Team & contact

Dr. Tobias Mörschel has worked for the FES for over two decades, during which he has held a number of different roles in a variety of locations. Prior to assuming the role of Director of the FES EU Office in June 2024, he served as Director of the FES office in Italy/Rome from 2019 to 2024 and as Director of the FES office in the Baltic States in Riga/Latvia from 2016 to 2019. He studied History, Political Science and German Literature at the universities of Freiburg, Dublin, Berlin and Rome. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Freiburg.

Valentina Berndt is the Managing Editor of the IPS journal. Previously, she worked at the German Permanent Representation to the European Union during the 2020 German Council Presidency. She co-created the Lossi36 online journal and was the Russia and Central Asia editor. Valentina studied Central, Eastern European, Russian and Eurasian Studies in the Netherlands, Scotland, Estonia and Kazakhstan.

Tobias Beylat joined the team in 2021 and covers the domains of Migration and Integration. He studied International Migration and Intercultural Relations at the University Osnabrück and Arabic Studies, Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University Münster. He formerly worked for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Amman, the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research and as a project manager for refugee integration at the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) in Munich.

Alena Bieling works as an Editor at the IPS journal. Previously, she handled communications at the EURACTIV Media Network, where she also wrote articles on issues related to diversity and social equality. Alena studied Journalism, International Politics and Human Rights in Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

Marie Hasdenteufel works on Economic, Social and Digital Policy. She previously worked at the Brussels representation of the Austrian Chamber of Labour and as an Economist at an Austrian think tank on fiscal and labour market policies. She holds a Master of Science in Economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, where she focused on labour market policies and economic inequality.

Jacqueline Hérin joined the FES EU Office in 2019. She is responsible for Facility & Office Management, Contract Tendering and Procurement. She is also a Prevention Advisor. Jacqueline gained her professional experience as a Personal Assistant and Office Manager in large companies in Germany and Belgium.

Maybritt Hennig develops proposals for EU-funded development cooperation projects with FES offices worldwide and advises on their implementation. Previously, she worked as a policy officer for the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the International Organisation for Migration. Maybritt studied in Germany, France and Austria and holds a Bachelor's degree in European Studies and a Master's degree in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy.

Marleen Heyndrickx joined the FES EU Office in 2019 and is responsible for Human Resources, including prevention and protection at work, Finances & Accounting. She holds a Master’s degree in Translation and Interpretation (German/English/Dutch). Marleen has previously worked in both private companies and non-profit organisations.

Daniela Iller has been working for the FES EU Office since 2006. In the beginning, she worked on EU external relations and strategic partnerships. Since 2019, she has been in charge of Trade & Development Policy. Daniela represents the FES in various Domestic Advisory Groups for EU trade agreements with third countries. Previously, she worked for the SPD Berlin and the German Bundestag. Daniela studied Political Science at the University of Leipzig, Science Po Lyon and the Free University of Berlin. 

Véronique Kieffer has been working for the FES EU Office since 2007. She is a Project Coordinator and responsible for the smooth running of events and conferences, the selection and supervision of interns and for some areas of human resources. She studied Music in Maastricht and, before joining the FES, worked for the representation of Saxony-Anhalt in Brussels as well as for various private companies in Germany.

Vanesa Knoop is a Finance Coordinator for EU-funded development cooperation projects with FES offices worldwide. Previously, she worked for the FES Regional Project “Nueva Sociedad” in Buenos Aires and for the government of the city of Buenos Aires providing support for the management of different loans (World Bank & CAF). Vanesa holds a Master's degree in International and Development Economics (Berlin) and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Buenos Aires).

Jasmin Kohl is a trained journalist and responsible for the FES EU Office’s communication efforts, such as press work. Previously, she worked as an EU Correspondent for Europe.Table, the Spokesperson’s Service of the European Commission and various media outlets in Germany. Jasmin has studied in Germany (Regensburg), France (Clermont-Ferrand) and Belgium (Brussels, ULB) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Franco-German Studies and a Master’s degree in European Studies.

Fadhela Lakhdari develops proposals for EU-funded development cooperation projects with FES offices worldwide and advises on their implementation. Previously, she worked as a coordinator of EU projects in Montpellier and for an NGO working for the legal protection of migrants and refugees. She gained further experience in the Social Inclusion Unit of the EACEA agency (European Commission). Fadhela studied in France, Austria and the UK and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and a Master’s degree in EU Studies.

Agnes Mach joined the team in 2017. She is part of the Gender Justice Innovation Network (GIN), a global platform by FES for exchange and cooperation between its regional gender projects. Agnes studied European Politics at the University of Bremen and the Europa-Universität Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), including semesters abroad in Krakow and Prague. Additionally, she completed a post-academic specialisation course on Gender and Sexuality at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

Ingmar Naumann holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in International Relations, with research stays in South Sudan and the USA. He has previously worked as a research assistant for a member of the German Bundestag, as a press spokesperson and as the managing director of the SPD parliamentary group in Saarland. He joined the FES EU Office in 2022 and heads its liaison office in Strasbourg.

Marco Schwarz works on European Democracy and the Rule of Law, as well as on the Future of EU Integration and Enlargement Policy. Previously, he worked for the Union of European Federalists Germany (Europa-Union Deutschland) in Berlin. Marco studied Political and Social Sciences at the University of Göttingen, with semesters in Czechia, Spain and Russia.

Annika Thöt coordinates activities within the European Trade Union Dialogue and supports the communications and IPS teams. Previously, she worked at the European Commission’s Internal Communication and EU Delegations unit, and as an editor for media outlets in Germany. Annika holds degrees in Communication and Modern European History from Mainz and Berlin, with academic experiences in Hungary, Poland, Romania and the UK.

Sidonie Wetzig joined the EU Office in 2006. Prior to working on Foreign Affairs, Security & Defence, she was in charge of activities focused on globalisation and global governance, which involved chairing the Working Group on Sustainable Development of ENoP. Her earlier working experiences include a fellowship with the Franco-German Youth Office and a traineeship at the German Historical Institute in Paris. Sidonie studied History and Political Science at the University of Essen as well as in the UK and France.