Our governance
The Anticipation Hub is a joint initiative between the German Red Cross (GRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (Climate Centre), that brings together partners across the Red Cross Red Crescent movement, universities, research institutes, (i)NGOs, UN agencies, governments, donors, and network initiatives, with funding support from the German Federal Foreign Office.
Read more below about the different elements of our governance structure including the Anticipation Hub coordination team and our Steering Committee, Advisory Group, Working Groups, Partners and Users.
Anticipation Hub Coordination Team
The Anticipation Hub is hosted by the German Red Cross and it is managed by a global team of advisors and other staff within the German Red Cross, IFRC and Climate Centre – who form the Anticipation Hub coordination team, led by the Head of the Anticipation Hub.
The team manages the day-to-day operation of the Anticipation Hub, including implementing and reviewing the Anticipation Hub Strategy in close collaboration with partners and maintaining the online platform. The team organises the Steering Committee and Advisory Group meetings, supports the Working Groups and leads on partner engagement.
Alessandra is the Head of the Anticipation Hub. In her role, she leads the management and development of the Hub as a network and knowledge platform. She also oversees partnerships with global, regional and national organizations and initiatives. Alessandra brings a blend of experience in humanitarian emergencies and peace operations, anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction, policy and advocacy, strategic partnerships and network development for the United Nations World Food Programme, Start Network, Save the Children and Oxfam spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. She is passionate about fostering partnerships amongst stakeholders to drive innovation and better serve people at risk of disasters.
Head of the Anticipation Hub
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:
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Erin Coughlan is a climate scientist at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre working on extreme events and humanitarian crises. She supports the development of programming, policies and research on Anticipatory Action around the world,. Erin is an Associate Professor at Tufts University, and leads the Academic Alliance on Anticipatory Action.
Senior Advisor, Climate Centre
Based in: Boston, USA Organization:
Stefanie is ...
Head of the Anticipation Unit
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:Catalina has contributed to the development of the Anticipatory Action approach during the last decade and is currently leading the Climate Centre’s work on Climate Action in contexts affected by conflict. She has 19 years’ experience in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and is a contributor author to the IPCC AR6 working group.
Head of Climate and Conflict
Based in: UK, London Organization:Anita’s expertise and areas of interest lie at the thematic interface of anticipatory action, disaster risk management, cash early actions and social protection. She provides technical support on anticipatory action, especially for the development of Early Action Protocols in relation to cash early actions and social protection approaches.
Cash and social protection advisor
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:Prior to joining the Climate and Resilience team, Gana was Disaster Risk Management lead in the IFRC MENA regional delegation, where she was responsible for enhancing MENA National Society institutional preparedness, advancing green response and anticipatory action. Previously, she supported Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in all IFRC
Anticipatory Action Coordinator
Based in: Geneva, Switzerland Organization:
Irene is a graduate of Public Health Leadership and leads on anticipatory action at the Climate Centre. She is the focal person for learning, innovation and exchange at the Anticipation Hub. As a technical expert in disaster risk management, she supports National Societies and partners on forecast-based financing / anticipatory action.
With a background in International Development, Melanie has worked in the humanitarian sector for the last 13 years. She is passionate about learning and capacity strengthening, ensuring that we are better able to meet the needs of the most vulnerable communities.
DREF capacity strengthening snr. officer
Based in: Hungary Organization:Niko is a political scientist with specialised knowledge in anticipatory action and disaster risk financing (PhD on climate risk insurance), who is passionate about bringing anticipatory action to scale by bringing people and approaches together. Before joining the Anticipation Hub he was working in academia and as a consultant.
Karen’s expertise and areas of interest lie at the thematic interface of anticipatory action, disaster risk management and learning and capacity strengthening. Within the German Red Cross, she supports the capacitation of sister national societies on anticipatory action and related topics, such as geoinformatics.
Shona coordinates the Global Dialogue Platform, supports the Regional Platforms, and leads the development of the Hub's learning modules on anticipatory action (launch 2024). With a background supporting transdisciplinary research, she is passionate about participation and technology, and brings expertise in hybrid events and automation.
Mathieu has a long experience in Disaster Risk Management, Disaster Response and Humanitarian Anticipation (FbF). He had a leading role in the development of FbF and humanitarian anticipatory mechanisms within the Red Cross movement and beyond. Now he focuses on the design and implementation of anticipation mechanisms in the Americas.
