Meet the team on a mission

Entrepreneurs are our heroes, and supporting them in their journeys is what makes us love our work. Together, we work crazy hard, have too much fun, collaborate constantly, and probably have way too many inside jokes.

Venture Success Partner

Kathie Paul Wilkerson

Head of Portfolio Sourcing
Nitida Wongthipkongka

Projects Team Lead

Lola Aleru

Lola has decades of experience leading strategy, developing collaborative teams, and driving operational excellence to expand impact for social change initiatives across Africa and the United States. Her career spans various sectors, including youth development, education, technology, WASH, and women’s advancement. Lola is deeply passionate about STEM education equity and its potential to unlock youth-led innovation.

On my bucket list: Host a canning & baking party with fruits and veggies I grew myself.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A teacher.

My simple pleasures: watching sunlight reflections dance on a wall, picnics with live music, witnessing someone have an “ah ha” moment.

Venture Success Partner

Matt Alexander

Matt has over 15 years of experience building innovative social ventures in the Americas. Most recently, he was CEO and co-founder of Suyo, a Rippleworks-supported startup that unlocks the value of low-income family homes with land titling and property formalization technology. Previously, he was CEO and co-founder of Amsa, a Colombian venture studio that builds companies led by survivors of armed conflict and extreme poverty. Matt is also the co-founder of a platform for sharing best practices in natural resource management (Red Tierras) and a coffee shop in the historical district of Bogotá (Café Unión).

On my bucket list: Living on a boat

Go-to karaoke song: La Tierra del Olvido by Carlos Vives

My simple pleasures: Hearing my daughter laugh uncontrollably, salsa dancing in the street, reading during storms and backpacking without a trail

Venture Success Partner

Pranav Arwari

Pranav has over 10 years of experience working across social impact ventures, leading partnerships with funders, communities, and government stakeholders. He began his career as an insurance consultant in the Middle East before moving into the social impact sector, where his work has spanned gender equity, mental health, and education. Previously, he worked at Harvard, partnering closely with the Dean and senior leadership on special projects, and served as a Teaching Fellow for Harvard’s course Transforming Systems. He has also supported leadership coaching engagements with institutions including MIT, Harvard Medical School, the NHS (UK), and MI6, and remains deeply engaged in LGBTQ+ activism in South Asia; he is also an alumnus of the UN Women Feminist Leadership Lab India.

On my bucket list: Opening a cozy, community-first café in Goa, India—good coffee, good music, and cats. Lots of cats.

Go-to karaoke song: Single Ladies by Beyoncé

My simple pleasures: An afternoon nap… and micro-naps strategically scattered throughout the day.

Director, Learning & Impact

Shefali Bajpai

Shefali has over 15 years of experience as social entrepreneur and working with impact focussed organisations across livelihood, education and social entrepreneurship building new functions, teams and developing strategies for new products. She is a runaway engineer and a forever student of psychology.

On my bucket list: Open a school in the village I was born in.

A random fact that I love: Our gut has over 100 million neurons — more than in our spinal cord. Our gut KNOWS!

My simple pleasures: Sipping Chai on a cool day with Kajoo [my dog] by my side.

Venture Growth Manager

Tricia Bolden

Tricia brings over a decade of experience leading projects and teams across the nonprofit, public, and private spheres. Most recently, she managed critical support contracts for USAID’s Bureau for Global Health, building on a career-defining period living and working in New Delhi. This international experience sparked her deep passion for social entrepreneurship and innovative problem-solving. While she began her career in a middle school Spanish classroom, Tricia now channels her love for learning into empowering professionals to grow and master new skills.

On my bucket list: Complete the World Marathon – 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days

Go-to karaoke song: Atrevete-te-te by Calle 13

My simple pleasures: A hot cup of coffee, glass of red wine, and a trashy beach read or political history

MD, Programs

Lindsay Blodgett

Prior to Rippleworks, Lindsay managed the first launch of Clarify Health’s patient care management software. She also worked as a management consultant at The Parthenon Group, working across Private Equity, Industrials, and Education.

