GCSAYN Governing Board
H.E. Amb. Hans Hoogeveen
Board Chair
His Excellency Ambassador Hans is a Dutch diplomat and agricultural expert known for his significant contributions to global food security and sustainable development. He was elected Independent Chairman for the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) from 2021-2025 (terms 2021-2023 & 2023-2025). He is the former Permanent Representative of Kingdom of the Netherlands to FAO. Read more>>
Netherlands
HE Amb. Mussie Hailu
His Excellency Ambassador Mussie Hailu is a peace builder who is working at national, regional and international level in promoting peace, reconciliation, interfaith harmony, disarmament. Read more>>
Ethiopia
Mr. Divine Ntiokam
Mr. Ntiokam is a specialist in international relief and development, with a technical focus on sustainable agriculture, forestry and natural resource management. Read More>>
USA
Prof. Stephen Ippolito
Prof. Stephen is Adjunct Professor, Disability Studies at CUNY SPS. In addition, he is the Lion’s Club Chairperson for the Diabetes Awareness program helping communities combat the growing diabetes epidemic through the educational workshop and diabetes testing to help detect diabetes at an early stage. He also works full time at New York University’s Public Safety Department. He has management experience as a program director and Chairperson for the Lions Clubs International District 20-R2, where he uses self-advocacy, education, empowerment, and independence for people with disabilities. Read More >>>
USA
Dr. Sarada Prasad Mohapatra
Dr. Sarada is an Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Botany, Government Women’s College, Sundargarh, Odisha state in India. His main research areas includes Environmental Science, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence in Climate Study, Biodiversity Conservation. He is a member of Committee on Food Security, FSN, FAO, UN. Read More >>>
India
Prof. Fiordaliza Ippolito
Fiordaliza is an educator and scholar specializing in Spanish language, literature, and culture. Adjunct Professor at CUNY Hostos Community College. and teaches Spanish at Helene Fuld College of Nursing, tailoring her courses for both healthcare professionals and diverse community college learners. Beyond the classroom, she volunteers with Lions Clubs International, serving as co-chair for Diabetes Awareness and Disability Empowerment. She also collaborates with LACUHE on advocacy projects that connect language education with community wellness. Read More>>
USA
Ms. Pauline Christian
Pauline Christian is the Immediate Past- President of the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA). She is also the Founder/President/CEO of Best Lifestyle Residence, a retirement home in the county of Simcoe, Ontario. Previous to owning her business, she worked at Bell Canada for over 25 years, mostly in various leadership capacities. She is passionate about using leadership to mobilize, harmonize and develop the Black community and to realize socio-economic improvement and advancement. She sits on many boards, nationally and internationally and is also a motivational speaker who presents on over 20 different tops of which Networking is one of her favorites. Read More>>>
Canada
Dr. Patrick Cortbaoui
Dr. Cortbaoui is an internationally recognized and active scientist, and bioresource engineer, providing solutions to alleviate food insecurity in different regions of the world including North America, Latin America & the Caribbean, Africa, Middle East and Asia. He currently serves as the Managing Director at the Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security of McGill University, strengthening the Institute’s role and partnership between academia, the private sector, governments and NGOs. Learn More>>>
Canada
Mr. Andrew Morris
Andrew Morris is the Executive Director of the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS), a position he has held since February 2024. He brings a strong managerial background and cross-sector experience, having previously worked as the Commercial Director at the Landscape Institute. His role involves promoting soil science and its role in global sustainability, addressing sustainable urban development, and fostering collaboration across various sectors. Learn More>>>
United Kingdom
Dr. Debisi Araba
Dr. Debisi Araba is a public policy and strategy specialist and is a visiting researcher at Imperial College London. Research Fellow at Imperial College London and former Managing Director, African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF). His contributions have reshaped policies, strategies, and partnerships for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural future. With a Doctorate degree from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, Dr Araba’s expertise lies in bridging evidence-based research with environmental policy in developing nations. His insights have been instrumental in crafting strategies that address the unique challenges of our changing world. Read More>>
United Kingdom
Anantdeep Dhillon
Mr. Anant is an International Development professional, he works in the financial administration sector with a Provincial Government in Canada. He is also a freelance Global Agricultural Consultant, an ardent advocate for Peace & Sustainable Development, Critical thinker, an alumnus for Major Group of Children & Youth Alumni for UN Commission for Sustainable Development Youth Caucus. He volunteers his spare time towards the advisory and governing boards of many global organizations. Read More >>>
Canada
Prof. Ibrahim Abbas Sodangi
Ibrahim A. Sodangi is a Professor of Crop Production at the Kaduna State University, Nigeria. He is a former Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, and presently the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences of the Kaduna State University, Nigeria. Sodangi has authored/co- authored a number of professional books as well as several articles in local and international journals. He worked for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Afribank Nig. Plc before joining the University system. A winner of several awards, Sodangi insists that agriculture should be seen as a business. He brings this passion to bear in his several teachings on cooperative endeavor, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment alongside his primary responsibilities of teaching, research and extension activities in crop production. Read More>>>
Nigeria
Dr. Domenico Vito
Domenico Vito, PhD engineer, works in European projects on air quality in northern Italy. He has been an observer of the Conferences of the Parties since 2015 – the year in which the Paris Agreement was approved by the parties. Member of the Italian Society of Climate Sciences (SISC), he is active in various environmental organizations and networks (The Climate Reality Project, Legambiente) and has been active participant in YOUNGO, the constituent of young people within the Framework Convention of Nations Unite in which he took part of various working groups (Energy, Health, Agriculture) and thematic coordinator of two WGs in UNEP MGCY. Member of GACSA Promoter of the blog / YouTube channel HubZine Italia for dissemination on international negotiations and organizer of the Climate Change Symposiums and Climate Social Forum. Read More>>
