The diversity of our board and staff reflects the diversity of the world our work is shaping. They bring expertise, resources, and vision to their work—along with track records as catalysts of change.
Our Board
Jon Stryker is the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation, a private, global grantmaking organization with offices in New York City, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Cambridge, UK. Arcus supports the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights, and conservation of the world's ape populations. Stryker has supported the foundation's ongoing efforts with more than $500 million in funding since its inception in 2000. He is also a founding board member of the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Save the Chimps in Ft. Pierce, Florida, and Greenleaf Trust bank in Kalamazoo. He is a Patron of Nature of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and serves on the boards of The Museum of Modern Art and his undergraduate alma mater Kalamazoo College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kalamazoo College and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
Photo ©Jurek Wajdowicz
Stephen Bennett is the Founder and Chair of Caravanserai Project, a nonprofit enterprise developing mission-driven leaders and organizational strength and power. He formerly served as CEO of United Cerebral Palsy, an international network of disability advocacy organizations and providers of services. He has been a leader in disability and LGBTQ+ public policy with roots in advocacy, organizing, and strategy, having started his career as a Peace Corps/VISTA volunteer in South Central Los Angeles in the aftermath of the Watts riots. Bennett served as the CEO of AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) in the late 1980s to the mid-1990s; and his experience in the early years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic—developing a response, organizing support, and building public understanding—greatly impacted his life and later work. He currently serves on the boards of The California Endowment, Save the Chimps, and Caravanserai Project.
Photo ©Brad Hamilton
Evelynn M. Hammonds joined the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 2002 after teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she was also the founding director of the Center for the Study of Diversity in Science, Technology and Medicine. Her scholarly interests include the history of scientific, medical, and sociopolitical concepts of race and sexuality; the history of disease and public health; gender in science and medicine; and African-American history. She is the author of Childhood’s Deadly Scourge: The Campaign to Control Diphtheria in New York City, 1880-1930 and many scholarly articles, and the co-editor of the book The Nature of Difference: Sciences of Race in the United States from Jefferson to Genomics published in 2010. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics, electrical engineering, and the history of science. Professor Hammonds served as the dean of Harvard College from 2008 to 2013. Prior to her appointment as dean, she served as Harvard University’s first Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity beginning in July 2005. She is currently the Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and of African and African American Studies, and Chair of the Department of the History of Science at Harvard. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Bates College. The recipient of many honors, Professor Hammonds was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in 2018.
Photo ©Melissa Blackall
Janet Mock is a writer, director, and executive producer for the FX drama series Pose and the Netflix limited series Hollywood and Monster. She’s also the New York Times bestselling author of two memoirs, Redefining Realness (2014) and Surpassing Certainty (2017) about her journey as a trans woman.
In 2019, Mock signed a historic deal with Netflix, making her the first trans person to sign a production pact with a major studio. With her partnership with the streamer, Mock will create and produce her own television projects. That same year, she received Harvard University’s Artist of the Year Award and was named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power 100” and included on Vanity Fair’s “New Establishment” list. She has also been named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people. Mock has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Marie Claire, and has appeared on the covers of Entertainment Weekly, British VOGUE, Marie Claire, and The Hollywood Reporter.
In 2019, Mock signed a historic deal with Netflix, making her the first trans person to sign a production pact with a major studio. With her partnership with the streamer, Mock will create and produce her own television projects. That same year, she received Harvard University’s Artist of the Year Award and was named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power 100” and included on Vanity Fair’s “New Establishment” list. She has also been named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people. Mock has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Marie Claire, and has appeared on the covers of Entertainment Weekly, British VOGUE, Marie Claire, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Photo ©Aaron Tredwell
Catherine Pino is founder and CEO of D&P Creative Strategies, LLC, a government relations and public affairs firm she and her wife, Ingrid, founded in 2004 to advance corporate, philanthropic, and legislative efforts that mirror her deep commitment to social justice, human rights, and civil rights issues.
Pino brings her passion for social justice, equity, and philanthropy to the core of the firm’s work. This is showcased in many of the initiatives she and Ingrid have created over the years, including three she is proud of the most: the Familia es Familia campaign, which builds bridges between the Latinx and LGBTQ+ community; Poder PAC, the first-of-its-kind political action committee dedicated to doubling the number of Latinas elected to Congress; and Brown Beauty and Freemind Beauty Productions, two production companies dedicated to telling stories about marginalized communities.