On my bucket list: Hike Sapa, Vietnam. Stand, dirty sneakers, out of breath, and soak in the spectacular views

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An artist

My simple pleasures: The first sip of a cappuccino, hot sand between my toes, shavasana

Director, On-Demand Programs

Nate Brewer

Prior to Rippleworks, Nate worked on the Executive Recruiting Team at Google where he primarily focused on senior roles in the Human Resources organization. Before Google, Nate worked for executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, which primarily served universities and other non-profit organizations. Ahead of moving into executive search, Nate worked as a Site Manager for the early literacy non-profit Jumpstart.

A random fact that I love: Each pineapple takes around 1.5-3 years to grow.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A Computer Person.

My simple pleasures: Camping, swimming and reading in the sun.

Venture Growth Manager

Daisy Chang

Daisy considers herself the ultimate generalist and has previously supported startups, social enterprises, and USAID programs in a multitude of sectors, including peace and governance, tech, agriculture, health, sanitation, and education.

My best Halloween costume: A bagel

On my bucket list: A coast to coast US road trip. Maybe on a bicycle.

My simple pleasures: Late summer watermelon; evening walks with my family; my daughter’s laughter; laughing at (and occasionally with) my husband.

Venture Growth Manager

Daniella De Franco

Daniella believes solving the thorniest problems means bringing together different perspectives. Prior to joining Rippleworks, she worked across the for-profit and non-profit sectors – from smallholder farms to Fortune 500 boardrooms – to create social and environmental impact. Along the way, she has worked with farmers, scientists, immigrants, students, and strategists, and who are all leading the way to make the world more equitable and sustainable.

On my bucket list: Seeing natural wonders like the Salar de Uyuni and the Great Coral Reef

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An entrepreneur – I started up a lot of businesses with my dad as the only customer!

Simple pleasures: Any homemade food (ice cream, tortillas, pasta)

EA to CEO & Finance Support

Angel De La Torre

Angel is a seasoned Executive Assistant with a love for and background in Outdoor Adventure Leadership and Business Innovation Leadership. With a dedication over the last decade to supporting leaders and organizations driving positive change and using their businesses as a force for good, she brings a human-centric approach to her work. Her experience spans from volunteering for non-profits like Camp Okizu to serving as a People & Development Manager, where her passion lies in understanding and meeting the needs and goals of those she supports.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A professional singer

Go-to karaoke song: “Piano Man” by Billy Joel or “Dreaming of You” by Selena (depending on the vibes lol)

My simple pleasures: Movies, music, and making people laugh

Leader Growth Team Lead

Melissa de Leon

Prior to Rippleworks, Melissa managed employee engagement at Cruise during company hypergrowth. She has spent the majority of her career in the social impact space, supporting program and event management at organizations such as the Red Tab Foundation at Levi Strauss & Co. and BUILD.

My best Halloween costume: Mrs. Pacman built it out of cardboard boxes in an afternoon

On my bucket list: A never-ending list of travel destinations but I’m up for the challenge!

My simple pleasures: Ice cream sandwiches, morning coffee, and cooking a new recipe

Expert Engagement Team Lead

Kyle Edquist

Prior to Rippleworks, Kyle was an executive recruiter (specialized in People Operations and Talent Acquisition) partnering with leadership teams at early-stage startups. In his first career, Kyle was a mental health counselor supporting those who sought help at places like county agencies, non-profits, a crisis hotline, and educational institutions.

A random fact that I love: Following the escape of being chased, an impala will shake its entire body to release cortisol and re-establish homeostasis. A friendly reminder for all of us to wiggle more.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A trashman. I would “borrow” my Dad’s soda and share them with our trash person. This ultimately led to a connection where I controlled the truck mechanism (dream come true). Today, I still believe ‘trash’ is a shared responsibility.

