JUSTICE - Key Persons
Professional in ecology, with a postgraduate degree in International Cooperation and Project Management for Development and a specialist in environmental planning and conservation of natural resources. More than 15 years of experience in managing development projects with international cooperation. Specific experience in productive projects, such as production in agroforestry systems of cocoa and coffee with rural communities and in strategic ecosystems in the Dominican Republic and Colombia, in addition to practical experience in other agricultural projects. Experience in the management of the technical and financial side of projects with international organizations and governments for rural development, alternative development, and conservation of natural areas.
Twenty-five plus years of experience working with senior management as a fundraising and development professional for charity, not-for-profit, and higher education organizations.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor - Marketing
Astrid brings broad experience in marketing, planning, product, management consulting, and community development to global enterprises, lean startups, consultancies, and NGOs. She is based in Northern California, where she is actively engaged with technology companies, Harvard alumni, Stanford University, and climate-focused organizations.
Barlin has more than two decades of experience dealing with international development and global disaster response. In 2018, she received the Humanitarian Ambassador for International Women Achievers Award.
Clarenda is an award-winning fundraiser, communications professional, and CEO/Founder of Green Heffa Farms, the nation's first Certified B Corp Black-owned farm.
Debbie has over 35 years of broad experience in finance, management, marketing, communications, and personnel at for-profit and nonprofit organizations and as an independent consultant and a real estate agent. Her current and past Board and other volunteer positions are consistent with her interests in environmental and social issues.
Edith has 24 years of non-profit financial and operations management experience. Her specialty is in the management of financial systems and in creating business processes that fit to purpose.
Elizabeth comes to N4J after years crafting positioning strategies in pre-IPO companies. For equally many years, she's dedicated herself to grassroots environmental and social justice issues. She spends much of her free time translating court documents for and serving as a mentor to asylum seekers, many of whom have fled situations caused in part by climate change.
Frank has over 30 years of broad expertise in international development as a senior manager, board member, and consultant with leading NGOs, foundations, and impact investing funds. He is based in Costa Rica, and formerly in West Africa, Asia, and the U.S.
Job Titles:
- South Asia Senior Advisor
South Asia Senior Advisor Ganesan ‘Bala' Balachander Bala has over three decades of experience at the global, regional, and national levels in corporate banking, international development, applied ecological research, and social enterprises. He brings an interdisciplinary perspective to addressing challenges at the intersection of ecology, economy, and equity. He has lived and worked in Europe, the U.S., Asia-Pacific, and India, where he is currently based.
Hank has a mix of corporate, academic, and NGO experiences over his 35-year career. He has started or turned around seven organizations/major projects. Typically, he has worked to find common ground on social, environmental, and business issues. He thrives in an environment requiring urgent, thoughtful action that documents results.
Job Titles:
- Farmer Outreach Coordinator
Jasmine is an environmental justice advocate with a background in stormwater infrastructure and horticulture science. Using her background as an integrated force, Jasmine brings attention to communication barriers and the social exclusion of green infrastructure in POC communities.
Jeff has four decades of senior and executive experience in bank management providing team leadership for the development of various credit approval and risk management models. He is grounded in middle-market commercial finance, regulatory compliance, and risk management. He has provided leadership for non-profits serving animal welfare, homelessness, and higher education. Former National Bank Examiner. Graduate of Rice University and former Board of Trustee Member.
John has worked for over 20 years on climate impacts and adaptation. Domestically, he worked at the EPA on water quality and treatment. Most of his career has been focused on helping developing countries adapt to a changing climate. He is interested in how people use climate information to make decisions. He has worked with USAID, the State Department and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager - Africa NbS
Kate is a transformational leader, an international development expert, a former management consultant, and a thought leader on business strategies that deliver triple bottom-line results - such that businesses are more profitable, governments are more effective, and civil society organizations are able to scale services more efficiently.
Khulile is a South African citizen, living in Durban. She is a skilled program manager with over 20 years of demonstrated experience in the development and management of complex nature-based solutions, and community-based programs in South Africa. She brings expertise in local economic development in the environmental sector, including SMME and co-operative development and incubation, and business skills training and capacity building in both urban and rural settings.
