GLOBAL PHILANTHROPY PROJECT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Program Director, International Social Justice, Arcus Foundation Co - Chair, Individual Donors Working Group
Adrian Coman has worked for over 20 years in human rights advocacy, philanthropy, education, and politics. Since 2013, he coordinates the International Human Rights Program at the Arcus Foundation in New York. Adrian was the first executive director of ACCEPT, the national LGBT organization in Romania, which contributed to the repeal of the anti-gay criminal law and the adoption of antidiscrimination provisions in Romania, served as program director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (now OutRight International), and worked for a Member of the European Parliament on human rights protection and anti-corruption. Adrian holds degrees in chemistry and human rights, and is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Romanian.
Job Titles:
- Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Vice President of Programs
Job Titles:
- Executive Director for Initiative Sankofa D'Afrique De L'Ouest
- Executive Director, ISDAO Co - Chair, Government & Multilateral Taskforce
Caroline Kouassiaman is the Executive Director for Initiative Sankofa d'Afrique de l'Ouest. Caroline has 15+ years of diverse professional experiences in philanthropy, human rights activism, social justice and education to ISDAO. Previously Caroline was Senior Program Officer at the American Jewish World Service (AJWS), managing the sexual health and rights grants portfolio in West and East Africa. While at AJWS, Caroline was involved with ISDAO throughout the first four years of its journey, where she contributed to resource mobilization, communications and outreach to other funders and activists, and developing ISDAO's programs, initially as a member of the Brain Trust and later of the Interim Governing Body. Prior to joining AJWS, Caroline was the Program Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Global Fund for Women, where she coordinated grantmaking to over 100 women's rights organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa annually, from 2011-2014. She serves as an advisor to the Queer African Youth Network.
Caroline is a queer Pan-African feminist of Ivorian and African-American heritage, and has lived in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Uganda. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Diplomacy & World Affairs from Occidental College, a Master of Public Administration degree and a master's in international relations from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University (US). Caroline works for a world where LGBTQI persons - in their full and beautiful diversity - have the opportunity, autonomy and resources to live full, healthy and violence-free lives on their own terms.
Celeste is the Operations Manager at the Global Philanthropy Project, starting in June 2022. Their role includes vendor management, operational and financial oversight, and Board of Directors support and engagement. Celeste builds new and optimizes existing systems to strengthen the Project's infrastructure.
Before working at GPP, Celeste was the Executive Assistant at the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and the Quality Performance Specialist at a Medicaid Managed Care Organization. Celeste organizes in her community through Ward 1 DC Mutual Aid and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Beloved Community Incubator. They also serve on a BIPOC steering committee for developing low-equity cooperative housing in DC. Celeste attended Butler University, where they graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry with coursework concentrations in Environmental Science and Political Science.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consulting Advisor for Government Relations
- Senior Consulting Advisor, Government Relations and Field Engagement
Dave Scamell is GPP's Senior Consulting Advisor for Government Relations and Field Engagement, and has been working with GPP since 2018. Dave oversees GPP's engagement with the world's leading government and multilateral donors, providing them with the resources and tools necessary to increase the amount and quality of their global LGBTI funding provided through development assistance programming. He also plays a leading role in GPP's work identifying and highlighting key issues impacting the global LGBTI funding landscape and providing donor governments, philanthropic foundations and civil society with the evidence needed to address such issues.
Dave has more than 20 years' experience in human rights and public health advocacy, policy, programming and philanthropy, having worked with civil society organizations to advance the rights of marginalized communities in 27 countries across the world. He has held management and strategic leadership roles in leading non-government organizations, private foundations, and global networks in New York and Sydney, with strong experience and a passion for working with multiple stakeholders-advocates, service providers, donors, policymakers, thought-leaders-to achieve impactful social change. Dave holds a Master in International Human Rights Law (with honors) from the University of Essex and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations) from the University of New South Wales.
Job Titles:
- the Baring Foundation, Deputy Director
David joined the Baring Foundation as Deputy Director in 2014. He began his career as a lawyer in private practice, training and working at the international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills LLP. Since then, he has worked on public interest litigation and human rights at the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco and as Global Pro Bono Advisor at the law firm Linklaters LLP. David is a trustee of GALOP, London's LGBT anti-violence & abuse charity.
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Officer for Knowledge and Learning
Ezra Berkley Nepon is the Senior Program Officer for Knowledge and Learning at Global Philanthropy Project and joined GPP in 2015. Ezra coordinates GPP's research development, is the primary author of the Global Resources Report, and supports GPP's communications and development.
Ezra previously served as Director of Grassroots Fundraising for Sylvia Rivera Law Project, and Development Coordinator for the William Way LGBT Community Center, and co-authored reports including "Who Decides: How Participatory Grantmaking Benefits Donors, Communities, and Movements" with The Lafayette Practice. They are the author of two books - most recently, Dazzle Camouflage: Spectacular Theatrical Strategies for Resistance and Resilience, and a recipient of the 2014 Leeway Foundation Transformation Award. Currently, Ezra is a board member of the Leeway Foundation, and an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace. Ezra received an M.A. Degree from Goddard College in Transformative Language Arts.
