Since April, 2011, Jim has been Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the principal global treaties to protect human health and the environment from toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes.

From 2004 to 2011 he was Director the Chemical Control Division (CCD) in EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and was responsible for the implementation of EPA’s new and existing chemicals programs, the chemical testing program, and regulatory oversight of nanotechnology. From 2006 to 2009, Jim chaired the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials. From 1995 and 2004, Jim was Director of Chemicals for UNEP where he facilitated the negotiations and served as Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. He also directed UNEP’s mercury program, its chemical safety capacity building program, and its efforts to develop the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Jim worked at EPA from 1984 to 1995 in a variety of staff and management roles, prior to which he held positions in the private sector as a bench chemist and consultant. Jim is a US citizen.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 91
Email: jim.willis@unep.org

Kerstin joined the Secretariat as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in November 2012.

Kerstin provides support to the Executive Secretary in the management of the Secretariat and the performance of the representational functions for the Secretariat. She is responsible for the operational implementation of the work programmes of the three conventions, overseeing their implementation, and monitoring and reporting on the delivery of the work programmes. Kerstin supervises and directs the work of the branches of the Secretariat, with a view to achieving synergies.

Formerly, Kerstin held the post of Director for international environmental governance at the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. From 2001 to 2006, she served with the Nordic Council of Ministers while based in London as Secretary for the Nordic Genetic Resources Council and helped prepare the Nordic countries for the access and benefit regime under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Kerstin is a citizen of Finland.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 84 86
Email: KStendahl@pic.int

Since April, 2011, Laura has been supporting the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions with the planning and implementation of the restructuring of the Secretariat as well as with the overall coordination of the work of his office.

From 2005-2011, she was the OIC for the Geneva-based secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention. From 1990 to 2004, she worked at a number of different offices at UNEP HQs such as the Division of Environmental Conventions: supporting the implementation of cross-cutting issues between MEAs, i.e. arctic issues, coral reefs and environmental emergencies; at the Regional Seas Programme: supporting the distributed network of 15 Regional Seas Conventions and Action plans and their intergovernmental meetings; at the office of the UNEP Managing Director, as the special assistant to the Managing Director, at the Global Resource Information Database (GRID): as a remote sensing/GIS analyst. Laura is Argentinian.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 87 40
Email: lmeszaros@pic.int

Since April, 2011, Irina has been supporting the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions with the secretarial functions like time management and organization of schedule, maintaining calendar of the Executive Secretary, serving as a point of contact for partners including the Executive Director office staff in Nairobi, making travel and other arrangements for the ES and handling a wide range of information requests and inquires, draft documents prepared for the attention of the Executive Secretary, sending messages to the staff of all three conventions and other duties, as assigned.

From 1992 to 2011 Ms. I. Kossenko was a Programme Assistant at the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention and from the very beginning participated together with the whole team in organization of negotiations aimed to create a new convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. In 2009 -2011 Irina worked at the Administrative and Financial team of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Irina is Russian, speaks English and French.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 91
Email: ikossenko@pops.int

Currently, Adelina is filling the position of a Programme Assistant at Administrative Services Branch of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention with the responsibility of administrative support (procurement, budget, finance) to the three conventions. She is also serving as a focal point for staff travel for the 3 conventions.

Prior to joining UNEP, Joint Services of the Basel Stockholm and Rotterdam Convention, Adelina worked in Geneva, as Administrative Assistant for UN-REDD, as HR Administrative Assistant for UNICC. Notable is almost eight years as Administrative Assistant at United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), HQ based in Prishtina, for Office of the Chief Communications & IT Section (CITS) and almost eight years as Secretary/Administrative Assistant in local private companies in Prishtina, Kosovo.

Having worked with International Organizations for almost eleven years and eight years in private sector has given her the opportunity to undertake and learn majority of the duties and responsibilities, an opportunity to understand and appreciate different points of view whilst adhering to professional standpoint such as preparation of the office documentations, filing procedures and processing administrative tasks in relation with human resources, logistics, supply etc. She would like to note that she has good interpersonal skills with ability to interact and maintain effective and harmonious relationships with colleagues, subordinates and supervisors of all national and cultural backgrounds with sensitivity and respect for diversity. She holds a high school diploma in natural science and is from Kosovo.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 71
Email: adelina.gashi@unep.org

Andrew assists the Administrative Services Branch in providing logistical support for meetings and conferences of the three conventions.

He initially joined the Stockholm Convention secretariat on 1st December 2006. He previously worked in the field of Information Technology. Andrew was born in India and has spent the last 30 years in Switzerland.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 04
Email: aisaac@pops.int

Bella Lawson Organizes conferences, workshops and other meetings as part of the Conference Services Team.

Bella has worked at UNEP Headquarters in the Division of Administration, Nairobi, Kenya before joining the Secretariat of the Basel Convention in 1990. Prior to joining the UN, she has also worked in International Shipping Company in New York after graduating from Secretarial College. Bella (Belainesh) is an Ethiopian national and the recipient of UN Medal celebrating her first 25 years of service to the United Nations.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 01
Email: bella.lawson@unep.org

Christophe assists with public awareness and outreach, providing multimedia (photography, video), desktop publishing and media-related services, including media accreditation, and support for multi-purpose events and activities.

Before joining the secretariat, he worked from 1996 to 2009 for UN Security with the Accreditation Unit. He also served in the French Army for three years and participated as a UN peacekeeper (Blue helmet) in Southeastern Europe. He holds a level Bac+2 in Communication and European Defense and Diplomacy.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 73
Email: christophe.marchat@unep.org

Digna supports communication, outreach and public awareness. She also provides administrative support to the Safe Planet Campaign. She advises external partners on brand management issues. She assists conference services with the preparation and delivery of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies.

