ECoD Team
WE PROUDLY PRESENT
Members of the ECoD team
Our all-star team has one joint mission: to innovate and strengthen Democracy across Europe!
Vlera Bajraktari,
Junior Project Manager
Vlera holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest and recently completed her Master’s studies at Central European University in Vienna. Driven by a deep commitment to social justice and inclusive societies, she actively supports initiatives that promote democratic engagement, particularly among marginalized communities.
Helfried Carl,
Founder
Helfried is Founder of and Advisory Board Member at the European Capital of Democracy initiative and a Board Member at the Innovation in Politics Institute. In his career as a diplomat, he has acted as Chief of Cabinet of the President of the Austrian Parliament and Austrian Ambassador to Slovakia.
Mathis Dippon, Democracy Year Manager (on parental leave)
Mathis is responsible for the Democracy Year and all related activities and cooperations. He is an expert on civic participation on the local and regional level. He also manages an international network of mayors. He holds a master’s degree in Public Professional Decision Making (University of Bremen) and a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Public Administration (University of Constance).
Marta Fraschetti
Junior Project Manager
Marta is pursuing a degree in Political, Legal, and Governmental studies at Central European University. Beginning her career as a project assistant in the European Capital of Democracy, Marta now focuses on community management and participant relations within the Innovation in Politics Awards.
Elene Gagnidze,
Project Manager
Elene has a background of practical experience within the legal field. She has extended her academic horizons by attaining a second Master’s degree in Human Rights in Vienna, gaining professional insights at the International Institute for Peace. Additionally, she directs her democracy research efforts toward Eastern Europe, the Balkans, as well as the South and North Caucasus.
Dunja Ganser, Compliance & Safeguarding Officer
Dunja is a versatile expert in project development and management. Bringing new ideas to life, acting as an experienced guide through this process and understanding each target group’s hope and wishes are the main tasks she carried out in various fields – the arts world, policy-making & media projects.
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Miriam Hargašova,
Head of Awards & Project Manager
Miriam has a background in political science and international relations, coupled with practical experience in public affairs and communication. She leads the annual Innovation in Politics Awards and manages the ACT NOW Mayors’ Conference — initiatives dedicated to fostering collaboration and driving positive change.
Adela King,
Junior Project Manager
After obtaining her BA Degree in Culture, Politics, and Society from Central European University, Adela is now pursuing a MSc in Comparative Politics and Conflict at the London School of Economics and Political Science. During her university studies, Adela has interned with multiple organisations and is particularly interested in topics such as multiculturalism and social trust.
Fatima Kirsch,
Communication Manager
Fatima fell in love with democracy – as something that needs to be built, shaped, and made accessible every single day. With more than ten years of experience in political communication, she has worked at the heart of Vienna’s political landscape, supporting leadership with messaging, campaign planning, and media outreach. As a freelancer, she has advised campaigns and organisations, designed visual identities, and created strategies across social media, print, and press. At ECoD, she channels her multidisciplinary expertise into one mission: to make democracy visible, engaging, and alive.
Stefan Sindelar,
CEO
Stefan started his professional career in media and technology, entered politics for the launch of NEOS, serving as Director of the Parliamentary Group and Managing Director of the party. His work experience includes various settings: from NPOs and start-ups to companies and politics, with a strong focus on building, growing and developing disruptive products.
Laura Thomas, European City Network Manager
Laura is the Innovation in Politics Institute’s Country Representative in the UK and leads the ECoD call for cities, as well as City Network meetings and events. She has worked as an English language teacher. Prior to this, Laura gained a Master’s in Global Health from Copenhagen University which enabled her to view global issues through a multidisciplinary lens.
Tijana Zherajikj,
Call & Fundraising Coordinator
Tijana has a background in International Relations and Public Policy. Her professional journey began in Prague, where she worked as a researcher focusing on EU foreign policy. She completed a Master’s in International Public Affairs in Vienna, specializing in policy analysis, legal developments within the EU, human rights, and Balkan accession. Currently, Tijana works as a fundraising coordinator at ECoD.
Liat Forest, Intern
Liat is a fourth year International Relations student at Webster Vienna Private University. She’s passionate about womens’ rights and public policy, and hopes to keep exploring these interests through a double master’s program at the University of Tokyo and Peking University. In the future, Liat would love to combine her interests of research and advocacy, helping shape policies that help alleviate gender disparities.
Melissa Prošić, Intern
Melissa is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Public Affairs at Central European University, with a background in International Relations. She is passionate about human rights, conflict resolution, and social justice, and has explored these topics through both academic research and hands-on experience in the humanitarian field. At ECoD, she contributes to stakeholder engagement, communication efforts, and the coordination of democratic initiatives across Europe.
Nathan Shuell, Intern
Nathan is currently pursuing a BA at the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, with majors in Political Science, Romance Languages and Literatures, and International Studies. Professionally, Nathan has contributed as a research assistant, analyzing political and religious trends in Belgium, conducting historical literature reviews on Algeria and Pakistan, and assessing access to Spanish-speaking pharmacies in Detroit using ArcGIS. He also interned with the Canadian House of Commons, where he drafted legislative summaries and speeches on critical policy issues, and supported refugee assistance cases. Earlier, he gained grassroots political experience.