Our Team

Vilas Dhar

President and Trustee

Vilas is an entrepreneur, technologist and human rights advocate with a lifelong commitment to creating more robust social institutions that foster shared opportunity.

Karen Kelley Gill

Vice President, Finance

Karen oversees the Foundation’s internal infrastructure including finance, compliance, grants management, risk and compliance, and information technology.

Karen serves as Vice President of Finance, bringing over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors and deep expertise in finance, operations, and strategy. She previously held leadership roles at the Klarman Family Foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund, and the National Arts Stabilization Fund and currently serves on the boards of Philanthropy Massachusetts and the Boston Center for the Arts.

Mary Rodriguez

Vice President, People and Culture

As Vice President of People and Culture, Mary empowers teams to advance innovations in AI and technology for good by shaping an award-winning workplace culture that attracts and empowers the world’s most passionate talent.

With over 15 years of leadership experience in delivering strength-based people solutions, Mary’s career journey spans academia, for-profit, and the nonprofit industry, including BakerRipley, the Clean Energy Buyers Association, and the University of Houston Downtown. She focuses her work on broadening untraditional HR strategies to build innovative workplaces and equitable cultures where all employees thrive.

Nick Cain

Vice President, Strategy and Innovation

Nick leads PJMF’s strategy and innovation, applying digital, AI, and data solutions to global issues through hypothesis-driven grantmaking, strategic partnerships, and broad ecosystem engagement.

Prior to PJMF, Nick was a Principal at Google.org, where he developed a $30M tech-focused climate change portfolio and led additional grantmaking on education and accessibility. Nick is a board member at Path Home, and he founded Frontline Foods Portland, which raised more than $200K for local restaurants in the early days of COVID-19. Nick earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and an MBA from Berkeley.

Aidan Berger

Strategy Analyst

Aidan directs resources toward socially impactful AI and data science solutions, working closely with grant partners to advance mission-aligned initiatives.

Aidan has a BA in Political Science from Franklin & Marshall College. Prior to joining PJMF, he worked in strategy consulting, where he developed Go-To-Market, growth, and product strategies for clients across the technology, education, healthcare, and financial services sectors. In his free time, Aidan enjoys reading, coaching youth lacrosse, and running.

Alejandro Daly

Strategy Analyst

Alejandro directs resources toward high-impact grant partnerships that leverage digital, AI, and data-driven solutions to address urgent global challenges.

Alejandro holds an MPA in Technology, Media, and Communications from Columbia University. Before PJMF, Alejandro led transformative projects at UNICEF, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and recently as a Program Officer at the National Endowment for Democracy, focusing on global tech and journalism initiatives. Alejandro also co-founded the Xenophobia Barometer, earning awards including the UN Youth Leadership and LEAD 2030.

Antoinette Marie

Director, Strategic Capital

Antoinette leads the Foundation’s strategic grant making efforts to ensure that AI’s future is equitable, inclusive, and human-centered.

Antoinette’s career spans global development, sustainability, and AI. Before joining PJMF, she led Heifer Labs at Heifer International, advancing tech for smallholder farmers, and previously managed a global impact investment accelerator at World Vision. Her work has been featured by the World Economic Forum and Harvard Social Impact Review and she has led research and development for OCR AI models with Microsoft India.

Becca Portman

Community Success Lead

Becca works across the Strategy & Innovation function to triage new opportunities, connect partners to the right resources, and synthesize cross-cutting themes and challenges into practical resources that strengthen learning.

Becca has 10+ years of experience in technology, data science, and the social sector. Prior to joining PJMF, she spent 7 years at the Brookings Institution, where she led efforts to build data capacity and strengthen impact strategy. She holds an MA in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences from Columbia University and a BA in Social Policy from Northwestern University.

Bob Merriman

Director, Operations

Bob oversees IT and operations, driving efficiency among the foundation’s functions to accelerate PJMF’s mission.

Bob has over 20 years of experience leading strategy and operations. He previously served as the Global Director of Strategic Planning for Avnet, Inc., and co-founded Force Impact Technologies. As COO of Brio Systems, Bob scaled the SaaS startup to over $50mm in revenue. Bob loves spending time with his wife and three children, especially on the jiu-jitsu mats. Bob holds a BA and an MBA from Arizona State University.

