Community outreach

Working in EU Public Diplomacy since 2006: as an EU diplomat, press officer, communication manager, EU project team leader and as a strategic communication expert.
Since October 2025, Associate Director of Strategic Communication at the European Policy Center.
Founding staff of the European Endowment for Democracy.
7+ years Damascus and Kyiv.
Active in pan-European political party Volt Europa.
Political Science degrees from Yale, SciencesPo-Paris and Free University-Berlin, and Harvard certificate in "Leadership and Community Organising".
Author of “EU Public Diplomacy in an ever-changing world” (University of Southern California).
uscpublicdiplomacy.org/story/new-cpd-perspectives-eus-public-diplomacy

I am Maria Yesayan from Armenia. I am currently working in UNICEF Armenia and have experience with local youth-centered and developmental NGOs in Armenia, as well as international organizations, such as World Vision International and National Geographic. I have Bachelor's with Honor in Governance and study abroad certification in the field of Political Sciences from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. I have participated in various national and international projects covering diverse topics from diversity and inclusion to piece and security issues.

As an individual with a deep-rooted passion for political science and a career spanning over two decades at the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), I have continually sought opportunities to make a meaningful impact on governance, public administration reform, and humanitarian efforts around the world. My academic journey, culminating in a master’s degree in political science from the University of Stockholm, laid the foundation for my commitment to creating positive change through sustainable development practices. This academic achievement has provided me with a solid theoretical background, which I have diligently applied to practical scenarios during my extensive professional tenure at Sida. Since 2021, I´m seconded to DG ECHO and I´m currently working at the policy unit focusing on the humanitarian, development peace nexus as well as on social safety nets in humanitarian contexts.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working on diverse and complex projects, spanning continents, and encompassing critical issues such as public health administration, fiscal reform, anti-corruption initiatives, social protection, poverty reduction, and human rights-based approaches. My experiences in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Honduras, Afghanistan, Latin America and Brussels have not only broadened my horizons but have also underscored the significance of adaptable, innovative, and evidence-based policymaking to address the multifaceted challenges facing our world today.

Experienced Project Manager for international development, capacity building, and humanitarian projects with more than 12 years of experience implementing technical assistance projects in Ukraine, with proven expertise in project management, strategic planning, concept and proposal drafting, reporting, budgeting, government liaison, stakeholder management, training and development, and risk management.

An experienced Operations, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) professional with skills in program and policy analysis, program and projects monitoring and evaluation, design and management of development programs and experience in participatory development approaches, design and implementation of demand side governance frameworks, including social accountability mechanisms and community driven development (CDD) programs.

My experience encompasses several multi-phases national and international large programs, projects and proactive management of crucial external relationships. I proven leadership skills, strong commitment to high ethical and professional standards, and flexibility in devising proactive responses to changing socioeconomic conditions would allow me to make a significant contribution to the national and international development programs.

Moreover, I led various researches, mid-term and impact evaluation initiatives with skills in national survey and household census design [nationwide targeting mechanism for identification of the poor], management and execution. I have experience in designing and implementing microfinance and social protection initiatives, conducting institutional and individual capacity assessments for capacity enhancement programs and an experienced trainer in participatory approaches. I made several presentations on Program and Project Management, M&E; National Poverty Targeting Surveys and Community Driven Development and Led the Development of few knowledge management frameworks.

Petros Kremonas has been working in communications on European affairs for a decade. He is currently the Communications and Campaigns Coordinator at the EU Office of Plan International, a child and youth rights INGO with a focus on girls and young women. Plan International is present in over 80 countries, working with a dual mandate as a development and humanitarian organisation.
Prior to joining Plan International, he was part of the European Commission Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Before that, he worked as a communications consultant, as well as in civil society organisations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in European and International Studies from the University of Macedonia in Greece, and a Master’s degree in European Affairs with a specialisation in European History, Diversity and Culture from KU Leuven in Belgium. Petros is an active volunteer in Brussels. He is supporting the communications work of a citizen-owned renewable energy cooperative that strives for the democratisation of the city’s energy system, as well as contributing to the work of organisations working on food access for people who find themselves in precarious living conditions.