Meet Our Team

Philee Ang-Chen helps Global Fund for Children ensure that all children and youth are safe, strong, and valued by championing youth-led programs. A member of the programs team, Philee coordinates GFC’s masculinities work in England, implements Spark Fund initiatives in Southeast Asia, and supports wider strategic development in Europe and Eurasia. Prior to joining GFC, Philee worked in grantmaking at National Emergencies Trust and John Ellerman Foundation. At National Emergencies Trust, she created a charity partnership program and maintained existing partnerships to ensure the availability of sufficient funding for survivors of an emergency. At John Ellerman Foundation, she worked with charities in the arts, the environment, and social action in their journey through the grant application process and grantmaking cycle. Before entering the nonprofit sector, Philee obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and worked as a Research Assistant and Statistician in clinical and health psychology. She won the British Psychological Society’s Undergraduate Research Assistantship Award in 2017, and her paper from the assistantship was published in the Journal of Public Health the following year. Philee is a Charityworks fellow and mentor.

Esther Aoko provides a wide range of research, editorial, social media, and general support to the communications team. Esther envisions a world where young people in all their diversity are able to reclaim and retain their power and ultimately realize their full potential. She has four years of experience in the digital advocacy and sexual and reproductive health advocacy fields. In her efforts to give a spotlight to the diverse challenges that young people face, she has written and published several articles in local newspapers and on digital platforms. Esther is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and international studies at the University of Nairobi. She holds a diploma in software programming and certificates in both project management and digital marketing. She is fluent in Swahili and English.

Nasra Ayub works on Global Fund for Children’s programs team supporting the implementation of the Spark Fund, a global, youth-led participatory fund, and the Investing in Youth Social Action in England initiative in Bradford, which is a partnership with the #iwill Fund. Prior to joining GFC, Nasra worked in the higher education sector in the UK’s Office for Students supporting its artificial intelligence and data science program. In her spare time, Nasra works as an outreach worker and freelance journalist raising awareness on topics such as ending violence against women and girls and racial and social inequalities. She also has a TEDx talk on shifting power to young people in the philanthropy sector called "What If Young People Ran The World?" Nasra is a recipient of the Diana Award 2020 for her work tackling human rights issues. She has a degree in politics and philosophy from the University of Bristol. Nasra is fluent in Somali.

Ramanou Moboladji Babaedjou supports and develops the capacity of Global Fund for Children’s partners in Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea to remove barriers that prevent girls from accessing and succeeding in school and reaching their full potential. Ramanou is a children’s rights activist with more than 20 years of experience in the management of child protection projects and programs. During his career, he has worked for Maison de l'Enfance, Save the Children UK, International Rescue Committee, and Aide et Action on children's rights, gender equity, women’s empowerment, and the care and support of people with HIV and AIDS. Ramanou speaks French, Yoruba, and Dan.

Alex helps build the collective capacity of the Global Fund for Children team, with a focus on GFC’s organizational systems and functions including human resources, technology, and administration. He is also responsible for providing administrative support to the CEO and Leadership Team, as well as helping ensure the smooth day-to-day operations of the organization. His experience prior to joining GFC includes over four years in Washington, DC local government within finance, transportation operations, and community outreach. He also has over two years of experience working in e-commerce operations and inventory management. Alex holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Virginia State University.

Rodrigo Barraza co-leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking, capacity development, and integrated programming in the Americas. He has extensive professional experience with migrant children and women in Mexico’s southern border region. He has worked for organizations such as the Human Rights Center Fray Matías de Córdova and Mesoamerican Voices, where he was responsible for the Migrant Children and Youth program. Rodrigo holds a PhD in gender studies and a master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of Salamanca (Spain), along with a master’s degree in international cooperation from the National University of San Martin (Argentina). A native Spanish speaker, he is also fluent in English.

Joseph Bednarek co-leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking and capacity building in Europe and Eurasia, while also serving as director of GFC’s global grantmaking. Prior to joining GFC, Joe worked as the director/education programs manager for the Ukraine field office of IREX, implementing education programs funded by the US Department of State and the Carnegie Foundation. During his time with IREX, he also worked closely with exchange program alumni on professional development trainings, conferences, and seminars. Joe’s interest in Europe and Eurasia stems from his Polish roots and his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine. He has also worked as the administrative coordinator for the Chicago-based nonprofit Health for Humanity. Joe received a master’s degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian studies from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Georgetown University. He is proficient in Ukrainian and Russian.

Steina Bjorgvinsdottir co-leads Funder Safeguarding Collaborative. As FSC’s Network Director, she promotes greater collaboration and learning among private funders to strengthen safeguarding practices. Steina’s career has focused on child protection and safeguarding in refugee and humanitarian settings through work with agencies such as UNICEF, UNHCR, International Medical Corps, Terre des Hommes, and Save the Children. Most recently, she headed Oak Foundation’s child safeguarding work. Steina has a master’s degree in international development, a postgraduate diploma in international human rights law, and a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is fluent in Icelandic, English, French, Swedish, and Danish.

