The GRP Secretariat
The GRP Secretariat is small team that convenes and catalyses actions by the Partners and implements specific activities on behalf of the Partnership. GRP is registered as a non-profit organisation in South Africa and co-hosted by the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.
Amanda Jonsson
Knowledge OfficerAmanda works to support the knowledge team in promoting learning and advancing research, where her main focus lies with the project Seeds of Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN). She holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from Uppsala University and a BSc in Meal Ecology from Örebro University and the School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts, and Meal Science. Beyond academia, she has worked with Food Planet Prize, Albaeco, and The Taste Lab in projects relating to sensory consumer science, food system transformations, and sustainability. At the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Amanda works on understanding food system transformations towards resiliency and equity, focusing on the current changing risk landscapes of the Swedish food system, gastronomy, and food crises.
Based in Sweden
Anastasia Brainich
Policy DirectorAs Policy Director, Anastasia leads the management, planning and strategy within the policy track work of GRP, including the wider Climate Resilience Network and engagement with High Level Champions team on Race to Resilience. This entails, among others, informing, collaborating and convening partners around regional and global events under resilience and adaptation umbrella, with specific focus on conflict and fragility, nature-based solutions, and food and water security themes. Previously, Anastasia coordinated the first ever global assessment on Land Degradation and Restoration at IPBES, and was engaged in sustainable land management issues at UNCCD. She holds an M.A. in Global Relations and International Leadership from Syracuse University – Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Based in Sweden
Anita Yeboah
Operations InternAs an Operations Intern at the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), Anita assists with key operational processes to help advance GRP’s mission of building climate resilience in vulnerable communities. Anita holds a degree in Environmental Science and has a passion for sustainability-driven innovation that will make a lasting impact on decarbonization efforts. In previous roles, Anita has also worked as a teaching assistant and a health and safety officer.
Based in Ghana
Aristide Kambale
Private Sector Partnerships and Business Development Junior OfficerAt GRP, Aristide supports the engagement with key private sector partners through GRP’s role as the implementing partner of the PREPARE Call to Action for the Private Sector. Aristide is a Congolese researcher and environmentalist with experience in the humanitarian, educational, and business development sectors, as well as organisational change. Beyond his experience working in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, he also worked as an environmental research intern, where he led a research project on climate resilience-building for coffee farmers in Uganda. Aristide holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, a Postgraduate Diploma in Carbon Management from the University of Edinburgh, and a master’s degree in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Based in Rwanda
Cibele Queiroz
Knowledge DirectorCibele leads GRPs work to advance the understanding and knowledge about resilience. She works has a main focus on resilience of food systems and local livelihoods in food production landscapes. Her work has also a strong emphasis on the management of ecosystem services and biodiversity under social-environmental change. She engages in co-production of knowledge in close collaboration with GRP partners, and in the latest years she has co-organized several multi-stakeholder dialogues convened by GRP on Food and Water Resilience. She co-leads the Resilience and Development theme at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and between 2016-2020 had a research coordination role in a scientific exchange programme between the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Stanford University. Cibele holds a Ph.D in Sustainability Science at the Stockholm Resilience Centre.
Based in Sweden
Corina Angheloiu
Head of Strategy and MELAs Head of Strategy and MEL, Corina drives learning activities across the Global Resilience Partnership. Her expertise stretches the strategy, implementation, and learning cycles, to which she brings complexity and equity-informed methods to help navigate uncertainty, power, and often conflicting worldviews. As part of her action research PhD at Imperial College London, she developed novel approaches for bridging knowledge–implementation gaps in urban resilience. She initiated and convenes the global Urban Resilience Community of Practice and co-hosts the Urban Resilience Dialogues podcast. Prior to this, she was Principal Strategist, Systems Change at the international non-profit Forum for the Future. Originally an architect, she holds an MSc Environmental Technology (Imperial College London), an MA (Distinction) Architecture (Royal College of Art London), and a BA (Hons) Architecture (University of Sheffield).
Based in the UK
Diana León
Impact Mapping ConsultantDiana is an economist with a strong focus on macroeconomic climate research. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, and a Master’s in Economic Analysis from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Diana has worked on projects with organizations such as World Wildlife Foundation (wwf), UNDP, and the Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cods). Her work is driven by a commitment to addressing climate challenges through economic solutions, promoting sustainable development, and fostering resilient policies in response to global environmental changes.
Based in the Madrid
Emma Ludvigsson
Operations DirectorAs Operations Director, Emma leads the finance and operations team’s work. She leads the management and planning of reporting, agreements and risk management, she also contributes to GRP’s policy activities on Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) and convening. Before joining GRP, Emma worked as the coordinator for the “Guidance for Resilience in the Anthropocene: Investments for Development” (GRAID) programme based at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC). Prior to that she worked with private sector collaboration for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), both in Sweden and at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. Emma holds a Master’s Degree in International Politics from Fudan University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Economics from School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg.
