MEET THE BOARD
SOPHIE BRUAS
Clients & Supervisory Committee
- ICF PCC Level Accredited Coach
- Certified Coach Supervisor & Mentor Coach
- Transactional Analysis Practioner
- Academy of Executive Coaching EA Faculty
Cumulating over 1600h of coach practice and 600h coach supervision and mentoring, Sophie is an experienced coach. She has developed her career in various international contexts for the past 30 years, leading large teams of individuals in multi-cultural settings, building her ability in coaching across cultures.
Strongly influenced by Humanistic and Constructivist philosophies Sophie’s coaching emphasis strong relationships, applying a very direct communication style she uses a co-creative approach to learning where she looks for deep lasting solutions that impact her client’s whole being. To support her client change process, she applies a systemic coaching approach acknowledging the complexity and interconnectivity of the personal, professional, social or/and spiritual life elements.
Sophie has supported the professional development of many executives in leading companies in various sectors that include Financial Services, Telecommunication, FMCGs, NGO’s, Media, UN, Education, Diplomats, Energy and Environmental sectors. She understands the challenges related to simultaneously living, working, raising a family and developing a balanced, and fulfilling career.
NINO FAIBENE
Data Committee
- Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
- Leading and Coaching Across Cultures - Master Certified Cultural Orientation Framework
- MMS ACTP Accredited Coach
Nino started his career in 2003 as a development worker in Myanmar supporting projects around child disability. He then continued working as a senior manager for several organisations (including Médecins du Monde and Oxfam) in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Vietnam and Laos.
He managed multi-cultural teams working on programmes as diverse as child protection in emergency, gender justice, citizen participation, de-institutionalisation, HIV/AIDS and youth empowerment. In Jordan he also worked with Iraqi women refugees escaping the war.
The part of the job he most enjoyed, was working with people from diverse backgrounds and with different ambitions, passions and skills to design projects and strategies that could support local communities in participatory and creative ways. Coaching seemed like a very natural step to improve communication with his team and to really harness the potential of each individual. He joined an ICF certified training conducted by the MMS Institute in Bangkok, Thailand and in early 2018 became an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC).
Since 2018 he has moved from management in the INGO sector to develop his coaching skills and to support NGOs through coaching and consulting. He moved to Lisbon, Portugal with his family in 2019.
EMILY JONES
Client Committee
-ICF Certified Trauma Informed Coach
- PCC Level Accredited Trauma Informed Coach
- Certified Verdant Corporate Resiliency &
Leadership Resiliency Trainer
Emily Jones is an Trauma Coach who supports individuals and professionals by utilizing trauma informed care to build a foundation of personal emotional understanding, burnout and strengths based resilience.
With 10 years of experience in the mental health field Emily has worked with various populations including military families, corporate clients, individuals with medical trauma, and refugee aid workers. Emily uses aspects of somatic therapy and neuro-linguistic programming to support high need populations with their individualized needs.
Emily is accredited as a PCC level Trauma Informed Coach through the International Coaching Federation and is on the board of CoachActivism as the head of the Clients Committee. She is also a Verdant Certified Resiliency Trainer and Leadership Resiliency Trainer. Formerly she worked for 4+ years directly with special needs children and adults with high emotional disturbances. She holds a Bachelors in International Studies from the University of Oregon.
GRAHAM WOOD
Communications Committee
- Academy of Executive Coaching (AoEC),
- UK Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching
- Accredited Associate Executive Coach, AoEC
- Accredited in coaching for Resiliance
Graham is an empathetic Executive Coach. He has previously served as CEO to the East Africa Community for the Aga Khan Foundation, as Chief Global Programme Officer for the US based non profit Pact and is currently working on private sector development in the sports sector in Kenya, while serving on the Board of Directors of a Kenyan Foundation and Friends of Nairobi National Park. He also works pro bono for CoachActivism, an organization providing coaching to those working with refugees.
Having lived in seven countries and with work experience in many more, Graham is interested in how people navigate complex, matrixed organizations in multicultural settings and challenging life situations. He is passionate about diversity and pluralism and works well with people and organizations in transition, something he has considerable experience of.
Graham has worked in 2022 with clients from the Aga Khan University, a leading Kenya interior design company, Reach, a global health organization, a leader in the LGBT+ space in the global south ,NEVS models, AMREF, Gatsby Trust and University College London.
STELLA VOULGARAKI
Communications Committee
Chief People Officer at KAIZEN Gaming
Trainer for ICF Accredited Trainings
ICF ACC Level Accredited Coach (Not Renewed)
Stella is an executive, with more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the area of Human Resources, Coaching, and Learning. Her educational background comes from Psychology, with a Masters in Organisational Psychology.
Her expertise focuses on organisational development, cultural transformation and change management, She has led international teams, being a member of the Executive Committee.
She started her first Coaching Certification in 2009 and ever since she has attended multiple certification courses and has more than 500 coaching hours.
She has been a founding member and member of the Board of the Hellenic Coaching Association (HCA). She participates as a volunteer Coach and Mentor in different programmes and enjoys offering her support to those who are in need of her skills.
SASHA NGINJA
Communications Committee
- Conflict, Risk and Security Expert
- Executive Coach
- Security Analyst and Consultant
.A Security and Risk Specialist with over 10 years’ experience in security, risk and conflict management in sub-Saharan Africa, Sasha is invested in improving and facilitating safer operating environments.
Sasha has a background in psychology, having worked early on in his career with those struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism, then moving into security and risk management in sub-Saharan Africa, where he worked for over 15 years for both the private sector and not-for-profit organisations.
Sasha utilizes his background to create security for businesses and organizations including Risk management, crisis management through developing and implementing country-wide emergency protocols, participating in real-time management of crises, as well as
leadership training. He creates and provides trainings for both management and security teams in both the private and public sector.
Sasha recently moved to Copenhagen, and then New York and is looking to use his experience in psychology and coaching to work with young people. He claims to do a ‘mean chicken curry’.