Biljana Pasarikovska, Office Manager

High school “ R. J. Korcagin“, works as an Office Manager within the CIRa admin/ finance team.  She is one of the founding members of CIRa and works since its beginning.  Previously Biljana worked for ISC as Office Assistant. Her career consists of 5 years in NGO sector. Working on the position of Office Manager, Biljana works with the daily administrative routines of the CIRa office and communicates effectively regarding the organization and its work. Represents CIRa in a way that earns the highest respect and regard for the organization.

Biljana Solakovska Mihajlovska (Financial Grant Coordinator)

Biljana Solakovska Mihajlovska is Graduated Economist, department Financial Accounting Management. She has joined CIRa’s team in November 2009, as a Financial Grant Coordinator.

Within the Programme Civica Mobilitas she is responsible for financial grant monitoring, including monitoring of financial reports, document’s verification and providing direct support and technical assistance to the financial management operations of CIVICA supported organizations. Apart from CIVICA Mobitas Programme, Biljana is responsible for day to day financial operations and tasks within the organization, financial reporting and provides general assistance to the Director for finance and development.

She has experience working in banking sector in Macedonia, as well experience working on implementation on projects aimed toward business and civic development within the civil sector.  Biljana is also certified social auditor responsible for monitoring of financial records of garment companies, members by Fair Wear Foundation – Netherlands since 2003.

Brankica Spasovska (Development Officer)

Brankica Spasovska has graduated at the Faculty of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology and presently is finishing her master studies in Human Resource Management.

She is working in the CSR and Philanthropy Development Program as a Development officer and is responsible for the Business Leaders Forum in Macedonia, coordination and organization of the annual humanitarian campaigns; providing information required by individuals, companies and institutions related to the Law on donations and sponsorships of public activities and for the management of the first corporate funds in Macedonia.

At the moment she is working on a project “Strengthening capacities of CSOs and creating supporting infrastructure to mobilize local resources and undertake economic activities”. She is also member of the working group related to the Macedonian Development cooperation platform.

Branko Dokuzovski (Development Manager)

Branko Dokuzovski, CIRa Development Manager manages the Development, Philanthropy and CSR Program (DPCP) and is responsible for planning and execution of all local fundraising activities, provision of corporate philanthropy and CSR support to business sector and development of social enterprise model support. He is also actively involved in development and provision of capacity building interventions on philanthropy and CSR development, organizational sustainability and institutional development to CSOs, public and private institutions and organizations.

Branko has extensive experience in CSO management, strategic planning, project design and management, fundraising, community based research; in advocacy and policy making on national and local level through promotion of intersectorial collaboration as well as in provision of technical support/ trainings for organizational sustainability and institutional development.

Igor Kostovski, MBA, Grant Program Manager

Igor Kostovski has graduated at the Faculty for Mechanical Engineering in Skopje. He has completed his post-graduate studies at the Sheffield University in Thessaloniki, while at the moment he is working on his Ph.D. thesis in the area of planning and development.
In CIRa he works as Grant Program Manager, within the CIVICA Mobilitas Program.
He has broad work experience in the donor and non-governmental environment in Macedonia. His specialty is the community development area, knowing that he has been providing consulting services, delivered trainings, as well as researches and analyses.
He is author of many strategies and publications. Several times he has been rewarded by national and international organizations and by local self-government units in Macedonia, regarding the results in his work.

Irina Janevska, External Communications Officer

Youth activist since the age of 15, during her high school enrolment she is recognized as youth leader. Her formal education continues at the South East European University in Tetovo where she obtains a degree Bachelor in Communication Sciences. Parallel, she is active in the NGO sector as trainer of trainers for theater based education and peer educator, particularly in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights and youth advocacy. At the UNFPA regional country office, during her 9 months fellowship, strongly committed for improvement of the functioning of the local NGO Network Y-PEER.

Irina is currently enrolled at the MA in Cultural Studies Programme at the Institute of Macedonian Literature in Skopje, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”. She has special interest and enrolment in the field of social marketing and modern communication trends. The multimedia character of the society inspires her to narrow her education and activism in the field of art in function of education and social activism.

The needs of the citizen and the initiatives for social change are her start and ending point. Thus, the position External Communications Officer in CIRa, where she contributes towards accomplishing the organization’s mission in promotion of philanthropy, social responsibility and building capacities of the civil society organizations, is a logical extension of her story in the civil sector.