Pino’s success is fueled by a know-how that can only be crafted through expertise and a deep network. Whether she is creating initiatives aimed and improving life opportunities for marginalized communities; advising corporate leaders on winning legislative and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies; developing innovative policy solutions and approaches; or leveraging resources to advance initiatives that effect social change, Catherine leads with heart and fervor!
Pino brings her passion for social justice, equity, and philanthropy to the core of the firm’s work. This is showcased in many of the initiatives she and Ingrid have created over the years, including three she is proud of the most: the Familia es Familia campaign, which builds bridges between the Latinx and LGBTQ+ community; Poder PAC, the first-of-its-kind political action committee dedicated to doubling the number of Latinas elected to Congress; and Brown Beauty and Freemind Beauty Productions, two production companies dedicated to telling stories about marginalized communities.
Pino’s success is fueled by a know-how that can only be crafted through expertise and a deep network. Whether she is creating initiatives aimed and improving life opportunities for marginalized communities; advising corporate leaders on winning legislative and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies; developing innovative policy solutions and approaches; or leveraging resources to advance initiatives that effect social change, Catherine leads with heart and fervor!
Photo ©Slobodan Randjelović
Slobodan (Slo) Randjelović is a licensed architect, designer, and photographer.
He worked as an associate at Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York and as an independent architect in Italy designing large-scale projects including university buildings, commercial office space, and religious institutions as well as smaller residential, landscape, and retail spaces.
Prior to his career in architecture, Mr. Randjelović worked as a set designer and photographer for Studio Festi, an international theatrical production company based in Varese, Italy. He also helped to design education and medical facilities for children in Kenya on behalf of the Gallman Memorial Foundation.
Mr. Randjelović began his education in his native Serbia and completed his professional training in Italy. He earned a degree in Architecture from Facoltà di Architettura at Roma Tre University in Rome and holds a master’s degree in Landscape Design from Facoltà di Agraria at Università degli Studi di Torino in Turin, Italy.
Mr. Randjelović is an active supporter of environmental conservation, LGBT rights, the arts and education. In addition to the Arcus Foundation, Mr. Randjelović serves on the boards of New York Live Arts, a nonprofit dance organization, and the American Academy in Rome.
Photo ©Arcus Foundation
Staff
Rodrigo Aguiar joins the Arcus Foundation from Lambda Legal, where he fielded thousands of help desk calls from people reaching out to get information on the state of the law, discrimination, and to find legal support. Rodrigo comes to Arcus with a background in Business Administration and graduated with honors from Berkeley College. Rodrigo is passionate about social justice and building long-lasting meaningful human relationships. In his spare time, Rodrigo enjoys making candles and Afro-Cuban crafts.
Kelsey joined Arcus in September 2022 from the Citi Foundation, where she was responsible for grants administration, ensuring compliance with foundation requirements, and maintaining the foundation’s grants management system. Prior to Citi, Kelsey worked on the Grants Management team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she supported grants administration across five program areas: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. She also led the onboarding process and training sessions for program and event staff during the transition to a new grants management system. Previously, Kelsey worked at the Institute of International Education providing grants-related administrative assistance for their Global Learning Programs. Kelsey volunteers as a board member and Grants Management Committee member for the non-profit organization Friends of Niger, and serves as co-chair of PEAK Grantmaking’s Accountability & Action for Allies Affinity Group. She holds a master’s degree in gender, development and globalization from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor's degree in international relations from Boston University.
Heather came to Arcus in 2013 with more than 14 years’ experience in communications and administrative support. She served as executive assistant to the General Partners of Spray Venture Fund, and the President and CFO of Calydon, Inc., building on prior experience in office management and administrative assistant positions. Heather became a communications specialist at Cell Genesys, generating and editing the bi-weekly company newsletter, press releases, web copy, articles for journals and publications, and advertisements. She continued this work as an independent consultant in the U.S. southwest for art galleries, small boutiques, and individual artists. Heather is also a teacher, writer, and classically trained singer.
