Greece

FARAH SHILANDARI
Interpreter Coordinator

Farah holds a Master's Degree in English Translation. She has been working as an interpreter & cultural mediator since 2016 in the refugee field. She likes to help people and give a voice to the voiceless.
KONSTANTINA TSALOUCHIDOU
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Konstantina is registered with the Veria Bar Association. She has a Master in International and European Legal Studies. Her areas of interest and research are data protection, human rights and migration issues.
ANTONIA LETSIOU
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Antonia is a lawyer registered with the Kilkis Bar Association. She holds a master's degree in Gender Studies and has experience in migration, asylum, and GBV issues, having worked with various organisations.
ELEFTHERIA DODI
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Eleftheria is registered with the Thessaloniki Bar Association. She holds master’s degrees in Fundamental Public Law and in Management of Mass Migration. With expertise in human rights, refugee law, and migration, she has been working in the migration field for the past six years in various positions.
QASEM QASEMI
Farsi/Dari Interpreter

Qasem is a graduate of English Literature. He excels as an Interpreter/Translator in Farsi/Dari, English, & Greek and as a Graphic Designer. Qasem is experienced in consecutive/simultaneous interpreting. He has 6+ in organisations like IOM, GCR, DRC and Arsis.
ELISSAVET LITITARI
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Elissavet is registered with the Thessaloniki Bar Association. She holds a Master’s degree in European and Comparative Social Law. Her expertise lies within child protection and human rights.
OLIVIA ALVANO
Project Officer,Athens

Olivia is a Law Graduate and has passed the Berlin Bar. She holds a European Master's degree in Human Rights. She has several years of experience in refugee law and used to be a volunteer with ELIL before starting her job as a project officer.
IASONAS GIANNAKIS
Project Officer, Thessaloniki

Iasonas holds a Master in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Uppsala University and a Bachelor in Balkan, Slavic, and Oriental Studies from the University of Macedonia. Previously he was a Case Officer for the EUAA and EASO, processing applications for international protection.
ATHINA VAZAIOU
Project Officer, Athens

Athina is an International and European Studies graduate. She holds a Master's degree in Human Rights and Democratisation, and is specialised in community and migration issues. She has previous experience working with refugees and asylum seekers.
VASILIS THOMANIKOS
Advocacy Manager

Vasilis is a Communication and Media Studies graduate with a Master's specialisation in Communication Management of Refugee and Migration Flows. He has experience of working with asylum applicants as a case officer in various locations across Greece.
NIKI CHONDRONIKOLA
Project Officer, Lesvos

Niki is a political scientist from Lesvos. She studied Balkan, Slavic, and Oriental Studies at the University of Macedonia and earned an MSc in International Public Policy from UCL. She has also completed a Project Management seminar and is now pursuing a Business Administration degree.
SELIM SALMAN
Arabic Interpreter

Salman is a linguist, speaking Arabic, Kurdish (Kurmanji, Badini, Surani), Greek, German, and English. Salman is also a musician, cook and a skilled interpreter. He has worked for several organisations in the field of migration and likes to give his all in everything he takes on.
MARIA DIAKOVASILI
Office Manager

Maria has a Bachelor’s in Sociology with an interest in migration studies. She has been working in social welfare as an Administrative Assistant and caseworker in both NGOs and government agencies.
DORCAS TSHITALA
Interpreter, French/Lingala

Dorcas is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is a professional interpreter and cultural mediator for Lingala, French and English. She worked with the EUAA for three years. Dorcas holds a BSc in computer science and is currently studying for a Master degree in Business.
HELENE BAUWENS
Communications and Fundraising Manager

Helene is a law graduate from Belgium and holds a specialised Master's degree in Human Rights and democratisation. She has previous experiences in communications in an international NGO and in the European Commission.
PHILIP WORTHINGTON
Managing Director

