About Us
Global Support Team
GSC Coordinators
GSC Coordinators provide strategic direction to the GSC (advised by the SAG) and engage regularly in the Global Cluster Coordinators Group as well as other inter-cluster coordination fora.
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Ela Serdaroglu - IFRCEla Serdaroglu is currently holding the position of Shelter Lead at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva. In this capacity, she is also the Global Shelter Cluster Coordinator for the IFRC, co-leading the Shelter Cluster with UNHCR.
Ela’s humanitarian career started in 1999 following the Marmara Earthquake in Turkey. Before assuming her current position, Ela worked for the IFRC, Netherlands Red Cross, HealthNet International and UNICEF at field and headquarters levels on a variety of programs covering the full range of disaster management continuum, including organizational development and capacity building.
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It was a conscious career choice for Ela to focus on humanitarian shelter and settlements sector as of 2010, when she joined the IFRC. In addition to constantly being on the lookout for improving shelter coordination, her recent professional interests include green response, linkages of shelter with other sectors and working in urban contexts. As part of her dedication to progressing the humanitarian shelter, Ela was one of the chapter lead authors for shelter and settlements in the 2018 revision of Sphere handbook.
Born and raised in Turkey, Ela holds a Bachelor of Science in city and regional planning from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara and master’s degrees from Harvard University in the USA and University of Groningen in the Netherlands on urban planning and international humanitarian assistance respectively. When not working and thinking about humanitarian challenges, she translates and edits children’s books and works on improving her silversmithing skills.
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Brett Moore - UNHCRBrett Moore is Chief of Section in the Division of Resilience and Solutions of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where he coordinates humanitarian shelter actors in both preparedness actions and disaster response. Brett also co-leads the Global Shelter Cluster, a collective of humanitarian agencies that undertake emergency shelter responses. Prior to joining UNHCR, Brett was humanitarian shelter, infrastructure and reconstruction advisor with World Vision International, deploying to conflict and disaster zones around the world. He led teams to ensure a coordinated humanitarian response for significant global emergencies, and guided rebuilding efforts for disaster and conflict-affected communities ranging from refugee camps to urban slums.
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GSC Deputy Coordinators
GSC Deputy Coordinators are alternates to the GSC Coordinators in the Global Cluster Coordinators Group and in other inter-cluster coordination fora. They ensure the day-to-day running of the cluster.
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Pablo Medina - IFRCPablo Medina is currently the Deputy Global Shelter Cluster Coordinator for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). With over 20 years of experience in humanitarian response and coordination, his career encompasses long-term field experience in the Philippines, Guatemala and Sri Lanka, with many other short missions in other countries in Latin-America, Africa and Asia-Pacific. He has worked with national and international NGOs, the UN, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
In his various capacities as a humanitarian worker, Pablo has led multi-sector programs and teams, in response to conflict, food insecurity, and natural disasters.
As Head of Country Programmes and Operations Coordinator with the Red Cross Movement, he has extensive experience overseeing humanitarian response and programming at the country and global levels.
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Stephanie Loose - UNHCRStephanie Loose joined UNHCR’s Division of Resilience and Solutions as Senior Global Shelter Cluster Coordinator in March 2023, after her assignment to the Joint IDP profiling Service (JIPS) as Senior Policy Advisor for Durable Solutions and building upon her experiences at UN-Habitat, as Chief Technical Advisor for UN-Habitat in Burkina Faso and different HQ positions.
Prior to this engagement in Burkina Faso, Stephanie was part of UN-Habitat’s Programme Development Branch, Global Solutions Division at UN-Habitat’s Headquarter in Nairobi, as UN-Habitat’s focal point for the work on urban migration and displacement, focusing on integrated programming on urban displacement and towards durable solutions in urban contexts, in different country contexts. She strongly advocates for the humanitarian-development-(peace) nexus and led the development of normative guidance tools as well as operationalizing projects in countries facing large scale migration to cities (forced and voluntary migration).
