Our team is made up of young volunteers from a broad range of diverse academic backgrounds. What brings us all together is the belief that education plays an important role in a sustainable future. We dedicate our time to the YEA Program so that we can make young people aware of current problems and opportunities and to make possible the vision of putting education into practice worldwide.

Billy Batware
UESF President

Billy is the founder and President of UESF and works at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna. Billy is also co-founder of the Regional Academy on the United Nations (RAUN). He has a MA in international security studies and is pursuing his PhD at the University of Vienna.

Kim Kannler
Project Manager

Kim is a PhD researcher in media studies and urban culture at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Before joining UESF, Kim worked with the cultural institute KWI in Essen, the University of Vienna, and Goethe-Institute Osaka, Japan among other assignments. Having gained study and work experience abroad, she hopes to help promote communication and awareness of societal issues by putting education and students at center stage.

Isabella Frey
Programme Coordination
Isabella believes in the power of education. Working for a child-rights organisation she has seen what people are capable of being given the chance to learn, grow and build capacity. She earned two Masters in health care and disaster management. After living abroad she is back home and filled with ideas to make a change for the world, or at least for her two kids.
Tess Landon
Programme Coordinator
Tess has been living in Vienna for 3 years and recently earned her MSc in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. She was involved in education and social policy during her undergrad years at the University of North Carolina and has worked with several local organizations focused on fighting for social justice. She is very excited to combine two of her passions - education and sustainability - with YEA!
Sorcha Rogerson
Communication & Outreach
Sorcha is currently a Masters student in Political Science at the University of Vienna, following her experience studying in the UK and Sweden. As well as working in research and proofreading, she has volunteered her time with groups of children and young people. She is committed to promoting education to empower the next generation.
Sandra Linton Huezo
Communication & Outreach
Sandra is an architectural and interaction designer with a passion for teaching and dedication to providing economic, environmental and moral viability. As someone who hopes to help shape our built environment in her professional work, she enjoys the opportunity to be part of a team that guides young people towards the stewardship of a more sustainable, resilient and vibrant world.
Tamara Peicu
PR & Marketing Coordinator

Tamara is a postgraduate researcher in cultural and regional studies at the University of Vienna and has been active for the better part of the last decade as a teacher and researcher in the area of international and regional development. As a mom and educator, she welcomed the opportunity of being part of a project in education and is committed towards helping shape a new and better future for the next generations.

Esra Böyük
Workshop Coordinator
Esra recently joined the team in the role of workshop coordinator, after completing a Master's in gender studies at the University of Vienna and many gender equality related projects both at the universities and at some organizations.
Raza Niaz
Fundraising
Raza graduated with a Masters in Global Political Economy from the University of Sussex. He speaks four languages and has had the opportunity to live in various countries, mainly developing countries. This has allowed him to gain a thorough understanding of the issues facing these societies and through UESF he hopes to give back to the world.
Elmy Lemus
School and Student Coordination
Elmy Lemus Soriano was born in Mexico City. She holds a PhD in History from UAM-Azcapotzalco, a master’s degree in Contemporary History from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and currently studies a Master in Global Studies at the University of Vienna. She loves travelling almost as much as teaching!
Julia Trautendorfer
School and Student Coordination
Julia is about to (hopefully) finish her graduate studies in International Business at the University of Vienna. During her undergraduate education she had the chance to spend a semester in the United States and also participated in developmental programs in Vietnam, which raised her interest and awareness for educational issues. Besides travelling, she loves coffee, hiking and good movies.