My simple pleasures: Water. Looking at it, diving into it, swimming in it, soaring through it, drinking it. I love water and it makes ripples too!

Portfolio Sourcing Manager

Ann-Elise Francis

Prior to Rippleworks, Ann-Elise led growth at Turaco, expanding inclusive insurance to over 1 million low-income customers across East and West Africa, and co-founded LendHer Capital, an impact fund supporting African women entrepreneurs. She has also held key roles at AZA Finance, KadAfrica, SHONA, and Bpeace, driving SME growth and building high-impact ecosystems across Africa and Latin America.

Go-to karaoke song: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A chef (still do!) or run a film production company.

My simple pleasures: Cozy Sundays, starting with a cup of fresh mint tea, while sitting in my garden and listening to jazz.

Co-Founder & CEO

Doug Galen

In addition to Rippleworks, Doug is a Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and serves on the board of Heifer International.

Prior to Rippleworks, Doug built innovative and disruptive digital consumer startups including Shutterfly (SVP Business and Corporate Development), Shopkick (Chief Revenue Officer), eBay (VP and GM of New Ventures), and E-LOAN (part of founding team and VP Business Development).

On my bucket list: Bike the Alpe d’huez and Mont Ventoux in France

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A football player for the San Francisco 49ers. If you saw how skinny I am you would know how absurd that was.

My simple pleasures: Mocha, mint chip, chocolate swirl ice creams – ok, any ice cream

Sr Associate, Capital

Shailee Ghelani

Shailee is passionate about driving transformation for a more just society by supporting scalable, community-driven solutions that address systemic inequities. Prior to Rippleworks, she invested in and supported early-stage social ventures at Ruthless for Good Fund and LiftUp Enterprises while completing her MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She previously implemented USAID-funded international development programs at EnCompass LLC, with a focus on global health and gender equality and social inclusion.

A random fact that I love: Sea otters hold hands when they sleep to keep from drifting apart.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A lawyer or a pastry chef.

My simple pleasures: Long walks in nature; curling up with a book and a good cup of coffee or tea.

Head of Venture Success

Lauren Grimanis

Prior to Rippleworks, Lauren founded The Akaa Project, an organization focused on improving education in rural Ghana, and also worked as an independent consultant to support social entrepreneurs in the US and internationally.

On my bucket list: Getting serious air on a mountain bike

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A lawyer – I would get my older sister in trouble then work to get her out of it

My simple pleasures: Grass on my bare feet, eating with my hands, hand-whipped whipped cream

Portfolio Sourcing Director

Leah Hazard

Prior to Rippleworks, Leah helped build Stanford Impact Labs at Stanford University, connecting research in the social sciences with people working on the front lines of solving social problems. Before that, Leah spent seven years in East Africa, first working as a Global Health Corps Fellow in Burundi for Population Services International, and then as the Deputy Country Director for One Acre Fund Rwanda. During her time at One Acre Fund, she managed a team that grew the customer base by over 5x, serving almost 300,000 farm families across Rwanda.

My Best Halloween Costume: It’s a toss up between the year I dressed as a bottle of the infamous Ugandan Waragi gin (truly very scary), and the year I went as my favorite Indiana Jones heroine, Marion Ravenwood.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: There were a solid few years where I wanted to be a nun (thank you Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music). This was followed by wanting to be the first female President of the United States. (While I’m sad we haven’t had a female president yet, I’m also relieved that it’s not my job!)

My simple pleasures: I truly love long chats with taxi drivers – preferably when we’re both speaking a second language.

On my bucket list: I’ve dabbled in learning French for a while! I’m working on getting to the point of confidently speaking conversational French.

