Our Team

Tara is a trained architect with over 30 years experience applying her design skills in the field of social development and environmental issues. She has worked with WWF, Amnesty International, Green Peace, CARE, the UN, the World Bank, and governments including Vietnam, Nepal, and Bhutan. Tara brings broad experience working on projects in areas such as climate-resilient development, corporate social responsibility, human rights education, campaigning, organisational development, and social infrastructure design.

Tara also brings experience in consensus and team building for issue-based impact. Through designed and facilitated collaborative processes, she has brought diverse sets of people and entities together to design and operationalise collective strategies.

Tara sees herself as an ever-evolving storyteller playing with multiple future scenarios that are constantly informed by today’s action.

Banny has worked in the field of innovation and design for 30 years. He is well known for his pioneering work in design thinking, advanced systems-based innovation methodology, and systems leadership models for large-scale transformations in multi-dimensional challenges.

Felicity is a strategist and connector. She is currently co-piloting partner identification, development and cultivation for an unprecedented collective action platform that aims to channel $10 billion USD into climate finance. The platform was launched at COP26 in Glasgow.

Gabriella is committed to reshaping higher education, especially global education so it becomes a central driver in creating a more humane and sustainable world. She is a founding member of the National Peace Academy.

Manish has focused on designing sustainable development strategies, policies, and programs to address the twin challenges of climate change and inequity in his multiple leadership roles. He previously served as Interim President and CEO of the World Resources Institute and Executive Director of Bank Information Center.

Marc’s areas of expertise include market and network formation, entrepreneurship, governance, and innovation and technology strategy. His research and teaching focus on the formation of markets and networks in business and social settings—specifically, how markets are built and the actors who build them.

Matthew McGuire is a Partner at TPG Growth and The Rise Fund, overseeing fundraising and stakeholder engagement. He was the United States’ Executive Director of the World Bank Group. In the past he has held senior roles in asset management industry, and the US government. He also holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University.

Minh-Thu worked with diverse stakeholders to create and deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end extreme poverty, curb climate change, and tackle inequality. She also served as strategy and policy advisor to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Saleemul is recognised as one of the top global influencers on climate change policy. He was the lead author of the Adaptation and Sustainable Development chapter in the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He also advises the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Terry is the former president and chief executive officer for the Chicago Community Trust, engaging donors in comprehensive, innovative programs for impactful grant-making and doubling the community foundation’s assets to more than $2.8 billion USD. The Chicago Community Trust is the third-largest community foundation in the United States.

Vivek is a historian and academic who has a growing interest in issues of financial technology and rural livelihoods. He was previously Director of Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), a premier management school, and worked as a consultant to philanthropic trusts such as the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and the Reliance Foundation.

Wasif led the vision and creation of the first liberal arts institution of higher learning in Pakistan. He has established collaborations with leading institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Stanford University, University of Michigan, and the Claremont Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges.

Abhilasha is a seeker, artist and neophile. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in storytelling and outreach.

Abhilasha is an experienced HR professional in the areas of end-to-end employee life cycle operations, employee engagement, talent development, and compliance. She holds a postgraduate degree in Business Administration with a specialisation in Human Resources. 

Abhilasha’s interest in complex systems made her look more critically into interconnections and the impact of human activity on the planet and led to her joining 10in10 to expand her professional development in the field of complex challenges. 

Abhilasha is a firm believer in human potential, operating from the assumption that: “If we treat people as they are, they will remain as they are but if we treat them as they ought to be they will become bigger and better”.

Ananya is an interdisciplinary creative, facilitator and designer. She is a member of the Vadodara Gigatonne Team in India and works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach, as well as supporting core team operations in the area of design and storytelling.

Ananya has worked as an illustrator, researcher, writer, programme designer and facilitator, and briefly as an archivist reframing colonial narratives between Britain and Vadodara, where she is based. She currently runs an independent illustration practice, participates in a global women artists’ collective, facilitates workshops on communication, and supports a local initiative educating and employing women in climate justice work.

Since studying multidisciplinary design at Goldsmiths College, Ananya has presented work at the Victoria & Albert Museum, South London Gallery, Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara, Dutch Design Week, and the first Trans-South East Asia Triennial in Guangzhou. 

 As a designer, Ananya’s interest lies in exploring holistic and interdisciplinary perspectives that create social change. Her projects often fall in the intersections between gender, cultural identity and ecology, and look at systemic issues through a creative lens.

Asawari is an entrepreneur, learner and self-proclaimed earth buddy. She is a member of the Bangalore Gigatonne Team in India and works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

Asawari runs a business of natural personal care products called Dhanak Naturals, and is an experienced facilitator, with a particular interest in working with children and youth.

Asawari is a self-directed life learner without any degrees, who has always crafted her own path to living life. She is passionate about living a life that’s in harmony with nature.

Asawari lives in a village, Bodichipalli, near Bangalore, India. She loves living in nature with her family, dogs and cats, and enjoys cooking, art, dancing, music, yoga and meditation.