Christine Burkhart leads Global Fund for Children’s development team, raising funds to support GFC and its partners around the world. She builds collaborative partnerships with a wide range of donors based on GFC’s values of serving our partners first and taking risks for change. Christine is an experienced fundraiser, writer, and humanitarian response professional. Prior to working at GFC, she served as the partnership manager for the Haiti Recovery Program at the American Red Cross. Christine also worked for the National Democratic Institute, where she was part of an initiative to encourage more women to enter political life, and spent time in Honduras as manager of Central American Medical Outreach’s international volunteer corps and public health programs. In her spare time, Christine has served as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in DC and as a board member for the Out for Work Initiative, a youth-centered employment project for LGBTQ+ individuals, and for H.O.P.E Haiti. Christine has a master’s degree in public policy from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Baldwin Wallace University. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Nayara Castiglioni works as a Program Associate on Global Fund for Children’s Americas team, supporting the Partnership to Educate All Kids (PEAK) initiative in Brazil and Colombia, among other programs. Nayara has over eight years of experience in socio-environmental grassroots organizations and environmental education, working to strengthen young people's understanding of socio-environmental issues and to mobilize young people to act on social and environmental agendas. Prior to joining GFC, she was the Executive Director of Engajamundo, a youth-led NGO based in Brazil that works to strengthen young people's understanding of socio-environmental issues and mobilize youth. In this role, she was responsible for fundraising and institutional partnerships. She has a post-graduate degree in environmental management and a bachelor’s degree in environmental chemistry. Nayara is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

As South Asia Program Advisor, Indrani Chakraborty provides support to Global Fund for Children’s partners in South Asia, working to guide and strengthen their programmatic expertise and networks. Indrani has over 21 years of experience working in grassroots, statewide, national, and international organizations on child rights, child protection, trafficking, unsafe migration, gender-based violence, education, HIV- and AIDS-related issues, women’s and girls’ rights, and rights-based microfinance. Prior to joining GFC, Indrani worked as a Program Consultant for the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Kolkata, where she was involved in the monitoring of childcare institutions, schools, and correctional homes to measure their standards according to the law. She also actively participated in the organizing of public awareness campaigns on child protection and policy advocacy, and in creating child-friendly spaces at local events. Indrani started her career as a Researcher at Sanlaap India, a nongovernmental organization that focuses on preventing and responding to the trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and forced prostitution. She has published research on unsafe migration and cross-border trafficking, sex tourism, caste-based prostitution, the conviction of traffickers, and the livelihoods of trafficking survivors. Indrani holds a master’s degree in social work from Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, India. She speaks English and Bengali.

As Vice President of Finance for Global Fund for Children, Richa is responsible for managing the financial strategy and operations for the DC headquarters and its related entities in the United Kingdom and India. As a member of the senior management team, she oversees financial planning, budgeting, and cash flow projections. She started with Global Fund for Children as Finance Controller in 2016, and her prior experience includes working in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors focusing on finding efficiencies in financial reporting. Richa holds a master’s degree in accounting with emphasis on audit from Kaplan University and a bachelor’s degree in business and finance from Western International University. She is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi.

Leila Conroy provides administrative support to Funder Safeguarding Collaborative and onboards new members. Her experience prior to joining FSC includes almost ten years of working in administration roles, most recently as an Administration Manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international hospitality and tourism management from the University of Surrey.

Maria Victoria Creamer manages Global Fund for Children’s social media, digital engagement, and visual digital media. She also supports GFC's marketing strategy and its integration. Before joining GFC, Maria worked as a foundation relations and philanthropic partnerships assistant at World Learning Inc., where she assisted with fundraising campaigns through prospect research, technical grant writing, and the visual design of documents. She has over a decade of international experience, including serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cambodia; providing public affairs support at the US Consulate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and at USAID in La Paz, Bolivia; and participating in an academic exchange at Florence University of the Arts in Italy. Prior to her focus on international development issues, Maria was involved in both print and TV news, working for the Rio Times in Brazil and WTKR News 3 in Hampton Roads, Virginia. At WTKR, she was an associate producer in charge of beat calls, writing newscasts, and web content, in addition to developing video segments for aired shows. Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in English with concentrations in journalism and digital imaging and visual arts from Old Dominion University. She is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Khmer.

Amé Atsu David’s supports Global Fund for Children’s Africa team. Her role is dedicated to   strengthening the capacity of GFC’s local partners committed to addressing the causes of gender-based violence, while seeking to empower girls and young women to act as agents of change in their communities in West Africa. Amé is a recognized human rights activist with extensive experience in capacity development and rights-based program design and management. Before joining GFC, Amé spent ten years as a consultant working to improve the implementation of children’s rights in West and Central Africa. She has collaborated extensively with civil society and government on child rights, adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, social inclusion, and gender justice. She has provided services to Save the Children’s West, Central, and Southern Africa offices; Action Aid; Plan International; UNESCO; UNFPA; and Development Alternatives Incorporated, among others. Prior to her consultant work, she served for a number of years as a Regional Program Manager with Save the Children Sweden (now International), in their Dakar-based West Africa Regional Office. She holds a Diploma in Translation from the University of Ghana. Amé is bilingual in French and English with intermediate Spanish skills.

