Received Sylff fellowship in 2026
Academic supervisor : Prof. Aija Zobena
Current affiliation: Ochota
I am sociologist, researcher and community leader, whose work and life path vividly embodies the aims of the Sylff programme – to transcend geopolitical, cultural and other boundaries, to strengthen societal well-being and to promote peace.
I was born and raised in Poland and obtained my Master’s degree in Sociology at Jagiellonian University in Kraków. I graduated from soctoral studies of Society Enviroment and Technology and Jagiellonian University, yet my everyday life in Latvia brings together academic work, community development and a life close to nature – together with her family where I develop a permaculture homestead “Zadiņi” in the Vidzeme region, while at the same time conducting doctoral research on.
How rural communities in Latvia can be better protected during the rapid expansion of renewable energy projects by developing and testing a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) safeguard model tailored to the Latvian context.
I also represent the Latvian Catholic Women’s Association and I am a Co-President of “Andante”, the European Alliance of Catholic Women’s organisations.
Academic Achievements, Social Engagement Initiatives
Over the last ten years, I have collaborated with colleagues from Poland, Europe, Canada, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia on transformative evaluation and have served in years 2021 to 2025 as Board Member of European Evaluation Society, Secretary General (for 2 terms) in Intenrational Organization for Cooperation in Evaluation, the Vice-President of the International Evaluation Academy, strengthening my leadership skills in global settings. In the past seven years, within the European Rural Development Network (ERDN), I have taken part in several projects on rural livelihoods and European agricultural and rural development policies. Since moving to Latvia, I have been deeply engaged in local and regional initiatives, including work with women’s and community organisations, focusing on resilience, participation and support for rural families for which I have received this year a prestigious Liesma Balva Sievietei Liderei (A Flame Award for A woman Leader) from the Latvian Women's Non-Governmental Organizations Cooperation Network „Sieviešu sadarbības tīkls” (SST) .
Brief Summary of Support Program Activities (if any)
For now what is planned till end of February 2027:
- three intensive writing retreats, targeted international conferences and training
- participation in key international conferences
- 2–3 small workshops in Latvia with ministries, municipalities and case-study communities
- Latvian-language policy briefs and community summaries on the CLEAR TRACK toolkit
https://www.linkedin.com/in/felcis//
