Facing Facts

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
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. Melissa received the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design from the Digital Learning Institute.

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. Joanna received the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design from the Digital Learning Institute and has a post graduate diplome in online and distance education from Open University.

Daniel Heller

Project Officer
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. Daniel received the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design from the Digital Learning Institute.

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. Annabelle received the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design from the Digital Learning Institute.

Rennier Caselli

Digital Learning Developer
Hailing from São Paulo, Brazil, Rennier holds a degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Cultural Property Protection in Crisis Response from the University of Turin. With experience dating back to 2017, Rennier has been working in the training field, including consulting for international organizations like the International Training Centre of the ILO. In this capacity, Rennier provided support and developed online training courses. Known for proficiency in various digital tools, Rennier excels in managing e-learning platforms and crafting engaging learning materials, thus exhibiting expertise in delivering impactful training courses.

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.