Marketing & Communications Team
Leads Marketing, communications, advocacy, and social media
Anupama Saikia, Chief Marketing Officer
Anupama Saikia has over 20 years of experience in marketing and making business a force for good at Unilever, one of the largest and geographically diverse consumer goods businesses. She has done both global and regional/country roles covering North America, China, South East Asia, Africa and the Middle East and South Asia at different points in her career. In her past two roles, she has had the distinction of doubling the businesses she was leading while being credited with award winning creative work (including an Academy Award winning partnership and Entertainment Lions Bronze at Cannes). Most recently, her actionist marketing approach contributed to an advocacy campaign to make discrimination on the basis of hair illegal in US. The C.R.O.W.N. Act is now a law in 12 states and counting. She is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Lisar Morina, Communications Officer
Lisar is a development communications professional with over seven years of extensive experience. At GenU, he holds a pivotal role in driving the development of multimedia content and ensuring the smooth production of assets that foster multi-stakeholder partnerships. With a background in the development field covering both local and international positions, Lisar has previously worked as a communications specialist for renowned international development organizations such as UNICEF and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. At UNICEF Kosovo, he led communications and advocacy efforts for the global scale-up of highly-regarded skills-based programs such as UPSHIFT. Lisar is a Chevening Scholar and holds a Master of Science in Media, Communication and Development from the London School of Economics, where his research focused on critical examination of neoliberal development. He also holds a BA in Journalism & Mass Communication from the American University in Bulgaria.
Raphael Denis, Community Management and Marketing Support Intern
Raphael Denis (22) is a global citizen passionately advocating for the rights of children and young people in Tanzania. He has been actively involved in the child and youth-led movements in Tanzania and globally aiming at improving awareness of and access to children's rights - particularly the right to safe, inclusive and quality education. As a UNICEF Youth Advocate in Child Protection, and Youth Coordinator at Citizens 4 Change, Raphael has been co-creating with children and young people in Tanzania solutions that address violence in schools, allowing students to enjoy their learning in friendly and violence-free spaces in schools. As part of events leading up to UNICEF's 75th Anniversary, Raphael has facilitated advocacy sessions with parliamentarians, faith leaders, and development partners in Tanzania on the importance of investing in positive disciplining mechanisms as an alternative to corporal punishment in schools. Raphael has also been part of global young people’s advocacy campaigns, such as the #YourVoiceYourFuture Campaign by UNICEF, European Union and African Union that was climaxed in Brussels in February 2022; and the Solutions Summit to End Violence Against Children by the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children that was climaxed in Stockholm, February 2018. Prior to joining UNICEF and Citizens 4 Change, Raphael was actively involved in the National Junior Council (children’s parliament) of Tanzania for over 7 years where he has been at the forefront of child rights advocacy in the country, such as informing the development of the National Plan of Action to End Violence Against Women and Children (2016/17-2021/22) and producing contents for local-radio programs focusing on child rights. Raphael holds a Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies.
Samiha Aboobacker Nettikkara, Communications Specialist
Samiha holds over a decade of experience in public service journalism and social impact communications, with a specialist interest in social listening and audience development. At the onset of COVID-19, she designed digital behavioural change and fact-check campaigns responding to online trends and ground realities for UNICEF India. She also drove co-creation of content with youth on combating mis- and disinformation and building social cohesion. Before joining the UN, Samiha was a BBC journalist in New Delhi and London, producing multimedia content on international affairs and driving social strategy and audience engagement for key accounts. As a Chevening scholar, she completed a Master's in International Politics from SOAS, University of London. She also holds a postgraduate degree in journalism from Symbiosis International University, India, and a postgraduate diploma in international relations and diplomacy.
Thomas Vullings, Brand Manager