Lemana Latifovic, Community Development Officer

Lemana Latifovic is graduated Social Worker. She joined CIRa in November 2008 as a volunteer for the campaign 'Support to Children Victims of Sexual Abuse'.

As of July 2009, she is working as a Community Development Officer in the 'Community Development' Programme. Lemana supports the moderators in organization and implementation of the forums and between sessions works and provides full logistic support to the forum process and to the Project Team. She is also responsible for coordinating the Forum Projects’ implementation phase which includes providing technical assistance and guidelines to forum projects’ grantees. She provides support in development, planning and implementation of the Community Development Projects.

As of September 2010, she is also involved in implementation of the Project “Preparing Roma high school students for enrolling in the Medical Faculties in Republic of Macedonia”, funded by the Roma Education Fund (REF) as a Project Assistant. As part of the project team, she is responsible to organize and implement the project activities and coordinate with the project partners and target group. She ensures that all project activities are implemented as planned and according to the timeline.

Martin Donev, Program Officer

Martin is a Specialist in the field of human right and Master in Political science at the Faculty of Diplomacy and international politics. He joined CIRa in February 2011 as a volunteer in CIRa’s Development, Philanthropy and CSR Program. Currently he works as Program officer:

In the Project “Preparing Roma high school students for enrolling in the Medical Faculties in Republic of Macedonia” as assistant, he is responsible to organize and implement the activities of the Project and to coordinate the project partnets and the target group. Martin ensures all the activities to be conducted according to plan and time frame.

In the “Community Development Program“, where he is responsible for the full logistic support, required for implementing the Program.

He is author of the scientific papers:  “Human Rights in United Nations” and „ Membership Action Plan for NATO”.

Pavlina Zefik, Grant Program Officer

Pavlina, graduated at the South East European University in Tetovo, and she obtains a degree Graduated Lawyer.  Presently she is completing her master studies in International Law and relations at ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Law Faculty “Iustinianus Primus” Skopje.

Pavlina is active in civil society sector from 2008 when she was employed as a Legal adviser in Helsinki Committee for human rights in the Republic of Macedonia. Pavlina has working experience of Youth projects’ management, projects for promotion of human rights, transparency and accountability of Municipalities. She also worked as a trainer for human rights, strategic and project management, lobbing and advocacy, participation of citizens in democratic process.

In November 2011 she joined the team of CIRa, and works as Project Grand officer in Program ‘CIVICA Mobilitas’ financially supported by SDC. Pavlina is providing support in coordination and monitoring of grants’ implementation; providing technical assistance; organizing and coordinating the tender process; maintaining and updating archive for grantees, ensuring regular communication and coordination with grantees.

Ruzica Slavkova, Financial administrative assistant

Ruzica finished high school “Josip Broz Tito“ with profession– Secretary. Ruzica has worked in the NGO Polio Plus in 2003, as secretary of the journal “Vulcan“.

Since 2006 , Ruzica is employed in CIRA and her duties are related with administrative-financial affairs. Among other tasks she often provides logistical support to the teams within the organization.

Srdzan Amet, Programme Coordinator

Srdzan Amet is a graduated lawyer and currently he is attending postgraduate studies on EU Institutions and Policy, on the TEMPUS Programme at the Faculty of Law, Justinian the First - Skopje.

He joined CIRa in 2005, as an Assistant Trainer within the Programme "Strengthening capacities of Roma NGOs and Roma Business Community".

At present, he works as a Programme Coordinator. Srdzan is responsible for coordination and monitoring of the grant implementation and ensuring technical assistance and mentoring of the grantees of the CIVICA Mobilitas Programme. Also he coordinates the Project "Preparing Roma high school students to enroll in Medicine faculties in the Republic of Macedonia" and implementation of Component 5 "Alternative tourism and cultural inheritance" within the Project for Decentralised Cooperation between Lower Normandy and the Republic of Macedonia. Srdzan is also involved in project planning and development as well as provision of capacity building interventions.

