The LEAD Albania Program (Leadership Experience And Development) is an initiative of the AADF for leadership development. The concept of the program is derived from the White House Fellows Program in the United States. Its purpose is to provide gifted young Albanian professionals with first-hand experience in the process of governing Albania and a sense of personal involvement in the leadership of society through a one- year Fellowship placement attached to a top-ranking government position.
Fellows also participate in an Education Program where they will meet with a series of individuals including the Prime Minister, Ministers, Constitutional Court Justices, Advisers and other senior central government officials, Members of Parliament, military leaders, journalists,
historians, business executives, leaders from non-government organizations, and foreign heads of state or diplomats as opportunities arise. There will also be a series of seminars on European integration, public policy, decision making, foreign policy, security policy, leadership, soft skills, etc.
LEAD Albania Fellows are considered full-time employees of the host institutions, they are part of the AADF payroll and are subject to the Albanian laws and regulations. These standards prohibit Fellows from receiving salaries or contribution from other sources.
Fellows cannot continue any outside activity that conflicts with official duties. Service on advisory boards and other types of committees are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Arnold Kapinova is an archaeologist and cultural heritage professional with nearly a decade of experience in heritage education, community engagement, digital innovation, and cultural tourism. His work spans Albania and the Western Balkans, including cross-border and educational initiatives with Cultural Heritage without Borders Albania. Through European mobility and entrepreneurship programmes in Spain, he explored how digital tools can improve public access to cultural heritage. His work focuses on making heritage more accessible, participatory, and meaningful while strengthening connections between communities, culture, and the public.
Juxhina Gjoni is an Albanian security and defence consultant, expert specializing in civil–military cooperation, operational environment analysis, and transatlantic security affairs. She is the founder of Women in International Security Albania and has lectured on NATO Civil–Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Doctrine and the PMESII–ASCOPE framework. Internationally, she led the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA), representing networks across 32 NATO states, and completed training at NATO Centres of Excellence. In Albania, she is a recognized security analyst, frequently appearing on national television.
Sara Caushi is a physics engineer with over seven years of experience in public administration and the private sector, specializing in EU funds management, institutional reporting, and risk management. Since 2021 she has served at the Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development (ARDA), where she has been responsible for IPARD II payment authorization, risk coordination, and currently leads the Reporting Sector, delivering technical and financial reporting on national and EU-funded agricultural schemes to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Prime Minister’s Office. Holding a Master of Science from the Polytechnic University of Tirana and a certification in energy auditing, Sara is committed to modernizing public administration through digital transformation and data-driven decision-making.
Joani Leka is a lawyer with eight years of experience in private practice, working within multidisciplinary legal and tax teams on matters involving international businesses, organizations and domestic corporations.
His experience spans commercial and tax law, dispute resolution and regulatory matters across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on energy and natural resources. Working across these areas has given him a practical view of the legal and regulatory environment shaping business and investment in Albania. He has a particular interest in European integration, as well as in the relationship between law, regulation and economic development.
Saimir Bakalli is a senior civil society, governance and social development professional with over 15 years of experience in NGO leadership, EU- and UN-funded programme, social inclusion, and institutional cooperation, with particular expertise in the social reuse of seized and confiscated assets. As Executive Director of the Joscelyn Foundation, he has led initiatives transforming confiscated assets into community services and social enterprises, creating employment opportunities and supporting vulnerable groups. His work in this field has received support from the OSCE and the European Union Delegation to Albania and has been promoted as a good practice in the Western Balkans. Saimir holds degrees in Psychology, Social Work, Clinical Psychology and an Executive MBA. As a LEAD Albania Fellow, he focuses on strengthening policies and institutional mechanisms for the social reuse of seized and confiscated assets, contributing to community development, good governance and the rule of law.
Dafina Peci has an academic background in Political Science, International Relations, and Regional Policy Studies and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Tirana, with a research focus on human capital, institutional capacities, and national security. Since 2016, she has led the National Youth Congress of Albania, while also serving as a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, since 2017. Her experience spans strategy development, institutional development, research, and cooperation with public and international stakeholders. Her contribution to leadership, youth empowerment, and regional cooperation has been recognised through international awards and programmes, including “Architect of Tomorrow”, “Youth Ambassador of Peace”, the Austrian Leadership Program, and the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
Leonard Proko is an environmental and climate change professional with over 12 years of experience across the private sector, international consultancy, and environmental projects in Albania. He holds an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Strathclyde, completed as a Chevening Scholar, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental and Energy Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Tirana. His expertise includes environmental management, climate change, air quality, and industrial environmental compliance, developed through experience in the cement industry and internationally funded projects, including those supported by the EBRD and IFC. His professional interests include environmental and climate policy, sustainable development, industrial decarbonisation, and Albania’s alignment with EU environmental standards, with a particular focus on linking technical expertise, evidence-based policymaking, and effective environmental governance.
Daena Madhi is a photonics scientist with more than a decade of experience in research institutes and industry across Germany, Denmark, Spain and Portugal. Her career bridges advanced scientific research and executive leadership, from developing photonic technologies in Europe’s leading laboratories to running a technology company. She holds a PhD in optical physics from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and an MSc with Honours in Advanced Optical Technologies from Erlangen-Nürnberg University (FAU). She has held research positions at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Germany and CIC nano GUNE in Spain.Since 2021, Daena Madhi has served as Chief Operating Officer of FileRun, a software company based in Portugal. She now brings her international experience to support innovation and technological transformation in Albania.
Joani Leka is a lawyer with eight years of experience in private practice, working within multidisciplinary legal and tax teams on matters involving international businesses, organizations and domestic corporations.
His experience spans commercial and tax law, dispute resolution and regulatory matters across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on energy and natural resources. Working across these areas has given him a practical view of the legal and regulatory environment shaping business and investment in Albania. He has a particular interest in European integration, as well as in the relationship between law, regulation and economic development.
Dafina Peci has an academic background in Political Science, International Relations, and Regional Policy Studies and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Tirana, with a research focus on human capital, institutional capacities, and national security. Since 2016, she has led the National Youth Congress of Albania, while also serving as a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, since 2017. Her experience spans strategy development, institutional development, research, and cooperation with public and international stakeholders. Her contribution to leadership, youth empowerment, and regional cooperation has been recognised through international awards and programmes, including “Architect of Tomorrow”, “Youth Ambassador of Peace”, the Austrian Leadership Program, and the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