Italy
Prof. Joyce Lepetu
Dr Joyce Lepetu has training in Forest Sciences and natural resources management. As a University lecturer, she has extensive experience in environmental and natural resources research. Her research focus is in forest socio-economic and stakeholder analysis, Protected Area Management and Community Based Natural Resources Management and Agroforestry. Her Teaching is presently focused in the following areas; Agroforestry, Natural Resources Management (CBNRM and Ecotourism) and Community Forestry. Read More >>>
Botswana
Mr. Xander Beks
Xander Beks is the CEO at I4Nature Global Cooperative in the Netherlands. He is enthusiastic about the involvement of young people in Agriculture and continues to provide them with quality support. Xander is driven by his passion for creating new paths in complex issues in a multi stakeholder environment. He is simultaneously taking further steps in transition or transformation processes with these players brings him satisfaction. Certainly and especially if that happens together with new generations, as he shows with his cooperative I4NATURE that he founded, together with others within the domain of climate-related challenges. Whether it takes place within a specific regional process, internationally or between different sectors, he quickly finds his way and strategy to take steps for change together with others. Xander developed him self as an agricultural engineer at Wageningen University, specializing in energy technology and process technology. He has developed various programs and activities, set up international collaborations, among others. within agriculture and food domain aimed at a rapidly changing world and making room for new generations. Read More>>
The Netherlands
Wiynaan Usumano Fai
Wiynaan Usumano Fai is a seasoned finance, administration, and logistics professional with over 17 years of experience supporting complex development operations across multiple regions. He brings expertise in financial management, internal controls, project coordination, and team leadership, along with strong skills in community mobilization and stakeholder engagement. Known for his integrity, strategic thinking, and commitment to excellence, he has improved operational systems, strengthened accountability, and guided multidisciplinary teams toward impactful results. He holds a BSc in Accounting, a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Accounting, and is completing an MBA in Management. Read More >>>
Cameroon
Irena Zubcevic
Irena Zubcevic is the Director of Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future. She has over 20 years of experience in global leadership, sustainable development, international relations, diplomacy, policy, advocacy, peacebuilding and project management. Prior to start working as a Director of the Stakeholder Forum and as Senior Policy Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Croatia to the United Nations in September 2022, she worked at the United Nations Secretariat for 15 years in the area of sustainable development leading a team of professionals working on UN processes related to sustainable development including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development working with various stakeholders.
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Croatia/USA
Boniswa Mokorotlo
Boniswa J. Mokorotlo is a governance and financial management specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the South African public sector. Her career spans senior leadership roles in local government. She is deeply passionate about strengthening developmental governance and bridging the implementation gap between legislation and practice. As Coordinator of the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (South Africa), she works to advance youth participation, sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs and South Africa’s NDP 2030. Boniswa is known for her ethical leadership, mentoring capability, and commitment to building accountable, high-performing public institutions Read More >>>
South Africa
Mr. Ghefogha Yimbuh
Mr. Yimbuh is the Financial Adviser & facilitator for the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN). In his role as CFO for CSAYN, he brings a wealth of expertise in financial systems, digital transformation, and climate protection, with a particular focus on automation and the transition to paperless processes within the banking sector. Read More >>>
Cameroon
Ms. Aishwarya Narasimhadevara
Aishwarya Narasimhadevara has a background in International Development, having completed a Master’s in this field, and is currently involved in youth-advocacy related projects. She also has been involved with various non-government organizations working in the field of education, the environment, and culture. She is interested in promoting the role of Education in the field of International Development. Read More >>>
United States of America
Ms. Irene Kimani
Kenya
Er. Alinafe Kaliwo
Alinafe Kaliwo is a multiple award-winning innovator and tech entrepreneur focusing on bringing simple but vital technology products to African communities. He is the Managing Director at Mechro Limited in Malawi and a Co-Founder and CEO of Mechro Africa in South Africa. Alinafe is an expert in the Internet of Things (IoT), Telemedicine, mobile network communication technologies and engineering design. He holds a Master of Philosophy in Telecommunications Engineering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Malawi. His vision is to expand his business empire, innovations and impact on the rest of the African continent.
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Malawi
Dr. Jean Gerald M. M'Ella
Dr. Jean Gérard MEZUI Me ELLA, Director of the Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC) African Union Regional Office on based in Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon. Read More >>>
Gabon
Mr. Sandeep Chittimalli
Sandeep Chittimalli is a seasoned Data Scientist and AI/ML expert with over a decade of experience driving innovation in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science, Remote Sensing, Satellite Image Processing. He is currently leading AI/ML and data science initiatives at Synectics for a large federal organization in the United States. His past contributions encompass prestigious organizations including NASA, the US Geological Survey (USGS), and the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Image Processing Laboratories. With dual master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Electronics, Sandeep excels in architecting scalable data science environments, automating complex workflows, and delivering actionable insights through advanced AI/ML model deployment. He remains passionate about staying at the forefront of emerging trends in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Remote Sensing continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible with intelligent systems.
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United States of America
Other Governing Board members:
- Mr. Peter Owiti, Kenya
- Ms. Murugi Maina, Kenya
- Mr. Richards Keith, USA
- Ms. Jesse Bright, USA
- Dr. Ambroise Okem, USA