Formerly, she served as the focal point to the Rotterdam Convention, receiving, coordinating and monitoring programme support required for its implementation. Digna was born and raised in the tropical haven of Asia, Philippines. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree (1983) from Manila Central University. She joined UNEP in May 2001.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 96
E-mail: digna.francisco@unep.org

Ms. Hall joined UNEP in 2004 as a Human Resources Assistant in the Biosafety Unit. In December 2006, she moved to the Joint Secretariat of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions as a Personal Assistant to the Executive Secretary. Currently she has taken up responsibilities related to the area of human resources. She coordinates multiple and diverse work processes in the Secretariat, ensuring professionalism and high quality performance standards through promotion of teamwork and “best practices” in the Secretariats.

Before joining UNEP, Ms. Hall acquired significant experience in the work of the UN system organizations, primarily WHO, as well as in the private sector. Between 1981 and 1998, she worked at the World Health Organization in several management support positions. In particular, she provided significant administrative and managerial support to WHO’s Commission on Health and Environment, chaired by Mme Simone Veil (former French Health Minister). Between 1998 and 2003, she lived in London and was initially an Assistant to the Director, UK Public Affairs and Communication Department (Unilver plc) and then to the CEO of a major energy trading company, EDF-Trading. Ms. Hall holds a Master of Arts in English and Teaching and a Master of Arts in management with emphasis on human resources. She also holds a Certificate in French language, literature, history and arts from Geneva University.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 87 29
E-mail: hhall@pops.int

Innocent's responsibilities are to assist the Secretarial in the areas of budget preparation, review and control, financial management and administrative tasks.

Innocent is a Ugandan national with 17 years of United Nations experience in the areas of Finance, Budget and Administration. He holds a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from South Bank University, London, United Kingdom and also is a proud member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 21
Email: innocent.kalumba@unep.org

Serving as a clearing-house mechanism officer, Julien is in charge of information exchange activities of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm secretariats.

Before joining UNEP in Geneva in 2011,  Julien worked as an information systems specialist in France and Cambodia where he gained a strong technical experience in designing and implementing web-based information systems. In 2006, Julien had the opportunity to work at the UNEP Division of Communication and Public Information in Nairobi and was in charge of systems supporting the UNEP website (www.unep.org).

Julien is from France and holds a master’s in Social Science from Toulouse’s University and another one in Information Technology from Paris’s University.

Coordinates:

Telephone:+41 (22) 917 82 20
Email: jhortoneda@pops.int

Lalantha started working with us as of the 3^rd of January 2013 in the Knowledge Management Team. He supports and maintains the database and Information system for the Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel systems. As part of the IT team, Lalantha is also supporting the IT team in issues related to the Integration of the network platforms and e-mail systems.

Born in Sri Lanka. 

Coordinates

Telephone: +41(22) 917 8 229 
Email: gsirisenage@pic.int  

Le is responsible for the management, update and the quality control of the Stockholm (www.pops.int) and Rotterdam (www.pic.int) Conventions websites as well as the two Conventions’ electronic filing system. He also actively participants and contributes to the development and refinement of the Conventions’ Clear House Mechanism.

Prior to joining UNEP in July 2008, Le worked for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as a training assistant on the Humanitarian Coordination System Strengthening Project. Le is a Chinese National from the city of Tianjin, and was educated in Switzerland. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, both from Webster University.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 08
E-mail: lgong@pops.int

Michael leads the secretariat’s communications, outreach and public awareness team. He serves as press liaison of the conventions and contributes to the clearing-house mechanism.

Prior to joining UNEP, Michael served for six years as environmental affairs officer with UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Aarhus Convention. A native of California, he is past chair of the Santa Clara Basin Watershed Management Initiative, which developed copper, nickel and mercury pollution prevention plans for the San Francisco Bay. He also served with the boards of directors of Friends of the Estuary and Silicon Valley Environmental Partnership, and as director of California Clean Water Fund. Michael holds a BA in Government (1983) from San Jose State University and MA in Political Science (1992) from Claremont Graduate University.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 68
E-mail: msjones@pic.int

Ms. Basavaraj has been serving as the Information Officer since October 2009. She coordinates the production of legal, technical publications and information materials, which are convention-specific as well as those related to cross-cutting and joint activities included in the programmes of work of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. She also supports clearing-house mechanism activities of the conventions.

From 1999 to 2009, she served within the Secretariat of the Basel Convention as a programme officer (National reporting). She was responsible for coordinating and monitoring all activities related to national reporting. During this period she developed and put in place a mechanism for systematic collection, processing, quality control and dissemination of data and information reported by Parties to the Secretariat on the generation, export, import of hazardous and other wastes. An Indian citizen, Ms. Basavaraj has an academic background in Science. Prior to 2009, she served the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (Patancheru, P.O., India) – one of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Institute (CGIAR, Washington, D.C., USA); United States Department of Agriculture (USDA/NAL, Maryland, USA); International Labour Organization (Geneva, Switzerland); and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Bonn, Germany) in various capacities.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 83
E-mail: nalini.basavaraj@unep.org

Nico works on the development and maintenance of contact databases and information systems for the Conventions and provides assistance for meeting and conference registration and operations.

Born in Switzerland and educated in Belgium, Nico joined UNEP in December of 2009.

Coordinates:

Telephone:+41 (22) 917 81 72
Email: nlaurijssen@pops.int

Osmany joined UNEP in August 1993 and supported the negotiation processes of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions from its early days. He joined the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention in October 2006 as Information officer. Managing the Conference Services and Information Technology teams are amongst his main responsibilities, including the development of a joint clearing house mechanism for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions.

Osmany is a national the republic of Cuba and holds a master's degree in mathematics and economy, with specialization in computerized information systems application and development.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 94
E-mail: opereira@pops.int

Peter supports the Secretariat in the areas of finance, budget, human resources, procurement and other general admin functions.

Peter joined UNEP in 2004 and is from United Kingdom.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 26
E-mail: peter.rossiter@unep.org

Prior to joining UNEP Secretariat of the conventions as an intern, I served as a Web developer in an internship with the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Secretariat during preparations for the third meeting on the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3) in 2012.

