Lala Zinkevych joined the Basel Institute in October 2024 as Programme Manager.

As a programme and policy specialist with expertise in governance, human rights, sustainable development and gender equality, Lala has managed programmes for a wide range of international development partners.

Prior to joining the Basel Institute, Lala worked for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as a Programme Coordinator, managing large protection and recovery projects in Ukraine. As a Policy Adviser, she informed gender and human rights policies and contributed to Ukraine’s Recovery Plan and EU accession efforts. She also provided analytical input to high-profile research, including the World Bank’s Ukraine Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, and partnered with Ukraine’s state-owned enterprises and the private sector to promote compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals and non-discrimination policies.

Previously, Lala served as a Senior Programme Officer at the National Democratic Institute, fostering inclusive political participation and building the capacity of human rights organisations. She also worked as a Policy Consultant for the World Bank’s Governance Global Practice in Washington, D.C., focusing on anti-corruption and justice sector reform in the South Caucasus. From 2015 to 2018, Lala supported governance, information security, anti-corruption and defence reforms as a member of the Reforms Office of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. She has also held consultancy roles in the corporate sector, developing corporate social responsibility and public affairs strategies.

Lala holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Oxford. She was a Fulbright Humphrey Fellow in Public Policy at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where she received a Graduate Certificate in the Leadership of International and Non-Governmental Organisations.