Robin Sclafani

Executive Director
Robin has over 25 years experience in developing and delivering anti-bias training programmes for various target groups. With a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution, Ms. Sclafani uses training and facilitation as methods for transforming social conflict into opportunities for social cohesion. Originally from New York City, Ms. Sclafani came to Brussels in 1998 as a Fulbright Scholar to the European Union.

Melissa Sonnino

Facing Facts Network Director
Originally from Rome, Italy, Melissa has extensive experience in managing EU projects. Since its inception in 2011, she has managed and developed the European project Facing Facts! an innovative programme aiming to tackle the issue of hate crime and hate speech in Europe. She is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and partners, supporting the communications and fundraising strategies, and coordinating multiple activities and projects in the area of hate crime, hate speech, discrimination and bias. She also has significant experience in developing and implementing training programmes, in-person and online, on these issues. Since 2015 she manages the  e-learning platform facingfactsonline.eu.

Joanna Perry

Senior Research and Policy Advisor
Joanna Perry makes sure that the Network’s capacity building tools are grounded in the latest research on hate crime,  hate speech and  on online learning. She is also an independent consultant supporting a range of organisations to ensure access to justice and safety for victims and communities through research, training and advising on policy and strategy. She is an associate research fellow at the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck College, University of London. Joanna’s previous roles include Hate Crime Officer at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, criminal justice policy lead at Victim Support UK, and hate crime policy and performance lead at the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales. She has designed and delivered online learning for a range of professionals and published widely on hate crime policy and practice, and disability discrimination. Joanna has degrees in psychology, law and online and distance learning.

Daniel Heller

Junior Network Coordinator
Originally from Rome, Italy. Daniel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a specialisation in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Conflict and Development from Universiteit Gent, where he researched for his Master’s thesis the challenges and advantages of an intersectional-informed approach to hate crime policies. His interests include concepts of violence, racism, the political, and intersectionality.

Annabelle Betz

Communications Officer
After her studies in Lyon, Weimar, Lisbon and Leipzig, Annabelle joined Facing Facts/CEJI as a Communications Officer in November 2022. Previously, Annabelle worked as a video editor for the digitisation of teaching content and in the Communications team of a non-profit organisation. Annabelle holds a Bachelor’s degree in European Media Culture with a specialisation in “Organisations, Institutions and Digital” and a Master’s degree in European Studies, where she wrote her Master’s thesis on the role of tour guides in decolonising Lisbon’s cityscape. Her interests include the history of activism, specifically anti-racism and queer rights, as well as media representation.

Camila Piastro

Intersectional Action Officer
Born in Barcelona, originally from Mexico, Camila is a graduate of International Relations and holds a Peace and Gender studies diploma. She also has a joint M.A. in Euroculture: Society, Politics, and Culture in Global context, where she wrote her Masters’ thesis on the institutionalization of Intersectionality in European Institutions. Passionate about intersectional justice, Camila has worked in the Jewish community in Barcelona and other projects such as Salam-Shalom Barcelona and Women lawyer for Social Justice in Tel Aviv. In addition, she has recently been elected to Board Member and Vice-President of EUJS.

Adam Coventry

EU Project Finance & Administration Officer
Born in London, Adam received his Bachelor degree in Business Management from Brunel University in 2006. Adam gained 5 years of experience working on the financial side of collaborative projects both domestic UK and EU-funded, before relocating to Belgium in 2017. Once in Belgium, Adam worked in an administrative role for an NGO and then moved to CEJI to focus on EU projects.

Philip Tubman

E-learning technician
Phil Tubman has been working with e-learning systems for 18 years and has been part of the growth of online education from niche practice into the mainstream. Online education has always lowered barriers in terms of access to resources, but combined with learning design it also allows people to learn together which increases diversity and common understanding. As well as developing the online courses for CEJI as part of the Facing Facts Online programmes, he is also studying for a PhD on the topic of Social Learning in MOOCs. When he is not working with online educational systems, Phil is a keen (although not entirely proficient!) surfer and climber.

Timothy Ellis

E-learning technician
Tim Ellis has been working as a learning technologist in Higher Education for 18 years, originally specialising in the creation and delivery of online assessment. Since then, he has diversified to work on other aspects of learning technology including course design, video production and application development. When not working on educational technologies, Tim is a keen gamer and tries to play badminton to keep fit.