I attended Aptech Computer Education Kampala (Uganda) where I majored in Software Engineering with a deep background in programming both web and mobile applications, and Amity University (India) where I obtained a Bachelor in Finance and Investment Analysis degree.

Currently, I am responsible for supporting the Knowledge Management /IT teams in developing a Joint Calendar for the all the three conventions, promoting the Safe Planet outreach programme on Social Media, and updating and managing the database tools used by the Secretariat.

Working with the Knowledge Management and Public Awareness and Outreach teams, I assist with the newly adopted CRM tool; M-files document management system, joint calendar for the websites, and conference mobile application. I also support public awareness and outreach through social media on the Facebook, POPsSocial, Safe Planet, Twitter and YouTube platforms.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41(22) 917 84 43
Email: Raymond.Zziwa@unep.org  

Silvia provides management of the Translation services: in-house translation services (translations into French and Spanish of web pages, press releases, correspondence, presentations, leaflets, etc.), management of translation requests, evaluation of resources needed and preparation of translation schedules, and management of contracts and work assignment for an external pool of freelance translators in 6 UN languages.

Silvia joined UNEP in 1998 and has worked in Chemicals and in the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention. She provided update and development of the Rotterdam Convention web site in English, French and Spanish. She assisted the Secretariat in managing the Integrated office automated system by maintaining the database (DNAs, OCPs, Importing Countries Responses and Notifications). She provided inhouse translations and proofreading from English into French and Spanish concerning chemicals notifications from Parties, publication material, web pages, leaflets, press releases, Notes Verbales, meeting invitation letters, confirmation letters, registration forms, etc. Silvia is from Argentina and holds a diploma in Legal Translation French-Spanish, delivered by the Buenos Aires' University

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 75
E-mail: sblanc@pic.int

Stéphanie is the focal point for conference services. She serves as first point to the Convention(s) in the Administrative Services Branch (ASB), conference services regarding the organizational arrangements for meeting participants of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs), subsidiary bodies and expert meetings and to the coordinator(s) by coordinating, organizing and prioritizing work. This involves the monitoring of progress according to schedules of work, the establishment of functional timelines for registration, travel and correspondence processes. She is responsible for receiving and screening official nominations and registration of participants and experts and is also the point of contact for diplomatic missions, ministries, international organizations and agencies during the preparation of the meetings. Stéphanie handles the process of credentials of the representatives of the Parties, the registration and DSA payment process during the major conferences of the three Conventions

Stéphanie started in the United Nations in 1995. She worked for one year at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the External Relations Division and for the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1996 to 1999 in the Division of Human Resources Management. She joined the UNEP Chemicals’ unit in August 1999 and assisted this unit in organizing meetings/workshops in Geneva and elsewhere such as the first Global Mercury Assessment (GMA) meeting, the international Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM), the Development of a Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committees (INCs) and workshops on POPs. She also provided assistance in the capacity building programme and to the Administration. Stéphanie was appointed to the position of programme assistant at the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention in 2006.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 24
E-mail: scadet@pops.int

Susanne is the Acting Chief of the Administrative Services Branch (ASB) and provides functions in the areas of finance, budget, human resources and administration for the Secretariat.

Susanne joined the UN/Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO/DFS) in 1999 and has had the opportunity to work both at the UNHQ in New York and in a field mission in Kinshasa, DR Congo before joining UNEP in Geneva in November 2007. Susanne is from Sweden and holds a master in Business Administration from Lund’s University.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 87 95
Email: susanne.bengtsson@unep.org

Yves Soriano joined Unep in 2009 as IT Network Administrator. He supports and maintains the servers and network devices running the Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel systems. As part of the IT team, Yves is also involved in assisting users with IT issues and takes part in specific IT projects. Among the most recent projects: the new paperless Xirrus wifi based architecture used in most of our conferences and events. He was also involved in setting up the Webex conferencing system used for delivering workshops and webinars. He is reporting directly to Osmany Pereira, Head of IT.

Before joining the UNEP, Yves served as IT Manager in a large media corporation in London and as an IT consultant for different public and private organizations in Australia. Yves graduated in 1986 from a French IT Engineering school in Paris. Yves is a French and Australian national.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (0)79 447 25 89
Email: ysoriano@pops.int

Alain works as Programme Officer for Conventions Operations Branch (COB) of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. He is responsible for the coordination of the work of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention. This includes, among other, the coordination of the Conference’s intersessional work, document preparation, organization, following-up on Conference of the Parties decisions and development of related workplans.

Alain has an academic background in Geology and Environmental Sciences. He joined UNEP in 2002 as Associate Programme Officer working for the Post Conflict Assessment Branch. In 2008, he joined the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention as Programme Officer. Alain is a Swiss and British national.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 27
Email: awittig@pic.int

Andrea works as Associate Programme Officer in the Conventions Operations Branch. She coordinates policy issues related to enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Andrea also supports the preparations and organization of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and the subsidiary bodies under the conventions, in particular related to the development of meeting documents and workplans.

Andrea, an Austrian national, holds a master’s degree in business administration and a second master’s degree in French philology, as well as an advanced university degree in international studies. She joined the Secretariat in 2008 and has since then worked in a number of areas of the Secretariat.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 53
Email: awarmuth@pops.int

Ariel is the Documents Assistant for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. He assists in the control of documents and acts as a liaison between the secretariat and UNON Conference Services in the preparation and organization of meeting documents for the Conferences of the Parties and their subsidiary bodies.

Before joining UNEP in 1990, he worked at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva. Ariel is from the Philippines and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the Philippine School of Business Administration.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 11
Email: ariel.dayao@unep.org

David Ogden is the acting chief of the Convention Operations Branch of the secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Mr. Ogden joined the United Nations Environment Programme in March 1997 and served as the coordinator of the Stockholm Convention through its negotiation and following its entry into force. He chaired the coordinators group that was responsible for the organization and conduct of the first simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in February 2010.

