Corporate Development

Isalyne Coûteaux

Director of Corporate Development - isalyne.couteaux@baastel.com

Isalyne (Master 2 in International Economics and Development, Brussels) is a director of corporate development. She joined Baastel’s Europe team in May 2016 and since September 2018 has been working from Baastel’s Canadian office in Gatineau. Before joining Baastel, she worked for more than two years in Brussels at the Lunt Foundation, an organization that promotes social entrepreneurship. She took part in the creation and development of the Foundation, and managed project development and monitoring. A passionate traveler, Isalyne has spent several months working with a development NGO in Peru, as well as working on a small farm in Canada. She speaks fluent French and English and has good knowledge of Dutch and Spanish.

Oriane Althaus

Project Manager - oriane.althaus@baastel.com

Oriane (BA in English-German Translation; Master’s in Population and Development Sciences) joined the Corporate Development Team in Brussels in April 2019 after working for three and a half years in Haiti as an administrative, financial, and project manager in a local orphanage supported by international donors. Before that, she worked in a cultural center in Belgium and held internships in Benin and Italy. In Benin, she participated in project design activities for APEFE. In Italy, she worked at the ILO International Training Centre in the translation unit and in the International Labour Standards, Labour Rights and Gender Equality Programme. She speaks French, English, German and Haitian Creole and has an intermediate knowledge of Italian.

Amelie Willaerts

Project Manager - amelie.willaerts@baastel.com

Amelie (MA in Population and Development Studies) joined the Corporate Development team of Baastel in 2021. Based in Brussels, she supports the environment division with the preparation of technical proposals and the management of consultancy mandates. Since the end of her studies, she has been working for consultancy companies engaged in international cooperation in the fields of agriculture, environment and energy; where she became familiar with international financing institutions procurement procedures (EU, WB, AfDB, ADB, AFD, UN…). She also worked as an intern in the European parliamentary committee of Development and the ACP-EU Joined Parliamentary Assembly. Amelie is fluent in French, English and Polish and has some basic knowledge of Spanish.

Cristina Rodríguez

PROJECT MANAGER CRISTINA.RODRIGUEZ@BAASTEL.COM

Cristina is based in Brussels and works as a project manager in the environmental team. After studying law in Spain, she worked as a project manager for several NGOs in different countries, including France and Senegal. She has gained solid experience in project management in the non-profit sector, both at the European level (AMIF, Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, etc.) and locally, as well as in social and solidarity economy and development cooperation. She has worked on several themes, including social inclusion, democratic participation, gender equality, migrant rights, youth, sustainable development, and European affairs. Cristina also has experience in partnership management, team management and communications. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and French.

Lora Blondel

Project Manager

Lora joined the Baastel team as a project manager in the environment division in 2023. She holds a Master's degree in Communication, Culture and Institutions from Sciences Po Lyon and a degree in Law, Economics and Management. Following experience as a project officer at the town hall in the 18th arrondissement of Paris and a number of voluntary commitments to social and environmental justice, she joined the corporate development department based in Brussels. With the help of her team, she develops proposals for mandates for environmental experts, participates in the technical and financial monitoring of projects and develops Baastel's client portfolio. She is fluent in French and English and has a basic knowledge of Spanish.

Daniela Freire

Financial Assistant

Daniela ( Bachelor of Economics Honours with a Concentration in Economic Theory and Natural Resources Environment and Economy) Joined the Baastel team in 2023 as a financial assistant. She also supports the Environmental, Social and Economic Divisions. Before joining Baastel, she acquired experience in sales, management, and administrative services. She is fluent in Spanish and English.

Farah Mimmi

Project Manager

Farah (BA in Political Science and double M.A in International Relations with a focus on Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, and in Business and Management) joined Baastel's Corporate Development team in December 2023, where she supports the Socio-economic Division. She has previously worked as a project manager for a Montreal-based women's rights organization, contributing to capacity-building efforts by implementing a new governance model from an intersectional feminist and anti-oppressive perspective. She has also worked as an advocacy officer for a non-profit organization in Brussels, advocating for equality and the rights of women from minority backgrounds to Belgian politicians, parliamentarians, and responsible ministers. Farah has gained field experience in peacebuilding in Israel/Palestine and economic development in Indonesia. She is fluent in French and English and has intermediate knowledge of Arabic and Dutch.

Mélisa Lavoie

Project Manager

Mélisa (MSc International Development & Humanitarian Action; MBA Strategic Project Management; BBA Business Administration) joined Baastel in 2024 with over 20 years' experience in various sectors in Africa, Latin America and North America, notably in international development and renewable energies. Her skills include project management, among them monitoring and evaluation and project planning, crisis management, strategic partnership development and sustainable development practices. She holds certifications in Humanitarian Disaster Response and Strategic Project Management and is fluent in French, English and Spanish, with a basic understanding of Russian.

Alba Sanchez-Ruiz

Project Manager

Alba (BA in International Studies and Master’s in International Cooperation) is based in Brussels and joined the Corporate Development team of Baastel in 2024 to support the Results-Based Management (RBM) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) division. Alba has extensive experience in international cooperation, managing projects and market development for various consulting firms in Madrid. Her work has covered a range of areas, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E), capacity building, knowledge management, trade, market access, public administration, sustainability and climate change. She has notably worked as a programme officer at the European Commission's directorate-general for international partnerships, leading the development of a data mangement tool and implementing knowledge management and knowledge sharing activities. Alba is fluent in Spanish and English and has a solid knowledge of French.

Claudia Turton

Project Manager

Claudia (BA in International Relations, MA in International Cooperation) joined Baastel's Corporate Development team in 2025 as Project Manager for the Environment Unit. She has extensive experience in climate resilience and development projects, working with national governments (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, México), donors and agencies such as KOICA, UICN, WFP, GCF, FAO and GIZ. Specializing in stakeholder engagement across public, private, and NGO sectors, Claudia has held advisory roles with the Jesuit Refugee Service HQ (Rome) and Open Learning Exchange (USA) and served as a Corporate Sustainability Advisor at CentraRSE in Guatemala. Fluent in Spanish and English, with good knowledge of Italian, she is passionate about strengthening livelihoods while preserving ecosystems in a globally interconnected world.