Adriana Sahagún Martínez
Communications Officer
Adriana is the Communications Officer at TMG. Before joining the team, Adriana worked in various international development and civil society organizations, where she developed and implemented multiple global marketing campaigns. She holds a Master’s degree in Institutional Communication from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
Alexander Müller
Founder & Managing Director
Alexander is a former FAO Assistant Director-General (2006-2013), and State Secretary for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Germany (2001 -2005). He has vast experience in global sustainability governance, as inter alia: Chair of the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition; member of the UN Environmental Management Group; and Lead, Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Land, and TEEBAgriFood.
An-Nissa Burhan
Junior Project Officer - Finance
An-Nissa is a member of our finance and administration team. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public and Nonprofit Management from HWR Berlin and gained practical experience as a working student at Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe Berlin. An-Nissa brings a solid academic foundation and practical insights, motivated to actively contribute to positive initiatives and bring about meaningful change.
Ben Boteler
Senior Research Fellow
Ben Boteler’s work at TMG covers regional ocean governance for the high seas. His research focuses on the socioeconomic uses and benefits of the marine environment, and facilitating the development of comprehensive, cross-sectoral approaches for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.
Christian Sonntag
Research Associate - Urban Food Futures
Christian has more than 10 years of research experience in human-environment relations and food systems, and previously worked on agricultural value chains and urban agriculture in Kenya and Tanzania. His educational background is in Geographical Development Studies and he holds a PhD in Economic Geography from Berlin's Humboldt University.
Daniel Montas
Junior Research Associate - Governance of Food Systems Transformation
Daniel's work focuses on the transformation of food systems. He holds a Master's degree in Global & Development Studies at Humboldt University, University of Pretoria and Chulalongkorn University. Daniel previously worked for the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States as well as the European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Foundation.
David Assenmacher
Junior Project Officer - Finance
David completed his master's degree in sustainable economics in Kassel. Previously, he worked at Fraunhofer IEE as a student assistant in administration. Now he will support TMG as a junior in the areas of administration and finance. His interests are the challenges of sustainability transformation processes and how these can be implemented in a continuous and stable manner.
David Betge
Project Coordinator - SEWOH Lab
A specialist in land rights, David worked for five years as a land rights adviser for the Dutch-based international relief and recovery organization ZOA. Prior to that he worked in non-formal political education in Berlin. He has a PhD from the Free University Berlin. For his doctoral studies David conducted research on redistributive land reforms in India and South Africa.
Elena Lazutkaite
Research Associate
Dr Elena Lazutkaitė is an interdisciplinary researcher focussing on agriculture, environmental sustainability, pest control, and governance. Elena obtained a BSc in Veterinary Science, MSc in Animal Welfare and Conservation and a PhD in Critical Theory and Cultural Studies. Elena coordinates the implementation of TMG’s workstream on desert locusts under the Strengthening Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture project.
Emily Robertson
Student Assistant - Land Tenure and Climate
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Geography and International Studies at the University of Denver, Emily spent several years abroad working on various conservation and community development projects. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree in Sustainable Resource Management at the Technical University of Munich.
Emmanuel Atamba
Senior Adviser - Food Systems
Atamba works on the governance of food systems transformation and the urban food futures projects in Kenya. Atamba has had an active role in the food systems landscape in Kenya through his works on the Human Right to Food and relevant policies. He has also previously worked on different agricultural development programs and initiatives in Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. Atamba has a background in agriculture, agricultural economics major.
Frederike Klümper
Programme Lead - Land Governance
Frederike's thematic interests include the governance of natural resources, social accountability tools, and participatory development approaches. She has previously worked as a researcher and adviser with diverse organizations in Africa, Europe and Central Asia. Frederike obtained a PhD from the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies for her work on water and land governance in Tajikistan.
Gültaç Çinar
Research Associate - Food Systems
Gültaç joined TMG as a Research Associate for the PLAN´EAT project. Her main work focus is development of a TCA database for food and agriculture sector. She holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from ETH Zurich. Prior to her role at TMG, she made contributions to a startup, helping the food sector achieving net-zero emissions. Additionally, her experience includes research on mitigating GHG emissions in agricultural systems during her work at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy.
