Meet
the team

Board of Directors

Bruno António

Executive director

bruno.antonio@dypall.com

Bruno António graduated in Social Education at the University of the Algarve in Faro, Portugal. During his educational path, he lived abroad, namely in Brazil, India and Scotland. For the past 12 years, Bruno has been actively engaging in international youth work, working as an expert and external consultant for several institutions, such as the European Commission and the Council of Europe. He previously took office as Secretary General of Youth for Exchange and Understanding, as well as Executive Director at ECOS – Cooperativa de Educação, Cooperação e Desenvolvimento.

Aleksandra Maldžiski

Deputy director

aleksandra.maldziski@dypall.com

Aleksandra, originally from Serbia, has a background in school student activism. She was a Board member of OBESSU (Organising Bureau of School Student Unions), as well as a member of the Working group on Participation and Youth policy mainstreaming and Expert group on youth rights of the European Youth Forum.  She was a trainer on UNICEF’s project for creating Local Youth Action Plans in Serbia. Aleksandra worked as a project manager for several organisations in Serbia and Portugal before joining DYPALL Network. She has a political science and journalism degree from the University of Belgrade.

Project management

Jacques Rousselot

Project manager

jacques.rousselot@dypall.com

Jacques has been deeply involved in volunteering and association work from a young age. During his university years, he took the lead in organizing events aimed at enhancing student development and societal participation. His thesis in Mozambique used the Participatory Rural Appraisal method, laying a solid foundation for his research skills. Transitioning to entrepreneurship, Jacques continued to build his project management expertise while maintaining a strong commitment to volunteer work with local NGOs. He researched youth and migrant issues for the Council of Europe before joining DYPALL Network.

Mafalda Ferreira

Project manager

mafalda.ferreira@dypall.com

Mafalda has had a very rich and diverse career path. After her first degree, she dedicated herself to coordinating scientific research projects but soon decided to embrace new areas of work. She dedicated herself to starting her own company, having furthered her experience in project management and implementation even further. She has also collaborated with an international NGO, implementing new work methodologies and was involved in the organisation of large national and international events, as a team coordinator. At DYPALL Network she is mainly involved in creating intellectual content and managing national projects.

Marija Krstevska Taseva

Project manager

marija.krstevska@dypall.com

Marija, from North Macedonia, has been active in the youth sector since 2010, focusing on non-formal education, advocating for youth in decision-making, and supporting inclusive policies. She was the President of the National Youth Council of Macedonia. Marija has a master’s degree in law from the University of Skopje, and she was a scholarship holder at the Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University in New York. She also works as a trainer, facilitator and consultant in the areas of youth participation, human rights, intercultural learning, advocacy, hate speech and hate crimes.

Marta Monteiro

ESC Project manager

marta.monteiro@dypall.com

Marta Monteiro has a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Algarve and she is passionate about sustainability and its integration into youth engagement. She worked at ECOS – Cooperativa de Educação, Cooperação e Desenvolvimento, helping to carry out several projects, where she played a pivotal role in executing numerous impactful projects. She manages all aspects of ESC initiatives, ensuring their success and alignment with the network’s mission to foster youth participation and cooperation across Europe.

Emma Genovese

Project officer

emma.genovese@dypall.com

Emma has a bachelor’s degree in International Science, Development, and Cooperation, and she recently took her master’s degree in Political and Public Communication at the University of Turin. In Italy, she had the chance to work with some local associations for young people with the aim of creating new businesses. Her will to discover new cultures and broaden her mind brought her to DYPALL Network, where now she integrated the core team after completing her ESC volunteering project in the communication team.

Susana Godinho

Project officer

susana.godinho@dypall.com

Susana has a degree in Psychology from UALG – University of Algarve. While studying, she was one of the founding members of NEPSI (association of psychology students) in Faro. After graduation, she worked at schools and youth-related institutions, deeply engaging in educational contexts. She’s been integral to a study centre for eight years, aiding students aged 6-18, blending her psychology background with academic support to foster young minds’ growth and resilience. Her journey exemplifies a deep commitment to empowering young people, which is why she supports implementing a local youth programme in Portimão.

Administration

David Guerreiro

Administrative officer

david.guerreiro@dypall.com

David has built his career around people, teamwork, and growth. With a Multimedia background and a Business Management degree, he blends creativity with strategy to drive efficiency and positive energy. After several years working in the hospitality industry across Portugal, Germany and Austria, David developed strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, shaping his adaptable, collaborative approach. He values meaningful connections and is driven to improve workflows and foster engaging, people-focused environments that prioritize quality and collaboration.

Image & Communication

António Boto

Image & Communication officer

antonio.boto@dypall.com

António graduated in Design & Communication from Instituto Superior Manuel Teixeira Gomes (ISMAT) and has combined his interests in technology and art to build a career in digital design. He values clear design processes and thoughtful strategy, which help him create visual materials that support the goals of each project. At DYPALL Network, António is responsible for developing graphics and communication materials that reflect the organization’s message, using design as a tool to improve communication and engagement.

Afonso Sobral

Image & Communication intern

afonso.sobral@dypall.com

Born in Portugal, he graduated in Equipment Design from Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade de Lisboa (FBAUL). His professional experience includes work in graphic and editorial design and teaching Visual and Technological Education in public schools. Through education, he developed a strong interest in practices that support and give voice to young people. His design work has contributed to the visual communication of public and social projects in Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe.

International volunteering

Francesco Gabrielli

ESC Volunteer

francesco.gabrielli@dypall.com

Francesco has been passionate about bottom-up practices and youth participatory activities since high school. Over the years, he has built diverse experiences within local associations in Italy and Portugal and served as a student representative at the University of Bologna. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International and Diplomatic Affairs and a Master’s Degree in Local Development. His commitment to and interest in youth participation and project design led him to support DYPALL’s Project Management team.

Laura Marchese

ESC Volunteer

laura.marchese@dypall.com

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Humanities, with a focus on creative writing. She has recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Cultures at the University of Turin, where she explored graphic design, video editing and social media strategy. She had the opportunity to work with Italian cultural associations, developing materials that combine her writing and visual skills. She believes creativity and pragmatism can work together and her endless curiosity helps her constantly turn ideas into meaningful stories, using digital tools to amplify their impact.

Sara Mela

ESC Volunteer

sara.mela@dypall.com

Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in International and Diplomatic Affairs, and she has recently graduated with a Master’s in Global and Local Development at the University of Bologna. She did a first internship at the Italian Embassy in Cameroon and a second one at the Emilia-Romagna Region, in the European Affairs and European Territorial Cooperation office. She has experience in EU project design and implementation. Her passionate enthusiasm for human rights, restorative justice, gender equality, and democracy leads her to join and support the project management team in DYPALL Network.

Samuel Vallade Sciarini

Trainee

samuel.valladesciarini@dypall.com

Samuel has been active in the field of youth participation for over 5 years. He has been involved in Italian student activism at the local and national level, and has participated in several workshops and trainings across Europe. He has also supported the organisation of various youth-led international projects. Samuel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics, Law and Economics, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in European and Global Studies. He is now supporting DYPALL as a trainee in the field of international projects.

Steering Group

Elina Rotaru

Steering group member

Elina Rotaru is completing her Master’s in Public Administration at Babeș-Bolyai University (FSPAC) in Cluj-Napoca, specialising in governance, public policy, and youth engagement. She is the Educational Programme Coordinator at Asociația Nord (Darabani, Romania), leading curriculum development, methodology, partnerships, and school collaboration. She also works with Clujul Sustenabil, designing an environmental education programme for a national company, connecting schools, local communities, and the private sector through structured sustainability initiatives.

Giacomo Mosca

Steering group member

Giacomo Mosca is a Political Science student and City Councillor for Jesi (2022-2027). A member of the BELC and EULC networks, he was selected for the YEP Programme and serves as a European Climate Pact Ambassador. Founder of JesiClean, he volunteers for Amnesty, Avis, and Still I Rise. Giacomo holds leadership roles within his party, bridging local and EU levels. With professional experience in IT and administration, he combines strong multitasking skills with a dedication to youth participation and active citizenship through institutional networking.

Juan Francisco Suárez Ruiz

Steering group member

Born in rural Granada (Spain), Juan Francisco holds a double BA in Law and Political Science and an MA in EU Projects Management for Local Development. Committed to youth participation (especially for young people with fewer opportunities), he has worked since 2023 as Project Coordinator at Coglobal, delivering participatory democracy projects with children and young people across Erasmus+ and CERV. Additionally, within Horizon Europe NETS4DEM, he coordinates capacity-building for practitioners and decision-makers, supporting youth participation initiatives and democratic innovations in Europe. 

Selma Rassoul

Steering group member

Selma leads bottom-up change, designing initiatives that empower people from migrant and underrepresented backgrounds, especially youth, to shape the policies that affect their lives. Through programs like Resilient Cities, she has supported 150+ emerging leaders, partnered with 12 local authorities in France, and trained 100+ public agents in inclusive practices. Her work advances youth- and migrant-led perspectives at local and EU levels, with a vision of a Europe where they are trusted co-creators of the future.

Sofia Vorong

Steering group member

Sofia is an 18-year-old activist based in Denmark, deeply engaged in youth participation and democratic advocacy. She has chosen to complete her high school education online in order to dedicate more time to international projects and her national organizational work in Denmark. She is active in the Danish network of local youth councils, where she focuses on strengthening international partnerships and contributing to agenda-setting on young people’s democratic rights. In addition, Sofia is involved in the working group of ENLYC, reflecting her strong commitment to local youth councils and her ongoing efforts to support and improve youth representation at both national and international levels.”