Leadership
Trevor Neilson, Partner & President >
Trevor has advised many of the world's leading philanthropists including Bill Gates, Bono, President Bill Clinton and Sir Richard Branson, and has been involved in the creation and implementation of multiple world- renowned philanthropic initiatives. Learn more about Trevor.
Maggie Neilson, Partner & C.E.O. >
Maggie has developed and implemented strategies for domestic and international social issues ranging from microfinance to childhood obesity for clients including the United Nations, The Eva Longoria Foundation, John Legend's Show Me Campaign and the M.A.C. Global AIDS Fund. Maggie holds an MBA from Columbia University. Learn more about Maggie. |
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Team |
| The Global Philanthropy Group team's expertise includes non-profit management, corporate philanthropy, strategy, government, communications, events, advocacy and a wide range of issues' experience. Most importantly, each team member cares deeply about the issues we work on and is dedicated to helping our clients create lasting, positive impact on the topics they care about. |
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Sarah Ezzy, Director >
Sarah has advised a range of government, business and non-profit clients. Her work has included advising international organizations about how to scale up human resources and strengthen supply chains to ensure that critical medications reach HIV/AIDS patients; developing programming to address gender-related obstacles in areas including health care and financial services; and exploring ways to encourage economic growth in the least developed countries through public/private partnerships. Sarah has specific expertise in developing political institutions and civil society organizations in the Middle East and North Africa. She has also served as an election official in several international elections. Sarah was most recently with Booz Allen Hamilton's Strategy and Organization Practice where she worked with international organizations, developing country governments, domestic policy makers and NGOs on a range of development issues. Her clients included the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; National Institutes of Health; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; the U.S. State Department; the United Nations; USAID; the World Bank; and the World Health Organization. Sarah holds a BA in French Studies and Geography from Dartmouth College and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. She speaks fluent French and is co-founder of SADIQ, a non-profit organization created to support Iraqi refugees in the Middle East. |
Sarah Jones Simmer, Director >
Sarah has broad experience in both the for-profit and non-profit financial markets, where she has focused on project management, analytical research, and business development initiatives. Prior to joining GPG, she worked as an associate at a Los Angeles-based hedge fund, where she developed proprietary tools to monitor market conditions and performed comprehensive analyses to support investment decisions. She previously managed fundraising and development efforts for Ladder Up, an entrepreneurial non-profit in Chicago dedicated to providing access to financial solutions for low-income families. She has interned at several other non-profit organizations and served in Americorps. Sarah is a dedicated volunteer with Project X, where she supports initiatives that provide access to education for young women in Kenya. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and a Master's in Public Policy from Northwestern University. |
Gina Coburn, Senior Advisor >
Gina was most recently Managing Director at a consulting firm where she led strategic planning and managed philanthropic projects for individual and corporate foundation clients.
Prior to that she was Vice President of Equity Capital Markets for Deutsche Bank where she originated and executed public equity transactions for corporations in the media, technology, telecommunication and consumer industries. She advised corporate clients on financing alternatives and marketing strategies targeting institutional investors.
As Director of Corporate Development at Dreamlife, Inc., an Internet start-up company focused on the self-improvement market, Gina led the corporate strategy and content acquisition teams. In the Strategic Planning Group at The Walt Disney Company, Gina worked with senior executives to evaluate and develop strategic initiatives for the Broadcasting and Studio divisions. Her work also focused on new business initiatives including developing business plans for new cable channels including a soap opera channel and Disney Channel Latin America. She was also involved in the preparation of strategic plans for the ABC Network, ABC Owned TV Stations, Disney/ABC Cable and ESPN.
She serves on the Governing Board at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, where she is Secretary and a member of the Executive and Finance Committees. She also advises the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing on its fundraising efforts. Gina received a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. |
Kate Cochran, Senior Advisor >
Kate brings a career as a nonprofit executive, management consultant and active Board member to GPG. For the past ten years, she has held leadership positions in international development organizations providing financial services and access to higher education to millions of the world's poorest citizens. She is currently a founding Board member of Upaya Social Ventures, an organization that invests and builds businesses employing the ultra-poor of India. Previous roles have included creating a running a $10 million arts education grantmaking program in Silicon Valley and providing human resources counsel to Fortune 100 clients. Her private nonprofit consulting clients have ranged from management support organizations to nonprofit theatres to asset building initiatives for the working poor. Kate holds a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA Anderson. |
Emily Ford, Senior Advisor >
Emily brings communications, strategy and marketing experience to GPG. She spent the last six years in luxury retail marketing, publicity and branding for PUIG Fashion, the holding company for the Carolina Herrera and Nina Ricci fashion houses.