Harry Hoffmann
Senior Research Associate - Governance of Food Systems Transformation
Harry's research interests are in food and nutrition security, natural resource management, bioenergy, and food systems transformation. He has previously worked as researcher and project leader with the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) and Welthungerhilfe, and independent consultant with IDOS and the World Bank, among other organizations. He holds a PhD in agriculture from Humboldt University Berlin.
Ilse Pelkmans
Research Associate
llse has worked with diverse local and international organizations in East and West Africa, Central America and Europe, focusing on human rights, gender, social inclusion, and participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation. She holds a Master's degree in Cultural Anthropology and International Development Studies from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands.
Ingrid Reime
Student Assistant - SEWOH Lab
Ingrid works with the application of digitalization, exploring its role in creating food systems that are not only transformative but also socially inclusive. They are pursuing a master's degree in political science at Freie Universität Berlin, building upon their prior studies in Public Policy in Norway. Additionally, they have had leaderships roles in environmental and political organizations.
Jana Schütte
Student Assistant - Communications
Jana is working as a Student Assistant for Communications at TMG and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Media and Political Communication at the Freie Universität Berlin. Before joining the team, she has been working for the Bundestag and the political agency neues Handeln.
Jes Weigelt
Head of Programmes
Jes is responsible for co-steering TMG’s programmes, and overall strategic development. He has more than 10 years’ experience in providing science-based policy advice in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Jes' thematic interests span natural resources governance, transitions to sustainability, co-creation of knowledge, and social innovation.
Joanna Trimble
Strategic Communications Officer
Joanna serves as the Strategic Communications Officer, assisting the Managing Director and Head of Programmes in strategic organizational positioning and partnership development. Prior to joining the team, Joanna worked with global development and humanitarian organizations in brand development, communications, fundraising and donor reporting, wherein M&E was integral. Joanna holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam.
Johanna Sniezko
Project Officer - Finance
Johanna supports financial accounting and reporting at TMG research. Over the past years she was working in the non-profit sector with a focus on bridging the gap between science and society. She has a background in social sciences and a strong interest in involving and empowering local communities and experts for adressing global challenges.
Jörg Schindler
Senior Adviser - Governance of Food Systems Transformation
Jörg is a seasoned communications professional, diplomat and policy expert working at the intersection of rural development, food security, and governance. Starting as a journalist with German print and broadcast media, he has held various positions in the public sector, including as Director GIZ-AgenZ Berlin and Senior Adviser Communication and Public Diplomacy for the BMZ Special Initiative One World - No Hunger (SEWOH).
Kader Baba
Research Associate / Country Programme Manager - Benin
Kader manages TMG’s work programme in Benin, building on over 15 years of experience in development cooperation. His research focuses on innovative knowledge sharing approaches such as the Tem Sesiabun Gorado model, a farmer-led approach for sharing knowledge on good agricultural practices.
Larissa Stiem-Bhatia
Programme Lead - Nature-based Solutions
Larissa's work covers the broad area of ecosystem-based adaptation, food systems transformation, soil restoration and inclusive governance. With a background in environmental and sustainability science, she has vast research experience in Africa and India. Larissa previously worked with the Research Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam, and the African Forest Model Network, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lena Bassermann
Programme Lead Agriculture
Lena has more than 12 years' experience as a researcher, policy adviser and campaigner focusing on, among other topics, agroecology, food justice, and international agricultural policy. She has previously worked with German NGOs Welthungerhilfe and INKOTA, and the German parliament. Lena holds a MA degree in Political Science and Communication Studies from the University of Mainz.
Lisa Maria Klaus
Research Associate - Food Systems
Lisa joined the CLIF Project at TMG, where she contributes to developing a systematic understanding of food systems transformation. She has over four years of experience in science-based policy advice and previously worked for Welthungerhilfe. Lisa has a background in Social Science and Geography. Her areas of expertise include food systems transformation, nutrition, gender equality and migration.
Marlene Ohlau
Research Associate - Food Systems
As a research associate, Marlene works on the sustainable transformation of food systems in terms of content and strategic development with a focus on True Cost Accounting (TCA), in particular the establishment of a TCA network (TCA Alliance). She studied Food Science and holds a PhD in Agricultural Science from the University of Göttingen. During the last 5 years she has worked intensively on sustainable dietary behaviour, analysing characteristics of plant-based diets, substitution patterns and food choice factors, possible communication channels for education and the role of sensory perception in consumer behaviour.
