IDA Secretariat

We are proud to announce a significant milestone in our journey towards fostering inclusivity, empowerment, and progress for persons with disabilities worldwide. Following a period of introspection and collaborative dialogue, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) is embarking on a transformative journey to reshape the structure of our Secretariat.

This reorganization has come from constructive dialogues across our Alliance and with valued partners and stakeholders, will strengthen our delivery of IDA’s mission, to advocate at the international level to create a more inclusive and equitable world where persons with disabilities can enjoy their human rights and fully participate in society on an equal basis with others.  

At IDA, we advocate for the advancement and implementation of the CRPD, we promote disability-inclusive development, we continuously strengthen our alliance of organizations of persons with disabilities at all levels, and we offer support and training to OPDs to strengthen their own advocacy skills and help enforce their rights. 

At the heart of our reimagined approach is, therefore, a strict prioritization of advocacy, capacity building, and alliance strengthening. Our new organizational chart reflects this approach, while positioning essential services such as HR and finance to support our mandate and the efficient implementation of our activities.

By streamlining our operations, we are confident that we can amplify our impact, ensuring that the voice of persons with disabilities resonate louder than ever before on the global stage, and IDA will continue to contribute significantly to societal transformation and inclusive equality for all persons with disabilities.

You can find the official Organizational Chart 2024 here.

José Viera, Executive Director (interim)

As interim Executive Director, Jose is responsible for leading IDA through an important transitional period, including significiant administrative and strategic reforms, deepening relationships with key partners and stakeholders, and ensuring financial sustainability and proper running of IDA's operations.

Jose has spent the last 20 years working at all levels of the disability movement. He has a background in management and international development and has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the World Blind Union. Jose is currently based in Toronto, Canada.

Email: jmviera [at] ida-secretariat.org

Jarrod Clyne, Deputy Executive Director

Jarrod provides strategic direction for IDA's advocacy work, develops partnerships, covers risk management, manages legal affairs, and leads the substantive work of the organization. 

He has a legal and diplomacy background and worked for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 15 years, with postings to Tokyo, Geneva, and New York. He is currently based in Brussels.

Alexis Valtat, Resources Director

Alexis oversees HR, financial management, IT, and logistics, enhancing organizational effectiveness and strategic support.

He brings a diverse expertise encompassing financial management, human resources, logistics, IT, and administration. He holds a Master's degree in Management, and completed a master's program in Public Health. Alexis is based in the IDA Geneva Office.

Nitya Agarwal, Senior Communications Officer 

Nitya's responsibilities include implementing communication strategies to enhance IDA's reputation and visibility, overseeing the creation of high-quality content across various platforms, monitoring and evaluating communication strategies, and acting as a point of contact for media inquiries.

She specializes in social impact communications and has led communication initiatives for projects focused on disability inclusion, gender equity, and public health. She has over 10 years of experience working with the UN Human Rights Office, UNESCO, International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) and the German Development Corporation (GIZ). She is a double postgraduate in Conflict Transformation and Peace Building and Journalism from New Delhi. Nitya is based in New Delhi, India.

Email: nagarwal [at] ida-secretariat.org

Programs & Impact team

Amba Girish Salelkar, Senior Manager, Programs and Impact 

Amba provides strategic direction for IDA programs, oversees project management, leads advocacy capacity development, engages with donors and partners, and coordinates IDA’s networks.

She has over 18 years of experience in a variety of fields including criminal trial litigation, OPD advocacy and capacity development, as well as supporting organizations to make cultural changes to support diversity and inclusion. Since 2012, she has supported organizations of persons with disabilities in India, including from underrepresented groups and women with disabilities, to participate in policy advocacy. She has previouly supported the implementation of the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Training Initiative as well as other workshops being organized by IDA members. Amba holds a degree in law from the National Law School of India University and is a recipient of the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership & Excellence. She is based in Chennai, India. 

Rosario Galarza, Intersectionalities and Cross-Movement Collaboration Senior Officer

Rosario leads IDA’s work on intersectionalities, supporting engagement in international dialogues, and facilitating cross-movement collaboration, particularly focusing on women, indigenous persons, and youth with disabilities.

Rosario has 12 years of experience in disability rights and inclusive development. She has previously worked as a Human Rights Officer at RIADIS where she supported OPDs in the implementation and monitoring of the CRPD, CEDAW, and the Agenda 2030. From 2013 to 2016, Rosario was appointed as Chair of Gender and Equality in the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC). She holds a Bachelors degree in Communications and post graduate degree in Disability Studies. Rosario is based in Lima, Peru.