Oksana Dmytriak serves as Global Fund for Children’s Ukraine Program Specialist on the Europe and Eurasia team and leads the organization’s work supporting Ukrainian partners. Since 2014, Oksana has worked in humanitarian settings in Ukraine and Poland improving mental health and psychosocial support responses through international organizations such as International Medical Corps, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF. She has a master’s degree in project management for sustainability from Malmo University in Sweden with a focus on leading nongovernmental organizations and grassroots initiatives and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Donetsk National University in Ukraine.

Titos Escueta provides support for Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking and capacity building in East and Southeast Asia. Titos has over two decades of development experience, including more than ten years working with Oxfam Hong Kong, where he focused on program development and management at the community, country, and macro levels. He is also the co-founder of a consulting organization that advances participation and adaptive management approaches in the development sector. Over the course of his career, Titos has developed expertise in the areas of sustainable livelihoods, natural resource management, disaster management and climate change adaptation, community-based development, capacity building, and organizational development. He has led pioneering program development work in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, and he has also worked on the ground in the Greater Mekong Subregion, the Philippines, India, and Bangladesh.

Based in GFC’s London office, Afiya Fenton serves as a Global Executive Assistant supporting GFC's CEO and Global Managing Director. She is an experienced development and operations professional, with a focus on recruitment and tech industries. Most recently, Afiya worked as an Operations and Marketing Executive, leading corporate events and managing social media and office operations for the company. Afiya also has experience in volunteering with children who have ADHD, dyslexia, and autism to teach them how to read. Since moving to London, Afiya has been involved in volunteering programs addressing homelessness and providing support workshops in under-resourced schools of Greater London. Committed to supporting the greater good, Afiya is delighted to join the nonprofit sector and support children and youth around the world. Afiya holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Greenwich in London.

Elena Figueroa works as a Program Coordinator on Global Fund for Children’s Americas team, where she coordinates the Supporting Early Education and Development initiative in Honduras. Prior to joining GFC, Elena worked as a Research Management Analyst in the Directorate of Scientific Research at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), supporting the creation of 40 research groups, three research centers, two research observatories, and two research institutes. She has also been a Professor of Psychology in UNAH’s Faculty of Psychological Sciences, and she previously worked for 12 years as a tutor for children and adolescents at a center for integral development. Elena has a master's degree in economic and social research methodologies, as well as diplomas in migration and development, dramatic arts, and gender equality. She is fluent in Spanish and English.

As an Operations Associate for Global Fund for Children, Nicole Flynn helps build the organization’s capacity with a focus on organizational systems and functions including operations, technology, and administration. She is responsible for providing support for the operational and technology needs of GFC's team, as well as helping ensure the smooth day-to-day operations of the organization. Nicole has a background in operations and customer service. Prior to joining GFC, she worked predominantly for start-ups in the logistics and supply chain sector with a focus on customer satisfaction, project management, and process improvement. She has completed her Yellow Belt in Lean Six Sigma, a project management and process improvement training program, and has ambitions to continue learning this methodology. Nicole has a diploma in chemistry from the University of Nottingham.

Katherine serves as Regional Co-Director of the Europe and Eurasia team and leads Global Fund for Children’s Spark Fund, an innovative, participatory fund that provides youth-led and youth-focused groups with financial support and capacity development. Prior to joining GFC, Katherine was the Gender Justice Officer at the Church of Scotland, where she led the organization’s national gender mainstreaming work, set up and funded transformational gender justice projects, trained faith and community leaders, and worked with local communities to develop responses to gender injustice in their own settings. Katherine has a background in policy, organizational development, and training work in violence against women, homelessness, and children's organizations. She has a master’s degree in international human rights law from the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway, with a particular focus on legal theory and women's and children’s rights, and a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Glasgow.

Shivonne Graham has over a decade of experience leading charities as a Managing Director, Trustee, and Chair of the Board, including through a global pandemic. She has 25 years of experience in marketing, fundraising, and communications in a range of charities and nonprofit organizations, leading teams to success at Shelter, Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres, Comic Relief, Global Radio Charities, Amref Health Africa, and most recently as Managing Director of Women for Women International – UK. Shivonne serves on the Board of Trustees at Khulisa, a UK charity that delivers social and emotional programs in schools, prisons, and communities. She is currently Chair of the organization’s People Committee and a member of the Finance and Fundraising Committee. Shivonne is also a founding member and Director of KindFest, the world’s first entirely digital festival celebrating kindness. She was previously a member of the Fundraising and Communications Committee at Womankind Worldwide and she is an alumnus of Civil Society magazine Fundraising's 50 Most Influential list. Shivonne holds a degree in development and international relations from the University of Sussex.

Jo Griffin works with Global Fund for Children’s UK team to support employees and enhance the employee experience. As a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, she is an expert and emotionally intelligent human resources leader, passionate about people, culture, and strategy. Previously a board-level Human Resources Director at a nonprofit organization, she was instrumental in taking the team from 40 to 120 people. Jo’s leadership expertise spans the employee lifecycle, underpinning best practices with solutions-focused advice and guidance. Jo also volunteers as a Parent and Safeguarding Governor at The Cotswold School, an outstanding secondary school in England. In addition, she is a Board Trustee at PATA (UK), a children’s charity for early years learning.

