Global Fund for Children is pleased to welcome four new members to its Global Board. Our board plays a vital role in providing guidance, stewardship, and strategic leadership, drawing on a wealth of experience across sectors and geographies. These new members bring diverse expertise spanning investment, philanthropy, and youth leadership, strengthening our ability to support community-based organizations advancing the rights and opportunities of children and young people worldwide. United by a shared belief in locally led change, they will help shape and advance GFC’s mission in the years ahead.

Raj Agrawal

Raj Agrawal is the Global Head of Real Assets at KKR global investment firm, where he has worked since 2006. Raj has 27 years of experience in investing and has previously held positions at Warburg Pincus, Thayer Capital Partners, and McKinsey & Company.

Outside of his professional role, Raj is committed to giving back to his community through his service on a number of boards including KKR’s Global Inclusion and Diversity Council, the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the board of trustees of Castilleja School in Palo Alto, CA, and the Board of Directors of the Urban Vision Alliance.

He holds a B.A., Honors and Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from Stanford University and an M.B.A., Arjay Miller Scholar, from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Raj and his family recently relocated from the Bay Area to New York City.

“I’m excited to join the board because GFC’s approach has strong parallels to investing: identifying high-potential organizations, providing catalytic capital, and then helping them grow and thrive over time. I’m eager to bring my experience in long-term value creation, governance, and partnership-building to further GFC’s mission.” — Raj said.

“Global Fund for Children backs community-led organizations that are closest to the challenges and the solutions  providing early, flexible funding and hands-on support that helps local leaders build lasting change. It’s a model that finds promising grassroots groups and helps them scale.” — he added.

Julia Hinshaw

Julia Hinshaw is an artist, philanthropist, and creative visionary. A mother of three and co-owner of Blackbird Vineyards, she moves fluidly between worlds, blending entrepreneurship, intuitive art, and community leadership into a singular expression of purpose.

Julia’s early years were rooted in family life, school fundraisers, and community involvement, experiences that shaped her grounded, relational approach to leadership. While helping steward Blackbird Vineyards alongside her husband John, she has gravitated toward the experiential and aesthetic dimensions of the brand, elevating hospitality, design, and narrative as forms of art in their own right.

At the center of Julia’s work is her painting practice. Working primarily in acrylic, she creates intuitive, large-scale pieces that explore emotion, energy, and transformation. For Julia, painting is not performance. It is listening made visible.

Her interest in energy healing and frequency-based practices informs both her art and her leadership. She views creativity as a restorative force and has developed a wellness and art concept adjacent to the winery.

Philanthropy is equally foundational to her identity. In 2014, Julia and John established a charitable trust focused on expanding equitable access to housing, healthcare, and education. Her approach is pragmatic and relational, emphasizing long-term impact over short-term visibility.

Julia splits her time between Austin and Napa Valley. At heart, she is a builder of atmospheres. Whether through art, philanthropy, or hospitality, she creates spaces where beauty carries intention and community feels tangible.

“I am excited to be joining such a fabulous group of board members. I love that GFC has such tremendous impact at the local level on a global scale.” — Julia said.

“GFC helps where it matters. By providing support at the local level, widespread change can happen.” — she added.

Maria Veronica “Oni” Papa

Maria Veronica “Oni” Papa is an advocate for participatory processes for young people in climate action and democratic governance. She serves as Global Communications Co-Lead of the UN Environment Programme’s Children and Youth Major Group (CYMG) and Program Manager for the Asia Region at the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY), where she leads initiatives that strengthen youth democratic participation and cross-border collaboration. Her background includes policy research with the US-ASEAN Business Council and Policy International. She is currently a member of CIVICUS’ Youth Action Team, and previously served with UNICEF’s Young People’s Action Team (YPAT). She is also the co-founder of Kilos Ko Youth, a grassroots, youth-led organization in the Philippines focused on civic engagement and participatory organizing, and now serves on its Board of Advisers.

“GFC proves that shared power can be institutional, not tokenistic—and that’s why I’m excited to serve on its Board.” — Maria Veronica said.

“More people should know that GFC embeds youth and community leadership into how it governs, not just how it programs.” — she added.

Dragoș-Alexandru Ioniță

Dragoș-Alexandru Ioniță is a youth advocate, junior researcher and International Relations student at the University of Bucharest. He has represented young people in European and international forums, such as the EU Youth Summit, and the Congress of Young Europeans. He previously served as an EU-Youth Dialogue Ambassador for the National Foundation for Youth, is an accredited national election observer, and was a 2025 winner in the Robert Schuman Essay Contest organized by the European Parliament for his essay on youth participation methods in policy-making. Dragoș has also interned at Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contributes articles on youth participation and global policy to PulseZ Media Hub and Modern Diplomacy.

“I’m excited to join the GFC Board because of its commitment to youth-centred change. GFC’s approach of trusting communities and combining financial responsibility with strong values resonates with how I understand effective and ethical global work as a young leader.” — Dragoș-Alexandru said.

“One thing more people should know about GFC is how seriously it takes youth leadership. Through the Youth Leadership Council, young people are not only consulted but meaningfully involved in shaping priorities and decisions, ensuring that GFC’s work remains grounded in the realities and perspectives of the communities it serves.”  — he added.