Our Team

Canada


Dilip Chinnakonda, a seasoned professional with 27+ years experience in international development, operations and finance. Trained in Agriculture and International Development, he combines technical and financial expertise. Joining CECI in 2007, he has led innovative initiatives for women’s rights and the strengthening of their economic power, such as integrating technology for citizen engagement. Beginning as a Project Manager, he progressed to develop a humanitarian aid unit, overseeing operations in Asia and Latin America. As Director of Finance, Admin and IT, he dedicates himself to the organization's success through financial insights, risk management and key decision support.

dilipc(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Philippe Dongier is the Executive Director of CECI, renowned for his leadership that delivers tangible results and his dedication to sustainable and inclusive development. With nearly 20 years of experience at the World Bank, he held various leadership roles in different regions (including Afghanistan, East Africa and South Asia) and sectors (such as community development, digital development, infrastructure and climate change). He also boasts extensive private sector experience, having served as General Electric's Managing Director of Government Affairs for Africa and then globally (excluding the USA), as well as working as a corporate strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company. Philippe holds a BA in Economics and Anthropology from McGill University and an MBA from INSEAD.

philippe.dongier(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Nancy Lafrance brings over 19 years of experience as an experienced international development jurist, both in Canada and abroad. She has been with CECI since 2008, where she has played a key role in piloting partnerships with organizations and institutions across diverse sectors, and spearheading innovative initiatives in women’s rights, women’s economic empowerment, gender equality and innovative financing. Currently serving as the Director of the CECI Volunteer Cooperation Program, she provides inclusive leadership in transitioning to a more horizontal model of cooperation between the North and South. Her unwavering commitment to women’s and youth rights and empowerment has made a significant impact on communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

NancyLa(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Marcel Monette manages CECI’s projects and ensures their quality. He holds a master's degree in economics and a diploma in environmental management. He has been involved in the field of international solidarity since the early 1980s and has been with CECI since 2005. Throughout his tenure, he has worked across all geographic regions where CECI is active. In addition to his role as a project manager, Marcel has played a key role in shaping CECI's International Network and has contributed to the development of CECI's sustainable development policy.

marcelm(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Stephanie (she/her) is a dynamic communication senior leader with 13 years of experience in storytelling, developing engagement strategies, managing digital platforms, designing innovative projects and building relationships and partnerships.  With a strong track record in fundraising and resource mobilization, Stephanie has put her creative thinking to work for different non-profit organizations in international cooperation, sustainable development, social innovation and film. Most recently, she was the Director of Communications and Fund Development at Equitas, where she specialized in human rights education. Stephanie holds a Master’s degree in Communications from Université de Montréal, a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Concordia University, and spent time studying at the Université des Antilles in Martinique.

stephanie.nichols(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Paola Patti brings over 20 years' experience in human resources, including international experience. She has led branch openings in Europe, South America and projects with First Nations communities in Quebec. From strategic management to union negotiations, she has shaped positive corporate cultures, and her commitment to inclusion and innovation has driven significant change within many organizations.

paola.patti(@)ceci.ca

Haiti

Claude Phanord is an agronomic engineer specialized in rural engineering, natural resource management, and supporting local development dynamics in Haiti. He has dedicated his professional career of over 25 years to international cooperation, supervising, coordinating and managing development projects in Haiti for international NGOs, United Nations agencies and international donors. Currently, he holds the position of Regional Director for CECI in Haiti.

claude.phanord(@)ceci.ca

Bolivia

Marcela Vallejos is CECI's Director for Bolivia and Latin America. She has dedicated herself to the cause of women's and young people's rights, economic empowerment and climate change adaptation since the beginning of her career. In particular, she has acted as Country Manager for EQWIP HUBS, a start-up that provides young people from vulnerable communities with entrepreneurship training and access to financing. She was also coordinator of the Water and Gender program in Bolivia and Peru for the UK's Catholic Overseas Development Agency. The initiative aimed to link Indigenous communities with local governments and transnational corporations in a process designed to resolve water and environmental conflicts arising from mining and energy production.

marcelav(@)ceci.ca

Canada

Having joined CECI in 2016, Bonaventure Wakana brings over 25 years of experience in international organizations and private foundations across Africa, the UK and Canada.  Holding a Master’s degree in Rural Economics and Development, he owns a unique expertise in developing and managing complex projects, as well as scaling up solutions in various areas, including women’s rights and economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, youth employment, resilient agro-food systems, local governance and conflict management.  Known for his passion, he has provided leadership in the organizational transformation of several organizations committed to advancing the agenda of localization and reshaping power dynamics between the Global North and South.

bonaventurew(@)ceci.ca

Guatemala

Silvia Cotton is a Guatemalan professional with more than 20 years of experience in international cooperation projects in Central America. As the Director of CECI in Guatemala since 2010, she has built close relationships with community-based organizations to implement multiple initiatives focused on closing inequality gaps. Her commitment to social justice and environmental conservation has led her to work for and with underrepresented populations in Guatemala. She works towards strengthening women’s economic power and helping communities adapt to climate change.

