THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE THINK TANK
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE THINK TANK
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE THINK TANK
Driving change through dialogue, the pollination of ideas, and measurable impact.
Driving change through dialogue, the pollination of ideas, and measurable impact.
Driving change through dialogue, the pollination of ideas, and measurable impact.
Adam de Picot
Executive Director
Adam de Picot is a geo-economic strategist and public policy innovator whose career bridges rigorous analytical work with sustained diplomatic and institutional engagement across some of the world's most complex risk environments. As Executive Director of the MESA Institute for Global Impact, a New York–based 501(c)(3) think tank, he leads an organization dedicated to connecting the ideas of a rising generation with the institutions shaping tomorrow's policy landscape — translating field-level insight, particularly from the Global South, into actionable frameworks for governments and multilateral institutions.
A recipient of the 2022 Kahneman/Thaler Prize in Behavioral Economics, Adam brings a distinctive interdisciplinary lens to his work, integrating behavioral insights into strategic assessments of power, influence, and resilience across volatile geopolitical and economic terrain. His analytical approach has been shaped by extensive first-hand engagement: he has traveled to over 130 countries, contributing to international development and policy work through a range of NGOs, and has advised and interviewed former heads of government, cabinet ministers, and senior executives across multiple continents.
Adam's advisory portfolio spans public, private, and multilateral sectors. He has advised the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) in Kigali on strategies to catalyze private sector growth through foreign direct investment, and served as a rare earth mineral supply chain fellow to Ambassador Joe Hockey at Bondi Partners in Washington, D.C. He has also advised Nature Conservancy Australia on blue bond structuring, and served as lead researcher to Charles Conn and Robert McLean on their book The Imperfectionists. His pre-doctoral research examined the geo-economic security of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific, applying behavioral economic frameworks to questions of strategic risk and resilience.
Adam holds MPA degrees from both the London School of Economics and Columbia University, and a B.A. from the University of Sydney. He is bilingual in English and French.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Clarisa Marambio
Policy Director & Board Member
Clarisa Marambio is a Chilean climate policy strategist working at the diplomacy–implementation interface, coordinating with governments, industry, and civil society to advance climate agendas. With ongoing experience in multilateral processes, she will support MESA’s mission of bridging dialogue and action between the Global South and North.
Andrew Graham
Institutional Growth Lead
Andrew Graham is a development finance strategist and advisory professional working at the intersection of food & agricultural systems, impact investing, and global economic development. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law from the University of Richmond, where he graduated Cum Laude with a concentration in Politics and a minor in Sociology.His work spans strategy, research, and on-the-ground implementation across emerging markets in Africa and Latin America, where he has advised foundations, multilateral institutions, and NGOs on smallholder finance, blended capital structures, and digital financial inclusion. He has led multi-stakeholder partnership design, developed investment frameworks for climate-smart agricultural technology, and contributed to sector-wide research on how climate change and shifting market dynamics are reshaping agricultural finance. Andrew has also supported several nonprofits and social enterprises across Africa and Latin America in their organizational growth, partnership development, and fundraising strategy.
Charlotte Giff
Governance & Strategy Lead
Charlotte Giff is a researcher and consultant working at the intersection of energy, climate, and the environment. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, where she graduated with honors. Her work spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, where she has supported consulting, policy analysis, and research initiatives across federal and state agencies, NGOs, and mission-driven organizations. Charlotte applies a solutions-oriented approach to complex climate and energy challenges. She also enjoys learning languages and is fluent in Romanian and Mandarin Chinese.
Brennan Kraus
Strategy & Operations Lead
Brennan Kraus brings a multidisciplinary background in environmental policy, geospatial analysis, and sustainability to design MESA’s strategy. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Environmental Science and Policy, with a minor in Global Sustainability and a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Her work spans research, strategy, and field-based conservation, with experience across biodiversity and carbon credit systems, climate-focused policy, and global convenings such as London Climate Action Week. She has contributed to projects ranging from ecosystem monitoring and restoration to environmental data analysis and communications. Her work is driven by an interest in how environmental systems, policy innovation, and global development intersect to shape scalable solutions.
