Staff

President

Hans R. Herren is an internationally recognized scientist who lived and worked for 27 years across Africa in agriculture, health, and environmental research and capacity development. As Director of the Africa Biological Control Center of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria, he conceived and implemented the highly successful biological control program against the cassava mealy bug and the green mite that saved the cassava crop, the staple of 200 million Africans and averted Africa’s worst-ever food crisis. For this achievement, he was awarded the World Food Prize in 1995. Under his leadership as Director General of the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, he promoted Agroecology R&D such Push-Pull in support of food security under climate and biological stresses. The lack of scientific and stakeholder input into sustainable development policies, led him to join the Millennium Institute in 2005.

Hans now advocates for holistic and multi-stakeholder approaches to development planning that take cognizance of the three dimensions of sustainability, and result from a shared vision of sustainability by all the key actors.

Hans holds numerous awards that recognize his distinguished and continuing achievements in original research and advocacy. These include the Right Livelihood Award, Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, Brandenberger Preis, and the Kilby Award. He is a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Science (NAS), a Member of the Academy of Sciences for Developing World (TWAS) and a Full Member of the Club of Rome.

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Hans earned his PhD at the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, and completed post-doctoral research at University of California, Berkeley. He is also the founder of Biovision Foundation, Switzerland.

Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Matteo leads MI’s modeling and research practice, working with governments, international organizations, and private sector stakeholders to use system dynamics simulation models for analyzing and developing sustainable development strategies. His expertise spans a broad range of development topics, including ecological agriculture and food security, green economy, health, and population dynamics. He has extensive experience working in developing and middle-income countries including Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Swaziland, Swaziland, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Senior Research Analyst and Asia Regional Lead

Steve works with government institutions and international organizations to use system dynamics models to analyze complex sustainability challenges and to derive policies to solve them. With over 15 years experience, Steve has worked on broad environmental policy and sustainable development issues, including sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, water quality, coastal zone management, and national planning for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Steve has over two decades experience living and working in developing countries including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, and Thailand.

Steve has a PhD in System Dynamics and has published on sustainable development planning, agriculture, aquaculture, environmental restoration, and sustainable consumption among others.

Senior Research Analyst and Latin America Regional Lead

As policy analyst and modeler Carla Susana has worked together with UNEP in Uruguay and Peru to develop their Green Economy assessments reports  using MI´s T21. She is also involved in training and capacity building. 

She has carried out simulation and quantitative analyses for development of decision-making tools for complex problems in the energy, food and health sectors. Before joining the Millennium Institute, Susana worked Price Waterhouse Coopers and as an analyst in a Norwegian energy company. She has also worked as a consultant at the World Bank with carbon offset projects and climate change adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Carla Susana is a Management Engineer with a master in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen. Her specialties include computer simulation, strategic planning, decision-making, and data science. She is fluent in Spanish (native), English, and Norwegian.

Manager of Malaria Program

Santiago’s areas of expertise are in System Dynamics and Industrial Engineering. He has experience modeling the dynamics of malaria transmission, and supporting governments and civil stakeholders to translate the insights gained from this into better malaria management policy at the community and national level.

Santiago is currently a PhD student at the University of Bergen, Norway. He also holds Masters degrees in System Dynamics and Industrial Electronics and Control Systems Engineering.

Policy Analyst

Derek has been working with system dynamics policy development since 2010 and has experience modeling and simulating market dynamics and industry, government and consumer decision-making structures. He most recently applied this to modeling the food market in order to develop policy and strategies to encourage transitions towards healthier food consumption, especially in lower socioeconomic status groups. Derek’s area of expertise are in system dynamics, market formation, market transformation, innovation and consumer behavior. He holds a PhD from McGill University.

Lead Sustainability Analyst

David’s areas of expertise are in System Dynamics, Sustainability Science, Scenario analysis, Political Science and Economics. He has experience working on sustainability issues at the United Nations, where he advised the European Delegation, the European Union, and non-governmental research organizations. He is currently a PhD Fellow at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, in Sweden, where his research focuses on modelling for global sustainability within the EU project Adaptation to a New Economic Reality.

David holds a joint European Master in System Dynamics (EMSD), an MSc. in Business Administration from Radboud University (Netherlands), and an MSc. in Political Sciences from Uppsala University, Sweden.

