20 Years, 20 Women

Ana quickly re-entered the policy arena after graduating in 2021. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the cabinet of the Board of Directors at the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency and is the manager of ANAC’s “Wings for All” DEI programme. In this role, she actively works to address gender, racial and socio-economic disparities in the civil aviation sector. Ana’s education at the Hertie School, along with her legal expertise, has enabled her to make a significant impact on civil aviation policy formulation.

“Among my peers, Ana stood out as a great mentor, listening carefully to what was shared and providing individual advice.”

Andrea has been Head of the administrative Division Z at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment since 2021. Previous to this, she campaigned for a new climate policy within the federal government and contributed to the energy transition. She remains committed to the Hertie School as a guest lecturer and as a member of the school's Advisory Council.

“Andrea follows a very strong transformative agenda with various activities to modernise the Ministry and make it an attractive employer.”

Anita excels at the intersection of security and technology. Her book Repression in the Digital Age: Surveillance, Censorship, and the Dynamics of State Violence recently won the Goldsmith Book Prize. In addition to her professorship, she chairs the European Political Science Association's diversity committee and serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Peace Research, underscoring her significant external commitments.

“Anita is a highly-regarded, beloved professor, a champion of women's rights (and everyone else's:)) and does a wonderful job of actively supporting the school and students, individually as well as in student groups and clubs.”

Anna has transitioned to a remarkable legal career. Now a barrister at a leading chambers in London, she has worked on landmark UK cases, including the Prorogration Case before Brexit, climate and protest cases, and the UK's largest-ever class action suit involving Brazilian indigenous communities. Anna remains dedicated to Hertie, actively teaching and mentoring students.

“Anna, in my view, represents the best of Hertie women: fiercely intelligent but with great compassion and activism, applying her skills to the key policy challenges of her time.”

Carla, Director of the “Centre for Digital Society” at the Mercator Foundation, is a strong advocate for democracy in the digital age. She develops and funds projects on AI regulation, the digital public sphere, and public sector digitisation. Previously, she led the Bertelsmann Foundation’s “Ethics of Algorithms” project. Throughout her career, Carla has shown an impressive ability to promote diversity and public engagement in digital governance.

“Carla has strengthened societal voices in digital governance. She mentors and supports women to become leaders.” 

_{Photo Credits: Mercator Foundation}

Cecilia has distinguished herself at Bruegel, where she is part of a team conducting groundbreaking research in the domain of the green transition. Her team's development of "energy crises" datasets has been instrumental in shaping ministerial discussions on EU industrial subsidies. As a co-founder of the futurEU Initiative and a dedicated economics and statistics Teaching Assistant, Cecilia has consistently supported students and fostered community engagement around European policymaking.

“Cecilia deserves this recognition because she embodies the values of excellence, collaboration and community engagement that the Hertie School promotes."

Claudia embarked on an impressive journey after graduating from the Hertie School. As the founder of the Female Finance Forum, she is an expert on sustainable investment and how to inspire women in this field. She has shown exceptional commitment to the Hertie School as a former member of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Council.

“Claudia has devoted her professional career to making women become more financially independent.”

Dania has had an impressive career in the German federal administration: She has been driving the energy transition for almost 15 years and has extensive experience in energy policy. She has recently been appointed Deputy Director General Electricity Generation at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and has been tasked with reaching an almost climate neutral electricity sector by 2035.

"Dania has pursued an incredibly impressive career in the German federal administration."

Daniela is a leading expert in social media governance and is renowned for her work on the EU's Digital Service Act. Her award-winning book, Media Commercialization and Authoritarian Rule in China, and her European Research Council-funded research on the impact of social media platform design on political user behaviour underscore her significant contributions to the field.

“Daniela inspired me and other female students in her class to pursue our interests in the policy realm of Digital Governance.”

Eden is the founder of Invicta, a startup connecting 36,000+ refugees across 96 countries to remote jobs, online courses, and mental health support. She is a Diana Award recipient, a Young Champion for UNHCR, and a ONE Youth Ambassador. At Hertie, she plays a key role in the Africa Policy Club and promotes dialogues on human rights and digital policy.

