Secretariat's staff
- Office of the Secretary-General
- Advocacy and Legal Team
- Fundraising Team
- Communications Team
- Membership Team
- Health Team
- Administration and Finance Team
See our current vacancies.
Office of the Secretary-General
Brita Sydhoff, Secretary-General
Responsibilities include the overall implementation of the IRCT’s policies and strategies with a broad mandate to promote and support IRCT rehabilitation centres and programmes and the prevention of torture globally. Previous positions include Head of the Department of International Law and Refugees of the Swedish Red Cross; Resident Representative of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Geneva, Switzerland; Head of Programmes with the International Council for Voluntary Agencies, also in Geneva; Head of research programme on international migration in the International Organisation for Migration in Budapest, Hungary; Head of the Danish Refugee Council’s operations in the former Yugoslavia with responsibility for implementing humanitarian emergency programmes; and consultant for the World Health Organization. Prior to leaving Sweden in 1984 Ms Sydhoff worked for the Swedish Migration Board in senior positions for 13 years. Degrees in Sociology and Social Anthropology.
Tel.: (+45) 36 93 8701 / E-mail: bsy@irct.org
Gitte Sørensen, Executive Assistant, HR Officer
Responsibilities include secretarial functions for the Secretary-General, managing external relations with the IRCT Executive Committee and Council, and taking care of all personnel related matters. Previous experience includes secretarial functions with the EU and the Canadian Embassy in Denmark. BA in modern languages. Languages: Danish (mother tongue); English (fluent); French (fluent); German (basic); Swedish (basic).
Tel.: (+45) 36 93 8702 / E-mail: gs@irct.org
Advocacy and Legal Team
Miriam Reventlow, Head of Advocacy and Legal Team
Responsibilities include oversight of all legal aspects of projects, policy change regarding rehabilitation, justice and prevention and co-operation with NGOs and human rights bodies. Has previously worked in Germany, South Africa and France on human rights and humanitarian law-related issues. Can provide training on various legal issues. Lawyer, LLM. Specialisation in International and Human Rights Law. Languages: German (mother tongue); English (fluent); French (fluent).
Tel.: (+45) 36 93 8724 / E-mail: mr@irct.org
Rachel Towers, Intern
E-mail: rto@irct.org
Geneva Liaison Office:
Asger Kjaerum, Legal Officer and Geneva Representative
Responsibilities include representation at the United Nations in Geneva and implementation of a project on facilitating the use of forensic medical evidence in torture cases. Previous experience from working with various UN mechanisms in Geneva and New York. Can provide trainings on the UN human rights system and torture related legal issues. MA in Law. Specialisation in international law and human rights law.
Tel.: (+41) (0)76 221 5959 / E-mail: akj@irct.org
Brussels Liaison Office:
Hélène de Rengervé, Head of the Brussels Liaison Office, Programme Co-ordinator Europe
Responsibilities include oversight of all IRCT activities across the Council of Europe region; liaising with European member organisations and coordination of actions & projects; monitoring EU policies (both for internal & external affairs/on political and operational grounds); advocating on the survivors’ rights to rehabilitation in Europe as well as leading fundraising efforts on behalf of European rehabilitation centres. From 2004-2010, worked as administrative and financial director at the IRCT member centre Parcours d’Exil, which she had [H. de Rengervé] co-founded in 2001. Previous experience also includes presidency of AEGEE Europe, mission leader at WelcomEurope, project management for the Newropeans International Conference in 2000, working as trainer in Poland within the framework of the PHARE programme and a position at the rehabilitation centre AVRE, in France. BA in Trade and Management and MA in European Studies. Languages: French (mother tongue), English (fluent), Spanish (fluent)
Tel.: +32 (0) 2 230 15 04 / E-mail: hdr@irct.eu
Pieter-Jan Hamels, Intern
Email: pjh@irct.eu
Fundraising Team
Leanne MacMillan, Head of Policy and Fundrasing Team
Janice Granados, Senior Fundraising Officer
Responsibilities include fundraising, campaigns and special events in Denmark vis-à-vis Danish foundations and organizations, Danish individuals and the corporate sector, contact to international private donors and research on fundraising opportunities in Scandinavia. Previous experience includes 15 years as Counselor of Development Assistance with DANIDA and three years as Information Expert with UNESCO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratization (E.MA), MA in Spanish and Latin American language and literature, BA in French language and literature, degrees in psychology and law, counselor for abused children, crisis therapist for torture victims. Languages: Danish (mother tongue), English (fluent), Spanish (fluent), French (regular), German (basic).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8741 / E-mail: jgr@irct.org
