Leila Ali
Executive Director
Leila, a social worker and educator, is passionate about international development and human rights. Leila's international experience began as a volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in Kosovo working in the education sector from 2016-2018. Working and living in a local village, Leila worked alongside teachers to develop the best practices in teaching while also successfully implementing a grant to increase the use of technology in the classroom.
Leila holds a BA degree in sociology from Monmouth University during which time she participated in service trips to Haiti, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Following Leila’s Peace Corps experience, Leila returned to Monmouth to obtain her master’s degree in social work.
In 2020, Leila worked with Youth Advocate Programs in Sierra Leone as an international development intern. With a focus on gender equity and education development, Leila developed a year-long curriculum for a girls support and empowerment program to be implemented in local schools. The curriculum was designed to foster self-esteem, help girls maintain authentic connection with peers and adult women in their community, counter trends towards self-doubt, and allow for genuine and safe self-expression through verbal sharing and creative activity. Before returning to Kosova full-time in 2021, Leila worked as the Program Director for STEAMpark, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides youth with academic, social, and emotional support through STEAM-based and Computer Science instructional activities.
Leila’s return to Kosova in 2021 led her to a teaching position in Prishtina and partnerships with local nonprofit organizations on various education-based projects. Leila has loved being a part of the Kosova community since 2016 and spends most of her time waking up with the sun, reading, traveling, going for walks, and appreciating her surroundings (people and nature included)! Leila may be reached at [email protected].
Leila holds a BA degree in sociology from Monmouth University during which time she participated in service trips to Haiti, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Following Leila’s Peace Corps experience, Leila returned to Monmouth to obtain her master’s degree in social work.
In 2020, Leila worked with Youth Advocate Programs in Sierra Leone as an international development intern. With a focus on gender equity and education development, Leila developed a year-long curriculum for a girls support and empowerment program to be implemented in local schools. The curriculum was designed to foster self-esteem, help girls maintain authentic connection with peers and adult women in their community, counter trends towards self-doubt, and allow for genuine and safe self-expression through verbal sharing and creative activity. Before returning to Kosova full-time in 2021, Leila worked as the Program Director for STEAMpark, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides youth with academic, social, and emotional support through STEAM-based and Computer Science instructional activities.
Leila’s return to Kosova in 2021 led her to a teaching position in Prishtina and partnerships with local nonprofit organizations on various education-based projects. Leila has loved being a part of the Kosova community since 2016 and spends most of her time waking up with the sun, reading, traveling, going for walks, and appreciating her surroundings (people and nature included)! Leila may be reached at [email protected].
Almira Ljaic
Experience Associate
Almira contributes to the enhancement of our outreach to university students and university and local partner organizations.. She assists with programmatic and logistical aspects of Isla internship placements, ensuring a smooth and enriching experience for our participants before, during, and after their internship experience..
Almira engaged in local internships during her academic studies giving her the opportunity to build her professional skills She interned on a workforce development project at the U.S. Agency for International Development in Kosovo, . She also participated in several seminars including the Value of Human Rights Education, conducted by the Council of Europe in Slovenia and in the European Innovation Academy’s Young Developers and Entrepreneurs to Advance Start-Ups in the Western Balkans seminar held in Porto, Portugal. In addition, Almira studied abroad as an Erasmus+ scholar at the Instituto Superior De Contabilidade E Administracao DePorto, Portugal. Eager to continue to gain international perspectives, Almira participated in the Prishtina International Summer University at the University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
Almira is a fan of the Friends television show, effortlessly quoting lines from her favorite episodes. She has a passion for travel with Portugal holding a special place in her heart. Almira has embraced a sustainable lifestyle as a vegetarian for the past three years, aligning her commitment to a greener future. We are fortunate to have Almira as an integral part of the Isla team, bringing her unique skills, passion, and dedication to our mission. Almira may be reached at [email protected]
Almira engaged in local internships during her academic studies giving her the opportunity to build her professional skills She interned on a workforce development project at the U.S. Agency for International Development in Kosovo, . She also participated in several seminars including the Value of Human Rights Education, conducted by the Council of Europe in Slovenia and in the European Innovation Academy’s Young Developers and Entrepreneurs to Advance Start-Ups in the Western Balkans seminar held in Porto, Portugal. In addition, Almira studied abroad as an Erasmus+ scholar at the Instituto Superior De Contabilidade E Administracao DePorto, Portugal. Eager to continue to gain international perspectives, Almira participated in the Prishtina International Summer University at the University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
Almira is a fan of the Friends television show, effortlessly quoting lines from her favorite episodes. She has a passion for travel with Portugal holding a special place in her heart. Almira has embraced a sustainable lifestyle as a vegetarian for the past three years, aligning her commitment to a greener future. We are fortunate to have Almira as an integral part of the Isla team, bringing her unique skills, passion, and dedication to our mission. Almira may be reached at [email protected]
Morea Zherka
Marketing Coordinator
Morea graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (AUK) in Kosovo with a double major in Management & Entrepreneurship and Graphic Design & Multimedia, and a minor in English, Morea is a highly enthusiastic, ecstatic even, graphic designer and illustrator, with a driven passion for character design, a good product packaging and presentation freak, and highly skilled in optimizing design for social media and UI/UX design.
