Eliza is a first-generation Filipina-American who grew up in Hawaii, the Philippines and San Diego. She holds a BA from San Francisco State University and an MFA (the first in her family!) from Mills College. Eliza has over a decade’s experience as a Newswire Editor and as a Help Desk Technician. Leaving her corporate position, she decided to travel to the Philippines, Argentina, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and Brazil for a few years where she became critically aware of a wide range of social justice issues and struggles around the world. A fervent geek, artist and volunteer with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, her interests include art, politics, bicycling, food and anything that expands her mind.

Olga is originally from the Republic of Tuva in Southeastern Siberia, Russia. She received her law degree at the Urals State Law Academy and B.A. in Development Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her studies took her to West Africa, where she attended University of Ghana to learn more about their development processes. Olga is passionate about many different issues of justice: in addition to her work at the Global Fund, she volunteers to raise awareness about environmental issues in indigenous territories of Russia. When she’s not working, you can find her jogging the streets of San Francisco, or supporting Tuvan throat-singing bands during their US tours.

Wendi joins the Global Fund after working as the Operations Manager for the National AIDS Memorial, a living tribute to all lives touched by HIV/AIDS. She is a passionate anti-violence activist and self-defense instructor. Since moving to the Bay Area 12 years ago, she has served as a board member and teaching collective member for several feminist, anti-violence organizations. In 2007, Wendi had the life-changing opportunity to travel to Kenya to train self-defense instructors in Nairobi for "I’m Worth Defending," an innovative violence-prevention program that provides resources for survivors. Wendi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women’s Studies and a minor in Queer Studies from UCLA. Wendi believes it’s incredibly important to be out - as a survivor, a queer woman, and as a white and trans ally. A California native, Wendi lives in Oakland with her five-year-old mutt, Djuna. She speaks Spanish and would very much like to know more than a few phrases in Swahili one day.

Saideh holds undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Music Field Studies and a Masters in International Affairs. She joins the Global Fund from One World Children’s Fund, where she served as a fellow, focusing her efforts on expanding the organization's outreach. Saideh has studied in Mexico and Switzerland, and has worked at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She speaks Farsi, French and Spanish.

Amira is first generation Egyptian-American. She grew up in Montreal, Canada where she learned to speak English, Arabic, and French. Amira earned her B.A in Political Science from California State University Channel Islands where she developed a strong passion for women's rights which culminated in a thesis titled, "The Role of Gender in War." Her thesis explored and proposed gendered economies as being the main reason that women are disproportionately affected during times of war. After graduating college, Amira moved to San Francisco where she joined the Western Regional Office of Amnesty International USA as an outreach and administrative intern.

Sarita earned a B.A. in English with a minor in Women's Studies at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. A native of Berkeley, California, she volunteered from an early age with Narika, a helpline for South Asian survivors of domestic violence in the Bay Area. She also worked as a grant writer for the Niroga Institute, an organization dedicated to bringing transformative skills to underserved and incarcerated youth. Sarita is fluent in French.

Nada attended the University of Hassan II in Casablanca where she studied English literature and Linguistics. Before joining the Global Fund for Women, she worked for ZUMA Press, Inc., a photography and wire service agency in Southern California, as an Editor and Associate Manager. Nada recently obtained an Associate Degree in Art History at City College of San Francisco, and is a regular volunteer with the school district, teaching kids to read and write. She came to the Global Fund first as a volunteer out of her interest in working to empower women around the world and to help bridge the gender gap. Nada was born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, and is fluent in Arabic, French and English.

Karen earned her undergraduate degree in East Asian Studies at UC Berkeley and has a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA. She spent a year in Japan studying at the International Christian University and later coordinated an exchange program bringing together nonprofit professionals in the U.S. and Japan. She has worked with various nonprofits in the Bay Area that focus on youth and financial literacy. Prior to joining Global Fund, she worked as a research associate with a consulting firm providing evaluation and information-based services.

Clare holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in African Studies from Colorado College. She spent a semester in Nairobi, Kenya studying development and public health with the School for International Training. She has traveled to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Spain to study anti-globalization and indigenous movements. Upon graduation, Clare was awarded a grant to film a documentary about Afro-Ecuadorian movements, environmental degradation and industrial shrimp farming in coastal Ecuador. Clare also collaborated with NGOs in Ecuador to direct a short informational film addressing social infrastructure and cultural norms surrounding trash collection. In San Francisco, she volunteered with the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation and interned with the Foundation for Sustainable Development. Clare is fluent in Spanish, and an avid reader, hiker, and lifelong student of dance and performance.

April Oertwig is an expert on foundation governance. She speaks mission statements, bylaws, and strategic plans. She also is adept at working with foundation leadership to ensure the organization is working towards its mission and vision. Prior to joining the Global Fund, April was the executive assistant and IT manager at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. In addition to supporting the CEO, April coordinated the successful completion of a $15 million fundraising campaign and managed a skilled and diverse board of trustees. April also coordinated the Foundation's adoption of their Program Related Investment program and new strategic plan. April loves the outdoors and can’t wait to explore the outdoors in northern California.

Maria holds a B.A. in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies, as well as a minor in African-American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She spent a semester abroad at the University of Ghana where she studied African foreign policy and development. With a passion for academic research, she traveled to Cambridge University to represent UC Berkeley at a global research summit focusing on political theory and international globalization. Before coming the Global Fund, she was a research assistant at Berkeley Law School where she studied the legal and social implications of Arizona’s SB 1070. Maria has interned for the International Rescue Committee and Human Rights Watch in San Francisco. Born in France and raised in the Bay Area, Maria speaks French and Farsi.

Elizabeth (Liz) Schaffer, M.N.A. is a nonprofit leader, consultant, trainer, and author. Immediately before joining the Global Fund, she was Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Funding Network – a worldwide partnership of women’s funds, donors, and allies. She is the co-author of Financial Leadership forNonprofit Executives: Guiding Your Organization to Long Term Success. Liz is a very popular trainer at CompassPoint’s workshops and conferences and lectures in Nonprofit Financial Management at The University of San Francisco, Stanford University , and University of California, Berkeley. In her consulting work, Liz coaches nonprofit leaders and helps organizations enhance their decision-making ability by improving the quality of their financial data and analysis.

Annalisa brings more than 15 years of non-profit and private sector financial management and accounting experience to her work as Director of Finance and New York Operations. Prior to joining GFW in 2004, Annalisa worked with other internationally-focused non-profit organizations. She earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia and undertook graduate research in Women’s Studies at UCLA. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) in the Executive program at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Randy received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in computer science. He lived and taught in Denmark for three years where he learned the practice of participatory design from its Scandinavian founders. Randy has also lived in Vietnam and Brazil. He was born in the US and speaks English and Danish.

Orion is an organizer and activist and has led peace projects and marches in Marin County, where he lived for four years before moving to San Francisco in 2009. He loves to gather community into creative spaces and mobilize them to work for positive cultural change. Orion is a proponent of alternative energies like biofuels, with in-depth knowledge of sustainability issues. He runs his own car on waste vegetable oil. He is a certified permaculturist and sits on the board of directors for the Oakland permaculture non-profit Planting Justice. He holds a bachelors degree in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of Oregon, in Eugene. He is an advocate for Bioregionalism; sustainability based on stewardship of the land and keeping it local. In this vein of minimizing his carbon footprint, he rides his bike to work.

A dedicated nonprofit professional, Gennie has served more than 20 years as the accountant for organizations varying in size, from start-ups to established foundations. For more than ten years, she managed the compilation services for clients of Ghaffari Zaragoza, LLP, a firm recognized for an outstanding record in the philanthropic field. Gennie graduated with honors from Mills College in Business Economics.