Mr. Ogden worked for the United States Environment Protection Agency from 1987 to March 1997 mostly within the Office of International Affairs where he served as the lead analyst for international chemicals management issues. Mr. Ogden holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science, a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs, a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and a certificate to teach social studies at the secondary level. He is an American.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 90
Email: dogden@pops.int

Mr. Moser is responsible for the overall coordination of the simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. He also serves as the Resource Mobilization Focal Point for the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and is responsible for matters relating to the Financial Mechanism of the Stockholm Convention. Mr. Moser also serves as the focal point for communication with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on policy-related issues.

Mr. Moser is a German national. He holds a university degree in chemistry and an advanced university degree in economics and is currently finalizing his PhD studies. Mr. Moser joined the Secretariat in 2009. Prior that, Mr. Moser worked for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna and the Chemicals Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 89 51
Email: fmoser@pops.int

Within the Conference Operations Branch, Hamoudi's work focuses on the organization of the Conference of the Parties of the Rotterdam Convention and coordination with FAO part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat. He also supports activities under the financial mechanism of the Stockholm Convention and on synergy activities.

An Iraqi and Swiss citizen, Hamoudi has an academic background in international relations and political science. He has been working for the United Nations in the environment sector and on chemicals issues since 2005.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 84 05
Email: hshubber@pops.int

Ms. Edma is a Conference Clerk, providing support to the coordination of COPs and subsidiary bodies meeting by providing secretarial and administrative assistance as required. She also supports donor reporting and follow up of negotiations with donors on strategic funding agreements. Ms. Edma assists in the implementation of the programme of work by making information needed for project management available.

Ms. Edma is from the Philippines and holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. Ms. Edma previously worked as a technical support representative for a computer company. Prior to joining the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention, Ms Edma worked as an intern for UNEP Administrative Service Center where she was involved in updating their filing system, verified disbursement of payment in Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and assisted in workshop preparation of UNEP/Chemicals.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 18
Email: jpedma@pops.int

Ms. Juliette Voinov Kohler is policy and legal advisor. She joined the Secretariat in December 2008 and is currently the head of the Secretariat’s legal team. Her overall responsibilities include the provision of legal support and policy advice to the institutions of the Conventions, Parties, the Secretariat and other stakeholders. Her main duties and responsibilities include legal advice pertaining to the meetings of the Conferences of the Parties, compliance/non compliance mechanisms, enforcement and illegal trade/traffic (including international cooperation with enforcement organizations and networks), review of the synergies arrangements, environmental governance, liability and compensation, and specific legal issues in the context of the Country Led Initiative and of the Secretariat’s cooperation with the International Maritime Organization.

Ms. Voinov Kohler holds a PhD in international environmental law (summa cum laude, Geneva), an LLM in international law (with Merit, London School of Economics) and a law degree (Geneva). She was admitted to the bar in Geneva. Prior to joining the Secretariat, Ms. Voinov Kohler accumulated experience in international environmental law, international criminal law, humanitarian issues as well as Swiss law in Switzerland (Law firm, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Global Humanitarian Forum), New York (consultant) and Chicago (Responsibility to Protect Coalition). She is a French national.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 19
Email: juliette.kohler@unep.org

Kei is a Programme Officer in the Conventions Operations Branch. Her function is to support the Basel Convention’s Open-ended Working Group, the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemicals Review Committee, and the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee. She coordinates the meetings and intersessional work of those subsidiary bodies.

Kei joined the Secretariat in 2007. She assisted with the process for reviewing and listing of new chemicals under the Stockholm Convention. Kei worked as a consultant on chemicals management and environmental monitoring for the Ministry of the Environment Japan. She holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and M.Sc. and B.Sc. in environmental science. Kei is a Japanese national.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 01
Email: kohno@pops.int

Provides administrative and secretarial support in the coordination of COPs and subsidiary bodies meeting, Legal and CLI programme; Assists in the implementation of the programme of work by making information needed for project management available; Provides support to other Branches of the Secretariat as required.

Leslie is from the Philippines and studied Computer Programming. Before joining the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, Leslie worked with the World Health Organization for 5 years as Administrative Clerk.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 99
Email: langeles@pic.int

Within the Conference Operations Branch, Lorraine’s work mainly focuses on the co-ordination of the three Bureaux of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions respectively. She is also the focal point for matters of protocol. Lorraine joined the secretariat in 2006.

Previously, Lorraine was Assistant to the United Nations Under-Secretary General/ Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Ms Brigita Schmögnerová, former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia, from 2002-2005 and Mr. Marek Belka (USG and former Prime Minister of Poland) from 2005-2006.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 45
Email: lorriane.deakin@unep.org

Within the Conventions Operations Branch, Ms. Taoufiq’s core functions are to:

- Lead corporate legal services, which mainly include: i) the drafting, negotiating, implementing of agreements/contracts with governments, Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and other pubic and private entities; ii) intellectual property issues; iii) dispute resolution & prevention;

- Lead the handling of legal matters related to: i) the technical and scientific bodies of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions as well as the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Basel Convention; ii) international co-operation with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); iii) operations & communications with the Treaty Section/ Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) of the United Nations Office in New York;

- Develop or assist in the preparation of legal tools, guidance, seminars, etc., to facilitate implementation of the Conventions.

Ms. Taoufiq took up her appointment as legal officer of the Stockholm Convention in July 2009 and managed the legal unit of the Joint Services for the Conventions until February 2012. Prior to joining the United Nations, she acquired significant professional experience in Geneva, Paris, Brussels and Santiago de Chile, as a legal counsel for a multinational biotech company, as an attorney in law firms, as well as around and within international organisations (e.g. the European Commission, WTO). She qualified in 2001 and was called to the Paris Bar Court of Appeals. Both a native French and Moroccan national, Ms. Taoufiq was educated in the UK (London) and in France. She holds a Master’s Degree in international law from the University of Paris I - Panthéon Sorbonne (2000) and a Master’s Degree in intellectual property/new technologies from the University of Paris II - Panthéon Assas (2001). French is her mother tongue; she is also bilingual in English and Spanish, has a good working knowledge of German and basic knowledge of Arabic and Italian.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 89 50
Email: ataoufiq@pops.int

Marylene works as a Programme Officer for the Secretariat’s Conventions Operations Branch (COB). She is responsible for the overall coordination of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention. As such, she coordinates the development of work plans, track implementation of decisions and assist with preparation of documents. In addition, her work for the Secretariat includes a number of collaborative activities with partner organizations in areas of relevance to the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions.