Based in the US
Gerald Mgesi David
Innovation LeadGerald Mgesi David leads the implementation of GRP’s RAIN Challenge Fund across East Africa. He is a seasoned program manager and international development expert with 12 years of senior-level professional experience. His background includes managing and implementing private-sector partnerships to foster economic growth in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors, this includes creating economic opportunities for youth. He is an aspiring development programs management enthusiast with a diverse background in the fields of agribusiness financing, renewable energy, climate finance, sustainability, and long-termism in programming. Prior to joining GRP, Gerald worked with the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) as Tanzania Country Manager. He also served as the Country Program Manager for Technoserve’s SAFE program in Tanzania.
Gerald holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from IIA and a Bachelor’s of Business Accounting and Finance from the Mzumbe University in Tanzania.
Based in Tanzania
Ida Gabrielsson
Communications DirectorIda leads the development and implementation of GRP’s strategic communications, digital and media strategies that adhere to GRP’s values and further the Partnership’s objectives. She works to increase GRP’s engagement with its 80+ partners and to communicate GRP’s perspective to a larger audience. Before joining GRP, Ida worked as a communications and impact officer on the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) funded project: Sustainable Poverty Alleviation from Coastal Ecosystem Services (SPACES). She holds an MSc in Environmental Communication from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University (GW) Elliot School of International Affairs.
Based in Sweden
Isabel Gennaro
Innovation OfficerIsabel holds an MA in Leadership for Sustainability by Malmö University, having some years of previous experience as a Financial Controller, Consultant & Project Manager. She worked with projects from all over the world, including Latin America, Africa, U.S., Europe, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Australia. Creative, globally oriented, but most importantly, deeply human. Her expertise lies in catalyzing innovation-oriented led projects in order to create impact and systemic change.
Based in Brazil
Ivan Preller
Finance and Administration OfficerIn his role as a Finance and Administration Officer, Ivan forms part of the diverse GRP Secretariat. Ivan engages with a global team, aiming to predominantly support financial, administrative and project management operations for the GRP non-profit corporation hub in South Africa. While initially rooted in the field of education, Ivan has since redirected his professional path towards managerial work within the climate resilience sector. Ivan holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Piano Performance from the University of Cape Town and is currently pursuing a postgraduate qualification in Management.
Based in South Africa
Jesper Hörnberg
CEOJesper is the Chief Executive Officer at the Global Resilience Partnership. For the past ten years he has led GRP’s Innovation and Scaling efforts, as well as the GRP Incubator. His focus is on change management and creative disruption. He manages and coordinates the GRP team, and provides overall oversight and leadership for GRP. He is the co-founder of a few businesses. He has held various positions in the development sector and private sector and has been an adviser and consultant to a wide range of organisations and companies. Jesper holds an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Lausanne.
Based in Sweden
Julia Cadaval Martins
Private Sector Partnerships and Business Development LeadJulia is the Private Sector Partnerships and Business Development Lead at GRP. She has more than 10 years of experience in negotiation and partnership coordination, building and managing the engagement of high-level public, private and civil society actors in multi-stakeholder platforms, and supporting policy dialogue mechanisms around water and other environmental challenges. Before joining GRP, she worked for the 2030 Water Resources Group, a public, private, civil society multi-donor trust fund hosted by the World Bank Group. With a legal background, she worked as a lawyer in Brazil and holds a master of laws (LL.M.) degree from Harvard Law School.
Based in France
Julia Van Velden
Researcher for Evidence-based ResilienceJulia leads the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA), one of the GRP’s South-to-South Resilience Academies. She is based at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at Stellenbosch University, where she works as a researcher. Her research primarily focuses on the intersection between people and nature, including issues such as sustainable use and human-wildlife conflict. She enjoys using participatory methods to co-produce knowledge, facilitate connections and bridge research and practice. She also currently acts as the coordinator for the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes network. She holds a PhD in conservation biology from Griffith University.
Based in South Africa
June Kimaiyo
Programmes Junior OfficerJune is a climate scientist who is passionate and advocates for climate justice, sustainable lifestyles, wellness and inclusion. At GRP she leads the youth programs and manages the GRP partnership engagement. She holds a masters of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management. June volunteers at the GLFx Nairobi as the knowledge coordinator, developing the knowledge products in relation to land restoration and youth in Kenya.
Based in Kenya
Juvenal Vitalis
Junior Content CreatorJuvenal Vitalis is a storyteller and podcast producer dedicated to championing contemporary African culture and social justice. He runs The Unapologetic Human podcast, which explores topics such as decolonizing conservation, women’s voices in climate justice, youth movements, and human rights. Juvenal has collaborated with the CDKN, a sister project of SouthSouthNorth, and participated in the #Youth4Nature event with Honeyguide Foundation working as the Visual(Media) Communication lead. Before this, he worked with the African School of Storytelling(AFRISOS) and served as a social media ambassador for the Global Landscapes Forum(GLF). With a broad skill set in design, social media, film, and photography, he brings valuable capacity to key communications areas. Currently, Juvenal is a Junior Content Creator at the Global Resilience Partnership, working with the communications team and contributing to policy discussions.
