Our Team
The Secretariat works as an honest broker within the movement, facilitating the work of the membership by overseeing the background activities and tasks that drive Catalyst Now.The team is thereby responsible for coordinating and carrying out the logistics and operations of the movement and acts as a support system, while at all times keeping a low profile.
Each member of the Secretariat signs the Catalyst Now pledge (see below), as a commitment to ensuring the Catalyst Now membership is constantly at the forefront of our thinking.
Each member of the Secretariat signs the Catalyst Now pledge (see below), as a commitment to ensuring the Catalyst Now membership is constantly at the forefront of our thinking.
The Commitment
This Commitment serves as an anchor for Catalyst Now team members, something to refer back to and to keep in mind when moving forward in our work. We are steadfastly committed to social justice, diversity and inclusion and require every team member to register their commitment to respecting the values and principles we uphold by agreeing to the following Declaration:
People and nature at the centre
In everything we do, we place people, nature, and their ways of life at the heart of our work. We stand accountable to them for our actions.
Co-creative mindset
The future of innovation is co-creation. We seek to acknowledge our own biases and silos and work to move beyond them. This includes sharing all relevant data when we collaborate and ensuring that everything Catalyst Now produces is non-proprietary.
Collaborative leadership
We prioritize co-creating approaches that reflect shared ownership and credit collective impact. Our shared norms are based on the needs and challenges we face.
Humble audacity
We have audacious goals and approach them with the humility to recognize that none of us alone knows how they can best be accomplished.
Spirit of generosity
On any given day we are all donors, doers, visionaries or clients. We commit to sharing our knowledge, time and networks freely without expectation of receiving anything in return, other than the achievement of collective goals.
Co-chairs
Members note that if you are logged into the Member Portal you will be able to see what each team member is responsible for and how to contact them directly.
Cheryl Dorsey
Governing Council Co-Chair
Dr. Wamuyu Mahinda
Governing Council Co-Chair
Karen Spencer
Governing Council Co-Chair
Sanjoy Roy
Governing Council Co-Chair
Leadership team
Charu Raizada
Principal Facilitator, Strategic Partnership and Communications
Salomon Raydan
Principal Facilitator, Community
Saswati Sarkar
Principal Facilitator, Finance and Operations
Management team
Maria Harismendy
Lead, Learning and Community Building
Susana Ramirez
Lead, Chapters
Membership & Collaborations
Salomon Raydan
Principal Facilitator, Community
Lana Koubaitary
Collaborations Coordinator
Eva Arcega
Events Coordinator
Louis Toussaint
Europe Collaborations Coordinator
Maiy Shawkat
Junior Collaborations Fellow
Lesley Wanambuko
Selection and Onboarding Intern
Pearl Waweru
Collaborations Intern
Carolina Magalhães
Collaborations Intern
Dina Mamdouh Abdelhady
Membership Intern (Arabic Speaking)
Community Building & Learning
Salomon Raydan
Principal Facilitator, Community
Maria Harismendy
Lead, Learning and Community Building
Mehru Usman
Systems Learning Coordinator
Louisa Saruni Konchellah
Systems Learning Manager
Hira Alkan
Community Building Coordinator
Yankho Banda
Program and Learning Support Intern
Dalitso Grace Chimenya
Community Building Intern
Ecosystem Development
Salomon Raydan
Principal Facilitator, Community
Susana Ramirez
Lead, Chapters
Brian Maina
Africa Chapters Coordinator
Ingrid Yitamben
Francaphone Africa Chapters Coordinator
Mykyta Pobiehun
Europe Chapters Coordinator
Paula Peña
LATAM Chapters Coordinator
Ziyed Harrek
MENA Chapters Coordinator
Sheher Bano
Asia Chapters Coordinator
Paula Wakabi
Francophone Africa Program Coordinator
Tracy Ndungu
Anglophone Africa Program Coordinator
Luara De Marco
Lusophone Chapters Fellow
Nayete Fatoumata
Africa Chapter Francophone Intern
Konyu Carlson Tata
Africa Chapter Francophone Intern
Stephanie Randiala
Anglophone Africa Chapters Intern
Rei Torres
Asia Pacific Chapter Intern
Mariona Borrell Arrasa
Europe Intern
Resource Mobilization & Partnerships
Charu Raizada
Principal Facilitator, Strategic Partnership and Communications
Gannon Gillespie
Contractor, Resource Mobilization
Verónica Rodríguez Cárdenas
Communications Lead
Lida Minasyan
Ecosystem Resource Mobilization Consultant
Noella Mwikali Gaunya
Partnerships Fellow
Alexandre Desmyttere
Resource Mobilization & Innovative Funding Ecosystems Fellow
Saumya Khare
Communications & Engagement Intern
Denisa Ntervisai
Content & Communications Intern
Operations and Finance
Saswati Sarkar
Principal Facilitator, Finance and Operations
Paula Conaghan
HR advisor
Oluwanifemi Barakat Kafaru
Operations and Finance Coordinator
Reeman Hooda
HR & Operations Fellow
Precious Nyatanga
Operations & Finance Intern
