Archives: Team

I joined BRAC in September 2024 as Foundations Officer. My role involves stewarding relationships with philanthropic and corporate foundations to secure funding to support BRAC’s priorities

I have worked in Trust and Foundations fundraising for five years, most recently at the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for gender equality in the UK. Before this, I was Trusts Executive at Sightsavers, an NGO which works in low- and middle-income countries to treat and prevent avoidable blindness. I have also worked within the fundraising team at IntoUniversity, a UK-based education charity which support young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to attain their aspirations.

I recently completed an MSc in Health and International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I hugely admire the work of BRAC as a southern-led organisation. I am particularly passionate about gender equality and am proud to be part of an organisation which delivers impact at scale.

Felicia is a financial services specialist, working in both corporates and entrepreneurs.   Felicia co-founded Engage Smarter.AI, having previously launched and sold a fintech, and insurance venture sold to Willis as well as launched micro-savings and micro-insurance in India.  Engage Smarter provides financial institutions with solutions leveraging AI for customer services and financial guidance using large-language models (LLMs), enabling financial inclusion efficiently and cost effectively.

Felicia is also Non-Executive Director of Platform One, an FCA regulated investment platform and white label tech, and Hive/Womankind Ventures, supporting funding in high-growth women entrepreneurs. Felicia is South African, a Chartered Accountant & tech specialist, with an Executive MBA from London Business School and has lived & worked in UK, India, Argentina, Kenya and Amsterdam, and is passionate about digital education and an active supporter of female empowerment.

Charlie Costa Duarte is a Managing Director of Rothschild & Co Wealth Management and has worked in financial services more than 20 years.  He works closely with some of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, philanthropists, charities and foundations.  Prior to a career in financial services, Charles served in the British Army and deployed on humanitarian operations under the United Nations in support of UNHCR in the Former Yugoslavia.

I joined BRAC UK in March 2024 as Executive Director after more than 25 years of progressive experience in global health and international development.

Previously, I was interim Executive Director at Frontline AIDS, responsible for supporting and developing over 60 southern based regional and national partners focusing on HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. During my time at Frontline AIDS, I developed new strategic partnerships with leading international partners to support their work around the world, and successfully influenced the policies and priorities of international bodies on sexual and reproductive health and rights. My role took me to more than thirty countries around the world.

I hold a degree in French and Spanish, and also speak Hindi and Urdu, and some Bengali. I also hold an MPhil from the Institute of Development Studies, a postgraduate diploma in Psychology and an International Masters in Practising Management (IMPM).

I joined BRAC’s London office in November 2023 as Foundations Lead. In my role, I am responsible for building BRAC’s partnerships from the private sector across Europe in order to raise funding for BRAC’s programmes and strategy globally.

Prior to joining BRAC, I was the Fundraising and Business Development Manager and then the Head of External Engagement for Education Partnerships Group (EPG), a small not-for-profit organisation focused on providing technical and policy assistance to education ministries of low-and middle-income countries.  At EPG, I was responsible for driving the organisation’s partnerships strategy working with US and European Foundations and bi-laterals. I also worked for Plan International UK as Trusts and Foundations Manager, leading the Trusts and Foundations team and managing a portfolio of high-value UK funders across an array of global programmes. Before I moved into the international development space, I worked for the National Trust of Scotland in Edinburgh focusing on their Trusts and Foundations partnerships.

I have greatly admired BRAC’s southern-led approach to development, as well as their focus on women and girls and ability to achieve impact at scale. I’m thrilled to now be part of the BRAC team and excited to build impactful partnerships to bring about change.

I joined BRAC’s London office in November 2023 as the Deputy CEO and Director of Partnerships. For the last two years, I have been in Tajikistan, where I was the Head of Partnerships at the Aga Khan Foundation. Prior to that, I was the head of Institutional Funding and Partnerships at WaterAid in London. I have also worked for Oxfam for over 8 years in various roles including as Head of Donor Partnerships, Strategic Business Development Manager, Partnerships Development Manager (Nordic Governments), Regional programme development and funding coordinator for the Middle East and CIS and Interim Country Director in Lebanon.

My role is to lead the Partnerships Team, playing a leadership role for our Europe team to build strong donor partnerships across Europe, including the UK. Having admired BRAC’s incredible work for nearly two decades, I’m thrilled to now be part of this remarkable movement of exceptional individuals, all driven by the shared ambition to create a just world where people can live free from fear and want.

In August 2023, I joined the BRAC UK team as the Philanthropy Lead, with the responsibility of developing and implementing BRAC UK’s first Individual and Major Donor Philanthropy strategy in the UK and Europe. 

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, I moved to London in 2017 to complete my MA in Conflict, Security and Development at King’s College, following the completion of my Peace Corps service in Moldova as an educational development specialist. From there, I kicked-off my career in philanthropy, first working as a philanthropy advisor to charities and HNWIs looking to develop their fundraising and philanthropic strategies. I then transitioned to the charity sector where I’ve worked with INGO and grassroot charities, spearheading their major donor programme development, emphasising collective philanthropy and fostering a ‘Community of Supporters’ for effective networking. In my spare time I play soccer and am an avid supporter of Luton Town FC.

I am immensely proud to be joining a southern-led organisation that champions a localised approach to development. The innovative solutions we develop and implement have a tangible impact on the lives of millions, breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering communities.