Behind every program, every connection, and every entrepreneur supported is a person who showed up, with their expertise, their networks, and their belief in what is possible when the African diaspora and allies come together with purpose.
ADN is powered by a global community of leaders and builders — Africans, descendants of Africa, and friends of Africa from every corner of the world, who share a single conviction: that the diaspora’s potential, fully realized, lifts every community it touches. Our team, board, and advisors span continents, sectors, and disciplines. They come from Silicon Valley and Nairobi, from Paris and Lagos, from boardrooms and research labs and community organizations.
What unites them is not where they come from, but where they are headed, and who they are committed to bringing along.
Josh Ghaim is Founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Studio, a brand and innovation accelerator focused on Health and Beauty markets and Women and Minority-led startups. He previously served as Chief Technology Officer of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health.
Raj Aji is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at BILL (NYSE: BILL). A legal and technology executive, he has worked across Silicon Valley, Asia, and the Middle East enabling mobile payments and financial services in Africa, Europe, and North America. He studied engineering at IIT Mumbai and law at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Josephine Fubara is a purpose-driven leader who brings science and innovation to life as Chief Science Officer at Opella. Driven by a mission to make self-care accessible to all, she and her team deliver impactful health outcomes for consumers worldwide.
Manoj Jain is an accomplished finance executive with a track record in high-growth technology companies including CrowdStrike, SingleStore, and Financial Engines. As CFO of SingleStore, he helped raise over $275M in equity and scale revenue from $20M to $75M+. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Rick Levenson serves as CTO-n-Residence at Rippleworks, a nonprofit foundation supporting social ventures across the global south with practical technical expertise. He spent his career as a technologist from the early days of Silicon Valley, spanning research labs to nascent startups.
Ndeye Makalou is a pharmacist with over 20 years of experience in the BioPharma industry, leading global transformation across program management, quality control, and supply chain. She is passionate about shaping health systems in Africa and advancing equitable healthcare access in emerging markets.
Almaz Negash founded ADN in 2010 and has built it into a global platform reaching 45,000+ members across 105 countries. Named to President Biden's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement and recognized among Silicon Valley's 100 Women of Influence, she brings 25+ years of experience in international trade and social innovation.
Innocent Shumba is a member of EY's Assurance practice with diverse accounting and auditing experience. He is active in the EY Black Professional Network, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the National Association of Black Accountants.
Kedest Tesfagiorgis leads the Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges team within the Discovery & Translational Sciences group at the Gates Foundation. She is committed to building inclusive, long-term partnerships to address the world's greatest challenges in health and development.
Agnieszka Winkler is founder of Winkler Advertising and TeamToolz, and has served on the boards of Cheesecake Factory, SuperCuts, and RenoAir. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at SCU, as a Santa Clara University Trustee, and chair of the Jesuit School of Theology board.
Almaz Negash founded ADN in 2010 and has built it into a global platform reaching 45,000+ members across 105 countries. Named to President Biden's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement and recognized among Silicon Valley's 100 Women of Influence, she brings 25+ years of experience in international trade and social innovation.
Nicholas Bassey brings senior leadership experience from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID, the Peace Corps, where he led programs in private sector engagement, university partnerships, and international policy. His early career was in the nonprofit sector, where he led programs at the UNCF Special Programs Corporation, Council for Opportunity in Education, Children’s Defense Fund, and Morehouse College. He has been part of ADN's network for over a decade.
Omolayo is a multilingual strategist and researcher with over ten years in international development, working with African diaspora communities across the US, Europe, and Africa. She holds an MSc in Migration, Mobility and Development from SOAS London and previously served as a research manager and gender specialist at DMA Global.
Fredros Okumu is a Professor of Vector Biology at the University of Glasgow and former Director of Science at Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania. A public health researcher and mosquito biologist, he advises the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Group and the Gates Foundation's Malaria Strategic Advisory Panel.
Dan Hartz is a founding board member of ADN and a member of the Finance team at Envoy, Inc. He previously led strategic initiatives at Golden Mean Capital Partners; a group focused on economic development in African agriculture and continues to support ADN's financial and operational strategy.
Faduma Mohamed is a cross-continental economic development expert with over a decade in project and program management. She holds a Master's degree in Global Affairs from Thunderbird School of Management at ASU and previously led partner programs at the African Management Institute, overseeing 30+ pan-African multi-sectoral programs.
Rose Essiem is a community organizer and educator with 15+ years in higher education and nonprofit organizations. She holds an MBA from the George Washington University’s (GWU) School of Business and an MSEd in Higher Education Administration. Prior to ADN, she led donor engagement strategies at GWU's Health & Medicine Enterprise.
Fatima Diallo specializes in international development, digital media, community outreach, and program coordination. She completed a double major in International Development & Social Change and French and Francophone Studies and is passionate about building sustainable development and impact for Africa and its diaspora.
Yinka Djin brings a diverse background in film, television, and multimedia development spanning three continents. She served as Creative Director of Blue Wave Media in Accra, Ghana, and has 15+ years of experience in Vancouver as a freelance multimedia developer in website, video production, and interactive digital content.
