A Mission that Began With a Banana with Gina Gabel and Priscilla Heffelfinger

Sarah is a results driven professional known for combining strategic thinking with a strong commitment to service and relationship building. In addition to her corporate experience, she brings a meaningful background in the nonprofit sector, including serving on nonprofit boards and supporting mission driven organizations. These experiences have shaped her passion for service and her belief in creating impact beyond the workplace.

Sarah is recognized for her ability to quickly master new systems, adapt to evolving roles, and deliver thoughtful, human centric solutions. She values collaboration and building genuine connections. She is especially energized by opportunities that allow her to step outside of a traditional corporate environment and contribute to causes and communities she cares deeply about.

Outside of her professional work, Sarah is a proud mother of 4, based in Illinois in the US. She also holds a special connection to the Philippines through family, which has further deepened her appreciation for diverse cultures and the global community.

Jack is a freshman at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

Benedicta “Dick” Du-Baladad is a multi-awarded accountant-lawyer and the Founding Partner, Chair, and CEO of Du-Baladad and Associates. She is a prominent leader whose expertise is evident throughout her 30 years in the practice; with her repertoire spanning from being a former official of the country’s tax authority to head of the tax department of a leading auditing firm.

Dick is also a recognized business leader with various directorship positions in various organizations and Foreign Chambers. Her expertise makes her a valuable and much-sought-after resource speaker often invited to seminars and fora organized by prestigious associations such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Management Association of the Philippines, and the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, among others. She is also currently a professor of Taxation at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and the University of the Philippines (UP).

Her clients and stakeholders benefit greatly from her knowledge and proficiency in high-end tax advisory, tax disputes and refund claims, transfer pricing, and advocacy. Her sector expertise includes banking and financial institutions where she has authored 3 books on the taxation of banks, insurance, and other financial intermediaries.

She was named National Leader for Southeast Asia-Corporate Tax in the 2022 edition of Who’s Who Legal (WWL) Thought Leaders and recognized as the Tax Dispute Resolution Lawyer by Women in Business Law (2021). She is consistently ranked by Asia Business Law Journal as one of the Philippines’ top 100 lawyers and as the only Elite Tax Practitioner in the Philippines by Asia Profiles. She is a recipient of the CPA Centenary Award of Excellence from the Board of Accountancy and has been awarded as a Distinguished Alumna of the University of Santo Tomas. And just recently, she was named one of the Top 15 Female Lawyers in Asia 2024 by Asian Legal Business.

Dick’s community involvement is done through the BDB Law Foundation which she founded in 2014 to help address the gaps in humanitarian, cultural, and socio-civic developments by focusing on projects for improving the quality of education, sustained livelihood, clean environment and better health. The Foundation, in coordination with DECS, has already built several school buildings under its build-a-school program, located in remote places in the country.

Lark is a graphic and multimedia artist from Metro Manila. Her skills in information design have developed through her advocacy work for food security and farmer’s welfare in the Philippines.

Moved by a desire to spread awareness about these pressing issues to the general public, Lark is thrilled to be lending her skills to Thrive’s mission to feed hungry school children.

Serwar is a Senior Innovation Director for Kaiser Permanente Northern California with a background in performance improvement, lean management systems, healthcare operations and business strategy. He holds an MBA from San Francisco State University and a BS degree in Biochemistry from UC Davis. He and his wife Kris have 2 teenage daughters, one a junior in high school and the other, a freshman at UC Santa Cruz. Both Serwar’s parents are from Bangladesh and he has a deep connection to his Bengali ancestry. Serwar enjoys traveling around the world with his family, woodworking and the outdoors.

Third is a dynamic marketing and communications professional passionate about connecting brands and missions with their audiences, bringing a creative and results-driven approach to every project.

With a background spanning non-profit development, F&B marketing, and multimedia creation, Third excels in crafting impactful strategies. Previously Marketing and Development Officer at ARK, he significantly boosted audience engagement and secured major partnerships and grants. He also led marketing campaigns for the Adobo Group and crafted visuals and communications for international brands at Madhouse Mnl. Third studied Development Communication in University of the Philippines.

