Ionela Maria Ciolan

Experience

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  Amnesty International

  Nov 2011 - Dec 2021

  Lead Project Coordinator

  • Initiated the movement of Amnesty International Volunteer Facilitators in Romania;• Founded and led the first group of human rights activists for Amnesty International in Romania (Amnesty International Bucharest Group);• Project management: coordinating 30 human rights activists; drafting and implementing annual strategies of increasing the human rights awareness in Romania; coordinating and supervising human rights education workshops in schools and universities; designing, budgeting and monitoring the implementation of local, regional and national human rights campaigns; organized 15 human rights campaigns on subjects as women rights, Roma rights, LGBTQ rights, freedom of speech, banning torture, sexual and reproductive rights with a reach of 40 thousands Romanians.• Representation of the Organization: promoting the organization and its activities in Romania (online and offline); representing the group at public events on human rights as guest speaker; representing the group at the Amnesty International Germany meetings.• Stakeholder Management: maintaining the relations with the International Secretariat of Amnesty International and the Coordinator for the region; working together with the Board and Secretariat of Amnesty International Germany; coordinating the national network of high-school teachers which whom I collaborate on various national human rights campaigns; networking and creating partnerships with other Romanian civil society organizations; • Achievements: elected as the Delegate for the International Membership from Europe (representing the interests of volunteers and local groups from 22 countries) to participate in Amnesty’s International Council Meeting 2015 (the highest decision-making body). This is the highest position that an activist can have within the organization; I am also the first Romanian Delegate that is selected for this position, in the history of Amnesty International. Show less

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  Foreign Policy (magazine)

  Jun 2012 - Sept 2012

  Intern
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  Institutul European din România - European Institute of Romania

  Nov 2013 - Feb 2014

  Intern
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  National School of Political Science and Public Administration

  Oct 2014 - Sept 2021

  Foreign and Security Policies Researcher

  • Research and analysis on EU foreign and security policy as well as on NATO affairs;• Instructor to the course “Introduction to NATO” (2016, 2017, 2019): drafting the seminar syllabus and materials, holding the seminars, grading students’ essays, updating the course materials.• Took part in 4 academic research projects financed by either the Romanian Ministry of Education and/or the European Commission. • Expertise Development: Monitored and evaluated political and security developments of the European Eastern vicinity (with a focus on Russia, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, and Georgia).• Knowledge Management: wrote academic articles, briefs, public presentations and op-eds on EU relations with Russia, foreign policy and security progress on the Eastern Flank, and on other subjects of interest for the research projects. • Event management: contributed to the planning and implementation of academic conferences and workshops; assisted with the drafting of the content-setting and agenda of several events on topics related to European foreign policy and security architecture; • Other tasks: prepared reports and minutes of meetings; presenting my research at international conferences and seminars; note-taking; post-event reporting. Show less

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  U.S. Department of State

  Apr 2015 - Jun 2015

  Professional Fellow

  • Took part in lobby and advocacy activities at the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives;• Interned for one month at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless where I’ve learned community organizing;• Learned and employed advanced communication and presentation techniques; • Participated in more than 10 community actions in Chicago;• Took part in the Professional Fellows Congress of the U.S. Department of State where I represented my country.

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  European Parliament

  Oct 2015 - Jan 2016

  Trainee

  • Research, analysis & policy monitoring: wrote short background analysis and policy briefs on topics related to EU Foreign Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and NATO;• Administrative assistance: I contributed to preparing documents; wrote talking points for the Vice-President; prepared reports and minutes of meetings; note-taking; post-event reporting; kept the correspondence;• Legislative work: followed the parliamentary work in the political group and committee meetings and tabled amendments. Show less

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  The Centre for EU-Russia Studies, University of Tartu

  Jul 2016 - Sept 2016

  Erasmus+ Visiting Researcher

  • Research, analysis & policy monitoring: wrote short background analysis and policy briefs on topics related to the European Union relation with Russia, the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership;• Event management: assisted in the organization and coordination of meetings and events; Helped with the implementation and development of research projects (including Horizon 2020 Twinning project UKTAKE on building research excellence on the field of Russia and Eastern European Studies; Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs development cooperation project with a focus on Ukraine); Show less

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  University of California, Berkeley

  Aug 2017 - May 2018

  Fulbright Visiting Researcher

  • Affiliated at The Institute for Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies• Expertise Development: Monitored and evaluated political and security developments of the Former Soviet Space and South Caucasus, transatlantic relations and Chinese interventions in Center-Eastern Europe.• Knowledge Management: wrote academic articles, briefs, public presentations and op-eds on the above-mentioned topics.• Event management: contributed to the planning and implementation of academic conferences and workshops projects within the Humanities and Social Sciences Association; Helped as an Associate Editor with peer-review, promotion and event organization within the Troika Student Journal; assisted with the drafting of the content-setting and agenda of several events on topics related to foreign policy and security in Europe; moderated the event: “Biopolitics and Biopower in Putin's Russia: An Alternative research agenda” by Professor Andrey Makarychev (Johan Skytte Institute of Political Science, University of Tartu, Estonia) Show less

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  Center for European Policy Analysis

  May 2018 - Jun 2018

  Policy and Research Intern

  • Research, analysis & policy monitoring: wrote short background analysis and policy briefs on topics related to the security of the Black Sea region, Russia’s interference in the Eastern Flank countries, Romania’s foreign policy and security issues, NATO; monitored main political and civil developments in the former Soviet space; • Event management: assisted in the organization and coordination of CEPA meetings and events.

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  European Policy Centre

  Apr 2021 - Apr 2022

  Research Fellow

  - Visiting Research Fellow within "Europe in the World" programme- Working on issues regarding NATO, NATO-EU relations, and the EU Security and Defence Policy

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  Transatlantic Alumni Network

  May 2021 - now

  Director

  TAN brings together the Brussels-based alumni of US-sponsored exchange programmes. It was founded by 6 alumni with the support of the United States Mission to the European Union.

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  Center for European Policy Analysis

  Jun 2021 - Apr 2022

  James S. Denton Transatlantic Fellow

  Strengthening transatlantic links through engagement opportunities and dialogue between the US and the Central and Eastern European policy communities.

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  NATO Parliamentary Assembly

  Sept 2022 - Jun 2023

  Researcher
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  German Marshall Fund of the United States

  May 2023 - now

  ReThink.CEE Fellow

  Within the fellowship, I will be working on a policy project regarding the impact of the Russian war on Ukraine for the security of the Black Sea region

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  Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

  Jun 2023 - now

  Research Officer-Foreign Policy, Security and Defence