From 2008 to 2011, she assisted the Stockholm Convention Secretariat in the delivery of technical assistance to Parties through training workshops, projects, webinars, and online training. Before joining the Secretariat, Marylene worked at the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) from 2004 to 2008. As part of her duties, she managed capacity-building projects to support countries in the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements for chemicals, such as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. Marylene holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Telecom Business School, France. In 2004, she specialized in environmental management after having completed a Masters course from the Faculty of Engineering and Science, Aalborg University, Denmark. Marylene is a French national.

Coordinates:

Telephone: + 41 (22) 917 83 87
Email: mbeau@pops.int

As a Programme Officer in the Convention Operations Branch, Ms. Wingfield is responsible for the overall coordination of activities associated with the Indonesian-Swiss country-led initiative to improve effectiveness of the Basel Convention and the Strategic Framework for the implementation of the Basel Convention for 2012-2021. She is also the policy, technical and capacity building lead for the Secretariat on ship dismantling issues.

Ms. Wingfield is a New Zealand national and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Economic History and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Technology, both from the University of London. Before joining SBC in 2008, she worked for 2 years with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with a focus on waste and ship recycling issues. Prior to this, she worked as a project manager in both the financial and IT sectors.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 84 06
Email: susan.wingfield@unep.org

Yvonne Ewang-Sanvincenti has worked as Associate Legal Officer since April 2009. She provides and assists in providing legal advice and guidance, including responding to oral and written queries from Parties and other stakeholders. Ms. Ewang-Sanvincenti handles and tracks information with legal implications – national legislation; notifications of national definitions and import/export prohibitions; exemptions; designation of country contacts. She also assists in alleged cases of illegal traffic and facilitates the resolution of differences between Parties. She also supports corporate legal services; implementation of the Secretariats’ work programmes related to legal matters; and provides legal support to Conventions’ bodies’ meetings.

Ms. Ewang-Sanvincenti, of Cameroonian-British origin, qualified to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales. She has experience in private legal practice, industry, inter-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in England, France and Switzerland. Ms. Ewang-Sanvincenti has completed a post-graduate Legal Practice Course and holds an LLB (Hons) in European Languages and Law. She speaks English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 12
Email: yvonne.ewang@unep.org

Ana Priceputu works as a Programme Officer on the minimization and elimination of unintentional releases of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), monitoring of POPs and the effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention. Prior to joining the Secretariat, Ana worked on various environmental issues, doing research and project coordination, implementation and monitoring for the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, especially on energy security and risk assessment aspects, and for UNEP/DEWA-Europe in the integrated environmental assessment field.

Ana holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University A.I. Cuza, Romania, a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She has authored a number of publications on climate change impacts and vulnerability assessment, the topic of her doctoral thesis. As a native of Romania, she has extensively worked in the Carpathian region, in particular in the framework of the Carpathian Convention.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 85 53
Email: apriceputu@pops.int

She is responsible for the area of National Reporting for the Basel Convention and all topics related to this theme (i.e. liaison with Parties, management of national reporting data, and training for the Parties in the area of National Reporting). She is also one of the responsible officers for the synergies activities related to National Reporting, which involves the Basel and Stockholm conventions. Carla joined the Secretariat in September 2010.

Carla is Brazilian and has been working with the UN organizations since 2005. Before working at UNEP, she worked at UNOG, at the UNFCCC, and at the UN Headquarters – with UNDESA - in New York. Previously, she has worked as researcher in Germany, at the Fraunhofer Institut for Applied Technologies and for the university RWTH Aachen. And before my move to Germany, she worked, for several years, for the private sector (in different organizations) and for universities in Brazil. Carla holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the university RWTH Aachen, Germany.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 86
Email: carla.valle@unep.org

Dadan coordinates the work related to the cooperation among the scientific bodies under the synergies decision; contributes to the preparation of draft technical guidelines for the ESM of waste streams or disposal operations, hazard characteristics and post-consumer goods under the Basel Convention COPs; contributes to the management of the scientific works of the Basel and Stockholm Conventions COPs and subsidiary bodies; and cooperates with the Technical Assistance Branch in developing and implementing relevant training and capacity building programmes, approaches and activities. He liaises with the WCO’s HSC on waste codes establishment; serves as focal point for Stockholm Convention Article 15 reports management and guidance to Parties; and represents the Secretariat in some international fora on sound management of chemicals.

Prior to joining the Secretariat, Dadan was a senior consultant and trainer in environmental, health & safety management; Senior Technical Advisor to the Basel Convention Regional Centre for South-East Asia; a member of the Indonesia’s Technical Committee for Hazardous Waste Management; Senior Environmental Compliance Officer of a hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility in Indonesia. He has worked mostly in the developing countries; and developed several technical guidelines related to hazardous materials and waste at both national and regional levels. Dadan studied environmental engineering in the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB, 1988) and environmental studies in the University of Indonesia (UI, 2003) where he also used to teach hazardous materials/waste management subjects, including hazardous materials emergency management.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 23
Email: dadan.wardhana@unep.org

Florencia performs documentary research on POPs and provides assistance in identifying and accessing relevant data and information on scientific and technical issues relevant to the conventions. She is also responsible for the development and maintenance of the cataloging system for the classification of documents of a scientific and technical nature.