Science, Health & Research – Advisory Committee
Kelly Chibale holds the Neville Isdell Chair in African-centric Drug Discovery at the university of Cape Town, where he founded the H3D Centre — Africa's first integrated drug discovery and development centre. A Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Senior Fellow, he holds a PhD from Cambridge and serves as Editor-in-Chief of ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
Sir Tumani Corrah spent over 40 years advancing patient care, health research, and human capacity in West Africa. He founded the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF), which has supported 800+ emerging African scientists and clinicians from 42 countries at critical early stages of their research careers.
Josh Ghaim is Founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Studio, a brand and innovation accelerator focused on Health and Beauty markets and Women and Minority-led startups. He previously served as Chief Technology Officer of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health.
Heidi Larson directs the Vaccine Confidence Project and researches public trust during pandemics and crises. She previously led vaccine strategy at UNICEF. In 2021, the BBC named her one of the world's 100 most influential women, and she received the Edinburgh Medal for Science.
Almaz Negash founded ADN in 2010 and has built it into a global platform reaching 45,000+ members across 105 countries. Named to President Biden's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement and recognized among Silicon Valley's 100 Women of Influence, she brings 25+ years of experience in international trade and social innovation.
Peter Piot co-discovered the Ebola virus in 1976 and founded UNAIDS, serving as its Executive Director and UN Under-Secretary-General from 1995–2008. A former EU Chief Scientific Advisor on epidemics, he has published 600+ scientific articles and his memoir No Time to Lose.
Kedest Tesfagiorgis leads the Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges team within the Discovery & Translational Sciences group at the Gates Foundation. She is committed to building inclusive, long-term partnerships to address the world's greatest challenges in health and development.
Prashant Yadav is a globally recognized expert in healthcare supply chains at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has held faculty positions at INSEAD, MIT, University of Michigan, and Harvard Medical School, and has testified before the U.S. Congress on medicine supply chain issues. He holds a PhD in Management Science.
Accelerating Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) — Program Advisory Committee
Joyce Chung leads the Makahakama Foundation, a philanthropic organization committed to supporting entrepreneurship and leadership development. She brings extensive experience in foundation management, grantmaking, and building programs that create opportunity for underrepresented founders and communities.
Nousheen Eslambolchi is a senior operations and strategy executive currently serving as Chief of Staff at Visby Medical. She brings experience spanning health technology, organizational leadership, and scaling early-stage ventures, with a track record of supporting founders through critical growth stages.
Helen Kim is a seasoned operations executive with deep expertise in building and scaling organizations. She brings strategic leadership experience across multiple industries and is committed to creating pathways for underrepresented entrepreneurs to access capital, networks, and the tools needed for sustainable business growth.
Thane Kreiner co-founded the Black Corporate Board Readiness Program to advance diversity in corporate governance. A social entrepreneurship leader with extensive experience at Santa Clara University's Miller Center, he is deeply committed to building inclusive ecosystems that support impact-driven founders and executives.
Dr. Michael Moscherosch founded Periodic Element LLC, a consultancy focused on social impact through startup support. He retired from Johnson & Johnson after 28+ years in R&D with a focus on healthcare startups in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Stuttgart.
Lyndon Mouton is a corporate development executive at The LongBoard Group, bringing expertise in business strategy, partnerships, and organizational growth. He is committed to expanding access to capital and strategic resources for entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities.
Cindy Owyoung leads diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy at BILL (NYSE: BILL), a leading financial operations platform for small and midsize businesses. She brings deep expertise in building inclusive workplaces and supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs and leaders in the technology and financial services sectors.
Anu Sanghvi co-founded Greenhouse Women to support women entrepreneurs and serves as Entrepreneurship Director at Makahakama Foundation. She brings hands-on experience in accelerator design, investor readiness training, and building ecosystems that advance underrepresented founders toward sustainable growth and capital access.
Ahmad Thomas leads the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, one of the region's most influential business associations representing 400+ companies. He brings deep expertise in economic policy, technology leadership, and cross-sector collaboration, and is committed to expanding opportunity for entrepreneurs across Silicon Valley.
Tabitha Arenson Abimiku is the founder and CEO of Virtuous Pads, a social enterprise providing affordable, sustainable menstrual health solutions across Africa. She brings firsthand experience building an impact-driven business and is committed to advancing women's health, dignity, and economic empowerment on the continent.
Ali Garba is Chairman and CEO of Akufai Capital & Equities, a firm focused on investment and financial services in Africa. He brings deep expertise in capital markets, investment strategy, and supporting early-stage African enterprises with the financial tools and networks needed to scale their impact.
Dr. Michael Moscherosch founded Periodic Element LLC, a consultancy focused on social impact through startup support. He retired from Johnson & Johnson after 28+ years in R&D with a focus on healthcare startups in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Stuttgart.
Stanley Mukasa leads entrepreneurship programming at Carnegie Mellon University Africa, supporting the next generation of African innovators and founders. He brings expertise in startup ecosystems, innovation education, and building the infrastructure that enables African entrepreneurs to develop scalable, market-ready solutions.