Job Titles:
- Horizons Foundation, Vice President of Grants, Programs, and Communications
As the Vice President of Grants, Programs, and Communications at Horizons Foundation, Francisco oversees all of the foundation's grantmaking, programmatic strategies, and communication activities. His 25 plus years of experience in government, philanthropy, academia, nonprofit organizations, and community activism have blended scientific expertise, commonsense public health experience, research, organizational re-engineering, and grantmaking. Francisco's career includes bilingual clinical practice in behavioral medicine with a special focus on chronic diseases. He has co-authored a bimonthly newspaper column on health, written numerous research articles, and produced research reports. He has also served on numerous community-based organization boards and museum advisories. Francisco holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in clinical psychology from Boston University, along with B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in philosophy from the University of California, Davis.
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Associate for the Mesoamerica Program, Foundation for a Just Society Co - Chair, Trans & Intersex Funding Task Force
Felix is the Senior Program Associate for the Mesoamerica Program at Foundation for A Just Society. Born in Ecuador, Felix has worked in arts administration and philanthropic organizations that support multidisciplinary artists, including the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, North Star Fund, and Open Society Foundations. He is a queer trans filmmaker who documents the preservation of LGBT historical spaces, champions activists who catalyze social change, and disrupts the insidious narratives that deny the humanity of marginalized communities. Felix recently joined the Board of Working Films to support work to bring together documentary filmmakers and grassroots activists to advance social justice. He previously worked with Detroit Narrative Agency, Tribeca Institute, and the New Orleans Film Festival.
Ise Bosch, founder and CEO, has 15 years of funding experience in human rights, women and sexual minorities. Her book Transformative Philanthropy - Giving with Trust was published in 2018, including topics such as "Social Investments".
Job Titles:
- Research Consultant, Global Resources Report
- Resources Report Research ( GRR ) Consultant
Jay Postic has worked as a Global Resources Report Research (GRR) Consultant since 2019. He serves as a key researcher for the GRR and has a consultative role in other GPP research activities. For the past twenty years Jay has been involved in queer feminist organizing, education, research and advocacy related to: sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, and rights of LBGTIQ persons in Croatia and internationally.
He held strategic leadership roles in non-government organizations and coordinated activities and projects including organizing international conference on transgressing gender, Pride March in Zagreb, and research on discrimination and violence against LGBTIQ persons in Croatia. Jay holds a BA in Psychology and Women's Studies from the University of Reno, Nevada, and a MA in Sociology from San Diego State University.
Justus Eisfeld is the Strategy and Impact Lead for Hivos' flagship program on LGBTIQ+ economic development. Before joining Hivos in 2019, he worked as a consultant at the corner of philanthropy, LGBTI rights and international development, including on the UN Development Programme's LGBTI Inclusion Index, a scoping study on impact investing in LGBTI communities and co-authoring ‘Transformative Philanthropy' with Ise Bosch and Claudia Bollwinkel. A trans man himself, he co-founded GATE, Transgender Europe and the Dutch Transgender Network. He holds an M.A. in political science/gender studies from the University of Amsterdam and the Free University of Berlin and is currently pursuing an MBA from Central European University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Officer
- Senior Officer for Program, Events, and Member Engagement
Marina Gonzalez Flores is the Senior Officer for Programs, Events, and Member Engagement at the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP). In her current role, Marina oversees most of the public-facing programming GPP does, such as webinars, conferences, and task forces, and supports members in their involvement with GPP. Marina has worked at GPP since 2018, where she started as Program Associate.
Previously, Marina worked at the Citizens Committee for New York City, supporting organizers and grassroots neighborhood improvement projects through resources and micro-grants. Marina is committed to organizing locally in the U.S. and Mexico, as a trained doula and through a feminist collective she is part of. Marina graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a bachelor's degree in Politics and Latin American and Latino Studies and from Columbia University with a master's degree in Human Rights Studies.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- President of the Board of Directors of the Calamus Foundation
Matty joined as Director of the Global Philanthropy Project in 2015, leading the efforts of an organization internationally recognized as the primary thought leader and go-to partner for philanthropic and development coordination of global LGBTI work.
Founder and Principal of the Paris-based Lafayette Practice, Hart has previously served as Senior Strategist for Europe for Funders Concerned about AIDS and National Director for Public Engagement at Solutions for Progress, a US-based social enterprise.
Hart also serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Calamus Foundation (DE), and has previously served as a member of the Mediterranean Women's Fund, The Civil Marriage Collaborative, a board member of Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Philadelphia's Sustainable Business Network, and The Leeway Foundation; and the community funding board of Bread & Roses Fund. A Jonathan Lax Academic Fellow. Hart helped found the Susan Treadwell Memorial Fund and Fellowships at Ariadne. Hart received degrees in Urban Studies and Cultural Anthropology from Temple University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Officer for Gender Justice & Equity
Mauro Cabral Grinspan is GPP's Senior Officer for Gender Justice and Equity. He joined GPP in March 2022, to coordinate the Task Force on Trans and Intersex Funding and the Task Force on Philanthropic Responses to Anti "Gender Ideology". He also collaborates with GPP's research and advocacy initiatives.