As the Creative Advisor and Lead Storyteller, Lisa comes to N4J passionate about restoring and protecting our natural world and with a wide range of experience in the creative world of storytelling. She has worked in the art industry, publishing, education, and literary fields. She has also worked in Communications for an ocean-based NGO and runs her own small social media campaign for beach clean-ups in her city in South Africa.
Lynne has 20 years of experience as a strategy and implementation leader for nonprofits, public-private partnerships, and local, state, and national governments, spanning 10 US states and about 20 countries. She has served as director of program planning for a $6B public charity, associate director of science, technology, and economic development for a nonprofit research and consulting firm, and executive director of a small foundation focused on expanding women's leadership opportunities.
Melissa has 25 years of experience in international environmental policy and program strategy. She currently advises foundations, NGOs, and the private sector on strategies to achieve transformative and effective change. She has served on a variety of boards and has deep governance expertise.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President - Global Partnerships
Michael brings a wealth of expertise and more than 25 years of experience to this position. Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President - Africa Field Division at Conservation International. In addition, Michael has held senior positions at Greenpeace Africa, Oxfam, the National Democratic Institute, the African Child Policy Forum, and Amnesty International.
Michael has spent much of his life advocating, organizing, and working towards environmental justice. He has experience leading teams and initiatives on statewide and local policy change as well as stakeholder engagement across diverse audiences. He is informed by an education in Sustainable Development and a passion for economic democracy, climate justice, and decoloniality. Michael lives in western North Carolina and enjoys rock climbing and woodworking.
Results-driven HR professional in leading tactical and strategic consulting to create organizational development strategies to support key business objectives. Background includes leadership and development of globally positioned teams.
Job Titles:
- Civil and Environmental Engineer
- Impact Advisor
Mohamed is a civil and environmental engineer with 30 years of professional experience in energy conservation, environmental impact assessment, management, and sustainability. He has managed multimillion-dollar projects for various US Government agencies, private industries, and international organizations.
Job Titles:
- Director, Africa Nature - Based Solutions Program
- Environmental Scientist
Nicci is an environmental scientist with over 25 years of experience working at the nexus of nature, climate change, and social justice across sub-Saharan Africa. She's provided strategic-level advisory services and planning support to several African governments, as well as designed, developed, and managed the delivery of large-scale community and climate change-focused programs in both urban and rural settings.
Job Titles:
- Director of Farmer Inclusion
Patrick has extensive and deep experience in agriculture and the U.S. government. This experience encompasses 30 years of farming and 10 years as the Owner and Operator of Brown Family Farms in Warren County, NC. In addition, Patrick worked for 16 years in the federal government, including 13 years in various management roles there.
Job Titles:
- Director, Funding Indigenous - Led Conservation
Robin brings nearly twenty years' international experience establishing and facilitating successful teams, programs and projects for community empowerment and environmental conservation across international value chains. She has deep experience related to implementation of free, prior, informed consent (FPIC) processes and co-creation of development projects with communities and companies across SE Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Her work has included facilitating company-First Nation partnerships and IPCA development in British Columbia.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director - Canada
A former tribal chief and negotiator for the Łutsël K'é' Dene First Nation and a specialist in Aboriginal and Treaty Constitutional Rights, Negotiations, and Relationship Building with indigenous peoples.
Job Titles:
- Director of Administration
Sunny has more than 28 years working as an Executive Assistant and 21 working as a Professional Virtual Assistant in her own business supporting her clients virtually. Typically, she works with entrepreneurs and small business owners handling, among many things, office administration.
Tess has over 12 years of experience in global development, focused on private sector engagement, partnership development, and natural resources management. She has designed, built, and managed cross-sector partnership initiatives with donors, international and local companies, and civil society organizations; developed new partnership tools and training materials; and written extensively about impact-driven collaboration.
Zoraya has worked on environmental and social justice issues for over ten years - from renewable energy finance in Kosovo and fishery sustainability in the Philippines to curtailing no-cause evictions in Vermont. Zoraya also works as an equity consultant with the Creative Discourse Group and serves on the Burlington Vermont City Council after winning a seat as the first woman of color in 2020.