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.

  • 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.

  • 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.