«We are committed to giving children a good education and facilitating intercultural understanding.»
Urs Karl Egger
Chief Executive Officer
Staff
Allow us to introduce ourselvesOur staff consists of approximately 90 employees in Switzerland and twelve countries around the world who take a dedicated, compassionate stance towards children and youths. Get to know our teams.
Management Board
Modern and sustainable 
«Our education programmes are aimed at today’s multicultural society in Switzerland.»
Damian Zimmermann
Director of Programme Switzerland
Member of the Management Board
«I am pleased that we are able to represent the Swiss humanitarian tradition.»
Miriam Zampatti
Director of International Programmes
Member of the Management Board
«I attach great importance to the transparent and sustainable allocation of resources.»
Daniel Ambord
Director of Support Services
Member of the Management Board
«I would like to extend my warmest thanks to our benefactors for their generosity.»
Thomas Witte
Director of Marketing and Communications
Member of the Management Board
«We offer interesting jobs with attractive employment conditions in a multi-cultural environment.»
Conny Pöltinger Zwicker
Director of Human Resources
Advisory Member of the Management Board
Switzerland
Culture and dialogue at the Children’s Village
«Intercultural encounters are unforgettable experiences for children and youths.»
Monika Bont
Manager of the Swiss Intercultural Exchange
Would you like to participate in a project with your class or group?
+ 41 71 343 73 61
m.bont@pestalozzi.ch
«The exchange teaches youths the norms and values of other cultures.»
Susan Schellknecht
Manager of the European Intercultural Exchange
«My team and I give children a voice by running the radio station.»
Florian Karrer
Manager of the Child and Youth Radio
Would you like to participate in a radio project with your class or group?
+41 71 343 73 45
f.karrer@pestalozzi.ch
International
Education across four continents
«Our child-friendly books improve reading and writing skills.»
Lucia Winkler
Programme Director East Africa
Do you have any questions or suggestions about our work in East Africa?
l.winkler@pestalozzi.ch
«The schoolbooks we produce improve education for children and teachers alike.»
Serapia Minja
Country Representative of Tanzania
s.minja@pestalozzi.ch
«We embed traditions and pastoralist culture into our education projects.»
Mehret Tesfay
Country Representative of Ethiopia
m.tesfay@pestalozzi.ch
«We enable children in our refugee camps to go to school regularly.»
Brigit Burkard
Programme Director South East Asia
Do you have any questions or suggestions about our work in South East Asia?
b.burkard@pestalozzi.ch
«An organised school life enables children to forget some of the terrible things they experienced while fleeing.»
Swe Swe Myint
Country Representative of Myanmar/Burma
s.myint@pestalozzi.ch
Ounkham Souksavanh
Country Representative of Laos
o.souksavanh@pestalozzi.ch
«Thanks to the project, the children can attend school, and the indigenous culture and knowledge are preserved.»
Suraporn Suriyamonton
Country Representative of Thailand
s.suriyamonton@pestalozzi.ch
«We build bridges between children from different cultural backgrounds.»
Argine Nahapetyan
Programme Director South East Europe
Do you have any questions or suggestions about our work in South East Europe?
a.nahapetyan@pestalozzi.ch
«Traumatised children need our support.»
Natalia Balta
Country Representative of Moldova
n.balta@pestalozzi.ch
«Knowing its own rights it’s essential for a child to have a self-determined life.»
Slavica Kijevcanin
Country Represantative of Serbia
s.kijevcanin@pestalozzi.ch
«Joint lessons for Macedonian and Albanian children help to eliminate these prejudices.»
Azbija Memedova
Country Representative of Macedonia
«We offer alternative education programmes to keep youths out of criminal gangs.»
Gisela Wattendorff
Programme Director Central America
Do you have any questions or suggestions about our work in Central America?
g.wattendorf@pestalozzi.ch
«The project is improving both the quality of the teaching and the education system as a whole.»
Marie Dermont
Country Representative of Guatemala
m.dermont@pestalozzi.ch
«Our leisure activities offer a safe environment for youths whose everyday lives are dominated by violence.»
Florencia Garcia
Country Representative of El Salvador
f.garcia@pestalozzi.ch
«Our projects enable perspectives afar from violence and poverty.»
Magda Sofia Perez
Country Representative of Honduras
m.perez@pestalozzi.ch
Support Services
Cultivating Swiss tradition
«For me, the Children’s Village is a place which is vibrant on an international scale.»
Karianne Christensen
Director of Property Services
«Running a Children’s Village is not easy by any means. But it is wonderful all the same.»
Andreas Müller
Head of Technical Services
«When you visit a Children’s Village, you truly experience the work of the Foundation.»
Denise Martenet Perone
Director of Hospitality Services
«The kitchen team and I are responsible for providing meals for the children all year round.»
Hans Inauen
Head of Kitchen
«We make sure that our guests feel right at home.»
Sonja Graf
Head of Housekeeping Services
Marketing and Communications
Transparent and practicalThe Marketing and Communications Department maintains close relationships with the Foundation's benefactors. The donations ensure that we are able to carry out our projects in Switzerland and around the globe. We share the achievements and results of our work in a transparent manner.
«I will be happy to offer you my services as a media representative for research purposes.»
Remo Schläpfer
Media and Communications Manager
Tel +41 71 343 73 31
Mobile +41 76 440 73 31
r.schlaepfer@pestalozzi.ch
«Your commitment creates extraordinary education opportunities for children all-over the world. Thanks!»
Franziska Juch
Donors Relations Manager
«Our commitment to helping children is ensured for the long term thanks to our strong partnerships.»
Andreas B. Müller
Project Partnerships Manager
«Professional planning, implementation and reporting. This is what our Foundation stands for.»
Csaba Antal
Institutional Partnerships Manager
«Our countless benefactors deserve a huge thank you.»
Christin Eugster
Direct Marketing Manager