Kyra Gurney works on Global Fund for Children’s marketing and communications team, leading writing and copyediting activities for the organization and helping with press outreach efforts. Before joining GFC, Kyra was a reporter at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, where she collaborated on global investigations related to corruption and money laundering. She has also worked as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered education and local government, and at InSight Crime, a nonprofit investigative journalism outlet based in Colombia. Prior to becoming a journalist, Kyra taught English and coordinated an education program in Tunja, Colombia, through the Fulbright program. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature with a minor in Latin American studies from Colorado College. Kyra is fluent in Spanish.

John Hecklinger leads Global Fund for Children. Prior to joining GFC, John served as chief network officer for GlobalGiving, where he established partnerships to drive GlobalGiving’s growth as a globally networked organization. Before taking on that role, John was GlobalGiving’s chief program officer, heading the team that identifies effective nonprofits around the world and helps them make the most of GlobalGiving’s support and services, and he previously led corporate partnership efforts as GlobalGiving’s business development director. An information industry veteran, John led GlobalGiving’s efforts to improve the global philanthropic information ecosystem through projects such as BRIDGE (Basic Registry of Identified Global Entities). Prior to joining GlobalGiving, John headed partnership efforts at CARFAX Vehicle History Reports, creating a network of thousands of content providers in North America, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bangui, Central African Republic. He holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia.

Bundie Kabanze provides support for Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking and capacity building in Africa. Bundie has extensive experience in program coordination and administrative and programmatic support, as well as field exposure working with organizations in Zambia and South Africa. Prior to joining GFC, he worked for Walmart Corporation, where he specialized in resolving disputes and maintaining relationships between Walmart and its Canadian suppliers. He has also worked for World Vision International in Zambia, where he managed a broad range of design, monitoring, evaluation, and learning functions for various projects and helped communities set up participatory monitoring systems for projects being implemented in their areas. He has taught high school in South Africa and has volunteered as an environmental sustainability awareness speaker with Greenpeace International in Norway. Bundie holds a master’s degree in multicultural and international education from the Oslo and Akershus University College in Oslo and a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Zambia, Lusaka. He is fluent in Tonga, Nyanja, and Bemba and has a working knowledge of French, Zulu, and Lozi.

Kulsoom Khan leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking and capacity building in Asia. Kulsoom has extensive experience in social innovation and a deep commitment to developing holistic approaches for child protection and empowerment. Prior to joining GFC, Kulsoom led several initiatives at Ashoka, including managing global relations with Asia offices, developing the Global Fellow Security program, and expanding Ashoka in Pakistan. During this time, she was responsible for sourcing cutting-edge social innovations on the ground, creating and implementing security trainings for human rights defenders, and building a supportive environment for social entrepreneurship through fundraising and network creation. Kulsoom also helped launch the Child Rights Initiative with Vision, a citizen sector organization that increases awareness on child abuse and develops child protection interventions in Pakistan, and she currently serves on its Board. Kulsoom received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in law and society from American University. She is fluent in Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi.

Otis Kollie is a Program Specialist Africa and Asia Consultant at Global Fund for Children, where he supports the Africa and Asia teams with partnership development and management; grant management; communications and reporting; and knowledge and learning. Otis is a certified project management professional with more than eight years of experience within the program management setting. He started his career as a Program Manager at Women-Concern Liberia, a local feminist organization. He has also previously worked at the Lifewater Liberia Country Office as an Assistant Program Coordinator, and at the Liberian Geographical Society (LGS), where he was promoted to Program Manager/M&E Coordinator and led and coordinated the development and implementation of LGS’s programmatic strategy. Otis holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics with a minor in public administration.

Alexander Kyerematen leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking, capacity strengthening, integrated programming, and stakeholder engagement across Africa. Alex is a skilled international development strategist and community development advocate with over a decade experience in grantmaking; program strategy, design, implementation, and management; community development; and stakeholder engagement strategies. Prior to joining GFC, Alex negotiated the placement of approximately $20 million in bi-lateral and multi-lateral project funds annually over 5 years while at Fidelity Bank Ghana. He also structured and managed the disbursement of over $120 million to support public-private partnership projects through the Bank. Most recently at Geneva Global, in collaboration with community-based organizations, he designed and implemented strategic multi-year, multi-sector philanthropic investments, seeking to improve and empower communities in need in Africa. Alex brings a unique mix of private, public, and civic society experience with deep contextual understanding to his work seeking to strengthen and uplift children and youth and their communities across the continent. Alex holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of Wooster, a master’s degree in international business and policy from Georgetown University, and an MBA in international business from Hult International Business School. He is a certified in micro, small, and medium scale lending, as well as environment and social risk analysis, and is proficient in French.    

