Lina Gyllensten is a Director at Strategy for Humanity and a skilled professional with more than 15 years’ experience in the non-profit sector. Her areas of expertise include international development, child rights, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), project design, systems analysis, advocacy, and research. Lina is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Lina has designed multiple research, M&E, and advocacy strategies, with the aim of influencing policy, research, and practice. She has played a central role in developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to launch and grow new organizations and innovative projects. In addition, Lina has worked managed a range of projects; has prepared expert grant proposal that were awarded funds; and she has collaborated with many donors and engaged with donor partnerships to help them maximize the impact of their funding. Throughout her career, Lina is proud to have nurtured a culture of learning and continuous improvement, building the capabilities of colleagues and partners.
Using a system analysis approach, Lina has implemented holistic reviews of national child protection systems, overseen evidence-based planning of the care reform process, and helped to bring about change at scale. She has engaged and collaborated with multiple stakeholders across sectors at all levels and in diverse contexts and conditions, including in Colombia, Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, and Malaysia where she designed and led a complex and challenging remote program. She has trained and supervised researchers in multiple countries. She has also led work to embed evidence and learning into country demonstration programs through supervision and development regional coordinators and in-country specialists in Colombia, Haiti, Kenya, Moldova, and elsewhere. Lina has supported partners to capture high quality data, ensure rigorous analysis and impactful findings, improve technical input, and build knowledge and capability across sectors.
Prior to joining Strategy for Humanity, Lina worked for Lumos, an international children’s rights organization focused on systems change to support vulnerable children and families. She held several leadership positions, including as Acting Director for Evidence, Advocacy and Campaigns. In that role, she was responsible for developing and delivering on strategic aims in relation to research and advocacy, managing teams of technical experts, and overseeing the work to secure policy reforms on children’s rights. While at Lumos, she established and led a multidisciplinary team focusing on the generation and application of evidence to achieve change in policy and practice globally.
Lina led a series of thematic studies capturing new evidence for impact, ensuring high quality outputs, and providing sound editorial judgement. The studies included the ground-breaking report Cycles of Exploitation, which details the links between institutions and child trafficking, and analyses of various funding streams related to care for children.
Earlier in her career, Lina's focus was on criminal justice, including a role as Visiting Lecturer in Criminal Justice at the University of Westminster. At the Centre for Capital Punishment Studies, Lina conducted research on death penalty-related issues and managed advocacy and capacity building projects. Lina also ran a renowned internship program with legal placements across Africa and the Caribbean, which linked to appeals at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Lina holds a Master’s degree in law with a focus on international human rights law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Westminster. In 2020 she completed a course program at Uppsala University in Sweden, on Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Lina has co-authored several reports and chapters, including:
Varela, N. and Gyllensten, L. (2020) In the name of care and protection: Child Institutionalisation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Macarty, E. and Gyllensten, L. (2019) Trusts and foundations for families: Investing in transforming care. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Muller, D. and Gyllensten, L. (2019) Transforming Care Systems through EU External Action. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Mulheir, G. and Gyllensten, L. ‘Institutionalisation and the commodification of children. How to ensure children regain their right to family life.’ in The Handbook of Global Child Welfare, Routledge 2017
Hodgkinson, P. Kandelia, S. and Gyllensten, L. 'Capital Punishment: a review and critique of abolitionist strategies', in The Death Penalty: International initiatives, Jon Yorke [Editor], Ashgate Press 2008
Lina has designed multiple research, M&E, and advocacy strategies, with the aim of influencing policy, research, and practice. She has played a central role in developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to launch and grow new organizations and innovative projects. In addition, Lina has worked managed a range of projects; has prepared expert grant proposal that were awarded funds; and she has collaborated with many donors and engaged with donor partnerships to help them maximize the impact of their funding. Throughout her career, Lina is proud to have nurtured a culture of learning and continuous improvement, building the capabilities of colleagues and partners.
Using a system analysis approach, Lina has implemented holistic reviews of national child protection systems, overseen evidence-based planning of the care reform process, and helped to bring about change at scale. She has engaged and collaborated with multiple stakeholders across sectors at all levels and in diverse contexts and conditions, including in Colombia, Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, and Malaysia where she designed and led a complex and challenging remote program. She has trained and supervised researchers in multiple countries. She has also led work to embed evidence and learning into country demonstration programs through supervision and development regional coordinators and in-country specialists in Colombia, Haiti, Kenya, Moldova, and elsewhere. Lina has supported partners to capture high quality data, ensure rigorous analysis and impactful findings, improve technical input, and build knowledge and capability across sectors.
Prior to joining Strategy for Humanity, Lina worked for Lumos, an international children’s rights organization focused on systems change to support vulnerable children and families. She held several leadership positions, including as Acting Director for Evidence, Advocacy and Campaigns. In that role, she was responsible for developing and delivering on strategic aims in relation to research and advocacy, managing teams of technical experts, and overseeing the work to secure policy reforms on children’s rights. While at Lumos, she established and led a multidisciplinary team focusing on the generation and application of evidence to achieve change in policy and practice globally.
Lina led a series of thematic studies capturing new evidence for impact, ensuring high quality outputs, and providing sound editorial judgement. The studies included the ground-breaking report Cycles of Exploitation, which details the links between institutions and child trafficking, and analyses of various funding streams related to care for children.
Earlier in her career, Lina's focus was on criminal justice, including a role as Visiting Lecturer in Criminal Justice at the University of Westminster. At the Centre for Capital Punishment Studies, Lina conducted research on death penalty-related issues and managed advocacy and capacity building projects. Lina also ran a renowned internship program with legal placements across Africa and the Caribbean, which linked to appeals at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Lina holds a Master’s degree in law with a focus on international human rights law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Westminster. In 2020 she completed a course program at Uppsala University in Sweden, on Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Lina has co-authored several reports and chapters, including:
Varela, N. and Gyllensten, L. (2020) In the name of care and protection: Child Institutionalisation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Macarty, E. and Gyllensten, L. (2019) Trusts and foundations for families: Investing in transforming care. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Muller, D. and Gyllensten, L. (2019) Transforming Care Systems through EU External Action. Lumos Foundation: London, UK
Mulheir, G. and Gyllensten, L. ‘Institutionalisation and the commodification of children. How to ensure children regain their right to family life.’ in The Handbook of Global Child Welfare, Routledge 2017
Hodgkinson, P. Kandelia, S. and Gyllensten, L. 'Capital Punishment: a review and critique of abolitionist strategies', in The Death Penalty: International initiatives, Jon Yorke [Editor], Ashgate Press 2008
