Idalina Arreola Atilano is the Project Lead of the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) brain trust in Mexico.
Prior to joining IFIT, Idalina worked at the Electoral Institute of Mexico City, where she led the establishment of strategic alliances and promoted key international relationships as the International Liaison Director. She also served as Chief of Staff in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic in Mexico.
Idalina holds a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Salamanca, Spain, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, México. In addition to participating in various conferences and electoral research congresses, Idalina has organised and coordinated observation missions during electoral and citizen participation processes in Mexico, while also serving as an international observer in countries including Honduras, El Salvador, and Ecuador. Idalina has published articles and book reviews in a variety of specialised journals.
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Riccardo Tamburini is a Communications Coordinator at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), based in Barcelona. He has a background in video production and content writing.
His previous experience includes collaborating with Social Income, a Swiss NGO focusing on alleviating poverty and inequality, where he helped shape their communications strategy and social media presence. He has also worked as a digital content writer for international companies like The Knot Worldwide.
Riccardo holds a BA in Film Studies from the University of Roma Tor Vergata and additional diplomas in Filmmaking and Screenwriting. He has written and directed several award-winning short films and documentaries.
Working languages: English, Italian, Spanish.
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Víctor Almela Menjón is a Research Officer at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), based in its headquarters in Barcelona, working mostly on IFIT’s Law and Peace Practice Group and on the Peace Treaty Initiative.
Víctor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting from German and Russian to Spanish and a research-focused Master’s degree in Human Rights and International Politics.
Previously, Víctor trained at the EU Delegation to Russia and at the OSCE’s High Commissioner on National Minorities, focusing on human rights issues and conflict prevention in eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. He also has experience in the humanitarian field, having worked for an NGO consortium specialised in Cash and Voucher Assistance in Latin America.
Working languages: Spanish, Catalan, English, French, German and Russian.
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Cristina Torelló González is a Finance Officer and Project Assistant at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT). She holds a BA in Humanities (Modern and Contemporary Studies) from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, and a MSc in Development and International Relations (Global Refugee Studies) from Aalborg University in Copenhagen. Her master’s thesis focused on women’s participation in indigenous politics in Ecuador.
Cristina was an intern at the United Nations Association of Spain and DanChurchAid, where her tasks focused on research and advocacy. During her studies in Copenhagen, she also co-founded a start-up aimed at sharing first-hand stories from people living in current situations of crisis that do not get enough media coverage.
Working languages: English, Spanish, and Catalan
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Daniela Pinzón García is a Research Officer and Aide to the Global Deputy Director at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), based in the Bogotá office. Her areas of interest include human rights advocacy, public policy, international development, transitional justice, and institutional strengthening.
Prior to joining IFIT, Daniela worked as a project professional at Transparencia por Colombia, the national chapter of Transparency International, where she focused on anti-corruption legislative advocacy to enhance the state’s capacity to combat corruption and guarantee citizens’ rights. She has also completed several internships, including roles with IFIT’s transitional justice team, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and the Colombian Congress.
Daniela holds a BA in Law with a minor in Journalism from the Universidad de los Andes, as well as postgraduate studies in State, Public Policy, and Development from the same institution. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Governance and Public Innovation from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) and the Universidad Externado de Colombia.
Languages: Spanish and English
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Alejandra is an experienced professional with more than 10 years in the NGO management sector and the peacebuilding field, currently serving as Head of Development and Impact at IFIT. With a strong commitment to fostering systemic change in fragile contexts, she brings a deep expertise in donor engagement, strategic planning, and knowledge management.
Prior to her current role, she coordinated Colombia’s national-level IFIT Brain Trust and actively engaged in the Global Initiative on Polarization. She also worked at Fundación Ideas para la Paz – FIP, a leading Colombian think tank specializing in peace and security, where she served as Coordinator of Thematic and Strategic Affairs, assistant to the Executive Director, and research assistant for security, development and peace projects. Earlier in her career, she contributed to the work of Corrymeela, a peace and reconciliation organization in Northern Ireland, conducting research on narrative and reconciliation processes and previously joined the Embassy of Colombia in Tel Aviv.
Alejandra holds a BA in Political Science with a focus on conflict resolution and peace research from Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, and a master’s degree in Post-War Recovery Studies from the University of York in the UK.
Working languages: Spanish, English and French.
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Marelly Martina Melián is a Project Assistant supporting IFIT’s work in Venezuela from the Bogotá office.
In the last 15 years, she has performed different functions within the Venezuelan Legislative Assembly, including monitoring and control of public management, analysis, and research. She was responsible for the execution of the operational plan and coordination of different legislative units, particularly the Office of the Presidency, Second Vice-Presidency, Permanent and Special Commissions, as well as technical assistance to parliamentarians of different political groups.
Marelly is a political scientist who graduated from the Universidad de Los Andes (Venezuela) and specialises in governance, political management and public management, parliamentary administration, modernization and transparency, government, and open parliament.
Working language: Spanish
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María José is an Associate at the Institute for Integral Transitions (IFIT), based in the Bogotá office, where she leads the Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean.
For more than 8 years, María José has worked on issues related to human rights, democracy and peacebuilding in international cooperation agencies, political foundations, and academia. Before joining IFIT, she worked with the Peace Agreement Matrix (PAM) of the Kroc Institute, where she supported the process of analysing the implementation of more than 15 peace processes around the world, including the monitoring of the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia.
Prior to that, she was responsible for the Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Humanitarian Assistance portfolio of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) in Colombia, where she supported the implementation of the transitional justice system designed by the Colombian peace agreement and assisted local NGOs providing humanitarian assistance to victims of the armed conflict and Venezuelan migrants.
María José holds a BA in Government and International Relations from the Universidad Externado de Colombia and a master’s degree in global affairs with a specialisation in international peace studies from the University of Notre Dame.
Working languages: Spanish, English, and Portuguese
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Mariam Alsoudi is a Research Associate at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), working primarily to support the Institute’s projects in Sri Lanka, Libya, Sudan, and the Transition Assistance Practice Group. Born in Iraq and raised in Jordan, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. where she majored in International Politics with a concentration in International Law. She also received a certificate in Arab Studies from Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.
Mariam completed several internships during her undergraduate studies, including interning at the private office of King Abdullah II of Jordan at the Political Directorate at the Royal Hashemite Court, as well as at the Embassy of Jordan at the Jordan Information Bureau in Washington, D.C. While at Georgetown, Mariam was a member of several executive boards, including Georgetown’s Diplomatic Strategies, Georgetown’s International Student Association, and Georgetown’s Arab Society.
Working languages: English and Arabic
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Laura Acevedo is the Administrative and Financial Assistant at the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), based in Bogotá.
Prior to joining IFIT, Laura worked in the Andean Region section of the Ford Foundation, supporting the programs and operations team. Here, she was responsible for organising events, trips, and meetings; coordinating agendas; and executing operational tasks. Previously, she worked at the British Council as a Project Coordinator, where she was in charge of carrying out budget execution, following activity schedules, preparing reports, coordinating events, and updating document databases.
Laura has a degree in hotel management from Politécnico Internacional.
Working languages: English and Spanish.