Our Team
Stakeholder Forum has a small team of core staff and enjoys working with a number of people on short and long term projects, when the opportunity arises. We like to where possible, offer opportunities for new people and hope that working with Stakeholder Forum aids them in their long term careers. Our current team includes the following, wonderful people:
Felix Dodds
Executive Director
Role: Manages the overall strategic direction of the organization, media representative and project fundraising
Felix has played a critical role in promoting multistakeholder dialogue at the UN. From 1997 to 2001 he chaired the NGO Coalition on Sustainable Development at the UN. He facilitated the setting up of the international NGO Coalition for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the UN Habitat II Conference. He has been an advisor to the UK Government and the European Commission as a number of UN meetings. He has published five books, the latest edited with Tim Pipard Human and Environmental Security brought out for the World Summit 2005. His other books are Into the Twenty First Century (1988), The Way Forward Beyond Agenda 21 1997), Earth Summit 2002 A New Deal (2000 and 2002), How to Lobby at Intergovernmental Meetings - Mine is a Cafe Latte (with Michael Strauss) (2004).
Hannah Stoddart
Policy Co-ordinator
Role: Oversees policy project development and co-ordinates the activities of the London team. Leads on the Global Public Policy Network on Water Management, and has represented stakeholder views at CSD Regional Meetings and the World Water Forum.
Hannah joined Stakeholder Forum in October 2007 from Futerra Sustainability Communications, where she worked as a communications consultant on sustainable development issues. Hannah has also worked as a researcher for an international human rights NGO, as a press officer in documentary film, and as a sabbatical officer at her student union. Shortly after graduating, Hannah co-founded public engagement social enterprise, Public Minds, with the help of a grant from the UnLtd Foundation.
Hannah graduated from Oxford University with degree in History and Modern Languages in 2005.
Emily Benson
Project Manager
Role: Leads on the Stakeholder Empowerment project - developing a tool-kit for best practices in stakeholder and civil society engagement on an international and UN level.
Prior to joining Stakeholder Forum Emily worked in documentary-making as a Researcher and then as an Assistant Producer on a wide range of subject matters. In 2006 she left the television industry to undertake an MSc in Development Studies at the London School of Economics during which time she furthered her interest in sustainable development.
Emily has a degree in English Literature from Balliol College, Oxford.
Stephen Mooney
Policy Researcher
Stephen has an undergraduate degree in Ecological Science Honouring in Conservation and Ecological Management from the University of Edinburgh, graduating with a 2.1 in 2003. In 2006 he completed an Ma in Environmental Politics and Globalisation from Kings College London.
In between he completed various pieces of ecological research as well as landscape design. He has worked as a researcher for a number of organisations including Friends of the Earth and the Gaia Foundation. His primary interests are in Global Environmental Governance, ecological citizenship and ecosystems.
Maria Figueroa Küpçü
Consultant
Role: Policy analysis, Program development and Strategic planning
Based in New York, Maria has extensive policy analysis, market research and public relations experience on global affairs issues. She is a Director in Brunwick Groups Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability practice as well as a Senior Research Fellow for the New America Foundation. Previously, she led initiatives on stakeholder involvement at the UN and directed international political and corporate campaigns at the firm Penn, Schoen & Berland.
Richard Sherman
Consultant
Role: Policy analysis, Governance issues and Strategic planning
Based in Cape Town South Africa. Richard has extensive experience with policy analysis at the global level. He has worked for GLOBE and GEM in South Africa and has often advised the South African Government on governance, climate change and energy issues. He has also worked for a number of years for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
Maria Figueroa Küpçü
Consultant
Role: Policy analysis, Program development and Strategic planning
Based in New York, Maria has extensive policy analysis, market research and public relations experience on global affairs issues. She is currently project fellow at the World Policy Institute (The New School) and Managing Partner of the strategic communications consultancy Medius360. Previously, she led initiatives on stakeholder involvement at the UN and directed international political and corporate campaigns at the firm Penn, Schoen & Berland.