Team IMPACT

Marcus Sheff was a political reporter at The Nation, an editor at The Jerusalem Post and a foreign correspondent before heading The Word Shop, a strategic communications firm, for a decade. He worked for Dow Jones International and Advanstar Inc. and was CEO at Intermedia, an international business development firm, before becoming Executive Director at The Israel Project. He has for two decades been involved in in global healthcare. He has briefed world leaders, spoken at the United Nations and parliaments and appears regularly on media. He studied political science and international relations at Leeds University where he was an elected leader of the student union, and international relations at Tel Aviv University.

Arik Agassi worked as Head of External Affairs and Operations at the Israel Office of The Israel Project and as a legislative assistant to former Knesset Member, Einat Wilf. He holds a BA in government, diplomacy and strategy from the Lauder School of Government at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzilya, where he is an Argov Fellow for leadership and diplomacy, and an MA in contemporary Middle Eastern studies from the Department of Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.

Dan brings two decades of experience in strategy and communications, much of it as CEO or partner in international agencies. He has helped governments, politicians, NGOs, issue groups and businesses achieve strategic targets and amplify their causes. Dan has managed successful national and international campaigns, significantly raising public awareness on a variety of issues. He has regularly worked alongside government ministers, global figures and leaders in the corporate and charitable sectors. Dan’s opinion articles have been published globally including bylines in The Guardian (UK), Washington Times, The Australian and EU Observer. He has also been interviewed widely in the media, including on BBC and Al Jazeera. Dan grew up in London, UK and holds both a bachelors and masters degree from Oxford University.

Felicity Ginsburg has a BA in Classics and Arabic from the University of Oxford. Before joining IMPACT-se, she worked as the Senior External Affairs Officer at the Office of the Chief Rabbi in the United Kingdom, focusing on political engagement, interfaith, education, and social responsibility.

Located in our UAE office, Alaa Alshimmari is a highly experienced policy expert with over a decade in the UAE, specializing in business development, marketing, and strategic partnerships. With a law degree from the UK, she has worked with leading automotive groups, multinational organizations, and high-profile government entities. Her experience includes collaborations with family offices in the UAE, the National Projects Office under the Abu Dhabi Presidential Court, H.R.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival.

Madeleine Ferris completed her Masters degree in Human Rights and Transitional Justice at the Hebrew University, focusing on the laws of international conflict. She was also a Camera on Campus Fellow, writing articles focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Madeleine previously studied Religion, Philosophy and Ethics in her BA at King’s College London and the University of Toronto, specialising in the Middle East and Iranian foreign policy.

Located in our UK office, Oliver Leicester has experience in research, public affairs consultancy and political engagement. He previously volunteered with the Aegis Trust, an organisation which aim to prevent genocide through education. Oliver also worked as a researcher in the European defence sector at FINABEL, a Brussels-based think tank. His work has been republished by PubAffairs Bruxelles. He holds an LLM in International Law and a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.

Anna Zaichuk brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role of Team Coordinator at IMPACT SE. She is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment. With a BA in Social Sciences and Human Resources from Bar Ilan University, Anna is currently pursuing studies in life coaching. Passionate about empowering individuals to reach their full potential, she combines her professional background with coaching skills to drive impactful initiatives within the team.

Dr. Yonatan Negev received his doctorate from the department of Arabic Language and Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His academic interests include medieval Sunni-Shi‘i polemics, Shi’i religious thought, and Islamic mysticism. He has worked as an analyst in several research and consulting firms. Yonatan holds BA and MA degrees from the departments of Arabic Language and Literature and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University, as well as a teacher training diploma (Arabic for Hebrew schools).

Shahar Levikson has experience in the translation and instruction of Arabic. He has a BA in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and in Arabic Language and Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Matan is a skilled researcher with more than a decade of experience in Islamic studies, Middle Eastern and East Asian societies, and their respective history, as well as in the Arabic and Chinese languages. Through his roles as an analyst, instructor, and translator, he offers valuable insights into the regions’ complexities. He holds a BA in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and Asian Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is currently completing his MA in Asian Studies.

Daniel is an experienced Arabic translator and analyst specializing in the Palestinian and Lebanese arenas. His work focuses on research and analysis of regional dynamics and developments. He holds BA and MA degrees in International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has taught courses on International Relations and Middle East conflicts.

Eli has worked in a range of sectors including education, banking and philanthropy, media and government relations, communications and strategy. Since 2020, Eli has been working intensely in the MENA region helping forge ties with leaders, family offices and investors. In addition to his leadership role at Monitor Impact, Eli is an Ambassador of the UAE’s Dealmakers (formerly Abrahamic Business Circle), sits on the Leadership Council of Global Jewry and the advisory boards of World Class Scholars and ARIS (the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States). With a BA in Development Studies from the University of Leeds and an MA in Diplomacy and National Security from Hebrew University, Eli previously served as Executive Vice President of Jerusalem U; Director of Communications to the diplomatic corps and the Pan Arabic/International media at TIP; and CEO of the educational nonprofit Limmud, spanning 44 countries. Eli’s work has consistently focused on building understanding between cultures and religions through education and dialogue.

Located in our UAE office, Alaa Alshimmari is a highly experienced policy expert with over a decade in the UAE, specializing in business development, marketing, and strategic partnerships. With a law degree from the UK, she has worked with leading automotive groups, multinational organizations, and high-profile government entities. Her experience includes collaborations with family offices in the UAE, the National Projects Office under the Abu Dhabi Presidential Court, H.R.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival.

Ratnadeep has worked as a reporter with Indian media organizations, including Republic TV and The Sunday Guardian and is widely interviewed on regional security issues in South Asia. His previous roles include Research Associate at the Mantraya Institute for Strategic Studies and research intern at the Observer Research Foundation. He also served as a communication and policy advisor to India’s former Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
Ratnadeep is a PhD candidate and holds dual master’s degrees in International Relations and History, graduating first class with distinction, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Journalism (Honors). He is the author of “The Evolution of Israel’s National Security Doctrine: A Journey from Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu.”
His research interests include South Asian geopolitics, antisemitism, and the links between transnational terror groups in South Asia and Iranian proxy networks.

Leyla Al Nofaly is a research and strategy professional specializing in policy analysis and data-driven research. She previously worked at Sofala Partners in London, conducting public policy and intelligence research across international markets for clients including Mastercard and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She later served as a Research & Strategy Analyst at Studio East in Dubai and previously worked with the Department of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of London. Leyla holds an MA in International Political Economy from King’s College London and a BA in Politics and International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.