Former Director of OSCE/ODIHR

As a barrister, Dame Audrey began her legal career in the Foreign Office, where amongst other responsibilities she represented the UK at the European Court of Human Rights. In 1994 she became Director of the OSCE’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights until 1997. From 1998 until 2004 she led the UK Delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission. Since then she has led over 20 OSCE EOMs

Independent Election Expert

Patrick Merloe is a highly experienced strategic advisor to NDI, with over 40 years of expertise in promoting citizen empowerment, governmental accountability, and public policy advocacy. He previously served as NDI's senior associate and director of electoral programs from 1993 to 2022. Throughout his career, he has participated in over 190 international missions to more than 65 countries, focusing on political rights, electoral integrity, and democratic development. Mr. Merloe played a key role in drafting and negotiating the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which has been endorsed by over 50 international organizations. Additionally, he facilitated the process that resulted in the Declaration of Global Principles for nonpartisan election monitoring by citizen organizations, which was promulgated by the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) and endorsed by over 290 organizations from more than 85 countries.

Chair of the boards of the Civil Network OPORA, Ukraine, and of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM)

Ms. Aivazovska was a director of national, non-partisan observation missions in Ukraine with over 25,000 activists involved from 2010 to 2020 and participated in electoral observation in more than ten countries of Europe. Olga Aivazovska is an alumnus of the Draper Hills Summer Fellowship on Democracy and Development Program at Stanford and the Ukrainian school of political studies. Schuebel holds a degree in Foreign Trade and International Commercial Relations.

Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Human Rights, Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

Chair of the board, European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE)

Founder and director of the European Exchange gGmbH in Berlin. During 1992 - 2006, Stefanie Schiffer worked as director of the "Deutsch-Russischer Austausch" e.V. in St. Petersburg and Berlin. She studied Slavonic languages and Eastern European History in Tübingen and Munich. She is a founding member of the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum, of the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) and of the Kyiv Dialogue. She has been a jury member of the ZEIT Foundation Freie Presse Osteuropas. She is an advisor to the Marion-Dönhoff Foundation and member of board of the "Human Rights in Belarus e.V."

Electoral law expert at the Political Accountability Foundation and assistant professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

PhD, electoral law expert at the Political Accountability Foundation (Odpowiedzialna Polityka) and assistant professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Anna is the author of dozens of articles on electoral issues, editor of the Prof. Dr. Waclaw Komarnicki lecture series. She has been working with the Foundation since 2019, first as a legal expert, and since 2022 as a member of the Foundation's Board

Policy Officer, European External Action Service (EEAS)

Mette Bakken has worked for more than 12 years in international development with a particular focus on democracy and elections. In her current capacity with the Democracy and Election Observation Division of the European External Action Service (EEAS) she serves as the focal point for the deployment of EU Election Observation Missions (EU EOMs) and engages to advance the work that the EU is undertaking to promote the follow-up of EU EOM recommendations. In her previous enagagements with organisations such as International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), she has worked extensively with issues linked to electoral reform, EMB capacity building, women and youth participation, political finance, etc.

Regional Advisor for Inclusive Institutions and Processes, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Arab States

Najia Hashemee is a seasoned development practitioner with over 20 years of experience in the field of governance, focusing on electoral processes, inclusive participation, and strengthening engagement between electoral stakeholders. She has worked to design, develop, implement, and manage UN electoral assistance and provide advice on electoral good practices in diverse contexts (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Mongolia, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia). In her current capacity, she also serves as UNDP’s global gender and elections focal point. She has led the establishment of networks for the advancement of women and youth participation and supported electoral stakeholders on adopting and implementing temporary special measures. Prior to UNDP, she served as program manager for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), leading initiatives to strengthen political parties and women’s political participation in Bangladesh. She has participated in and supported a number of election observation missions and advised electoral management bodies on implementation of recommendations.

Deputy Head of Election Observation and Support Division, Parliamentary Asssembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

With educational background in linguistics and politics, Ivi is an experienced professional with almost three decades of service in the Council of Europe. Throughout her career, she has held various positions within the organisation, mostly servicing different committees of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). In parallel, between 2003-2014, she regularly organised and led the secretariat of the PACE election observation missions to member states and beyond. In 2021, Ivi took on the role of Deputy Head of Division in the Election Observation and Support Division. This position allows her to contribute her knowledge and experience to further strengthen the Council of Europe's efforts in promoting free and fair elections and democratic practices.

Senior Programme Officer, European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE)

Senior Programme Officer of the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE). He studied politics and journalism in Opole/Poland and Eastern European Studies in Berlin. During his studies he focused on alternative movements in socialist Poland and on election monitoring in post-soviet countries. He recently worked on several civil society projects in Eastern and Central Europe. Since 2004, he participated in several election observation missions to countries of the former Soviet Union. Currently he is working in projects supporting domestic election observation in the partner countries of the European Exchange.

