Who We Are

Thought For Food

Regional Coordinators

TFF’s Regional Coordinators are charged with driving forward our mission to create more resilient and inclusive food systems all over the world. Serving a 3-year term, they represent TFF’s leadership team: informing our global strategy, developing strategic, on-the-ground partnerships, and managing local cohorts of TFF Ambassadors.

  • Darío González

    LATAM | Colombia

  • Jessica Tambalo

    LATAM | Brazil

  • Cuthbert Mukora

    AFRICA | Zimbabwe

  • Maame Ekua Manful

    AFRICA | Ghana

  • Morris Opiyo

    AFRICA | Uganda

  • Lethícia Magno

    Europe | France

  • Matt Foley

    NORTH AMERICA | USA

  • Dan Bernstein

    NORTH AMERICA | USA

  • Rory Nussbaumer

    NORTH AMERICA | CANADA

  • Utsav Soni

    ASIA | India

  • Brittany Dahl

    OCEANIA | Australia

  • Luke Smith

    CARIBBEAN | Trinidad & Tobago

  • Isabel Zendejas

    LATAM | Mexico

  • Christina Ong

    ASEAN | Singapore
Thought For Food

Core Team

  • Christine Gould

    Founder & CEO

    Christine is a global leader in agri-food-tech innovation. In 2020, Christine was invited by the UN Deputy Secretary-General to serve on the Advisory Committee for the UN Food Systems Summit. She also sits on various boards, including on reNature Foundation's Board of Advisors. Christine holds an MPA in Science and Technology Policy from Columbia University, and is the author of the book “The Change-makers Guide to Feeding the Planet” (2021).

  • Melissa Ong

    CEO SE Asia Region

    Melissa joins TFF after serving for almost five years as CEO of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), an independent, non-partisan think tank governed by the not-for-profit Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. She brings 25+ years of Asia-regional experience in International Trade, Brand Communications, Market Research, Organisational Development, Social Strategy, Corporate and Internal Communications.

  • Caroline Steiblin

    Strategic Initiatives Manager

    Caroline combines her analytical skillset and passion for research to create tangible impact in corporate development for TFF. Using her background managing and supporting data-driven and cross-departmental projects, and 5+ years of corporate experience, she is streamlining TFF’s food and agriculture innovation. Based in Switzerland, Caroline connects the TFF Community with tools to collaborate with major local and international partners.

  • Chelcie Vallely

    Digital Products Manager

    Chelcie has 7+ years of experience wearing a multitude of hats in startups, nonprofits and creative content agencies including VICE Media and The Economist Group. She is dedicated to leveraging innovation for social impact, applying her passion for business, design and technology as Digital Products Manager for Thought For Food®. She led the launch of the TFF Digital Labs® platform and curriculum and continues to accelerate its development and long-term strategy.

  • Marie Brueser

    Entrepreneurship Leader

    Marie is passionate about food sustainability which has shaped her path so far. With a PhD in plant genetics and plant breeding, she understands some of the challenges faced by farmers and plant breeding companies as well as the techniques available to solve global issues like food security. At TFF, she is constantly energised by the inspiring people and the innovative solutions they are bringing forward.

  • Silvi Navarrete Rodriguez

    Community Engagement Manager

    Silvi is passionate about food innovations, especially regenerative food systems restoring and healing the earth. She holds a Master of Environmental Urban Management from Wageningen University and an Erasmus Master of Global Markets, Local Creativities. She is a community-driven person who enjoys bringing people together to innovate and collaborate in the food sector. Based in the Netherlands, Silvi facilitates connections among the TFF Community members.

  • Naomi Haeger

    Design & Digital Marketing Manager

    Naomi is driven to inspire young people to think about the future of food through creative and inspirational communications. She has a keen interest in designing for behaviour change, and has a background working in startups as well as advertising agencies. She studied a Double Masters in Global Innovation Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, following her Bachelors of Arts in Design at Goldsmiths, University of London.

  • Saskia Ichnati

    Social Media & SEA Project Manager

    Saskia is strongly motivated to be part of the food system revolution. She lives in Indonesia, where agriculture plays a big role to their people's needs. Saskia has a Bachelor of Communications who has solid experience with social media and has been working with local start-ups such as Neurafarm, who help farmers increase their productivity. She believes that local problems need local solutions, that the rise of local impact will lead to global impact.

  • Janina Peter

    Food Systems Project Manager

    Janina is a social innovation and international development professional from Germany. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Development Economics and International Studies, as well as a postgrad degree in Social Innovation Management from the Amani Institute. Before starting her own business, she worked in the social entrepreneurship sector, for the UN World Food Programme and the German Development Agency (GIZ).

  • David Verbitsky

    Strategic Advisor

    David has 15+ years of experience as a Food & Agriculture-focused finance and entrepreneurial professional; including 10+ years of experience in investment banking, most recently as Head of Agriculture & Nutrition investment banking at Goldman Sachs. David is proud to bring his passion for Food & Agriculture innovation to serve as a Strategic Advisor for Thought for Food. He advises and mentors high-potential start-ups on capital raising strategy and exit opportunities.

  • Matt Glithero

    CFO

    Matt has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and business leadership within multinational corporate environments, most recently at General Electric. He has a passion for continuous improvement and process excellence and gained extensive global operational finance expertise within the Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Power Generation industries, where his last role was VP Process Excellence Leader.

  • Davide Mancini

    Non-Executive Director

    Davide has several years of experience in the field finance, strategy and transformation and brings a strong passion for technology, innovation, and sustainability to the team. He worked and lived in 10+ countries and spent 16 years between NBC Olympics and General Electric industrial businesses where his last role was VP of finance. Davide is a graduate of the Experienced Finance Leadership Program and HBS Executive Education.

Thought For Food®

Our Approach

The TFF Community has taught us a powerful innovation framework based on 6 Next-Gen Attitudes, which we believe can solve our world’s most complex challenges—starting with food.

Learn more