Prior to joining Arcus in 2018, Angela was senior digital writer at Panthera, the wild cat conservation organization; and editorial and marketing associate at American Jewish World Service, an international human rights group. She launched her career as a reporter for The Evangelist, a Catholic newspaper in New York's Capital Region, where she earned top industry awards over her five years at the publication. During this period, she also helped lead a Kiwanis club that worked to improve the lives of children and families locally and globally, and co-authored Keeping Time, a nonagenarian musician's autobiography.
Angela has a bachelor’s degree in newspaper journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York. She has been committed to mission-driven enterprises and working with words from a young age. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, water aerobics, and going to concerts and record stores.
Monica Charles comes to Arcus from the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, where she assisted the Neonatology division director with administrative duties, budgeting and meeting logistics. Prior, she worked at the Ford Foundation for six years, overseeing international projects in the Office of Program Management, and was also a grants administrator for the Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom Program. She gained further philanthropy and grants management experience through her positions at Bloomberg, the Council for Economic Education, Twenty-First Century Foundation and United Hospital Fund. She is a long-time volunteer at Lighthouse International and holds an MPA in nonprofit management from Baruch College.
Adrian has worked for more than 20 years in advocacy, philanthropy, education, and politics. Since 2013, he has coordinated the International Human Rights Program at the Arcus Foundation in New York, advancing LGBT human rights. Adrian was executive director of the LGBT group ACCEPT in Romania, where he led campaigns contributing to the repeal of an anti-gay criminal law and the adoption of anti-discrimination provisions. Upon his immigration to the U.S. in 2002, he worked in philanthropy with the Baltic American Partnership Fund and in human rights advocacy with OutRight International. In 2009, he went to the European Parliament in Brussels to assist a legislator on human rights and anti-corruption. Adrian holds degrees in chemistry and human rights, and is fluent in Romanian, English, Spanish, and French.
Karolina joins Arcus from Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she provided support, research, and analysis for the Management Team. Prior to working at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Karolina graduated from Franklin & Marshall College, where she served as an Executive Board Member and intern for the Alice Drum Women’s Center. Karolina believes in spreading radical kindness and is an advocate for intersectional social justice.
Linda has been with Arcus since 2010. Prior, she worked at the national headquarters of the American Lung Association, where she most recently served as the Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting. Linda holds a BBA in accounting from Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business, The City University of New York.
Jovahn joined Arcus in 2022, bringing more than five years of experience in marketing and public relations. In his last position, he cooridinated digital marketing and fundraising communications for a social services and family education nonprofit serving the Tampa, Florida region. During this time, he also lent his skills to social justice advocacy as an organizer for the local chapter of a national grassroots political coalition serving Florida’s 13th congressional district. Jovahn holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida.
Alli brings more than 20 years of experience in grantmaking, civil rights lawyering, and international human rights. Prior to joining Arcus in September 2022, she was the program director of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression Program at Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, where she led U.S. and international grantmaking in support of LGBTQ movements. Previously, she was the head of the Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Programme at the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva, where she authored Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Justice: A Comparative Law Casebook. She holds degrees from Harvard College, Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, and NYU School of Law. In her free time, Alli loves to read, hike, and cook for family and friends.
Melvin joined the financial team of the Arcus Foundation in the Spring of 2009. Prior to Arcus, Melvin served as an accountant at Jazz at Lincoln Center and Amnesty International. A lifelong New Yorker, Melvin raises tropical fish as a hobby, and holds a BS in accounting from the New York Institute of Technology.
Annette Lanjouw is a behavioral ecologist and primatologist who has worked for four decades to research and ensure the conservation of apes. She has focused her work on chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas in the wild, and extensively in conservation strategy and building stronger approaches in program implementation. For 15 years, Annette was director of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, which works to conserve mountain gorillas inhabiting the forests straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. She also served as scientific advisor to world-renowned wildlife filmmaker Alan Root, and was the Central Africa program officer for the Wildlife Conservation Society, project manager and field director for the Frankfurt Zoological Society’s Chimpanzee Conservation Project in eastern DRC, international program officer for the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and regional director for Fauna & Flora International. Annette has worked at Arcus since 2007, first as the director for the Great Apes & Gibbons Program and currently as the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer and the head of its Great Apes & Gibbons Program.