Shakil is a dedicated team member who has been with Thrive for three years. A proud graduate, he is passionate about serving underprivileged communities and finds purpose in helping those in need. His compassion and commitment continue to inspire those around him.

Jill Miranda Tan brings over 20 years of leadership and expertise in strategic planning, people management, and marketing to Thrive Philippines’ advisory board. Currently a Project Manager at Concentrix, with prior roles in sales and marketing in the hospitality industry Jill’s career demonstrates her skill in relationship building, strategy execution, and team leadership. Her dedication to impactful initiatives aligns seamlessly with Thrive’s mission to provide daily school meals to children in underserved communities, making her an invaluable asset to the organization.

Pax Doromal is President and CEO of Kapwa Agroforestry Corporation, leading ventures for sustainable agriculture and forest management. He also serves as a Board Trustee for the Haribon Foundation, supporting biodiversity conservation in the Philippines. Pax also spearheaded the development and implementation of the Kusina ng Kalinga feeding program by Gawad Kalinga. Thrive is honored to have Pax lend his extensive expertise and passion for sustainability to advance delivering healthy meals to undernourished schoolchildren everyday.

Roberto de Ocampo, OBE, is a distinguished Filipino public servant who has held prominent positions in government, including Secretary of Finance and Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of the Philippines. He achieved international acclaim as “Finance Minister of the Year” awarded by Euromoney Magazine, becoming the first Filipino and only the second ASEAN finance minister to receive this prestigious recognition. Currently, Mr. Ocampo serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Philippine Veterans Bank. He is a dedicated advocate for educational initiatives, supporting programs such as Thrive’s mission to provide daily meals to schoolchildren, ensuring that hunger does not hinder their education.

Julia has known about Thrive since childhood through the Gabel family. She joined the Thrive Youth Council because “I am very grateful for the wonderful life that I have been given, and I know for many around the world this is not the same.” She loves listening to music, hanging out with friends, and sushi.

Maddy first heard about Thrive through the Gabel family and joined the Thrive Youth Council because “I love the feeling of helping others, especially the ones who are less fortunate.” She enjoys playing lacrosse, the violin, and listening to music. Her favorite food is pasta.

Lily was introduced to Thrive by her friends at school and joined the Thrive Youth Council “to help the kids get the food they need.” She enjoys volleyball, paddle boarding, and sushi.

Kassiani joined the Thrive Youth Council after being invited to the first meeting by Mrs. Harris. “It breaks my heart that there are people in the world that can’t find food for themselves. It shouldn’t be the way it is.” She loves swimming, tennis, reading, board games, and traveling—and she loves all food!

Alice was introduced to Thrive through her mother, a co-founder of the organization. She has visited schools in Bangladesh and witnessed Thrive’s impact firsthand. “I think it’s really important to help people who suffer with food insecurity and aren’t privileged with the food we eat every day.” She enjoys music, golf, track, volleyball, skiing, and running, and her favorite food is raspberries.

Elizabeth learned about Thrive through friends and joined the Thrive Youth Council because “I think it’s important to provide people in need with as much help as possible. Food and education is something so many people take for granted.” She loves field hockey, skiing, and spending time with her dogs, and her favorite food is pasta.

Morgan was introduced to Thrive by a friend and joined the Thrive Youth Council because “it breaks my heart to see children around the world worrying about what their next meal is.” He enjoys running, reading, and trying food from around the world.

Introduced to Thrive through her family, Daphne joined the Thrive Youth Council because “I think it’s a really important and good cause that should be supported and I hope to make an impact in it.” She loves playing volleyball and basketball, and her favorite food is hot dogs.

Throop first learned about Thrive through an elementary school presentation. He joined the Thrive Youth Council because “it is a great opportunity to learn about real-world teamwork and give help to people trapped in poverty.” He enjoys football, running, and a good fried chicken sandwich.