Evan is a strategist, systems entrepreneur and creative. He is a member of the Hawaii Gigatonne Team and works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach. He has also supported core team operations in the area of social media and communications.

As a systems entrepreneur, Evan draws on a colourful range of experiences and perspectives. Raised on the Big Island of Hawai’i, Evan has worked as a professional chef, cannabis entrepreneur, advisor and project leader. He’s currently working on a venture to localise organics recycling on Hawai’i Island through distributed infrastructure.

The core of Evan’s work is to practically improve the relationship between the human world and the natural world.

Grace is an environmental scientist, campaign communications specialist and facilitator. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and has also supported core team operations in the areas of social media and marketing.

Grace has professional experience working across the iNGO, community organising and corporate sectors and has mentored teams based in both local and international contexts. 

Grace has worked on a range of policy and action-oriented campaigns in the RE, air pollution and waste sectors with Greenpeace India, and as coordinator and facilitator of a community-based digital study programme for school dropouts in Kolkata’s slums. She is currently working as a marketer with a Singapore-based media house.

Grace holds a graduate degree in environmental sciences, and has authored a published research paper that maps the desertification risk states in the Eastern Ghats of India. 

Grace brings her interest in participatory development, the nuances of power dynamics, the wild, storytelling, and creativity to all that she does.

Hulunn is an environmentalist, activist and volunteer. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

Hulunn’s environmental career began with working on solutions to the landfill problem in South Africa. She owns and runs a franchise that conducts carbon audits and carbon tax calculations, as well as  conducting workshops and presentations at schools on environmental issues, and volunteering as an activist with Greenpeace Africa.

Hulunn is applying her experience and continued training in environmental work to launch the “Activating Leaders for Global Regeneration” programme to empower young people to take action on the climate crisis. 

Hulunn’s dream is to build an Ecovillage and Green school between the forest and mountains.

Indrani is a project manager, facilitator and implementer. She works with 10-in-10 as Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in the areas of fundraising, communications and outreach.

Indrani has over 20 years experience of project management and facilitation with social entrepreneurs and development initiatives, holding leadership roles in both national and international organisations. 

For the last 12 years, she has worked as a consultant on diverse social impact projects ranging from youth innovation to livelihood and women’s empowerment.

Indrani is self-driven and goal-oriented and treats life as a learning journey. She enjoys motherhood as her primary occupation and is based out of Chennai

Jonn is an experienced writer, editor, and researcher in the field of social issues. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in the areas of communications and research.

Jonn has worked and volunteered in a variety of different areas, including journalism, scientific research, human rights, interfaith appreciation, and mental health. 

A writer at heart, Jonn began his career as an editor, before graduating with a degree in physiology and moving into the field of research. After focusing initially in the area of multiple sclerosis research, Jonn switched to working on homelessness prevention and reduction in rural areas and was part of a team that organised the first national conference in Canada focused on rural and remote homelessness and affordable housing. Jonn currently works at his local library and volunteers at his local crisis line. 

In his spare time, Jonn practices Zen Buddhism, and likes reading, learning, and punk.

Joyeux is a human rights activist – with a particular focus on refugees and street children’s rights – as well as a peer educator on gender-based violence. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

Joyeux has 12 years of experience in the humanitarian sector. He is Executive Director of a non-profit organisation called People for Peace and Defence of Rights, which focuses on advocacy and bettering the livelihood of refugees and Internally Displaced youth known as street children (IDPs). He is also the founder and chairman of the Network of Congolese Civil Society Organisations in East Africa.

Joyeux conducted research studies with Toronto University and has coached students at Ghent University on refugees and forced migrant issues in East Africa. He has been involved in life coaching and career guidance for university students, as well as financial literacy training, counselling and courses on the application of Human Centred Design and design thinking to tackle complex social challenges.

Kalpana is an analyst, teacher and entrepreneur. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and supports the core team in the areas of communications, research and protocol development.

Kalpana has a background as an analyst in the finance sector. She founded a sub-brokerage firm under a well-established broker and has worked for Mathews Easow Research securities limited, Religare securities, and CD Equisearch in the capacity of a technical analyst. She has also taught technical analysis at BIFS for many years and held posts elsewhere as a guest lecturer.

Kalpana holds a post-graduate degree in Zoology from Calcutta University, and is trained in computer programming which she also teaches.  

Kalpana is a homemaker, an avid reader, a nature lover and is passionate about the environment and climate action. Kalpana approaches life with a positive and flexible outlook and enjoys new challenges.

Linn is a researcher and educator trained in North American Studies, Modern History, and Political Science. Linn works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach. 

Linn currently serves as the Assistant Director for Student Life and Community Learning at New York University Berlin and teaches a course on Experiential Learning that integrates her students’ academic development with the work of local organisations in the fields of climate research, refugee support, communication, and the arts.

Linn’s work, research, and teaching have focused on global curriculum development in higher education, new approaches to activist academics, and “glocal” community learning. She is convinced that we can create a truly inclusive education system and solve the complex challenges of our time if we collaborate as co-learners across cultural, disciplinary and generational differences.