Gayatri Sekar, Learning and Community Engagement Senior Officer

Gayatri supports IDA members in developing their knowledge products, leading the creation of e-learning courses in collaboration with IDA members, and facilitating technical assistance requests through the IDA-SSI Helpdesk.

She brings over 13 years of experience with public health research, building curricular products for learners of various ages, alongside communication and community building for non-profits. Gayatri has previously worked with the Centers for Disease Control, Population Services International, and other private sector actors in learning, research, and documentation. Gayatri holds a Master of Science (MS) in Biology. Gayatri is based out of Chennai, India. 

Imededdine Ouertani, Movement Strengthening and Support Officer

Imed leads the development and implementation of training for OPDs, supports IDA members with capacity building, and manages the Bridge CRPD-SDGs training programs.

He has 12 years of experience in disability rights and has planned, implemented, and evaluated numerous projects that promote disability rights, including the creation of the Tunisian charter of the rights of people with disabilities. As an IDA Bridge CRPD-SDGs trainer, he has provided training, support, and mentoring in different parts of the world, including Africa, MENA, and Europe. He has previously conducted research projects with the Norwegian Organization of Persons with Disabilities, the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Development Pathway. He holds a master’s degree in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy from Galway. Imed is based in Tunis, Tunisia.

Advocacy team

Talin Avades, Senior Manager, UN Development Agenda and the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network Secretariat

Talin manages the GLAD Secretariat, advocates for disability inclusion in international development frameworks, and coordinates with stakeholders to advance the disability inclusion agenda.

She has previously supported the development and smooth engagement of IDA members in the governance and selected high-level events. Talin is based in the IDA New York Office.

Juan Ignacio Pérez Bello, Senior Human Rights Advisor

Based in Geneva, Juan leads IDA's advocacy towards UN Treaty Bodies, engaging with key stakeholders such as UNTBs members, UNTBs Secretariats and other NGOs, notably representing IDA within the TB-Net. He represents IDA in technical meetings, drafts IDA's submissions to UNTBs on human rights issues and engages in UNTBs' strengthening process' advocacy. For years, Juan has provided technical support to IDA members and national OPDs to engage with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other UNTBs, having developed resources and implemented projects. 

Juan holds a law degree from the University of Buenos Aires and a LLM degree from the American University, Washington College of Law. He has national and international level advocacy experience on social and disability rights. Juan has worked for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on thematic reports to the Human Rights Council and in the Bridging the Gap I project, developing CRPD human rights indicators and policy guidelines for SDGs-CRPD implementation.

Human Rights Senior Advisor (to be recruited)

The Human Rights Senior Advisor in New York will lead advocacy efforts in UN sustainable development discussions and human rights advocacy at the General Assembly and with UN agencies.

Mirriam Mutindi Nthenge, Human Rights Adviser

Mirriam supports IDA’s engagement with UN and human rights processes, coordinates thematic submissions, and consolidates IDA’s advocacy advancements in international disability rights.

She has over 10 years of experience working to strengthen human rights standards of persons with disabilities in national laws and policies, and regional and international human rights instruments. She has previously worked at the Center for Reproductive Rights, advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights. She has also worked with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights as a human rights officer, responsible for disability mainstreaming, and with the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She holds an LLM in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy. Mirriam is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Alradi Abdalla, Inclusive Humanitarian Action & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Advisor

Alradi implements IDA's advocacy strategy in humanitarian action and DRR, builds partnerships in the humanitarian sector, conducts research, and manages project activities related to inclusive humanitarian action and DRR. He is a Co-chair of the Reference Group on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (DRG).

He has over 15 years of expertise in the disability inclusion sector. He has worked with ADD International, the British Council, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and has also been a university lecturer.

Previously, he led IDA's works around Disability-Inclusive Social Protection as well as IDA’s capacity-building works around Article 11 of the CRPD. He is a Sudanese lawyer and holds a bachelor degree from the University of Khartoum. He has earned two master degrees: one in human rights from the University of Leeds and the second in social protection from Bonn RHein Sieg University. Alradi is based in Berlin, Germany.

Resources team

Dragana Jocic, Senior Manager, Logistics

Dragana leads a team of logistics professionals, optimizes workflow coordination, negotiates contracts, and ensures compliance with IDA policies on logistics.