Introduced to Thrive through his school and friends, Nadeem joined the Thrive Youth Council because “seeing people worse off than me struggle hurts and I wanted to do whatever I could to help them.” He enjoys swimming and his favorite food is mashed potatoes.

Dr. Ma. Cleofas, brings over 20 years of experience in environmental engineering, covering areas such as pollution control, hazardous waste management, water systems, and environmental compliance. She is a highly recognized figure in the Philippines for her contributions to sustainable development and environmental systems management.

Tim served as national consultant on health systems strengthening, social protection for vulnerable subpopulations in the Philippines through the Asian Development Bank, and have introduced clinical cancer nutrition management for Filipino pediatric cases through the International Initiatives for Pediatrics & Nutrition. As a Nutritionist-Dietitian and an advocate for pediatric nutrition programs, supporting optimal growth and development of vulnerable children through school meal provisions would be strategic, cost-effective

Charis is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, and start-up operations. She is currently the Development Director at Thrive Global, where she oversees global fundraising and partnerships. Previously, as the Strategic Partnerships Director at International Care Ministries, she managed multi-million dollar portfolios of private and public institutional funders. Charis excels in fund development, program management, and corporate communications. Her strategic planning skills have secured multi-year grants and fostered cross-sectoral partnerships. She also has extensive experience in marketing and advertising, as well as start-up operations, especially in service product development and human capital. Charis holds a BA in Film and Audio-Visual Communication from the University of the Philippines and an Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology

Dyan is an international development adviser to community-based organizations, international agencies, and diplomatic missions.

Griffin is a seasoned financial professional with a diverse background spanning corporate finance, accounting management, and consulting. Currently serving as Corporate Finance Manager at Nelnet, he excels in delivering comprehensive financial reports and driving strategic initiatives. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his growing family, including his wife Emily, son Wesley, son due in May 2024, and their beloved dog Milo.

Sari radiates positivity as a social media consultant from the sunny Philippines! With a heart full of affection for children, she’s lent her time to volunteering for them both locally and internationally.

Motivated by a desire to make a meaningful impact, Sari channels her expertise in social media, including her flair for audio and video editing, to empower communities. It is her aspiration to seamlessly blend her creative passion with her dedication to service, and with Thrive, she’s taking meaningful steps toward making that a reality.

Stacey Mihaly is a seasoned development and marketing leader who has a long career history of driving growth for global, national, regional and local nonprofits. Her expertise spans the areas of strategic planning, fundraising planning and execution, communications, cause marketing, and the building of development programs and teams.

Throughout her career, Stacey has always understood that the path to growth for any nonprofit is clear, emotive, and honest communications, as well as the building and sustaining of donor relationships at all levels of support. She is driven by the imperative to help people make giving decisions that satisfy their desire to make the world a better place.

Stacey is delighted to be a member of Thrive’s Advisory Council and to lend her expertise wherever it might be most useful.

Eugene B Mihaly (Gene) taught international business at the business schools of UC Berkeley and Dartmouth College (Tuck School). He currently consults on non-profit management, teaches in a lifelong learning program and serves on a number of boards and other bodies, most notably the Jamestown RI library of which he is chair. He has written and spoken extensively on international economic affairs. In government, he served as head of East Asia programs of the Peace Corps and as director of the large Peace Corps program in Tanzania. He also acted as a policy planner in the Agency for International Development (AID).

Eli transitioned her career from corporate to development work in 2017 inspired by her relief operations trip during typhoon Haiyan. She is passionate about food security, sustainability and community engagement. Eli is based in Manila, Philippines with her dog Fuji.

Drawing on experience across a wide variety of businesses and industries, John specializes in guiding organizations to a culture of growth through continuous innovation. At IBM, he built a digital business consulting program and role within cloud technical sales and professional services. Before IBM, John led product management in a range of companies, from startups like Chemdex/Ventro to large companies like Claris/Apple and Charles Schwab. John believes that tackling big challenges takes persistent, iterative learning towards a compelling long-term vision and that transforming communities starts with the health and education of children. John received his MBA at San Francisco State University and his BA in Biology at Colgate University. He currently resides in Inverness Park, California.