Monika is a trainer, consultant and facilitator. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in the areas of data analysis and outreach.

Monika has over 25 years experience in the fields of  sales, consulting, training, and organisational development and has worked within diverse organisations including NIIT, American Express, and Samsung. She has extensive experience working on diversity and inclusion, and elevating women’s leadership within the organisations she works with. 

Monika is  also the founder of 90ten Training and Consulting and serves on the advisory board of an NGO called Taleem which focuses on education for the underprivileged.

Monika holds a degree in physics, as well as an MBA, and is a certified coach and a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner. 

Physics is her love, spirituality and travel fascinate her, and family & friends give meaning to her life.

Panchakshi is an engineer, strategy analyst and fitness trainer. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

Panchakshi has over 7 years experience in corporate sales working with organisations like FedEx and Wakefit, and works as a part-time fitness advisor and trainer.

Panchakshi holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and has a passion for physical fitness, being very active in sports since childhood. 

As the wife of a Defence Officer, she is very disciplined in her routine life and enjoys experiencing new places, languages, cultures and communities by virtue of her husband’s frequent transfers.

Sonus is an innovator, communications specialist and creative. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in the areas of communications, storytelling and research. 

Sonu has over a decade of experience as a senior management professional for luxury hotel brands, working in  sales, marketing, revenue, PR, communications, media, and corporate social responsibility.

Sonu is driven by quality and commitment and brings significant experience in formulating marketing and sales strategies that produce accelerated performance results.

Stephen is an environmental activist and facilitator with a background in business administration and management. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and is a member of the Nanyuki Gigatonne Team in Kenya.

Stephen has over 10 years experience in HR, agronomy, operations, production and logistics and served for over 7 years as the Operations & Logistics Manager in leading export industries in Kenya at the JKIA airport. He is among the founders and veterans of 350.org Powershift Kenya, and works to source, safeguard and facilitate resource acquisition for organisations, communities and environmental self-help groups.

Stephen has been engaged in climate advocacy and governance in Kenya for 10+ years and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mt Kenya Network Forum, National Climate Finance Thematic Lead at Kenya Platform for Climate Governance, Executive Board Member at the Centre for Climate Action, and in charge of informal settlement areas civic education in Nairobi for Uraia Trust Foundation.

Stuart is an entrepreneur, start-up ecosystem expert and network catalyst. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Challenge Faculty Member and Trainer.

Stuart founded Yappo – a mobile payments app in South Africa, is currently a partner at impact investment consultancy Fundie Ventures in Madrid, Spain, and a board member of a children’s foundation based in the Netherlands.

Stuart belongs to a number of organisations and networks within the startup ecosystem. He is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a partner at StartupBus Africa, a judge of Startup Chile, a Selection Committee Member of the UN Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, founder of the European Network for African Business Clubs, country partner for Design for Change and one of the founding members of the South African Chamber of Commerce in Spain.

Stuart graduated with an MBA as a Rotary International Scholar from IE Business School in Madrid.

Stuart understands the unromantic work of running a startup and how to use business acumen to ensure stable growth. He enjoys sharing this hard-earned wisdom through his work with Gigatonne Teams and Coaches.

Tarisai is a development communications specialist, journalist, editor and public relations officer. She works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

From 2016–to 2020, Tarisai was the Communications Specialist at the Zambian Governance Foundation. She currently works with the same title at the Global Fund for Community Foundations. 

Tarisai holds a Masters degree in Communication for Development from the University of Zambia and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication from Midlands State University in Zimbabwe.

Tharun is a sports coach, experiential educator and networker. Tharun works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and is a member of the Vizag Gigatonne Team in India.

 Tharun is an integral part of development programmes in his community. He has worked with NGOs, sports organisations, educational institutions and political parties. He uses sports as a medium to connect with youth, children, and elders through activities created to raise awareness of life and the needs of the community. 

Tharun holds a diploma In electrical engineering and has played Ball Badminton at the national level. He speaks Telugu, Hindi, and Dakhini.

Varun is a designer, storyteller and strategist. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach and also supports core team operations in the areas of design, storytelling and communications.

Varun spent the majority of his career in corporate sales jobs of well-known hospitality brands such as The Leela, Pullman, Novotel, and Holiday Inn. Early in his career Varun worked in sales, events and custom motorcycle construction. 

As a freelance digital designer, Varun has worked with clients such as The Singhania Group, Viacom18, and various hospitality and event companies on their digital collaterals and assets.   

Varun is an avid traveller and nature lover, and at least once a year he visits the mountains to enjoy the natural landscapes.

Vishal is an environmentalist, researcher and coach. He works with 10-in-10 as a Gigatonne Team Coach.

Vishal has over 10 years experience working on environmental projects, travelling across India to work and connect with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. He is currently working in the State Knowledge Management Centre For Climate Change, Maharashtra. 

Vishal is deeply inspired by action learning and working with prototyping teams, as steps towards creating a better world. 

He loves to travel and to tell stories, and is part of a leading trekking group in Mumbai.