Policy Analyst

Alec has applied modeling to issues in manufacturing, cyber-security, sustainable energy systems, affordable housing, and organizational development. Combining his work and research, he focuses on designing systems methods into organizations for improving strategy and operational alignment. Alec completed his bachelor’s degrees in Organizational Psychology and Chinese Politics, and lived in China working in Human Resources at a technology firm. Following this, he worked in an American engineering firm in operations management; designing data collection & analysis tools, building performance management systems, directing process improvement, and developing business strategy. Building on this experience, he completed a masters in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen and a Masters of Business Administration from Radboud University in the Erasmus Mundus program.

Projects Coordinator

As Projects Coordinator, Ade works to expand MI’s impact within the international development sphere. He works with MI’s clients and partners to understand their sustainability challenges and develop projects to address them.

Ade has over a decade of experience in generating new engagements, proposal development, project management, client relationship cultivation and management, communications, and knowledge management. His experience includes engagements with the United Nations agencies, governments, bilateral development agencies, and civil society organizations, through which he has formed effective partnerships.

Ade holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University, in Waltham, Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Senior Advisor

Weishuang has interdisciplinary skills in system dynamics, econometrics, applied statistics, computer programming, Monte Carlo simulation, electrical engineering, systems engineering, and operations research. He developed MI’s generic Threshold 21 model, and has applied it to many countries, including: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Italy, Latvia, Malawi, Mozambique, Taiwan, Tunisia, and the United States. Weishuang also customized MI’s M3 transportation model for Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and USA, as well as MI’s Multi-Entity Gaming (MEG) model for five entities in southwestern Balkans. He has published papers in several international peer-reviewed journals. Before joining Millennium Institute, Weishuang held positions in diplomacy, technical management, research, and teaching. He holds doctoral and master of science degrees in Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, a Master of Science degree from the Graduate School of the University of Science and Technology of China, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Shanghai Jiaotong University, also in China..

Policy Analyst

Wiktoria works on enhancing national development strategy for governments. She has conducted analyses of accelerators of sustainable development, identified priority policies to achieve economic growth, and provided strategic advice on financing options to implement the policies for the governments of Uganda and Cameroon. Prior to MI, Wiktoria worked in the private sector applying analytical methods to enhance risk management processes in finance, reinsurance and international trade. She contributed to development of several risk-assessing applications and coordinated risk management services provided to customs administrations in six African countries. Wiktoria holds a Master’s degree in Science in Economics from University of Geneva and a Specialization in Data Science from John Hopkin’s University. Her research interests are in labor and health economics.

Policy Analyst

Gian applies System Dynamics to support stakeholders in their understanding of complex problems and exploration for systemic improvements. His work focuses on the application of participatory systems modelling for integrated urban planning, the analysis of socio-environmental impacts of public policies and fostering innovative solution through systemic design. Before joining the Millennium Institute, he worked several years as an organizational consultant at SAP focusing on process management and data analysis to support international organizations in understanding their data, structuring their information and improving operations. Gian holds a Master in System Dynamics degree from University of Bergen (Norway) and New University of Lisbon (Portugal), a Master in Business Administration from Radboud University of Nijmegen (Netherlands), and a Bachelor in Information Systems from the Cooperative University Mannheim (Germany).

Data Systems Analyst

As Data Systems Analyst, Emil is responsible for developing Millennium Institute’s internal data processes, as well as for improving the way data is interpreted and utilized within the iSDG framework. His interests lie in sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity conservation, as well as in interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving. Emil holds a BA in International Relations and European Studies from Babeș-Bolyai University, a MSc. in Public Management degree from the University of Palermo, a MSc. in Business Administration from Radboud University, and a MPhil in System Dynamics degree from the University of Bergen.

