A lawyer by training, specialized in the evaluation of public policy, Alenka carried out her studies in Lausanne, Geneva, Berlin and Paris. She benefits from many years of experience in strategy and innovation consulting for large companies, foundations and various public entities. Together with Danny Bürkli she supervises the activities and partnerships of the staatslabor and is responsible for strategy and development. Alenka is particularly interested in issues of citizen participation, innovation culture, and service and public policy design.

Danny studied political science in Zurich, Geneva and the USA. After his studies he worked in Berlin for a leading international strategy consultancy. He was part of the founding team of the Centre for Public Impact, a global organization dedicated to effective government. He helped establish and grow the organization as part of its leadership team. Danny has a keen interest in complex systems theory and in emerging public administration paradigms. He jointly leads the staatslabor team together with Alenka Bonnard.

After studying law in Zurich, Montpellier and Lausanne, Nicola co-founded and presided over the leading Swiss foreign policy think tank foraus for ten years. He is a moderator and counsels various government departments, international organizations and foundations on their innovation processes. In addition, he presides over Science et Cité, is board member of Akademien Schweiz, member of the Swiss UNESCO Commission and politically active. As president of the staatslabor, Nicola contributes to staatslabor's strategy and content and is particularly interested in the societal impact of public innovation

A political scientist specialized in economics and European law, Maximilian co-founded and directed several think tanks and organizations which are part of today's Swiss national political landscape. Currently based in Zurich, he offers counsel on their innovation strategy to a variety of clients in Switzerland and abroad, while also participating in numerous non-profit projects. At staatslabor, he is in charge of various key projects and deals with strategic issues. Maximilian is particularly interested in the digitalization of democratic processes.

Ivo studied International Economics in Paris, Geneva, and St. Gallen and has specialised in energy markets, climate policy, and sustainable digitalisation strategies. Amongst others, he has worked for the OECD and ETH. He’s a co-founder of the grassroots think tanks foraus and Argo. In the scope of his work for staatslabor, Ivo is particularly interested in how the public sector can leverage the collective intelligence of its employees as well as of the residents of Switzerland to tackle complex political and social challenges.

Dario Meloni studied psychology and sociology in Zurich, Bern and Amsterdam. He has several years of experience in advising corporations and the public administration, especially in the field of behavioural sciences. Before his role as a consultant, he worked in the federal administration and at ETH Zurich. Dario is particularly interested in how public administrations can align their services, processes and policies to the needs of citizens and society.

Alana studied International Affairs in St. Gallen and Canada. In addition to her studies, she was involved in a student association that promotes sustainability in business and management. Now, after completing her Bachelor's degree, she would like to apply the knowledge she acquired. Alana is particularly interested in regional integration processes and Switzerland's relationship with the European Union. In addition, she is fascinated by issues of asylum and migration policy.

Sabine Zeilinger studied communication and sociology in Zurich, has a master's degree in corporate communication and is currently completing a mediation training. She has many years of experience in communication, transformation, leadership and has worked on various major projects with complex issues and numerous stakeholders for NGOs, the Swiss government and the Swiss Post. Most recently, she worked as Head of Communication and member of the Executive Board at the Swiss Red Cross. She is interested in new collaboration and leadership models and topics such as diversity & inclusion, equality, sustainability and transformation.

Dimitria is a political scientist by training. She studied in Constance, Brussels, Waterloo/ Canada, and Pavia. Before joining the staatslabor, she interned at the European Parliament, and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Furthermore, Dimitria consulted for Global Affairs Canada as part of her studies in Canada. She aims at breaking up institutional silos, designing public processes as efficiently as possible, as well as making them impact- and purpose-driven for users, such as citizens.

Milena Rutz studied psychology at the Universities of Bern and Basel and has been applying her expertise to a wide variety of innovation and digital projects for over 15 years. Her experience from working in a idea factory, a digital agency and the scientific university context, as well as her methodological know-how, form the foundation for her multifaceted consulting and innovation work at staatslabor. Milena Rutz is on fire for the design of digital products, innovation processes and collaboration.

Following a Bachelor’s degree at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne which took her to Indonesia, Hong Kong and India, Mahé studied Sustainable Development at the University of Basel. In parallel to her studies, she gained professional experience in hotel management, theater, and academic research. Mahé is passionate about the sustainable transition of society. She is eager to contribute to this transition with innovative, transversal, and collaborative solutions.

Céline studied sociology and law in Zurich and Lausanne. She has several years of experience as a project manager and process manager in the federal administration, as well as a project manager in market research and social research. It is important to her that the public administration aligns its services with the needs of Swiss residents and that it operates in a transparent and efficient manner.

Lisa studied communication and media research and sociology in Zurich and information and knowledge management in Sydney. During her studies, she had the opportunity to work in journalism and marketing and to gain experience as a project assistant, among other roles. After graduation, she worked in the Swiss Federal Administration and at ETH Zurich. There she worked on inter- and transdisciplinarity and the Swiss science-policy interface. Beyond this, she is especially interested in policy development and the advancement of digital solutions.

Lynn studied International Relations and International Security in St. Gallen, Paris and London. She has several years of experience as a project manager in Switzerland and abroad and has also worked in the Federal Administration. Lynn is interested in change and development processes and enjoys accompanying a variety of organizations in these. She finds it particularly exciting to try out new tools and methods and to learn new things in the process.

Carla studied International Relations in Lucerne, Basel and Oslo with a focus on security policy and international law. During her studies, she was able to gain initial experience as a project assistant and social media manager at the NZZ Mediengruppe. After her studies, Carla also worked in the federal administration. Carla is particularly interested in the application of emerging technologies, breaking down silo thinking and increasing efficiency in the federal administration.

After graduating with a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen, Giulia pursued her Master in Leadership and Organizational Psychology in Oslo and Rome. Parallel to her studies, Giulia worked as an intern at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and in a strategy consulting company. She is interested in organizational development, ethics, and social justice. 

Caroline studied International Affairs in St. Gallen and Canada. Alongside her studies, she gained experience in project management  and communication, working in management consulting and economic development.  During her internship, Caroline  wants to get a better understanding of the workings of public administration and contribute to fostering its innovative power and proximity to its citizens.

Fabienne is completing her Bachelor in Hospitality Management at the EHL Hospitality Business School. In addition to her studies, she was involved as Vice President in the Sustainability Committee of the EHL campus. Fabienne is interested in social justice and human rights, as well as technologies that help reduce environmental impacts and social inequalities.