Jana Seal
Policy Innovation Consultant + Z Cop Lead
Jana Seal is a researcher and policy analyst focused on information integrity, artificial intelligence, and computational linguistics. She has worked on AI governance and technology policy with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation, and on information integrity with the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, where she analyzes and tracked the digital spread of misinformation and disinformation affecting peacekeeping environments and contributed to policy and doctrine development on information integrity and strategic communications for uniformed peacekeeping capabilities. She will begin graduate studies in linguistics in autumn 2026, focusing on the implications of large language models for theories of language and language acquisition. Her work explores how emerging technologies are reshaping human agency, language, and democratic decision-making.
Victoria Kraiselburd
Executive Assistant to Adam de Picot
Currently serving as the Executive Assistant to the Founder of the MESA Institute for Global Impact, Victoria Kraiselburd is an Argentinian English <> Spanish Conference Interpreter and Scientific-Technical Translator with seven years of specialized academic training: a five-year degree in Technical and Scientific Translation and a subsequent two-year degree in Conference Interpretation. She specializes in the fields of environmental management, climate change, and public policy, having provided interpretation for organizations such as ChildFund Alliance, the University of New York in Buenos Aires, and the University of Toronto. She is currently pursuing further postgraduate studies in Specialized Interpretation.
Clarisa Marambio
Policy Director & Board Member
Clarisa Marambio is a Chilean climate policy strategist working at the diplomacy–implementation interface, coordinating with governments, industry, and civil society to advance climate agendas. With ongoing experience in multilateral processes, she will support MESA’s mission of bridging dialogue and action between the Global South and North.
Brennan Kraus
Strategy & Operations Lead
Brennan Kraus brings a multidisciplinary background in environmental policy, geospatial analysis, and sustainability to design MESA’s strategy. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Environmental Science and Policy, with a minor in Global Sustainability and a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Her work spans research, strategy, and field-based conservation, with experience across biodiversity and carbon credit systems, climate-focused policy, and global convenings such as London Climate Action Week. She has contributed to projects ranging from ecosystem monitoring and restoration to environmental data analysis and communications. Her work is driven by an interest in how environmental systems, policy innovation, and global development intersect to shape scalable solutions.
Andrew Graham
Institutional Growth Lead
Andrew Graham is a development finance strategist and advisory professional working at the intersection of food & agricultural systems, impact investing, and global economic development. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law from the University of Richmond, where he graduated Cum Laude with a concentration in Politics and a minor in Sociology.His work spans strategy, research, and on-the-ground implementation across emerging markets in Africa and Latin America, where he has advised foundations, multilateral institutions, and NGOs on smallholder finance, blended capital structures, and digital financial inclusion. He has led multi-stakeholder partnership design, developed investment frameworks for climate-smart agricultural technology, and contributed to sector-wide research on how climate change and shifting market dynamics are reshaping agricultural finance. Andrew has also supported several nonprofits and social enterprises across Africa and Latin America in their organizational growth, partnership development, and fundraising strategy.
Jana Seal
Policy Innovation Consultant + Z Cop Lead
Jana Seal is a researcher and policy analyst focused on information integrity, artificial intelligence, and computational linguistics. She has worked on AI governance and technology policy with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation, and on information integrity with the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, where she analyzes and tracked the digital spread of misinformation and disinformation affecting peacekeeping environments and contributed to policy and doctrine development on information integrity and strategic communications for uniformed peacekeeping capabilities. She will begin graduate studies in linguistics in autumn 2026, focusing on the implications of large language models for theories of language and language acquisition. Her work explores how emerging technologies are reshaping human agency, language, and democratic decision-making.
Charlotte Giff
Governance & Strategy Lead
Charlotte Giff is a researcher and consultant working at the intersection of energy, climate, and the environment. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, where she graduated with honors. Her work spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, where she has supported consulting, policy analysis, and research initiatives across federal and state agencies, NGOs, and mission-driven organizations. Charlotte applies a solutions-oriented approach to complex climate and energy challenges. She also enjoys learning languages and is fluent in Romanian and Mandarin Chinese.
