About Us
TEAM MEMBERs
The People behind Ave Europa
Our team is larger than what you see here — but these faces represent the passion and dedication that drive everything we do.
Jan Olsen
Strategy Lead, Ave Europa
Jan is a senior executive with more than 30 years’ experience as CTO, VP and Managing Director. He has co-founded and managed high-growth start-up ventures and built six complete Mobile Core networks for TDC, Vodafone, Du, Etisalat, and STC. He has also built national core internet infrastructure on 3 continents, including sea cables projects and internet service provider networks.
Paul Wenzel
Policy Lead, Ave Europa
Paul co-founded our German Chapter and serves as Head of Policy at Ave Europa. He brings experience in media production, communication strategy, and policy development, having managed digital campaigns for clients including a board member of the German Etiquette Society and the Lions Club Germany, as well as social media channels with over 200,000 subscribers. In addition, Paul has advised businesses on branding and digital strategy and is pursuing an M.A. in Media & Communication.
Andrea Baruffini
Finance Lead, Ave Europa
Andrea Baruffini is a Franco-Italian national living near Paris. He co-founded Ave Europa and is now contributing to the creation of our French group and heading our Finance & Fundraising Team. He is particularly interested in defense issues, as well as Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy.
Daniel Silva
Marketing Lead, Ave Europa
Daniel is a dual-national relationship director with over 20 years of experience in marketing, primarily in pharmaceuticals and energy. Having lived across Europe and holding a degree in Business Communications and an MA in Political Strategy, he combines deep sector expertise with a strategic understanding of European institutions and international relations.
Andrei Ciocîrlan
Internal Comms Lead, Ave Europa
Ambitious economics student with strong Accounting background, proven leadership, and adaptability. Skilled in communication, teamwork, and able to thrive in dynamic environments.
Vilius Kasatkinas
Founder, National Chapters Lead,
Ave Europa
Vilius became active in politics at a young age, where exposure to diverse views shaped his strong euro-federalist stance. He founded a youth federalist NGO in Lithuania, was offered work as a local assistant to an MEP, and, seeing no European right-wing federalist movement to join, initiated Ave Europa.
Sven van Kooten
Legal Lead, Ave Europa
Sven is Legal & HR Lead of Ave Europa. He works with precision, making sure documents and agreements are correct, clear and applicable. His earlier experience in Legal support, sales, customer service and the cultural sector strengthened his ability to communicate clearly and explain complex information.
Fred van Schaik
Fundraising Lead, Ave Europa
Fred van Schaik is a senior executive and engineer with extensive experience in the European built environment. He combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial thinking and hands-on leadership.
In addition, as Head of Fundraising and Outreach, he focuses on building a sustainable financial foundation and developing strong partnerships that create long-term stability and meaningful impact.
Jovan Jovanovic
Head of PR, Ave Europa
Chairman, Austrian Chapter
Jovan is CEO and co-founder of Nova Mundi and former Salzburg Hub Curator of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community. With a background in law, investment advisory, finance and assurance, he now builds adaptive AI agents that automate accounting, audit and compliance workflows, freeing professionals for higher-value strategic work.
Tim Winterling
Head of Social Media, Ave Europa
Chairman, German Chapter
Tim Winterling co-founded and leads the German Chapter of Ave Europa. He is a university student of Political Science and Economics at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich, Germany. Alongside his academic studies, he has held multiple working student positions in the field of Human Resources.
Diego Garcia Weber
Board member, German Chapter
Diego is a Belgian-Spanish-German engineer living in Munich and who co-founded and is active in the Germany Chapter of Ave Europa. As an engineer, Diego likes to discuss energy and industrial policy, with a focus on pragmatic solutions.
Herkus Senkus
Board Member, Lithuanian chapter
Herkus entered public and political life at a young age through the Young Conservative League, where meeting Vilius redirected his attention firmly toward Europe. He went on to help build a Lithuanian federalist NGO. Today, alongside his work with Ave Europa Lithuania, he studies civil engineering and works as the general manager of a cosmetics wholesale company, grounding political vision in technical knowledge and executive experience.
Pablo Ortiz navarro
Board Member, Spanish Chapter
Pablo brings experience in the healthcare sector, the innovation ecosystem, and public policy, with a particular focus on life sciences, gender and procurement. With an academic background in Biotechnology, Economics, and Management, he currently contributes to Ave Europa’s mission working with both Ave Europa International and the Spanish Chapter.
Riad Mammadov
Caucasus Coordinator
Riad Mammadov is the Caucasus Coordinator at Ave Europa, working to strengthen pro-European cooperation and dialogue across Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. He is the founder of the Eastern Digital Corridor, an analytical platform focused on European integration and regional diplomacy. Riad collaborates with political and civil society actors throughout the South Caucasus to promote democratic values and a shared European future.
George Papatheodorou
Member, Legal & Policy Teams
George has professional experience in both the corporate sector and non-profit organizations. Driven by his interest in eurofederalism, he joined AVE, where he contributes to the Legal and HR Compliance department.
Theodora Bărdeanu-Stoica
Member, Legal Team
A dual-qualified solicitor with eight years of professional experience, she was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2024 and has been a member of the Bucharest Bar since 2015. A well-rounded lawyer passionate about technology, macroeconomics, geopolitics, business, she is a steadfast advocate of the synergic European integration project.
Pau Espelt i Aranda
Member, Policy Team
Pau is studying Political Science in Pompeu Fabra University. He joined Ave Europa through his interest in political theory, geopolitics and europeanism. He is a member of the Policy and Public Relations Teams.
Who we are
Born from the generation that saw Russia invade Ukraine, and Europe not rise to its defence and continue to rely on US assistance: We said ‘enough’. Ave Europa is a pan-European civic and policy movement which arose from the Lithuanian section of the Young European Federalist movement. We are working to strengthen European unity, sovereignty, and democracy.
We are thinkers, reformers, current or former soldiers including some that fought in Ukraine, but most importantly, engaged citizens who believe that Europe’s future must be shaped by its people – united by its civilisation and values, driven by reason, and committed to a shared destiny that needs to be defended, by force if needed.
Our Mission
We aim to renew the European project by building a democratic, federal Europe that safeguards civilisational values, empowers its citizens, and reclaims strategic autonomy in a multipolar world. We support evidence-based policy, civic engagement, and principled but courageous leadership. We aim to build a geostrategically relevant Europe that can defend it’s interests abroad and at home, and remains true to its values.
What We Stand For
From defending freedom of speech to reforming EU institutions, from building European defence to fostering innovation – we stand for a pragmatic but resolute, sovereign, and united Europe. Our Charter and Policy Lab drive concrete proposals for systemic change. We support the process of European unification but are willing to criticise Brussels when it falls short of our expectations and civilisational understanding of what it means to be European and truly united. Unlike other pro-European groups, we do not avoid tackling thorny questions with realism including the energy transition and migration crisis.
Join the Movement
Ave Europa is open to all who believe in the original European ideal. Whether you’re a student, researcher, policymaker, or concerned citizen – your voice matters. Join us to shape the Europe of tomorrow and trace a different course for European integration.
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