gender, racial, and ethnic minorities, with the aim of highlighting their struggles and contributions, as well as finding possible solutions to improve the minority experience in business and society. She has published articles in respected peer-reviewed journals and has presented her research at a number of reputable conferences. She has also co-authored a book entitled African American Management History: Insights on Gaining a Cooperative Advantage. Dr. Phipps holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Science from Claflin University, an MBA from Ohio University, and a PhD in Human Resource and Leadership Development from Louisiana State University

                  Jessica Rose

                  Jessica Rose

                  Non-Executive Director

                    Jessica Rose is the Director of Philanthropy and Development for the Centro Nacionale de Investigaciones Oncológica (CNIO) in Madrid. For the previous 5 years, Jessica was the Senior Associate Director for the School of Technology for the University of Cambridge. She has worked across government, higher education and the third sector in Australia, the UK and Spain. In 2018, Jessica completed her MSt in Social Innovation from Cambridge Judge Business School, where her pioneering research explored donor-perpetrated sexual harassment of fundraisers, and the pervasive dynamics of sexual and gendered harassment in the charitable industry. Jessica is continuing her research on gender and power via a part-time PhD at the University of Cambridge and is also actively working with academic and industry bodies to confront sexual harassment in the charitable sector.

                    Dr Neil Stott

                    Dr Neil Stott

                    Non-Executive Director

                      Dr Neil Stott is the Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation, the Director of Master of Studies in Social Innovation Programme and a Senior Faculty in Management Practice at the Cambridge Judge Business School. He was Chief Executive of Keystone Trust, one of the largest development trusts in the country delivering community development, social enterprises and property development, until April 2015. Neil is also a Senior Associate of Locality's consultancy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Place Management (SFIPM) and a Fellow of St. Edmund College. He is passionate about social innovation, organisational socialisation, and supporting social entrepreneurship and institutional change. He has widely published on these topics.

                      Our Advisors

                      Mark Goodson

                      Mark Goodson

                      Advisor

                        Mark Goodson has been a business advisor with Cambridge Social Ventures (part of the University of Cambridge) since its inception in 2014. During this time he has worked with over 100 social ventures, supporting their growth and helping them make a positive impact in the world. Prior to this he spent over 30 years in technology, co-founding venture capital funded start-ups, taking on senior positions at companies such as Cambridge Silicon Radio and acting as a consultant to technology companies. He has founded a number of ventures, both commercial and social, and is also a post-graduate qualified coach and mentor

                        Maria Grazia Sangalli

                        Maria Grazia Sangalli

                        Advisor

                          Maria Grazia is a lawyer and human rights activist, specialising in hearings before Corte di Cassazione, the highest court in the Italian judicial system. She is a fellow at the Department of Law at University of Bergamo, Italy, where she teaches gender analysis and anti-discriminatory law.
                          She has served in the board, and then as president of Rete Lenford, a not-for-profit organisation of legal experts defending LGBT+ rights in leading cases before national and international courts. She has been a researcher and project coordinator assistant for EU-funded research projects, including Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, and Civil Justice. She has experience working with asylum seekers, with a particular focus on LGBT+ people, and she serves as member of one of the government commissions managing International Protection for asylum seekers in Italy.

                          Our Research Associates

                          Sarah Awan

                          Sarah Awan

                          Research Associate

                            Sarah is a Manager in Digital at PwC, previously working for a Microsoft consultancy and IBM. As a tech-enthusiast and girls’ rights advocate, Sarah is particularly interested in the role of technology to advance the rights of women and young girls. As a current 30% Club Scholar at the University of Cambridge, Sarah is researching gender diversity within social innovation and how gender parity can be achieved across industries. Sarah has worked with multiple girls’ rights organisations including Plan International and Girl Rising and currently sits on the Board of Australian not-for-profit, CARAD, with the ambition of providing access to an equal education for young girls from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.

                            Venera Dimulescu

                            Venera Dimulescu

                            Research Associate

                              Venera is a freelance journalist and researcher based in Bucharest. She is completing her PhD in nihilism and contemporary feminist theory at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Philosophy. She is also writing about revenge porn and online social behaviour. She taught children in schools about online abuse and played several performance art pieces on gender inequality issues. She has a particular interest in gender relations in the digital world.

