Matthew Tebbutt, Global Cash and Markets Adviser (seconded to the role of Head of Humanitarian Policy and Practice), Christian Aid

Matthew Tebbutt has a decade of experience working in humanitarian response. His role is to support the implementation of Christian Aid’s locally led humanitarian approaches, through direct project support, internal systems changes and external representation. Matthew brings extensive experience as a Donor Compliance Manager, Support Service Manager, Humanitarian Programme Manager, cluster co-lead, and INGO forum chair on a Humanitarian Country Team. He has experience in both direct implementation and partnerships in conflict and non-conflict settings. His expertise includes setting up Rapid Response funding mechanisms, collaborating in consortia and with governments, and contributing to various aspects of pooled fund development. He has been working in several humanitarian and development settings including, South Sudan, Iraq, Libya, and Liberia. Matthew holds an MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Hanna Miedviedieva, Civil Society Technical Lead at People in Need

Drawing on her MA in Political Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London, Hanna Miedviedieva applies her understanding of the humanitarian and development sphere, gained through experience in international organisations and EU member state diplomatic missions in Ukraine, to her work in policies and practice. She authors thematic publications and also participates in discussions at Ukrainian and international forums, as a speaker and moderator. At People in Need (PIN), Hanna works both globally and on Ukraine-related initiatives. Globally, she played a key role in developing the organisation’s civil society engagement frameworks. At PIN’s mission in Ukraine, Hanna contributed amongst others to the establishment of PIN’s own pooled fund to support local responders flexibly. She also proposed and implemented, in collaboration with colleagues, measures aimed at reducing obstacles to partnerships between local responders and PIN, and at mainstreaming locally led approaches across all PIN programmes. Hanna is involved with the Humanitarian NGO Platform’s ‘Working Group on Locally-led action, and contributed to the development of Ukraine’s strategy on locally-led response, initiated by the Alliance of Ukrainian CSOs. Moreover, she contributes to the work of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund Advisory Board as a representative of PIN.

Marlene Breyer, Humanitarian Focal Point in Kyiv, German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO)

Marlene Breyer, serving as GFFO’s Humanitarian Focal Point in Kyiv, works on humanitarian assistance, humanitarian demining and stabilisation at the German Embassy. She takes part in donor coordination meetings, liaises with government representatives and engages with civil society actors. Her previous experience includes advising on social service programs for Caritas Germany in Ukraine and coordinating refugee-related assistance at the German Embassy in Amman. She has a background in administration and therefore extensive experience with German funding legislation. In the HLF Steering committee, Marlene looks forward to contributing her experience of working with localisation approaches and national NGOs in various countries.

Rafaela Krey, Programme Management and Coordination, Help Localisation Facility, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Germany

Rafaela Krey has five years of experience implementing humanitarian projects in Iraq and Syria, with a focus on cooperating with local partners to deliver basic services in conflict-affected areas. Prior to that, she worked for three years in refugee assistance in Germany. She currently holds the position of Programme Management and Coordination for the Help Localisation Facility at Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Germany.

Svenja Lobmeier, Programme Management and Controlling, Help Localisation Facility, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Germany

Svenja Lobmeier holds a Master’s degree in International Humanitarian Action. She began her professional career as a Project Manager at a consulting firm, providing advisory services in the areas of good governance and social cohesion. She later joined the German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), where she worked on an EU-funded project aimed at strengthening public warning systems. Currently, she holds the position of Programme Management and Controlling for the Help Localisation Facility at Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Germany.

Daria Rybalchenko, Director of the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development (NNLPD)

Daria Rybalchenko is the Director of the NNLPD, where she leads strategic initiatives focused on community development, capacity strengthening of local organisations, and the promotion of local leadership in humanitarian response. With five years of leadership experience, Daria has doubled the size of her team, launched new initiatives, and developed strong expertise in project design, grant making, and organisational development. She continuously learns, studies international practices, and brings fresh perspectives drawn from diverse contexts. Together with the NNLPD team, Daria is working to establish a Ukrainian Pooled Fund, led by a consortium of Ukrainian civil society organisations. Over the past year, the team has developed a full methodology and completed a pilot phase, distributing 15 million UAH to local initiatives. At NNLPD, Daria also oversees grant making and re-granting projects, building systems that prioritise transparency, accountability, and participatory decision-making. She co-leads the Pooled Funds Working Group within the Alliance of Ukrainian CSOs. As a member of the HLF Grants Committee, Daria brings practical insights into the design and management of pooled funds mechanisms within the Ukrainian context.

Mila Leonova, Director of the Alliance of Ukrainian Civil Society Organisations (Alliance UA CSO)

Mila Leonova has 20 years of experience in strategic communications. She began her career as a journalist before transitioning into communications, working across both government and private sectors. Over the years, she has held leadership roles, including Head of Monitoring and Analysis, and later Head of Communications and Content Departments. Her areas of focus have included enhancing investment attractiveness, supporting decentralisation reform in Ukraine, and leading strategic projects to promote socially responsible businesses and civil society development.

