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Mr. Teun Bastemeijer

Netherlands, Manager of the Water Integrity Network

Teun Bastemeijer is the manager of the Water Integrity Network (WIN), an autonomous partnership initiative the secretariat of which is hosted by the TI Secretariat in Berlin. WIN aims to fight corruption in the water sector worldwide in order to reduce poverty. Teun has a background as a civil engineer from Delft University, specialised in Polder Development, water in relation to land use management and physical infrastructure planning. He has worked for almost 20 years in the water and sanitation sector as well as in integrated water resources management, and has over 30 years experience in work relating to development in international, government, civil society and academic environments. He has been a project manager, country director and senior advisor for the United Nations, the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation as well as the International Water and Sanitation Centre IRC. He joined WIN/TI in April 2008.

Mr. Erik Nielsen

Canada, Deputy Manager

Erik Nielsen joined WIN in May 2009 as the Deputy Manager. Prior to joining WIN Erik worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome Italy as the coordinator of its global natural resources conflict management programme. Erik was also the team leader of a sustainable livelihoods programme for Ghana. In addition, he worked for The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Lao PDR as the Country Programme Coordinator. Erik has an educational background in environmental science and international development and he holds a doctorate in International Environmental Policy from MIT. Erik is a national of Canada and speaks English, Spanish and basic Italian.

Mrs. Priya Behrens-Shah

UK, Asst. Communications Coordinator, Media and Young Professionals

Prior to Joining WIN, Priya worked at Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future (London), where she reviewed the scope of achievements towards international water and agricutural targets, in preperation for input into the GPPN for CSD-16. From Jan 2008 to October 2009, Priya managed the pilot phase of the WIN Small Grants Fund, a pioneering fund aimed at reinforcing the base of anti-corruption tools, methodologies and actions for fighting corruption in the worldwide water sectors. In her new role at WIN, Priya is responsible for media relations, as well as the development of a network of young water and media professionals to support WIN into the future. Priya holds a BSc. in International Studies from The Open University (UK), with a primary focus on macroeconomics, political science, environmental policy and urban technologies. She continues to work on a part-time basis whilst completing an MSc. in Water Management with a focus on governance and regulation, at Cranfield University (UK). Priya has been living in Germany for several years. She is fluent in English, German and Gujarati, and also speaks basic-to-moderate French, Hindi and Urdu.

Ms. Jenni Laxén

Finland, Network Governance and Membership Relations

Jenni Laxén began working with WIN in February 2009. Jenni holds a MSc. in Business Administration from the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki and Universidad de Zaragoza in Spain, as well as an MA in Human Rights from the European Inter-University Centre in Venice, Italy and Bilbao, Spain where Jenni wrote her thesis on “The Right to Water and Corporate Social Responsibility: “Business and Water - Good together or Better Apart?”. Jenni has previously worked with an NGO, a cultural organisation and at a university in Finland. She has also studied and worked in France, Sweden and Switzerland. Jenni speaks an impressive array of languages including fluent English, Finnish, French, Spanish, Swedish, proficient Italian and Danish and basic German, placing her aptly within her role of facilitating network communications with existing and potential WIN members and partners in Latin America.

Mr. Maël Castellan

Canada/France, Capacity Development and Francophone Programmes

Maël joined WIN as an intern in April 2009. He holds a bachelor of science in global resource systems from the University of British Columbia, specialized in water and natural resource studies and international development. Maël has lived in the Philippines on an academic exchange, and in Rajasthan, India, on a CIDA internship, wherein he studied the impact of traditional rainwater harvesting systems on women’s empowerment. Previously he has worked on wetland restoration projects in the Vancouver area and at the International Development office of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver. Maël is fluent in French and English, and is responsible for activities taking place in the West Africa region.

Ms. Alexandra Malmqvist

Sweden and France, Assistant Communications Coordinator

Alexandra joined the Water Integrity Network in December 2009. Prior to that she was working for an event management organisation based in Berlin. Before moving to Berlin in early 2009, Alexandra lived in London where she studied Media Studies at the University of Westminster and Anthropology at Goldsmiths College. She has worked in London for a large publishing group as well for an online advertising agency. She is currently studying a Master in Communication for Development at Malmö University, Sweden. Alexandra is responsible for the coordination of both online and print publications as well as support work on various media projects at WIN.

Ms. Susannah Kinghan

United Kingdom, Intern

Susie joined WIN as an intern in March 2010. She holds an MSci in Physics from Imperial College London and specialised in environmental and atmospheric physics while on her year of study exchange at Valencia University, Spain. After graduating, Susie worked for a small environmental charity in London working with schools and community groups to reduce London’s CO2 emissions. Susie has also lived in Ecuador and Uruguay where she taught science and English and as a result speaks English and Spanish. During her time at WIN, Susie will be supporting some of the work in Latin America and helping WIN to develop their strategy on water, corruption and climate change.