A native of the Netherlands, Annette holds a BSc in zoology and psychology from Victoria University in New Zealand, and a doctorandus degree in behavioral ecology from the Rijks Universiteit in the Netherlands. She is scientific advisor to the Trust for African Rock Art, Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group, and a member of the IUCN Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group and World Commission on Protected Areas. She is also a board trustee of Fauna & Flora International, Virunga Foundation, Durrell Institute for Conservation and Ecology, and the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
A native of the Netherlands, Annette holds a BSc in zoology and psychology from Victoria University in New Zealand, and a doctorandus degree in behavioral ecology from the Rijks Universiteit in the Netherlands. She is scientific advisor to the Trust for African Rock Art, Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group, and a member of the IUCN Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group and World Commission on Protected Areas. She is also a board trustee of Fauna & Flora International, Virunga Foundation, Durrell Institute for Conservation and Ecology, and the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Erica brings more than 10 years of experience working in the non-profit, government, and community organizing sectors. She has been with Arcus since 2012, supporting the International portfolio of the Social Justice Program to advance the full equity and inclusion of LGBTQ communities. Prior to her work at Arcus Foundation, she worked with organizations in Nicaragua on sustainable development, renewable energy, and women’s empowerment. She is deeply committed to seeing the full realization of rights for women and girls of color and, in her free time, is a co-founder and core organizer with Sister Diaspora for Liberation, where she enjoys community building with women to dismantle systems of patriarchy and white supremacy. She also currently serves on the Young Professionals Board of Womankind. She received her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California with a concentration in international and macro issues, as well as prior degrees in sociology and African/African-American studies.
Before joining Arcus in 2015, Daniel worked for nearly a decade in the nonprofit sector for various organizations in Chicago, South Africa, New Orleans, and New York. In addition to his LGBT-related work at Arcus, he is active in the AAPI community and has served the international/transracial adoptee and Korean-American communities as president of the board of directors of Also-Known-As, Inc., inaugural member of the steering committee for the Young Professionals’ Network at The Korea Society, and on the community grants committee at the Korean American Community Foundation. He currently serves as a steering committee member of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy’s NY chapter. Danny is also passionate about community organizing, and is especially committed to local mutual aid efforts; immigrant justice; and Black, Indigenous, People of Color empowerment and liberation.
Sebastian Naidoo is a communications and media specialist, having worked for 24 years in headquarters and field offices of civil society organizations and the United Nations. His professional tenure has included the UN Development Programme, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Doctors Without Borders, and OneWorld International. He was Managing Editor of the ReliefWeb humanitarian news service, and at OneWorld he delivered human rights news through Yahoo!, overseeing bureaus in New Delhi, Lusaka, and Washington D.C. Previously, he worked as a reporter in Japan, Cambodia, and the UK, where his writing appeared in the London Guardian, the London Independent, The Washington Post, The Cambodia Daily, and New Internationalist, among others. He is a member of Doctors Without Borders US Association, and has received national and international awards for his work. A South African and British national, he holds master’s degrees in Japanese and in journalism, and speaks English, Japanese, and Spanish.
Before she joined Arcus Foundation in 2012, Linh worked at Marks Paneth Shron LLP, TVR Communications LLC, XPlus One Solutions, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. She has broad experience in for-profit and not-for-profit accounting. She is currently a Board Member for New Life Kidney Donor Assistance, which serves living kidney donors and raises awareness for organ donation. She is a member of Community Alliance Initiative, which supports the elderly, families in need, and youth in Queens and Brooklyn. Linh's hobby is traveling and learning about various cultures, as well as hiking to enjoy the beauty of nature. She holds a BBA in accounting from Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business, The City University of New York.
Thomas has been at Arcus since January 2014. In his role as Chief Operating Officer, he oversees grants management, finance, human resources, facilities, and information technology. Prior to joining Arcus, Thomas held similar positions at the Heinz Center, African Wildlife Foundation, and the World Wildlife Fund. A Certified Public Accountant, Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. He serves on the Boards of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation, the Amazon Biodiversity Center, and the Foundation Financial Officer’s Group (FFOG), where he is also the co-chair of the DEI Task Force.