Before joining GPP, Mauro had a long career as a civil society organizer. He co-founded GATE in 2009, serving as its Co-Director between 2009 and 2017, and as its Executive Director between 2017 and 2022. He also coordinated GATE's international initiative on trans, gender diverse and intersex depathologization.
Mauro participated in the elaboration of the Yogyakarta Principles (2007) and of the Yogyakarta Principles Plus Ten, being a signatory of both. Mauro has a Degree in History, and pursued graduate studies in philosophy and gender studies. He serves as an ad honorem scientific collaborator at the Brussels Free University.
Job Titles:
- Programme Officer, Issues Affecting Women Programme, Oak Foundation Co - Chair, Responding to Anti - Gender Ideology Taskforce
Medina Haeri is a Programme Officer with the Oak Foundation's Issues Affecting Women Programme. In that role, Medina connects feminist and women's organisations and movements around the world with resources to strengthen their work and help advance their agendas. Medina leads the anti-trafficking and exploitation portfolio and supports global movement building work. Prior to working for Oak Foundation, Medina worked in the Women and War unit of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), ensuring that the organisation's interventions better reflected the needs, vulnerabilities and capacities of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings. She has also worked with the International Rescue Committee supporting refugee resettlement in Thailand and with indigenous women's collectives building economic development projects in Guatemala. Medina was born in Iran and immigrated to the US at a young age - following the path of many migrants in search of a brighter future. She immigrated again as a young adult to Switzerland to build a family and purse her professional ambitions. Medina holds a master's degree in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Mukami is an African queer feminist woman with a commitment to human rights and social justice for all people. She is currently the Co-Executive Director at UHAI - The East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI). UHAI EASHRI is Africa's first indigenous activist fund for sex workers and sexual and gender minorities. We support civil society organising for and by sex workers and sexual and gender minorities with flexible and accessible grants; capacity support; support for Pan-African organising and advocacy, including support for activist-determined convening and knowledge building and documentation. Before joining UHAI, she had worked with Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in the finance and administration department and was actively involved in the sexual and reproductive health rights program and in particular right to safe abortions and rights of LGBTI people. Mukami is a mother of two and believes that love makes a family. She wants to be able to bring up her African children to be resilient in a patriarchal, racist, imperialist and sexist world that she finds herself in.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer
- Program Officer, South and Southeast Asia, Foundation for a Just Society Co - Chair, Responding to Anti - Gender Ideology Taskforce
Prachi Patankar is the Program Officer, South and Southeast Asia, at Foundation for a Just Society. Born and raised in rural India, Prachi was raised by a freedom-fighter grandmother and parents deeply involved in anti-caste, feminist, and peasant movements. Over two decades in New York City, she has been an activist, educator, grantmaker, and writer involved in social movements which link the local and the global, police brutality and war, migration and militarization, race and caste, women of color feminism and global gender justice. Prachi most recently served as the Program Director for social justice at the J.M. Kaplan Fund, leading grantmaking for criminal justice reform, immigrant rights, and locally led work in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Prior to that, Prachi was the Senior Program Officer at Brooklyn Community Foundation, where she helped create and implement grant programs through a racial justice lens. Prachi currently serves on the Board of CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities and on the Advisory Board for Grantmakers for Girls of Color. Throughout the last two decades, she has been involved in organizing to link social justice movements between the United States and Asia. Prachi believes in the vital power of intersectional and international visions and strategies, which resonate across Dalit rights and Black lives, migrant justice and gender justice, to build bottom-up change from the local to the global.
Job Titles:
- Astraea 's VP, Programs
- Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Vice President of Programs
Rebecca Fox is Astraea's VP, Programs and has been a long-time supporter of Astraea and grassroots, feminist LBTQI movements. In her previous role, Rebecca was the Senior Program Officer on the SOGIE team at Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. In that position, she coordinated grantmaking on a variety of issues related to increasing the rights of and improving the lived experiences of LGBTI people. Formerly, she was Executive Director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health and an adjunct professor of human sexuality at George Washington University. Rebecca currently serves on the Steering Committee on the International Trans Fund and was previously board chair at Funders for LGBTQ Issues. Rebecca's other board membership experiences include those of Choice USA, Generations Ahead, and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her partner, Meghan, and her not quite feral cat, Birdie Noodle. She is a women's record holder for powerlifting in New York State.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer at the International Trans Fund
- Program Officer, International Trans Fund Co - Chair, Trans & Intersex Funding Task Force
Viviane works as Program Officer at the International Trans Fund. She is a transfeminist activist, researcher and economist based in Brazil, and is currently studying issues related to gender identities and expressions as a Ph.D. candidate in Women, Gender and Feminist Studies at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA).