Team

Sebastiaan van der Zwaan

Director
Sebastiaan has a background in international law, particularly human rights, and is particularly interested in local, innovative ways of creating social change. He is convinced that human rights and equal opportunities can only be achieved at the local level. Therefore, it is important to create and sustain inclusive, sustainable and creative cities and local communities.

Sophie Schellens

Head of Programmes
Driven by the belief that solidarity and compassion should guide our world, Sophie stands side by side with human rights defenders and people forced to flee. She works behind the scenes to create the structures and processes that ensure the changemakers we work with gain attention and have their voices heard. With over 10 years of experience in peacebuilding, social cohesion, and justice projects, Sophie complements the team with her strategic approach, operational expertise, and ability to foster impactful partnerships. Outside work, she enjoys hands-on activities like baking and gardening, and loves staying active through sports and exploring nature with her children.

Manja de Graaff

Fundraising Coordinator
After completing her Latin American Studies in Leiden, Manja left to Mexico where she was born, with the aim of realizing her dream of working with Latin American human rights organizations and social movements. Through fundraising, she had the opportunity to work with various Mexican human rights organizations and collectives. Back in the city where she grew up – The Hague – she continues this work at Justice & Peace, where she will have the opportunity to work with local change makers from around the world and a passionate team. In her spare time, Manja loves jogging and reading Latin American literature.

Isidora Ovalle

Fundraising Officer
Isidora Ovalle is a Fundraising Officer at Justice & Peace, driven by the vision of creating genuinely welcoming cities and communities. With a commitment to placing justice at the heart of her work, Isidora aims to support changemakers by amplifying their voices and recognizing their impact. Her path in human rights has taken her across Latin America and Europe, reinforcing her belief in the power of advocacy. With a background in program management, fundraising, and research, she brings a deep understanding of community challenges to her role. Outside of work, Isidora enjoys discovering new places, savoring delicious food, and expressing her creativity through music, podcasts, and drawing.

Maral Khajeh

Human rights defenders & Security Programme Coordinator
Human rights defenders worldwide are daily finding ways to strive for peace, call for justice, and build better societies for the next generation. With a dream of growing a global network of safe spaces for human rights defenders, Maral leads the organization’s efforts to protect and empower them. A peace advocate and a storyteller, she is well-equipped with international experience and a fifteen-year-long expertise as a lawyer. She believes in finding space for laughter, beauty, and love even in the toughest situations. Her other passions include film and theatre, and pistachio ice-cream.

Eli Berghuis

Junior Human rights defenders & Security Programme Officer
Inspired by everyone who challenges the status quo, Eli aims to strengthen the capacity and resources of human rights defenders so that they can continue their crucial work within their communities. Her studies and extensive volunteering and campaigning background contribute to her expertise in gender and environmental rights. Eli finds solace in the pages of books that explore themes of decolonialism, gender, and nature, while she also enjoys expressing her creativity through various crafty hobbies, from jewellery making to crocheting and painting

Daniel Shynn

Junior Human rights defenders & Security Programme Officer
Daniel’s ambition is to advocate for freedom of speech and cultivate spaces where individuals and communities feel empowered to express themselves without fear. His background in history, human rights, and democratization, along with an insatiable curiosity for solutions, led him into the human rights field and continues to drive and inspire his work with human rights defenders. Beyond his dedication to human rights, Daniel becomes lost within the pages of a good book and maintains an active lifestyle through various sports activities.

Oonagh Eastmond

Programme Officer – Training & Protection
Oonagh leverages her strengths in community-building and training to empower people to support themselves in their journeys to defend human rights. With a combination of creative facilitation skills, ample human rights knowledge, and a passion for innovation, she brings a wealth of expertise to the team. Next to those, Oonagh loves open water swimming, connecting to the expanse and biodiversity of the water, as well as using the language of possibility.

Marinah Rahmat

Communications & Programme Development Officer
Motivated by the powerful stories of resilient changemakers, Marinah seeks to amplify the voices of those at the frontlines of change, contribute to creating sustainable safer spaces for human rights defenders, and expand her expertise in digital security. Coming from a legal background, she was intrigued by the organization’s work in human rights artivism and storytelling for justice. While her tech-savvy nature keeps her abreast of new technology and its security implications, she also indulges in non-fiction reads relating to geopolitics and world history and adventures in The Hague’s second-hand bookstores and milkshake spots.

Lisa Altena

Junior Migration & Human rights Programme Officer
Lisa works towards mobilizing and empowering youth to support migration and human rights by collaborating with educational institutions, human rights organizations, and local partners. Her belief in the power of local involvement and activism in guarding and protecting these rights motivated her to support these changemakers and networks of change professionally. Her academic pursuits and personal life also reflect this belief, either by joining locally organized initiatives or discussing new ideas and perspectives with others seeking for positive change.

Kirsten de Mik

Migration & Human rights Programme Coordinator
Inspired by hopeful examples of solidarity, Kirsten became committed to advocating for a humane and fair refugee policy. Her knowledge of the intersection between human rights, social (in)equality, migration, and identity took shape throughout her studies in cultural anthropology and work experiences in the educational and policy field. Together with the team, she is building a growing network of allies to advocate for and implement safe and legal pathways for refugees. If she is not busy working on new plans for the programme, you will probably find her in a bookstore trying to find the newest addition to the collection or enjoying some good company and tasty food on a terrace..

Stefanie Gordin

Communications Officer Migrations & Human Rights
Stefanie uses her creative skills to inspire people to engage with human rights. During her philosophy studies, where she explored subjects like human rights, migration, and feminism, she became aware of the deep inequalities individuals face, both locally and globally. For Stefanie, empowering changemakers begins with effective storytelling, language, and visuals, and she believes in the uniqueness of everyone’s story of origins and aspirations. Outside of work, she loves writing, discovering diverse cultures, unconventional love languages, and the vibrant energy of bustling cities.

Elias Faour

Junior Migration & Human rights Programme Officer

Marjolijn Lampe

Communications Coordinator & Creative Lead Artists’ Safe Haven initiative
Empowering changemakers comes with reaching, involving, and connecting diverse audiences locally and worldwide. Communication is crucial for this and it is in the heart of Justice & Peace. Marjolijn’s mission is to keep developing and innovating the organization’s brands, channels, stories, and tools where needed. Having worked in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, she found communications, events, networking, and creativity to be the red threats in her career and decided to dedicate all her experiences and learnings to the promotion of human rights. A source of inspiration and joy for her is to collaborate with passionate and driven changemakers. Her other passions include yoga and meditation.

Eleftheria Ntrio

Communications Officer
Committed to sustainability and social equality, Ria undertook several non-profit volunteering projects and a master’s thesis research in her aim to drive positive change before joining Justice & Peace in November 2022. Equipped with extensive working experience in communication roles and a master’s degree in Business Communication, she now navigates our online communications to empower more change makers. Alongside her role, Ria is also a fashion designer and an avid traveller.

Maranke de Krieger

Office Manager & Online Communication
After working for several companies and NGOs, Maranke joined the Justice & Peace team. On top of the regular tasks of an office manager, Maranke takes care of online communication and graphic design. Besides her work, Maranke loves travelling with her family, playing music with her band, reading books and streaming series and movies.

Erik van der Harst

Accountant
Erik works for Justice & Peace since 2020. Before he has worked for Mensen met een Missie.