Florencia joined UNEP in 2001, and has served the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention since 2006. She was educated in chemical engineering at the University of San Marcos in Lima, and has followed post graduate studies in Development Studies at the University of Geneva and in Environmental Engineering and Management at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. She also studied information systems and web design. Florencia is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 84 89
Email: fverdi@pops.int

Gamini implements the work programmes on endosulfan , lindane and activities for the evaluation of continued need for DDT for disease vector control including coordination of the Global Alliance for the development and deployment of alternatives to DDT. He also manages the registers of specific exemptions of the Stockholm Convention (Article 4) and develops technical documents to facilitate Parties reducing reliance on POPs and conforming to specific exemptions and acceptable purposes. In providing support to the work of the scientific subsidiary bodies under the Conventions, Gamini coordinates the intersessional work of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee related to pesticides, toxic interactions and climate change.

Gamini comes with over two decades of experience in sound management of pesticides. He has been involved in establishing the pesticide management infrastructure of Sri Lanka and led its implementation for 15 years as the Registrar of Pesticides to significantly reduce pesticide related problems in the country. Gamini has also served as an expert in international bodies related to pesticides management including the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention. He has been actively involved in research related to pesticide management and teaching on chemical toxicology. He has a Ph.D. from University of Missouri-Columbia, in the field of eco-toxicological chemistry.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 04
E-mail: gamini.manuweera@unep.org

Mr. Ibrahim Shafii is the Acting Chief, Scientific Support Branch. His responsibilities include leading, planning and implementing the programme of work of the Branch related to technical and scientific aspects; national reporting; coordinate the work on the development of technical guidelines, tools and guidance; finalization of draft texts for amendments/submissions on lists of chemicals and wastes; provide support on technical and strategic issues to Parties and the Executive Secretary; coordinate the input of the Branch into the meetings of the Conference of the Parties and their subsidiary bodies; in close coordination with other Branches, plan and execute joint activities on scientific matters; and collaborate and liaise with other UN organizations and agencies on scientific and technical cooperation issues.

Mr. Shafii, a Malaysian citizen, holds the Masters and Bachelor of Science degrees in Environmental Health from the USA and Diploma in Microbiology from Malaysia. Prior to joining the Secretariat of the Basel Convention in January 2000, he was serving in various capacities in the Department of Environment, Malaysia. He played an instrumental role in the toxic and hazardous wastes regulations formulation and their implementation. He contributed to the drafting of many of the environmental control legislations, administrative procedures and guidelines for air, effluent and hazardous waste management. He was also the desk officer for the Basel Convention implementation in Malaysia since 1991.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 36
Email: ibrahim.shafii@unep.org

Katarina Magulova is working in the Secretariat as Programme Officer since May 2006. In the Scientific Support Branch she manages the programme on minimization or elimination of unintentional releases of POPs under Article 5 of the Stockholm Convention, including source inventories and release estimates, as well as best available techniques and best environmental practices (BAT&BEP). Her other major task is related to coordination of effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention under Article 16, including management of the world-wide implementation of the POPs Global Monitoring Plan. Katarina is supporting the Branch Chief in overall coordination of issues relevant to the Stockholm Convention.

Also before joining the Secretariat, her work was focusing on the technical aspects of environment protection such as development and implementation of legislation, strategies and action plans for reduction of harmful pollution; issues related to best available techniques and best environmental practices and their implementation on international, regional and national levels; inventory of environment pollution sources and their releases; as well as development of on-ground projects to implement concrete actions. She worked as national expert in a governmental agency from 1991-2002, as consultant in UNEP Chemicals during 2002 and as freelance consultant from 2003 to 2006. Katarina has Slovak nationality and holds a master’s degree in chemistry from the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 81 70
Email: katarina.magulova@unep.org

Melisa Lim is responsible for implementing activities aimed at promoting reduced reliance on and the elimination of chemicals newly listed under the Stockholm Convention, with a focus on industrial POPs (brominated diphenyl ethers and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid). She implements the work programme on new POPs and facilitates the development of technical guidelines to assist parties in the sound management of newly listed POPs. To support the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee, she coordinates its intersessional work on industrial POPs and the evaluation of candidate POPs and of proposals for the listing of new chemicals. She contributes to synergy activities aimed at coordination among the scientific subsidiary bodies and the inclusion of newly listed POPs in technical guidelines mandated by the Basel Convention.

Prior to joining UNEP, Melisa served with the Secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board, the UN body mandated to promote the implementation of the international drug control conventions. Her work centred around the regulation of psychoactive substances and promoting access to narcotics for pain treatment. Melisa has extensive experience as a research scientist and has led projects on subjects ranging from plant immunity to the toxicity of heavy metals. Melisa holds a Ph.D in biology from Washington University in St Louis. Her undergraduate degree is in biology and environmental science. Melisa is a national of Mauritius.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 31
Email: mlim@pops.int

Neslihan carries out the scientific activities of Rotterdam Convention -Geneva section with  particular focus  on industrial chemicals, notifications of final regulatory actions and import responses. Neslihan supports the preparation and execution of Conference of the Parties and Chemical Review Committee (CRC) meetings and coordinates the inter-sessional work of the CRC for industrial chemicals.  She also works with other branches of the secretariat on synergy related activities, particularly on industrial chemicals, or for providing technical input on different topics.

Neslihan has worked as a technical officer, management consultant, lecturer and product manager before joining UNEP as a Scientific Affairs Officer and has experience working in the private sector and academia, in addition to that in the United Nations.  Neslihan holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Bosphorous University in Istanbul and a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Tech, USA. She speaks Turkish, English, French and German.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 43
Email: ngrasser@pic.int  

Paul coordinates the activities of the Geneva part of the Rotterdam Convention and particularly the work on industrial chemicals, notifications of final regulatory actions and import responses. He also has responsibility for coordination with the other branches of the secretariat on synergy related activities and creates and facilitates public awareness and outreach scientific activities to enhance and improve the visibility of the Conventions.