                              Carolina Feijao

                              Carolina Feijao

                              Research Associate

                                Carolina is an Analyst at RAND Europe working on areas of innovation, health and science. Previously, she was a Journal Manager at Frontiers, an Open Access publisher, where she launched 3 new peer-reviewed Journals: Sustainable Food Systems, Forests and Global Change and Sustainable Cities. Carolina has also worked with the UK Government on policies for implementing agri-environment schemes nationwide and has done consultancy work in a variety of projects. Carolina has a PhD from the University of Cambridge, which focused on optimizing the use of crop waste material for the bioenergy and food industries. Previously, she spent some time in India researching the sustainability of reptile farming for her MSc degree from Imperial College London. Coming from a scientific, publishing and policy background, Carolina brings insights from a wide variety of experiences. These experiences have enriched her perspective on the role of gender in different contexts.

                                Carmn Ferrara

                                Carmn Ferrara

                                Research Associate

                                  Carmela works as researcher at Antinoo Arcigay Napoli, as a part of XENIA - European project aiming to develop innovative and integrated tools for European higher education institutions to evaluate levels of inclusiveness and better address the needs of sexual and gender minorities, protect their fundamental rights, and enhance their academic opportunities.
                                  Having long worked in LGBTQ+ and civil rights activism, Carmela also acts as coordinator of Migra-Antinoo, one of Arcigay’s offices for LGBTIQ asylum claimers. They have a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Scenario Analysis. Their BA dissertation, which looked at migration across the Mediterranean and the rights of LGBTQ+ migrants was published in 2019. Their Master’s level research assessed the LGBTIQ Strategic Plan adopted by the Maltese Government.

                                  Dr Iole Fontana

                                  Dr Iole Fontana

                                  Research Associate

                                    Iole is a political scientist and a researcher at the University of Catania. She has a PhD in Institutions, Politics and Policies and has been a visiting researcher at the London School of Economics and at the Université Hassan II in Casablanca. She has worked as a research intern for the Delegation of the European Union in Tunisia and is specialized on EU politics and Euro-Mediterranean relations. Her first book has recently been published by Routledge. Her academic research currently focuses on migration, organized crime and migrant smuggling, asylum, development cooperation, EU external policies and (cyber-) security. She has a great interest in gender issues, policies and dynamics in the Euro-Mediterranean area.

                                    Nathalie Greenfield

                                    Nathalie Greenfield

                                    Research Associate

                                      Nathalie has worked in women's rights since 2015. Her career has focused on the field of violence against women. She is currently completing a Juris Doctor degree at Cornell Law School in the USA, where she specialises in international human rights and works with survivors of gender-based violence around the world. Prior to starting law school, Nathalie worked in the European Parliament's Equality and Diversity Unit, where she drafted and implemented gender equality policy. Nathalie has been published in various news media on the topic of gender equality, including the Huffington Post, the EU Observer, and the F Word, and she also appeared in a Channel 5 documentary on rape. Nathalie is honoured to have been a Research Associate for GenPol since 2017.

                                      Laura Gutiérrez

                                      Laura Gutiérrez

                                      Research Associate

                                        Laura is a Colombian criminologist who recently completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge. She holds a Bachelor’s in European Union Law (LL.B.) with a minor in Criminal Justice and Human Rights, as well as a Master’s in Global Criminology (MA) and one in Criminological Research (MPhil). Her academic work has explored issues of gender, environmental justice, policing and state-community relations. Her advocacy work has centred on mental health in academia, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by women researchers.

                                        Jushya Kumar

                                        Jushya Kumar

                                        Research Associate

                                          Jushya works for Indian charity Jagori on women's rights. She graduated from SOAS, University of London, with a Masters degree in Globalisation and Development. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She identifies as feminist and her professional interest lies in working in the field of gender and development. She has previously worked on various women-centered development projects and extensively researched gender-based violence and women's empowerment for her Masters thesis: 'Aiding and abetting violence against women: A comparative analysis of Modi's India and Trump's America'.

                                          James Mc Cann

                                          James Mc Cann

                                          Research Associate

                                            James works in education as a language teacher. He has been a volunteer with the GREAT initiative since 2016, running workshops for boys on masculinity, mental health, homophobia, violence and pornography. His main interest is in social justice and he is in the process of starting an organisation that will encourage men to engage with feminist issues in the workplace.

                                            Caitlyn Merry

                                            Caitlyn Merry

                                            Research Associate

                                              Caitlyn works as Content Manager for the Raspberry Pi Foundation. She is completing a Masters degree in Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge, where her academic research focuses on community enterprise and gender empowerment.

                                              She has two bachelors degrees, having studied archaeology at the University of British Columbia, and law at SOAS. After completing her law degree, Caitlyn worked for human rights charities, and in the pro bono department of law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Her interest in education as a means of social change led her to complete the Teach First Program. She taught in an inner London secondary school for four years and was head of the secondary school computer science department.