“Eden has been an integral part of organising the Africa Policy Week and is active in dialogues about human rights, DEI and digital policy.”

Emilia is a leading advocate for social justice in Germany and Europe. She founded the Center for Intersectional Justice in 2017 and authored Why We Matter, a book that has had a significant impact on discussions about systemic inequalities and discrimination.

"Emilia is an expert in intersectional justice and social equity, combining extensive academic achievements and practical experience in international human rights to lead and educate on combating discrimination across Europe."

_{Photo Credits: Mohamed Badarne}

Jasmin, the founder of amstart.net, supports young adults with multiple sclerosis, boosting health literacy and destigmatising invisible disabilities. With a background in public policy and social innovation, she has worked with international organisations, including the UN. Recognised in #30under30 by the Federal Association of German Foundations, she has also won the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation's Engagement Award and the "Cultural and Creative Pilot" award.

"With the founding of aMStart, Jasmin has brought over 950 young people into the conversation within 1.5 years in order to create resilience and strength at the time of diagnosis."

Julia founded a boutique consulting firm in 2019 after working in various consulting roles, dedicated to building better organisations. Embracing the tri-sectoral Hertie spirit, she and her team support organisations from the business, public and nonprofit sector (sometimes pro bono), including clients like kununu, Lie Detectors and Netzwerk Chancen.

“What is more, from the founding of her company, Julia donates 4% of her profits to nonprofits chosen by her team.”

Julia is a social impact and sustainability leader, using her extensive experience to work with and advise stakeholders on fostering sustainable futures through responsible innovation and tech. Recognised with the Digital Female Leader Award, she champions innovation aligned with societal needs. After building The Data Tank, she is now focussing on her work as founder and CEO of The Futures Project and co-founder of WSFR.AI.

"Julia is an outstanding leader who always aims to help other women in her community and empowers them through her example."

Kaija implemented her MPP thesis founding Teach First Deutschland. She held top-leadership positions at NPOs, among them MD at Gemeinnützige Hertie-Stiftung, illustrating her dedication to the Hertie community. Today she leads Strategy, Innovation and Program at SOS Kinderdörfer weltweit.

"Kaija's leadership has made a significant difference and impact in her field."

Katri is a health and development advocate and strategist with 20 years of work experience. She has worked for the World Health Organization and on Germany's G7 and G20 presidencies, headed external relations at the World Bank's Global Financing Facility, and led Save the Children's global policy, advocacy and campaigns.

"In a world of polycrises, it is more important than ever to understand what drives policy change - and work towards a more equitable, healthy and inclusive world."

Yaël co-founded Polis180 e.V. ten years ago, a grassroots think tank for foreign and European policy. Now working at Berlin Global Advisors as Government Affairs Director, she shows extraordinary engagement in advocacy efforts for Ukraine on trade, agriculture and energy. Yaël is very committed to the Hertie School values and community, shown for example by her mentoring Hertie students and alumni.

"Yaël is dedicated and genuinely passionate about empowering and encouraging women.”

_{Credits: Phil Dera}

Lisa serves as Director of Programs at the Munich Security Conference, where she is responsible for curating the agenda of the annual conference and developing the MSC’s programs and event formats. Lisa is especially passionate about promoting a more inclusive and diverse foreign and security policy discourse. She has established the MSC's Women Parliamentarians Program, a network that connects young female decision-makers across borders and party lines.

“Thanks to Lisa's leadership in promoting more diverse conversations, the representation of (...) traditionally marginalized groups at the conference increased dramatically.“

Shubha’s impactful research on global dynamics and South Asian geopolitics, along with fostering inclusive teaching, earned her recognition in the Hertie School community. She received the "OSUN Teaching Development Small Grant" for crafting inclusive syllabi, enhancing campus diversity.

"Shubha Kamala Prasad stands as an emblem of inspiration and leadership within the Hertie School."

Susanne has over 20 years of experience with international organisations and is driven by the topic of anti-corruption. She has had an impressive career in this field and now works as executive Director of Transparency International Germany. She remains committed to the academic world and lectures at the University of Potsdam and the Berlin School of Economics and Law.

"Susanne brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field of ethical governance and is committed to fostering transparency and accountability on a global scale"