Our Team 

Leanda Barrington-Leach is the Executive Director at 5Rights. Leanda joined 5Rights from the European External Action Service where she was Adviser to the Secretary General focusing on Strategic Communications and the fight against Disinformation. She previously worked in EU advocacy as a consultant and for non-profits, always with a focus on human rights. Leanda volunteers as an Adviser to Plan International, supporting their work on children's rights in EU foreign policy.

Senait Fassil is the Director of Operations at 5Rights. Her role includes oversight of fundraising, partnerships, youth engagement, and operations functions. With an extensive career of over 26 years, she has held senior roles in diverse sectors such as private enterprise, management consultancy, and international development.  She has been involved in strategic leadership, organisational change and development, consolidation, and restructuring. Her previous positions include Executive Director at SIDCA Worldwide and International Alert, along with other senior director roles at AMREF UK, CARE International, TechforTrade, LWF, and Phelps Dodge Corporation.

Beyond her professional realm, Senait is a passionate champion of children's rights in the digital world. She holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA), credentials that complement her professional and personal pursuits. 

Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE is a member of the UNCRC General Comment’s Steering Group. Sonia is Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has published twenty books on media audiences, media literacy, and media regulation, with a particular focus on the opportunities and risks of digital media for children and young people.

Duncan McCann is Head of Accountability at 5Rights. Duncan joined 5Rights from the New Economics Foundation where he led the Digital Economy Programme. Duncan has a legal background as well as a decade working in the tech industry for Cisco Systems.

Tara Nabili works as a consultant Head of Communications for 5Rights. She is a strategic communications expert and writer with a history of working in the media and public relations professions.  An ex-BBC journalist, she's worked principally as a strategic communications adviser to UK central government and, more recently, as a freelance consultant supporting European non-profit organisations. Tara holds a BSc and MSc in Politics and European Policy from Bristol University and speaks English and French.

Nichole Rocha is the Head of US Affairs at 5Rights. Nichole brings with her extensive knowledge of the legislative process and data policy. She joined 5Rights from the California Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee where she served as Chief Consultant.  Prior to that, Nichole was counsel to the California Senate Judiciary Committee.  Nichole received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Berkeley and her Juris Doctor from UC Davis.

Andrea Tognoni is Head of EU Affairs at 5Rights. Andrea is an EU law and foreign policy expert, with extensive experience working on regulatory issues and policy communications at the EU and international levels. Andrea formerly led the trade practice at SEC Newgate EU. He has worked for the EU Delegation to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, as well as with global NGOs and think tanks. A qualified lawyer, Andrea holds a J.D. from Barcelona University, and an LL.M in Public International Law from Leiden University. An Italian native, he speaks English, Spanish and French.

Manon Baert is the EU Advocacy and Policy Officer at 5Rights. She previously worked in EU affairs within a non-profit and a consultancy, with a focus on human rights and sustainability. Manon was also a legal trainee at the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe where she followed the negotiations for EU accession to the ECHR and for the Convention on Artificial Intelligence. She has a background in European Law and International Affairs and speaks fluent French, English and Spanish.

Colette Collins-Walsh is Head of UK Affairs at 5Rights Foundation. She is a public affairs and political communications specialist with extensive experience of building campaigns for major political and corporate institutions. She led on children and education policy for the UK Labour Party’s policy unit at the 2017 general election and joined 5Rights from a leading political advisory firm. She was previously a government spokesperson on children’s policy and holds a master’s degree in political communications from Cardiff University Journalism School.

Carla Sofia Davila is the Partnerships Coordinator at 5Rights Foundation. Carla has a BA in International Studies from Leiden University, an MSc in Human Rights and Politics from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and an MA in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Tel Aviv University. She had an international upbringing, is fluent in English and Spanish, and speaks Hebrew and Arabic.

Alexandra joins the 5Rights Foundation as a Consultant having previously been its Chief of Strategy. She has worked at TikTok (Director of Safety Public Policy, Europe) and at the British Board of Film Classification (Policy Director). Before specialising in child online safety policy, Alexandra was a solicitor in Mishcon de Reya's Public Advocacy team.

Marie-Ève Nadeau is International Advocacy Officer at 5Rights. She joined the team in 2021 with her strong experience advocating for human rights at the FIDH, the International Federation for Human Rights, and volunteering at the UNDP's environmental governance program. She has a background in human rights and European Union policy. Originally from Canada, Marie-Ève has lived in several countries and is fluent in English, Spanish, and French and she is currently learning Dutch.

Reece Parslow is UK Public Affairs Officer at 5Rights Foundation. He has previously worked in the UK Parliament, having worked for members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords as a Parliamentary Assistant. He has a background in parliamentary and legislative affairs, graduating from the University of Hull with a BA in British Politics and Legislative Studies.

Liz Rivers is the Office Manager at 5Rights. Liz joined the team in June 2023, coming from a large independent school where she led the Admissions team. Liz has a management background and many years of leading teams.

Kaine Senkumba is 5Rights Foundation’s Youth Engagement Coordinator. He has a background of developing children’s empowerment through education, sports, and therapeutic practices and designing educational programs and sports initiatives.

Marisa Shea is the US Senior Policy Manager at 5Rights. Marisa brings with her extensive knowledge of the legislative process and children and youth policy. She joined 5Rights from the California Senate Human Services Committee where she served as Chief Consultant.  Prior to that, Marisa was counsel to the California Senate Judiciary Committee, and a Policy Advocate for the California Court Appointed Special Advocates Association.  Marisa received her Bachelor of Science degree from Cazenovia College and her Juris Doctor from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Ray Tomlinson is the Communications Intern at 5Rights Foundation. He’s previously worked as a Social Impact Researcher for Medialab UK, and as a writer for Release’s online news platform, TalkingDrugs. He holds a BSC in Politics from Cardiff University and an MSc in International Development from the University of Manchester.

Nicola White is the Executive Assistant to Baroness Kidron. She was a part of the production team for the film, Victoria & Abdul (produced by Kidron), and has been involved in 5Rights since its inception in 2014. Previously, she worked at Tiger Aspect Productions.