Kieran Lewis manages Global Fund for Children’s partnerships in the UK and across Europe. He also supports the development of the Spark Fund, a global, youth-led participatory fund. Prior to joining GFC, Kieran was the Partnerships Funding Manager for The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF), the largest grantmaking body in the UK. While at TNLCF, Kieran worked to develop its Young People in the Lead advisory panels, ensuring that the voices of children and young people were represented in key decision-making processes. He worked alongside a diverse range of community-led organizations to co-design funding programs that sought to increase equity of outcome. Kieran has a research and policy background, with a focus on alternative approaches that divert young people away from the criminal justice system. He previously lived in the Netherlands, where he worked as a research consultant for a European Commission development program at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs in The Hague. Kieran has conducted research around internet ethnography and has a master’s degree in new media from the University of Amsterdam and a bachelor’s degree in social anthropology from the London School of Economics.

Daniela Martinez works closely with GFC’s Central America partners to strengthen their capacity and network-building. Daniela worked for seven years with Vital Voices Guatemala, securing funds from major international donors, creating participatory learning methodologies, and implementing training programs for over 500 emerging women leaders. Before joining GFC, Daniela worked as Strategic Partnerships Consultant for Project Concern International, and as Business Development Consultant for Catholic Relief Services. Daniela holds an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics, and a dual bachelor’s degree in Political Science and French Studies from Bryn Mawr College. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and French.

Kimberly McClain co-leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking, capacity development, and integrated programming in the Americas. Kimberly has extensive expertise in grassroots development and social change processes spanning four continents and over 15 years of work with local and international development organizations. Prior to joining GFC, she was the regional director for East and West Africa, Latin America, and global projects at Pact, managing a portfolio of programs in capacity development, health, education, natural resource management, livelihoods, and governance. While there, she launched Pact’s joint initiative with the US Department of Labor to eradicate child labor in mining communities in Colombia. Most recently, she has done research and designed programming in Guatemala and El Salvador responding to persistent food insecurity and chronic childhood malnutrition, community and social violence, and the broken juvenile justice system. Kimberly began her career in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, working for a local nonprofit organization focused on gender and rural development and then for the social development agency of the Episcopal Church. She has a master’s degree in social change and development and international economics from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from American University. She is fluent in Spanish.

As an Accounting Associate at Global Fund for Children, Kate McNealey is responsible for the day-to-day accounting functions of GFC’s Washington, DC, office and UK Trust and assists with their financial operations. Her duties include ensuring that all disbursements and receivables are processed and reconciled. Before coming to GFC, she was a teacher at a private school, as well as a campaign coordinator for several state and federal campaigns. For the last few years, she worked as an accounting clerk for a Maryland-based nonprofit. She is in the process of completing her finance degree at the University of Maryland Global Campus.

As Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist in India, Rituu B Nanda provides support to GFC’s India-based partners working on anti-trafficking, helping them to strengthen their MEL systems using participatory practices. Appreciation and deep listening are key principles in Rituu’s life and work. She has experience in monitoring and evaluation, participatory action research, knowledge management, community engagement, behavior change, systems thinking, and equity issues. Rituu is passionate about using community-led and youth-centered approaches in MEL and brings this to her role at GFC. Rituu is pursuing her second master’s degree in Evaluation and holds a certification in Public Health. Rituu is based in Delhi and is fluent in English, Hindi, and Punjabi.

As Global Fund for Children’s Atlas Corps Fellow, Blondie Ndebele provides a wide range of content creation, editorial, digital media, and design support to the organization’s global communications team. She has a decade of experience both in the field of journalism and in the nonprofit sector. Blondie has been actively involved in initiatives that promote human rights awareness, active citizen participation, social inclusion, accountable governance, and sound service delivery. She has also contributed immensely to addressing issues that include children’s rights, justice for women, inclusion of people with disabilities, and environmental justice in rural communities. Previously, she worked as a news reporter at one of the leading daily newspapers in Zimbabwe. With a budding career in writing, Blondie recently contributed to an international journal titled The Idea of Matabeleland in Digital Spaces: Genealogies, Discourses and Epistemic Struggles. She holds a master’s degree in international relations and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies.

Irina Novac works with Global Fund for Children on the Young Gamechangers Fund, a new UK funding initiative that aims to change the way that youth-led activism, social change, and movement building is funded in the UK. Irina is a young feminist activist based in Bucharest, Romania. She has been involved in the Romanian feminist movement since she was 17, where she co-organized protests, camps, conferences, and film festivals, particularly for young feminists. Irina is a Young Leader in Women Deliver’s Young Leader Program. She also participated in the 2023 Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, and was a Europe and Eurasia Spark Fund panelist in 2021. Irina holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Bucharest and will be pursuing a master’s degree in sociological research at Sciences Po Paris. She speaks Romanian, English, and a bit of French.

Jemimah Olaniyi supports Global Fund for Children by ensuring efficient and accurate operation of GFC’s day-to-day global grantmaking efforts. Born and raised in East London, England, she earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising at Edge Hill University, where she developed a strong foundation in her field. Jemimah has worked with several charities, including The National Lottery Community Fund, Phoenix Fund, Future Youth Zone, and The Wildlife Trust Lancashire. These experiences broadened her understanding of grantmaking processes and fueled her commitment to driving positive change within communities. Jemimah has worked extensively with young people, volunteering as a youth worker and sitting on two youth advisory panels. While in those positions, she lobbied for youth voices to be a key part of programs aimed toward young people. Jemimah’s deep-seated passion for the environment and youth empowerment pushes her to continue creating a better world for young people.