SilviaC(@)ceci.ca

Mali

Maïmouna holds a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, and is a specialist in gender equality. Her professional career has been marked by stints with a number of renowned organizations working in the fields of democracy, the promotion and defense of human rights, gender and peace. She was also an instructor at the École de Maintien de la Paix (EMP) Alioune Blondin Beye. She has been providing advisory support to Malian and West African youth and women's organizations for nearly 10 years. She is the 2016 winner of the Trophée International de la Femme Active d'Afrique.

maimounad(@)ceci.ca

Guinea

Herico DIALLO holds a degree in rural engineering and a master's degree in nonprofit management, and has been with CECI for over 25 years. He has successively held the positions of consulting engineer, coordinator of several major projects, Program Manager and, most recently, CECI-Guinea Country Representative. Herico DIALLO is a seasoned executive in local development, organizational development and human resources management.

HericoD(@)ceci.ca

Koumba holds an EMBA and is an impact investment professional focused on the empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Africa. With 18 years of experience in multicultural environments, she has led several investment funds in West Africa and works to improve women's access to financing. In 2022, she co-founded the Woman Investment Club in Côte d'Ivoire, aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs by helping them mobilize funds and invest in their businesses. As a Fellow of Impact West Africa, she works to strengthen financial education and skills among women entrepreneurs to enhance their business performance.

Benin

A development program manager in Sub-Saharan Africa, Martine Esther DJEIGO brings over 20 years' experience of both difficult and transitional contexts to enrich CECI's programming in Benin and worldwide. Martine Esther Djeigo has extensive experience managing development programs in sub-Saharan Africa. She is dedicated more specifically to strengthening the economic power of women in Benin.

esther.djeigo(@)ceci.ca

Rwanda

Holder of a Master's degree in Development Studies with a specialization in Microfinance, Mrs. Olive Ingabire Zimulinda is deeply passionate about the well-being of vulnerable populations. With over 20 years of experience, she has collaborated with government institutions, private sector entities, local civil society organizations, international NGOs and development partners. Her areas of expertise include women's and youth empowerment, gender equality and women’s rights promotion, entrepreneurship and business development, cooperative promotion, cross-border trade in the Great Lakes Region, business for peace and conflict sensitivity, project management and partnership development.  Mrs. Olive has made significant contributions to the elaboration of Rwanda's gender policy and GBV policy. As a team leader, she has played a pivotal role in developing strategies for enhancing women and youth access to finance through microfinance institutions and banks across Rwanda. Currently, Mrs. Olive is responsible for coordinating the Volunteer Cooperation Program and other development initiatives of CECI in Rwanda.

olive.ingabire(@)ceci.ca

Nepal

Deepak Khadka is a non-profit program portfolio manager with over a decade of technical, managerial and advisory experience in co-designing and managing strategic, innovative and evidence-informed development projects in Nepal.  He serves as a Country Representative for Nepal, overseeing country programs, developing new partnerships and businesses and ensuring program quality, risk and compliance management to drive the program portfolio growth and expansion that contributes to transforming the lives of women and marginalized communities in Nepal.

deepak.khadka(@)ceci.ca

Senegal

Mouhamadou Leye, Director of CECI-Senegal, brings extensive experience in international cooperation, focusing on sustainable development, poverty reduction, humanitarian response and resilience building.  With a diploma as a senior technician in accounting and finance and a master's degree in management sciences, he has previously served as the country representative and technical supervisor in West Africa for COFACE-SICR Senegal, as well as the country representative for the Canadian Organization Assistance Service (SACO, now Catalys), before joining CECI in 2010. He has demonstrated a strong leadership in developing initiatives and forging strategic partnerships with local community organizations, NGOs, the private sector and public institutions.