Svetlana Milenkova, Senior Grant Programme Manager

Svetlana Milenkova, BA, Pedagogical Faculty, joined CIRa in august 2005 and works as a Senior Grant Programme Manager. She has the overall responsibility for the management of the Civil Society Support Programme ‘CIVICA Mobilitas’ financially supported by SDC. She ensures that the Programme’s aims and objectives are being met as well as oversees the expenditure of the funds and the grants assessments of the Programme Officers. Svetlana manages and assesses the work of the Programme Team and oversees the entire CSSF grants process. Within the Programme, she is also responsible for grant assessments, monitoring and evaluation and for conducting site visits and liaising with grantees as well as provision of capacity building interventions to grantees.

Svetlana has extensive experience in conducting organizational needs assessment as well as providing capacity building interventions such as training, consultancy, facilitation and mentoring in the field of institutional development and organizational strengthening for different domestic and international institutions and organizations in Macedonia and abroad.

She also worked as a Training Expert on Human Resources Management with VNG International on Training and Capacity Building Project for Macedonian Local Self-Government Institutions and as a Trainer/Consultant of the USAID Judicial Reform Implementation Project.

Currently, she is attending post graduate studies in Human Resources Management at the Faculty of Philosophy, Skopje.

Vaska Draskovic, Community Development Manager

Vaska Draskovic joined CIRa in April 2006. She is graduated psychologist and postgraduate specialist in Social work in Health.

As Community Development Manager she is responsible in managing activities related to community development programs and implementation of citizens participation models as supporting of institutional and organizational development.

She has more than19 years working experience in national and international organizations on implementation and development of programs that treated and covered different social issues and society areas (mental health prevention and assistance, treatment and prevention of drug abusing, work with marginalized groups and their reintegration in the society, human trafficking, citizens participative models, community development etc.).

Zoran Bogdanovski, Institutional Development Manager

Zoran Bogdanovski is one of the CIRa founders. Previously, he has worked for the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) as Coordinator for the Youth Program.

Zoran is Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, and presently he is completing his master studies in Management, at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje. His career consists of ten years of work in development programs in Macedonia, in the area of development of civil organizations, Government institutions and local authorities, strategic and project management, youth issues, philanthropy and mobilizing local resources, advocacy and lobbying, citizens’ participation, organizing campaigns and problem solutions in local communities.

In CIRa, Zoran is in charge of the CIRa Capacity Building Program and as part of his duties, he has been running the capacity building activities for organizations and institutions, which involve designing and implementing programs for institutional and organizational development, as well as providing consultancy services, mentorship and trainings for government institutions on central and local level, civil society organizations and international organizations and institutions for organizational strengthening and institutional development. Within the CIVICA Mobilitas Program, he is responsible for the Institutional Grants Program where he has been providing technical support and supporting its creation and implementation, as well as organizing capacity building activities for grantees.

Zoran Stojkovski, Executive Director

Zoran Stojkovski is Executive Director of the Center for Institutional Development-CIRa, responsible for overall management of the organization and 17 staff. He has extensive experience in managing and providing consultation, facilitation and training services in the field of institutional development and organizational sustainability as well as in philanthropy and CSR development area for many organizations, institutions and companies in Macedonia and SEE.

He believes that vibrant and sustainable civil society in the countries in transition can be achieved only if civil society sector is seriously involved in key societal process especially trough mobilization of local resources (people, funds and information) for addressing local problems and needs. In the past he has been working as Project Manager for USAID Democracy Network Program (1998-2004) and Local Expert for Training and Mentoring within EAR funded Program for Capacity Building of Networks and Coalitions (2005-2007). As a consultant he has been providing servicesfor various programs funded by EC, USIAD, UNDP, SDC, SIDA, DFID, HIVOS, NOVIB, World Bank etc. Zoran poses Master’s certificate in Donor Development Practices from London Metropolitan University.

Zoran Stefanovski, Director of Finance and Development

Zoran joined CIRa in September 2005 and is responsible for managing and directing the activities of overall organizational finances with emphasis on organizational financial planning, accounting, budget administration, audit preparation, fiscal reporting, treasury functions (including cash management and deposits), bank reconciliations and for performing professional-level financial analysis. He also has the overall responsibility for management of the Development, Philanthropy and CSR Program. He has more than 10 years of experience in provision of capacity buildingservices in the areas of Financial Management, Strategic Planning, Project Cycle Management, Advocacy & Lobbying, Local Resources Mobilization, Fundraising and Financial Sustainability, Human Resources Management, Leadership & Team Building. Currently he is attending post-graduate studies in Management, at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje.

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