Romi Bhatia is a development finance practitioner with 20+ years in impact investing, microfinance, and entrepreneurship. He managed a $10M catalytic capital facility investing in high-growth African startups and currently serves as Venture Partner at Jedar Capital and angel investor with UC Berkeley's Strawberry Creek Ventures.
LaTanya Mapp is a globally recognized leader in philanthropy and human rights. Former President & CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, she has held senior roles at UNICEF, USAID, the Global Fund for Women, and the U.S. State Department. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University.
Manoj Jain is an accomplished finance executive with a track record in high-growth technology companies including CrowdStrike, SingleStore, and Financial Engines. As CFO of SingleStore, he helped raise $275M+ in equity and scale revenue from $20M to $75M+. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Josh Ghaim is Founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Studio, a brand and innovation accelerator focused on Health and Beauty markets and Women and Minority-led startups. He previously served as Chief Technology Officer of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health.
British Robinson is a seasoned leader at the intersection of nonprofit management, government, and development finance. With deep expertise in impact investment and financial systems for underserved communities, she brings a strategic lens to mobilizing capital for social entrepreneurs across Africa and the diaspora.
Jean-François Péan is a senior investment manager with expertise in development finance and impact investing. He brings experience structuring and managing investments across emerging markets, with a focus on African enterprises. He advises AfDIF on investment frameworks, due diligence, and capital deployment strategy.
Sid Mofya is a specialist in Africa's energy transition, working at the intersection of mining, energy, and data infrastructure. He brings deep sector expertise and a commitment to catalyzing sustainable, technology-enabled development across the continent, with a focus on scalable solutions to Africa's infrastructure challenges.
Natnael Asmerom leads Investor Relations and strategic expansion across the Middle East and Africa at Launch Africa Ventures. Previously, he spent seven years at Goldman Sachs managing institutional and private wealth portfolios. He is an Included VC Fellow, committed to advancing diversity within the venture capital industry.
Yohannes Assefa is an international development professional with 25+ years of senior leadership experience across 16 African countries. He served as Chief of Party and Country Director on multiple USAID-funded initiatives, including Ethiopia's WTO Accession Plus Project and played a key role establishing the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange.
LaTanya Mapp is a globally recognized leader in philanthropy and human rights. Former President & CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, she has held senior roles at UNICEF, USAID, the Global Fund for Women, and the U.S. Department of State. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and author of The Everyday Feminist.
Jason Gagnon is a Senior Development Economist specializing in migration, skills, and diaspora engagement with 20+ years at the research-policy interface. Former Head of the Migration and Skills Unit at the OECD Development Centre, he was a 2024–25 Visiting Scholar at Stanford. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Paris School of Economics.
Emy Makakalala leads Product Strategy and Go-to-Market for Global Selling at Stripe, helping businesses expand internationally. Previously Chief of Staff to the CEO at Paystack in Nairobi, she began her career in venture capital in Mexico City. Originally from France and the Republic of Congo, she holds an MBA from Stanford.
Dr. Michael Moscherosch founded Periodic Element LLC, a consultancy focused on social impact through support of social startups. He retired from Johnson & Johnson after 28+ years in R&D, specializing in healthcare startups in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Stuttgart, Germany.
Roland Pearson leads Habitat for Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, driving market-oriented solutions for the nearly 3 billion people worldwide living in substandard housing. With 30+ years in international development, he previously directed the finance and investment portfolio at global impact firm Palladium.
Romi Bhatia is a development finance practitioner with 20+ years in impact investing, microfinance, and entrepreneurship. He managed a $10M catalytic capital facility investing in high-growth African startups and currently serves as Venture Partner at Jedar Capital and an angel investor with UC Berkeley's Strawberry Creek Ventures.
Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro is a strategist for nonprofit management and board leadership. She served as President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women from 2011 to 2019, overseeing $140M+ in grantmaking, and is globally recognized for advancing women's and girls' human rights and philanthropy.
Dr. Liesl Riddle is an academic authority on diasporas and development, international entrepreneurship, and trade and investment promotion. She is co-director of GWSB's OntheBoard program, a fellowship designed to advance women's representation on corporate boards.
Professor Mammo Muchie holds a DPhil in Science, Technology, and Innovation for Development from the University of Sussex. He is a DST/NRF Research Professor of Innovation Studies at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa.
Chris Folayan leads International Growth at Interswitch, a multi-billion dollar African fintech. An award-winning serial entrepreneur named one of Africa's most influential people in 2022, he has built and exited multiple global businesses and serves on several international boards. He is a graduate of San Jose State University.
Laura Hubbard is an anthropologist of youth, media, and popular culture. Her research focuses on aesthetics and politics, youth culture, and the nexus of media and development across Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, where she has lived and worked extensively.
Hugh Molotsi is founder and CEO of Ujama, a mobile platform connecting parents in communities of support. He advises and invests in startups and teaches Lean Startup methodologies. He concluded a 22-year career at Intuit in 2015 as Engineering Fellow and Vice President of Innovation.
Duncan Goldie-Scot is an entrepreneur and investor who has backed African startups for over a decade. He pioneered the use of mobile payments in microfinance institutions and co-founded the first 100% cashless MFI, developing credit profiles through mobile data.