Daniel Lewis, Fundraising and Legal Officer
Responsibilities include support on legal aspects of projects, cooperation with international organisations, implementation of the IRCT’s fundraising strategy and assistance in drafting funding applications. Previous experience includes research on torture prevention initiatives in criminal justice systems and indigent criminal defense work. BA in English and Comparative Literature, JD in Law. Languages: English (mother tongue), Danish (basic), Spanish (basic).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8706 / E-mail: dl@irct.org
Communications Team
Scott McAusland, Head of Communications Team
Responsible for furthering the mission of the IRCT through effective and targeted communications. Previously held Media and Communications Manager positions for health, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) organisations in the UK and The Netherlands focusing on communications strategy, media relations, online communications and brand development. BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Languages: English (mother tongue), French (basic), Dutch (basic).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8732 / Email: sma@irct.org
Fábio Pereira, Communications Officer, Editorial Assistant TORTURE journal
Responsibilities include general assistance to the Communications Team and 26 June global campaign. Editorial Assistant of Torture Journal. BSc in Management, MSc in International Business and Development Studies. Languages: Portuguese (mother tongue), English (fluent), Danish (basic)
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8727 / E-mail: fp@irct.org
Tessa Moll, Communications Assistant
Responsibilities include writing external communications material for the website and social media, and general assistance to the communications team with publications writing and editing. Previous experience includes conducting research for gender and media NGOs in Southern Africa, and various journalism positions as newspaper reporter and managing editor. BJ in Print Journalism, BA in American and Women’s Studies, MSSc in Gender Studies. Languages: English (mother tongue) and Danish (basic).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8729 / E-mail: tem@irct.org
Membership Team
Peter Hellmers, Head of Programmes
Responsibilities include managerial oversight over IRCT project-based work, ensuring that projects are developed in coherence with the objectives of the organisation and implemented and reported in accordance with agreed commitments. Previous experience includes ten years with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Peace Mission in Guatemala, and Coordinator of a Danida Human Rights Programme in Central America. MA in law.
Tel.: (+45) 36 93 8734 / E-mail: ph@irct.org
Giorgio Caracciolo, Programme Co-ordinator, MENA
Responsibilities include oversight of all IRCT activities across the Middle East and North Africa; liaising with member organisations; monitoring the situation in the region, and management of the project: Promoting the culture of the prohibition of torture in modern Egyptian society through strengthening the capacity and role of the National Council for Human Rights. Previous experience include working with UNDP HIV/AIDS Regional Programme in the Arab States and with UNDP Regional Office for CIS Countries. JD and E.MA in Human Rights and Democratisation. Languages: Italian (mother tongue); English (fluent).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8713 / E-mail: gc@irct.org
Margaret Hansen, Senior Programme Assistant
Responsibilities include grants management and coordination, membership applications, support to the forensic documentation project as well as general assistance to the Membership Team. Previous experience includes administrative functions in UNICEF both at Headquarters and Country Office levels. MA in French Language and Literature, Diploma in Business Administration. Languages: English (mother tongue); French (fluent); and Danish (fluent).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8716 / E-mail: mh@irct.org
Susanne Kjær, Project Manager
Responsibilities include management of the IRCT Exchange Programme and the Prevention through Documentation Project. Previous experience includes working in public aid administration and long-standing engagement with Danish human rights NGOs. MSc in Political Science. Specialisation in development issues, humanitarian assistance and human rights. Languages: Danish (mother tongue); English (fluent); French (oral and written proficiency).
Tel.: (+45) 3693 8711 / E-m