As the Isla Marketing Coordinator, she continuously seeks to achieve perfection, while appreciating and finding beauty in imperfection. She is thrilled by challenges and loves working on diverse projects as she can utilize her skills in many different areas. On the side, she is a self-proclaimed “food connoisseur”, who will try any type of food at least once; an open book, friendly, and forever open to new possibilities and experiences; overall, a bundle of joy with high levels of adrenaline more often than not. Morea may be reached at [email protected]
As the Isla Marketing Coordinator, she continuously seeks to achieve perfection, while appreciating and finding beauty in imperfection. She is thrilled by challenges and loves working on diverse projects as she can utilize her skills in many different areas. On the side, she is a self-proclaimed “food connoisseur”, who will try any type of food at least once; an open book, friendly, and forever open to new possibilities and experiences; overall, a bundle of joy with high levels of adrenaline more often than not. Morea may be reached at [email protected]
Kathy Lynch
Isla Founder & CEO
Kathy works at the intersection of education, global development, and social-entrepreneurship, blending her skills and experience to generate sustainable long-term development outcomes. Kathy's international education experience includes study in Ireland, Germany, and the UK, all of which have informed her work in education abroad management positions at the University of Kentucky and Colorado State University. Her experience with sustainable international development began when she served in the Peace Corps in Mali. For two years, she lived in the village of N’Kourala in southern Mali and worked in the agriculture sector, integrating her support of food production with interventions with water, forestry, and health sector programs to advance community development through Peace Corps’ African Food Systems Initiative (AFSI). Through a World Bank ruralization program, Kathy introduced agricultural and appropriate technology techniques to elementary and high school students which led to a continuing education program that included women and farmers in innovative farming and health programs being offered at the school.
Kathy went on to work on the Cochran Fellowship Program’s Poland and Hungary desk at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. She coordinated in-country training programs and U.S. study-tours targeted to private agribusiness professionals, bankers, farmers, cooperatives, and other clients focused on the business skills necessary to work effectively in the new market economy. Next, she served for four years as Country Director of ACDI/VOCA’s Agribusiness Exchange Program, resident in Warsaw, Poland. As her family began to expand, Kathy shifted gears and earned her certification as a Montessori teacher. She went on to serve in a variety of positions, including teacher, mentor, board member, and eventually Director - with schools in Bulgaria, Kosovo, and the United States.
In 2007, Kathy founded Isla, marrying her interests in international education and global development. Over a two-year period, she steered Isla towards a merger with the Foundation for Community Development and Empowerment (FCDE), expanding both the learning and development outcomes. She is delighted to return to return to Isla to provide leadership and growth at an important stage of the organization’s evolution. Kathy holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and an international teaching diploma from Montessori Center International in London, U.K. Kathy may be reached at [email protected]
Kathy went on to work on the Cochran Fellowship Program’s Poland and Hungary desk at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. She coordinated in-country training programs and U.S. study-tours targeted to private agribusiness professionals, bankers, farmers, cooperatives, and other clients focused on the business skills necessary to work effectively in the new market economy. Next, she served for four years as Country Director of ACDI/VOCA’s Agribusiness Exchange Program, resident in Warsaw, Poland. As her family began to expand, Kathy shifted gears and earned her certification as a Montessori teacher. She went on to serve in a variety of positions, including teacher, mentor, board member, and eventually Director - with schools in Bulgaria, Kosovo, and the United States.
In 2007, Kathy founded Isla, marrying her interests in international education and global development. Over a two-year period, she steered Isla towards a merger with the Foundation for Community Development and Empowerment (FCDE), expanding both the learning and development outcomes. She is delighted to return to return to Isla to provide leadership and growth at an important stage of the organization’s evolution. Kathy holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and an international teaching diploma from Montessori Center International in London, U.K. Kathy may be reached at [email protected]
Carl Hammerdorfer
Global Development Advisor
Carl is a valuable advisor to Isla. He discovered his love for global development working as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. In the subsequent 30 years, Carl has led USAID-funded programs in Poland, the Baltics, Kenya, and Kosovo. He was also Chief of Party on a USDA-funded SME investment project in Tanzania and served as Peace Corps Country Director in Bulgaria. Carl’s expertise and interests range from higher-education management to entrepreneurship, SME finance, agriculture/agribusiness, cooperatives, and youth development. Carl has held a number of international positions, including water sanitation consultant in Cote d'Ivoire; VOCA Country Director in Warsaw, Poland; Peace Corps Country Director in Sofia, Bulgaria; SEAF's Chief of Party of Kasi Agriventure investment project; and most recently, World Learning's Chief of Party of US-AID's Transformational Leadership Program and Global Communities Up to Youth Project in Prishtina, Kosovo. In addition to his international work, periodic stints in the United States have allowed Carl to pursue other professional interests:
- Seven years building and leading an Impact MBA in global sustainable entrepreneurship at Colorado State University, earning a #2 global ranking for impact.
- Building an incubator for nationwide purchasing cooperatives in the drywall, roofing, tools and fasteners, and leasing industries.
- Entrepreneurial ventures in advertising, charter air, web-based procurement, and digital afterlife.