Leader Programs Manager

Jessie Huang

Prior to Rippleworks, Jessie worked in the startup and innovation space as a community builder and created two startups: Impact Circles (resource bridging for social entrepreneurs) and Necessiti (STEM training for underserved youth). Impact Circles has spanned across Asia and US, serving 2,000+ social entrepreneurs through meetups, mentorship programs, and online peer groups. Jessie graduated from UC Berkeley with a Master’s Degree in Development Practice, and she’s passionate about supporting grassroots social innovators to create their solutions and narratives.

On my bucket list: travel travel travel, learning guitar, getting back to a dance studio

Go-to karaoke song: My heart will go on

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A stand-up comedian or a pirate of the Caribbean

My simple pleasures: Hot spring, boba tea, beach and sunshine

Venture Growth Manager

Cliff Richard Ingabo

Prior to Rippleworks, Cliff supported executive teams at development organizations to design and execute strategies for solving some of the most pressing challenges in the developing world. Cliff is an entrepreneur at heart and has founded and scaled an edtech empowering children to become better readers across East Africa.

On my bucket list: Skydiving in Bali

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An architect

My simple pleasures: Leading a small Bible study

Venture Success Partner

Jeanne Kadouno

Prior to Rippleworks, Jeanne worked in Global Health supporting sexual reproductive health and maternal health programs in francophone Africa. She spends time volunteering and supporting Women’s rights organizations in the U.S. and in Cote d’Ivoire.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A cardiologist

On my bucket list: To see the Northern lights

My simple pleasures:A boba Thai ice tea, the beach, and most importantly sleeping

Venture Success Partner

Séverine Koen

Prior to Rippleworks, Séverine managed partnerships at Via, a transportation technology company creating more accessible and efficient public transit. Before that, Séverine built user engagement programs for a small social impact tech start-up in NYC after spending six years at One Acre Fund leading and scaling various programs and teams in Rwanda.

On my bucket list: Visiting the fjords of Norway.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A writer and/or teacher.

My simple pleasures: A really great fiction novel.

MD, Portfolio

Tim Kunihiro

Prior to Rippleworks, Tim served as CEO for a SaaS startup incubated out of Barcelona, Spain, and held key leadership positions at TaskRabbit and eBay across operations, international expansion, business development and product.

My best Halloween costume: Borrowing Jay’s Left Shark costume for my daughter’s halloween soccer tournament. Or being Gene Simmons from Kiss.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A professional soccer player

My simple pleasures: A midday coffee or midday nap. Or both!!

Co-Founder

Chris Larsen

Chris Larsen is the co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Ripple, creators of an open-source distributed payment protocol, and was formerly CEO.

Chris also co-founded and served as CEO of Prosper, a peer-to-peer lending marketplace, and E-LOAN, a publicly traded online lender. During his tenure at E-LOAN, he pioneered the open access to credit scores movement by making E-LOAN the first company to show consumers their FICO scores.

Director, Capital

Rumbi Maruza

Prior to Rippleworks, Rumbi worked at Clinton Health Access Initiative supporting governments in Zambia and Zimbabwe to introduce, scale, and sustain HIV prevention interventions. Rumbi also co-founded a non-profit called FACEZ (Fund a Child’s Education, Zimbabwe) that supports orphans and vulnerable children with primary, secondary, and tertiary education tuition fees.

My simple pleasures: Taking a long quiet walk and a good cup of tea. Preferably in that order.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A pediatrician

A random fact that I love: To prevent yourself from sneezing when you feel one coming on, scratch the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Works every time!

Director of Finance

Alexa McNaul Parsons

Alexa manages finance and accounting at Rippleworks. She is passionate about connecting financial strategy to meaningful social impact. With nearly a decade of experience, she has helped numerous organizations in the social impact space better understand and leverage their financials to create meaningful impact. Prior to joining Rippleworks, she led finance at Common Future, an organization working to build a more equitable economy through innovative capital structures.

On my bucket list: To hike in the Dolomites!

My best Halloween costume: When I was a kid, my dad helped me make a washing machine costume out of a cardboard box.

My simple pleasures: Hearing my dog snore, laughing with friends and family, having dinner outside, a great book.

