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Americas

What We Do

Systems change work requires local depth and global reach, and GDI’s organizational structure matches that. We are a network of locally-run and independently-managed global partners with a shared vision and mission. The partners work together to build knowledge and capacity in our incubation services, and our team often collaborates across partners in their support of initiatives.

GDI Americas works on systems-change at the global and local levels. Our global work takes on topics where our region is uniquely positioned to drive impact, including climate and migration. Our local work focuses on emergent local priorities, including responsive democracies and racial equity. GDI Americas also works closely with other regional hubs, building multi-stakeholder initiatives and donor collaboratives. The Americas remain a center for global capital and technology innovation, and we harness these resources to strengthen GDI’s initiatives across our global partners. The Americas office is a virtual workplace, with a concentration of team members in Washington D.C.

Our Focus Areas

Climate: Given the Americas’ outsize contribution to carbon emissions, our Climate portfolio focuses on carbon mitigation.

People on the Move: Our People on the Move portfolio maximizes the potential of global migration to contribute to the common good.

Inclusive Societies: This portfolio addresses the polarized public discourse in the U.S. and seeks to resolve persistent racial inequities.

Others: Good Jobs, Child Development, Tech for Good, Fragile States

Team

Andrew Stern
Andrew Stern
Founder & CEO - GDI Americas
Cyrielle Auffray
Cyrielle Auffray
Senior Manager - GDI Americas
Tanmayata Bansal
Tanmayata Bansal
Senior Associate - GDI Americas
Steve Bergen
Steve Bergen
Associate Director, Operations & Special Projects - GDI Americas
Kristi Bottoms
Kristi Bottoms
Staff Accountant - GDI Americas
Meredith Dodds (Husar)
Meredith Dodds (Husar)
Brand, Marketing, & Communications Manager - GDI Americas
Joanne Ke Edelman
Joanne Ke Edelman
Associate Director - GDI Americas
Inga Finkova
Inga Finkova
Senior Accountant & CPA Candidate - GDI Americas
Jessica Frank
Jessica Frank
Senior Associate, Operations and Human Resources – GDI Americas
Jessica Harrison Fullerton
Jessica Harrison Fullerton
Managing Director - GDI Americas
Melissa Janis
Melissa Janis
Associate Director, Resource Mobilization – GDI Americas
Kaps Kapende
Kaps Kapende
Staff Accountant – GDI Americas
Pall Kvaran
Pall Kvaran
Manager
Chintan Maru
Chintan Maru
Managing Director - GDI Americas
Danielle Maxwell
Danielle Maxwell
Senior Manager, Human Resources - GDI Americas
Alizah Merali
Alizah Merali
Manager - GDI Americas
Lauren Monahan
Lauren Monahan
Manager, Operations & Compliance - GDI Americas
Ben Savonen
Ben Savonen
Manager - GDI Americas
Elise Shea
Elise Shea
Senior Associate – GDI Americas
Brian Shillinglaw
Brian Shillinglaw
Managing Director – GDI Americas
Tereese Semple-Smith
Tereese Semple-Smith
Senior Associate - GDI Americas
Denis Slootsky
Denis Slootsky
Controller - GDI Americas
Stuart Symington
Stuart Symington
Associate Director, Brand, Marketing, & Communications - GDI Americas
Adrian Tabares
Adrian Tabares
Accounts Payable Specialist – GDI Americas
Hirushan Thayalan
Hirushan Thayalan
Senior Associate – Strategy and Build
Elizabeth VanDerWoude
Elizabeth VanDerWoude
CFO & Treasurer - GDI Americas
Miruna Visuian
Miruna Visuian
Brand, Marketing, & Communications Associate - GDI Americas
Jason Wendle
Jason Wendle
Managing Director - GDI Americas

Board

Ernest Darkoh
Ernest Darkoh
Board Member - GDI Americas
Amanda Glassman
Amanda Glassman
Board Member - GDI Americas
Grant Gordon
Grant Gordon
Board Member - GDI Americas
Ylva Lindberg
Ylva Lindberg
Board Member - GDI Americas
Elchi Nowrojee
Elchi Nowrojee
Board Chair - GDI Americas
Gretchen Phillips
Gretchen Phillips
Board Member - GDI Americas
Andrew Stern
Andrew Stern
Founder & CEO - GDI Americas
Brian Trelstad
Brian Trelstad
Board Member - GDI Americas

Featured initiatives

  • Active  /  Africa  /  Agriculture

    A market-based platform to bridge the mismatch between the supply and demand for capital among agricultural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through financial incentives and technical assistance.

    More on Aceli Africa
    Aceli Africa
  • Exited  /  Americas  /  Impact Financing

    A first-of-its-kind global network for blended finance that generates blended finance data, intelligence, and deal flow to increase private sector investment in developing countries.

    More on Convergence
    Convergence
  • Active  /  Americas  /  Inclusive Societies

    The Dignity Restoration Project is an innovative social justice initiative designed to repair the racial wealth gap widened by Detroit’s property tax foreclosure crisis.

    More on Dignity Restoration Project
    Dignity Restoration Project
  • Exited  /  Global  /  Migration

    An impact investing and blended finance collaborative committed to creating long-term solutions to global forced migration.

    More on Refugee Investment Network
    Refugee Investment Network
  • Exited  /  Global  /  Health

    A multi-stakeholder initiative addressing the rising tide of mental health issues among young people.

    More on citiesRISE
    citiesRISE
  • Active  /  Americas  /  Impact Financing

    A philanthropic initiative focused on identifying great people and ideas from any sector or geography that have the potential to achieve outsized impact.

    More on Unorthodox Philanthropy
    Unorthodox Philanthropy
  • Exited  /  Americas  /  Impact Financing

    A network that aims to accelerate the performance of its members and to scale the private capital impact investing marketplace with integrity and authenticity.

    More on Impact Capital Managers
    Impact Capital Managers
  • Exited  /  Americas  /  Impact Financing

    A global collaborative for systems change, focused on improving the lives of millions of people around the world.

    More on Co-Impact
    Co-Impact

Global partners

Systems change work requires local depth and global reach, and our organizational structure matches that. We are a network of locally-run and independently-managed global partners with a shared vision and mission. The partners work together to build knowledge and capacity in our incubation services, and our team often collaborates across partners in their support of initiatives.