Advisory Board
AMWAJ is proud to have the following experts from around the Mediterranean as our advisors. They collectively bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in the fields of water management and the environment.
Ahmed Kotb
Egypt
Journalist, Media and Communications Consultant
Ahmed Kotb
Ahmed Kotb is a Journalist, Media and Communications Consultant, a part-time University Lecturer.
Ahmed is Senior Energy and Water Editor at Ahram Online and Al-Ahram Weekly newspaper where he has been a full-time journalist since 2009, researching and writing about business and finance, politics and news, healthcare, and now: energy and water.
Ahmed also teaches media translation and news writing at Pharos University in Alexandria, and previously he taught courses about writing for media, language for media, intercultural communication and investigative reporting at Ahram Canadian University, Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport, Al-Shorouk Academy and Alexandria Media Institute.
Ahmed is a former Media Consultant at Egypt’s State Ministry of Information, and former Media Relations Manager at Ahram Canadian University.
Ruba Al Zubi
Jordan
Staunch Advocate for Sustainable Development and Green Economy
Ruba Al Zubi
Ruba – with over 20 years’ experience – is a staunch advocate for sustainable development and green economy. She compiled expertise in policy development, program management, international cooperation, sustainability communication, and institutional reform across the public and private sectors, non-profits as well as international organizations.
Ruba was the first Policy Director at the Ministry of Environment and served as the CEO of EDAMA Association. She also led the Clean Technology Sector at USAID Jordan Competitiveness Program and served as the Advisor for Science Policy and Program Development to the President of the Royal Scientific Society. She is a global volunteer, a UNF Plus Social Good Advisor, and was Jordan’s Eisenhower Fellow for 2012. Ruba’s support to green and social entrepreneurship continues to impact youth and women in Jordan and beyond.
Gonzalo Delacámara
Spain
International Expert on Natural Resources Economics
Gonzalo Delacámara
Gonzalo Delacámara is a senior academic (23 years of experience) and international expert on natural resources economics, with emphasis on the link between water and social and economic development within a context of climate change adaptation. Gonzalo is the Director of the Global Centre for Water & Climate Adaptation at IE University and former Head of the Department of Water Economics at IMDEA Water Research Foundation. Gonzalo is also the Academic Director of the Water Economics Forum, a public debate initiative with Nobel Prize Laureates. He is currently a water policy advisor to the European Commission, as well as an international consultant to the UN system and the World Bank Group. He is a member of the OECD Water Governance Initiative and the Cluster Leader for the Value of Water at the EU Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform (WssTP).
Majeda Alawneh
Palestine
Manager at the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA)
Majeda Alawneh
Majeda holds a MSc in Water Quality Management and is Water Quality Department Manager at the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and National WASH Coordinator. She has over 20-years of experience in the water and sanitation sector, Water Quality Management, Wastewater Treatment, Environmental Impact Assessment, Water Safety Plans, IWRM and WASH Coordination and Disaster Risk Management. She has worked as a Palestinian focal point for SDG6 and GLAAS, as well as on designing communication campaigns for the participation of PWA in the World Water Days and World Water Forums. She is also the Palestinian focal point for the SWIM/ WES (Water and Environmental Support) EU-funded Program. Majeda is also a Steering Committee Member with the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) for the MENA Region (2021-2023).
Chantal Menard
France
Communications Manager in the Mediterranean
Chantal Menard
Chantal has been working as communications manager and expert for more than 15 years on environmental issues in the Mediterranean. She's been managing communication strategies, implementing activities of all kinds and leading campaigns with WWF, the UN FAO/ GFCM, UNEP-MAP, PAP-RAC, UNESCO, MedWet and many other organizations.
Chantal likes to deal with complex and multicultural environments and is passionate about the Human dimension of success, strategic thinking and straightforward storytelling. She also has a special interest in video and social media ethics.
Michael Karner
Austria / France
Project Manager at Plan Bleu
Michael Karner
Michael Karner is Project Manager at Plan Bleu, a Regional Activity Center of UNEP's Mediterranean Action Plan located in Marseille, France. He works on topics including Integrated Coastal Zone Management, coastal climate change adaptation, biodiversity and wetland ecosystem restoration in the Mediterranean. Michael is passionate about landscape restoration and regenerative agriculture. He worked with the Ecosystem Restoration Camps Foundation in Jordan in 2014-2015, and has trained individuals and organisations in permaculture and restoration in several Mediterranean countries. In 2020, he co-authored a report on regenerative agriculture in Latin America for the UK-based Mustardseed Trust, and is currently helping the Trust to partner with impactful local regenerative projects there. Michael is also a mentor of the Netherlands-base Fresh Ventures, an incubator for regenerative start-ups.
Alia Papageorgiou
Belgium
Journalist, Writer, President Press Club Brussels
Alia Papageorgiou
Alia Papageorgiou is a longtime journalist, editor and most recently podcaster. She is the Artistic Director of the Writers Festival of Belgium. Her work covers EU affairs, climate and politics and worrying about the Mediterranean, which she advocates should become a National park. She serves as the President of Press Club Brussels and is also on the board of journalismfund.eu.