Senior Modeler/Policy Analyst

Gunda has studied in Germany, Argentina, Russia and Norway and completed a diploma degree (equivalent to a Masters) in Public Policy and Management at the University of Potsdam, Germany. Before joining the Millennium Institute, she worked with NGOs in Bolivia and Germany as well as with the former German Development Organization, InWEnt (now part of GIZ). With the Millennium Institute, Gunda has applied and developed several System Dynamics national models in collaboration with national governments and international organizations, among them T21-Sénégal, T21-Burkina Faso, T21-République Démocratique du Congo, T21-Kenya, and T21-Swaziland. Her work has included project management, policy analysis, research, model development, data collection and analysis, workshop facilitation, and training. She speaks German (native), English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

Linda Etim is the Senior Advisor for Africa at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has two decades of experience in crisis management, international development, democracy and governance programming, and conflict analysis. She also served as the USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa from 2015-January 2017 and Deputy Assistant Administrator from 2012-2015. Linda received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in International Affairs, French, and Portuguese, with concentrations in Agricultural Economics and African Studies. She has served on the Board of Directors for the U.S Africa Development Foundation and the Young African Leaders Initiative.

Treasurer

Christine Harada is President of i(x) investments. She has over 20 years of success in leading public policy and management consulting organizations. She has extensive government experience, most recently as the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer for the Obama Administration, where she provided oversight for all sustainability related initiatives across the Federal government in energy, fleet, and acquisitions, overseeing game-changing improvements that added to America’s clean energy future. Prior to joining the government, Christine was a management consultant to Fortune 500 and public sector clients, tackling their most pressing challenges, including business strategy development and translating that into operational excellence.

Interim CEO

John Hardy has many years experience in Economics, Finance, Consulting and Treasury, in both developed and developing regions of the world. Since 2001, John has worked has a Development Finance Advisor on projects offered by international development agencies (World Bank, EU, and USAID etc.). These assignments typically involve advising corporates, SMEs, banks, governments and other institutions on financial and business development issues.

John has held several management positions, including Managing Director at Intercap Investments Inc., Department Head in the International Treasury Division of Chemical Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) and member of the bank’s Treasury Executive Committee, Managing Consultant in the Economics Group at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), and Managing Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). John’s experience spans most regions of the world, including Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Maria Ivanova is an international relations and environmental policy scholar specializing in governance and sustainability. Her research and policy work focus on global environmental governance and the performance of international environmental institutions. She has worked on issues such as financing for the environment, US foreign environmental policy, and sustainability on campuses and in organizations. Her career, marked by teaching excellence and policy leadership, has bridged academia and policy. Her academic work has been recognized for bringing analytical rigor and innovative input to the international negotiations on reforming the UN system for environment. Maria served as a coordinating lead author in the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5), the flagship UN environmental assessment in 2012.

Maria a is Associate Professor of Global Governance at the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she also co-directs the Center for Governance and Sustainability. She is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the U.N. Secretary-General, a Board member of the U.N. University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the Global Young Academy, and an Andrew Carnegie Fellow. She also serves as Ambassador for the New Shape Prize of the Global Challenges Foundation.

Chair

Alice Kaufman is an urban and regional planner and natural resource manager with a 30-year career working in the public sector. She has extensive experience in policy development, program management, and public sector finance. Alice is an experienced change manager and has provided leadership through organizational redesign. During her long career in the federal government, she helped to develop national strategies to protect children's heath through understanding the impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals, was the head of public affairs and media relations, led community stakeholder involvement programs for the cleanup of hazardous sites, and spearheaded a cost benefit analysis approach of government spending employing a social return on investment model. Alice is also an elected member of the Town of Concord, Massachusetts Select Board.

Ndioro Ndiaye is a former Minister of Social Development, Women, Children, and Family of the Republic of Senegal. She served as Deputy Director General of International Organization for Migration (IOM), a position through which she sensitized and supported developing countries in their search for a better management of both internal and international migration management. She contributed to enhancing focus on the nexus between migration and development, and to the mainstreaming of migration into national public policies for poverty reduction, which led to the establishment of IOM’s Migration for Development in Africa program.

Robert Wiles has over thirty years experience in international development and humanitarian assistance, both at an operational and policy levels. He served in various capacities with the Canadian Agency for International Development (CIDA), most recently as its senior organizational development adviser. In 2003, Rob was Recipient of the President’s ‘Award of Excellence 2003,’ an award presented to employees for exceptional contribution to CIDA’s mandate. Rob received his education from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, where he was awarded Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Philosophy/Science; and from Harvard University, where he was award a Master of Arts in Public Administration.