Based in Tanzania
Laura Robarth
Financial ControllerLaura manages agreements with Partners, including budgets and financial reports and other tasks in finance and administration at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. Previously, she worked at Nordea Bank as a special cases administrator with a focus on countering money laundering and terrorist financing. She has also worked as an assistant auditor at BDO and performed audits and helped clients with diverse financial tasks. Laura holds an Bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from University of Gävle and an Master’s degree in accounting and auditing from University of Stockholm.
Based in Sweden
Linnéa Lundeborg
Grants and Operations ManagerLinnéa manages agreements and procurements, and supports with finance/admin tasks within GRP. She mainly works with GRPs implementing/downstream partners and control their financial reports and general agreement fulfillments together with the responsible GRP officer. She recieved two Bachelor Degrees at Uppsala University, one in Economics and one in Business Administration. Thereafter she studied a Master programme in Sustainable Management at Uppsala University campus Gotland and holds a Master Degree in International Development and Management at Lund University. She previously worked with project finance and administration at WWF Sweden. As an intern she has worked in southern India with indigenous people’s rights and livelihood, in mountainous Kyrgyzstan with projects related to biodiversity and climate adaptation and at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) as an agriculture and biodiversity intern. Linnéa has also worked at SEB Bank alongside her studies.
Based in Sweden
Mumbi Sarah Kasumba
Communications ManagerMumbi is deeply passionate about impactful communications and believes it is a powerful tool for amplifying voices. Collaborating closely with the Communications Director and Junior Content Creator, she devises creative strategies to share GRP’s messaging effectively. Mumbi shapes GRP’s social media presence, develops communication strategies for various initiatives, and offers communications support to challenge winners and grantees. She has worked in similar communications roles for Campaign of Campaigns, Arigatou International, and the World Human Accountability Organization. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State University.
Based in Namibia
Namrata Ginoya
Strategic Policy LeadNamrata Ginoya works on policy planning and strategy within GRP including engagement with High Level Champions on Race to Resilience. She has been involved in research and implementation of adaptation projects with a focus on food, water, infrastructure and energy, in partnership with various national and sub-national governments, NGOs, private sector and local communities. She holds and M.Tech in Climate Change and Sustainable Development and B.Tech in Civil Engineering From Centre for Environment and Technology, India.
Based in India
Nirvana Chavon Milton
Junior Expert – KnowledgeNirvana holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University. Her research centers on Social-Ecological Systems, Disaster Risk, Food Systems, Collaborative Governance, and Social Capital. Beyond academia, Nirvana has collaborated with local communities, NGOs, and private companies in South Africa, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on food-related challenges. As a member of the GRP, she contributed her expertise as part of the Global South Talent Pool as an intern within the Knowledge team. Nirvana’s passion lies in exploring how communities build and foster resilience in the face of climate-induced disasters and crises, aiming to extract valuable lessons for the broader global community.
Based in South Africa
Sarah Clarke
Project Manager, Resilience HubWith over 15 years of experience and a strong portfolio of successfully managed projects, Sarah has worked globally to deliver a diverse range of in-person and hybrid projects and events. She got her start in Project Management through non-profit management and she soon found she had a knack for setting deadlines and objectives to attain a larger goal. Sarah has since worked in public, private and corporate industries, and now brings her vast knowledge to the GRP team to help deliver another successful Resilience Hub at COP28 in Dubai this year. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Events Management from the University of Northampton, and Projects in Controlled Environments Practitioner (PRINCE2) certification.
Based in the UK
Shuchi Vora
Head of LearningShuchi is a conservationist, social scientist and an engineer who works at the interface of science, policy and practice. She has worked with WWF and The Nature Conservancy prior to GRP. She has experience in strategy design, setting up multi-stakeholder platforms and implementing community-based conservation projects of freshwater ecosystems in South Asia. She has Masters degrees from Oxford and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai. She has contributed to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report that is due to be published soon.
Based in India
Simone Verkaart
Programme DirectorAs Programmes Director, Simone manages the design, operationalisation and implementation of GRP’s programming – including monitoring, evaluation and learning activities. She also leads GRP’s innovation work. Previously, she worked at ICRISAT in Nairobi and the evaluation department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She holds a PhD in Development Economics from Wageningen University and has a background in Development Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Business Studies.
Based in the Netherlands
Vilina Engheepi
Programmes Junior OfficerVilina is a young development practitioner engaged in advocacy, research, and capacity development initiatives at the intersection of gender and water. She is currently a PhD scholar at Ewha Womans University, Seoul majoring in International Development Cooperation researching water security with a focus on Himalayan cities and towns. Vilina holds an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in Water Science and Governance from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. Previously she has worked with ATREE and Sehgal foundation.
Based in South Korea
Zainab Zahid
Programmes InternZainab Zahid is an Environmental Researcher. At GRP, as part of the Global South Talent Pool (GSTP), she is conducting research on how Climate Resilience Leadership looks like for young people. She specializes in leveraging her research, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement and management skills for advancing sustainability. Zainab volunteers to support the Water and Climate Working Group of YOUNGO – the youth constituency of the UNFCCC. She has previously worked at a research and policy think tank in Pakistan and interned with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Zainab holds an MS in Environmental Science from National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan.
Based in Pakistan