Lena joined MatchLocal as an advisor as part of the Berlin Startup Stipendium in August 2024.

Lena has over five years of experience working with Syrian refugee communities in Jordan focusing on education and community development. Her expertise includes partnerships and donor relationships, fundraising and programme development. Working closely with the local communities and learning Arabic has allowed her to gain a deep understanding of the culture and the challenges of local organisations in the Middle East.

Prior to joining MatchLocal, Lena worked for a policy and advocacy organisation in Brussels, supporting the economic justice movement on the European and international level. Before that, she worked for the European Commission and completed multiple internships in Brussels, Washington DC and Istanbul.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in international relations. In addition to her mother tongue German, she speaks fluent English and possesses a good level of Arabic, French and Turkish.