Our Team
We are a trans-disciplinary team leading this work from the Global North and Global South.
This partnership broadened the Share Trust’s mission to more holistically support and strengthen the SHG ecosystem globally, taking into account the systemic barriers and opportunities these communities face, in order to more effectively scale community-driven collective action.
The Share Trust Team
The Share Trust, Founder/Executive Director; LCA Co-Founder and Partner
Courtenay is an international development economist, and the Founder and ED of The Share Trust. She has worked with a wide range of UN agencies, USAID, FCDO, and other donors to evaluate the relative returns of social and environmental interventions, contributing to an evidence base for what works and what doesn’t when it comes to reducing poverty worldwide. Courtenay works to strengthen women’s Self Help Groups through building the research and evidence base, as well as co-leading on the LCA.
The Share Trust, LCA Co-Founder and Partner
Brendan is co-founder of the LCA and brings significant experience as a collaborator and coach who has built and supported a diverse range of large-scale systems change efforts in the social impact and philanthropy sectors, both in the US and internationally. Most recently, Brendan was a co-Founder and Managing Director of Co-Impact, where he led efforts to source and support a portfolio of systems change grants in Africa, India and Latin America in the Foundational Fund. Prior, Brendan served as a Managing Director at Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation.
The Share Trust, Chief Strategy Officer
Devin Hibbard is a mission-driven executive known for her strategic planning, program management, and partnership-building skills, focused on reducing global poverty through livelihood training and entrepreneurship. With over 20 years in leadership roles across the NGO and social enterprise sectors, Devin founded Street Business School, a program empowering women in extreme poverty to start small businesses and triple their income, now active in over 30 countries. She has served on the board of InterAction, a major US-based development network, and is a recognized thought leader featured in outlets like Forbes, the New York Times, and Oprah. Passionate about mentoring women leaders and promoting equity in global development, she remains committed to ending extreme poverty.
The Share Trust, Director of Operations
The Share Trust, Research Associate
Edith is a seasoned researcher and project management professional with over six years of experience in research and monitoring and evaluation. She has worked with both local and international humanitarian and development organizations across East Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Edith is passionate about improving the lives of women and girls and addressing the challenges brought about by climate change in rural communities. She uses her expertise in project management, education, finance, and agriculture to empower local communities. Her work is driven by research and a deep commitment to creating lasting, positive change. As a writer, Edith amplifies the voices of those in need, shedding light on critical issues affecting marginalized groups.
The Share Trust, Research Lead
George is a research and data management specialist with over 12 years’ experience in Humanitarian and development contexts in research design and implementation. Prior to Joining the Share Trust, George worked as a senior research manager with REACH initiative in Ethiopia and have worked in Kenya, Somalia and Nigeria in different research capacities with REACH. During his time with REACH, George have led the design, implementation and dissemination of various research projects including multi-sector needs assessments, infrastructure and service delivery mapping, displacement assessments, cash and market assessments among others. George has also previously worked with WHO Somalia as a data assistant and with WFP Somalia as a monitoring and evaluation program assistant.
The Share Trust, Technical Support Lead
Imogen has worked in humanitarian project management and fundraising for the last decade. She started her career with the UK Stabilisation Unit, where she deployed to Mali and realised that London life wasn’t for her anymore. She then moved to Uganda to join ACTED as an intern, and eventually left 6 years later to join Give Directly in Goma. COVID brought her home to Uganda, where she joined the Share Trust. As Technical Support Lead, Imogen supports the coalitions and provides technical assistance to help them reach their goals.
The Share Trust, Research Associate
Selvan is an experienced institutional capacity development professional. Over 14 years, he has led on product development including program, strategy design, fund development, partnerships and general innovations for growth among local and national organizations in Uganda. Selvan is providing technical capacity through coordination, research and learning, and action plan design for effective locally led transformative actions.
The Share Trust, Bangladesh Country Representative
Mala is a feminist, women’s rights activist, and humanitarian professional with a decade of experience working on resilience, sustainable development, gender and climate justice, livelihoods, and public health. Passionate about promoting collaborative climate action and gender justice from the grassroots to the global level, she provides technical support to the Bangladesh LCA coalition. Mala leads national campaigns through women's activist organization Naripokkho and is committed to changing the lives of people in distress and challenging strong patriarchal culture, discrimination, exclusion, inequality, and disempowerment.
The Share Trust, Communications Lead
Sophia Abbasi has over a decade of experience in strategic communication, digital marketing, and social impact. She has a proven track record in leading high-impact campaigns and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders across government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, and influencing policy. Her career highlights include serving as the Deputy Director of Public Information & Research Engagement at HPD, where she spearheaded communications for the largest housing municipality in the country.
The Share Trust, Research & Learning Director
Sarah has over 25 years’ experience researching and advising on resilient development, climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, gender equality, social inclusion, and localisation across more than 40 countries. Previously, she worked with UN Women (in their Peace, Security, Humanitarian and Resilience team) and with UNDP’s Pacific Risk Resilience Programme. Sarah has lived and worked in the Pacific, where she saw firsthand the disproportionate impacts of disasters on women and girls; and is passionate about securing locally led, inclusive, and equitable humanitarian and development action.
