Kathrin Dombrowski
Coordinating Director
Email

Kathrin serves as the Coordinating Director of ECFI, where she oversees the projects, manages donor and stakeholder relationships, and drives ECFI’s programmatic and institutional development strategy.
 
Kathrin brings a wealth of expertise and passion for driving change in the philanthropy field, having led the launch of the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change with WINGS and acting as strategic advisor for Philea's European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate and the European Environmental Funders’ Group. She has been part of the ECFI team as climate lead since 2022. In previous roles, she worked as impact investing expert at Phineo and as program manager at the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Kathrin holds a PhD in International Relations and lives in Berlin with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and is actively involved in voluntary work, including serving on the Advisory Board of a Berlin-based foundation focused on improving educational opportunities for children and young people.

Dr. James Magowan
Senior Advisor
Email

James has had a diverse career working in a range of disciplines, from agriculture, through European affairs, to philanthropy, in the private, public and not for profit sectors. James was previously Co-coordinating Director of ECFI and Director of DAFNE.

Earlier in his career James worked for the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland for a total of 10 years, during which time he was a board member of UKCF (then CFN). He was a Senior Fellow with the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at the City University of New York in 2007.

In addition to his degree and PhD in Agriculture, James has a Diploma (with Distinction) in Management Practice (Audit Skills) from the Chartered Institute of Finance and Administration and a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) from the University of Cambridge.

Francesca Mereta
Peer learning and Communications Expert
Email

Francesca is the 2024-addition to the ECFI team, where she is leading and focusing on communications and peer learning efforts. She splits her time between ECFI and Assifero, the Italian association of foundations and the community foundations support organisation in the country. In the past, she developed for ECFI two main reports  “From SDGs Talk to action” and “Engagement and participation. What, who and how. A guide for community foundations” 

Before joining the philanthropic sector, she worked in different agencies as communication consultant in Italy focusing on developing and implementing communication strategies, focusing also on crisis communication and public affairs.  

Born in Italy but always on the move, Francesca holds a Bachelor in Economics and a Master degree in Management of Cultural Organisations from Bocconi University in Italy. In 2023, she became Senior Fellow International Fellow on Community Philanthropy with the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at the City University of New York.  

Currently she is board member of Messina Community Foundation. She is also part of the Global Shapers Community. 

Kamil Szlosek
Program Manager
Email

Kamil is the Berlin-based link between the ECFI team and the Association of German Foundations, the project’s host. As Programme Manager, he leads the financial and contractual administration of ECFI, manages the CF2CF Exchange Programme, and conducts ongoing research and analysis to support the community foundation movement across Europe. He also oversees ECFI’s database, website, and monitoring processes, ensuring seamless and impactful operations.

With a background in International Relations, Public and Non-Profit Management, and Jewish History and Culture, Kamil brings a unique blend of academic insight and hands-on experience. His career spans roles in cross-border collaboration and civic engagement, including coordinating initiatives that strengthen cooperation between public and non-governmental sectors.

Kamil is passionate about fostering connections between community foundations and their support organisations, leveraging shared knowledge to inspire growth and innovation. Outside of work, he enjoys nurturing his plants and baking, hobbies that reflect his commitment to care and creativity.

Anja Böllhoff
Strategic Advisor
 

Anja Böllhoff was ECFI’s first Coordinating Director, a role she shared with James Magowan from its inception in 2016 until December 2024. She continues to serve as a Strategic Advisor to ECFI, maintaining her deep connection to the community foundation field in Europe.

From 2002 to 2015, Anja served as CEO of the Bielefeld Community Foundation, where she oversaw significant growth, multiplying the foundation’s endowment tenfold and delivering numerous impactful projects. During this time, she also supported the German Community Foundation Initiative as a Regional Curator. Anja was part of the Körber Foundation’s prestigious Mover Programme, which brings together leaders from some of the most successful non-profit organisations in Germany and Europe. She she has authored several publications and spoken extensively on the topic of community foundations.

Currently, Anja leads the Wolfgang and Regina Böllhoff Foundation in Bielefeld, continuing her commitment to impactful philanthropy.