Our Team in Ukraine

Mr. Awad was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General in February and assumed his duties on 1 March 2022.

Immediately prior to this appointment, Mr. Awad was Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative. He worked on issues related to vital sectors and drivers for economic and social change in fragile states and states in transition.

Earlier on, Mr. Awad served in dual capacity as United Nations Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Syria and Iraq Situations, and as Director of the Bureau for the Middle East and North Africa of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, Switzerland. In this capacity, he led the UN Refugee Agency’s humanitarian response in the Middle East and North Africa. He coordinated over 9,000 staff and 270 organizations, in close partnership with the respective governments, delivering protection and humanitarian aid to some 20 million displaced persons in the region and in the context of some of the most severe displacement crises of the century. Prior to this, he also worked extensively in the Middle East, including in Yemen during the Somali boat people crisis in 1992, and in Iraq and Jordan, during the first Gulf War in 1990-1991. He again worked in the capacity of Regional Coordinator for the Iraq crisis during the second Gulf War in 2003.

Mr. Awad was engaged in humanitarian action with the United Nations for over 30 years, where he distinguished himself in some of the most challenging field operations in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia.

Prior to leading the United Nations in Ukraine, Ms. Lubrani served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for the Republic of Fiji (2013-2018), with multi-country responsibilities for nine other Small Island Developing States (the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu). Served as the UN Development Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kosovo (2009-2013). Before that, she was seconded to UNDP’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery to support UNDP in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Ms. Lubrani held several management positions with UNIFEM, including as Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe, and as Director of the Liaison Office in Brussels. Ms. Lubrani holds a Masters’ degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, a Masters’ degree in Film and Television Production from New York University.

Anh Nguyen is the Chief of IOM, the UN Migration Agency, Mission in Ukraine since 2019. Previously he headed Migrant Protection and Assistance Division at IOM Headquarters in Geneva. Before this, Anh Nguyen was the Senior Regional Migrant Assistance Specialist with the IOM Regional Office for South-Eastern, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. While posted in Ukraine until 2011, as the IOM Deputy Chief of Mission and Senior Programme Coordinator, he managed IOM’s largest Counter-Trafficking Programme. Before joining IOM, Anh worked in the private sector where he held director-level positions for Pacific Gas and Electric Company based in California, USA and Altitude Software based in Lisbon, Portugal. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Prior to her role as UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Ms. Gercheva had served as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova (2015-2019), Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director of the Bureau of Management (2012-2015), and the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Armenia (2010-2012). From 2002 to 2009 Ms. Gercheva worked as Senior Policy Advisor on Governance and Capacity Development at the UNDP Regional Center in Bratislava, the Slovak Republic. Ms. Gercheva joined UNDP in 1994 as Sustainable Development Specialist at UNDP Bulgaria. Ms. Gercheva holds a diploma in Executive Education from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a diploma in Environmental Economics for Development Policy from the World Bank Institute in Washington, D.C. She was a visiting scholar in the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, University College London, and Oxford University colleges. Ms. Gercheva also has a Ph.D. in Environmental Economics from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia. She is married and has two children.

Erika Kvapilova (PhD) assumed her responsibilities in Ukraine in August 2020. She served as the first UN Women Representative in Georgia from 2013 till 2020. Before joining UN Women in Georgia, Erika served as the UN Women Regional Programme Director for South Eastern Europe. Between 2005 and 2009 she worked as Programme Specialist, supporting UN Women/UNIFEM programming in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Before joining the UN, she spent over 15 years in social policy and welfare research, participated in international comparative research teams and published on social policy and gender issues. In the early 2000s she was the Director of the Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs and the International Center for Family Studies in Bratislava affiliated with the Ministry of Labour, Social Studies and Family in Slovakia, and served as the gender adviser to the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.

Mr. Gianni Volpin is UNOPS Ukraine Country Manager. Mr. Volpin brings with him a wealth of expertise in the international arena, in particular humanitarian and development fields, and in the private sector. He has worked for more than two decades with the International Committee of the Red Cross in many countries occupying several key managerial positions at the country level, regional level as well as at Headquarters in Geneva. Mr. Volpin speaks Italian, English, French, and Portuguese.

