DPA Executive Committee
Executive Committee
Hamida Ebrahim
Personal Assistant to the Executive Director
International Coffee Organization
Hamida Ebrahim is the Personal Assistant to Ambassador Néstor Osorio, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization which operates under the auspices of the United Nations. Previously, she was Personal Assistant to the Chief Engineer of the Bamburi Portland Cement Company based in Mombasa, Kenya. She has a passion for languages and has a command of German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, English and is currently learning Arabic. Kenyan born, her travels have taken her to many locations which have supported her interest in International Economics.
Jill Martinez
Personal Assistant to the Director
of the International Oil Pollution Funds
Jill Martinez has been the Personal Assistant to the Director of the International Oil Pollution Funds since January 2001. Prior to this she was Personal Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer of EADS/Astrium (Europe’s largest space company) and subsequently Travel Buyer for the same company. She also has wide experience in an international environment, having worked for the British and French Embassies in Venezuela and for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Paris. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Marilyn Benjamin
Human Resources Adviser
at the Commonwealth Secretariat
Marilyn Benjamin is a Human Resources Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Prior to that, she was Executive Secretary to two successive Commonwealth Secretaries-General, HE Chief Emeka Anyaoku GCVO CON from 1990 – 2000 and HE Rt Hon Sir Don McKinnon ONZ GCVO from 2000-2004. In this role, she travelled extensively around the Commonwealth accompanying the Secretary-General on various official visits, Commonwealth Ministerial Meetings and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She holds a Masters in Human Resource Management and took up a position in the Human Resources Section of the Secretariat in 2004.
Joelle Rugwabiza
Joelle Rugwabiza is a multi-lingual professional who has worked as a Personal Assistant to two successive Ambassadors of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Kingdom, to Ireland and Scandinavian countries since February 2002. Prior to that, she was Executive Assistant in the office of the Rwandan Minister of Finance. Between 1995 and 1999, she worked as the Head of Imports department at Rwanda Motor Ltd. Having studied and worked in four African countries and the UK, Joelle has a great deal of experience in international environments. She is a member of The Institute of Administrative Management and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree.
Executive Secretary to the Executive Committee
Mary Arnold
Mary Arnold is a teacher, graduate in Education and International Development of the Institute of Education, and registered shorthand tutor with the NCTJ, National Council for the Training of Journalists.
From 2001-2008, Mary was Personal Assistant to two High Commissioners for Saint Lucia in London. Previously, Mary taught secretarial subjects at Pitman’s, Queen’s, St. James’s, and Shorthand to journalists and PAs at the Financial Times, Reuters, Lambeth College, Inchcape and Mishcon de Reya.
Mary now runs MTH Bureau, offering private tuition in Shorthand and English, whilst reading for a Master’s degree at SOAS, the School of Oriental and African Studies.
