Team Category: Senior Advisor

Francis Mwanza is a communications expert, researcher, and writer with decades of experience in international development, food security, and African food heritage and food systems. With a background in international development and public advocacy, he brings a unique perspective that connects global institutions with community-based solutions.

As Senior Advisor at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Francis supports regional outreach and engagement, helping to amplify African voices in school feeding policy and practice.

He previously served as Head of the London Office for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), where he led external relations and advocacy efforts in the UK. He is currently leading a project in Zambia focused on repatriating and growing ‘lost’ indigenous seeds and promoting underutilized, nutritious, and climate-resilient local foods as part of Africa’s food systems transformation.

Francis, a former journalist, is passionate about preserving and promoting African food heritage – especially among schoolchildren – and advocating for the inclusion of neglected and underutilized crops in home-grown school feeding programs.

He divides his time between Zambia and Italy and is committed to celebrating African culinary traditions while advancing sustainable solutions to hunger and malnutrition. He holds a Master’s degree in International Policy and Comparative Development from the University of Bristol, UK.  Francis is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Alice Martin‑Daihirou is a school feeding and early childhood development expert with extensive experience designing and managing large-scale nutrition programs across Africa and beyond. With a strong foundation in both policy and practice, she brings decades of leadership in food security, human development, and international cooperation.

As Senior Advisor at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Alice provides technical assistance and outreach to support the development and strengthening of sustainable, country-led school meal programs across the continent. A longtime collaborator with GCNF, she is a regular participant and presenter at the Global Child Nutrition Forum, where she shares insights drawn from years of hands-on experience.

Alice is passionate about creating systems that give every child the chance to learn, grow, and thrive.

Alice previously held a range of senior-level positions with the United Nations World Food Programme, serving at headquarters and in field operations, where she advanced school feeding as a tool for education, nutrition, and equity. She is known for her practical guidance, regional expertise, and ability to build partnerships that center local leadership.

Alice is based in Cameroon and holds a B.S. in Human Ecology/Early Childhood Development and an M.Sc. in International Studies, both from Howard University.

Dr. Joyce Kanyangwa Luma is a global leader in food security and nutrition with over 30 years of experience advancing humanitarian and development efforts across Africa, Asia, and globally. With expertise in agricultural economics, nutrition, and organizational leadership, she has dedicated her career to improving the lives of vulnerable populations through evidence-based and people-centered approaches.

As Senior Advisor at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Joyce contributes strategic guidance and technical expertise to support the organization’s mission.

Joyce served in numerous senior leadership roles at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), including as Representative in both South Sudan and Ethiopia, Director of Human Resources, and Acting Assistant Secretary General in the Workplace Culture Department. Earlier, she led WFP’s global Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) team, shaping food security analysis to guide humanitarian responses in crisis-affected regions. She began her career as a research fellow at the University of Zambia.

Joyce is based in Zambia and holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Zambia and a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition and Agricultural Economics from Texas Tech University in the United States.

Kei Kuriwaki is a marketing and nutrition expert with four decades of experience advancing child health and nutrition through both nonprofit and private sector leadership. He brings a unique blend of strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and global program design expertise to his work in public health and school meal systems.

As a Senior Advisor at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Kei supports the organization’s broader engagement with Japanese partners and institutions. His contributions have been instrumental in fostering collaboration across sectors and elevating Japan’s role in global school nutrition conversations, including his work to provide technical assistance and outreach for the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum in Osaka, Japan.

Kei is passionate about strengthening partnerships between governments, civil society, and industry to advance child well-being worldwide.

Kei is the President of International Child Nutrition Japan (ICNJ), an organization that advocates globally for Japan’s child nutrition model, including its renowned school meal program. He also brings forty years of private sector experience, including extensive work with Ajinomoto and The Ajinomoto Foundation, where he supported health and nutrition initiatives across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Kei is based in Japan and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the International Christian University in Tokyo.

Rita Bhatia brings extensive experience in managing public health nutrition programs working with NGOs, and UN agencies dedicated to protection, food security, nutrition, food fortification, education and HIV and AIDS. Her career emphasis has been on conceptualization, planning, management and evaluation of programs.

As a Senior Advisor at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Rita contributes her expertise to support special studies, represent GCNF at global conferences and convenings, and provide guidance on other activites that advance the organization’s mission.

Rita believes in coaching and mentoring young public health professionals. She acts as a resource person for public health nutrition training and workshops around the world.

During her positions with the United Nations and NGOs, Rita provided leadership in public nutrition and health program. Rita is currently a freelance consultant involved in country portfolio evaluations, capacity development, and board member of local and international NGOs and on technical advisory panel. She has also been the course director for nutrition in emergency training in Asia and the resource person in the middle east.

Rita is based in India and holds master’s degrees in nutrition from India and Social Development from University of Wales, Department of Development Studies, United Kingdom.