Irina Ilieva
Head of Marketing, Communications and Policy
Irina Ilieva is a seasoned leader in strategic communications, policy, and cross-sector partnerships. As Head of Marketing, Communications, and Policy at JA Europe, she shapes the organization’s narrative across 41 countries, amplifying its mission to prepare young people for employment and entrepreneurship.
A proud JA alumna, Irina is deeply committed to empowering youth through experiential education and entrepreneurial thinking. With over a decade of experience in education, innovation, and the non-profit sector, she previously served as COO and later CEO of JA Bulgaria, where she led high-profile entrepreneurship initiatives and coordinated collaboration across government, business, and civil society.
Earlier in her career, Irina was a Program Officer at the America for Bulgaria Foundation, managing a wide-ranging portfolio of education and innovation programs, and was named one of Forbes Bulgaria’s “30 under 30” in 2018. She has also worked at the OPEC Fund for International Development in Vienna, supporting initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
She is also engaged in advancing Europe’s innovation ecosystem as Community Officer for Bulgaria the European Institute of Innovation and Technology across sectors. Her international experience spans six countries, and she holds a BSc in International Economic Relations and an MSc in Economics of Globalisation and European Integration as an Erasmus Mundus scholar.
A proud JA alumna, Irina is deeply committed to empowering youth through experiential education and entrepreneurial thinking. With over a decade of experience in education, innovation, and the non-profit sector, she previously served as COO and later CEO of JA Bulgaria, where she led high-profile entrepreneurship initiatives and coordinated collaboration across government, business, and civil society.
Earlier in her career, Irina was a Program Officer at the America for Bulgaria Foundation, managing a wide-ranging portfolio of education and innovation programs, and was named one of Forbes Bulgaria’s “30 under 30” in 2018. She has also worked at the OPEC Fund for International Development in Vienna, supporting initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
She is also engaged in advancing Europe’s innovation ecosystem as Community Officer for Bulgaria the European Institute of Innovation and Technology across sectors. Her international experience spans six countries, and she holds a BSc in International Economic Relations and an MSc in Economics of Globalisation and European Integration as an Erasmus Mundus scholar.