The team members of GIA come from different countries, cultures, professions, and areas of expertise, but they are united by one shared purpose: empowerment with impact. GIA brings together leaders, advisors, mentors, consultants, educators, social entrepreneurs, sustainability experts, digital strategists, and community advocates.
Each member contributes a unique strength to GIA’s mission. Some guide women empowerment, some support social entrepreneurship, some lead sustainability and environmental advocacy, while others bring expertise in digital governance, youth empowerment, business development, leadership mentoring, wellness, education, and inclusive growth.
GIA works across the world through this collective strength. The organization connects global knowledge with local needs, ensuring that programs, training, mentorship, partnerships, and community initiatives are designed with cultural understanding, practical relevance, and measurable social value for women, youth, refugees, migrants, vulnerable groups, and changemakers.
What makes GIA powerful is not one individual, but the combined commitment of many professionals working toward one vision. With different people, different expertise, and one global mission, GIA continues to build pathways for opportunity, dignity, leadership, sustainability, and lasting human impact.
Victoria Nalbandova is a committed advocate for women’s leadership, social entrepreneurship, inclusive empowerment, and sustainable economic growth. As the Co-Founder and Advisor on the Women’s Agenda at Global Impact Alliance (GIA), she plays a meaningful role in shaping initiatives that support women entrepreneurs, aspiring leaders, vulnerable communities, and emerging changemakers. With academic grounding in Strategic Management and Women’s Leadership from Oxford Business School, Victoria brings a strong understanding of leadership, enterprise development, mentorship, and social impact.
With over 15 years of experience, Victoria has contributed to the design and delivery of more than 100 training programs focused on women empowerment, entrepreneurship development, leadership confidence, economic independence, and community progress. Her work reflects a deep belief that women need more than inspiration; they need skills, structure, networks, mentorship, visibility, and practical opportunities. Through GIA, Victoria continues to build spaces where women can learn, speak, lead, collaborate, and grow with confidence.
What Does Victoria Bring To GIA?
Victoria brings a powerful combination of strategic leadership, women empowerment expertise, social entrepreneurship knowledge, training experience, and mentorship strength to GIA. Her role supports the organization’s mission to build practical programs that help women move from uncertainty to confidence and from ideas to action. She helps shape initiatives that focus on business readiness, leadership development, peer learning, professional networking, and economic participation.
Her contribution also strengthens GIA’s position as a credible Women Empowerment Leadership Team with a strong focus on real human outcomes. Victoria supports women by encouraging personal confidence, entrepreneurial thinking, decision-making ability, communication strength, and leadership visibility. As an advisor, mentor, and speaker, she brings compassion with structure, vision with execution, and advocacy with action. Her presence helps GIA create meaningful pathways for women entrepreneurs, future leaders, social innovators, and communities seeking dignity, independence, opportunity, and sustainable growth.
Dr. Meera Asmi is the Academic Director at Global Impact Alliance (GIA) and a respected leader in inclusive education, wellness consulting, social empowerment, sustainability, and institutional training. With over 26 years of experience across the government, nonprofit, academic, and corporate sectors, she brings deep professional wisdom and human understanding to GIA’s mission of empowerment and equity.
An IIM Calcutta alumna with an MBA from the University of Kerala, Dr. Meera has built a career rooted in leadership, learning, counseling, community development, and social responsibility. She has been recognized with honors such as the International Social Innovator Award from the Universal Icon NGO and CSR Awards in Thailand in 2019, reflecting her contribution to social progress.
Beyond GIA, Dr. Meera serves as the Chairwoman of We Grow Forest Foundation, where she leads initiatives connected to sustainability, environmental awareness, social justice, and community well-being. As a published author, orator, counselor, and wellness expert, she blends social, psychological, and spiritual wellness to help individuals and communities build resilience, confidence, and meaningful growth.
What Does Dr Meera Bring To GIA?
Dr. Meera brings strong academic leadership, program development expertise, wellness knowledge, sustainability vision, and inclusive training experience to GIA. As part of the Women Empowerment Leadership Team, she helps design programs that support women empowerment, youth empowerment, social entrepreneurship, mental well-being, leadership development, and community resilience.
