The women guiding the workshops

Melissa Clissold

Co-Founder, Dial Down

Workshop facilitator

Melissa Clissold is a multicultural communications professional and facilitator whose passion is impact storytelling: turning complex work into human, credible stories that move people to understanding and action. She co-founded Dial Down, a strategic communications consultancy for purpose-driven organisations, where she develops communications strategies and impact stories for women's cooperatives through the EU-funded ICMPD ENHANCER programme.

From 2020 to 2025 she was Head of Communications and Impact at the design and innovation studio Atölye, leading its B Corp certification and its impact, climate and inclusion initiatives. She previously served as National Director of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award in Türkiye. Trained in participatory methods including the Art of Hosting and Lewis Deep Democracy, she is also a certified B Corp consultant. She holds an MA in Social Anthropology of Development from SOAS, University of London, and a BA in English Literature and Philosophy from the University of York.

Dr. Aylin Yardımcı-Stefini

Co-Founder, Dial Down

Workshop facilitator

Dr. Aylin Yardımcı-Stefini is a bilingual consultant, researcher and communications professional with 15 years of experience across academia, civil society, local government and media. As co-founder of Dial Down, she conducted in-depth interviews with ten women's cooperatives for ICMPD's EU-funded ENHANCER project, with field visits to Antakya, Adana and Mersin.

As Communications Director of the Bridge to Türkiye Fund from 2023 to 2025, she authored its first Donor Impact Report on $13 million in earthquake relief. At the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality she served as Foreign Relations Coordinator, leading the city's Bloomberg Global Mayors Challenge bid and securing a $1 million grant. She also created and presented This Week in Turkey, a weekly English-language current affairs show on Medyascope. She holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from Koç University and an MSc in European Political Economy from the London School of Economics.