Thrive Philanthropy Co-Leadership

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STAFF

Thrive Philanthropy is an international BIPOC and women-majority team from the Global North and Global South. Our CEO has 15 years’ experience in philanthropy, specifically vegan food systems and animal philanthropy. Thrive’s team has a collective 25+ years’ experience in philanthropy and a collective 60+ years’ experience in food justice advocacy. All team members are founders of high-impact organizations and projects.

We are one of the first organizations in the vegan philanthropy space to be led by a Native American woman.

  • A woman with long reddish-brown hair, smiling, wearing a black top and jewelry, against a plain light background.

    Jessika Ava, MS, MPA (Choctaw) (she/her)

    CEO & Founder • USA/Nepal

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  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black cardigan over a blue top, and a necklace with a cross pendant.

    Meghana Rajanahally, MS (she/her/they/them)

    Finance & Operations Manager • Aotearoa New Zealand/India

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  • Portrait of a smiling woman with short curly hair wearing a navy blue blazer, pearl necklace, and pearl earrings, against a plain light background.

    Nabaasa Innocent (she/her)

    Thrive Africa Senior Co-Manager • Uganda

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  • A woman with glasses smiling, wearing a blue top, against a plain light background.

    Virginia Ruguru (she/her)

    Thrive Africa Co-Manager • Kenya

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  • A woman with medium brown skin, wearing a green shirt and gold jewelry, smiling at the camera, against a plain light background.

    Precious Akampurira (she/her)

    Thrive Africa Coordinator • Uganda

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  • A woman wearing a colorful headscarf and a light-colored blazer with blue accents smiling with crossed arms.

    Abigail Mukonyo (she/her)

    Executive Coordinator • Kenya

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  • A young man with short black hair, wearing glasses and a black collared shirt, smiling slightly against a plain white background.

    Joseph Alcantara, M.Ed. (he/him)

    Volunteer Fundraising Liaison • Philippines

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Thrive Philanthropy holds an active international Board of Directors from 9 countries and 6 continents, with diverse expertise and lived experiences in plant-based food systems change, philanthropy, and organizational governance.

Although we’re no longer formally recruiting board members, if you’re interested in a board seat, we invite you to apply here and we’ll hold your application for when a new seat opens.

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    Dr. Francisco “Paco” Ollervides, PhD, MS (he/him)

    Board Co-Chair
    USA | Mexico

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  • Young woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiling, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, against a plain light background.

    Lauren Kohler (she/her)

    Board Co-Chair • Major Donor Committee Co-Chair
    Director of Food Systems Philanthropy, Stray Dog Institute • USA

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  • A woman with curly, gray hair smiling, wearing a black top, earrings, and a necklace, against a plain light background.

    Naijha Wright-Brown, MBA (she/her)

    Board Secretary
    Black Veg Society, Co-Founder & Executive Director • USA

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  • A smiling woman with short blonde hair, wearing glasses and a black top, against a plain light-colored background.

    Sonya Salanti, MS, MA (she/her)

    Board Vice-Chair
    USA

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  • Headshot of a smiling African American man with short hair and a goatee, wearing a plaid blazer and a white checkered dress shirt, against a plain background.

    Dr. Tawanda Muzhingi, PhD, MS (he/him)

    Board Member
    USA | Zimbabwe

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  • A woman with long, dark brown hair and a slight smile, wearing a black blazer, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Marcela Borges, J.D. (she/her)

    Strategic Plan Committee Vice Chair
    Director, Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira • Brazil

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  • Close-up of a smiling woman with curly red hair wearing a black sleeveless top against a plain light background.

    Dr. Vera Flocke, PhD (she/her)

    Board Member
    USA | Germany

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  • A person with long dreadlocks, wearing a white blazer and a colorful shirt, smiling and holding the collar of their blazer.

    Abundance Zaddy, MFA, BFA (he/ wealth/ wellness/ sovereignty)

    Major Donor Committee Co-Chair
    Storytellers & Individual Giving V-Chair
    W3AVING W3BS, CEO • USA

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  • A woman with short dark hair, wearing a navy blue top, smiling at the camera against a plain light gray background.

    Varda Mehrotra (she/her)

    Founding Board Member,
    Finance Committee Co-Chair
    Executive Director, Samayu • India

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  • Portrait of a smiling woman with long dreadlocks wearing a teal top against a light background.

    Candace Burton (she/her)

    Storytellers & Individual Giving Committee Chair
    Program Officer, The Boston Foundation • USA

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  • A smiling man with glasses, a beard, and short hair wearing a blue collared shirt against a plain white background.

    Chris Flood (he/him)

    Board Member
    USA

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  • Close-up of a smiling woman with light skin, dark hair pulled back, earrings, and a black shirt or blazer, against a plain white background.

    Sarah Lupberger, MESc (she/her)

    Board Member
    USA

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  • A woman with long brown hair, glasses, and a black top smiling at the camera.

    Ondine Sherman, MA (she/her)

    Board Member
    Managing Director, Voiceless • Australia | Israel

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  • A woman with long, wavy brown hair smiling at the camera, wearing a black turtleneck sweater and sunglasses on her head, against a plain light background.

    Hannah Tookey (she/her)

    Strategic Plan Committee Chair
    Development Officer, Rethink Priorities and Independent Producer • United Kingdom

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Previous Board Members

Thrive thanks previous board members for their service.