Product Manager, Salesforce & Analytics

Lauren Mihan

Prior to Rippleworks, Lauren served as a Salesforce consultant for impact organizations throughout the American, European, and Asian markets. Taking on projects as both an independent consultant and member of the team at Vera Solutions, she helped organizations simplify complex processes and build solutions that feel intuitive and genuinely useful to the people who rely on them.

On my bucket list: Spend 24 hours in northern Sweden, chasing the sun that never sets.

Go-to karaoke song: You sing, I’ll back-up dance.

My simple pleasures: Opening the curtains to flood a room with natural light, burning palo santo, standing barefoot in the grass, and dogs (yes, all of them).

Leader Programs Manager

Alessandra Mooney

Prior to Rippleworks, Alessandra worked on projects in peace-building and conflict resolution, as well as applied research and management consulting. She has managed the launch of two public-facing initiatives in human rights and atrocity prevention and additionally collaborated on a framework to estimate a community’s vulnerability to targeted violence. She has extensive experience in teaching and facilitating, having taught undergraduates and led workshops with NGOs, scholars, government officials, and military leaders from around the world.

On my bucket list: see a narwhal or a spirit bear

A random fact that I love: A group of Aspen trees is called a stand and a stand of Aspen trees is connected by the same roots under the soil which makes it the largest living organism on earth.

My simple pleasures: being outside, trail runs and long walks, fresh snow, chatting to strangers and meeting new people

Director, Employee Experience

Jeanine Mowbray

Jeanine’s passion for educational equity has led her to opportunities to develop students, educational leaders, and nonprofit professionals. She began her career as an elementary school teacher with Teach for America. She then worked in middle school engagement with an emphasis in family engagement and leadership development. Most recently her work has included a focus on social impact initiatives in financial wellbeing, education, health and strengthening DEI practices within organizations.

On my bucket list: To become a really good swimmer and swim in exotic waters all around the world

Go-to karaoke song: Single Ladies by Beyonce (dance moves included)

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An education attorney

My simple pleasures: Evening strolls with my daughter and husband, cuddling with my paw baby Tanner, and family dinners

Venture Growth Manager

Rebecca Musiitwa

Prior to Rippleworks, Rebecca served as Global Program Manager at The Obama Foundation leading the development and implementation of the Leaders: Africa initiative, a leadership and civic engagement program designed to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders to create positive change and scalable impact in their communities.

My best Halloween costume: Batman at age 3, followed by his most trusted sidekick Robinhood at age 4

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An archaeologist

My simple pleasures: Vinyl record shops, croissants, and summer nights exploring new cities

Portfolio Sourcing Manager

Huy-Liêm Nguyen

Huy-Liêm believes in the transformative power of creativity and innovation to address global challenges. With nearly a decade of experience in business strategy, operations, customer success, and project management, he has had the privilege of contributing to social impact initiatives across the U.S., Africa, the Middle East, and Eurasia. His journey has included successfully implementing health initiatives, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and achieving operational excellence at established companies and startups. He is proud to be a returned Peace Corps Benin volunteer from Peace Corps Benin and an Americorps alumnus.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An architect, a pro hockey player, an engineer, a forensic anthropologist, an FBI agent, the list goes on and on….

A random fact that I love: You can eat an entire year’s worth of Nutella over a weekend. Ask me how I know.

My simple pleasures: Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream.

Leader Programs Director

Kotheid Nicoue

Prior to Rippleworks, Kotheid worked as a Program Manager at SAP, where he designed and managed global pro bono volunteering programs that leverage the expertise and skills of their employees to solve critical business challenges for nonprofits and social enterprises focused on digital inclusion. Specifically, Kotheid worked on the SAP Social Sabbatical, a portfolio of global pro bono volunteering programs that built the capacity of more than 400 nonprofits and social enterprises in more than 50 countries. In addition, as part of SAP’s response to the social justice movement, Kotheid played a key role in the inception and design of a new volunteering program to foster economic equity for Black-owned businesses in the U.S., U.K., South Africa, and Brazil. Kotheid started his social impact career at PYXERA Global, a global nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.