Emily's work at PUIG evolved from an internship into establishing and overseeing relationships with advertisers, publicists, celebrities and editors. She helped convert those relationships into meaningful commercial outcomes for PUIG, including coverage in VOGUE, Harper's Bazaar, W, the New York Times and various television programs. In addition, she managed press for the New York and Paris fashion shows for both Herrera and Ricci.
Emily's philanthropic work has included grassroots efforts on education and animal rights. She has worked with the Humane Society and ASPCA and is an advocate for Prep for Prep, Posse, East Harlem School and American Tap Dance Foundation. Emily holds a BBA from University of Miami's School of Business Administration. |
John Gordon, Senior Advisor >
John Gordon is a digital strategist, marketer and creative thinker with more than 15 years experience developing memorable social good campaigns and creating influence for companies, NGOs and Foundations. John was an early pioneer in the use of e-advocacy, email marketing and viral content to achieve basic rights for LGBT Americans, protect species and habitat, end death squads, ban assault weapons, empower women and girls, register people to vote, and elect members of Congress.
Most recently, John was Senior Vice President of Digital at Fenton where he was the lead strategist on groundbreaking campaigns to help Stonyfield Organics demand labeling for Genetically Modified Organism foods, UN Women create a global movement to end violence against women, Artists Against Fracking ban fracking in New York state, and Grameen Bank engage Bangladeshi people in standing up to their government and supporting economic opportunities for women.
John serves on the advisory board of Riverkeeper and has spoken about social media and movement-building at the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Global Violence Prevention, The Guardian Sustainable Business Workshop, Social Media Week and InterAction Forum. He received his BS in marketing from the University of Oregon. |
Andrea Riggs, Senior Advisor >
Andrea Riggs has diverse communications experience including consumer and industry PR, corporate reputation, issues/crises management, financial and employee communications. She advises to enterprise software, online travel, financial services, online games and mobile technology organizations.
Previously, Andrea spent seven years with IAC/InterActiveCorp and led communications strategy for 20+ acquisitions, two divestitures, six new brand start-ups and three company restructurings. At IAC she served as Director of Public Relations with Expedia, Inc., built and managed the U.S. consumer PR program for Ask.com, and led multi-platform communications strategies for sponsorships with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Autism Speaks, Web Wise Kids and NASCAR.
Prior to IAC Andrea was Vice President of Edelman Public Relations, a technology practice in Chicago. There she oversaw the global Expedia account team and business-to-business technology accounts including Motorola’s Land Mobile Products Sector.
Andrea began her career as Director of Public Relations for the City of Wichita, Kansas, where she reported directly to Mayor Bob Knight. In 2005 Andrea co-founded Yoga to the People (Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Berkeley and Seattle), a donations-based yoga studio dedicated to making yoga available to everyone. Andrea holds a BA in Communications, English and Spanish from Wichita State University in Kansas. |
George Short, Senior Advisor >
George brings extensive experience as both a legal advisor to philanthropic families and businesses, and as an active Board member and officer of nonprofit organizations. He currently serves on the Board and the executive committee of Direct Relief International and the Direct Relief Foundation, the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation and the Glendon Association. George previously served on the board of the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, UCLA School of Public Affairs, and the Sports and Law Program for the Constitutional Rights Foundation. He is a shareholder in the corporate, tax and estate planning practices of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. George is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, and is a frequent author and lecturer on both legal and non-legal matters. |
Alexis Nichols, Operations Manager >
Alexis has marketing, logistics, operations, and project management expertise. Prior to joining Global Philanthropy Group, she worked at a consulting firm for nonprofits where she aided in the overall brand redesign and created a marketing campaign focusing on community outreach and social media. While working for a property development company specializing in affordable housing for families and seniors, Alexis developed innovative solutions for building projects and streamlining business practices. She is a member of Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit organization advancing the arts and arts education. Alexis holds a BA in Communication and Art History from UC Santa Barbara where she graduated with honors and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from California Lutheran University. As a part of her graduate studies, Alexis completed the International Business Seminars program in Europe. |
Melissa Simpson, Senior Analyst >
Melissa brings experience implementing humanitarian initiatives in developing countries. Before joining GPG, Melissa worked in the international development industry in Washington, DC. She managed US government-funded projects and contributed to business development in conflict and post-conflict countries including Afghanistan, Haiti, and South Sudan. Melissa holds a BA in Spanish, Italian, and International Affairs from the University of Georgia and an MA in International Relations/Economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Her SAIS concentration was on conflict management, for which she conducted research and analysis on solutions to conflict in Somalia and interned for the US government in Rwanda. Melissa has professional proficiency in Spanish, French, and Italian. |