Victoria Kraiselburd
Executive Assistant to Adam de Picot
Currently serving as the Executive Assistant to the Founder of the MESA Institute for Global Impact, Victoria Kraiselburd is an Argentinian English <> Spanish Conference Interpreter and Scientific-Technical Translator with seven years of specialized academic training: a five-year degree in Technical and Scientific Translation and a subsequent two-year degree in Conference Interpretation. She specializes in the fields of environmental management, climate change, and public policy, having provided interpretation for organizations such as ChildFund Alliance, the University of New York in Buenos Aires, and the University of Toronto. She is currently pursuing further postgraduate studies in Specialized Interpretation.
Anaïs Clermont
Anaïs is a dual-degree student at Sciences Po and Columbia University, specializing in political science and sustainable development. For over six years, she has been engaged with UNICEF France, leading child rights awareness initiatives and advocating for children’s rights in climate negotiations, including at COP30. Her environmental work also focuses on ocean conservation and plastic pollution. She participated in ocean conservation sailing missions, served among the youngest Francophone delegates at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, and contributed to COP31 preparations with the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul. She later founded her own NGO promoting ecological awareness. Anaïs currently serves as UN Youth Representative for GLOCHA, focusing on SDG 17 partnerships and advancing digital public infrastructure for climate action. At Mesa Institute, she serves as Senior Policy Coordinator, driving the institute’s policy ecosystem.
Tudor Boanda
Tudo is a Master of International Affairs graduate from Columbia SIPA specializing in International Finance and Economic Policy. His professional experience includes political risk analysis, sovereign and climate risk research, and economic policy across public, private, and international organizations. He is passionate about the intersection of geopolitics, finance, and technology, and leveraging data-driven analysis to inform strategic decision-making.
Oscar Green
Oscar Green is a Research Policy Intern at the MESA Institute for Global Impact and a student at McGill University, where he is pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science. He previously interned at a strategic advisory firm in Washington, D.C., where he conducted intelligence on the cobalt mining industry and ongoing civil conflict in Central Africa. Oscar also writes for McGill's International Relations journal and serves as a Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for Expanding Economics, a policy organization dedicated to promoting economic pluralism.
Michelle Soneye
Michelle Soneye is a first-year master's student at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), where she studies International Affairs with an economics track. She holds a B.A. in Political Science. She is passionate about storytelling as a tool for positive change and is particularly interested in amplifying the voices and experiences of vulnerable and underrepresented communities. At MESA, Michelle serves as a Communications and Special Projects Intern.
Elaina Kagan
Elaina Kagan is a Policy Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact and a recent Economics graduate from The New School, with an academic focus on economic inequality, historical political economy, as well as development and labor economics. She began her career researching housing policy and racial equity in New York City, and has since turned her attention to the global forces shaping the same questions of inequality and displacement she studied locally.
Homaira Sharifi
Homaira Sharifi is a 2025–2026 Institute of Global Politics Scholar and Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, concentrating in International Security and Diplomacy with a minor in Cybersecurity. She currently serves as a Government & Partnerships Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact, where she supports stakeholder engagement and government outreach for the Z-COP Global Conference alongside the Global Call Partnership and On My Way. She completed her Capstone with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs on Special Political Missions in May 2026. From 2022 to 2024, Homaira joined the International Committee of the Red Cross's Kabul delegation, supporting humanitarian operations across Afghanistan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Beyond her academic and professional work, she has represented Afghan women at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and serves as SIPASA's Culture and Inclusion Chair at Columbia — work rooted in her experience growing up in Afghanistan and her commitment to accountable, community-driven multilateral action.
Gargi Yadav
Gargi is a first-year Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia SIPA, focusing in Finance and Economic Policy. She brings over three years of experience working at the intersection of education, public policy, and tribal communities in India. Prior to graduate school, she worked at a public policy think tank in India as a Project Associate, contributing to initiatives focused on educational access and community development. She is interested in understanding how technology can be leveraged to drive meaningful impact in sectors such as education across the Global South.
Aden Schecter
Aden is a graduate student in International Security and Diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where his research focuses on arms control, violent extremism, and the legal frameworks governing the use of force. Aden spent five years in the budget office of the New York City Parks Department, developing expertise in public administration, data analysis, and government operations. He has also worked for the Carter Center, conducting donor outreach and estate planning. Aden's work sits at the intersection of policy research and administrative practice. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, biking, learning about Ancient History, and is an aspiring birdwatcher.