MouhamadouL(@)ceci.ca

Niger

Bachir Maman is a specialist in environmental and hydroclimatic modeling with several years of experience in about fifteen countries in Africa (Sahel, West, Central, and East Africa), the Caribbean, and the Middle East; as an engineer on hydraulic infrastructure projects, an environmental/CCA specialist, sustainable agriculture expert, and in the management and design of large-scale projects and programs. He holds an engineering degree in environmental engineering (Bac+5) and an MSc in Engineering in hydroclimatic modeling from the international and interuniversity program (KU Leuven & VRIJE Brussels) and is currently pursuing a PhD. For nearly 20 years, he has contributed to improving the living conditions of the most marginalized populations and to the development of sustainable agro-sylvo-pastoral sectors with high economic value.

maman.bachir(@)ceci.ca

Haiti

Claude Phanord is an agronomic engineer specialized in rural engineering, natural resource management, and supporting local development dynamics in Haiti. He has dedicated his professional career of over 25 years to international cooperation, supervising, coordinating and managing development projects in Haiti for international NGOs, United Nations agencies and international donors. Currently, he holds the position of Regional Director for CECI in Haiti.

claude.phanord(@)ceci.ca

She holds an MBA in Strategic Organization Management and a Master's in Crisis Management and Humanitarian Action. Passionate about women's rights and gender equality, she brings 11 years of experience in program management across various sectors, including health, governance, protection, women’s empowerment, and education. Lena has gained this expertise through international organizations in both development and humanitarian contexts. She has demonstrated leadership in partnership management, fundraising, and donor relations.

Bolivia

Marcela Vallejos is CECI's Director for Bolivia and Latin America. She has dedicated herself to the cause of women's and young people's rights, economic empowerment and climate change adaptation since the beginning of her career. In particular, she has acted as Country Manager for EQWIP HUBS, a start-up that provides young people from vulnerable communities with entrepreneurship training and access to financing. She was also coordinator of the Water and Gender program in Bolivia and Peru for the UK's Catholic Overseas Development Agency. The initiative aimed to link Indigenous communities with local governments and transnational corporations in a process designed to resolve water and environmental conflicts arising from mining and energy production.

marcelav(@)ceci.ca

Ekué Séssi Afanou holds a master's degree in finance from Université d'Évry Val d'Essonne (France) and a master's degree in financial engineering from École nationale des sciences appliquées (Morocco). Currently serving as a data analysis manager at the international consulting firm KPMG, he previously gained valuable experience at the National Bank of Canada, where he held diverse roles in project management, data analysis and business intelligence. Ekué is a member of the Groupe des Trente and was part of the third cohort of Concertation Montréal Groupe des Trente in 2021. He actively engages with organizations dedicated to newcomer integration, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and technology.  Additionally, he holds a double certificate in data analysis and data science, machine learning from McGill University. Ekué is the founder of the Énogné platform, aimed at promoting the use of data in Africa, and the initiator of the Finkekeli association, supporting orphans in Togo and Benin.

A graduate in Agricultural Economics from Ohio State University, with a specialization in Rural Finance and Microfinance, and in Economics and Organization of Agricultural Production from the Crimean Agricultural Institute, Mr. Biteye is acknowledged as a strategic leader. He currently holds the position of executive secretary and CEO at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). His broad experience spans more than a decade with Oxfam Great Britain as the regional director for West Africa, along with senior positions at Visa Inc. and the Rockefeller Foundation. He has acquired expertise in international development and has a profound understanding of both the public and private sectors in Africa.

Daniel Caramori holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of São Paulo and a Master's degree in Political Science, Public and International Affairs from the Université de Montréal. Currently, he serves as the Business Development and Government Relations Advisor at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. Previously, he held the position of National Director of Talent and Operations at AIESEC (International Association of Students in Economics and Business) and founded the Portuguese as a Second Language (PLS) School at the University of São Paulo. In Canada and the United States, he has worked in various roles as a political advisor and researcher. Notably, he has contributed as a training advisor to the UNITERRA program and volunteered in Mongolia.

Inès Chalala, Director of Knowledge and Partnerships at Philanthropic Foundations Canada and member of the Réseau québécois des femmes en environnement, brings over 10 years of experience from various international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Her expertise spans across multiple regions worldwide, focusing on sustainable development with a particular emphasis on governance and innovative environmental financing policies and mechanisms. Inès is particularly passionate about promoting sustainable land management practices and enhancing the involvement of civil society and local communities in decentralized governance of natural resources.

Aïssatou Diouf holds a master’s degree in information and communication on Environment and Sustainable Development from Côte d'Azur University. She also earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Institute of Business Administration at the same university. Additionally, she has a diploma in Journalism from the Science and Information Technology Education Center. Currently, she oversees international policies and climate-energy advocacy at Enda Énergie, in Senegal, and is a managing director at Clim'Act. As coordinator of the Climate Action Network West & Central Africa, she is also a trainer in climate policy and diplomacy, deeply committed to social action, civil rights, and the fight against poverty.

