Team Category: Global Team

Majd Sheik is a skilled communicator and project coordinator with a background in English language, literature, and translation. She brings strong organizational and cross-cultural communication skills to her work supporting data collection and analysis in the Middle East.

As Survey Associate for the Middle East at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Majd contributes to the implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs, helping ensure accurate and meaningful engagement with country partners in the region.

Before joining GCNF, Majd taught English and worked in project management and coordination. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in Translation from Birzeit University in 2018.

Originally from Palestine, Majd brings cultural insight, language fluency, and a deep interest in global development to her role.

Melissa Pradhan is a development professional with expertise in climate change, sustainable development, and governance. She brings experience in high-level government engagement and regional policy support to her work in nutrition and education systems across Asia and the Pacific.

As Survey Associate for Asia and the Pacific at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, Melissa supports the Global Survey of School Meal Programs by facilitating outreach and collaboration with government partners in the region.

Melissa also serves as a consultant for the International Water Management Institute under the CGIAR consortium, and has previously worked with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Oxford Policy Management, where she supported policy and governance programs.

Melissa is based in Nepal and holds a master’s degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand.

Mariel Mendiola is a public health and nutrition specialist with expertise in school meals, health systems, and social protection. With a career spanning government agencies, international organizations, and the nonprofit sector, she brings a strong technical and strategic lens to her work supporting child and community well-being across Latin America and the Caribbean.

At the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Mariel serves as Global Survey Team Lead for the Americas and as Global Advocacy and Private Sector Engagement Consultant. Since joining GCNF, she has coordinated regional implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs and helped shape outreach strategies that connect GCNF’s mission to broader development and investment goals.

In addition to her work with GCNF, Mariel serves as a Senior Consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where she leads a regional project on school feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her previous roles include five years as an International Consultant at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), where she provided technical assistance to governments in implementing public health and nutrition initiatives. She has also held positions at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition (INCMNSZ), the Ministry of Health of the State of Nuevo León, and the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

Mariel is based in Virgina, USA and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León and a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Administration from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico.

Passionate about helping countries and communities – especially children – thrive, Mariel continues to work as an independent consultant in school feeding, nutrition, public health, and international development.

Nicole Jacquet is an international development professional with extensive experience in school meals, food security, and humanitarian programming. With a background in strategic planning and program leadership, she brings decades of field and headquarters experience to her work in global nutrition and education.

As Survey Coordinator for Europe and the Middle East at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, Nicole supports the implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs, drawing on her deep regional knowledge and technical expertise to guide engagement with country partners.

Nicole previously served as a Senior Program Advisor with both the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme (WFP). During her time at WFP, she held various positions in Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mauritania, Burundi, and Rome. Her last assignment with WFP, through the end of 2017, was as Acting Country Director in Burundi, where she managed two major operations, including a school meals program central to WFP’s work in the country, valued at approximately USD 250 million over four years.

Nicole holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of York (UK) and is currently based in France and Italy.

Dr. Shivani Gharge is a researcher with expertise in school meals, nutrition, and child development. With a strong foundation in data analysis and public health research, she brings a deep understanding of how food systems intersect with education, gender, and equity outcomes.

As Research Coordinator at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Shivani contributes to the development, analysis, and dissemination of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. Her work helps ensure that GCNF’s research agenda and outputs are relevant to policymakers and practitioners worldwide.

Shivani holds a Ph.D. in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), India, where her doctoral research focused on the impact of India’s Mid Day Meal programme on food intake, physical growth, school retention, dropout, and learning outcomes. She also holds an M.A. and M.Phil. in Population Studies from IIPS, and a B.A. in Economics from Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College.

She is a recipient of the Government of India Fellowship for her graduate and doctoral studies, and was awarded the Newton-Bhabha PhD Placement Award, funded by the UK Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).

Shivani currently resides in New Zealand where she enjoys dancing, traveling, and reading.

Priscilia Etuge is a development consultant with more than 25 years of experience in socio-economic assessments, sustainable natural resource management, and monitoring and evaluation. Her work spans government agencies, international donors, and civil society, with a focus on food security, multi-stakeholder engagement, and capacity strengthening.