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GFPs for Coordination have been enhancing the coordination provided by country-level clusters. They oversee that country-level clusters are fulfilling the six core functions defined by the IASC with a particular focus on supporting service delivery, informing strategic decision-making, planning and strategy development, advocacy, and monitoring and reporting.
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Angel Pascual - UNHCRLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Maecenas porttitor congue massa. Fusce posuere, magna sed pulvinar ultricies, purus lectus malesuada libero, sit amet commodo magna eros quis urna. Nunc viverra imperdiet enim. Fusce est.
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Francisco Monteiro - IFRCFrancisco is seconded to the Global Shelter Cluster from the Australian Red Cross, and brings wide experience in post disaster shelter and construction coordination and implementation (Philippines, Mozambique, Nepal, Vanuatu) humanitarian response & coordination training – sphere, shelter, wash and logistics (Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal) and management of large scale conflict and post conflict reconstruction programmes (World Bank Timor-Leste, UNOPS Iraq, UNESCO World Heritage Centre Mozambique).
An Architect by trade and a humanist by choice, thrives working in teams, alongside and learning from local experts. Fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. |
GFP for Information Management
GFPs for Information Management support country-level clusters by consolidating guidance, setting up IM systems in new emergencies, supporting coordination teams in country directly or remotely, and developing training materials.
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Neil Bauman - IFRC/Canadian Red CrossNeil is an architect, senior shelter advisor, and information management specialist with the Canadian Red Cross who has been supporting the Shelter Cluster since 2005. His work has supported both operations and coordination activities in more than a dozen countries at field level and many more through remote support.
During his time with the Shelter Cluster, Neil has been involved in many different elements of its support to cluster partners. He has been a lead facilitator of the Humanitarian Shelter Coordination Training (HSCT) and has delivered a number of trainings focused on information management and shelter technical skills.
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Hussein Ahmad - UNHCRHussein is from Syria and has previous experience in IMO roles in Syria, Libya and Bangladesh on IDP and refugee programs over the last 10 years including Shelter and Protection Clusters. Hussein has a PhD in data science with extensive experience in academic research, data management and analysis including advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques; and software development using multiple platforms and programming languages.
Hussein brings strong language skills, speaking English, Arabic (native) and intermediate French and Spanish.
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GFP for Technical Coordination
GFPs for Technical Coordination support country-level clusters on shelter and settlement technical issues. In addition, they support country-level clusters by developing global level tools on technical issues. They moderate the GSC Community of Practice and participate in GSC initiatives, working groups and fora upon request.
GFP for Research & Advocacy |
GFP for Research advances and fosters links with academia while GFP for Advocacy ensures that the GSC Advocacy efforts are guided by research and inform practice, policy and guidance.
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Research: Lizzie Babister - Habitat for HumanityLizzie brings to the team two decades of supporting those affected by humanitarian crises to recover their shelter and settlements after disasters and conflict. Her fieldwork as a government donor, senior manager, humanitarian practitioner and researcher, includes: Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. She is an Associate Director for Habitat for Humanity International, a researcher with the Open University, an Associate Lecturer with Oxford Brookes University and an Associate Trainer for RedR.
She is co-founder of the UK Shelter Forum and prior to her humanitarian career she qualified and practiced as an architect in the UK.
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Advocacy: Sarah Pilchick- CANADEMSarah has over nine years of experience in humanitarian communications and advocacy. Since starting her career at UNHCR in 2014, she worked with various UN agencies and international NGOs on humanitarian emergencies and election integrity in the Middle East, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. She also spent two years working as spokesperson/press attaché for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office at NATO, where she also led strategic communications and counter-disinformation policy. She has master’s degrees in political sociology and journalism and a bachelor’s in history and international studies. Sarah speaks English, intermediate Spanish and German, and basic French, Czech, and Arabic. |
GFP for Environment
The GFP for Environment is responsible for coordinating the greening activities, supporting implementing partners and clusters, and supporting the monitoring framework for the relevant initiatives.