Rachel Katz, Senior Analyst >
Rachel's experience in social media, public relations and communications for the private and non-profit sectors has helped her develop expertise on how online communities and social media can be harnessed to drive awareness and action. Before joining GPG, Rachel held public relations and communications positions at the Fresh Air Fund and the United Nations Development Programme. Her research experience includes analyzing technology trends and current issues in local and emerging markets. Most recently, Rachel managed social media and the online community for Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference. Rachel holds a BS in Media, Culture, and Communication from New York University. Her studies focused on media, globalization, and the impact of emerging media on society. She also studied nutrition and food security in North Africa on a research scholarship. |
Catherine Herzog, Analyst >
Catherine has worked in network television, talent management and online media. Before joining Global Philanthropy Group, Catherine worked for a global digital media company in Australia. In this role, she represented the company in Asia-Pacific territories handling all marketing, communications, branding and sponsorships. Catherine's focus on lifestyle and brand management has allowed her to work with clients in various industries including non-profit, TV, film, music, automotive, culinary, retail, therapy and technology. Over the course of her career, Catherine developed and sustained valuable non-profit partnerships for major TV networks and talent agencies. Catherine has worked with underprivileged youth in the U.S., Mexico, Spain and Thailand. She volunteers with Peace4Kids, which provides programs and services for foster and at-risk youth in Watts, Compton and other low-income Los Angeles neighborhoods. In 2009, Catherine began her role as a teacher and program supervisor for the organization, as well as a mentor for three children from the program. Catherine holds a BA in Communications with a focus in Sociology from Pepperdine University. |
Caitlin Irwin, Analyst >
Caitlin has worked in government, health policy, urban poverty and international development. Prior to joining Global Philanthropy Group, Caitlin worked for the Senate Commerce Committee in Washington, DC, where she researched relevant legislative issues for the committee and assisted with the preparation of bills, amendments and resolutions. On behalf of the Kaiser Family Foundation, Caitlin performed communications research and outreach for Kaiser's health policy resources. She has volunteered with women and children's projects in Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Caitlin also led meals for the homeless in Berkeley, CA and inner-city volunteer projects in Washington, D.C. She holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley in Political Economy, where her studies focused on economic development and women's issues in Latin America. Caitlin is conversational in Spanish. |
Janai Speer, Analyst >
Janai has worked in public education, corporate philanthropy, global product and brand marketing, and public relations. Most recently, she managed internal and external communications for the ninth-largest school district in the state of California. While working for a global skincare company, Janai was part of the founding team that launched the company's global micro lending initiative focused on financially empowering women. She previously volunteered with Communities in Schools, assisting with development, PR and event planning. Janai is currently a member of Step Up Women's Network, a national non-profit organization focused on mentoring at-risk teens. She holds a BA degree in Communication with a minor in Political Science from Washington State University, where she graduated cum laude and founded the university's Invisible Children 'Schools for Schools' chapter. Janai earned her MA from University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where she published her thesis about non-profit arts organizations succeeding in the recession. |
Elyse Burden, Account Coordinator >
Elyse has experience with social media campaigns, communications strategy and international nonprofit organizations. She co-founded Lovemine, an organization focused on using social media for fundraising and policy advocacy in Burma, and also served as Media Director for the Free Burma Rangers in Thailand, collecting and packaging strategic media materials and human rights documentation for international press outlets and advocacy groups. She currently volunteers for the International Rescue Committee, helping newly settled refugees acclimate and find employment. She holds a B.A. in International Politics and Political Science from Pepperdine University. |
Will Dirickx- Jones, Account Coordinator >
Will has worked in social media strategy, content creation and management with a number of organizations including the Planeteer Movement, United Nations Young Professionals, musician Scott Walker and UK campaigning organization 38 Degrees. In addition to content creation and management, Will has experience in digital media analytics, including advanced training in tools designed to inform and enhance social media research and strategy implementation. Will studied Communications at Charles Sturt University, before completing a post-graduate Diploma at the Australian Film, TV & Radio School (AFTRS). |
Abby Pick, Account Coordinator >
Abby has extensive experience in teaching, counseling, marketing and community outreach. Prior to working with GPG, Abby was a Professional Relations Consultant in the health care field where she worked to create and maintain a strong referral network of doctors while overseeing marketing for a private practice. Abby has taught in inner-city schools, lead a team in fundraising for individuals affected by cancer, and headed a counseling group for children whose parents were divorcing. Abby holds a BA in Communications and Business from the University of Arizona. |
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