Management
Tobias Meilicke (executive director)
Tobias Meilicke studied Political Science, Islamic Studies, and Sociology in Erlangen, Istanbul, and Cairo. Between 2015 and 2020, he established the Prevention and Counseling Center against Religiously Motivated Extremism in Schleswig-Holstein (PROvention) and led it until his departure. During this time, he continually expanded his knowledge of counselling and therapy approaches and completed further training in systemic individual, couples, and family therapy. Additionally, he is a trained specialist according to § 8a SGB VIII, experienced in child protection, as well as an anti-violence and de-escalation trainer. Currently, he is undergoing a four-year, part-time training to become a Gestalt therapist (2020 – 2024). Since January 2021, he has been leading the veritas project - the counselling centre for people affected by conspiracy narratives – in Berlin and also the training series "Confident in therapy and worldview questions" (SIT).
Kim Lisa Becker (deputy executive director)
Kim Lisa Becker studied Sociology and Psychology in Jena, as well as Migration and Diversity with a focus on Turkey and the Middle East in Kiel. From 2017 to 2020, she worked at the Turkish Community in Schleswig-Holstein e.V., serving as a counsellor in the Prevention and Counseling Center against Religiously Motivated Extremism (PROvention). She established the Specialist and Information Center on Turkish Ultranationalism (Diyalog) and led the center Liberi, which focused on children growing up in Salafist-influenced families. In addition to further training in systemic counseling and coaching (DGSF), Kim Lisa Becker is trained as a specialist according to § 8a SGB VIII, experienced in child protection. She currently leads the qualification course "Ideological and Extremism Officers" (WelEx).
Nicole Apel (deputy executive director/administration)
Nicole Apel is a trained retail saleswoman and certified business administrator. She worked in retail for nearly 20 years, managing numerous teams and several supermarket branches with annual revenues in the high single-digit millions. During this time, she also acquired a trainer certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and trained individuals in various professions. In 2021, she followed her passion into the field of extremism prevention, where she took on administrative leadership roles for various projects. Since July 2022, she has been a board member of the newly founded Interdisciplinary Center for the Prevention of Radicalization and Promotion of Democracy (IZRD e.V.) and is actively supporting the development of our nonprofit organization.
Team
S.W. (staff member at veritas and project Lead in the training course on child protection & extremism)
S.W. studied Empirical Cultural Studies, Sociology, as well as Migration and Diversity. She has also completed further training as a systemic counsellor (DGSF) and is a trained specialist according to § 8a SGB VIII, experienced in child protection. S.W. has been active in political education work for over five years. From 2019 to 2022, she worked at cultures interactive e.V. as a project coordinator and leader in the prevention of group-focused enmity, right-wing extremism, and religiously motivated extremism. She designed and conducted training sessions for professionals in youth and social work as well as workshops for young people in school-related contexts. Since 2021, S.W. has been working on the veritas project, advising relatives on dealing with people who believe in conspiracy theories. Additionally, S.W. is the project lead in the training course on Child Protection & Extremism.
Adrian Stuiber (staff member in the qualification course WelEx)
Adrian Stuiber studied Cultural and Media Education. He is also a trained online counsellor against religiously motivated extremism, a mediator, and a specialist according to § 8a SGB VIII, experienced in child protection. From 2017 to 2023, he helped establish the online prevention project streetwork@online (AVP e.V.) and managed various fields there. He also works as a freelance speaker, lecturer, and consultant for various institutions and organisations in German-speaking countries. His core topics include social media as a social space and a potential catalyst for radicalisation processes, identity formation processes, and online street work as an extended approach to outreach youth work and radicalisation prevention. At IZRD, he works as a specialist lecturer in the qualification course for worldview and extremism commissioners (WelEx).
Linda Hasselbusch (staff member in the training course on child protection & extremism)
Linda Hasselbusch studied Psychology with a focus on Social Psychology and did a minor in Law and Justice in the EU in Amsterdam. As part of the research group 'Extreme Beliefs,' she engaged in academic work on the populist use of conspiracy theories by political actors. At the Network for Democracy and Courage (NDC), she is a trained teamer for project days in schools, focusing on tolerance and anti-discrimination. After two internships at IZRD and the Amadeu Antonio Foundation in the competence centre on gender, group-focused enmity, and right-wing extremism, she now works as a staff member in the training course on child protection & extremism.
Jenny Winkler (staff member at veritas and in the qualification course WelEx)
Jenny Winkler studied Social Work in the field of Migration and Refugees as well as psychosocial counselling and conducted research on people leaving religious movements and ideological groups. She also completed further training in online counselling (DGOB) and in questions of religion and worldviews (EZW) and works as a freelance lecturer at EH Berlin. Her career path leading to IZRD has included social work with refugees and distressed relatives, counselling and workshops on dealing with crises and suicidality. Here, she provides counselling at the counselling centre veritas and works as a project staff member in the qualification course for worldview and extremism commissioners (WelEx).
D.N. (Staff Member in the qualification course WelEx)
D.N., a graduate in Social Work, brings extensive expertise in the field of education and cultural management. His experience includes leading educational workshops in various contexts, coordinating and implementing socio-cultural projects, and managing a children's and youth cultural centre. In his last role at Cultures Interactive e.V., he designed training sessions and workshops on strategies for handling conspiracy theories. At IZRD, he works as a specialist lecturer in the qualification course for worldview and extremism commissioners (WelEx).
Joachim Steyer (staff member in the training series on worldviews and extremism (SIT))
Joachim Steyer studied Political Science and Religious Studies, focusing on Islam, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and conspiracy theories. During this time, he completed an internship at IZRD from January to March 2024. Since August 2024, he is a project staff member in the training series on worldviews and Extremism (SIT).
Board
Prof. Dr. Jens Ostwaldt (chairman of the board)
Prof. Dr. Jens Ostwaldt is a Professor of Social Work at the Centre for Radicalisation Research and Prevention (ZRP) at IU – International University in Berlin. His research focuses particularly on prevention work, especially on the intersection of social work and radicalisation prevention, as well as the role of Islamic and migrant associations in prevention efforts. Previously, he led the Specialist Unit for the Prevention of Religiously Motivated Extremism at the Democracy Centre Baden-Württemberg.
Derya Şahan (deputy chair of the board)
Derya Şahan studied Islamic Studies and Religious Studies at the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg. From 1998 to 2016, she was involved in Muslim NGOs, interfaith dialogue, youth work, and women’s work. Since 2016, she has worked at the Specialist Unit for Extremism Prevention and has been leading the FEX at the Democracy Centre Baden-Württemberg since 2023. Her areas of focus include empowerment approaches within the Muslim community, gender narratives in extremist milieus, and anti-racism educational work. Additionally, she has been a member of the SWR Broadcasting Council since 2020.
Mirko Bode (deputy chair of the board)
Mirko Bode has been engaged with the phenomenon of (obscure) conspiracy narratives, fake news, and hate speech for over 20 years. He has been involved voluntarily with various associations and projects related to extremism prevention and has given public lectures on Christian fundamentalism and child welfare in the context of conspiracy theories. Since 2021, he has also been coordinating the self-help group at the counselling centre veritas and supports the project in its work.