Experience

Congressional Hunger Center

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief of Staff and Interim Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship Director

  • Apr 2023 - Present

  The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship trains emerging leaders in the movement to end global hunger. Over 2 years, each class of dedicated fellows gains hands-on experience and develops the skills needed to become effective change agents, capable of collaborating to create a more equitable, hunger-free world by strengthening host organizations capacity to address food and nutrition insecurity in the global south, at the field and policy levels.

• Chief of Staff and Interim Mickey Leland Fellowship Director

  • Apr 2023 - Present



TWGA LLC

• Washington DC-Baltimore Area

• Consultant Climate Change, Food Security & Livelihoods

  • 2021 - Present

  Built a team of 10 to test climate adaptation strategies in agriculture in Tanzania. Establishing a 10-acre agroforestry farm using bamboo to restore soils and reforest arid lands. Designed and supervised construction of 8-foot tall perimeter fence to protect 400 seedlings from grazing livestock and secured water through a 300-foot borehole. Partnership with INGO and local stakeholder provided critical resources and support. Gaining valuable experience in regenerative farming in resource-constrained environments. Show less



Compassion International

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Vice President: Global Leadership Office

  • Jun 2018 - Aug 2021

  Rebuilt and realigned a 60-person function to match organizational needs, delivering a customer-centric strategic plan and 3-year project execution roadmap. Successfully entered new program countries (1st time in 10 years) including Myanmar. Led portfolio development and cross-functional execution by building fit-for-purpose strategic planning, project management, change management and communication capacity. Increased alignment to strategy and reinforced commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging by redesigning bi-weekly global company gatherings with increased global representation by people of color and women. Show less

• Senior Director Business Operations

  • 2017 - Jun 2018

  Chief of staff and advisor to Senior VP accountable for operations in 25 countries (in partnership with 7500 local churches). Represented Global Program on the Become Transnational initiative which transitioned governance, management roles and responsibilities enabling decision making, standardization and localization at the country and regional level.



Ardent Mills

• United States
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Vice President of Research & Development, Quality & Technical Services

  • 2014 - 2016

  Led successful organizational redesign and merger integration for R&D, Quality, and Technical Services functions (300 staff in 44 locations in N. America) for a new $4B joint venture, ensuring strategy, structure, and staffing to support customers. Reduced operational expenses by $5M while increasing capacity to protect market share. Restored trust and improved B2B service levels by rebuilding customer teams in partnership with Sales and Operations. Led successful organizational redesign and merger integration for R&D, Quality, and Technical Services functions (300 staff in 44 locations in N. America) for a new $4B joint venture, ensuring strategy, structure, and staffing to support customers. Reduced operational expenses by $5M while increasing capacity to protect market share. Restored trust and improved B2B service levels by rebuilding customer teams in partnership with Sales and Operations.



Cargill

• United States
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Vice President, Research & Development

  • 2012 - 2014

  Led R&D for Horizon Milling, LLC. a $2.3 billion Cargill business with operations in US and Canada. Tripled food service product introductions and doubled portfolio value by executing the innovation portfolio and pipeline. Led R&D for Horizon Milling, LLC. a $2.3 billion Cargill business with operations in US and Canada. Tripled food service product introductions and doubled portfolio value by executing the innovation portfolio and pipeline.



Horizon Milling, LLC (a Cargill JV)

• Wayzata, Minnesota, United States

• Technical Director

  • 2010 - 2012

  Redesigned R&D operating model to reposition us as partner-of-choice, not just supplier-of-choice by focusing on customer needs. Secured $2M in funding for multi-disciplinary innovation pipeline, which increased sales growth and raised employee engagement from 41 to 81 in Gallup polls. Redesigned R&D operating model to reposition us as partner-of-choice, not just supplier-of-choice by focusing on customer needs. Secured $2M in funding for multi-disciplinary innovation pipeline, which increased sales growth and raised employee engagement from 41 to 81 in Gallup polls.



Uriyo Consulting

• United States

• Managing Director

  • 1997 - 2010

  • Led team to 3rd Place finish out of 120 teams in the University of Chicago Annual Entrepreneurship New Venture Challenge. Unable to secure start-up capital in the 2008 recession. Exited • Built relationship and over an 8 year period, influenced individuals, businesses, and churches to support Samaritan’s Purse annual Operations Christmas Child program, benefitting over 3000 children. • Enabled infants with life-threatening food allergies to thrive by developing and administering plant-based diet. Show less



Kellogg Company

• United States
• Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director of R&D, SNACKS

  • 2006 - 2009

  Global food and beverage company with operations in 18 countries, and sales in over 180 countries. In 2007, it reported $12 billion in net sales from brands like Special K®, NutriGrain® and Cheez-Its® Led new product development and innovation from ideation, concept development through to commercialization. Drove revenue growth by scaling up and commercializing over $300M in new innovative salty snack foods. Delivered over $50M through innovation in declining category, exceeding revenue targets for 1st time in 5 years. Show less

• Program Manager

  • 2005 - 2006

  Served as a Project Manager and led cross functional teams to deliver over $200 MM in innovation and renovation projects on-time and on-budget. During this time, eager to improve employee experience, co-founded and led a 230 member Kellogg Multinational Employee Resource Group to support Kellogg’s Diversity strategy which improved employee engagement and retention.

• Manager Research and Development

  • 2003 - 2005

  Led cost-innovation team and delivered $4 million in cost savings with minimal impact on operations or consumer acceptance.

• Scientist

  • 1997 - 2003

  Handpicked to lead new product and new process development to restore profitability of a star brand. Partnered with Engineering, Procurement, and Consumer Insights to successfully deliver $6 million in raw materials savings, $1 million in conversion cost savings, while reducing working capital. Renovated consumer products met consumer and manufacturing hurdles.