Warande Advisory Centre Team
Warande Advisory Centre; LCA Co-Founder and Partner
Chilande is a co-lead of the LCA with eighteen years of strategic leadership and technical assistance program management for local, national and international development organizations. Passionate about supporting locally based changemakers to effect lasting change in the communities they serve, she supports organizations in sub-Saharan Africa to build effectiveness and resilience in how they govern themselves, guiding them to build strong systems, processes and cultures. In parallel, she works with donors to rebalance power, process and funding so local actors can have the resources they need to scale their visions and meet community needs.
Arinolah Elizabeth-Nite Omollo
Warande Advisory Centre; Africa Programs Lead
Arinolah’s North Star is to inspire women, youth, and children to live a purpose-driven life, which she believes is where the source of wealth lies. Arinolah has worked with development partners and civil society in Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia and the UK, and uses her well-rounded skill set in institutional strengthening, training and team-building to support the Kenya LCA coalition. She is a Rotary Peace Fellow and East Africa Peace Activator, championing the mainstreaming of the positive peace framework to achieve sustainable development.
Warande Advisory Centre, Nigeria Country Lead
Cletus brings over 19 years of experience to the table, with a strong focus on the past 12 years in Peacebuilding and Development. Cletus’ work has focused on advancing the Economic Diversification agenda, promoting Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial development, and implementing peacebuilding programs. As the Country Lead, Cletus ensures all stakeholders have a voice, bridging divides and fostering trust among a wide range of organizations, creating a strong foundation for successful collaboration within the Nigerian LCA. Cletus also possesses a strong educational background in Accountancy, Microfinance Banking, Economics, Development Studies, Conflict, Security and Development, and Public Policy and Leadership.
Warande Advisory Centre; Director of Operations
Mugure's wealth of experience in international development and leadership within NGOs underscores her dedication to fostering collaboration and achieving strategic goals. With a history of streamlining operations and demonstrating efficiency, her evolved role as Director of Operations is poised to contribute significantly to the success of community-oriented initiatives in international development programming.
Warande Advisory Centre, Office Support & Administrative Assistant
Roosie is an Administrative professional with over 3 years of experience. Passionate about Information Technology and socioeconomic justice, she provides Administrative assistance to The Share Trust and Warande Advisory Centre. Roosie takes pride in co-creating work environments that promote mental health and wellness; taking team members on a journey of growth and transformation. Her hard skills include 80 WPM, software knowledge, events planning, employee relations, and people and culture. She is committed to providing essential tools and support systems that unlock organisational & operational potential.
Our Board
Dr. Marcy Kerr Yuknat is deeply engaged in non-profit work aimed at empowering individuals and organizations to address the needs of the most vulnerable. The mission of the Share Trust resonates deeply with her training as a Clinical Psychologist as well as her background in International Economics and non-profit management. Marcy is engaged in community based philanthropy as the Chair of the Grayce B. Kerr Fund while maintaining a practice as a psychologist and educator in Boston, MA. She is honored to support the collaboration between individuals and larger organizations who are at the forefront of successfully generating the type of transformative change at the heart of the Share Trust’s vision.
Grace Johnson Garrity is currently a graduate fellow in paintings conservation at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She previously graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Art History, and will earn her M.A. and M.S. in Art Conservation from SUNY Buffalo State in 2023. Though her professional work lies in the preservation of objects, she is equally interested in living cultural heritage as well as environmental conservation.
Dr. Brooke Bailey has a professional background in pediatrics and publishing. She is the author of a series of books centered on female role models working across different fields. After researching these extraordinary women, Brooke decided to return to academics to study medicine and train as a pediatrician. Her philanthropic efforts focus mainly around ensuring educational access: through funding college scholarships; supporting a network of local organizations that use squash as a sport to enable and empower students to access and succeed in quality educational, athletic, and career opportunities; and supporting the work of the History Co:Lab, an initiative that uses history to engage young people to advance civic wellbeing.
Fanta Toure-Puri was born and raised in Cote d’Ivoire and holds a MA in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University and a BA in International and Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Her thinking and the collaborative approach that she promotes in her work were shaped by her experience working in humanitarian relief at the grassroots level early in her career, and subsequently for a US-based grassroots grantmaker. Prior to joining the Girls First Fund, Fanta worked at the World Bank in the human development department. She firmly believes that progress in our field can only be achieved if and when communities are at the front and center of all discussions.
Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan feminist, activist, and educator. By the age of 21, she had already founded LEARN Afghanistan, the country’s first-ever digital school network. Forced into exile by the Taliban takeover in 2021, she is currently a visiting fellow at Wellesley Centers for Women while continuing to provide education for hundreds of girls in Afghanistan despite the current ban on them attending school. Known for her bluntness and courage, Durrani has been recognized internationally for her outstanding work to advance Afghan girls’ education. For example, she was named a Global Education Champion by the Malala Fund, nominated by the BBC as one of its 100 most influential women 2021, included in #Times100talks in 2022, and received a Global Citizen Award for Human Rights in 2023. During her time at Wellesley, Durrani is continuing her research on female education and maternal and newborn health.