Sara LaTrielle has worked in program management, organizational leadership, and improvement in a variety of donor-funded organizations throughout Asia, Africa, and the United States, including PSI (Population Services International), CDC (Center for Disease Control), and icddr,b (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) focusing on global health and social marketing projects. Sara has extended her project management to academic institutions over the last five years. She oversees a growing global public health research project portfolio with Cornell University. Sara received her MBA at the University of Montana and her BA in Anthropology and Asian Studies at the University of Montana and currently resides in Missoula, Montana.

Priscilla moved to Dhaka in 2012. Her A-ha! moment? It came unexpectedly when she and her friends felt genuine joy at seeing the impact made by giving a banana to a hungry child. Priscilla feels crazy lucky that Thrive took root; she can’t imagine a better way to spend her time than by helping Thrive thrive. Having worked in the development sector for more than 20 years, Priscilla visits Bangladesh and the Philippines, and keeps an ear out for other in need of food. When not handing out bananas you’ll catch her hiking with her family of six. Make her day: Ask how you can join Thrive.Get in touch with Priscilla!

Kasey has always been passionate about supporting women and children in need. After having three little boys of her own, she became well-versed in the hunger needs of children, and joined the team helping with donor engagement. She currently lives in Michigan with her husband and sons.

Janelle was born and raised in the Philippines, a Typhoon Haiyan survivor, and a volunteer worker since 2009. She volunteers for different socio-civic organizations and is passionate about helping, especially those hit by typhoons. She lives with her family and five dogs! Janelle loves traveling and riding a motorcycle too!

Emma has enjoyed a career in Advertising for the past decade but also does freelance graphic design for projects and organizations that she is passionate about, including THRIVE. She lives with her husband and two boys in Michigan. They share a love of the great outdoors and enjoy camping, biking, hiking and traveling.

Kathy is a marketing entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience developing and executing marketing and advertising campaigns. Her experience includes blue-chip corporate product launches and helping small business owners plan and execute custom, strategic marketing plans. Kathy brings experience in digital marketing, social media, brand strategy, content development, and integrated branded experiences. Kathy and her family live in Michigan where they enjoy traveling, skiing, biking, running, and being active together as a family! *

Sharmin Akhi “Akhi” was born and raised in Bangladesh. Akhi received a Master’s in Computer Science at Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka.Akhi manages Thrive, Bangladesh’s operations and donor support. She works with Direct Fresh to create nutritional menus and to ensure the meals are delivered without fail.Akhi has always had the intention to help needy people towards the betterment of the world.

Kanwal has an undergraduate degree in physics and a postgrad in computer science. She’s lived in Dhaka for the last 17 years with her husband and two sons. A wearer of many hats, she’s worked in banking, as the registrar of American International School of Dhaka and, most recently, as an entrepreneur.

Farhan is an entrepreneur & professional with a passion for tech startups & socially responsible businesses. With a decade of experience working in Bangladesh, his key areas of focus are in business strategy, fundraising & management consulting, and possesses a keen understanding of innovative youth-centric marketing at scale. Farhan inherited a life-long enthusiasm for philanthropy from his parents & grandparents who have been ardent supporters of various causes particularly with regard to children’s issues such as education, nutrition & healthcare. In his personal time, he enjoys martial arts and useless trivia. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in Government & Legal Studies specialized in International Relations with a minor in Economics.

Zulfikar is a Bangladeshi national and a true entrepreneur at heart. He is the Managing Director of Ezzy Group, which is a group of companies spread across several industries. He is also the Honorary Consul of Guatemala in Bangladesh. Besides being an entrepreneurial spirit, he has always been passionate about giving back to the society and supporting everyone around him. For Zulfikar, joining Thrive is a means to direct this passion into creating the most positive impact possible. On a typical day, you will find Zulfikar at one of the three places: at work, at the gym, or at home with his family.

