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Who we are | UNSSC | United Nations System Staff College
Who we are | UNSSC | United Nations System Staff College
Who we are
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Our team consists of senior UN leaders and management experts. Leveraging strong relationships and extensive UN experience, we develop tailored learning solutions to support system-wide organizational goals. The team is led by Acting Director Miguel Panadero and Deputy Director for Learning and Knowledge Services Silke Weinlich. Miguel also serves as Deputy Director for the Integrated Business Centre.
Senior Management Team
Miguel Panadero
Acting Director and Deputy Director, Integrated Business Centre
Miguel Panadero brings over 25 years of experience in leadership, management and learning in the international public sector. He has a proven track record in fostering knowledge networks and helping organizations drive change, innovation and digital transformation in pursuit of agility, operational excellence, and sustainable results in line with the values for which the UN stands. A Spanish national, Miguel holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha and is an alumnus of doctoral studies in Regional Analysis at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, the University of Plymouth and the Université Catholique de Louvain.
Silke Weinlich
Deputy Director, Learning and Knowledge Services
Silke Weinlich brings over
20 years' experience on issues related to United Nations processes and reforms in various policy fields ranging from peacekeeping and peacebuilding to sustainable development.
Prior to joining UNSSC, Silke was Senior Researcher at
IDOS
, the German Institute of Development and Sustainability, where she
led a research and policy advice project on the UN development system and its reform needs.
She
holds a doctorate in
political science
, with a specialization in
international relations
, from
Bremen
University,
as well as a
master’s degree in political science from the
Free University Berlin.
Simona Costanzo Sow
Chief, Academic Partnerships
Simona Costanzo Sow has over 20 years of experience in policy advocacy, partnership building and networking in the inter-governmental sphere, civil society, academia and the private sector.
Prior to this position, Simona designed and implemented programmes for senior leaders in the United Nations and beyond on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She previously worked with the United Nations Volunteers programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and as the Director of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service.
Simona holds a PhD in Geography from the Technical University of Munich.
Svenja Korth
Head, Peace and Security Hub
Svenja Korth has served for over 30 years throughout the UN system, including postings in Namibia, Equatorial Guinea, Suriname and Nicaragua. Her areas of focus include partnership building for conflict prevention as well as leveraging internal and external expertise to sustain peace and improve operational outcomes. She holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Applied Anthropology from American University and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Swahili and Anthropology from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
Berin McKenzie
Head, Knowledge Centre for Leadership and Management (KCLM)
Berin brings to the table over 15 years of experience within the UN system, primarily with UNITAR, and five years as a Learning Portfolio Manager at UNSSC. He
possesses
extensive
expertise
in instructional design, facilitation, innovation, leadership, management of learning projects and knowledge management
He has designed and led blended training
programmes
for various organizations including the UN Secretariat, U
N Population Fund
, W
orld
ood
rogramme
, P
an
merican
ealth
rganization
, F
ood
gricul
ture
Organization
, and UN
Environment
rogramme
, as well as for Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, and ASEAN.
Berin holds
master's
degree in
political
sciences
from the University of Auckland
Yazan Musharbash
Chief of Administration Services, Integrated Business Centre
Yazan Musharbash brings over 20 years of professional experience in operations, management, corporate compliance, enterprise resource planning(ERP) implementation, digital transformation, and organizational effectiveness within the United Nations. His extensive service covers country offices, regional bureaus, and headquarters for entities such as the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and other UN Agencies. Yazan holds a Master of Business Administration from the New York Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Al-Balqa’ Applied University in Amman, Jordan.
Juliana Ribeiro
Chief, Hub for UN Transformation
Juliana de Araujo Ribeiro brings over 20 years of experience in learning, leadership, and organizational development across the UN system and the private sector, with assignments spanning headquarters and field operations. She previously led the UN Secretariat’s Leadership Development portfolio and the UN Values and Behaviours initiative, fostering a culture of impact, systems thinking, and co-creation. Juliana has also led learning teams in peacekeeping and political missions across Africa and Latin America. She holds a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford.
Patrick van Weerelt
Head, Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development
Patrick van Weerelt has over 25 years of experience in sustainable development, governance and human rights. His years of service have included postings at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations System Staff College. Since 2015, he has led the UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development in Bonn, Germany. He holds a Master’s in Dutch Law from the University of Maastricht, and a Master’s in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the University of Lund.
Corporate Affairs
Chiara Piatti
Team Lead, Client Management Services, Integrated Business Centre
Chiara Piatti manages strategic institutional partnerships, initiatives and corporate affairs while also serving as Secretary of the UNSSC Board of Governors. Chiara joined the Staff College in 2001, after working in corporate communications for the private sector. She holds an Executive Master’s in International Negotiation and Policy Making from the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) and a Bachelor of Arts in European Studies.
Learning Technologies
Ugo Caruso
Team Lead, Digital Learning Services, Integrated Business Centre
With over 15 years of experience in designing and scaling digital learning ecosystems within the UN system, Ugo brings a strategic blend of learning technology, information architecture, and user experience design. His distinctive approach embeds these disciplines within organizational development, shaping learning ecosystems as dynamic architectures in continuous evolution, strengthened through structured research and development processes, and aligned with institutional priorities. Ugo holds a master’s degree in Information Architecture and User Experience Design from IULM University of Milan and is a certified UX professional (NN/g).
Communications and Outreach
Peter Serenyi
Team Lead, Communications and Outreach
Peter Serenyi has deep experience in communications, having spent almost 20 years with the UN and through his work as a foreign correspondent. His UN experience includes postings with the United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) and UNDP. Prior to this, he worked as a journalist for diverse media including the
Moscow Times
, Reuters, and
The Economist
, where he reported from Moscow, Budapest and London. He holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. in history from Washington University in St. Louis.