Dawn Moncrief, MA, MA (she/her), Previous Founding Board Member
Executive Director, A Well-Fed World

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GLOBAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Thrive Philanthropy has a global advisory committee from multiple countries and continents, all with tactical, management, and regional expertise. Thrive’s Global Advisory Committee supports Thrive in grant decision-making, strategic directions, grantee support, and more.

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    Dash Meizler (he/him)

    Africa Regional Advisor • Uganda

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    Lasse Bruun (he/him)

    United Nations, Multilateralism, Climate and Sustainable Agriculture Advisor • USA

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  • Portrait of a smiling blonde woman with wavy hair, wearing earrings and a black top, against a plain light background.

    Meghan O’Brien Lowery (she/her)

    Organization Management and Philanthropy Advisor • USA

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  • Close-up portrait of a woman with long dark hair, light skin, light blue eyes, and subtle makeup, against a plain light background.

    Zehra Abbas (she/her)

    Islamic Regional and Marketing Advisor • Canada

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  • A woman with long, curly brown hair smiling at the camera against a plain white background.

    Liana Paris (she/her)

    Philanthropy and Africa Regional Advisor • USA/Africa

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  • Portrait of a woman with long dark hair, wearing a black top and hoop earrings, smiling against a plain light background.

    Shweta Sood (she/her)

    Communications, Asia Regional, and Capacity-Building Advisor • India

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  • A woman wearing a colorful, patterned headwrap and matching attire, looking directly at the camera against a plain, light background.

    Rachel Kabue (she/her)

    Africa Regional Advisor • Kenya

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  • Close-up of a woman with short, light brown hair with blonde highlights, wearing a black hoodie, against a plain light background.

    Eve Samyuktha (she/her)

    China Regional and Food Tech Advisor • China

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  • A portrait of a middle-aged woman with long, gray hair, wearing a white blouse and a necklace, against a light background.

    Dr. Krista Hiddema, PhD (she/her)

    Movement History, Tactics, and Organization Management Advisor • Canada

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  • Portrait of a man with short hair wearing a checkered shirt against a plain light gray background.

    Dr. Nathan E. Leonard, DVM (he/him)

    Africa Regional Advisor • Tanzania

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  • A woman with short dark hair holding two dogs, one brown with a happy expression and the other black and brown with a pink collar, against a plain white background.

    Sneha Shrestha (she/her)

    Asia Regional Advisor • Nepal

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  • A young man in a checkered shirt standing in front of a plain light background.

    Nii Addo (he/him)

    Africa Regional Advisor • Ghana

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  • A smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing a white sleeveless top, and hoop earrings, against a plain light background.

    Hannah Murray, MA (she/her)

    Content, Communications, Grant Writing, and Philanthropy Advisor • USA

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  • A black and white close-up portrait of a man with curly hair and a beard, looking at the camera.

    Rubem Gomes (he/him)

    Africa Regional Advisor • Angola

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  • A woman with long, wavy brown hair and a blue shirt, smiling at the camera against a plain white background.

    Flavia D’Erasmo (she/her)

    Marketing, Organizational Management, Development Advisor • Italy

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  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and wearing a black top, smiling at the camera against a plain light-colored background.

    Alissa Hauser, MBA (she/her)

    Organization Management and Philanthropy Advisor • USA

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  • A smiling man with gray hair wearing a checkered collared shirt.

    Zac Lovas (he/him)

    Asia Regional Advisor • Thailand

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  • A man in a light gray suit, white shirt, pink tie, and glasses standing against a plain background.

    Altamush Saeed, J.D. (he/him)

    Asia Regional Advisor and Legal Advisor • Pakistan

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  • A black and white close-up of a woman wearing a cap with sunglasses on top, smiling slightly, with a plain light background.

    Dr. Rachel Mason, PhD (she/her)

    Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Advisor • UK

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  • A woman with dark hair tied in a bun, wearing colorful patterned scrubs, smiling slightly, standing against a plain white background.

    Sarah Berry (she/her)

    Communications, Design and Strategic Partnerships Advisor • India

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  • A man with a beard, wearing a white t-shirt, smiling with arms crossed against a plain background.

    Craig Grant (he/him)

    Asia Regional and Capacity Advisor • UK/Asia

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  • Black and white photo of a woman with long dark hair, wearing a patterned jacket and a white blouse, smiling.

    Sara Mehak, JD (she/her)

    UK Legal Advisor • UK

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    Anonymous

    Financial and International Banking Advisor • USA

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REGIONAL FUNDING STEERING COMMITTEES

Thrive’s Regional Funding Steering Committees support our global grantmaking, grantee capacity-building, and Thrive Food Systems Pooled Fund by imparting expertise and lived experience in regional food systems and in-depth access to local advocate networks. With our Regional Funding Steering Committees, Thrive ensures funding allocation and capacity projects are regionally effective and culturally appropriate and that we avoid risk of Western colonialism or inequitable grantmaking practices.

Meet Asia Committee
Meet Africa Committee
Meet LATAM Committee
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PRO-BONO SUPPORTERS

A special thank you to Animal Defense Partnership for pro-bono legal support, Violet Studios for pro-bono graphic design, branding, and website design, and Zehra Abbas and Tact Agency for previous pro-bono design.