Biography
For the last 16 years I have had the privilege to serve as Co-founder & CEO of the award-winning global non-profit, Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), that I co-founded with General Mills leadership in 2008.
PFS brings together leading international food companies, governments, private donors, and more than 1,600 African Food companies to address food security, nutrition and economic development across eleven African countries.
PFS creates impact by sharing the private sector know-how of their corporate partners with high potential African food companies. This work helps PFS clients across Africa employ tens of thousands of workers, provide markets for millions of smallholder farmers, and serve hundreds of millions of consumers with billions of safer and healthier meals.
I have worked for both large, international companies and organizations like Cargill and World Vision as well as scrappy start-up ventures. I have also lived and worked with my family in both Zambia and Kenya and have had the privilege of spending meaningful time and building relationships with social entrepreneurs, civic, religious, social justice, and government leaders, philanthropists, and individuals in more than 25 countries.
In acknowledgement of my leadership and the impact of PFS, I have in recent years been named both an Ashoka Fellow and a Bush Fellow, honors reserved for some of the world’s leading social innovators. As part of my Bush Fellowship, I attended and graduated from University of Oxford (Saïd Business School/Pembroke College) where I earned a Masters Diploma in Organizational Leadership and at Georgetown University where I studied and became an ICF accredited leadership coach.
I am a Colorado native and currently reside in Edina, Minnesota with my wife, Molly, where I am active in my community serving on several non-profit and for-profit boards. I am a proud father of three adult children, and, as of November 2023, a proud grandfather. I love time with family and friends, biking/running/skiing/fishing in wild, beautiful places, and good conversations that get to the heart of the matter.
Skills & Expertise
I am an entrepreneurial & people-centric executive leader that can both develop clear and effective strategies, and build and lead diverse, effective teams that consistently reach ambitious goals with high employee joy & satisfaction.
I have particular expertise in: building and scaling organizations; fundraising and partnership development; motivating and inspiring others through story-telling and authentic communication that makes work purposeful for every employee and stakeholder; and deep knowledge in African Food Systems, Private-Sector Led International Development, Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprise, Cross-Sector Partnerships & Coalitions, Skills-based volunteerism and Culture & Team Development in growing and dynamic environments.
