About Fika
Our Board of Directors are key to our development. They provide guidance and help us strategize and innovate.
Governance
Our Board of Directors provides critical guidance and support to the entire organization. Comprised of innovative, forward-thinking leaders, our board helps to ensure that Fika is able to meet its ambitious goals.
11
Directors
7
UK Trustees
Eric has over 23 years of experience in advisory and investments in the public and private sectors across a number of key industry sectors, including energy, telecoms, infrastructure, agriculture, and education. He has worked with a number of leading investment companies with interests in telecoms and energy on the continent to help them build and execute infrastructure investment cases, generate and execute market-entry strategies, and build strong management teams.
Eric has also done extensive work in the areas of country and industry competitiveness, productivity and employment dynamics, long-term investment analysis, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development. He has previously worked for international firms such as Monitor Group and Dalberg in the US, Europe, and Africa, as well as national, regional, and local governments in the areas of organizational restructuring, strategy development, acquisitions/investment analysis, service delivery analysis, industry analysis, and competitiveness strategies.
Eric is currently leading the effort to develop the Energy Sector White Paper 2022 for Kenya. He has a BSc in Economics and Policy Analysis from Cornell University in New York.
Sue Dorsey joined the Gates Family Foundation in 2016 and is the Senior Vice President of Finance, Administration and Impact Investing. She has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, international development and finance. Sue is responsible for all financial management, accounting, investment management, human resources, reporting, compliance, and impact investing activities at the Foundation.
Prior to coming to Gates, Sue served for seven years as the Chief Financial Officer for Water for People, an NGO focused on sustainable, market-based solutions to global water and sanitation challenges. Prior to joining Water for People, Sue spent 12 years as the Executive Director of Friendship Bridge, a microfinance and education organization operating in Vietnam and Guatemala. Sue served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Costa Rica from 1990-92, working in small business development.
Sue was an adjunct professor at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School for International Studies from 2007 to 2016. She has an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Finance from the University of Vermont. Sue has served on the Board of Humentum (formerly InsideNGO) since 2013 and as Treasurer since 2015. She also currently serves on the Board for Mountain Area Land Trust in Evergreen.
Ann Cannella is a seasoned financial leader with extensive experience in both nonprofit and corporate sectors. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer for Fika, leading initiatives to strengthen financial operations and strategic planning to support the organization’s global impact. Prior to her tenure at Fika, Ann held leadership roles in corporate finance and public accounting, demonstrating her expertise in financial strategy and organizational growth.
As a dedicated advocate for sustainable development, Ann is committed to the mission of ending rural isolation through innovative infrastructure solutions. She brings a deep understanding of financial stewardship and operational excellence to her role on the Board of Directors.
Ann is a Certified Public Accountant and currently works for an international nonprofit focused on ocean resilience. When not working, she enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Ben has over 30 years of experience in consulting and transactions in the construction and private equity industries. Through his firm Leap Financial, Ben provides advisory and board services to firms and their owners.
Ben was Managing Director of a Denver-based private equity firm, where he was responsible for acquiring and turning around distressed companies. For nearly twenty years prior, Ben was a Principal at FMI Corporation in the firm’s investment banking practice.
Ben has spoken to construction industry organizations and published in industry journals. He is active in CFMA, and is a past National Secretary. Ben has a BA in Geography and Economics, Magna Cum Laude and an MBA in Finance and Real Estate, both from the University of Denver.
Folayinka (Fola) Esan is an accomplished executive with extensive international leadership experience spanning the private and non-profit sectors. His three-decade career, which includes roles across Africa, Asia, and Europe, reflects a deep commitment to creating sustainable impact in underserved communities.
A former CEO and senior executive, Fola has held pivotal roles in multinational corporations (Schlumberger Oilfield Services, LafargeHolcim, Schneider Electric, and Quantum Global) and development-focused organizations (AGRA). During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer at AGRA, he oversaw operations across multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa, leading strategic initiatives and managing host country relations for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation and Food Systems Security.
Fola brings extensive board experience, with expertise in governance, operations, risk management, and strategic oversight. He serves on the boards of ABC Fund, Injaro, Mvoula Group, and Paramount Partners and has previously held roles with Adelphi Wealth Management, LafargeHolcim, Principal Holdings, and UTU.
Sanusi Ibraheem is the Head of the Strengthening Crisis and Pandemic Response Programme at the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In this capacity, he provides programme management leadership and technical advisory services supporting AU’s continental health institutions, including the Africa Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the AU Commission Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, and the Africa Medicines Agency.
Ibraheem is a skilled Programme Manager with over a decade of broad experience in democratic governance policy and practice advisory, institutional development, and capacity building on various themes, including civic engagement, innovations for development, and youth participation in policy processes.
