ACT* – Anti-Corruption Training

Ana Vasilache is architect and urban planner by background and has extensive experience in training and facilitation of participatory processes in communities and organizations. In the last 20 years, Ana has built the capacity of numerous trainers/facilitators from Romania and CEE/SEE, West and East Africa, Central and South Asia, providing interactive training, high quality educational materials and effective learning methodologies. She is Founding President of FPDL – Partners for Local Development Foundation, a Romanian NGO playing since 1994 an important regional role in promoting good governance and democratic leadership. Ana has a long-term collaboration with Ronald MacLean Abaroa in order to build the capacity of a network of Anticorruption Practitioners and support them apply the A-C Methodology working with mayors and public managers. Ana received UN HABITAT Scroll of Honor 2000 for her dedication in improving urban governance in Romania and Central and Eastern Europe. The A-C Methodology received international recognition through the prestigious UN Public Service Award in 2011.

Olivia Baciu is FPDL international development consultant, trainer, and evaluator, having worked in 24 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Americas, Asia and Middle East with multi-stakeholders from civil society, local public administration and high-level policy representatives. She has background in law, development and international relations. She has substantial expertise in transitional governance and institutional building, in the areas of collaborative governance, anti-corruption strategies at local government level, multi-stakeholders cooperative change processes, organizational assessment and development, and evaluation of development interventions. Olivia is the Director for Europe of Partners Global, a vibrant network of 19 civil society organizations on 5 continents, supporting democracy and peace building. She is Board member of CONCORD, the European NGO confederation for relief and development.

Aferdita Merkuli is the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub local Governance and Decentralization Specialist. She has served as Regional Governance Advisor/Regional Project Manager for UNDP Afghanistan Sub-National Governance Programme, supporting Sub-national Governance in capacity development activities throughout Afghanistan from 2011-2014. Prior to this post, she served as Performance Management Unit Head for USAID funded Democratic Effective Municipality Initiative Project in Kosovo. She has also served for more than six years as a Deputy Director for USAID Contractor – World Learning in support of Human and Institutional Capacity Development in Kosovo and more than four years with UNOPS, managing UNDP funded projects (Local Governance, Rehabilitation of the Brick Factory, Waste Management, School Bases for Minority Children, etc.). Aferdita has practical experience in design and implementation of the programs in a conflict and post-conflict countries, establishment of relevant public institutions and capacity building, advocacy and lobbing for policy change and innovative management approaches. She has experience in public administration capacity development, local and regional development planning, citizen participation and transparency and accountability of elected officials. Furthermore she has broad experience working with and training elected officials and practitioners in local and regional development, good governance and modernization