My best Halloween costume: Dressed up as Prince Akeem from Coming to America.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: United Nations Diplomat.

My simple pleasures: Jeni’s salted caramel ice cream, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, a hot cup of coffee in the morning, dancing, and playing tennis.

Manager, Capital

Dinah Njuguna

Dinah Njuguna is passionate about entrepreneurship and enabling social enterprises, especially in emerging markets, to access the right networks, skillset, and capital to grow their company to the next level. Prior to Rippleworks, she worked with Kiva, who provides debt to high-growth social enterprises and microfinance institutions across Africa, Asia, LATAM, and the USA.

Previously, Dinah was a Senior Associate at Endeavor, a company that supports high-growth companies through technical support and venture capital investments.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A doctor

Go-to karaoke song: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You by Lauryn Hill

My simple pleasures: Spending time with family and a good cup of tea

Employee Experience Manager

Lizzie Odegaard

Before joining Rippleworks, Lizzie co-founded The Moyo Foundation, which is expanding access to healthcare and education and furthering wildlife and conservation efforts in Kenya’s Mugie community. She currently directs Moyo from afar, and is excited to be supporting social impact work all over the world with Rippleworks.

My best Halloween costume: A bubba Gump shrimp

A random fact that I love: The earliest member of the horse family was the Eohippus, dating back 55 million years.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A veterinarian or an international diplomat

Sr Associate, Capital

Anna Ogundipe

Anna is driven by a belief that equitable access to capital and resources can unlock long-term economic mobility and human flourishing. Before joining Rippleworks, she worked at Quona Capital, investing in startups advancing financial inclusion in emerging markets, and with the Harambeans Prosperity Fund, supporting ventures driving inclusive economic growth across Africa. Earlier in her career, Anna was an international development consultant at Deloitte, where she supported USAID initiatives focused on financial inclusion, energy access, and economic resilience across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Anna enjoys traveling, trying new cuisines, and learning about different cultures.

On my bucket list: Visiting Antarctica

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An accountant, inspired by the time I helped my grandmother calculate profits for her convenience store business.

My simple pleasures: Watching Korean dramas, spending time with friends and family, and having conversations about faith.

Expert Engagement Manager

Pauline Ohana

Originally from France, Pauline started her American journey in New York, where she completed her studies and immersed herself in talent acquisition within the tech industry. Before Rippleworks, Pauline was focused on scaling fast-growing startups and Fortune 100 tech companies in the Bay Area. Recently established in Downtown Miami, she is eager to apply her expertise to support Rippleworks’ mission and empower social ventures worldwide.

On my bucket list: Visiting Colombia, Thailand, and Egypt in the next 5 years

A random fact I love: French Polynesia has 118 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately the size of Europe!

My simple pleasures: Swimming, watching thunderstorms, listening to music, watching horror/thriller movies

Expert Engagement Manager

Paulina Pesqueira

Paulina is a former youth development practitioner turned career cupid, pivoting back into the social impact sector to matchmake executives to impactful social ventures at Rippleworks. She started her career in the nonprofit sector and transitioned into executive recruiting for mission-driven and creative organizations a few years back. She has always had her hand in the social impact sector in one way or another. Paulina currently lives in Brooklyn and has previously lived in Boston, Mexico, California, and Texas.

On my bucket list: I would love to do the Camino de Santiago one day!

A random fact that I love: I’ve been a bridesmaid in 18 weddings, I just really want to be like Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses.

