Meet our team
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At HealthNet TPO, our strength lies in our colleagues — more than 4,400 dedicated local staff working across Afghanistan, Burundi, Colombia, and South Sudan.
Rather than leading from the top, our country teams, led by local directors, are at the heart of everything we do. They plan, lead, and implement programmes that respond directly to the needs and strengths of their communities.
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Supporting this work is our small Amsterdam-based team of 12, who coordinate key functions such as Finance, Operations, Acquisition, Management, and Communications.
We believe real change is locally led. That is why we are committed to advancing localisation—not only by empowering country leadership, but by exploring new ways to shift decision-making and ownership to the communities we serve.
Amsterdam head office
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Barbara van den Oever
Barbara joined in 2011 as a Technical Advisor in Health Care Financing, becoming Programme Development Coordinator in 2013. She is now in charge of acquisition, programme design, and relationship management.Programme Development Coordinator
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Dr. Majeed Sidiqqi
Dr. Abdul Majeed Siddiqi, former Head of Mission in Afghanistan, is now the MHPSS Coordinator. With a postgraduate diploma in Health Planning and Management and a Master’s in Health System Management, he brings experience...Senior Health Advisor
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Elise Vellore
Elise joined in 2018 as the Acquisition Officer and now serves as Policy Officer. With her legal background, Elise had previously worked for human rights organisations in France, US and UK, where she honed...Policy Officer
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Els van Lindt
Els joined HNI in 1994 as a Bookkeeper. She witnessed the organisation’s evolution from a small team of three colleagues to the dynamic work environment it is today. Following the merge with TPO in...Financial Administrator
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Giorgia Casanova
Giorgia joined in September 2022, now serving as Communication and Advocacy Officer. She completed a Bachelor’s in Communication Science and Media Research at the University of Zurich, and two Master’s degrees in Political Communication...Communications & Advocacy Officer
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Hans Grootendorst
Hans joined in 2008 as Director of Operations and was appointed Managing Director in October 2019. Hans was a former Director for Médecins sans Frontières NL and a member of the Board of the...Managing Director
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Maggie Casas
Maggie joined in February 2024 as Communications & Fundraising officer. With a strong background in digital marketing and communications within the corporate domain, Maggie redirected her career trajectory towards the nonprofit sector.Communications & Fundraising Manager
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Sarah van der Walt
Sarah van der Walt is a MHPSS expert with 10 years experience. She has a Masters in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies and has worked in multiple contexts such as South Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon...Senior MHPSS Policy Adviser
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Stéphanie Bleeker
Stéphanie joined in 2024 with over 28 years of experience in Global Health programmes and policy. She holds a Master’s in Development Studies & Medical Sociology and a postgraduate Master’s in Global Health. She...Senior Programme Officer Afghanistan
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Wilco Schimmel
Wilco joined HealthNet TPO in March 2023. He previously worked for various companies and foundations as Controller or Head of Finance. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Supervisory Board of a...Chief Financial Officer
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Willem Reussing
Willem joined in 2008, becoming Manager of Operations in 2019. With a nursing background in the Dutch military, he transitioned to operations with the Netherlands Red Cross in 1999, gaining experience in many countries....Director of Operations
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Yves Faustin Nahimana
Yves joined in 2022 as Programme Officer. He led projects for the human rights organisation Justice and Peace Burundi and worked at Free Press Unlimited. Yves has a Bachelor in IR and a Master’s...Programme Officer
Afghanistan team in Kabul
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Dr. Abdul Rahman Shahab
Dr. Abdul Rahman Shahab has been a valued member of the HealthNet TPO team since 2017. He has been the Deputy Country Director for the Afghanistan Programme since 2022. Dr. Shahab, a medical doctor...Deputy Country Director Afghanistan
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Dr. Muhammad Naseem Naeem
Muhammad Naseem Naeem is a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health and 25 years of experience in the field. He has been with HealthNet TPO for the past 18 years and...Country Director Afghanistan
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Ahmad Saleem Saha
Ahmad Saleem Saha coordinates with field staff to gather success stories and updates from our projects, while also representing HealthNet TPO in visibility and communication-related meetings. His goal is to raise awareness and showcase...Communications Manager Afghanistan
Colombia team in Bogotá
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Carolina Leguizamón
Carolina joined HealthNet TPO in 2022, bringing 17 years of experience in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). She specialises in emotional care, innovative MHPSS strategies, and strengthening local health and protection networks.Country Director Colombia
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Andrea Ardila del Toro
Andrea Ardila del Toro is a psychologist (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) and Dance Movement Psychotherapist (Roehampton University) who applies a feminist, systemic, and sociopolitical lens to mental health. With almost four years at HealthNet TPO,...Research Leader and MHPSS Officer
South Sudan team in Juba
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Charles Odiki
Charles joined HealthNet TPO in 2022 as the Country Director for South Sudan, bringing over 18 years of experience in public health and humanitarian work, particularly in infectious disease control and health systems strengthening.Country Director South Sudan
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Duku Boniface Dickson
Boniface is one of the dedicated team members at HealthNet TPO South Sudan. As a Programme Manager, he provides technical support to programme teams and partners, both in the office and out in the...LoP Programme Manager
Members of the board
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Charles Gerhardt
Charles Gerhardt, a Programme Advisor for the Netherlands Africa Business Council, has a background in international development. He has served as Country Coordinator for PUM Netherlands Senior Expert Programme and Country Representative for Cordaid...Member of the board
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Hans Moison
Hans Moison is a former chartered accountant with over 35 years of experience at EY and KPMG. He specialises in public accounting and advisory roles. Hans also serves on the boards of Fu Den...Treasurer, Secretary, and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
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Lander van Ommen
Lander van Ommen is a health advisor for the Dutch Development Cooperation and Chair of the Board at Health Action International. He brings extensive expertise in global health and development, contributing to the board’s...Member of the board
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Noelle Ahlberg Kleiterp
Noelle Ahlberg Kleiterp is a Non-Executive Director at Zurich International School. With a focus on ethical governance and leadership, she leads the Ethics and Remuneration/Nomination Committees. Her experience in education and ethics ensures strong...Member, Chair of the Ethics and Remuneration/Nomination Committees
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Peter Engelen
Peter Engelen, a crisis intervention consultant for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has held senior leadership roles in crisis settings globally. His experience as a former CEO and hospital coordinator strengthens the board’s focus on...Member and Chair of the Board from November 1st, 2023
Come work with us!
Working for HealthNet TPO means using your expertise, determination and ambition to contribute meaningfully to a world in which people living in conflict-affected settings actively rebuild their lives, health and wellbeing.
