Our Team

Nickolas Cieslinski

Senior Program Officer, International Programs

Email
ncieslinski@caaf-fcar.ca

Telephone
613.558.5300

Nickolas is an accomplished, trilingual professional with more than 16 years of international project and program management experience across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. He joined the Foundation in September 2021. He holds a bachelor's degree in international development and African studies from McGill University and a master’s degree in African politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Throughout his studies, he cultivated a strong interest in democracy, good governance, and the role of civil society in strengthening accountability and supporting the consolidation of democratic systems.

As Senior Program Officer, International Programs, Nickolas collaborates with program partners to design and deliver a tailored mix of activities aligned with the unique needs and priorities of each SAI and oversight committee. His work also includes contributing to course development, advancing leadership programming, and providing support to Fellowship initiatives.

Before joining the Foundation, Nickolas spent more than seven years with Winrock International as a Project Manager in the fields of human rights, education, and empowerment. In this role, he managed a diverse portfolio of projects across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on capacity development for local and national actors in education, youth engagement, and the prevention of child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking.