Board of Trustees
Omotola Thomas, MSc
Omotola was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2016, at 35. She is currently serving as a board member for the World Parkinson Coalition; a patient advocate for IPDGC-Africa; a patient advisory group member for the Community for Research Involvement and Support for people with Parkinson’s (CRISP) at Kings Hospital; and as an ambassador for the 6th World Parkinson Congress. She is also a founding member of PD Avengers – an international group of advocates determined to end Parkinson’s.
Ferdinard Okwor, FCA
Ferdinard is a Sloan Fellow of the London Business School and a versatile executive with two decades of experience in the public, private and international development sectors across geographies. He is a professional accountant with strong expertise in strategy, corporate governance as well as financial, project and people management and a committed advocate for the vulnerable, deprived and less privileged in society. He currently serves on the Board (Treasurer) of Causeway Irish Housing Association.
Dugie Young, MPA/MPP
Dugie is an international development professional, specialising in agriculture and rural development, with experience in economic and financial consulting. Currently, he is based in Côte d'Ivoire and works for GIZ's MOVE, a regional program that targets the rice and cashew value chains in five West African countries. He has previously volunteered for a number of charitable organisations and also co-founded the Columbia Effective Altruism group
Piers Mudd
Piers Mudd is a seasoned senior executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding, scaling, and transforming businesses across diverse industries, including aquaculture, carbon removals, and the oil & gas sector. As Chief Operating Officer at Brilliant Planet, he is currently leading the company's preparation for scale-up of its proprietary carbon dioxide removals technology. Piers previously founded and scaled Yalelo East Africa into the region's leading supplier of sustainably-raised fish, achieving significant commercial success. With a background in leadership roles in Africa, the Caribbean and the British Army, he brings expertise in building high-performance teams, securing investment, and driving operational excellence in challenging environments.
Pamela Gutmann, MBA
Pamela is a seasoned leader and board director with extensive international and intercultural experience, having lived and worked in Zimbabwe, Canada, the US, Hong Kong, Egypt, England and South Africa. Pamela began her career in corporate banking, gaining experience in financial analysis, cash management, business development, marketing and relationship management. Pamela is currently based in South Africa and heads enrollment management for an international school. Pamela is passionate about initiatives in Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and is a co-facilitator of the JEDI Steering Committee. Pamela has extensive governance experience having previously held the positions of Board Chair, Vice Chair, and Governance Committee Chair, and has provided advisory and consulting services to international schools on governance best practices and board work. Pamela holds an MBA (with concentrations in Strategy and Marketing) from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management; an MS in Psychology from the University of Phoenix; and a BA in Economics and International Studies from Macalester College.