Paul is a Jamaican and was the Registrar of the Pesticides Control Authority for the country. He joined UNEP-Chemicals in 2000 where he led the preparation of the GEF-funded global project for the Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Organic Pollutants. He also managed the DDT, PCBs and pesticides portfolio in the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention before taking up the coordination of the Rotterdam Secretariat in Geneva. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Guelph in Canada and a Masters from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 05
Email: pwhylie@pic.int

Philomena works in the Scientific Support Branch of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. She assists with the organization of workshops and meetings and provides any other support, including sending letters to meeting participants, organizing staff and participants travel and distributing DSA. She also circulates official correspondence regarding projects and programmes of the Secretariat as appropriate and assists with inputting data on national reporting into the report database.

Philomena, a Swiss national of Indian origin, was educated at the University of Calcutta in Political Science, Economy and Psychology. She also has a diploma in Fashion Designing with Maggy Meyers Institute of Fashion Technology. Before joining the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention in January 2008, Philomena worked with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, Home for the dying & destitutes and the Orphanage, based in Calcutta, India. She also has experience working with other UN organizations, the private sector, NGOs and the State Red Cross.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 87 99
E-mail: pjoseph@pops.int

Alex's current functions: lead for identification and development of training methodologies in the Technical Assistance Branch. Workshop delivery; Project execution; Support all activities on Technical Assistance.

Alex has an MSc in Food Science and a BSc (Honours) in Chemistry. He has worked for Cairns Foods Limited as a Food Technologist / Flavourist. He was the Deputy Director of the Government Analyst Laboratory in Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Zimbabwe, for 5 years, then chief Hazardous Substances and Articles Controller for 11 years. Alex administered the Hazardous Substances and Articles Act, on Chemical and Radiation Safety. He carried out inspections of chemical enterprises and ionizing radiation licensees, to determine compliance with regulations. He was the Designated National Authority for the Rotterdam Convention, also Basel and Stockholm Conventions focal point. He was the IFCS standing committee member, then he joined UNEP Chemicals as a consultant working on dioxin and furan sampling and analysis project for Africa. After two years he became a UNITAR fellow in the Training and Capacity Building Programmes in Chemicals, Waste and Environmental Governance; Petroleum and Human Development Programme. He Initiated the process of elaborating environmental profiles in the 5 Niger Delta States in Nigeria. Alex is from Zimbabwe.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 84 58
E-mail: amangwiro@pic.int

Anja Zimmermann joined the Technical Assistance Branch of the Secretariat in April 2013, and is responsible, among others, for providing support to webinars as well as assisting the branch in the preparation as well as during the ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, to be held from 28 April to 10 May 2013.

Prior to joining the conventions, Anja completed two internships in Quito, Ecuador (one with an NGO called SERPPAJ, the other with the GIZ) and spent an exchange semester in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where she also worked as a German teacher.

Anja is German and Ecuadorian and is currently enrolled in a B.A in Ibero Cultura and Portuguese at the University of Freiburg in Germany.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41(22) 917 85 88
Email: azimmermann@pic.int

In the Technical Assistance Branch, Cherryl leads the Technical assistance needs assessment and coordinates the Technical assistance newsletter.

Prior to joining UNEP, Cherryl worked for nine years as a researcher on issues of corporate social responsibility (UQAM in Montreal and World Business Council for Sustainable Development in Geneva), water management and local Agenda 21 (EPFL in Lausanne). Of French and Dutch nationality, Cherryl grew up in Tunisia, Senegal, USA, Nepal, Madagascar and Mali. She holds a PhD from EPFL and an M.Phil in Environmental Economics from ENGREF-EHESS-Paris X, as well as a Bachelor in Sociology.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 03
Email: candredelaporte@pops.int

Ms. Cenni is a programme officer of the Technical Assistance Branch. She coordinates the development of new webinars and coordinates the Probo Koala assistance programme in Africa. Previously she coordinated the E-waste Africa programme and the Mercury programme of the Basel Convention, facilitating projects in cooperation with the Basel Regional Centres.

Prior to joining UNEP, Ms. Cenni was the environmental manager of a chemical company in the waste water treatment sector, where she was responsible for the environmental management system, according to the ISO 14000 standards. In UNEP she worked for the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention and for the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention. Also, she was a member of the team in charge of the Palestinian-Israeli portfolio of activities of the Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch. Ms. Cenni, an Italian national, holds a Master's degree in environmental sciences and studied at Bologna University, in Italy and Lund University in Sweden, where she specialized in marine toxicology.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 64
Email: francesca.cenni@unep.org

Ms. Alvarez is working in the Technical Assistance Branch, and as part of the team activities she is in charge of the identification and development of tools and manual for capacity building for effective implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Ms. Alvarez joined the Stockholm Convention Secretariat on March 2011 as officer in charge of new POPs including waste issues, development and updating of relevant guidance for updating Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plan for the new POPs added to the Convention, following POPs the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and other international, and oversight for Safe Planet Campaign activities. She started her work with UNEP in 2009 as Regional Focal Point for Chemicals and Waste in Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Prior to joining UNEP, Ms. Alvarez worked for the Ministry of Environment of Uruguay for 15 years, serving as responsible for the Hazardous Substances Department, and as Director of Basel and Stockholm Regional Centers. Ms. Alvarez represented the GRULAC region in the synergies Ad Hoc Joint Working Group and SAICM. She was also expert member of the POPRC where she served as Vice-Chair. Mrs. Alvarez was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and holds a bachelor degree in chemistry and a degree in pharmacy.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 50
Email: jalvarez@pops.int

Mr. Kibaek Song joined the Technical Assistance Branch of the Secretariat in January 2013, and is responsible for providing support to Webinars as well as assisting the branch in the preparation as well as during the ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, to be held from 28 April to 10 May 2013.

Prior to joining the conventions, Kibaek completed the 4th International Environment Expert Training Programme which was fully supported by the Ministry of Environment of Republic of Korea. In addition, he worked in Kenya for a couple of years as a volunteer with charity NGOs.

