Mihaela Ionescu
Dr. Mihaela Ionescu joined ISSA in 2010. She is an early childhood education expert and doctor in Educational Sciences. She worked for more than 20 years as a researcher in the education field as an education policy developer, trainer and leader of programs and projects aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education and care services. Prior to joining ISSA she worked throughout the CEE/CIS region as an international consultant for UNICEF and The World Bank. As the 30 ISOTIS
Program Director of ISSA, Mihaela is central to the strategic planning and implementation of programs. She creates resources aimed at providing equitable and high quality early childhood services in countries from ISSA regions by strengthening the capacity of ISSA members to work with professionals, parents, administrators and policy makers.
Stanislav Daniel
Stanislav Daniel is a Roma rights activist, advocate, researcher and trainer from Slovakia. Being member of the community himself, his abilities combine first-hand experience with the theoretical knowledge he gained through both formal and non-formal education. His previous work experience includes the Roma Education Fund, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights at the OSCE, European Roma Rights Centre and the Open Society Foundations in Bratislava. His research and advocacy activities have focused primarily on education, but also include housing, a state response to racially motivated violence, and freedom of movement. He is a Board Member of European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network.
Aljosa Rudas
He joined ISSA in 2019 with over a decade of experience working as a practitioner with Romani and Non-Romani children, their parents, and communities. At ISSA he coordinates the Romani Early Years Network (REYN). Before joining ISSA, he was an early childhood educator and counselor in a public preschool, where he served as manager of a unit. In Slovenia, he has collaborated with various Ministries to play an active role in national initiatives related to the education of Romani children. In 2016, Aljosa Rudas was awarded a scholarship from the Open Society Foundations to attend the University of Haifa in Israel. He holds an MA in Child Development and a BA in Early Childhood Education.
Languages: Slovenian, Romani, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian and English