Rose is a public health professional specializing in water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion. She received her master of public health degree in environment and health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Earlier, she worked for USAID in the Bureau for Global Health and also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia, West Africa. While living in Bangladesh for two years, Rose worked for Population Services & Training Center (a local NGO) as a technical adviser for a project focusing on improving environmental health in poor urban communities. This Raleigh, North Carolina, native and her family have since left Bangladesh for Morocco. Rose is an outdoor enthusiast and loves exploring the wonders of the world with her husband and three children.

Shelley is a repeat entrepreneur, strategist and digital marketer experienced in Consumer Goods & Services. She’s spent her career developing products and customer experiences that drive revenue for Fortune 500 clients in the cannabis, retail, communications and media industries. From taking Bravo The Real Housewives on tour across the U.S. to developing employee experiences with McKinsey, Shelley is passionate about solving problems with talented teams. Shelley recently joined Accenture on the Products team in the Atlanta office.

Dana graduated from James Madison College at Michigan State University. She has a background in non profit fundraising in the areas of politics, health research and education, and higher education. She spent nine years living in Australia and Brazil with her husband and son. While in Brazil, she volunteered in a orphanage close to her home, where she snuggled babies and worked with toddlers to develop fine motor skills. Today, she is a photographer living in Michigan.

Louie, a former federal prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer, is a partner at the international law firm Jones Day. Louie regularly counsels Fortune 500 companies and executives facing government investigations and high-stakes civil litigation. From 2012 to 2013, Louie served as the Resident Legal Advisor to the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, where he trained lawyers, judges, and investigators on advance trial skills, anti-money laundering, and the detection and prosecution of terrorist financing. Louie graduated from John Carroll University and obtained his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Today, Louie lives in Michigan with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys golf and basketball, and loves taking adventurous trips across the globe with his family.

Leni is a professional photographer and volunteered with Thrive since she moved to Dhaka in 2015. Though she currently lives in London, she is still involved with Thrive and tries to get back to Dhaka whenever possible.

Joe is the Executive Director of PAWS in Atlanta. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of Second Helpings Atlanta. Second Helpings Atlanta is a non-profit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the metropolitan Atlanta area by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need. Prior to joining Second Helpings Atlanta in May 2015, Joe was the Vice President of Product Marketing at PGi, the Chief Marketing Officer at Enterprise Information Management and spent 30 years at IBM before he retired in November 2010.

With over two decades of experience across multiple continents, also citizen of the UK and Bangladesh. Mishal has extensive investments in agrotech, fintech, digital marketing & PR, as well as renewable energy. This includes a stake holding in Business Research International (BRIC) a global investment company with large holdings in Renata Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in Bangladesh. A self-made entrepreneur at age 42, his diversified investment portfolio features numerous businesses, each successful in its own right.

Monica was born in the Philippines and raised in Northern Virginia and lived in Maui, Hawaii for most of her life.In 2017, she and her family relocated to the Philippines to be closer to relatives. Her current position at Robinsons Land Corporation is Investor Relations and Lead for Environmental Sustainability.She earned a degree in Exercise and Sports Science from George Washington University. Monica has worked in the fields of hospitality, health care, real estate, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability.She enjoys traveling, golfing, and spending time with her husband and three lovely children. Monica is enthusiastic about helping others and transforming their lives.

Lisa Skylar is the CEO of Econ One, an economic consulting firm based in Los Angeles, CA. Her primary focus is the firm’s strategy and growth in the U.S. and in India, along with driving continual improvement in the support and development of successful practice groups. Lisa has worked at Econ One since inception and has been intimately involved in the firm’s growth/expansion in the number of practice areas, experts, and its geographic reach. Feeding folks has always been a passion…..she co-founded a weekly community meal in LA where the focus was on cooking and sharing a meal you would serve your family. She cooked, served, and shared a table with a growing # of guests for over 20 years. She also thoroughly enjoys spending time with family (husband, adult daughters, teenage grandkids!!!) + friends, hiking, reading, and traveling.