Before the war, she began working in the non-governmental sector, where she established the external relations and the advocacy department at Caritas Ukraine. The Alliance of Ukrainian CSOs was one of these initiatives, and she was later elected as the Director. The Alliance currently brings together 16 Ukrainian CSOs and functions as a think tank, dialogue forum and advocacy platform. It promotes localisation in humanitarian response and recovery efforts, both within Ukraine and globally. Mila holds a Master’s degree in political science, has a background in practical psychology and positive psychotherapy, studied negotiation and conflict management, and has a degree as a peace engineer.

Fredric Larsson, Director NGO Resource Center

Fredric Larsson brings more than 20 years of senior management experience from the humanitarian and development sector, with a unique combination of knowledge gained from working with Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), international as well as national NGOs, donors, and grant committees. In addition, he has been a member of the HCT and ICCG in Ukraine, as well as being a former board member of UHF. He has extensive and practical knowledge of the humanitarian landscape and context in Ukraine and is strong and relentless advocate for a locally led humanitarian response.

Oleksandr Novykov, Country Director, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Ukraine

Oleksandr Novykov holds a Master’s degree in Law and a PhD in Constitutional Law of Foreign Countries from Yaroslav Mudryj National Law University. Over the course of his career, he has combined academic work—both scientific and pedagogical—at his alma mater in Kharkiv with management positions in international business. With the outbreak of the war in 2022, he decided to devote his career fully to humanitarian work. He worked his way up from an officer to become the Country Director of Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe in Ukraine. In this role, he takes pride in Help’s commitment to meaningful localisation—demonstrated through initiatives like the HLF, which he sees as a vital contribution to the locally led development of civil society in Ukraine. If you ask Oleksandr to describe the HLF in one sentence, he will say: “Help for self-help – this is our vision of localisation!”

Kostiantyn Nenakhov, Deputy Country Director and Head of Administration and Finance, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Ukraine

Kostiantyn Nenakhov is the Head of Administration and Finance and Deputy Country Director at Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe in Ukraine, bringing extensive experience in financial management and compliance. In his current position, he is responsible for ensuring that financial processes are transparent, compliant, and support the effective implementation of humanitarian and development projects. He works closely with local partners, supporting high standards of accountability while remaining attuned to the realities of project delivery. Kostiantyn believes in transparency, fairness, and upholding rigorous standards when evaluating projects. Every grant decision should be fair, well-grounded, and contribute to strengthening civil society. As a member of the HLF Grants Committee, he applies his expertise to ensure that resources are allocated responsibly and funded projects meet the expectations of both donor and local organisations. He is committed to open dialogue and to supporting initiatives that create meaningful, lasting impact in communities.

Yuliia Suvorova, Programme Management and Controlling, Help Localisation Facility, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Ukraine

Yuliia Suvorova has been working in the finance department of Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe in Ukraine since June 2022. She is responsible for budget oversight, verifying financial reports from partner organisations, ensuring donor compliance (e.g. UHF, GFFO), and preparing financial documentation. Her role extends well beyond formal controls—she actively supports partners in financial reporting, audit preparation, and strengthening their overall financial capacity. Before entering the humanitarian field, she spent over 15 years in the banking sector, where she managed branch operations, conducted credit risk assessments, provided financing to SMEs, and prepared documentation for audits conducted by the National Bank of Ukraine. As an independent consultant, she also supported entrepreneurs in developing investment projects for international funding. This experience shaped her strategic and systematic approach to finance, attention to risk, and commitment to high-quality documentation. As a member of the HLF Grants Committee, she plays a key role in shaping the HLF and is responsible for the financial review of applications, conducting risk analyses, and contributing to well-informed, evidence-based funding decisions. In her role as Programme Manager and Controller for the HLF, Yuliia believes that effective partnerships are grounded in transparency, open dialogue, and shared responsibility. She sees these principles as essential for building trust and ensuring the responsible management of humanitarian resources.

Serhii Skashchuk, Programme Management and Coordination, Help Localisation Facility, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Ukraine

Serhii Skashchuk holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Kharkiv National University of Economics. His professional background spans local government bodies, state agencies, and private manufacturing enterprises. Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, he has fully dedicated his career to the humanitarian sector. He has worked on projects focused on institutional development and healthcare support, and has been involved in the design, application and management of humanitarian initiatives in cooperation with major international donors, including UHF, BMZ, GFFO, and ECHO. His experience also includes work in high-risk areas such as Kupiansk, Zolochiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv. As Programme Manager and Coordinator for the HLF, and a member of the HLF Grants Committee, Serhii is confident that the strong presence of young, ambitious local humanitarian organisations—along with the dedication of the HLF team—will ensure the facility’s successful implementation and contribute to building a more resilient local humanitarian community.

Mariia Levchenko, Secretariat and Facilitator, Help Localisation Facility Grants Committee

Dr. Mariia Levchenko is a peacebuilding expert and researcher with over 15 years of experience in dialogue facilitation, conflict resolution, and international policy. She has worked across Ukraine, Chad, Ethiopia, and other conflict-affected contexts. Mariia has held roles with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the Berghof Foundation, and is currently a Research Fellow at the Academy of International Affairs NRW in Germany. She holds a PhD in International Economics and a Master’s in International Relations.