Anaïs Clermont
Anaïs is a dual-degree student at Sciences Po and Columbia University, specializing in political science and sustainable development. For over six years, she has been engaged with UNICEF France, leading child rights awareness initiatives and advocating for children’s rights in climate negotiations, including at COP30. Her environmental work also focuses on ocean conservation and plastic pollution. She participated in ocean conservation sailing missions, served among the youngest Francophone delegates at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, and contributed to COP31 preparations with the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul. She later founded her own NGO promoting ecological awareness. Anaïs currently serves as UN Youth Representative for GLOCHA, focusing on SDG 17 partnerships and advancing digital public infrastructure for climate action. At Mesa Institute, she serves as Senior Policy Coordinator, driving the institute’s policy ecosystem.
Elaina Kagan
Elaina Kagan is a Policy Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact and a recent Economics graduate from The New School, with an academic focus on economic inequality, historical political economy, as well as development and labor economics. She began her career researching housing policy and racial equity in New York City, and has since turned her attention to the global forces shaping the same questions of inequality and displacement she studied locally.
Oscar Green
Oscar Green is a Research Policy Intern at the MESA Institute for Global Impact and a student at McGill University, where he is pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science. He previously interned at a strategic advisory firm in Washington, D.C., where he conducted intelligence on the cobalt mining industry and ongoing civil conflict in Central Africa. Oscar also writes for McGill's International Relations journal and serves as a Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for Expanding Economics, a policy organization dedicated to promoting economic pluralism.
Aden Schecter
Aden is a graduate student in International Security and Diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where his research focuses on arms control, violent extremism, and the legal frameworks governing the use of force. Aden spent five years in the budget office of the New York City Parks Department, developing expertise in public administration, data analysis, and government operations. He has also worked for the Carter Center, conducting donor outreach and estate planning. Aden's work sits at the intersection of policy research and administrative practice. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, biking, learning about Ancient History, and is an aspiring birdwatcher.
Michelle Soneye
Michelle Soneye is a first-year master's student at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), where she studies International Affairs with an economics track. She holds a B.A. in Political Science. She is passionate about storytelling as a tool for positive change and is particularly interested in amplifying the voices and experiences of vulnerable and underrepresented communities. At MESA, Michelle serves as a Communications and Special Projects Intern.
Tudor Boanda
Tudo is a Master of International Affairs graduate from Columbia SIPA specializing in International Finance and Economic Policy. His professional experience includes political risk analysis, sovereign and climate risk research, and economic policy across public, private, and international organizations. He is passionate about the intersection of geopolitics, finance, and technology, and leveraging data-driven analysis to inform strategic decision-making.
Gargi Yadav
Gargi is a first-year Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia SIPA, focusing in Finance and Economic Policy. She brings over three years of experience working at the intersection of education, public policy, and tribal communities in India. Prior to graduate school, she worked at a public policy think tank in India as a Project Associate, contributing to initiatives focused on educational access and community development. She is interested in understanding how technology can be leveraged to drive meaningful impact in sectors such as education across the Global South.
Homaira Sharifi
Homaira Sharifi is a 2025–2026 Institute of Global Politics Scholar and Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, concentrating in International Security and Diplomacy with a minor in Cybersecurity. She currently serves as a Government & Partnerships Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact, where she supports stakeholder engagement and government outreach for the Z-COP Global Conference alongside the Global Call Partnership and On My Way. She completed her Capstone with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs on Special Political Missions in May 2026. From 2022 to 2024, Homaira joined the International Committee of the Red Cross's Kabul delegation, supporting humanitarian operations across Afghanistan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Beyond her academic and professional work, she has represented Afghan women at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and serves as SIPASA's Culture and Inclusion Chair at Columbia — work rooted in her experience growing up in Afghanistan and her commitment to accountable, community-driven multilateral action.