Go-to karaoke song: Mr. Brightside by the Killers

Venture Success Partner

Domoina Rambeloarison

Prior to Rippleworks, Domoina worked in a variety of roles in impact investing and international development. Most recently, she participated in the due diligence and closing of mission-based investments on diversity and inclusion and job creation at the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. Previously, she led the design and implementation of a US$10M program for education SMEs and entrepreneurs in West Africa. Domoina also worked at the World Bank Group, helping launch a challenge fund for disruptive technologies for development, and managing social entrepreneurship projects across the globe.

Go-to Karaoke Song: Color Esperanza by Diego Torres

Random Fact That I love: Figs are inverted flowers

My simple pleasures: Naming and taking care of my houseplants, roaming the streets of Montreal before winter, and hearing the sound of waves

On my bucket list: Too many things! In no particular order: taking a cooking/knife skill class, building something out of my hands, visiting Cinque Terre in Italy

Board Member

Anushka Ratnayake

Anushka is the CEO and Founder of myAgro. She has worked in rural Africa since mid-2008, helping to increase food security and market access for small-scale farmers. Prior to starting myAgro, she developed key components of One Acre Fund’s core operation model, created management-training programs and traveled across Africa and South Asia in search of innovations in the microfinance and agricultural sectors. Before joining One Acre Fund, Anushka was an early employee of Kiva.org and created the Kiva Fellows Program. Anushka received her BA in Literature from University of California, Santa Cruz and her agricultural training from smallholder farmers in Bungoma, Kenya.

Chief People Officer

Brooke Rufo-Hill

Prior to Rippleworks, she served in roles such as Head of Employee Experience, Global Director of Talent Management and Learning, and Strategic Partner for Performance Management. She began her career volunteering in the Peace Corps with her husband in the Dominican Republic, partnering with local teachers to integrate environmental education into all levels of public schools.

My Simple Pleasures: Road-tripping / adventuring with my family, Saturday morning runs, and watching my daughters compete on any sports field

A random fact that I love: Eggplant is a fruit

Go-to karaoke song: Love Shack!

Leader Programs Manager

Ceci Spehar

Throughout her career Ceci has developed a passion for growth that is built on a foundation of gained experience in high paced work environments. In the past 10 years, she has been responsible for the planning, design, and execution of strategic marketing and communication plans. One of Ceci’s favorite tasks is taking complex ideas and making them easily accessible and consumable for the relevant audience. Ceci has created and implemented strategies that focus on helpful human interactions with clients, prospects, and team members alike.

Go-to karaoke song: I don’t want to miss a thing – Aerosmith

What I wanted to be when I grew up: Well traveled

My simple pleasures: Black coffee and strip mall Chinese food

Director, Capital

Bekah Thayer Pyne

Before joining Rippleworks, Bekah managed the founder’s charitable giving at the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, completed a Global Health Corps fellowship at Days for Girls in Uganda focused on standing up their Monitoring & Evaluation system, and served as a management consultant at Deloitte.

A random fact that I love: Like human fingerprints, each dog has a unique nose print!

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A pastry chef or a classical pianist.

My simple pleasures: Hiking and trail running with my dog, reading in my hammock, and baking/consuming treats (especially Jeni’s ice cream).

Sr Director, Program Success

Cecilia Venegas

Prior to Rippleworks, Cecilia focused on business processes and operations aimed at enabling scale for Google Cloud. She spent the first half of her career in the education sector and continues to be deeply passionate about increasing access to opportunity.

On my bucket list: Attend the annual Guelaguetza Festival in Oaxaca, Mexico

A random fact that I love: Papayas continue to exist today because of genetic engineering

My simple pleasures: Homemade cold brew coffee with horchata, paired with a chocolate croissant

People Operations Manager

Michelle Viado

Prior to Rippleworks, Michelle was a technical instructor and Assistant Director at ArtHaus 5, an art studio based in San Diego, CA. There, she served both as a key part of the administrative team and as an art teacher for children ages 4-13. Michelle has a background in illustration and design and currently manages a small Etsy shop in her spare time.

My best Halloween costume: A doctor. My parents picked out little scrubs for me, bought me a fake bag of blood, and let me borrow one of their stethoscopes!