Ericka oversees grantmaking processes and procedures, compliance, and overall grants management functions, including complex international grantmaking environments. She brings a wealth of grantmaking knowledge from her work at the Annenberg Foundation, where she was a member of senior management and oversaw all operations of the grants management department, and focused programmatically on community development and animal welfare grantmaking. Ericka began her career in philanthropy with the Getty Foundation, where she coordinated various internship programs, resulting in the placement of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate interns at arts organizations throughout Los Angeles County. Prior to this, Ericka worked in advertising/marketing in Minneapolis and Chicago. Ericka currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Grants Managers Network, and Co-Chairs the Nominating Committee. Other field contributions include serving as the Editor and contributing writer of the GMN Examiner, and the Communications, Conference, and Collective Knowledge Committees. A Minnesota native, Ericka conducted her undergraduate studies at the College of Saint Benedict/St. John’s University. During her 10+ years in Southern California, she conducted her graduate studies at Antioch University, Los Angeles.
Lia Mandaglio Parifax is an attorney and social justice activist. She currently serves Arcus in a leadership role in support of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. In prior roles at the foundation, Lia served as the director overseeing centralized learning, monitoring, and evaluation; knowledge management; executive planning; and executive grantmaking. She has served a key legal and governance role.
Prior to joining Arcus, Lia was founding Managing Director, Global Initiatives at Out Leadership, an advisory firm specializing in LGBT business and talent development. In 2011, she co-founded Athlete Ally, a nonprofit advancing LGBTQI+ rights through sports. In this capacity and as a current trustee, Lia has strategized groundbreaking social justice initiatives in sports for which she was named to Vanity Fair's Hall of Fame by U.S. Congressman Barney Frank. Lia has been published in several leading peer-reviewed rhetoric and legal journals, including the American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Journal, the National Italian American Bar Association’s Digest, the California International Law Journal, and the International Journal of Law in Context of Cambridge University Press. She has contributed to several opinion pieces in outlets like The Huffington Post and CNN, and she served as an editor of the book Keys to College Studying: Becoming an Active Thinker, Prentice Hall (2nd ed.). Lia practiced structured finance law at Alston & Bird LLP in New York City, received her juris doctor from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and graduated first in her class from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Prior to joining Arcus, Lia was founding Managing Director, Global Initiatives at Out Leadership, an advisory firm specializing in LGBT business and talent development. In 2011, she co-founded Athlete Ally, a nonprofit advancing LGBTQI+ rights through sports. In this capacity and as a current trustee, Lia has strategized groundbreaking social justice initiatives in sports for which she was named to Vanity Fair's Hall of Fame by U.S. Congressman Barney Frank. Lia has been published in several leading peer-reviewed rhetoric and legal journals, including the American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Journal, the National Italian American Bar Association’s Digest, the California International Law Journal, and the International Journal of Law in Context of Cambridge University Press. She has contributed to several opinion pieces in outlets like The Huffington Post and CNN, and she served as an editor of the book Keys to College Studying: Becoming an Active Thinker, Prentice Hall (2nd ed.). Lia practiced structured finance law at Alston & Bird LLP in New York City, received her juris doctor from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and graduated first in her class from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Toyia Phillips serves as the Director of Administration for the Arcus Foundation. In this role, Toyia is responsible for the strategic oversight and execution of recruitment and talent management, implementing appropriate policies and procedures, and supporting leadership in building and maintaining the organizational culture. She is also responsible for the oversight of IT and the office and facilities management of the foundation. Most recently, Toyia served as the Director of Human Resources and Administration for Data & Society Research Institute. She holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Public Administration and is a certified Professional of Human Resources (PHR). Toyia aligns strategy with people and culture and is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace. A native Brooklynite, Toyia is a “professional foodie,” and enjoys spending her spare time experimenting with new recipes, exploring NYC’s unique culture, traveling as much as she can, and spending quality time with her family, partner, and sweet cat, CeeCee.
Adam Phillipson comes to conservation from a background in both the humanities and the natural sciences, with a particular interest in the cultural and behavioural traditions underlying the attitudes of resource users to their environments. Previous projects include community conservation with Frankfurt Zoological Society in Ethiopia, and research into the illegal trade in wildlife products in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with Fauna and Flora International. He has also worked on Chimpanzee projects in Guinea, and undertaken Gorilla research in Gabon. He holds a master’s degree in conservation science from Imperial College, London, and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Cambridge University.
