Aileen Puhlmann was born and raised in Hamburg. She studied development policy with a focus on Africa in London before living in South Africa for seven years. She has since returned to her homeland and is raising her daughter alone in St. Pauli.

She took over the leadership of an organization that, in addition to promoting global partnerships, seeks to support a critical examination of power dynamics in development cooperation. For her, intersectional thinking about who is missing in spaces and whose reality is not being considered is essential for achieving equal opportunities.

As a side job, Aileen founded “Community Kids,” a parent-child initiative for black parents in Hamburg. Puhlmann addresses the realities of black people in Germany, single motherhood, and diversity issues in the social business sector through articles, podcasts, and as a panelist. In her free time, she plays basketball passionately.