Prior to his current role, Ibraheem was Deputy Head and Citizen’s Engagement Lead at the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Secretariat based at the African Union Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, where he led the development of the AGA – Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA-YES). Ibraheem is a 2018 Alumni of the Atlantic Dialogue Emerging Leaders Programme and a 2018 Fellow of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy of CSIS.
Jonathan Nash is President and CEO of Blumont, an international organization working with communities around the world to provide relief, support recovery, and create a more resilient future. Jonathan joined Blumont with more than 20 years of international development experience and previously served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Strategy and Business Development.
Before joining Blumont in 2019, Jonathan served as the Acting Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US government agency focused on alleviating global poverty through economic growth. During his 13 years at MCC, he supported and oversaw the development, implementation, and management of dozens of projects in countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.
Jonathan began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, working to establish health clinics and strengthen environmental education and land management efforts. He holds a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.
Jon is a civil engineer with over 40 years international experience of large multidiscipline infrastructure and building projects. Jon has lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and Denmark and has had the privilege of being a senior manager for Balfour Beatty, Tarmac, Kvaerner, Skanska and has been Chief executive for Whessoe oil and Gas, President of Cleveland Bridge and Chairman of Dorman Long and American Bridge.
Jon is passionate about the benefit that infrastructure has on the everyday lives of people in all communities and his projects have included sewer tunnels, Metros, power stations, Ship Building, Oil and gas plants and Bridges.
Jon currently lives with his wife Anne in Oxford in the UK where he is involved in developing risk management software for engineering applications and is a keen cyclist. Jon is a member of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.
Natasha has over a decade of experience across global financial markets and public sector leadership. She currently serves as a Senior Climate Finance Officer at Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, where she leads efforts to mobilize and structure climate finance to support national priorities, particularly innovative financing mechanisms.
She previously worked in investment banking and asset management in the United States and the United Kingdom, at Goldman Sachs and BlueCrest Capital, where she focused on capital markets and investment strategies. Her experience spans financial structuring, capital mobilization, and public-private partnerships, with a strong focus on infrastructure and development finance.
Natasha holds a BSc in Business and Finance, Magna Cum Laude, from Ithaca College and is a Chartered Accountant (England and Wales).
Varja Lipovsek is the Director of Learning, Measurement, and Evaluation at Co-Impact, with over 20 years of expertise in organizational learning for civil society and public sector initiatives. Previously, she was a Research Scientist at MIT’s Governance Lab, fostering collaboration between academics and practitioners to enhance transparency, accountability, and participation in public sector programs.
From 2012 to 2018, Varja led Learning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at Twaweza East Africa, advancing evidence-based action in education and governance across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Earlier roles include researcher at Population Services International and program officer at WHO, focusing on HIV and adolescent health.
Varja holds a PhD and MPH from Tulane University and a BA (summa cum laude) from SUNY Binghamton. A published author on accountability and practitioner-academic collaboration, she is fluent in Slovenian, English, and Spanish. She now lives with her husband and two daughters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Marc Prioleau has spent more than 30 years in the mapping and location industry, from the early days of GPS to today’s rapid growth in spatial technology and AI. Over that time, he has worked across nearly every part of the industry, from map data and location services to the platforms and products built on them. He now advises companies and organizations on mapping and geospatial strategy through his firm, Prioleau Advisors, and brings that deep industry knowledge to Fika’s digital strategy.
Marc has held executive roles in Partnerships, Business Development, and Strategy at Meta, Uber, and Mapbox, three companies that have shaped how the world builds and uses maps. At Meta, he led the core team that conceived and launched the Overture Maps Foundation, a collaboration among Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom to create open, interoperable map data, and served as its founding Executive Director until January 2026. He is a longtime advocate for open map data as shared infrastructure, including for the rural communities that commercial maps often overlook.
Marc co-founded Able Works (able.is), a nonprofit in East Palo Alto, California, and served as its Chair of the Board. Able Works helps under-resourced youth develop financial life skills and assets. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science from UC Davis and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Outside of work, Marc loves the outdoors, whether hiking, backpacking, or skiing. He is a consistent runner and an aspiring woodworker, and he lives in Palo Alto.
Ken Frantz is the Founder of Fika. He has been in the construction and development industry for over 40 years, most of which was spent directing the activities of his own firm. Ken has received national and state commendations for construction and scheduling excellence and has served on many boards, including the Board of Directors for the Associated Builders and Contractors. He has volunteered tens of thousands of hours to over 20 charitable organizations, from Rotary International to Fika.
Ken received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University and his master’s degree from Golden Gate University. He enjoys sailing, scuba diving, hiking, mountain drone photography, and tough logistical challenges. Ken lives with his wife Cheri in Yorktown, Virginia, where together they raised Preston, Brendan, and Sarah. He has donated substantial financial resources and volunteered full-time at Fika for 10 years.
