Lucyna Kurtyka joined the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research in February 2016 as a Senior Scientific Program Director, bringing more than 20 years of nonprofit and private sector experience. Prior to joining FFAR, Ms. Kurtyka was Global Lead on Food Policy and International Organizations at Monsanto Company, where she worked with intergovernmental organizations, national and international professional associations, other companies, and governments to encourage science based regulation, standards, and oversight of crops and foods produced through biotechnology.

Ms. Kurtyka’s wealth of nonprofit sector experience covers many facets of the global food system. As program officer at the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, she managed projects in the areas of food and fiber systems, agricultural research, natural resource management, and international trade and economics. At the International Life Sciences Institute, Ms. Kurtyka directed international projects related to the development and safety of biotech foods and to natural toxins and pesticide residues in foods. Prior to that, while at AOAC International, Ms. Kurtyka oversaw the validation and approval process for analytical methods published in the Official Methods of Analysis, which are used in nutrition labeling and serve as standards for regulatory purposes in food safety, nutrition, agricultural commodities, pesticides, and environmental quality.

Ms. Kurtyka holds an M.S. degree in food technology from the Agricultural University in Krakow, Poland. She is committed to working toward food and nutrition security for future generations by applying her knowledge and experience to addressing today’s food and agriculture challenges.

Betty Kibaara is a Director at The Rockefeller Foundation, Africa Region Office. At the Foundation, Betty leads the implementation of the YieldWise Initiative that with a goal to reduce food loss in Maize (Tanzania), Mangoes (Kenya) and Cassava and Tomato value chains to improve livelihoods of the small holder farmers. She serves as the regional champion for the Foundations initiatives in strengthening food security, agribusiness and the building of resilience to the devastating effects of climate change to enable real, sustainable and equitable economic growth.

Javiera Charad is the Global Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement Manager for Nestlé and leads global programmes related to food loss and waste, women empowerment in the supply chain and climate change.

Javiera is a sustainability professional with significant global and market level experience at Nestlé, spanning Supply Chain, Channel Category Sales Development (CCSD), Marketing, Agriculture and Sustainability.

In her current role, Javiera has significantly contributed to improvements in both Nestlé’s environmental performance and the company tracking and reporting of data for external audiences. She has served represented the company at the CEO UN Global Compact, Consumer Goods Forum, ISO committees, EU Food loss and waste Platform, CDP, WRI and WBCSD different working groups.

C.D. Glin is the President & CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), a public corporation established by Congress to support and invest in African owned and led enterprises which improve lives and livelihoods in poor and vulnerable African communities. USADF has approximately $60 million invested in more than 500 African for-profit and non-profit enterprises. With 100 plus staff members, offices, and operations in approximately 20 countries, USADF utilizes the principles of venture philanthropy, in providing direct grant funding seed capital, and local implementation and advisory assistance to start-ups and early stage African agricultural, off-grid energy and youth-led social enterprises and grassroots cooperatives.

Prior to leading USADF, from 2011-2016, Glin was based in Nairobi, Kenya with the Rockefeller Foundation as the Associate Director for the Africa Region supporting the agriculture, social enterprise and impact investing portfolios. From 2009-2011, he was a White House appointee serving as the first Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Global Partnerships for the Peace Corps. Previously, as Vice President for Business Development at PYXERA Global, Glin managed supply chain, local economic development, employee engagement and CSR efforts for Fortune 100 companies. Earlier in his career he consulted for the State Department, USAID and the World Bank while living in Ghana and Nigeria.

Glin served as a volunteer in the first Peace Corps South Africa group, during the Presidency of Nelson Mandela. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Howard University; a Master’s Certificate in Business Management from Tulane University and a Master’s Level Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from University of Oxford. Glin was a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and in 2011, he was designated by the White House as a “Champion of Change” for his contributions to international service and civic participation.

Gerald Makau Masila is the Executive Director and CEO of the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC). He has served in this capacity since 2011.

A general management, marketing and communications professional, Gerald previously worked with various organisations in the private and public sector including British American Tobacco (1996-2004), New Kenya Cooperative Creameries Limited –NKCC (2004-2006), Kenya Wine Agencies Limited-KWAL (Managing Director, 2006-2009), Kenya Planters Cooperative Union – KPCU (Managing Director – 2009) and Acumen Business Consultants (2010 – 2011).

At EAGC Gerald’s role includes offering overall leadership to the EAGC Secretariat in providing members services including design of intervention programs to address grain sector challenges, fund raising, program implementation, monitoring , evaluation and reporting as well as communication and stakeholder management including members, development partners, media and government.

Gerald holds an MSc. in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelors degree in Economics both from Egerton University, Kenya.