Over the past 23 years, Ignacio has contributed to and led humanitarian operations with the UN in multiple field locations, at HQ in New York and in Geneva. He arrives from Geneva, where he has been serving as Chief of OCHA’s Assessment, Planning and Monitoring Branch, overseeing the Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC) process in 27 countries. He also served as chair of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee – an inter-agency forum of UN and non-UN humanitarian partners – HPC Steering Group. Ignacio previously led OCHA’s Regional Office for Southern Africa (2012-2015) and Country Offices in Indonesia (2008-2012), Colombia (2002-2006). Earlier, he was a field coordinator in Angola (1998-2002); he also served as Senior Desk Officer at OCHA’s HQ in New York (2006-2008). Before joining OCHA, Ignacio held different positions in humanitarian and development organizations in Brazil, Chile and Equatorial Guinea. He holds a Master’s degree in Humanities, a Postgraduate degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations. He speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese.

UNFPA Representative in Ukraine, Country Director for Belarus since September 2019

Started his collaboration with UNFPA in 1996, joining the organization in 1999 as Programme Officer in the Latin American and Caribbean Division at Headquarters, which included detail assignments in Guatemala and Haiti. In 2004, took up the position of Deputy Director for the English and Dutch Speaking Caribbean, Jamaica where he was responsible for coordinating the delivery of UNFPA programme activities in 15 countries and 7 non-independent territories. He assumed the position of UNFPA Representative to Bolivia (2009), Egypt (2013) and Brazil (2015), leading the respective UNFPA teams through periods of significant political change and working as part of the UNCTs to advance the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. Prior to working for UNFPA, was a consultant to local public institutions in the context of a number of European Union regional development initiatives.

Dr. Jarno Habicht is WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine since November 2018. Dr. Habicht 's past experience includes working in the UN system, namely WHO, where Dr. Habicht has worked for the past few decades. Since 2003, Dr. Habicht has headed WHO Country Offices in Estonia, Republic of Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. As the Head of a WHO Country Office, he has experience managing WHO teams to ensure ongoing dialogue on health issues, providing targeted assistance in the development of health systems and key health issues, and responding to health crises in complex political, economic and geopolitical situations. Dr. Jarno Habicht graduated as a medical doctor and received a PhD in public health and health services research from the University of Tartu, Estonia. He has worked for the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, as well for the Ministry of Social Affairs in Estonia, and at the same time he has carried out research on equity in access to health services and financial protection.

Karolina Lindholm Billing joined UNHCR in 1999, as Associate Protection Officer in the then-Liaison Office for the Baltic Countries, which was located in Riga and covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Since then, she has worked for UNHCR in various management, legal and protection policy functions, in field operations in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and at UNHCR’s Headquarters in Geneva.

Her latest assignments in UNHCR include Deputy Representative (protection) in Lebanon, Deputy Regional Representative for the Nordic and Baltic Countries, Senior Protection Officer in Zambia, Senior Liaison Officer (Human Rights) in the Division of International Protection at UNHCR’s Headquarters and Protection Officer in North Macedonia.

Karolina holds a Master’s in Law degree, with a specialization in human rights and refugee law from the University of Stockholm. She speaks Swedish, English and basic French, is married and has three children.

Mr. Morar arrived in Ukraine in June 2015 after working with the Department of Political Affairs at UN headquarters in New York. He has been working with the UN in several capacities since 2004, including in his previous assignment as UNSMIL-ED Head of Field Office and Head of External Relations in Libya (2012-2014). He worked with the UN Missions to Iraq (2004-2006; 2010), Afghanistan (2014), Republic of Moldova, Algeria, Guyana and with EU missions in Georgia (2008-2009) and Sudan (2011). Prior to joining the UN, he was Minister Counselor with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania (2000-2012). He was an assistant professor of Political Science at the University of Bucharest (1997-2003) and a foreign policy expert with the Romanian Presidency (1997-1999). Mr. Morar has a PhD in Political Philosophy, a Masters in Political Science, and has published four books and over 70 articles in the fields of political science and international relations.

