Liana Simmons

Liana is an Osmos expert bringing the network a strong foundation in collaboration and cooperation to empower local and regional organisations and communities.

With a Master’s in Development Management (London School of Economics, UK), Liana has been involved in grass-roots political activism and research across the globe. Over the last two decades, she has covered a range of social and political themes, including gang reconciliation in Honduras, civil-military relations in Argentina, peace and conflict research in South Sudan, and feminist farm cooperatives in Nicaragua. Liana has collaborated with local grassroots and global organisations, including MCC, Oxfam, and the United Nations.

 

Having travelled widely and speaking various languages, Liana is very quick to build personal rapport and empathy with stakeholders in a new context. She is highly adept in connecting theory and practice, moving comfortably between scales of action and impact. She also brings practical leadership, patiently looking for ways to avoid tension and conflict within groups.  

 

Liana has a strong interest in social theory and political activism, particularly applied to local and regional food and agriculture networks. As a small-scale farmer, she actively applies years of consulting experience to strengthen agriculture and a bio-based economy in her community in the Marche. She has published policy reports and books on humanitarian protection, gender and agro-ecology and is the co-author of the new book ‘Political Change through Social Innovation’ (2022).  Liana is currently researching and writing on themes of ‘Citizenship and Social Innovation’ and ‘The Governance of the Landed Commons’. 

Education
  • Master’s in Development Management – London School of Economics
Professional experience
  • Freelance editor and writer.
  • Central America Programme Officer – Oxfam (Belgium BE)
  • Research Coordinator – Wedu Fund (Brussels BE)
  • Monitoring and Evaluating Advisor – PUKAR (Mumbai IN)
  • Project Coordinator Gender Unit – RESDAL (Buenos Aires AR)
  • Gender Consultant – UN World Food Programme (Rome IT)
  • Author (Food Security) – UN World Food Programme (Rome IT)
  • Research Coordinator –Department for International Development (London, UK), Canadian International Development Agency (Canada), International Development Law Organization (Rome, IT)
  • Project Consultant – Peace and Justice Project (Honduras), HOPE International (Dominican Republic)
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Expertise

Language skills

English (native speaker)

Italian (native speaker)

Spanish (fluent speaking and writing)

French (proficient reading and writing)

Liana's insights

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Adrian Hill

Adrian is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for general operations with expertise in production in cities and ecological systems.

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Eric Haas

Eric is a co-founder of the Osmos Network, focused on the organisation’s business development.

Everyone else
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Adrian Hill

Adrian is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for general operations with expertise in production in cities and ecological systems.

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Eric Haas

Eric is a co-founder of the Osmos Network, focused on the organisation’s business development.

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Hanne Van Reusel

Hanne is an Osmos Network partner bringing the team expertise on the commons, participative processes and the development of public space.

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Julia Rocha

Julia is an Osmos collaborator with expertise in visual communications and public space.

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Laurens Van der Cruyssen

Laurens is an Osmos Network partner bringing the network expertise in psychology, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and human-centred design.

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Marco Kooistra

Marco is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for the organisation’s financial management. He brings the network extensive expertise in finance, fiscal strategy, business management and accounting.

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Michael Kaethler

Michael is an Osmos expert bringing the network theoretical and methodological skills to address complex and systemic problems often rooted at an epistemological (knowledge) or ontological (being) level.

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Nienke Schachtschabel

Nienke is an Osmos expert based Amsterdam (NL). She brings the network extensive experience in visual communication, design research and in agro-ecology.

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Stephan Kampelmann

Stephan is a co-founder and expert of the Osmos Network bringing the network practical experience and theoretical knowledge on local economics, resource management and governance within bio-based production chains.

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Toha De Brant

Toha is an Osmos expert bringing the network expertise in anthropology and years of practical experience with community building, advocacy and grass-roots development. As a passionate photographer, she also supports the team with documentation of events.

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