Corey Oser leads Global Fund for Children’s grantmaking and capacity-building program. Corey believes that social transformation is possible with collective action even in the most challenging environments. From militia-controlled suburbs of Baghdad to Kosovo towns to conflict-affected villages in eastern Congo, she has witnessed the power of community-led solutions to create hope and opportunity for the most vulnerable populations. Before coming to GFC, Corey established and led a global capacity-building effort at Polaris that equipped organizations to identify victims of trafficking, respond effectively, and create data-informed solutions in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. Prior to joining Polaris, Corey spent a decade improving economic and social outcomes for women and girls in conflict-affected countries through leadership roles with Women for Women International. She serves as an International Advisory Board member of Global Youth Innovation Network, a youth-led network for young entrepreneurs committed to acting as change agents from the grassroots to the global level. Corey holds a master’s degree in international affairs and development from the George Washington University and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate with highest honors from Bates College.

As a Senior Accounting Associate at Global Fund for Children, Arantxa Paniagua assists with accounting for the UK Trust, administers grants to grassroots partners, and helps with annual audit preparation, among other responsibilities. She first joined GFC as a Finance Intern in 2019 and returned to the organization in 2021 as an Accounting Specialist after studying budgeting and grantmaking in Spain and the United Kingdom. Her prior work experience includes financial analysis and budgeting in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Arantxa holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from La Laguna University in Spain. A native Spanish speaker, she is also fluent in English and speaks basic German.

As a Learning and Evaluation Officer at Global Fund for Children, Sam Phillips-Corwin works to support the strategic learning and evaluation team in developing GFC’s capacity to learn as an organization, to enhance the understanding of GFC’s impact, and to share those findings. Prior to joining GFC, Sam worked as a case manager and housing specialist at a men’s shelter in Seattle. He also has experience working with foundations and nonprofits in the Seattle area to establish systems of measurement, learning, and evaluation. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Oberlin College. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in learning and evaluation practices and conflict resolution at the Fletcher School of International Affairs. Sam is fluent in Spanish.

Tyas Pusposari supports Global Fund for Children’s global and regional learning and research initiatives on social justice, employing participatory approaches with grassroots partners and youth. Her dedication to learning and evaluation is rooted in feminist and intersectional values, emphasizing the perspectives and needs of historically marginalized groups. Before joining GFC, Tyas worked with Global Fund for Women (GFW) as a Learning and Evaluation Officer and with several grassroots organizations as a social researcher in her native Indonesia. At GFW, she spearheaded the integration of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems into Salesforce, produced analyses for various stakeholders, and fostered organizational learning across thematic areas. In Indonesia, she conducted extensive research on women’s rights, philanthropy, child trafficking, and local politics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of Indonesia and a master’s degree in public administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey as a Fulbright Scholar. Tyas is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia and English, and she is actively honing her Portuguese skills.

Ashani Ratnayake is part of GFC’s communications team, focusing on storytelling, digital fundraising campaigns, and growing audiences in the digital sphere. Prior to joining GFC, she worked at the United Nations World Food Programme in Sri Lanka, developing communication campaigns and creative content to enhance awareness and donor relations; managing social media; and executing crisis communications during Sri Lanka’s recent economic crisis. Before making a career change to the development sector, Ashani worked as a Marketing and Brand Manager at Nestlé, a multinational fast-moving consumer goods organization. She has a master’s degree in management from the University of Melbourne and a bachelor’s degree with a specialization in marketing from the University of Kelaniya. Ashani is fluent in English and Sinhala and is currently learning Spanish.

Based in London, Hayley Roffey is Global Fund for Children’s Global Managing Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead. She is a committed, passionate, and experienced senior executive in the international nonprofit sector with a particular focus on children and young people; shifting power in philanthropy; grassroots funding; and safeguarding. Hayley has not only set up new organizations but also delivered transformational organizational change. Between 2020-2021, under Hayley’s leadership, the income of GFC’s UK and European operation grew by 460%. In 2021, she played a key role in establishing a new organization, Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC), which supports and strengthens safeguarding practices globally. With nearly 20 years in the sector, Hayley believes in sharing her experience, her privilege, and her position with the next generation of women leaders, and she regularly coaches and mentors up-and-coming leaders in the nonprofit sector. She holds a postgraduate diploma in marketing and marketing management from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a postgraduate degree in magazine journalism from Cardiff University, and a bachelor’s degree in drama and dramatics/theater arts from the University of Winchester.

Becca Rubenstein works on Global Fund for Children’s development team supporting the cultivation and stewardship of individual donors. Prior to working for GFC, Becca supported Locally Haiti, a nonprofit that advocates for and invests in locally led initiatives in Petit Trou de Nippes, Haiti. She assisted in the planning and execution of outreach campaigns, CRM data management, and various research projects. Becca studied international business and marketing at the University of Richmond and is proficient in French.