Ms. Mara Lopes, in her current role since September 2019, is specialized in community development and humanitarian assistance. Prior to joining FAO Ukraine, she served at FAO South Sudan, as Deputy Emergency Coordinator and Head of the Field Support Unit. Ms. Lopes has also worked with IOM, as Head of Office for the Community Stabilization programme in Central African Republic and held various assignments in West Africa as a Country Director for different NGO’s focusing on community health and social protection. Ms. Lopes holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations and two master’s degrees in Sustainability Management, from Lisbon School of Economies and Management, and Political and International Sciences, from the University of Lisbon. Ms. Lopes is a Portuguese citizen.

Matilda Bogner has worked in the UN system since 2006. She headed the Regional Offices for OHCHR in Central Asia, the Pacific and South East Asia. She also headed the Human Rights, Transitional Justice and Rule of Law Division of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and most recently was the Senior Human Rights Advisor for the UN in Belarus. Prior to that, she worked on human rights for nine years in the Europe and Central Asia region and speaks Russian fluently. She has a legal education and also worked as a criminal defence lawyer in Australia. She is married and has four children.

Murat Sahin stepped into the position of UNICEF Representative in Ukraine in July 2021. Prior to joining UNICEF’s office in Ukraine, Murat served as Head of Office in Kosovo (2018-2021) and Deputy Representative in DPR Korea (2016-2018). In his earlier career, Murat served the organization as adviser and specialist responsible for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and Education programmes at UNICEF Headquarters and in multiple duty stations including the DPRK, Tajikistan and Turkey. He has been with the organization since 1999. Mr. Sahin is a national of Turkey and passionate about supporting the realization of the rights of all children and giving his best to his work and family.
Mr. Sahin has a postgraduate degree in business research methods from Edinburgh Business School, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Bilgi University in Istanbul, and a Civil Engineering degree from Middle East Technical University in Ankara.

Mr. Raman Hailevich joined the UN Country Team in Ukraine in September 2018 in the capacity of the UNAIDS Country Director. He had previous been a Regional Adviser at the UNAIDS regional office in Moscow (2013-2018, 2007-2010), UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan (2010-2013), a Programme Development Advisers at the UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva (2002-2007) and UNAIDS country adviser in Belarus (2000-2001). Mr. Hailevich came to work for the UN in 1998 and had previously worked for a local university. Before joining the UNAIDS in 2000, he worked as a project manager for the UNDP office in Belarus. Mr. Hailevich holds a Masters in Education from the Minsk State Pedagogical School and a Masters in Drug Control Policies from the Imperial College of London University. Mr. Hailevich is a national of Belarus and speaks Russian, English and French.

Sergiy Savchuk has been representing ILO, the UN specialized agency for the world of work, since 2013. From 2001 through 2012, he headed development cooperation projects focusing on labour law and labour administration reform, social dialogue and gender equality at work in Ukraine. Before joining ILO, Sergiy worked for the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, where he held the position of the Deputy International Secretary to enhance solidarity with the international trade union movement, as well as collaboration with the ILO on issues pertaining to protection of workers’ rights. He holds a Master’s Degree in foreign languages and literature from the Kyiv National Linguistic University and currently follows advanced studies in labour law.

Yuriy Savko is the Country Coordinator of the UN Volunteers Programme. Before that Yuriy was working as an expert and a senior consultant for IFIs (WB, EIB). He has got more than 20 years of experience of working for civil society projects and organizations, as well as for projects supported by international organizations (CBIE, CIDA, and GIZ). Yuriy has also acquired extended experience in healthcare sector, including his job as Deputy Minister of Ministry of Health in 2014-15 where he was responsible for European integration issues. Yuriy holds a diploma from the L’viv Polytechnic National University.

Head of the Regional Programme Office for Eastern Europe covering Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, Zhannat Kosmukhamedova has been heading the UNODC Regional Programme Office for Eastern countries based in Kyiv since December 2017. Her previous experience among others includes working at UNODC Head Quarters Vienna in capacity of the Regional Adviser on Drugs and HIV for Eastern Europe and Central Asia as well as in capacity of Global Focal Point for the UN on Law Enforcement and HIV. Before joining UNODC HQ in 2003, Zhannat headed the UNODC country office in Kazakhstan, worked for IOM, UNESCO and the Asian Development Bank. Zhannat holds a PhD in biochemistry and has an extensive experience of research and lecturing in the areas related to occupational health and clinical biology.