From Chaos to Coherence: Leadership that Listens

Aster Birke Asfaw, Consultant, Trainer, and Facilitator

Aster Birke Asfaw is a freelance consultant, trainer, and facilitator with extensive expertise in Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) & community development. She has broad, multi-sectoral experience in the civic sector across Ethiopia, Lesotho, and, for shorter periods, Malawi and the USA. Her areas of specialization include governance, conflict mitigation and peacebuilding, women’s empowerment, gender inclusion, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and livelihoods.

Aster has significant experience in system strengthening and capacity development for CSOs, government institutions, and communities at both federal and regional levels in Ethiopia, as well as internationally. Her work has involved designing, leading, and managing capacity development programs, conducting capacity assessments at individual, organizational, and systemic levels, and developing training and mentoring tools and materials. She has delivered training and mentoring, conducted research, assessments, and evaluations, and contributed to the founding of several civil society organizations.

She holds a BSc and an MBA and has completed numerous trainings and mentorship programs in her areas of expertise and in capacity development methodologies. In addition, Aster serves on various CSO boards on a voluntary basis.

Professor Panagiotis (Panos) Hatziandreas, Co-founder & General Manager at Lebawi International Academy

Professor Panos is the Co-founder and General Manager of Lebawi International Academy, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the institution’s vision and direction. Beyond his leadership at Lebawi, he works closely with the U.S.-based Board of Directors, government agencies, and the donor community to ensure the academy’s continued success.

With more than three decades of experience in education and psychology, Panos brings a wealth of expertise spanning educational leadership, administration, consulting, teaching, and clinical and community psychology. He has made significant contributions to educational development as a consultant for U.S. higher education institutions, designing curricula and facilitating study abroad programs. His collaborations with Seattle University and Skyland College have opened doors for cross-cultural learning, creating transformative opportunities for students.

A dedicated educator, Panos has taught as a tenured professor of psychology at Cascadia College and as a part-time lecturer at the University of Washington, shaping future leaders and advancing impactful learning experiences. His work extends beyond academia and psychotherapy into the corporate world, where he has consulted multinational companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and T-Mobile on organizational development in the areas of group/team dynamics, conflict resolution, and motivation.

Panos holds an ABD in Organizational Development from the California School of Organizational Studies, as well as two Master of Science degrees: one in Organizational Development and another in Clinical/Community Psychology from California State University. Panos’ life is a testament to lifelong learning as he is currently exploring his artistic side through music – Vocals, Blues, Jazz & Ethiopic.

Rakeb Messele Aberra, Human Rights Lawyer and Advocate

Rakeb Messele Aberra is a human rights lawyer and advocate with nearly three decades of experience advancing child rights, women’s rights, and gender equality across national, regional, and international platforms.

From March 2020 to August 2025, Rakeb played a pivotal role at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), initially as Senior Strategic Advisor and later as Deputy Chief Commissioner — including a term as Acting Chief Commissioner. During this time, she co-led a major institutional reform and transformation that strengthened EHRC’s capacity, aligned its operations with human rights principles, and secured its ‘A’ status accreditation under the Paris Principles.

She built and led a lean, values-driven team of over 330 staff, spearheaded the development of a participatory five-year strategic plan, and provided transformative leadership in programming and donor engagement. Under her leadership, the Commission’s funding base grew from three to twenty partners, and its budget increased by more than 1,170% in just four years.

Before joining EHRC, Rakeb served with Save the Children Sweden as Regional Child Rights Advisor, first in West and Central Africa and later in Asia, where she supported child rights programs and strengthened civil society organizations across more than 16 countries. Earlier in her career, she collaborated with organizations such as the African Child Policy Forum, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, UNICEF, and the International Organization for Migration, focusing on human rights advocacy, migration management, and protection systems for women and children.

Rakeb’s expertise spans movement building, research, training, strategic planning, and the development of policies and guidelines in areas including child protection, gender, governance, labor migration, and human trafficking. She holds an LLM in Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Pretoria and an LLB from Addis Ababa University.

Dalaya Ashenafi, Senior Researcher and Program Manager at Initiative Africa

Dalaya is a non-resident Associate at the Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong and Senior Researcher and Program Manager at Initiative Africa. She is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in politics, political economy, and development. Dalaya also serves as the Deputy Principal of the Ethiopian Women Researchers Network (EWNET), advocating for equality and intellectual freedom for women researchers.

She has served as a policy advisor to Ethiopian leaders, including regional presidents and heads of corporations, and has co-authored influential papers on strengthening state capacity, urbanisation, and political settlement.