Philippe Dongier is the Executive Director of CECI and is renowned for his leadership that delivers tangible results and his dedication to sustainable and inclusive development.  With nearly 20 years of experience at the World Bank, he held various leadership roles in different regions (including Afghanistan, East Africa and South Asia) and sectors (such as community development, digital development, infrastructure and climate change).  He also boasts extensive private sector experience, having served as General Electric's Managing Director of Government Affairs for Africa and then globally (excluding the USA), as well as working as a corporate strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company. Philippe holds a BA in Economics and Anthropology from McGill University and an MBA from INSEAD.

Ana Carolina González Espinosa holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, along with two master’s degrees from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), one in Development and the other in Comparative Politics. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in finance, Government, and International Relations from Externado University of Colombia, and is a research associate at the same university. She is currently a senior global program director at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). Her research contributions span several organizations, including UNDP, IDB, and Transparency International, as well as philanthropic entities, such as the Ford Foundation. Her expertise includes development, resource governance, community engagement, climate change, and energy transition.

General Manager of Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE (SRÉ), he oversees the organization's development in Quebec, Canada and internationally. He obtained a bachelor's degree in forest engineering in 1993 from the Université Laval (Quebec, Canada), and began his career as a forest engineer abroad as a volunteer cooperant in Mali. In 1997, he obtained a master's degree in forestry science from the same university, in the field of forest policy and community forestry. After 15 years working for professional associations in the forestry and forest products sector, he joined the tourism industry in 2013.

Cécile Mukarubuga has always been dedicated to international cooperation and women's rights. She holds a master's degree in social sciences with a specialization in community economic development. She has over 30 years of experience in development with governments, the United Nations and international NGOs, providing professional services in gender equality and equity, sexual and reproductive health, advocacy, institutional and program development and management, conflict management and peacebuilding, monitoring and evaluation, action research, capacity building and financial inclusion.  She has also worked for CECI, supporting the Concertation des Collectifs des Associations Féminines de la Région des Grands Lacs (COCAFEM).

Sylvie-Marianne Rhugenda has held positions of responsibility in multinational telecommunications companies in sub-Saharan Africa, notably in fraud prevention, risk management and regulatory issues.  She holds a degree in human resources management, an MBA from the University of Leicester, a diploma in gender studies and a master's degree in sociology from the Université Laval. Currently, she is a research development advisor at Université Laval. She has expertise in partnership research and initiatives to empower women and girls economically.

A graduate of Sciences Po Paris in political science with studies at the University of Chile, Patricio Scaff currently serves as the head of the external relations office of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) in Peru and Colombia, a position he has held since 2017. Prior to this role, he worked for the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, where he served as an international expert in democratic governance in El Salvador for Central America and the Central American Integration System (SICA). He has also played a significant role in developing international partnerships, particularly in higher education and research in France. Additionally, he has been actively involved in Sciences Po's Observatoire Politique de l'Amérique latine et des Caraïbes and contributed to the establishment of the National Committee for UN Women in France, where he served on its board of directors between 2013 and 2015.

Trained as a jurist and expert in decentralization, Jude Saint-Natus has played a key role in strengthening local institutions in Haiti. He has held senior positions, including Director of Local Government and Director General of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government, as well as Acting Representative of the United Nations Human Settlements Program/UN Habitat. His notable achievements include the introduction of the first municipal trades and the improvement of local public finances. Currently, as Project Manager for the Programme d'appui à l'amélioration des services publics en Haïti, he is dedicated to making civil and administrative services accessible to citizens in an inclusive and territorialized manner, thus contributing to the development and modernization of local government in Haiti.

Cecilia Valdes Canales holds a master’s degree in international Affairs, with a specialization in Economic and Sustainable Development, from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), and a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the Technological Institute of Monterrey, Mexico. Currently responsible for innovation and sustainability in Mexico and Central America at Yara, she previously held the position of global director, ESG [Environmental, Social, Governance] & Impact at Orbia, among other positions in France and the UK, including with the consulting firm Deloitte. With more than fifteen years of experience, she participates in system transformation with a focus on food security, climate resilience, regenerative agriculture and sanitation. She has also authored publications on sustainable tourism and climate change.

Milder Villegas holds a bachelor's degree in social work, with a focus on community organization and an MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). He has been Managing Director of Filaction, a development fund, since 2011. Previously, he held a number of executive and strategic positions at the National Bank of Canada. He has experience in corporate governance through his various directorships on boards of directors. He set up Canada's first microcredit fund and tripled Filaction's capital under management.