Team ›

	Andreas Heinecke Founder & CEO Andreas Heinecke, founder and Chief Executive of Dialogue Social Enterprise, is a well-known social entrepreneur who started Dialogue in the Dark over 20 years ago. While working as a journalist and documentalist for a German broadcasting corporation, Andreas was charged with developing a rehabilitation programme for a colleague who had lost his eyesight in an automobile accident. That year, 1986, the foundation of Dialogue in the Dark was laid. In 1988, Andreas began working for the Foundation for the Blind (Stiftung Blindenanstalt) in Frankfurt am Main, determined to bring blind and sighted together. In 1996, Andreas started his own business. Together with his wife, Orna Cohen, Andreas also developed Dialogue in Silence. His many awards include being honoured as the first Ashoka Fellow in Western Europe and being named Outstanding Social Entrepreneur by the Schwab Foundation.
	Orna Cohen Partner and R&D Building upon her broad and varied education (Psychology, Educational Science, Dramatic Arts), Orna pursues her passion to develop interactive and immerse exhibitions that challenge visitors to reflect on themselves and the world around them. In 2004, Israeli-born Orna was named “Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres” in honour of her world-renowned exhibitions and educational programs. After co-founding Dialogue Social Enterprise, Orna became the organization’s Chief Operating Officer with a focus on research and development.
	Klara Kletzka Partner & Senior Consultant Polish-born Klara studied Romance Studies and Pedagogy at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. A founding member of the Mousonturm, an art house in Frankfurt Klara served as free cultural manager with a focus on socio-cultural events. Since 1990 she has been project manager and developer of Dialogue in the Dark and Dialogue in Silence exhibitions on a global basis. In 2005, she became the director of the DialogMuseum GmbH in Frankfurt, as well as a partner and senior consultant of Dialogue Social Enterprise.
	Laura Gorni Partner & Director of Exhibitions/Production Born and raised in Italy, Laura studied Art History and Medieval Painting at Milano, Bologna and Firenze Universities. After experience in event management and PR, she visited Dialogue in the Dark in 1997 and was immediately fascinated. Laura began her work with the organization as General Manager of the first Dialogue in the Dark in Milano. Since 2003, she has been project manager and consultant for several productions abroad. Currently, she is one of the partners of Dialogue Social Enterprise and the Director of Exhibitions and Production.
	Shiyin Cai COO Born and raised in China, Shiyin Cai obtained her MBA with full-scholarship from State University of New York and Bachelor in International Business Administration from Fudan University in Shanghai. During her 10-year corporate life, Shiyin worked for GE, Siemens, AIG and Roland Berger in Atlanta, New York, UK, Mexico, Singapore and China, in the fields of IT, Sourcing, Commercial management and Risk Management. After being with General Electric for almost 8 years, at the end of 2007, Shiyin decided to leave her role as the Chief Technology Officer for GE Infrastructure Asia-Pacific and pursue her dream to found the Shiyin GmbH/Global Fashion Project in Hamburg/Berlin, Germany. After the encounter with “Braille Without Borders” in 2008, Shiyin started working as a volunteer for the blind school in Tibet which changed her life path towards the social projects. A visit to the Dialogue in the Dark exhibition inspired her and the belief of the concept brought her in the team.
	Meena Vaidyanathan Director for Development and Marketing Of Indian origin, Meena has over 16 years of experience in conceptualizing and executing innovating marketing and communication strategies across many geographies. She has led global marketing, public affairs and business development programmes in different organizations. She is a Biotechnologist by training and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management with a specialization in Marketing. She participated in a Dialogue in the Dark business workshop in 2007 that created an impact so strong that she seriously started contemplating using her skills and experience with social businesses. She joined Dialogue Social Enterprise to lead strategic partnerships and consult on business development strategies in early 2009.
	Anke Burfeind-Herrmann Director Sales Since 2004, German-born Anke Burfeind-Herrmann has worked for NGOs and social enterprises in the field of education & media for children. She joined Dialogue Social Enterprises (DSE) in 2006 and has been in charge of Business Development and Social Entrepreneurship issues, initiating and implementing many strategic projects. Due to her new role as a mother, Anke currently works part-time as DSE’s Director of Sales. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics & Business Administration, has studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in NYC and received scholarships from INSEAD (ISEP), Stanford Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship, and the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra.
	Daniela Dimitrova Human Resources Development Born in Bulgaria, Daniela lost her eyesight at the age of six. She holds two Master’s Degrees: Interpreting and Translation from the University of Sofia, and International Social Business from the University of National and World Economy in Bulgaria. Since 2001, for Dialog in the Dark and Dialog Social Enterprise she has worked as an exhibition tour guide, a Master Guide, a Trainer and as a Master Trainer while continuing to work as an international translator and interpreter. Daniela’s experience has given her the opportunities to practice what she has learned and to work for what she believes. Since 2009 in addition to acting as a project manager, she works full time as Dialogue Social Enterprise’s Manager of Human Resources Development.
	Ines Hennenberg Assistance International Office & PR Ines was born in Germany and earned a Master of Arts in History, Political Science, and German Language and Literature. During her varied career, Ines has worked as a journalist and as public relations manager for companies in Germany, Spain, India and England. In the summer of 2008, Ines began working for Dialogue Social Enterprise as Manager of Communications and personal assistant of founder Andreas Heinecke.
	Stefan Wilhelm Sales & Legal Stefan has been manager for sales and legal issues at Dialogue Social Enterprise since January 2009. During his studies in International Cultural and Business Studies at the University of Passau (Germany) and the Universidade Federal da Bahia in Salvador da Bahia (Brazil), Stefan gained broad knowledge of intercultural and international relations, business administration, economics and law. Though born in Germany, through work experience and study visits in Latin America and the USA, Stefan has acquired proficiency in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
	Heather Flitsch Accounting Born and raised in the United States, Heather holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Virginia. After moving to Hamburg, Germany in 1998, she worked first as a language trainer and later as manager of The American School, a training centre for business professionals. At Dialogue Social Enterprise, she has taken on the role of Accounting Manager.
	José Macias Human Resources Development for Latin America José, or “Pepe”, as he is known to his friends, was born and raised in Mexico. He lost his eyesight at the age of six. He holds a degree in translation and is currently studying for his Masters in organizational psychology. José previously worked for the government in Monterrey, Mexico, in the field of job integration for disabled and elderly people and was a freelance translator. José likes travelling, reading and cooking, and his most important values are freedom, peace and human success. He was involved in Dialogue in the Dark for several years as a freelancer and as a Master Guide for Dialogue Social Enterprise, before he took on a full time position in August 2010 as Dialogue Social Enterprise´s Manager of Human Resources Development for Latin America.