                                              Tobias Müller

                                              Tobias Müller

                                              Research Associate

                                                Tobias is a post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Woolf Institute and a College Research Associate at King’s College, Cambridge. He received his PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Cambridge, where he is affiliated post-doctoral researcher. He is teaching 19th and 20th century political thought, including feminist theory, and supervises for the University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies. He has a strong research interest in intersectional analysis focusing on gender, class, race and religion. His latest research project investigates masculinities among strictly observant religious groups in North London. Dedicated to champion inclusive access to world class education, he has been a board member of the free online learning platform Serlo

                                                Mauro Pinto

                                                Mauro Pinto

                                                Research Associate

                                                  Mauro Pinto holds a PhD in Public Economics from the University of Napoli L'Orientale and has been working on labour market policies and welfare change as part of a two-year post-doc project at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. His current research focuses on highly educated workers and gender inequality in the labour market. He has been involved in several Italian social movements and is interested in regional divides, wealth and educational inequalities, radical democracy and neo-municipalism practices.

                                                  Stella Rhode

                                                  Stella Rhode

                                                  Research Associate

                                                    Stella recently graduated from the University of Cambridge, defending a dissertation on sexual consent and social power. During her time at university she was also President of her college’s feminist society, which ran weekly events focussed on gender injustice. She is particularly interested in digital gender based violence and epistemic injustice, and how those issues intersect.

                                                    Lily Rosengard

                                                    Lily Rosengard

                                                    Research Associate

                                                      Lily works in the international development sector for Plan International, an INGO that works to advance children’s rights and equality for girls. At Plan, Lily works on gender-transformative global partnerships. She is particularly interested in the intersections of youth activism, gender, race, mental health, as well as climate justice and animal rights. She is currently pursuing a part-time MA in Human Rights at UCL, after having graduated in 2017 from the University of Cambridge in Philosophy and Religious Studies.

                                                      Antonia Sudkämper

                                                      Antonia Sudkämper

                                                      Research Associate

                                                        Antonia is a social science researcher focusing on gender equality and diversity. Specifically, she conducted her doctoral research on men’s support for gender equality at the University of Exeter. Her paper on the Support for Gender Equality among Men Scale was published in the European Journal of Social Psychology. Currently, she is working for OCR, Cambridge Assessment. Her research aims to improve the fairness and accessibility of nation-wide examination papers. Antonia further has applied work experience in Diversity & Inclusion. In the past, she worked for the Equal Opportunities office at the European Council. Now, she is part of Cambridge Assessment’s working group aiming to improve the company’s Diversity & Inclusion policies. Moreover, Antonia enjoys engaging the wider public on the topic of gender equality. She is founder and author of the award-winning website Equilibrium, and regularly holds talks and workshops on gender equality.

                                                        Ciara Taylor

                                                        Ciara Taylor

                                                        Research Associate

                                                          Ciara is a consultant at Rocket Sciences, a policy and research consultancy focusing on employability and education; poverty and welfare; health, social care and wellbeing; and charities and civil society. She graduated from Trinity Hall, Cambridge, with an undergraduate degree in philosophy, defending a dissertation on 'Feminist Practice and the Concept of Woman: Towards a Trans-Inclusive Concept of Woman within Feminism'. During her time as Trinity Hall’s Women's Officer, she campaigned for better support for survivors of sexual harassment, led consent workshops. She is very passionate about women's engagement in sport, in particular football, and sees it as important to challenge this male dominated space.

                                                          Ilaria Todde

                                                          Ilaria Todde

                                                          Research Associate

                                                            Ilaria is a lawyer by training and an expert in EU affairs and EU law. She is currently based in Brussels where she collaborates with EU Institutions and European NGOs working on women rights and LGBTI rights. Ilaria is also a passionate lesbian feminist activist with years of experience in campaigning, community building and advocacy at local, national and European level. She one of the founders and Team member of EL*C, EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community, an NGO working for the building of a strong, inclusive and empowering network for lesbians in Europe and Central Asia.

                                                            Anna Yakovleva

                                                            Anna Yakovleva

                                                            Research Associate

                                                              During her PhD at the University of Cambridge, Anna trained as a virologist, where she developed thermostable vaccines holding the potential to increase access to vaccination programs around the world. To broaden her understanding of global health, she sought out health policy research experience through think tanks Polygeia and Gender&Policy Insights investigating surrogacy laws and digital gender-based violence. Anna is due to begin the next phase of her training in Medicine at the University of Oxford in September 2020. In the future, she aims to use her research to inform preventative health policy, and empower individuals and local communities to deliver better healthcare for all.

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                                                              Gender & Policy Insights (10783588)
                                                              Registered address: 11 Peterhouse Mews
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                                                              CB4 1UW Cambridge
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                                                              GenPol is also a registered Italian charity (1269/3)
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