Kibaek is a South Korean national and holds a B.A in communication from Daystar University in Kenya.

Coordinates

Telephone: +41(22) 917 81 26
Email: ksong@pic.int  

Ms. Cárdenas-Fischer is currently acting chief of the Technical Assistance Branch of the Secretariat. She joined the Stockholm Convention Secretariat in October 2001 as a policy advisor, over the years she has been responsible for managing the areas of work of the Secretariat pertaining to technical assistance (including the regional centres for capacity building and transfer of technology), the financial mechanism under the Convention, the national implementation plans, the reporting obligations and the expert group on BAT and BEP. From October 2009-February 2012 she was the coordinator for the technical assistance programme of the secretariat of the Stockholm Convention.

Prior to joining the Stockholm Convention Secretariat, Ms. Cárdenas-Fischer, worked for the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1993 to 2001), as special advisor for environmental issues. Ms. Cárdenas-Fischer is a Colombian national and holds a BA in Philosophy from Bristol University in the United Kingdom.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 86 35
E-mail: mcardenas@pops.int

Matthias Kern is Senior Programme Officer in the Technical Assistance Branch and has the lead for identifying and establishing or further strengthen partnerships and international cooperation related to technical assistance that address emerging issues or other stated priorities of the Conferences of the Parties.

He is German national and started his professional career as Research Associate at the Plant Protection Institute in Goettingen, Germany before he joined the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in 1986, where he worked in the field of pesticide and industrial chemicals handling and use, regulation and technical assistance for the implementation of international chemicals conventions. In 2005, he was appointed Senior Programme Officer for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and other hazardous chemicals in the UNEP Division of Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coordination in Nairobi, where he coordinated the UNEP GEF projects related to toxic substances. From 2009 to 2012, he was Head of the Implementation and Capacity Building Unit in the Secretariat of the Basel Convention.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 87 67
E-mail: matthias.kern@unep.org

Nelson leads the strengthening of the operation of the Regional Centres at the Technical Assistance Branch. He contributes to identification of Parties’ needs and provision of increased capacity-building to Parties, including the formulation of strategic goals and objectives to catalyze transformational change and leverage impact that would be significantly larger than operating on its own. He is also participating in updating and development of innovative training tools to strengthen the Secretariat’s support to Parties. Nelson is organizing enhanced cooperation and coordination in providing technical assistance at national and regional levels.

Nelson has been eighteen years working in UNEP. During the last eleven years at UNEP’s senior level, from 2000 to 2002 as the Senior Scientific Affairs Officer of the Secretariat for the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in Nairobi, and as the Senior Programme Officer-Regional Centres/Technology (from May 2002 to March 2005), -Technical and Capacity Building Unit (from April 2005 to February 2009) and Chief, Convention Services and Governance Unit (from March 2009 to February 2012) for the Secretariat of the Basel Convention in Geneva. A national of Colombia, Nelson holds a degree of Engineer of Meteorology, a Master’s degree of Science in Meteorology and a specialization on Environmental Protection.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 12
Email: nelson.sabogal@unep.org

Suman takes lead in collecting technical assistance requests submitted by Parties to the Secretariat and serves as a contact point for issues pertaining to the regional centres. In addition, he is also involved in the activities relating to capacity building and partnerships within the Technical Assistance Branch of the Secretariat.

Prior to joining UNEP in January 2007, he worked for the Government of Nepal in various capacities. Started professional career as an analytical chemist in 1988 and worked for about 10 years in this capacity. In 1998 he moved to the Ministry of Environment where his principal area of work was environmental pollution control. His areas of work included drafting of policy, program and projects on pollution control including formulation of environmental standards. In addition to this, he liaised with various bilateral and multilateral donors/partners in the activities relating to environmental pollution control. In 2001 he took the management responsibility of the Air Quality Management Project for Kathmandu valley. Suman is a Nepali. He completed his M.Sc. degree in physical chemistry in 1984 from TU, Nepal. In 2003, he got another M.Sc. degree in Environmental Toxicology, Technology and Management from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 82 10
Email: ssharma@pops.int

Tatiana Terekhova has a leading role in training activities in the area of the technical assistance for the three Conventions. Prior to this function, she was coordinating capacity-building activities for the implementation of the Basel Convention, in particular the E-waste Africa programme.

She has been in the United Nations family for over 9 years. This includes the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) secretariat / UNEP where she managed the Quick Start Programme Trust Fund and the UN Institute for Training and Research where she provided assistance to developing countries and countries in economy in transition in various areas of sound chemicals and wastes management. Tatiana is a national of the Russian Federation. She has a background in international environmental law and has law degrees from Russia and Switzerland.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 83 40
Email: tatiana.terekhova@unep.org

Wade is Coordinator of the webinar programme for the Technical Assistance Branch of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

He joined UNEP’s Stockholm Convention Secretariat in April 2009 supporting the coordination of national, regional and sub-regional workshops, subsidiary body meetings and the Conference of the Parties. From March 2010 Wade performed similar functions for the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat while later assuming the role of technical support to the Stockholm Convention’s webinar programme. He has also provided web content management services for the Conventions.

Prior to joining the Conventions Wade worked for UNOG’s Division of Conference Management; The Global Fund’s Proposals and Grants Management unit; UNHQ NY, FALD/DPKO Field Service in UNAMIR Rwanda, ONUMOZ Mozambique and UNTSO Israel; United States Air Force, 39th and 18th Security Police Squadrons in Turkey, Japan, Korea, Guam and the Philippines; Morgan Guaranty Trust Co., bearer bonds division, Wall St. NY, USA.

Wade is an American national educated at the Community College of the Air Force, Industrial Security; Texas Tech University and Austin Community College, Business Administration/Real Estate; CUNY Research Institute, Mathematics.

Coordinates:

Telephone: +41 (22) 917 88 17
E-mail: wbowers@pops.int