Jon is a civil engineer with over 40 years international experience of large multidiscipline infrastructure and building projects. Jon has lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and Denmark and has had the privilege of being a senior manager for Balfour Beatty, Tarmac, Kvaerner, Skanska and has been Chief executive for Whessoe oil and Gas, President of Cleveland Bridge and Chairman of Dorman Long and American Bridge.
Jon is passionate about the benefit that infrastructure has on the everyday lives of people in all communities and his projects have included sewer tunnels, Metros, power stations, Ship Building, Oil and gas plants and Bridges.
Jon currently lives with his wife Anne in Oxford in the UK where he is involved in developing risk management software for engineering applications and is a keen cyclist. Jon is a member of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.
Edward Wilkinson brings nearly 30 years of experience dedicated to infrastructure, infratech, and advisory services across the U.K., Middle East, and Asia Pacific, where he lived for eight years. He is currently the Strategic Corporate Development Lead at Gscan and holds advisory roles for Mileone Group and Alchera Technologies, which he co-founded. Edward has supported clients in strategically critical areas, including market insight generation, market development initiatives, and strategic appointments.
With a broad commercial network, he operates at the interface of industry, public sector, advisors, investors, and operators, leveraging insights from extensive market activity and a global community of experts, advisors, and academics.
Eric has over 23 years of experience in advisory and investments in the public and private sectors across a number of key industry sectors, including energy, telecoms, infrastructure, agriculture, and education. He has worked with a number of leading investment companies with interests in telecoms and energy on the continent to help them build and execute infrastructure investment cases, generate and execute market-entry strategies, and build strong management teams.
Eric has also done extensive work in the areas of country and industry competitiveness, productivity and employment dynamics, long-term investment analysis, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development. He has previously worked for international firms such as Monitor Group and Dalberg in the US, Europe, and Africa, as well as national, regional, and local governments in the areas of organizational restructuring, strategy development, acquisitions/investment analysis, service delivery analysis, industry analysis, and competitiveness strategies.
Eric is currently leading the effort to develop the Energy Sector White Paper 2022 for Kenya. He has a BSc in Economics and Policy Analysis from Cornell University in New York.
Ian Firth is well known as a bridge designer responsible for the engineering design of a wide variety of bridges, great and small, around the world. He regularly works in multi-disciplinary teams alongside leading bridge architects, and several of his projects have received high profile design awards. His projects include major large span suspension or cable stayed bridges, as well as more modest but aesthetically interesting and technically challenging pedestrian bridges.
In addition to his design work, Ian has been responsible for the assessment, maintenance and upgrading of several existing bridges, particularly steel box girder bridges, and he regularly provides specialist advice on long span bridge design and construction. He joined Flint & Neill in 1979 after graduating from the University of Bristol in the UK and became a Partner in the firm in 1990. When F&N joined the COWI Group in 2008 Ian became Chief Operating Officer. Since January 2018, Ian has been an independent engineering consultant, still engaged on several projects with COWI around the world.
He is an active member of the Fika Board of Directors and Chair of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.
Jane Kelly is a seasoned private sector development specialist with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, implementation, and financial support across sub-Saharan Africa and the UK. Over the years, she has held various positions such as Head of Enterprise & Livelihoods/CSR Advisor, Vitol Foundation and International Portfolio Manager, Trade, Enterprise & Employment at Comic Relief. Jane has helped companies, non-profits, enterprises, and individuals thrive in challenging and unpredictable environments.
Jane collaborates with global stakeholders across public, private, donor, and philanthropic sectors to catalyze sustained, inclusive economic growth. With proven senior leadership and managerial skills, she has successfully managed multi-million-pound programs, led multi-cultural teams, and established new departments across diverse sectors and geographies.
Nick Francis has a record of delivering innovative solutions to complex infrastructure challenges. A former Royal Engineers Officer with 16 years of military service, he brings extensive operational experience and a deep understanding of the impact and fragility of the built environment.
As the founding director of Imagine Engineering, Nick develops high-performing project teams, blending technical expertise with military leadership skills. He collaborates with the Get It Right Initiative to reduce construction errors and regularly lectures at universities. Nick’s achievements include designing emergency Ebola hospitals in Sierra Leone, creating flood defences that saved Romsey from disaster, and protecting military camps in Afghanistan from vehicle-borne bombs.
Based in Sheffield with his two daughters, Nick enjoys running in the Peak District and exploring museums on weekends.
Radana leads the Impact Investing Team at the UK’s Foreign and Development Office (FCDO), where she’s responsible for programmes and policies to drive private investment to deliver positive impact for people and planet. She’s passionate about innovative finance and established the FCDO’s first projects testing outcomes-based partnerships in education, health and poverty graduation.
She previously worked as an Economist at the UK’s Cabinet Office, supporting policy on social investment, social enterprise, and the broader civil society. She holds a BA in Economics and Management from the University of Oxford, and MSc in Development Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
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