On my bucket list: Pet a crocodile

My simple pleasures: The smell of rain, crisp air, and doodling with colored pencils

MD, Programs & Capital

Ayesha Wagle

Prior to Rippleworks, Ayesha served as President of Komaza, where she worked on funding strategies to help scale the growing social enterprise. Previously, Ayesha was SVP at MCE Social Capital and an Associate in Morgan Stanley’s Fixed Income Division.

Bucket list: Hike the Zion Narrows

What I wanted to be: Astronaut and window cleaner (I loved squeegee-ing!)

Simple pleasures: Hiking with the kids on our backs

Recruitment Director

Christina Welcome

Prior to Rippleworks, Christina spent many years building and managing world class recruiting teams primarily in professional service organizations. Her passions include building an exceptional culture by curating a solid candidate experience. Christina is a true relationship builder at her core.

On my bucket list: Spending an indefinite amount of time in the Amalfi coast soaking up the sheer cliffs, rugged shoreline and blue ocean water

A random fact that I love: Compassion takes practice—and actually changes your brain chemistry

My simple pleasures: hiking with my 3 German Shepherd dogs—listening to the ocean waves break on the seashore—enjoying wine with friends

Manager, Capital

Kathie Paul Wilkerson

Driven by a belief that empathy fuels social change, Kathie strives to build a more just and equitable world. Prior to joining Rippleworks, she managed portfolios of investments and projects at the Skoll Foundation and Stanford University, focusing on areas such as health, pandemics, and education. Her experience extends to leading and advising transformative initiatives across the public and private sectors, including roles at the Pasteur Institute and as a management consultant within the French government. Kathie enjoys travel, exploring cuisines of the world, and immersing herself in a good book.

On my bucket list: A meditation retreat, climb Mount Kilimanjaro, write a book

A random fact that I love: An airplane pilot – I wanted to travel the world! After that, I wanted to be a diplomat and work in international affairs.

My simple pleasures: The sound and smell of the ocean, a walk on a sunny day, fresh mangoes and litchis

Head of Portfolio Sourcing

Nitida Wongthipkongka

Prior to Rippleworks, Nitida developed and supported social ventures around the world with SC Johnson, Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor, and with other non-profit organizations. She has deep strategy and operations experience from her time at BCG, Novartis, and Kraft Foods.

On my bucket list: Seeing the aurora borealis or aurora australis (it’s southern sibling) with my own eyes

What I wanted to be when I grew up: So many! Librarian will be the most surprising if you know me today.

My simple pleasures: Afternoon naps

Expert Engagement Manager

Lauren Young

Lauren is from San Francisco, and is an outdoor enthusiast, full-time Kdrama fan, and part-time surfer. Prior to joining Rippleworks, Lauren was a member of the Plaid Technical Recruiting team helping to hire for their backend mission-critical teams. She also worked in recruiting at Scale AI as an early employee.

My best Halloween costume: Dressing up as Jigglypuff, or the time my dad created a homemade fortune cookie costume out of foam

Go-to karaoke song: For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder

My simple pleasures: Sitting outside in the sun, listening to BTS, reading a good book

Chief of Staff

Meeghan Zahorsky Paul

Prior to joining Rippleworks, Meeghan was the Director of Impact at the Common Good Marketplace, a startup creating an innovative results-based financing model. She spent the 10 years prior working with more than 60 organizations in East Africa and Asia to catalyze social impact through data and technology. She continues to serve on the board and as an advisor to multiple small and medium-sized social enterprises. Meeghan is deeply passionate about bridging the gap between high-impact organizations and the resources they need to scale and innovate.

My best Halloween costume: Lara Croft

What I wanted to be when I grew up: An Olympic long jumper

My simple pleasures:The hot shower after a morning run, solving puzzles, wandering a used bookstore, being in or near the ocean

Want in? Join us on our mission to help social ventures scale their impact.

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