Christopher Page

People and Culture Associate

Chris is dedicated to fostering an exceptional workplace experience by thoughtfully supporting every stage of the employee life cycle.

Chris pursued graduate studies in Industrial-Organizational Psychology after discovering the reality of widespread employee disengagement. Motivated to uncover its root causes and develop practical, accessible solutions, he has focused his academic and professional path on making work more engaging, meaningful, and fulfilling for all.

Crystal Luo

Operations Associate

Crystal optimizes the Foundation’s operational processes, drives efficiency, coordinates cross-functional activities, and ensures seamless execution in service of PJMF’s goals and mission.

Crystal is passionate about exploring the intersection of data science, AI, and people. Prior to PJMF, Crystal took on operational roles in the biotech and hospitality industries, empowering stakeholders through technology and AI. Crystal graduated with a BA in Data Science and East Asian Languages and Culture from Wellesley College and enjoys cooking, reading, and running in her spare time.

Elena Brennan

Strategy and Innovation Associate

Elena works across the Strategy & Innovation function to support the foundation’s justice-inspired mission. She develops grant partnerships to leverage digital, AI, and data-driven solutions to address global issues.

Elena brings experience in legislative research, community organizing, and equity-driven advocacy to PJMF. She graduated with High Honors from Wesleyan University with a BA in American Studies. During her time at school, she championed housing affordability and transit access across Connecticut, conducted research as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, and served as the Vice President of the Student Assembly.

Eloy Leibas

People and Culture Business Partner

Eloy strategically partners with foundation leaders to shape end-to-end talent strategies, advance recruitment, and elevate the employer brand to align workforce capabilities with the Foundation’s mission and culture.

With a decade in People & Culture, Eloy has built inclusive talent programs and scaled HR operations across philanthropy, fintech, and the public sector. He’s led strategic workforce initiatives in remote environments, launched early talent pipelines, and helped embed equity into organizational systems. Eloy holds an MBA in HR Management from the University of Houston–Downtown and a BBA from the University of Houston.

Erika Quada

Executive Assistant

Erika supports strategic engagement for the Office of the President, managing complex schedules and coordinating high-stakes projects to advance PJMF’s mission.

With over a decade of experience in executive support, Erika has spent the last 7 years assisting high-level CEOs. Most recently, she supported the Founder and CEO of the largest privately held renewable company in the U.S. She cherishes time with her family, including her son and French bulldog, as well as helping her community, especially individuals with special needs.

Fernanda Lopez

Special Projects Associate

Fernanda supports cross-functional special projects managed and led by People and Culture, contributing to initiatives that enhance the visibility, influence, and impact of the Foundation.

Fernanda holds a degree in Telecommunications and Media Industries from The Pennsylvania State University. Before joining PJMF, Fernanda served as president of the Peruvian Student Association, led a team of reporters as a head editor at The Daily Collegian, and collaborated with South American authors at Penguin Random House. Outside of work, Fernanda enjoys sketching faces, performing stand-up comedy and writing poetry.

Gwen Hotaling

Communications Associate

Gwen elevates the Foundation’s mission by amplifying the stories and impact of our work and that of our grant partners around the world.

With a background in social media management, content creation, and videography, Gwen offers insight into the media space from several angles. Previously, she spent time developing brand strategies for her startup, educating colleagues on DEI, volunteering for Girls on the Run, and singing with her a cappella group. Gwen graduated with a BS in Advertising from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Hazem Mahmoud

Director, Products and Services

Hazem leads the development of tech products grounded in responsible AI, providing strategic direction in data analytics, engineering, and operations to advance impact across the Foundation’s stakeholder ecosystem.

With over 15 years of experience in systems engineering and DevOps across the banking, advertising, and mobile industries, Hazem carries deep technical expertise. Before transitioning to the non-profit sector, he led enterprise solutions for Cloudera Inc.’s top clients, architecting and deploying large-scale data platforms. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and an MS in Information Systems.

Jacqui Watts

Learning and Insights Lead

Jacqui leads PJMF’s efforts to build resources and learning experiences to support organizations in progressing on their AI journey.

Jacqui has built learning experiences across a range of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, including a tech apprenticeship program for Airbnb, human-centered design resources for IDEO.org, and workforce development training for Code Tenderloin. Somewhere in the middle, she developed her technical chops through a software engineering bootcamp and put those skills into practice on Khan Academy’s Infrastructure team.