Moritz Hauer
Research Associate - Land Governance
Moritz is a climate change adaptation specialist with research interests in social-ecological resilience and ecosystem-based approaches. At TMG, he focuses on the dynamics of climate change, land, and land tenure. Moritz previously worked for the UN Environment Programme on climate-resilient and sustainable development. He holds a Master’s degree in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation from Lund University, Sweden.
Nicole Paganini
Programme Lead - Urban Food Futures
Nicole's research focuses on rethinking the urban-food nexus for more inclusive and resilient urban futures. Her specific interests include the right to food, co-creation of knowledge with local communities, and feminist research approaches. Nicole obtained a PhD from Hohenheim University for her work on a food justice perspective in urban agriculture.
Njokom Vashti Akuhro
Team Assistant - Land Governance & Urban Food Futures
Vashti holds a MA in Labour Policies and Globalization from the University of Kassel and the Berlin School of Economics and Law. With a professional interest in leveraging administrative technologies, she has previously provided technical and logistical support to various development programmes in Cameroon. Vashti is an avid lover of nature, cycling and therapeutic music.
Olivia Riemer
Programme Lead - Food Systems
With a background in agricultural science, and food economics, Olivia manages the True Cost Initiative at TMG. Her research focuses on true cost accounting, and sustainable food system transformation. Olivia has co-developed guidelines for the food sector that integrate externalities into business reporting.
Sanelisiwe Siyotula-Tschappe
Research Associate - Urban Food Futures
Sanelisiwe's research spans the themes of power, gender, disclosure, as well as social and environmental accountability. A communications and governance specialist, she has worked with diverse organizations in South Africa, Switzerland and Germany. Sanelisiwe is currently completing her PhD in a cooperative partnership exploring the transformative capacity of governance mechanisms.
Serah Kiragu-Wissler
Senior Research Associate / Country Programme Manager - Kenya
Serah Wambui Kiragu-Wissler is a social scientist with extensive experience in facilitation and management of research and development cooperation. She works as a Senior Research Associate leading the accompanying research on Social Innovations to Protect Soils and Empower People in Kenya and also works for the Urban Food Futures programme.
Siranush Ghukasyan
Data Research Associate - Food Systems
Siranush contributes to the PLAN'EAT project, part of the True Cost Initiative team at TMG. She has previously worked at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Development in Transition Economies and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). She is undertaking PhD studies at the Martin Luther University Halle on distributional aspects of agricultural subsidies. Siranush has a passion for travelling, international cuisine, and skiing.
Stefanie Wiese
Project Officer - Finance
Stefanie supports financial accounting and reporting at TMG. She previously worked in consumer protection, where she monitored the energy, digital, and financial market sectors. After a brief stint in e-commerce, she aims to align her career more closely with her personal beliefs in climate protection and sustainability.
Thembeka Sikobi
Junior Research Associate - Urban Food Futures
Thembeka has earned an MA in Social Sciences from the Humboldt University of Berlin and an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation from the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. She has a keen interest in feminist research and topics that relate to South Africa and the Global South. Her previous experience is in early childhood development policy and consulting on industry research and development projects.
Vanessa Venne
Human Resources & Office Management
With a passion for working in an international, multicultural environment and an academic background in humanities, Vanessa supports the team as Human Resources & Office Manager. Her interests revolve around sustainable living, holistic health and environmental protection.
Victoria Redmond
Head of Administration
Victoria leads the Administration Team, covering HR, bookkeeping, project finances & controlling and office management. She has extensive experience as finance and administration lead with diverse non-profit organisations and public bodies in Germany and Ireland. Prior to joining TMG, she worked as Head of Finance & Operations with the Coordination Hub for PlanAdapt, and Head of Global Finance for Climate Analytics.
Washe Kazungu
Research Associate - Land Governance
Washe is a land governance specialist with more than ten years‘ experience in implementing projects to improve livelihoods through sustainable land and natural resource management. He has previously worked with the Kenya Country Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). Washe regularly publishes articles in the Kenyan media focusing on land governance, sustainable development and social inclusion themes.
William Onura
Research Associate - Land Governance
William works with TMG's partner civil society organizations in western Kenya to facilitate action research and co-design of social innovations, such as community-led land lease guidelines. With more than 10 years of experience in development work, his expertise includes conducting social science surveys and the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. He has previously worked as an environmental and disaster risk reduction consultant with several Kenyan firms.
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