People

Alexie Ferreria Mercado is the Manager – Asia, Pacific and Middle East at Myriad USA. She previously served as the Director of Operations at Give2Asia where she provided oversight on the Friends Fund program, grantmaking operations and Give2Asia’s Country Advisor team. She joined Give2Asia in 2012 as a Field Advisor for the Philippines and has also managed the Disaster Response program. Prior to joining Give2Asia, Alexie was with the Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium, an independent association that supported the growth and development of philanthropy in the Asia Pacific region. Alexie completed her Master’s degree in International Relations in the Brussels campus of the University of Kent, Canterbury. She is also a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. 

Brenda Orellana is the Gifts Manager at Myriad USA. She is responsible for managing donations, invoices, and providing assistance to donors. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Brenda was Creative Director and Project Manager for a full-service data analytics and strategic development consulting firm where she oversaw project activities and client resources. She was also Artistic Director for Hear Me Roar Theater where she focused on overseeing and developing programs and outreach for BIPOC Artist. Brenda earned her BA at California State University, Long Beach and MFA at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Brenda is fluent in Spanish and English.

As a Corporate Portfolio Manager, David Sims supports the stewardship of Myriad USA’s corporate donors to realize their international grantmaking goals. He holds a Master’s in International Development from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. in Political Science from Rice University. Prior to Myriad USA, he was a Philanthropy Advisor to corporate donors with Give2Asia, spent five years working for a housing and community development nonprofit in Maryland where he supported grantmaking and nonprofit capacity building efforts, and was a Peace Corps volunteer doing youth and community development in rural Thailand.  

Ellena E. Fotinatos is the Chief Operating Officer & Europe Lead for Myriad USA. Ellena joined in 2012 and in her tenure has worked to expand the portfolio of European partners, worked with individual and corporate donors, overhauled operations, and improved the visibility of the foundation.  Previously, she spent three years at Columbia University as a Special Projects Coordinator at the Center for Energy, Marine Transportation and Public Policy (CEMTPP). Ellena completed her Master’s degree in International Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) with a focus on International Security Studies. She is fluent in Greek and proficient in Italian.  

Emily Smith is a Corporate Portfolio Manager at Myriad USA, managing donor relationships and supporting corporate grantmaking engagements. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Emily worked as a Senior Philanthropy Associate at Give2Asia, stewarding corporate clients and providing grant management support. Her experience includes case management and program coordination in the non-profit sector, and she has worked with federal programs supporting refugee and immigrant communities in the United States. Emily earned her bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College in International Studies and Spanish and is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship. 

Jean Paul Warmoes is the Chief Executive Officer of Myriad USA. He previously served as Executive Director of the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS) and before that, as Director for International Relations of the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF), one of the leading foundations in Europe. Prior to joining KBF, Jean Paul oversaw business development for an ODA consulting firm, and worked in Tokyo, Sydney and Paris. Jean Paul holds a Master’s degree from the Solvay Business School (University of Brussels), and earned degrees in foreign trade and international comparative management. He is fluent in French and Dutch. 

Kady Sylla serves as Myriad USA’s Director – Africa. She oversees our partnerships with African nonprofits and donor relations, network-building, and programs. She brings a vital philanthropy and international development background and has dedicated her career to Africa’s social sector. Kady’s prior experience includes working with public and private institutions like USAID, Open Society Foundations (OSF), and UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). Her passion for social justice and commitment to social impact in Africa is driven by her and her family’s experience of being forced to leave their native Guinea (West Africa) as refugees for settlement in New York.

Lucie Decrion is the Finance Manager at Myriad USA. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Lucie worked as an Accounting Manager for a communication and advertising agency in the food and beverage industry. Before that, she served as an Accountant for accounting firms in the UK and France. Lucie is a graduate of EST’M School in France, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources. Additionally, she pursued advanced studies by enrolling in the Master’s program in Accounting and Finance at Comptalia in France.

As Director of Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Ly Tran oversees and leads strategy and growth of our partnerships and programs in these regions. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Ly was the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Give2Asia where she led the business development of Give2Asia in the Asia Pacific region by forging strategic partnerships to create a collaborative and effective philanthropic ecosystem in Asia. An anthropologist by training, Ly had previously worked extensively in international development with UNICEF, UNESCO, and international NGOs for over a decade. Ly received her Master’s degree in Public Policy and International Development from the Netherlands and Spain. 

As the Development and Communications Manager, Maryna Tkachenko supports and coordinates Myriad USA’s development plan and communications strategy. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Maryna served as the Development and Communications Manager at the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS), and interned at the Global Justice Center, where she focused on developing communications content, publications, and digital outreach. Maryna earned her BA from Brooklyn College at the City University of New York, and Master’s degree from Columbia University. Maryna is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian and continues to improve her proficiency in Polish and Spanish. 

Prior to joining Myriad USA, Molly was the Graduate Assistant at the Center for Career Development at The Cooper Union and Administrative Assistant at the Office of Global Initiatives at the Marxe School for Public & International Affairs at Baruch College at the City University of New York. She completed her Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration with a focus on international education at Baruch College and her Bachelor’s in Spanish and Latin American Studies at the State University of NY at New Paltz. She has lived in Argentina as a Rotary Youth Exchange student and studied abroad in Spain, Brazil, and Germany. She is fluent in Spanish and continues to improve her proficiency in Portuguese.

Monica Carrillo Zegarra has extensive experience working with non-profit that achieved UN-guided law reforms on gender and racial equity. She was Regional Director of Latin America at Thousand Currents, leading grantmaking and expansion strategies. Monica received the Outstanding Award of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (2022), and she was a keynote at the NASDAQ Closing Bell ceremony for the International Day of Women. Google Earth, Americas Council, UN, and The Elders have recognized her as a global leader. Monica’s bio is included in the “Dictionary of the Caribbean and Latin American Biography,” featuring individuals who have impacted the history of the African diaspora.

Nirmala Laljie is the Corporate Portfolio Assistant at Myriad USA. Nirmala is fluent in Spanish and has over two years of dedicated nonprofit experience. Prior to joining Myriad USA, Nirmala was the Operations Officer at a NYC-focused nonprofit and the Donation Administrative Assistant for a global girls’ rights organization. She completed her Master’s degree in International Relations with a concentration in Latin America & the Caribbean at New York University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Spanish Language & Literature from Stony Brook University.

As the director of family philanthropy, Rebecca Stibbe works with individuals and families, family foundations, and professional advisors to facilitate support of nonprofit initiatives across the globe. With significant experience in donor engagement, gift planning, and grantmaking, she worked most recently with generous donors and their advisors as the SVP, charitable and legacy services at Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing^® and as the director of philanthropic services at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Rebecca has a Master’s degree in Business: Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received the  Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy^® designation from The American College of Financial Services. She is also a 21/64 certified advisor, trained in multigenerational philanthropic advising and facilitation.

Sheena Agarwal leads Myriad USA’s global partnerships and strategic engagements. She also oversees the global corporate portfolio, disaster programming, and the Asia, Pacific, & Middle East regional team. Prior to Myriad USA, she was Vice President at Give2Asia where she led all philanthropic services and programs across the organization. She has also worked on USAID-funded projects in a variety of sectors including climate change and civil society strengthening. Sheena has a master’s degree in international development from American University in Washington, D.C.

Suzana Erickson is the Grants Manager & Europe Liaison of Myriad USA, where she oversees our growing portfolio of grantees and manages relationships with our European partners. Suzana previously worked as a Program Coordinator at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is fluent in Serbo-Croatian, and has traveled extensively around the world. She earned her BA in Journalism from the University of Banja Luka.