Juan Camilo Sandoval works as a Program Coordinator for the Americas team at Global Fund for Children, where he provides support to GFC partners in Colombia who are part of the Spark Fund, PEAK, and HEEL initiatives. Prior to joining GFC, Juan Camilo led communication and intersectoral coordination efforts in Colombia’s Amazon and Pacific regions, bridging information gaps with Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, grassroots organizations, and communities profoundly impacted by the pandemic. He also facilitated dialogues on crucial topics such as mental health, sexual and reproductive health, LGBTQ+ rights restoration, and gender-based violence, addressing pressing public health issues exacerbated during the pandemic. Juan Camilo is a political scientist who has completed postgraduate studies in political theory and interdisciplinary development studies, specializing in grassroots and community development. He speaks Spanish, English, and French.

Md. Shanawaz works in collaboration with Global Fund for Children’s Asia team, providing grantmaking, capacity development, and program-related support to Bangladesh-based partners advancing the rights of children and youth. Shanawaz brings eight years of experience working for national and international nonprofits, and he has expertise in inclusive quality education, youth empowerment, training, capacity development, grantmaking, and program management. Prior to joining GFC, Shanawaz led Habitat for Humanity International’s youth empowerment program in Bangladesh; managed the educational equity program for Teach For Bangladesh, a partner of the global education network Teach For All; and worked with Dhaka Ahsania Mission, a national nongovernmental organization. Shanawaz is an alumnus of the Global Educational Equity Fellowship, through which he taught a group of underprivileged children for two years in a primary school located in a marginalized community. Shanawaz has a bachelor’s degree in English language and linguistics from American International University-Bangladesh and a master’s degree in education from BRAC University. He holds professional certifications in project management, youth development, and mental health. Shanawaz is fluent in Bangla and English and has working proficiency in Hindi and Urdu.

Palmer Shepherd provides leadership for Global Fund for Children’s internal systems, operations, and workflow and is responsible for improving tracking and processes throughout the organization. He is the Board liaison and manages donations processing, financial projections, donor database operations, and other administrative functions. Palmer has over 15 years of nonprofit experience, with a strong focus on addressing the operational needs of fundraising and creating strong and efficient infrastructures. His expertise includes donor databases, online fundraising and communications, prospect research, and event management. Prior to joining GFC, Palmer worked for the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the Dallas Zoological Society, and Meridian International Center. Palmer earned a master’s degree in music from Carnegie Mellon University and a global master’s degree in international relations from Webster University, where his studies took place in Austria, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Thailand. Palmer is conversant in Arabic and French.  

Abigail Stallworth is a member of Global Fund for Children’s development team, engaging our generous donors to raise funds to support GFC and our partners around the world. Abigail has dedicated her career to helping nonprofits become more sustainable and access the flexible resources they need to do the most good. Abigail began her career working on the development team at Polaris, an anti-human-trafficking organization, where she helped implement a major donor circle and managed the donor database. From there, she focused on writing grant proposals and reports for organizations that focused on climate change, education advocacy, and board development. Most recently, she worked as the Development Manager at the Nuclear Threat Initiative to develop internal policies and processes for the fundraising team and implement an events-based major donor program. Abigail has also spent the last three years volunteering as the Gala Chair for the DC Chapter of Engineers Without Borders and previously volunteered with the anti-street-harassment nonprofit Collective Action for Safe Spaces. Abigail has a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from American University and speaks German.

Vanessa Stevens is passionate about sparking collaborations that strengthen trust, learning, and equity in philanthropy, civil society, and communities. As the Director of Innovation and Influencing at Global Fund for Children, Vanessa enjoys creating influencing strategies and collaborative learning spaces with youth leaders, local partners, and sector peers. Prior to GFC, she designed capacity development initiatives with social entrepreneurs and NGOs with Impact Hub in Malaysia and CIVICUS in Argentina. Vanessa began her career with AmeriCorps VISTA at the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, growing into roles focused on resource development, program management, and advocacy for immigrant rights. While in Birmingham, she co-founded a chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. Vanessa received her bachelor's degree in International Studies and her master's degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University. She is fluent in Spanish and is a beginner Brazilian Portuguese speaker.

As the Operations and Human Resources Associate at Global Fund for Children, Mohammed Taher aids in developing and strengthening the organization’s collective capacity in multiple functional areas, including administration, human resources, technology, and facilities. He is responsible for providing support for the operational and administrative needs of GFC's leadership team and ensuring that GFC’s daily operations run smoothly. Prior to joining GFC, Mohammed worked for the Arlington County Public Health Division, where he responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in several roles, from Contact Tracer and Case Investigator to Contact Tracing Team Supervisor. He also has experience in community outreach and health education and in improving workflow processes to become more efficient and effective. Mohammed holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Virginia. He is fluent in Bengali and proficient in Spanish.

Suwandee Thatsanaprai, known as Beaw, works in collaboration with Global Fund for Children’s Asia program and Spark Fund teams to facilitate youth-led grantmaking, capacity development, and program-related support for Spark Fund partners in Southeast Asia. Beaw is a Thai-Karen education development practitioner working in Thailand and Myanmar to improve access to education for marginalized and ethnic minority students. She has several years of experience working in education and youth development settings, with a particular focus on her native northern Thailand and its border areas. Beaw is passionate about bringing the voices of underrepresented youth into the mainstream conversation. She recently earned a master’s degree in education (policy and international development) from the University of Bristol. She is fluent in Thai and Karen.

