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.
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Jessika Ava, MS, MPA (Choctaw) (she/her)
CEO & Founder • USA/Nepal
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Meghana Rajanahally, MS (she/her/they/them)
Finance & Operations Manager • Aotearoa New Zealand/India
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Nabaasa Innocent (she/her)
Thrive Africa Senior Co-Manager • Uganda
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Virginia Ruguru (she/her)
Thrive Africa Co-Manager • Kenya
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Precious Akampurira (she/her)
Thrive Africa Coordinator • Uganda
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Abigail Mukonyo (she/her)
Executive Coordinator • Kenya
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Joseph Alcantara, M.Ed. (he/him)
Volunteer - Fundraising Liaison • Philippines
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.
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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Lauren Kohler (she/her)
Board Co-Chair • Major Donor Committee Co-Chair
Director of Food Systems Philanthropy, Stray Dog Institute • USA -
Naijha Wright-Brown, MBA (she/her)
Board Secretary
Black Veg Society, Co-Founder & Executive Director • USA -
Marcela Borges, J.D. (she/her)
Strategic Plan Committee Vice Chair
Director, Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira • Brazil -
Sonya Salanti, MS, MA (she/her)
Board Vice-Chair
USA -
Dr. Tawanda Muzhingi, PhD, MS (he/him)
Board Member
USA | Zimbabwe -
Dr. Vera Flocke, PhD (she/her)
Board Member
USA | Germany -
Abundance Zaddy, MFA, BFA (he/ wealth/ wellness/ sovereignty)
Major Donor Committee Co-Chair
Storytellers & Individual Giving V-Chair
W3AVING W3BS, CEO • USA -
Varda Mehrotra (she/her)
Founding Board Member,
Finance Committee Co-Chair
Executive Director, Samayu • India -
Candace Burton (she/her)
Storytellers & Individual Giving Committee Chair
Program Officer, The Boston Foundation • USA -
Chris Flood (he/him)
Board Member
USA -
Sarah Lupberger, MESc (she/her)
Board Member
USA -
Ondine Sherman, MA (she/her)
Board Member
Managing Director, Voiceless • Australia | Israel -
Hannah Tookey (she/her)
Strategic Plan Committee Chair
Development Officer, Rethink Priorities and Independent Producer • United Kingdom
Previous Board Members
Thrive extends gratitude to previous board members for their service.
Dawn Moncrief, MA, MA (she/her), Previous Founding Board Member
Dr. Francisco “Paco” Ollervides, PhD, MS (he/him), Previous Board Co-Chair
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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Meghan O’Brien Lowery (she/her)
Organization Management and Philanthropy Advisor • USA
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Zehra Abbas (she/her)
Islamic Regional and Marketing Advisor • Canada
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Liana Paris (she/her)
Philanthropy and Africa Regional Advisor • USA/Africa
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Shweta Sood (she/her)
Communications, Asia Regional, and Capacity-Building Advisor • India
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Rachel Kabue (she/her)
Africa Regional Advisor • Kenya
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Eve Samyuktha (she/her)
China Regional and Food Tech Advisor • China
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Dr. Nathan E. Leonard, DVM (he/him)
Africa Regional Advisor • Tanzania
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Sneha Shrestha (she/her)
Asia Regional Advisor • Nepal
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Nii Addo (he/him)
Africa Regional Advisor • Ghana
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Hannah Murray, MA (she/her)
Content, Communications, Grant Writing, and Philanthropy Advisor • USA
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Rubem Gomes (he/him)
Africa Regional Advisor • Angola
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Flavia D’Erasmo (she/her)
Marketing, Organizational Management, Development Advisor • Italy
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Alissa Hauser, MBA (she/her)
Organization Management and Philanthropy Advisor • USA
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Zac Lovas (he/him)
Asia Regional Advisor • Thailand
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Altamush Saeed, J.D. (he/him)
Asia Regional Advisor and Legal Advisor • Pakistan
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Dr. Rachel Mason, PhD (she/her)
Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Advisor • UK
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Sarah Berry (she/her)
Communications, Design and Strategic Partnerships Advisor • India
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Craig Grant (he/him)
Asia Regional and Capacity Advisor • UK/Asia
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Sara Mehak, JD (she/her)
UK Legal Advisor • UK
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Anonymous
Financial and International Banking Advisor • USA
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.
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.