Her strength lies in creating learning experiences that are not only informative but also practical, healing, inclusive, and people-centered. She contributes to GIA through curriculum planning, training strategy, institutional guidance, mentorship, counseling insight, and social impact direction, ensuring that every program carries clarity, compassion, and measurable value.
Dr. Meera also strengthens GIA’s work in biophilic training, wellness consulting, emotional resilience, sustainability education, and human development. Her presence helps GIA build programs that understand people deeply, respect their struggles, and guide them toward confidence, dignity, happiness, leadership, and purposeful participation in society.
Anas Alshammari is an emerging nonprofit project coordination and strategic initiatives professional supporting the work of Global Impact Alliance (GIA) across the GCC countries. His role focuses on strengthening international partnerships, multi-stakeholder programs, social development initiatives, youth empowerment, education, social entrepreneurship, and inclusive community projects across the region.
With a background in accounting and project coordination, Anas brings both strategic thinking and operational discipline to GIA’s regional initiatives. He supports the planning and implementation of programs connected to children with disabilities, vulnerable groups, youth development, inclusive education, and sustainable social impact. His work helps ensure that GIA’s initiatives are not only meaningful in vision but also practical in execution.
What Does Anas Bring To GIA?
Anas brings strong value in GCC project coordination, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, operational planning, and sustainable program execution. He supports GIA by connecting with government entities, associations, private sector partners, international organizations, and community stakeholders to align programs with local needs and regional development priorities.
His contribution helps GIA strengthen its presence across the GCC region through well-coordinated initiatives in youth empowerment, social entrepreneurship, education, disability inclusion, vulnerable community support, and inclusive development. With his ability to combine process management, financial understanding, project structure, and partnership coordination, Anas helps GIA build practical systems that support long-term social impact.
Ana Cristina is a strategic communications and business development expert with strong executive experience across Europe, MENA, and the GCC. She brings a rare combination of global partnership knowledge, intercultural communication, public–private cooperation, education strategy, and international business insight to the work of Global Impact Alliance (GIA).
Fluent in six languages, Ana Cristina understands how to connect people, institutions, markets, and cultures with clarity and purpose. Her professional journey includes leadership in trade initiatives, youth entrepreneurship, government relations, stakeholder engagement, and mission-driven strategy, making her a valuable contributor to GIA’s global positioning and partnership development.
With two European Master’s degrees and research experience in experiential learning, she blends academic strength with practical execution. Her work reflects a strong ability to design strategies, support negotiations, build meaningful relationships, and create pathways for inclusive growth, innovation, education, and social impact across different regions and sectors.
What Does Ana Cristina Bring To GIA?
Ana Cristina brings powerful expertise in strategic communication, international partnerships, business development, intercultural relations, public–private collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. As part of GIA’s Women Empowerment Leadership Team, she strengthens the organization’s ability to build credible global relationships and expand its impact across regions.
Her experience in Europe, MENA, and the GCC helps GIA connect with institutions, businesses, governments, education platforms, and social impact partners with professionalism and cultural understanding. She supports GIA’s mission by helping shape partnerships that advance women empowerment, youth entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, education, sustainability, and inclusive development.
Ana Cristina also brings strong value in negotiation, innovation, program positioning, global outreach, and impact communication. Her multilingual ability and cross-sector experience help GIA communicate its purpose with confidence, build trust across cultures, and create meaningful opportunities for women leaders, young changemakers, entrepreneurs, institutions, and communities seeking sustainable progress.
Michael Zubarev is GIA’s Advisor on Social Entrepreneurship, bringing over 20 years of experience in ESG management, CSR strategy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability leadership, and social impact development. With an MBA in Sustainable Management from SUMAS, Switzerland, and certifications in GRI Standards, Michael brings strong expertise in building responsible business models that connect purpose, performance, and measurable impact.
His professional background includes corporate leadership roles at DIAGEO, where he contributed to sustainability strategies, CSR initiatives, stakeholder collaboration, and responsible business practices. Beyond the corporate sector, Michael co-founded DreamLeague, an inclusive sports organization in Dubai supporting children with autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. This reflects his deep commitment to inclusive development, community dignity, and equal opportunities.
What Does Michael Bring To GIA?
