Global Board and Advisors
Our Global Governing Board and Advisors collectively steer the organization's strategic direction and ensure adherence to our mission.
Governing Board
Ada Osakwe
Founder and Chief Executive, Agrolay Ventures
Ada joined the One Acre Fund board in 2017 and currently serves as Board Chair. Previously, she served as the Senior Investment Advisor to Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Agnes Gathaiya
Ex Country Director for East Africa, Google
Agnes has 20+ years of experience in organizational transformation and recently served as the Country Director for East Africa at Google. She previously held leadership positions at Safaricom, SAP, and Deloitte Consulting.
Andrew Youn
President / Co-Founder
Andrew started One Acre Fund in 2006 when he co-founded the program in Kenya alongside John Gachunga, before starting the Rwanda program with Eric Pohlman the following year.
Eric Pohlman
Executive Director/ Co-Founder
As a One Acre Fund co-founder, Eric started the Rwanda program in 2007 and served as its first Field Officer. He went on to lead the Rwanda program for 12 years.
Fred Ogana
Managing Partner, East Africa Market Development Associates Ltd
Fred previously served as the Country Director of TechnoServe Kenya for 11 years and founded an international import and export firm.
Ambassador George William (Bill) Kayonga
Trade and Export Development Consultant
Ambassador Kayonga joined the One Acre Fund Board in 2021. He previously served as the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Kenya for 16 years and was the Chief Executive of Rwanda’s National Agricultural Export Development Board.
James Mwangi
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Africa Climate Ventures
James joined the One Acre Fund board in 2015. He co-founded Dalberg Advisors in New York and founded Dalberg’s Africa business in 2007.
Joel Ackerman
CFO, DaVita Inc
Joel joined the board of One Acre Fund in 2008. He was previously the CEO of Champions Oncology and a partner at the private equity firm Warburg Pincus.
Maria Shipiri
Global HR Leadership Professional
As a Global HR Leadership professional, Maria previously held senior roles at the Mastercard Foundation, Prudential Africa, and the African Development Bank.
Matt Forti (Board Secretary)
Board Secretary and Managing Director, One Acre Fund
On the board since the organization’s founding in 2006, Matt was One Acre Fund’s first Board Chairman. He joined One Acre Fund’s staff in 2013 to coordinate its operations outside Africa.
Advisors
Angelline Rudakubana
Director, World Food Programme
Angelline is the World Food Programme (WFP) Director and Representative to the AU. She previously served as the WFP’s Deputy Director of Programme and Operations in Afghanistan and Country Director for Burkina Faso.
Bob Annibale
Senior Fellow at the University of London, SOAS
Bob served as the founder and Global Director of Citi Inclusive Finance from 2005 to 2020, where he mobilized billions to serve low-income communities.
Dr. Athanase Mukuralinda
Country Representative, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Dr. Mukuralinda is a Senior Scientist and Country Representative of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). He also serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority.
Chris Addy
Partner and Co-Head of Bridgespan's Philanthropy Practice.
Chris is a Partner and Co-Head of the Bridgespan Group’s Philanthropy practice. He advises philanthropists and social entrepreneurs on strategy, due diligence, and large initiatives for social change.
David I. Cohen
Founder of Ezrah Charitable Trust and Simcah Management
David runs a family-office investment fund and is the founder of Ezrah Charitable Trust and Simcah Management. He previously served as a partner at Farallon Capital for 20 years.
Faustin Mbundu Kananura
Executive Chairman, MFK Group Rwanda
Faustin is the Executive Chairman of MFK Group Rwanda and runs companies across the agricultural, real estate, and information technology sectors. He previously served as the Chairman of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation.
Frits van der Wal
Food and Nutrition Security expert.
After spending 18 years working across East Africa, Frits served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Gabriel Semasaka
Veterinary Doctor, former Member of Rwandan Parliament
Dr. Semasaka is a Veterinary Doctor who currently works as a livestock advisor. He previously served as a Member of the Parliament of Rwanda for a decade and held various roles in the Ministry of Agriculture.
George Ngarambe
Seed Multiplier Expert
Mr. Ngarambe is the chair of the Rwanda Seed Multipliers Organisation (RWASMO). He is an experienced maize farmer and seed multiplier who founded the company Seeds of Trust.
Gideon Kayinamura
Former Ambassador of Rwanda to the United Kingdom
Gideon is a retired diplomat who served as the Ambassador of Rwanda to the UK and the UN. He was also a Member of the Rwandan Parliament for 10 years.
James Munanura
Household Nutrition Expert, Rwanda Ministry of Agriculture
James has extensive experience in coordinating nutrition and food security programs funded by the European Union.
James Wesner
Managing Director, Marquette Associates
James is a Managing Director with Marquette Associates, where he advises endowments, foundations, pension plans, and healthcare organizations on their investment portfolios. He previously worked at Bank of America, Nuveen Investments, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
John Gachunga
One Acre Fund Co-Founder, Business Consultant to Alpex Consulting Africa Limited
John is a business consultant who co-founded One Acre Fund’s first program in Kenya with Andrew Youn in 2006. He previously worked in project management with the Global Alliance for Africa, and in credit administration for Equity Bank.
Martin Fisher
Co-founder, KickStart International
Martin previously worked in Kenya for six years, including five years with ActionAid, designing affordable moneymaking tools for entrepreneurs and farmers.
Nicole Gardner
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Marsh & McLennan Companies
Nicole began her career at Oliver Wyman, where she established and led the firm’s global Diversity & Inclusion function.
Patience Mutesi
Country Director, TradeMark East Africa
Patience is the Country Director of TradeMark East Africa. She previously had a 12-year career in banking and microfinance, including roles as the Head of Corporate Banking for Ecobank Rwanda and the Corporate Banking Cluster Head for the EAC.
Richard Passov
Former Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Zoetis Inc.
Richard is a co-founder of Iota Biosciences. He previously spent over 25 years in various leadership roles at companies such as Pfizer, Intel, and Sun Microsystems.
Serge Kamuhinda
Director, Volkswagen Rwanda
Serge previously served as an Advisor in the Office of the President in Benin and as the Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board.
Governing Board Emeritus
We thank and honor our prior board members who helped build the foundation of One Acre Fund.