Anaïs Clermont
Anaïs is a dual-degree student at Sciences Po and Columbia University, specializing in political science and sustainable development. For over six years, she has been engaged with UNICEF France, leading child rights awareness initiatives and advocating for children’s rights in climate negotiations, including at COP30. Her environmental work also focuses on ocean conservation and plastic pollution. She participated in ocean conservation sailing missions, served among the youngest Francophone delegates at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, and contributed to COP31 preparations with the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul. She later founded her own NGO promoting ecological awareness. Anaïs currently serves as UN Youth Representative for GLOCHA, focusing on SDG 17 partnerships and advancing digital public infrastructure for climate action. At Mesa Institute, she serves as Senior Policy Coordinator, driving the institute’s policy ecosystem.
Michelle Soneye
Michelle Soneye is a first-year master's student at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), where she studies International Affairs with an economics track. She holds a B.A. in Political Science. She is passionate about storytelling as a tool for positive change and is particularly interested in amplifying the voices and experiences of vulnerable and underrepresented communities. At MESA, Michelle serves as a Communications and Special Projects Intern.
Tudor Boanda
Tudo is a Master of International Affairs graduate from Columbia SIPA specializing in International Finance and Economic Policy. His professional experience includes political risk analysis, sovereign and climate risk research, and economic policy across public, private, and international organizations. He is passionate about the intersection of geopolitics, finance, and technology, and leveraging data-driven analysis to inform strategic decision-making.
Elaina Kagan
Elaina Kagan is a Policy Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact and a recent Economics graduate from The New School, with an academic focus on economic inequality, historical political economy, as well as development and labor economics. She began her career researching housing policy and racial equity in New York City, and has since turned her attention to the global forces shaping the same questions of inequality and displacement she studied locally.
Gargi Yadav
Gargi is a first-year Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia SIPA, focusing in Finance and Economic Policy. She brings over three years of experience working at the intersection of education, public policy, and tribal communities in India. Prior to graduate school, she worked at a public policy think tank in India as a Project Associate, contributing to initiatives focused on educational access and community development. She is interested in understanding how technology can be leveraged to drive meaningful impact in sectors such as education across the Global South.
Oscar Green
Oscar Green is a Research Policy Intern at the MESA Institute for Global Impact and a student at McGill University, where he is pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science. He previously interned at a strategic advisory firm in Washington, D.C., where he conducted intelligence on the cobalt mining industry and ongoing civil conflict in Central Africa. Oscar also writes for McGill's International Relations journal and serves as a Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for Expanding Economics, a policy organization dedicated to promoting economic pluralism.
Homaira Sharifi
Homaira Sharifi is a 2025–2026 Institute of Global Politics Scholar and Master of Public Administration candidate at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, concentrating in International Security and Diplomacy with a minor in Cybersecurity. She currently serves as a Government & Partnerships Intern at MESA Institute for Global Impact, where she supports stakeholder engagement and government outreach for the Z-COP Global Conference alongside the Global Call Partnership and On My Way. She completed her Capstone with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs on Special Political Missions in May 2026. From 2022 to 2024, Homaira joined the International Committee of the Red Cross's Kabul delegation, supporting humanitarian operations across Afghanistan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Beyond her academic and professional work, she has represented Afghan women at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and serves as SIPASA's Culture and Inclusion Chair at Columbia — work rooted in her experience growing up in Afghanistan and her commitment to accountable, community-driven multilateral action.
Aden Schecter
Aden is a graduate student in International Security and Diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where his research focuses on arms control, violent extremism, and the legal frameworks governing the use of force. Aden spent five years in the budget office of the New York City Parks Department, developing expertise in public administration, data analysis, and government operations. He has also worked for the Carter Center, conducting donor outreach and estate planning. Aden's work sits at the intersection of policy research and administrative practice. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, biking, learning about Ancient History, and is an aspiring birdwatcher.
This summer, emerging leaders join MESA's work; across policy, research, communications, strategy, and operations, engaging with the global challenges shaping our future.
2026 SUMMER INTERNS
2026 SUMMER INTERNS
Ziad Ahmed
Board Member
Ziad Ahmed is the founder and CEO of JUV Consulting (acquired by UTA), a leading Gen Z community and strategy firm known for its purpose-driven social campaigns and global youth engagement. He has spent the past decade dedicated to youth empowerment—as a founder, speaker, strategist, and advisor—working to ensure that the next generation of leaders and communities are brighter, better, and bolder.