Anne-Marie Twumasi is the Phoenix Way Grants Manager, focusing on dismantling structural barriers faced by Black and racially minoritized communities and community-led organizations in accessing grant funding within the UK. Anne-Marie has worked in various roles across the grantmaking sector, including grant management to grant system architecture at the National Lottery Community Fund, the Avast Foundation, and Big Change Charity. These roles have championed participatory grantmaking processes, incorporating young people and diverse communities into funding decisions. Anne-Marie holds an undergraduate degree in religious studies and a master’s degree in international social policy from the University of Kent. She previously worked as a researcher, exploring academic attainment among Black and minoritized students, race and ethnicity, and evidenced-based policy making.

Eugenia Vigil is part of the Americas team at Global Fund for Children, where she works on the Girls Experiencing Migration (GEM) initiative and the Promoting Youth Leadership for Gender Justice initiative, also known as HEEL. She is a popular educator and has accompanied community processes related to food sovereignty and solidarity economy with Indigenous and rural communities in Chiapas, Mexico. Eugenia has experience in caring for land and seeds, environmental education, agroecology, community forest restoration, and ecotechnologies. She has also worked with children in Indigenous, rural, and peri-urban communities in Mexico in Puebla and Chiapas. She holds a degree in environmental sciences and sustainable development, and she is fluent in Spanish and English.

Loan Vuong works in collaboration with Global Fund for Children’s Asia program and Spark Fund teams to facilitate youth-led grantmaking, capacity development, and program-related support for Spark Fund partners in Vietnam. Loan is an experienced social worker who is passionate about contributing to Vietnam’s social development. She worked for almost 10 years as a youth development officer and social worker for children, youth, and families living in poverty, and she found particular satisfaction in promoting climate change awareness and coaching hundreds of youth-led projects to achieve sustainable development goals. Loan holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and completed her master’s program in social work through the sponsorship of an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. She is fluent in Vietnamese and English.

Karen Walker-Simpson co-leads Funder Safeguarding Collaborative, which promotes greater collaboration and learning among funding agencies to strengthen safeguarding practices. Karen started her career working with children in care in the UK before moving to Ecuador to run Fundación Juconi, which provides therapeutic support for street-working children and their families. Karen spent the last eight years as a Safeguarding Specialist for international NGOs working across Africa, Asia, and Latin America before moving to Comic Relief as the organization’s Head of Safeguarding. Karen has a master’s degree in international human rights and is completing her professional doctorate, which examines the effectiveness of safeguarding standards and donor requirements when applied by NGOs in East Africa. Karen is fluent in Spanish.

Liza Yanovich supports Global Fund for Children in designing and implementing its learning, evaluation, and research practices. Her approach to research and learning is founded in the belief that generating evidence should translate into action. Prior to joining GFC, she worked as a consultant designing and carrying out evaluations of education projects funded by USAID, DFID, and Norad, conducted private sector development research at the World Bank, and worked at the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. Department of State, where she taught Russian to senior American diplomats, designed curriculum materials, and led seminars related to foreign policy. She has extensive field work experience in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and West and Central Africa, working with hard-to-reach communities and building and maintaining relationships with local individuals, government representatives, and NGOs. She holds a master’s degree in international relations and a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and French. Liza is passionate about the arts and has been acting at a local theater group since 2011. She is based in Washington, DC and is fluent in English, Russian, and French.

As Thailand Partnerships Catalyst at Global Fund for Children, Wanwarin (Nina) Yensuk builds relationships and fosters strong communication with GFC’s Thailand partners through participatory learning, capacity building, and grantmaking. Before joining GFC, she was the Project Coordinator at the Center for Girls Foundation, one of GFC’s partner organizations. Her work includes preventing, combating, and eradicating human trafficking and violence against women and children, as well as promoting gender equity. Nina has worked with Thai, ethnic, and stateless women and children in border districts. Before becoming a Project Coordinator, Nina volunteered at Urban Light Foundation, A21 Thailand, and Stop the Traffik to fight human trafficking and modern slavery in her hometown and worldwide. Nina acquired a bachelor’s degree in English communication from Payap University International College and has a master’s degree in gender and international relations from the University of Bristol. She is fluent in Thai and English.

Kelsi Young is part of Global Fund for Children’s development team and works to cultivate GFC’s institutional and individual donor bases. Prior to working with GFC, Kelsi worked as a Development Officer at Center for Girls, one of GFC’s partner organizations. In this position, she worked for over three years to promote women’s and children’s rights and the prevention of abuse, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and gender-based violence in Northern Thailand. Kelsi also has three years of experience teaching English to elementary school students and North Korean defectors in South Korea. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology with concentrations in cultural and medical anthropology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master of Public Health degree with a focus in global health from the University of Utah Asia Campus. Kelsi is proficient in Korean. She is proud to serve on the steering committee of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy’s DC chapter.