Executive Director, International Society for Free Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Georgia

Nino Dolidze is a civil activist and freedom fighter from Georgia. Currently, she is an Executive Director of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), a key election watchdog in Georgia. Before joining ISFED, she worked at the International Republican Institute (IRI) for eight years, leading the Election Program, Developing Multi-party Democracy and Political Empowerment of Women. She has participated in more than 20 domestic and international election observation missions, including OSCE/ODIHR, IRI, NDI, and ENEMO, in Georgia and abroad. She holds a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from University of Georgia; and Bachelor’s degree in History of Diplomacy and International Relations from Tbilisi State University. She is an alumna of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University.

Director at OPORA Lviv, Board Member at Civil Network OPORA

Iryna Shvets is a civic activist and a project manager with more than a ten-year experience. Since OPORA is mostly known as a watch-dog network for Ukraine’s election process, Iryna as a team member is responsible for planning and conduct of election observation and monitoring campaigns, especially designing blended-learning educational and communication strategies.

Independent Election Expert

Alex worked for more than 10 years in the Election Department of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, from 2016 to 2021 as the Head of the Department. In that capacity he led the observation of all elections in the OSCE region and assisted the countries in bringing their elections closer in line with international standards. He led the design of methodological tools for election observation and assistance, launched the database of election recommendations, as well as the development of observer training courses for ODIHR and other organizations. Now Alexander serves as a Special Representative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Elections and consults national authorities and international organizations on election-related matters.

Democracy Monitoring and Reporting Coordinator, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor (HCAV), Armenia

Vardine Grigoryan is the Democracy Monitoring and Reporting Coordinator at Helsinki Citizens' Assembly - Vanadzor in Armenia and Project Coordinator at the Umbrella Journalists’ International Network NGO.

Program Director, Associatia Promo-Lex, Moldova

Nicolae Panfil is an active advocate for free and fair elections from the Republic of Moldova, with an extensive experience at the national and international level, both in planning and coordination of various programs oriented towards monitoring of elections, but also other democratic processes & reforms. Since April 2021 Mr. Panfil serves as a Director of the Monitoring Democratic Processes Program at Promo-LEX Association. Previously, he worked as a Program Coordinator at Promo-LEX (2013-2021) and as a Secretary of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections from Moldova (2009-2016).

National Coordinator, Elections Observation Group (ELOG); Regional Coordinator, East and Horn ofAfrica Elections Observation Network (EHORN)

Mulle is the National Coordinator for the Elections Observation Group (ELOG) as well as the Regional Coordinator for the East and Horn of Africa Elections Observation Network (EHORN) which brings together citizen observation platforms in the eastern Africa region. He has been involved in electoral governance related activities since 2007 working as a trainer and administrator for the National Democratic Institute for International affairs during the General Elections program in Kenya. Mulle was involved in the founding of the EHORN which has participation citizen observation groups in Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya with Eritrea holding an observer status. n 2016 he was elected and the annual chair of the Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) transparency committee. He currently co-convenes a continental elections observation think tank, the African Election Observation Network (AfEONet) hosting leading experts on elections.

Team Leader, Election Observation and Democracy Support (EODS)

Ms. Holly Ruthrauff is an election expert with 25 years of experience. She is currently the Team Leader of the EU-funded project Election Observation Democracy Support (EODS), where she is responsible for developing methodology and training for EU election observation. She served previously as Election Advisor for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and as Senior Program Officer for Elections at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Holly is an experienced trainer of election observers and has provided capacity building for citizen observer groups worldwide. She has developed e-learning courses on election observation, and has written observer handbooks, including the EU Guide for Citizen Observers on Electoral Reform and the IFES/NDI Guide, Implementing and Overseeing Electronic Voting and Counting Technologies.

International Senior Adviser, The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

Harald Hartvig Jepsen is an international senior adviser with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in Ukraine. He is a leading international expert with 20 years of experience in the field of elections, democratization and human rights. He has been involved in numerous election observation activities and technical assistance projects for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, European Union (EU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Assembly. He has headed or been a deputy of more than a dozen election observation activities, including in the Afghanistan, Austria, Belarus, Cyprus, Georgia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Head of Department for Democracy and Elections, European Network of Election Observation Organisations (ENEMO)

Pierre Peytier has been involved in election monitoring, management and administration of multiple USAID, OSCE and EU funded democracy building programs since 2014. His career has focused on Central Asia, Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, in particular work with civil society organizations, political transparency and accountability, and electoral reform projects. He represented Kyrgyz NGO “Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society” in the Governing Board of ENEMO from 2018 to 2022, and was several times Election and Campaign Expert, Political Analyst and Deputy Head of Mission in ENEMO’s 2019-2021 International Election Observation Missions to Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania. He was also Head of Mission to ENEMO’s IEOM in Kosovo (2021) and Head of Mission to ENEMO’s IEOM in Serbia (2022).

