Oana, a former state secretary in Romania’s Ministry of Labour, applies her passion for social innovation to search for solutions irrespective of whether they come from policy, field work or business. Ideally at the crossroads, with relevance for today’s problems and a vision for tomorrow’s reality, because whatever bad decision we collectively act on today, her daughters and their generation will be left to pay the price. So let’s don’t.

She is the founder and general manager of Social Innovation Solutions, which offers training and consultancy in social innovation and entrepreneurship. Annually they run in partnership with Global Shapers two start-up ideas challenges, Social Impact Award and Future Makers, engaging in trainings more than 1400 young people across Romania and connecting the best ideas with a global network of solutions.

Before that, she co-led the team that set up Mesteshukar BuitQ, a social enterprise focused on traditional Roma crafts and skills. The organisation promotes not only cultural heritage and ancient knowledge of Roma people, but also aims to tackle prejudice and discrimination by helping artisans and high end designers create and produce collections together.

She is also a teacher and a Board member of The Entrepreneurship Academy, where students work in teams, learning about business by running real businesses under the guidance of a “team coach”.

Oana has been invited to speak at the “Future of Europe” at Harvard and at the European Commission conferences, has been featured in 101 Romanians that have an impact on the country by Foreign Policy, as one of the 6 young leaders who are improving the state of the world by the World Economic Forum agenda and is an AIESEC alumna and a German Marshall Fund Memorial Fellow. Oana is part of the 2012 generation of the Aspen Young Leaders Program.