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Madeleine Marara - CANADEMMadeleine has over 15 years of combined experience in development and humanitarian sectors. She has been working with UNHCR since 2014, first as an Assistant National Program Officer in Rwanda, serving as the focal person for various technical sectors (Shelter, WASH, Energy and Environment). In 2017, she joined the Environment and Energy team of UNHCR HQ in Geneva where she coordinated two multi-stakeholders’ projects related to energy access in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda & Jordan; and the piloting & rollout of NEAT+ (Nexus Environmental Assessment Tool) in UNHCR Operations, in collaboration with JEU (UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit). As part of the UNHCR’s Greening and Sustainability Team based in Nairobi, Madeleine coordinated the Greening the Blue 2021 reporting exercise for UNHCR.
Prior to joining UNHCR, Madeleine worked for various development projects aiming at improving the livelihood of the most vulnerable population in rural Rwanda.
Madeleine holds a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering, and a Master degree in Environmental Planning & Management
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Mandy George - IFRCMandy George is Senior Environmental Adviser to the Global Shelter Cluster and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Shelter Team. Mandy is an expert in environmental mainstreaming in humanitarian action, with a particular interest in the Shelter and Settlements sector. She also has a background in community engagement and accountability. With over 15 years of experience in the humanitarian sector, her experience includes long term field experience in Haiti and Myanmar, with many other short missions across the globe, working primarily with the UN and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. Mandy has focused the last ten years of her career on environment in humanitarian action, supporting organisations and operations to reduce their environmental impact during response and recovery. This includes designing and implementing environmental assessment and screening tools such as NEAT+, and writing and implementing guidance on environmental mainstreaming, including for the Sphere Standards and resources such as EHA Connect. Mandy has a MA in Environment and Development Studies from King's College London, and a BA in Modern European Studies from University College London.
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GFP for Assessment Monitoring and Evaluation
The GFP for Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation (AME) is responsible for planning, developing and carrying out assessments (as commissioned by the GSC) as well as supporting the cluster in extrapolating evidence-based information, lessons learned and best practices from the field.
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Regional Focal Points
Regional Focal Points (RFPs) provide support to country-level clusters with preparedness and contingency planning activities. They also provide surge capacity when required to help set-up clusters or fill specific gaps. Between deployments, they provide remote support to country-level clusters in their regions according to their skills, in areas such as contingency planning, urban responses, settlement approach, and others.
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Robert Dodds - IFRC/Australian Red Cross (Asia Pacific)Robert (a.k.a Robbie) Dodds is currently the Roving Shelter Cluster Coordination Focal Point for Asia Pacific. This is as part of a shared leadership agreement between IFRC and the Australian Red Cross, with a focus on preparedness.
He brings to the team extensive shelter and settlements program/project management and coordination experience in the humanitarian, private and public sectors. Over the past 20 years, he has carried out short and long-term assignments in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, and regional and remote Australian communities. This has been in natural disaster and conflict scenarios during the preparedness, emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction phases, and largely within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
Robbie holds degrees in architecture (Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Architecture) and is currently pursuing further studies in environmental design.
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Lilia Blades - IFRC (Americas)Architect and regional planner (Msc Regional Planning) with 14 years international experience in sustainable human settlements. She is part of the Canadian Red Cross, seconded to IFRC providing shelter coordination support in Latin America and the Caribbean. Areas of expertise include climate change adaptation, urban planning, disaster risk reduction, housing and capacity development. Team player with experience in municipal governments, the private sector, NGO’s and the United Nations (UN-Habitat, UNAMA, UNFCCC and UNDP) in Canada, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
Fluent in Spanish, English, French and German.
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Roving Shelter - HLP Advisor
The Roving Shelter-HLP Advisors will support country-level Shelter Clusters, and Cluster-like mechanisms on Shelter-HLP related issues. The Advisors will support with strategy development, contextualizing tools and templates, and will bring best practice from one country to another. The emphasis for this position will be on capacity building and awareness raising for securing good enough tenure security across a variety of contexts and shelter responses.