Michael brings strong expertise in social entrepreneurship, ESG strategy, CSR planning, impact measurement, sustainable business modeling, and stakeholder collaboration. As part of GIA’s Women Empowerment Leadership Team and advisory structure, he helps strengthen programs that support women entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, youth leaders, nonprofits, institutions, and purpose-driven businesses.
His role focuses on helping GIA design programs that are practical, measurable, and socially meaningful. Michael guides participants in understanding how to build viable social impact projects, develop sustainable business models, engage stakeholders, measure outcomes, and create long-term value. His experience helps GIA connect entrepreneurship, inclusion, sustainability, and responsible growth in a structured and credible way.
Dr. Merin Jacob is a respected environmentalist, sustainability consultant, writer, author, and Head of Environmental Secretariat at GIA. From India, she has dedicated her work to environmental protection, tree planting, urban forestry, afforestation, carbon reduction, climate action, conservation, and community-driven sustainability. A rank holder with a Master’s in Extension Education and Community Development from the University of Kerala, she brings strong academic knowledge, field experience, and social commitment to environmental leadership.
Dr. Merin has served as the Managing Trustee of We Grow Forest Foundation, leading initiatives connected to forest growth, biodiversity protection, sustainability awareness, climate responsibility, and community participation. In 2024, she presented papers at the United Nations in Geneva, strengthening her international voice in sustainability. She is also the author of Role of NGOs in Environment and Sustainability in India and The Light That Never Fades, inspired by Marthoma values.
What Does Dr Merin Jacob Bring To GIA?
Dr. Merin Jacob brings strong credibility to GIA through her United Nations Geneva presentation, nonprofit leadership, academic excellence, authorship, and practical work in environmental sustainability. Her expertise in afforestation, urban forestry, tree planting, carbon reduction, climate action, conservation projects, sustainability education, and green community leadership strengthens GIA’s environmental direction. As part of GIA’s Women Empowerment Leadership Team, she supports environmental advocacy, UN SDG alignment, sustainability training, social entrepreneurship, responsible consumption, life on land, climate responsibility, and inclusive development.
Her contribution helps GIA connect environmental knowledge with practical community action. She guides programs that promote tree planting, climate awareness, green initiatives, sustainability communication, grassroots participation, responsible resource use, and long-term environmental responsibility. As an independent consultant on environment and sustainability, author, speaker, and environmental advocate, Dr. Merin helps GIA build credible initiatives that support people, planet, sustainability, and long-term social impact, while inspiring communities to protect nature and act with responsibility.
Syed Ali is the Head of Digital Governance at GIA, a digital consultant, author, environmental advocate, and strategic advisor with strong experience in online reputation management, digital authority, strategic narrative building, governance-led communication, and business consulting. He works with corporations, founders, professionals, legal teams, institutions, and organizations across the world, helping them build credible, ethical, and growth-focused digital identities. His philosophy is rooted in words, strategy, technology, and ethics, where digital presence becomes a tool for trust, reputation, and long-term impact.
As an author of Role of NGOs in Environment and Sustainability in India along with Dr. Merin Jacob, Syed connects digital governance, environmental sustainability, nonprofit leadership, and thought leadership. He has also presented papers in Geneva, strengthening his global engagement in sustainability, governance, and social impact. Through GIA, Syed brings his experience as a digital consultant for corporations across the world, supporting programs with digital strategy, SEO, AEO, online authority, content architecture, reputation protection, and ethical communication.
Syed Ali brings strong digital governance expertise to GIA through his experience in online reputation management, digital authority, strategic narrative building, ethical communication, business consulting, SEO, AEO, content architecture, and digital credibility development. As Head of Digital Governance, he helps GIA build a trusted online presence that reflects its mission in women empowerment, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, youth development, and inclusive growth. His work supports GIA in creating structured digital platforms, meaningful content systems, responsible communication, and long-term visibility with credibility.
The GIA team stands as a collective force of leaders, advisors, mentors, educators, consultants, social entrepreneurs, sustainability experts, and digital strategists committed to meaningful change. Their combined expertise helps GIA strengthen women empowerment, youth empowerment, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, digital governance, leadership development, and inclusive growth.
With different people, different expertise, and one global mission, GIA continues to work across communities and countries with purpose. Every team member contributes to building trust, opportunity, dignity, knowledge, partnerships, and sustainable impact, making GIA a credible platform for empowerment, collaboration, and global social progress.
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