Phil is based on Lesvos and has been running ELIL since its foundation in mid-2016. Prior to setting up ELIL, Phil worked as a lawyer in London for six years and volunteered for various environmental NGOs.
VASILIKI GKOUVANTZI
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Vasiliki is with the Bar Association in Mytilene. She holds an LL.M in Globalization and Law from Maastricht University. Vasiliki has prior experience in asylum law, having worked as an asylum lawyer with different organisations. Her area of interest centres around nationality and statelessness.
EIRINI KARVELA
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Eirini is registered with the Athens Bar Association. She holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. She has previous experience in civil and criminal law as well as migration issues. Her specialist areas are criminal and asylum law.
ANTZELA TAOULAOU
Greek Asylum Laywer

Antzela is registered with the Athens Bar Association. She holds an LLM in Public International Law and Human Rights from Utrecht University. She has extensive experience in the field of asylum and international protection, including with UNHCR, CRWI Diotima and METAdrasi
ELEFTHERIA CHARMANTZI
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Eleftheria is registered with the Thessaloniki Bar Association and has studied Law in Komotini. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Migration Studies and is interested in asylum law and cultural studies.
CHRISTINA VOULIMENEA
Legal Coordinator, Mainland

Christina is registered with the Athens Bar Association. She has extensive expertise in human rights, refugee law and migration issues. Prior to ELIL, she worked with several organizations, including Ecomenical Refugee Program and METAdrasi, to provide legal aid services to refugees.
SISSY DIMITROULAKI
Greek Asylum Lawyer

Sissy is a member of the Athens Bar and has focused on refugee law since 2017. Her work involves assisting vulnerable individuals, including unaccompanied children, SGBV survivors and LGTBQIA+ community. Sissy is unwavering in her commitment to protecting their rights and promoting their empowerment.
CHRYSOULA ARCHONTAKI
Legal Coordinator, Islands

TEREZA MIMIKOU
Project Manager

Tereza has been working in the non-profit sector for more than ten years. Her background is in Political Science and Finance. She joined ELIL in 2019.




FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICER


Poland

TARAS PENDAK
POLISH-UKRAINIAN INTERPRETER

Taras completed his initial studies in computer engineering, followed by two years of spiritual formation studies. After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, he started supporting refugees, working with ORA and UNHCR in Krakow and now ELIL.
MALGORZATA DZIEWANOWSKA
POLISH LAWYER

Małgorzata defended her PhD in 2014 at the Faculty of Law in Warsaw. For many years, she has dedicated her efforts to the NGO sector by leading legal counselling programs. She coordinates legal help for refugees at the University of Warsaw.
JAN ŚWIECICKI
POLISH-UKRAINIAN INTERPRETER

Jan holds a law degree and has a lifelong dedication to pro bono and humanitarian work. Prior to joining ELIL as an interpreter, he provided free legal aid in Polish, Ukrainian and Russian for many years.
FILIP CZERNICKI
Legal Coordinator, Poland

Filip is registered with the Warsaw Bar Association and holds a PhD from the Warsaw University Law School. He also works on structural development, promoting pro bono activity among lawyers and improving legal education through teaching and legal clinics in Eastern Europe.
JOANNA NIEZGODA
POLISH LAWYER

Joanna is registered with the Wroclaw Bar. Her primary focus is on the international protection and detention proceedings. Joanna is a strong advocate for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and regularly works with NGOs to support their efforts.
ANNA RAAB
POLISH LAWYER

Anna is registered with Wroclaw Bar Association of Attorneys-at-Law. Her areas of interest are labour and family law, human rights and migration issues. Since the reception crisis in 2021 she is providing legal assistance to refugees on the Polish-Belarusian border.
JAKUB ŁAWNICZAK
POLISH LAWYER

Jakub is registered with the Bar Association in Białystok. His areas of interest include new technology and human rights law. He has been providing legal assistance to people on the Polish-Belarusian border since early 2021.
WERONIKA SOLKIEWICZ
POLISH LAWYER

Weronika is currently a doctoral student. Her main areas of interest are refugee law and family law. She has been working pro bono for many years, for example at the Student Legal Clinic at the Faculty of Law in Bialystok.

 

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