As Survey Associate for Africa at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Priscilia supports the implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. Since joining GCNF, she has contributed to data collection, outreach, and technical validation efforts across the region.

Priscilia has worked on Official Development Assistance (ODA)/DFID- and World Bank–funded conservation and development projects in Cameroon and has served in leadership roles for two non-governmental organizations. She is also a trainer, facilitator, and certified health and wellness educator.

Priscilia is based in Cameroon and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a Master’s degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Buea, Cameroon, with research focused on food security.

Dr. Moses Collins Ekwueme is a public health and nutrition specialist with expertise in health financing, research, and the design and implementation of nutrition-focused programs. With experience across global health initiatives and national systems, he brings a data-driven and community-centered approach to improving nutrition outcomes.

As Survey Associate for Africa at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Moses supports data collection, analysis, and government engagement for the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. His knowledge of health systems and experience with large-scale surveys strengthens GCNF’s efforts to generate high-quality, actionable insights across the continent.

Moses has served as a Nutrition Specialist with the World Bank–financed Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project, and previously managed a Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) program funded by Nutrition International, which provided nutrition education and reproductive health services to women in Abuja, Nigeria. He has also contributed to national data systems, including leading roles in the Lagos State Household Health Expenditure Survey and Nigeria’s 2019 National Health Account.

Moses is currently based in Washinton, D.C., USA and holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Emory University and a Master’s in Global Health (Nutrition) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Ludmilla de Gois Vieira Nunes Rodrigues is an international development professional with expertise in inclusive value chains, sustainable livelihoods, and program evaluation. She brings experience working with UN agencies and NGOs on a range of issues including agribusiness enterprise development, refugee and migrant integration, and enabling environments for sustainable economic growth.

As a Program Consultant and Survey Associate at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Ludmilla contributes to the implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs and supports research and analysis for global school meal initiatives. Her ability to navigate complex international contexts helps ensure that GCNF’s data and insights reflect local realities and inform policy development.

Ludmilla is currently based in Italyl and holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and a second Master’s in European and International Governance from the University of Geneva and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

In addition to her work with GCNF, Ludmilla serves as an international consultant conducting research on impact evaluation and inclusive development strategies.

Liliane Bigayimpunzi is a school feeding and social protection expert with extensive experience in education, gender, nutrition, and program design. With a strong background in policy development and interagency coordination, she brings deep knowledge of government systems and international development to her work supporting sustainable school meal programs.

As Survey Coordinator for Africa at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Liliane leads regional engagement for the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. She first joined the GCNF team as Deputy Coordinator for Africa and has contributed as both a consultant and volunteer, including participation in several Global Child Nutrition Forums.

Liliane previously served as Program Policy Officer for Education, Gender, and Protection at the World Food Programme (WFP), where she supported the transition to home-grown school feeding and led efforts to introduce milk into the school meal basket in Burundi. She has also held project management roles with UNESCO and UNICEF and began her career as a senior civil servant in Burundi.

Liliane is based in Burunid and holds a degree in Communication from the Institut des Hautes Études des Communications Sociales in Brussels, Belgium, and a Master’s degree in Gender Studies from Université Lumière de Bujumbura.

Liliane is passionate about literature, music, and sculpture, and has a strong interest in environmental protection and sustainability.

Dr. Mary Bachaspatimayum is a social anthropologist and mixed-methods researcher with over a decade of experience working across academia, civil society, and development organizations. Her work has focused on nutrition, school education, rights and entitlements, and maternal health, with a particular emphasis on qualitative research, ethnographies, and participatory methodologies.

As Deputy Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Mary supports regional engagement and leads coordination efforts for the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. Since joining GCNF, she has played a central role in facilitating stakeholder collaboration, including for the India Learning Exchange, and contributes to the design and delivery of regional learning initiatives and events.

Mary’s expertise includes remote and online data collection using open-source platforms, event design, and editorial work. She previously served as Managing Editor of Journal of Contemporary Thoughts, an interdisciplinary journal advancing theory in the humanities.

Mary is based in India and holds a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology. Outside of work, she is an avid reader and traveler who enjoys cooking and experimenting with regional cuisines.