She has 14 years in managing events and conferences has been supporting IDA in organizing inclusive workshops and webinars in the last six years. She holds a degree in Applied Studies - Management in Tourism, Events and Marketing. She is based in Belgrade, Serbia.

Minja Ignjatovic, Senior Contracting and Liaison Officer

Minja oversees contracting and sub-granting activities, leads procurement processes, and supports cross-functional collaboration.

She holds a degree in Master of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Minja is based in Belgrade, Serbia.

Marija Rankovic, Senior Assistant, Logistics

Marija supports logistics operations, including vendor bookings, travel arrangements, and event logistics. She studied at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade. Marija is based in Belgrade, Serbia.

Marija Parojcic, Senior Assistant, Logistics

Marija supports logistics operations, including vendor bookings, travel arrangements, and event logistics. She studied at The College of Hotel Management. Marija is based in Belgrade, Serbia.

Jelena Jezdovic Jevitc, GLAD/DRG Communication Assistant

Jelena responsibilities include maintaining communication with GLAD Members, preparing newsletters, and supporting the organization of webinars.

Jelena has more than 15 years of experience in managing projects and events within government, private and NGO sector. She has organized over 100 projects and events, from inception to execution, including development, funding applications, fundraising, and management. She studied at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade and Moving Academy of Performing Arts, MAPA Netherlands. She is based in Belgrade, Serbia.

 

Kashif Buriro, Financial Risk Manager

Kashif manages fiscal sponsorship activities, budgets, financial reports, and ensures compliance with grant requirements.

He has 17 years of experience in both corporate and non-governmental sectors, covering Financial Management, Accounts, Human Resources, Logistics, and Administration. He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration (Finance). He is based in Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan.

Therese Pham, Accountant

Therese manages financial records, ensures compliance with Swiss regulations, and supports audit processes. She has a master’s degree in economics and law. Therese is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Fida Rind, Accounting Assistant

Fida supports the accountant and Financial Controller.

He has 14 years of experience in different local NGOs and INGOs, managing accounts and budgets for donor-funded projects such as OXFAM, MISEREOR-Germany, and USAID, as well as preparing documents for external audits of various local organizations. He has a degree in law and holds an MBA in Finance. Fida is based in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan.

Senior Manager, Alliance Strengthening (to be recruited)

The Senior Manager, Alliance Strengthening will manage collaborative initiatives among the 14 IDA members, leading partnerships, facilitating information flow within the network, overseeing the International Program Committee etc.

Global Disability Summit (GDS) team

Greta Gamberini, Manager, GDS (Global Disability Summit) Secretariat 

Greta provides ongoing leadership to the GDS Secretariat, coordinating and overseeing all GDS-related activities, managing partnerships, advocacy efforts, and operational activities of service providers and stakeholder parties involved in a GDS cycle.

She has 5 years of experience working in the disability inclusive development and has previously worked with European Disability Forum and ADD International. Greta holds a Master's Degree in Law, from LUISS Guido Carli University. Greta is based in Arona, Spain.

 

Chandni Ahuja, Senior Communications Officer, GDS Secretariat

Chandni is responsible for overseeing communications and outreach for the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025. Her responsibilities include managing social media, press engagement, event publicity for the Summit. 

She has worked with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA). Chandni also founded the Raindrops Foundation in 2016 to foster youth engagement in civil society and disability advocacy.

Chandni specializes in crafting people-centric content strategies on inclusion, sustainability, and social justice. She holds a Postgraduate degree in Political Communication from the University of Sheffield and is based in India.

Alessandro Abbate, GDS Administrative Assistant

Alessandro provides administrative support to the GDS Secretariat.

Alessandro is an Italian deaf person with 10 years of activism in various NGOs within the deaf community at both national and European levels. He has served as President of the European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY) and the European Deaf Students' Union (EDSU), and has also worked as Secretary of Comitato Giovani Sordi Italiani (CGSI). In recent years, he has held positions at the World Federation of the Deaf and at CNSE. Previously, he led the dissemination of several accessible projects relevant to the deaf community on social media channels such as the LIS 360° and WHS pages.

He studied at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Management and a Master's degree in Finance. Alessandro is currently based in Valencia, Spain.

Ehsan Qureshi, GDS Finance Officer

Ehsan is responsible for processing all reimbursement requests, invoices sent by vendors, and coordinating with the Finance Manager to ensure expenditures are reflected/deducted from the GDS Grant budget. 

He has over 15 years of extensive experience as both an Accountant and Administrator. He is based in Thatta, Pakistan.

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Our Team & People