During her tenure at Arcus, Cindy has held a variety of positions, overseeing all grantmaking operations, managing the national LGBTQ portfolio, establishing evaluation and assessment processes, overseeing the Social Justice Program, and currently serving as a senior advisor to the program. Prior to joining Arcus in 2006, Cindy was director of grantmaking at the Boston Foundation and served on the staff of the Fenway Health Center. Cindy is a recipient of the Reed Erickson Trailblazing Leadership Award from Funders for LGBTQ Issues. She currently serves as a member of the board of SAGE, the national organization that serves and advocates for the needs of LGBT elders. She is the past board chair of Funders for LGBTQ Issues and also served on the boards of Funders Concerned About AIDS, the National LGBTQ Task Force, and GLAD. Cindy holds a JD from Suffolk University School of Law in Boston, and is an award-winning author of fiction and essays.
Prior to joining Arcus in 2020, Glo supported member-led campaigns at FIERCE! to build power among LGBTQ youth of color in New York City, helped lead police accountability organizing, and facilitated organizing trainings and strategy sessions for various communities and organizations across the country. Currently, Glo supports Arcus’ U.S. Social Justice grantmaking as a program officer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Glo enjoys hiking with their pit bull pups, trying out new recipes, and taking road trips. They hold a doctorate in sociology from Georgia Tech.
Katy came to Arcus after 10 years at Synchronicity Earth, most recently as head of biocultural diversity, where she co-led programs and led efforts to center indigenous rights and the revival and protection of biocultural diversity across the organization. During her tenure, she played a key role in developing the organization’s forest grantmaking in Africa, Brazil, and Papua New Guinea, as well as establishing collaborative funding initiatives to amplify conservation impact. Prior to this, Katy held various conservation and development posts before completing her doctor of philosophy degree using a case study of mountain gorilla conservation to explore how different people and their ideas are included or excluded in conservation. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in environment, ecology, and economics from the University of York and a master’s in environment and development from the University of Manchester. Katy has sat on the executive committee of the AgroEcology Fund since 2015 and has a strong interest in how agroecology can help conservation re-imagine its relationship with agriculture to support all species to flourish.
Bryan joined Arcus in 2011, bringing more than 30 years of global experience in communications, brand management, and integrated marketing campaign development. He began his career at Strayton Advertising and Public Relations (later the Advanced Technology Division of Hill & Knowlton). He then held a number of executive positions in Marketing and Communications at Lotus Development Corporation and IBM Corp., including Vice President, IBM Americas, Vice President of Global Industry Communications, and Vice President of Marketing, IBM Lotus Software. He also launched IBM’s global alumni program and led the planning for IBM’s Centennial. He has served on the boards of Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, ACLU Massachusetts, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, and Cambridge Health Alliance. Bryan earned a bachelor’s degree in European History from Harvard College in Cambridge, MA.
Marie has a strong background in administration roles gained in employment with a trade union, the legal sector, and higher education. She holds the Institute of Legal Executive Higher Professional Diplomas in land law and conveyancing from University of Westminster, London, as well as a BSc (Hons) in ecology and conservation from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.
Before joining Arcus in 2017, Madi was a director, cinematographer, and editor whose film Walk on the Mountain enjoyed a stint on the Banff Film Festival’s world tour. She has a bachelor’s degree in documentary studies from Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Madi spends her free time volunteering in her Astoria, New York, community, playing recreational softball, and hanging out with her two cats.
Alison holds a bachelor's of science in environmental studies from Manchester Metropolitan University and a master's of science in tourism and conservation from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology at the University of Kent. She has worked in advocacy, development, and environmental positions since completing her master's in 1999, in Botswana, Gabon, South Africa, Uganda and the UK. She co-compiled and edited Voices of the San: Living in Southern Africa Today (2004), and has been the production coordinator and editor of the Arcus Foundation publication series State of the Apes since 2012. In her downtime, she is an avid potter and enjoys singing at informal sing-around sessions and as part of a choir.
