An alumni panel on how the Hertie School and its alumni can contribute to the common good today and in the next 20 years.
In 20 years, over 2,700 Hertie School alumni representing more than 95 countries have taken their expertise to address the complex problems of today’s world at local, national and international levels. We want to bring their voices and perspectives into the conversation about the Hertie School's 20th anniversary and have invited a panel of Alumni Achievement Award winners to join us. They will share their experience, perspectives and insights on how the school and its community can and should contribute to promoting active engagement for the common good and educate the next generation of leaders in government, business and civil society.
This event is open to both members of the Hertie community and the general public.
Panellists:
- Alejandra Leal (MPP 2012) - Alumni Achievement Award winner 2023
- Jeff Kwasi Klein (MPP 2017) - Alumni Achievement Award winner 2022
- Damian Boeselager (MPP 2018) - Alumni Achievement Award winner 2020
- Anne-Marie Kortas (MPP 2014) - Alumni Achievement Award winner 2016
- Joseph Ayamga (MPP 2011) - Alumni Achievement Award winner 2015
Moderator: Bidjan Nashat (MPP 2007), Alumni Council member
Speakers
Alejandra Leal Vallejo (MPP 2012) – Alumni Achievement Award winner in 2023
Alejandra Leal Vallejo is the recipient of the Hertie School's 2023 Alumni Achievement Award. She earned her Master's Degree in Public Policy in 2012. Alejandra currently serves as the National Coordinator of the Safe Mobility Coalition, an alliance comprising 103 civil society organizations advocating for increased mobility safety in Mexico and Latin America.
Jeff Kwasi Klein (MPP 2017) - Alumni Achievement Award winner in 2022
Jeff Kwasi Klein is a Co-Director at the Multitudes Foundation, where he supports individuals and initiatives across Europe in reimagining more inclusive, representative, and humane politics. Before joining Multitudes, he led the community-based funding project May Ayim Fonds at Each One Teach One (EOTO). Jeff is presently a member of the Berlin Equality Advisory Board and serves as a board member of the Migrationsrat Berlin. In these roles, he advocates for the interests of Black and PoC communities in Berlin. Jeff's work focuses on combating structural and institutionalized forms of oppression, with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and community building.
Damian Boeselager (MPP 2018) - Alumni Achievement Award winner in 2020
Damian Boeselager is a Member of the European Parliament. He holds degrees in Philosophy & Economics from the University of Bayreuth and a dual-Master in Public Administration from the Hertie School and Columbia University's SIPA in New York City. Damian co-founded Volt, a pan-European, progressive, and pragmatic Europe-wide movement with the aim of reforming the European continent and addressing the major challenges of our time. In the European Parliament, Damian focuses on creating a genuine European parliamentary democracy and establishing a framework for a competitive and innovative European economy with a focus on data policy and AI.
Anne-Marie Kortas (MPP 2014) - Alumni Achievement Award winner in 2016
Anne-Marie Kortas coordinates refugee policy for the state of Berlin as an officer with the Senate Department for Integration. Among other responsibilities, she collaborates with senate departments, city districts, and civil society to align policy.
Joseph Ayamga (MPP 2011) - Alumni Achievement Award winner in 2015
Joseph Ayamga, a seasoned development economist, possesses 16 years of global expertise covering areas such as welfare, sustainability, governance, gender, and public management. His skills encompass Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation, NGO leadership, gender-transformative approaches, advocacy, resource mobilization, leadership, and emergency response. As SEND Sierra Leone's Country Director, he earned the prestigious National NGO of the Year award in 2016 as the first runner-up, expanding the organization's influence. Furthermore, he initiated groundbreaking projects like Nyapui Senior Secondary School of Excellence, Nyapui Radio, and KAKEBO Financial Services, which propelled STEM education and achieved 30% women's representation in Sierra Leone's Parliament.
Moderator: Bidjan Nashat (MPP 2007) – Hertie School Alumni Council member
Bidjan Nashat is an alumnus of the first Hertie School class of 2007. Until October 2023, he served as the CEO of Atlas Corps, a social enterprise for diverse talent worldwide. From 2018 to 2021, he was a part of Save the Children's senior executive team, leading its global program quality and impact. As program director at Save the Children Germany from 2013 to 2018, he led its refugee response in 2015. He also worked at the World Bank and was part of the team that started Teach First Deutschland. Bidjan studied at Yale and Georgetown University and holds an MPP from the Hertie School.