Victoire Mandonnaud
Board Member
Victoire Mandonnaud began as an artist before channeling that creative lens into reimagining the systems that shape society — building startups to advance redistribution and empowerment in the Global South, including On My Way, a civic-government platform for the future of solidarity and collaboration. She founded The Global Call, a youth-led initiative in 170+ countries, and currently works at the United Nations with the Special Envoy on Financing for Sustainable Development. She holds a BA/MIA from Columbia University, where she is pursuing a PhD.
Matias Burdman
Board Member
Matias Burdman's work straddles the intersection of government, politics, and civic engagement. After graduating from Georgetown University, Matias founded Civic, a startup aimed to spur civic participation. He has since held roles as a startup consultant and at the U.S. Department of Justice. Previously, Matias served as an elected official in the District of Columbia government. He is currently pursuing his J.D. at Georgetown Law.
Clarisa Marambio
Board Member
Clarisa Marambio is a Chilean climate policy strategist working at the diplomacy–implementation interface, coordinating with governments, industry, and civil society to advance climate agendas. With ongoing experience in multilateral processes, she will support MESA’s mission of bridging dialogue and action between the Global South and North.
Umang Prabhakar
Board Member
Umang Prabhakar is a development finance and policy strategist focused on ecosystem building for inclusive economic growth in emerging and frontier markets. With over a decade at the intersection of finance, technology, and systems change, he mobilizes partnerships across governments, DFIs, and investors to advance sustainable innovation. At MESA, he supports the Institute’s mission to translate cross-sector collaboration into actionable global impact.
Ziad Ahmed
Board Member
Ziad Ahmed is the founder and CEO of JUV Consulting (acquired by UTA), a leading Gen Z community and strategy firm known for its purpose-driven social campaigns and global youth engagement. He has spent the past decade dedicated to youth empowerment—as a founder, speaker, strategist, and advisor—working to ensure that the next generation of leaders and communities are brighter, better, and bolder.
Clarisa Marambio
Board Member
Clarisa Marambio is a Chilean climate policy strategist working at the diplomacy–implementation interface, coordinating with governments, industry, and civil society to advance climate agendas. With ongoing experience in multilateral processes, she will support MESA’s mission of bridging dialogue and action between the Global South and North.
Victoire Mandonnaud
Board Member
Victoire Mandonnaud began as an artist before channeling that creative lens into reimagining the systems that shape society — building startups to advance redistribution and empowerment in the Global South, including On My Way, a civic-government platform for the future of solidarity and collaboration. She founded The Global Call, a youth-led initiative in 170+ countries, and currently works at the United Nations with the Special Envoy on Financing for Sustainable Development. She holds a BA/MIA from Columbia University, where she is pursuing a PhD.
Umang Prabhakar
Board Member
Umang Prabhakar is a development finance and policy strategist focused on ecosystem building for inclusive economic growth in emerging and frontier markets. With over a decade at the intersection of finance, technology, and systems change, he mobilizes partnerships across governments, DFIs, and investors to advance sustainable innovation. At MESA, he supports the Institute’s mission to translate cross-sector collaboration into actionable global impact.
Matias Burdman
Board Member
Matias Burdman's work straddles the intersection of government, politics, and civic engagement. After graduating from Georgetown University, Matias founded Civic, a startup aimed to spur civic participation. He has since held roles as a startup consultant and at the U.S. Department of Justice. Previously, Matias served as an elected official in the District of Columbia government. He is currently pursuing his J.D. at Georgetown Law.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sage Lenier
Climate Advisor
Sage Lenier first gained recognition at UC Berkeley, where, as an undergraduate, she created and taught one of the university’s largest courses on sustainability before expanding her work to global stages. She bridges the gap between the public and global decision-makers, translating complex systems into actionable solutions and mobilizing the next generation to help shape the economy of the future.
Sage Lenier
Climate Advisor
Sage Lenier first gained recognition at UC Berkeley, where, as an undergraduate, she created and taught one of the university’s largest courses on sustainability before expanding her work to global stages. She bridges the gap between the public and global decision-makers, translating complex systems into actionable solutions and mobilizing the next generation to help shape the economy of the future.
CLIMATE ADVISOR
CLIMATE ADVISOR