Regional Advisor Americas
Based in: Honduras Organization:Thomas joined the GRC after his Master’s in Humanitarian Action. Since 2022 he is part of the Anticipation Unit, where he focuses on GRC’s anticipation portfolio in MENA. He works on the methodological advancements of anticipation specifically looking at anticipation in conflict, human mobility and epidemics as well as anticipation of heatwaves.
Tech. Manager Anticipation & Methodology
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:
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Madhab is a specialist working in the climate science space for informed decisions on risk reduction and adaptation efforts. With a post-graduate degree from Imperial College London, his core expertise lies in the design and development of impact-based forecasting and anticipatory action mechanisms for extreme weather events.
Regional Advisor Asia-Pacific
Based in: Kathmandu, Nepal Organization:Communication and Development Specialist, with more than 8 years of experience collaborating with civil society organizations in Honduras. Degrees in International Relations and Communication and Development. Founder of SmartCom, a platform for the strengthening of digital competences and communication strategies.
Regional Advisor Americas
Based in: Honduras Organization:Tim has worked for 20 years in science communication, focusing on environmental issues, citizen science and international development. He oversees external communications for the Anticipation Hub, including outreach to new anticipatory action initiatives and support for the annual dialogue platforms.
Communications and outreach manager
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:Juan is a climate scientist with many years’ of experience in implementing climate change and variability programs in Latin America. A Ph.D. in climate science and experience working with national meteorological and hydrological departments and global research centers, he has valuable expertise to bring science dialogues to the humanitarian sector.
Regional Advisor Latin America/Carribean
Based in: Lima, Peru Organization:Dorothy is a technical advisor at the Climate Centre. Her current focus is on extreme weather and its humanitarian implications, providing technical support on early warning early action to National Societies. She holds an MSc. in environmental change and a background at the intersection of human geography and climate science.
Technical Advisor
Based in: Montreal, Canada Organization:Marius has over ten years experience in online marketing and communications. His focus is the technical development and growth of the Hub as a platform for all anticipatory action practitioners.
Content Manager Anticipation Hub
Based in: Hanover, Germany Organization:
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Kiswendsida Guigma is a climate scientist with expertise in climate risk, anticipatory action and the climate and conflict nexus in addition to a profound research interest in heat waves. He also has experience working with national meteorological and hydrological services and engaging them on humanitarian work.
Regional Advisor Sahel & Western Africa
Organization:Verena’s expertise and areas of interest lie at the thematic interface between anticipatory action and disaster risk management. Within the German Red Cross, she provides technical support on anticipatory action and related topics, especially for the development of Early Action Protocols (EAPs) of sister national societies.
Technical Support for Anticipatory Action Projects
Based in: Berlin, Germany Organization:Anticipation Hub Steering Committee
The Steering Committee comprises director level representatives of the German Red Cross, IFRC and Climate Centre, as the initiators of the Anticipation Hub.
The main purpose of the Steering Committee is to provide strategic oversight and direction to the Anticipation Hub coordination team to ensure the mission, aims, and strategic priorities of the Anticipation Hub are achieved. The Committee will ensure the Anticipation Hub strengthens collaboration across the global Red Cross Red Crescent Network and other organizations working in anticipatory action to enable greater effectiveness of our collective action.
The Steering Committee is composed of:
- Christof Johnen, Head of International, German Red Cross (chair)
- Pascale Meige, Director, Disaster Climate and Crisis, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
- Maarten van Aalst, Director, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
The Head of the Anticipation Hub leads in organising the Steering Committee meetings.
The Steering Committee meets twice per year and the Advisory Group can propose topics for discussion.
This Steering Committee is recognised under the Memorandum of Understanding between GRC, IFRC and Climate Centre signed in December 2020 to jointly support the Anticipation Hub.
The Anticipation Hub Advisory Group
The Advisory Group consists of partner representatives, selected initially by invitation, who provide strategic advice to the Hub coordination team on planning, priority setting and partner engagement.
The Advisory Group captures the views and advice of partner organizations to guide and stimulate the growth and sustained development of the Anticipation Hub. The Advisory Group supports the coordination team by providing strategic advice on the planning and progress of the three strategic priorities of the Anticipation Hub and on partner engagement.
It informs the Steering Committee and can propose topics for further discussion at Steering Committee meetings. The outcomes of the meetings will guide the partner consultation meetings.
The Advisory Group aims to have diverse membership with a broad range of practical, scientific and policy knowledge and experience from different geographical and sectoral backgrounds. The Advisory Group includes 9 partner members with the flexibility to include 2 additional partners as the need arises.
The Advisory Group is co-chaired by Ms. Sarah Klassen, Policy and Advocacy Advisor at START Network and Ms. Dunja Dujanovic, Team Leader Early Warning Early Action at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Additional members currently include:
- Mr. Lawrence Anthony Dimailig, Assistant Director for Disaster Monitoring & Analysis at the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre)
- Ms. Julia Chasco, Head of Meteorology and Society, National Meteorological Service Argentina (SMN)
- Mr. Dominic Semet, Forecast-based Action Program Coordinator, Welthungerhilfe
- Dr. Daniel Maxwell, Research Director, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University
- Dr. Liz Stephens, Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading
- Mr. Ben Webster, Head of the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) Secretariat
- Ms. Stefania Giodini, Operations Lead, 510 Data Team Netherlands Red Cross
These partners were selected on an invite-basis by the Anticipation Hub coordination team, with guidance from the Steering Committee, based on their level of experience implementing or enabling anticipatory action and their commitment to Hub related activities.
The Anticipation Hub coordination team provides secretariat support to the Advisory Group and can attend meetings.
The 1st Advisory Group meeting took place on the 2nd September 2021 - see more here.
The Advisory Group meets twice per year, and additional task-specific meetings may be organised as deemed necessary and appropriate by members and the Anticipation Hub coordination team.
The Advisory Group Terms of Reference will be reviewed at the end of 2022.
Working Groups
Working groups support the Hub coordination team to engage partners to advance knowledge exchange and co-development of knowledge products for the Anticipation Hub. Working groups are co-led by partners, with support from the Hub coordination team and their outcomes help to guide Advisory Group discussions. Working groups offer a focused and open space for discussion and exchange on a specific topic related to anticipatory action.
The working group structure is expected to evolve based on the needs of partners on specific thematic areas, and the learning generated from the existing Hub working groups and the wider landscape of working groups supporting anticipatory action.
Currently the Anticipation Hub has initiated working groups on:
- Earth observation (co-lead by NASA and GRC)
- Anticipatory Action in Conflict Practitioners Group (co-lead by the Climate Centre and GRC)
- Linking Risk Financing and Anticipatory Action sectoral community (hosted by InsuResilience and co-chaired by REAP and the Anticipation Hub)
Each working group has the flexibility to define their own terms of reference and activity plan, and is provided with support from the Hub coordination team as required. The wider community of Anticipation Hub users can participate in working groups. Progress and updates on working groups are channelled to the Hub coordination team for input into the preparation of the advisory group meetings.
The Hub coordination team also coordinates with other working groups hosted by partners, for example, REAP working groups and START Forewarn, to capture synergies and share resulting knowledge through the Hub. Similarly, the coordination team also closely liaises with regional working groups on Forecast-based Financing and anticipatory action to support them through the Hub and facilitate collaboration on knowledge sharing.
View all working groups here.
Anticipation Hub Partners
The Anticipation Hub partners provide vital support to the Anticipation Hub coordination team to realise the day-to-day activities of the Anticipation Hub. Partners also co-lead or participate in working groups, proactively share and co-create content for the Hub, and support other knowledge exchange activities.
Consultation meetings with all Anticipation Hub partners are organised to capture the perspectives of the wider partner organisations, not represented on the Advisory Group. In these meetings all partners can highlight opportunities and provide input into the Anticipation Hub workplan. These meetings will be prepared by the Hub coordination team with guidance from the Advisory Group. The Hub coordination team will also share regular progress updates with partners and call for contributions from partners to the workplan.
View our partnersCommunity of Anticipation Hub users
The wider community of Anticipation Hub users include the practitioners, scientists and policymakers inside and beyond the humanitarian sector who utilise the Anticipation Hub knowledge resources, engage in working groups and other exchange opportunities. Users are signed up to Anticipation Hub newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletterThis page will be continuously updated as further information develops on the governance of the Anticipation Hub.
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