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Ibere Lopes - IOMFor the past 15 years Ibere has been working on land and property issues related to displacement. He has worked in large-scale, donor-funded land claims adjudication projects and have extensive experience developing solutions for land tenure issues that emerge as the result of conflict and natural disasters.
A lawyer with a Master’s degree in Political Science, Ibere has worked as a land and property specialist in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Timor-Leste, Haiti, Kenya, Indonesia and Namibia and carried out emergency deployments in Ethiopia, DR Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria and Vanuatu.
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Roving Shelter Cluster Coordinator
The Roving Shelter Cluster Coordinators are experienced cluster coordinators readily available to be deployed to activate and support cluster operations for the top tier emergencies. These deployments are done together with a Roving Shelter Cluster Information Manager. Between deployments, they support the Global Shelter Cluster initiatives and provide remote support to country-level clusters.
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Mamen Sancha - UNHCR (supported by NORCAP)Mamen has been working in the humanitarian sector since 2013. Since then, she has combined shelter practitioner positions with Shelter Cluster Coordination roles and consultancies, within the Red Cross and INGOs. Trained as an architect, she developed her original experience in the private sector and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. These opportunities have led her for the time being to Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Peru, Haiti, Ecuador, the Philippines, Sierra Leone and Cambodia.
Mamen graduated in Architecture and holds a master in Advance Architecture Design and a postgraduate diploma in WASH in Developing Countries.
She speaks fluently Spanish, French and English.
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Caroline Dewast - UNHCR (supported by NORCAP)Caroline has been working in humanitarian responses since 2007. She has extensive experience in Shelter Cluster Coordination leading the Shelter Cluster in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the occupied Palestinian territory, Fiji and worked as an Information Manager and Technical Cluster Coordinator in the Philippines. Caroline has worked for a wide range of organisations including ECHO, IFRC, UNHCR, NRC and other international and national NGOs.
She has also worked on shelter programming supporting a number of countries including in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Greece, Iran, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Venezuela. She has developed and written guidelines, provided trainings, and carried out evaluations on topics including: Emergency shelter response, Cluster coordination, Cash and voucher programming, Market based approaches, Housing Land and Property rights, Disability and inclusions, amongst other.
She is a qualified Architect and holds a Master’s degree in Development and Emergency Practice from Oxford Brookes University in the UK, and she is fluent in English, French and Spanish.
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Roving Shelter Cluster Information Management Officers
The Roving Shelter Cluster Information Management Officers readily available to be deployed to activate and support cluster operations by consolidating guidance, setting up IM systems in new emergencies, supporting coordination teams in country directly or remotely, and developing training materials.
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Fredrick Hanga - UNHCR (supported by NORCAP)Fredrick is an accomplished team worker with over twelve years’ experience in Information Management and Communications. A graduate with extensive postgraduate training on Information/Knowledge management and Communication, thrives in cultures where skills and experience are recognized, nurtured, and valued for its contributions to the organization’s mandate, vision, short-term and long-term goals.
Fredrick has worked in the implementation and coordination of Information Management programmes in various countries in Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Cameroon), in the Middle East (Lebanon, Jordan, Iran and Qatar), in Asia (Philippines) and South America (Venezuela) He also provided remote support to other operations. Fredrick has worked in Shelter, Protection, WASH, Education, Child protection, GBV and Development with various INGOs and the UN.
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Fredrick is now holding the position of Global Roving Information Management Officer in this capacity He provided support country-level clusters by consolidating guidance, setting up IM systems in new emergencies, supporting coordination teams in country directly or remotely, and developing training materials.
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Camilla Wuensch - UNHCR (supported by NORCAP)Camilla has been working in the humanitarian sector for seven years, during which she specialised in assessments and analysis conducted to inform evidence-based decision-making, and other information management related activities. Throughout, she was based in multiple locations, including in Niger, Chad, and Iraq. Before joining the team as roving IMO, she worked with the GSC as GFP for Assessments, Monitoring & Evaluations.
Fluent in English, French, and Italian.
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