Lea Sofia Simonsen

Lea Sofia Simonsen brings 15 years of hands-on experience in international development and humanitarian sectors, with a track record of leading complex, cross-border projects and forging strong partnerships across cultures and sectors. Raised in the Global South within a UN family, Lea combines a deep global perspective with academic credentials including a BA in International Relations from Colgate University (USA) and a MA in International Development from Roskilde University (Denmark). 

Lea has worked extensively with UN agencies, NGOs, and multilateral organizations on programme design, strategic governance, change management, and intercultural collaboration. Her expertise and interests includes advancing gender equality, youth empowerment, and social inclusion – core priorities for the international development agenda. She has led international expansions and organizational transformation processes that have enhanced fundraising capacity, fostered effective multi-stakeholder collaboration, and promoted sustainable operational models. 

With a systemic approach to organizational development, Lea excels at aligning diverse stakeholders – governments, civil society actors, donors, and communities – around shared objectives in politically complex environments. Her work is characterized by an ability to navigate multicultural settings and drive results in mission-driven organizations. 

Committed to continuous professional growth, Lea has completed a Diploma in Leadership to further strengthen her capacity for driving positive change and development. 

Lea’s areas of specialization include:

• Change Management: Proven ability to lead large-scale organizational change, particularly in integrating gender- and youth-focused approaches into institutional frameworks. 
• Political and Organizational Governance: Strong contributions to strategic decision-making processes, emphasizing gender- and youth-sensitive governance. 
• Stakeholder & Partnership Management: Skilled in managing relationships with stakeholders across politically complex and multicultural settings, ensuring gender and youth considerations are integrated into programming. 
• Programme & Project Management: Extensive experience managing large, multi-country programmes with a focus on gender equality, youth inclusion, and governance, ensuring compliance and successful delivery across diverse regions. She played a pivotal role in launching gender-sensitive humanitarian volunteering projects, which addressed gender disparities in crisis situations and is well-versed in Feminist Leadership Principles. 
• International & Multicultural Experience: Rich experience working in regions such as Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, coupled with personal and professional insight gained from growing up in a UNDP family in the Global South. 
• High-Level Management Experience: Proven experience supporting top leadership and contributing to strategic governance, with a focus on gender- and youth-focused strategies. 
• Human Resources & Capacity Building: Lea’s HR expertise spans recruitment, staff training, and organizational development. Her work in talent assessment (TMA analysis), staff motivation, and capacity building in cross-cultural teams has led to the successful enhancement of organizational capacities.