Michelle Pomerantz

Head of Board Relations and Special Initiatives

Michelle partners with the Board of Trustees to advance the Foundation’s strategic vision. She provides counsel on board-led philanthropic initiatives and drives meaningful external engagement to amplify the Board’s impact.

Michelle has over a decade of experience supporting global clients across the public, private, and social sectors in reaching their impact goals. Previous roles include Head of Philanthropy at giveback, a tech-enabled social enterprise that assisted donors managing their giving portfolios, and roles within UHNW family offices focused on strategic giving. She holds an MPA from NYU and a BBA in MIS from Villanova University

Natalie Collison

Communications Associate

Natalie creates digital content for PJMF’s external platforms and manages communications requests to grow awareness of the Foundation’s work and the impact of global grant partners.

Natalie brings cross-sector experience from non-profit organizations, like Make-A-Wish Illinois, to agencies such as 3rd Coast Public Relations. She has a strong background in media relations and content creation and has worked with clients including United Airlines, Otterbox, and O-Cedar. Natalie has a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and an MS in Global Strategic Communications from Loyola University Chicago.

Nicholas Trimmer

Products and Services Associate

As a technologist, Nick is deeply passionate about developing products and AI tools that serve people and positively impact society.

Nick earned a BS in Computer Science from North Seattle College with a goal of building AI applications that solve real world problems. Driven by a commitment to making advanced technology more accessible and equitable, he focuses on developing ethical software solutions. While away from his keyboard, Nick enjoys cooking, reading, cycling, and soaking up the sun with his partner and their two puppies.

Patrick McGovern

Trustee

Patrick, a longstanding technology executive and entrepreneur, serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and the foundation’s Investment Committee.

For 25 years, Patrick has been committed to emerging tech solutions. He previously ran SourceForge, was VP of Marketing at Splunk, CMO at Skout, and VP of Marketing at Risk I/O. Patrick also launched WhereApps, and consults for Silicon Valley-based and global tech companies. Pat is a Trustee at The People’s Portfolio and The Tech for Global Good Executive Council, and holds a BS from the University of San Francisco.

Simone Liano

Strategy Analyst

Simone directs resources toward data science and AI initiatives supporting environmental and social impact.

Before PJMF, Simone worked in corporate strategy and corporate venture capital within the electricity sector, where she evaluated emerging technologies relevant for the energy transition. Prior to that, she worked in strategy consulting, evaluating Go-To-Market and growth opportunities across a variety of industries.

Stacey Roy

People and Culture Associate

Stacey supports the employee life-cycle through various human resources functions and seeks to advance initiatives that make PJMF an equitable and empathetic workplace.

Stacey holds a degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. Prior to PJMF, she led educational workshops for Cornell’s LGBT Resource Center, interned for her local congressperson in New York City, and gained two summers of HR experience. She is passionate about improving the lives of marginalized communities at work and loves to crochet, read novels, and eat spicy food.

Valmik Patel

Data Scientist

Valmik leads product development at PJMF, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to design innovative technology solutions that drive meaningful social impact and advance the Foundation’s mission.

Valmik holds two degrees in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Bombay and an MS in Data Science from Columbia University. Before joining PJMF, he worked in data science and machine learning engineering roles spanning the fintech, advertising, and privacy tech industries, including Instnt, Migo, and Ghostery. In his spare time he enjoys watching soccer, gaming, hiking, and reading.

Susanna Park

Strategy Analyst

Susanna directs strategic resources in AI and data science to mission-aligned organizations, advancing socially responsible technology solutions that address critical challenges and create lasting impact.

Susanna holds a PhD in Public Health and an MA in International Development. Before PJMF, she led behavioral health tech research and piloted VR products for clinical use at startups. She brings over 5 years of consulting experience, leading research, workshops, convenings, and partnerships with nonprofits, corporations, academic institutions, and international governments.

Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

Our Team

Nick Cain

Aidan Berger

Alejandro Daly

Antoinette Marie

Becca Portman

Bob Merriman

Christopher Page

Crystal Luo

Elena Brennan

Eloy Leibas

Erika Quada

Fernanda Lopez

Gwen Hotaling

Hazem Mahmoud

Jacqui Watts

Michelle Pomerantz

Natalie Collison

Nicholas Trimmer

Patrick McGovern

Simone Liano

Stacey Roy

Valmik Patel

Susanna Park

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