Deputy Director, Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center (TIAC), Armenia

Sona Ayvazyan is a founding member and executive director of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center in Armenia since September 2016.

Program Manager (Elections), Yiaga Africa

Paul is an experienced results-driven and innovative International Affairs and elections expert. He has committed the past 18 years to the development space working in both Nigeria and other countries in Africa to promote electoral integrity and inspire citizens’ participation in democratic processes. He has expertise in working with grassroots organizations, parliamentarians, government institutions and international development partners on issues of organizing, movement building, electoral integrity, economic justice and social accountability. He has led policy reforms and engaged policymakers on reforms that are inclusive, futuristic, and dynamic. His work connects with his passion, which are focused on elections, governance, and international development with a major interest in Africa. Paul has managed several Foreign, Commonwealth & Development (FCDO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) and European Union (EU) supported development programs in Nigeria. He ha actively supported and participated in the deployment of over 45 election observation missions including in the deployment of over 40 Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, The Gambia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Paul currently works with Yiaga Africa as the Program Manager (Elections)

Deputy Head, Election Department, OSCE-ODIHR

Ulvi Akhundlu is the Deputy Head of the Election Department at ODIHR-OSCE. Mr Akhundlu was an Adviser of the Elections Department of ODIHR. Before, he served as head of the Council of Europe office in Chisinau, Moldova

Independent Election Expert

Beata Martin-Rozumiłowicz is an independent electoral consultant, previously served as a director for Europe and Eurasia and Technical Adviser for Technology in Elections at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Before starting in February 2016, she headed the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODHIR) Election Department in Warsaw since 2011 and previously served as its Deputy from 2009 to 2011. From 2005 to 2009, she worked on dozens of ODIHR election observation missions across the OSCE participating states as Deputy Head of Mission or as Political Analyst.

Senior Vice President of Democracy, The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)

Laura Thornton leads teams whose programs defend and promote democracy. She oversees the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD), through which GMF tracks and analyzes malign internal and external influence operations that target democracies worldwide and builds strategies to thwart them. Thornton also oversees GMF’s transatlantic trusts, which support civil society organizations and actors in Central and Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, the Black Sea and Eurasia regions, Belarus, and Ukraine. The trusts bolster democratic resilience through civic education, media literacy, election monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and media and watchdog activities. Prior to joining GMF, Thornton was director of global programs at International IDEA, a Stockholm-based intergovernmental think-and-do tank that advances democracy. She led multiple teams across Europe focused on constitution-building, parliamentary processes, elections, gender and inclusion, political parties, and democracy assessment and analysis.

Specialist, Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation, Organization of American States (OAS)

Melene Glynn has more than 20 years of experience in international relations, political analysis and elections. She has worked in the OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy since 2014, advising on political trends and developments in the 14 CARICOM member states of the OAS and supporting the deployment of OAS Electoral Observation Missions in those and other OAS member states. She has participated in more than 25 OAS Missions as Deputy Chief, Advisor and Regional Coordinator. Previously she served as the OAS Country Representative in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (2002 - 2014). Melene holds a Masters degree in International Studies from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor's degree in French Language and Literature from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

Principal Investigator, DemTech Project, University of Copenhagen

Associate Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen, member of the Programming, Logics, and Semantics group. He is the The DemTech project leader, which has the main objective of assisting electoral management bodies with the development of digital election systems, the evaluation of threats and challenges, and the analysis and management of risks.

Independent Election Expert

Tatyana Hilscher-Bogussevich is an independent consultant with a 15-year experience in the fields of democratic elections, development, and governance from across Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Caucuses. As an election expert, she contributes to international election observation activities, development of methodology, legislative analysis, election observer training, and post-electoral collaboration to help improve the conduct of elections in compliance with international obligations and standards.

President, Political Accountability Foundation, Poland

Ms Lutkiewicz is the President of the Management Board of the Political Accountability Foundation. She is an expert on elections and civil society development. She participated in and coordinated numerous observation missions in Poland and abroad, including Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan. She works to support civic activity in the post-Soviet space - previously as a coordinator for Belarus at the Batory Foundation, or as a development cooperation coordinator at the European Union Delegation in Uzbekistan, and currently as a consultant at the European Endowment for Democracy. Ms Lutkiewicz is a graduate of European studies at the University of Edinburgh and European interdisciplinary studies with a specialization in Eastern studies at the College of Europe in Natolin.