Priscilla moved to Dhaka in 2012. Her A-ha! moment? It came unexpectedly when she and her friends felt genuine joy at seeing the impact made by giving a banana to a hungry child. Priscilla feels crazy lucky that Thrive took root; she can’t imagine a better way to spend her time than by helping Thrive thrive. Having worked in the development sector for more than 20 years, Priscilla visits Bangladesh and the Philippines, and keeps an ear out for other in need of food. When not handing out bananas you’ll catch her hiking with her family of six. Make her day: Ask how you can join Thrive.Get in touch with Priscilla!

Cristina Imperial Carl, graduated from Yale University and built a career in the hospitality industry. She is the CEO of Worldwide Internships Philippines. Her company specializes in creating life-changing experiences abroad for university students and young graduates through professional internships. The organization aims to give young professionals the tools and opportunities to get international experience, and a chance to live abroad. She partners with purpose-driven organizations such as “Give Life” where she and her company offer assistance and provide scholarships to underprivileged students. She lends a lot of her time by helping students attain their goals of international travel and training, and by providing them career advice.

Debbie is a communications consultant with more than 25 years of experience helping companies with media relations, corporate positioning, and community relations. She began her career at a Los Angeles-based public relations agency, headed communications at companies including PowerBar and Wesabe, and served as a consultant for numerous start-ups and established corporations. She has volunteered and provided strategic counsel for nonprofits focused on literacy, gender equality, and education. She is a board member of the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado and Durango PlayFest. A recent Colorado transplant, Debbie and her husband enjoy hiking, paddle boarding, and trying to keep up with their twin boys on the ski slopes.

Kanwal has an undergraduate degree in physics and a postgrad in computer science. She’s lived in Dhaka for the last 17 years with her husband and two teenage boys. A wearer of many hats she’s worked in banking, as the registrar of American International School of Dhaka and, most recently, as an entrepreneur.

Amna is a retired school teacher and has been living in Bangladesh for the past 33 years. She was born in India, a descendant from the ancient Rajput Suryavanshi warrior Bargujar clan.

Jack is a senior trial attorney and litigator at Taft Law firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hespecializes in high-stakes litigation and regulatory compliance matters across a broad arrayof sectors.When not at the office, he spends his time cheering on his three children and going on longwalks with his wife, Missy.

Arsalan is a Bangladeshi national. He attended Shrewsbury School in the UK followed by an undergraduate degree at University College London in construction management.

Vance received his bachelor’s in Economics from California State University then Graduate work at San Diego State University in Labor Economics. He served in regional and global leadership roles with Nike and Thermo Fisher Scientific in the areas of Supply Chain, Transportation/Logistics, and Sourcing. During that time living and working in the USA, Europe, China and most recently Singapore and Thailand. Vance also served on the Graduate School Advisory Board at Northeastern University and participated in their Mentoring Program. While at Nike, he co-founded their Hispanic Caucus and was a founding member of Nike’s Summer Internship Program focused on minority students.

Sadia lives in Bangladesh. Sadia was born and raised in India. She married a banker and moved about the Far East before coming back to Bangladesh. Sadia operates a beauty business and has been writing a beauty-related column for Dhaka’s Daily Star newspaper for over a decade.

Rebecca is a global public health professional specializing in health communication and behavior change. She worked for Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs and has a master of public health degree in community and behavioral health. This active Rotarian and her 16-year-old son have lived in Bangladesh from 2012-15. Rebecca is originally from Rock Island, Illinois – home of The Blues Brothers! She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar and has lived and worked in Tanzania, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Gina received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from John Carroll University and master’s degree in special education (LD) from Michigan State University.

A Mission that Began With a Banana with Gina Gabel and Priscilla Heffelfinger

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