About.

Elva is a non-profit organization with offices in The Hague, The Netherlands and Tbilisi, Georgia. Since 2013, we provide products and services that bridge the gaps between citizens and decision makers worldwide.

Meet the team

Elva is built by a team from all corners of the globe. Interested in helping us grow Elva's impact worldwide? Please get in touch.

  • Aaron Atimpe

    Ghana Program Lead

    Aaron has worked on various thematic areas with experience in program management and research, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (RMEL) across both the public sector and civil society. He has expertise in P/CVE and is experienced in leading community-driven conflict resolution and transformation, as well as community-security relations. Aaron is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  • Aneliese Bernard

    Director of Research and Programs

    Aneliese is a practitioner and consultant with over eight years of experience in U.S. government, NGOs and academia. She most recently worked for the U.S. State Department as a stabilization advisor in Niger, covering the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin. She has significant experience in DDR, SSR, stabilization and CVE in the Sahel. She has a Masters Degree from Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

  • Rodrigo Behague

    Benin Research and Program Manager

    Rodrigo is a community engagement, regional security and environmental conservation expert. He has experience in research, wildlife management, conservation, counter-poaching and project management in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin.

  • Bernard Bléou

    North Côte d’Ivoire Field Coordinator

    Bernard Bléou is a researcher and expert-Consultant specializing in conflict management, P/CVE and gender in West Africa. He has worked for several international organizations including the UN in peacebuilding, gender equality, coordination of humanitarian operations and action research projects. He has conducted several action studies on factors of vulnerability and resilience to violent extremism, perception of violent extremism, warning signals of attacks by violent extremist groups, security dialogue, and gender.

  • Lassina Diarra

    Côte d'Ivoire Principal Consultant

    Lassina Diarra is an expert on transnational terrorism and P/CVE in West Africa. He has worked on CVE strategies, implemented CVE projects and programs, and conducted trainings, including at the AILCT in Jacqueville, Côte d'Ivoire. He is an expert-consultant for Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), and a researcher associate of the Timbuktu Institute.

  • Mark van Embden Andres

    Director

    Mark is the director of Elva. He has extensive experience in research and field work within conflict transformation and humanitarian action efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Mark is a graduate of the London School of Economics.

  • Charles Fortin

    Project Manager

    Charles specializes in security, governance and preventing violent extremism issues related to West Africa and the Middle East. He has work experience in both conflict prevention research and project implementation, including civil-military relations, both having been based in the field, in Dakar, Senegal, and remotely. He is a graduate of Sciences Po Lille and the London School of Economics.

  • Aboubacar Garba Mai Birni

    Burkina Faso & Niger Research Lead

    Aboubacar has over 20 years of experience in leading safe and secure field data collection, analysis and M&E activities in Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso. He is skilled in designing, undertaking and supervising large-scale, tailored qualitative and quantitative data collection, conflict analysis, project design, implementation and evaluation.

  • Dr. Aziz Mossi

    Benin Program Lead

    Aziz Mossi holds a PhD in Social Anthropology and Ethnology. He is a teacher-researcher at the University of Parakou in Benin, and Researcher at the Laboratory for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Local Development (LASDEL). He is also the co-founder of SOAFRICA Cabinet. His research focuses on security governance, dynamics around national parks and biosphere reserves and the prevention of violent extremism.

  • Julia van Stenis

    Operations Manager

    Julia is an operations manager with experience in international development, project support, and administrative leadership. She oversees administrative, financial, and strategic planning functions for Elva, supporting projects across West Africa. Julia holds an MSc in International Development Studies from the University of Amsterdam.

  • Lasha Tavartkiladze

    Lead Developer

    Lasha is a minimalism fanatic. A designer who loves programming and a programmer who loves design. He's an active open source contributor and drinks insurmountable amount of Americano.