Geneva Global, Inc.

Geneva Global is one of the world’s leading providers of philanthropic advisory services. We are passionate about ensuring that grant capital is allocated to the greatest needs and most capable implementing organizations to tackle the world’s most urgent community development problems.

Each and every member of the GGI team shares a passion for helping the world's less fortunate, and likewise a solemn responsibility for doing all they can to make the most of our clients' charitable gifts.

Our Staff

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  Doug Balfour

  Chief Executive Officer and North American Advisory Director

  Doug Balfour has 26 years of experience in leadership, organizational development and community development across a range of sectors. Prior to joining Geneva Global, Doug was Executive Director of London, U.K.-based Integral, a global alliance of 12 relief and development agencies. He previously served for 9 years as General Director of Tearfund, the United Kingdom’s sixth-largest aid agency, based in London. At Tearfund, he led a multinational staff of more than 650 people, implementing advocacy, relief and development programs through 300 partners in 70 countries. Earlier, Doug held management and consulting roles with the Birmingham, U.K.-based Lucas Group and lived and worked in Africa. He studied geology at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, and earned a master’s in business administration from the Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, United Kingdom.

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  Karen Robinson

  Director of Finance and Human Resources

  Karen brings to Geneva Global more than two decades of experience in finance and human resources management. Prior to joining Geneva, Karen served as Vice President of Finance and Human Resources for Charlotte, North Carolina based Global Linking Solutions, Inc (GLS) a data network managed services provider. At GLS, Karen oversaw all aspects of finance, accounting, banking, insurance, legal and human resources for the rapidly growing company. Karen also worked for more than a decade in commercial banking, focusing on financial audit and commercial lending for corporate based, trade finance, asset based and small businesses. Karen holds an MBA from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Richmond.

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  Warren Lancaster

  International Director and European Advisory Director

  Prior to joining Geneva Global, Warren Lancaster served as director for England and Wales for The Leprosy Mission International, based in Brentford, United Kingdom. He was previously chief executive officer of London, U.K.-based Merlin, which provides healthcare and medical relief to victims of disaster and conflict worldwide. Warren was instrumental in the development of the humanitarian agency Medair, based near Lausanne, Switzerland, where he served as an executive director. He also worked with the London-based British Red Cross to explore improving nongovernmental organizations’ accountability by creating an ombudsman for humanitarian assistance, a project sponsored by 22 leading U.K. relief and development agencies. Warren holds a master’s degree in international humanitarian and development practice from Oxford, U.K.-based Oxford Brookes University. He has a business background in risk management within the insurance industry.

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  Ligia Merizalde

  Latin America Advisor and Program Director

  Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Ligia Merizalde holds a master’s degree in law with a specialization in human rights from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador) in Quito. She has 10 years of experience in social development with government institutions and nongovernmental organizations. For two years, she led efforts against child abuse by the Ecuadorian government’s Instituto Nacional de la Ninez y la Familia (National Institute of the Child and the Family) in Quito. She also helped develop national social legislation, including a 1996 law creating an ombudsman to help protect individual rights. She helped coordinate Ecuador’s first projects to counter human trafficking, and helped create laws against sexual exploitation for Santo Domingo de los Colorados county as a member of the Quito-based Defensa de los Ninos Internacional (Defense for Children International). Ligia joined Geneva Global in August 2005 as a research analyst, and helped monitor anti-trafficking projects implemented in Ecuador in cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She became country coordinator for Ecuador and took her current position in December 2006.

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  Lisa Grewe

  Client Services Manager

  Lisa Grewe has worked with Geneva Global’s regional teams as an operations coordinator, interim regional manager of the Asia research team and operations manager for Asia. She was involved in project management of a $2.3 million U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant to 49 Sri Lankan organizations following the December 2004 tsunami. Before joining Geneva Global in 2003, Lisa was a volunteer for Washington, D.C.-based AmeriCorps, working with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, where she gained experience in community development. Lisa has also worked as an architectural designer for Minneapolis, Minn.-based Augsburg Fortress and holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa.

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  Lindsay Burns

  Client Associate

  Before joining the team at Geneva Global, Lindsay worked with the Chester County Community Foundation in the areas of public relations and donor services. Through her position at the Community Foundation, Lindsay gained valuable experience with grant making, client care, event planning, and marketing. Previously, Lindsay interned with a grassroots human rights organization which focused on providing pro bono legal assistance in civil matters. Lindsay holds a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.

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  Gene White

  Program Director China and Southeast Asia

  Before joining Geneva Global, Gene worked in the banking and finance industry, where his roles included training, overseeing investment licensed representatives and managing a division responsible for more than $100 million in annual sales. Gene also spent 12 years living in Europe and Asia, most recently in China, where he taught at the university level for five years. Gene holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in intercultural studies from Wheaton College. Since joining Geneva Global in 2004, he also has served as client services director and as director of consulting.

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  Taila Krishnakumar

  Program Director South Asia

  Before joining Geneva Global, Taila previously worked at the UBS Investment Bank in New York as a corporate finance analyst in the Oil and Gas Group and as a relationship manager for the Asia Pacific Team of the Citigroup Private Bank’s New York Office. In 2004, she worked as a reporter for the Singapore Business Times in Singapore, covering the corporate and private banking sectors in Southeast Asia. Her international development experience includes volunteer work in India and internships at the American India Foundation and the U.N. Capital Development Fund. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Cornell University and a master’s degree in international economics and development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Taila was born in New Delhi, India, and raised in India, Singapore and the United States. Since joining Geneva Global in 2007, Taila has served as new business development manager and as corporate business analyst.

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  Louise Makau Velle

  Program Director, Central and West Africa and the Caribbean

  Prior to joining Geneva Global, Louise worked in both international development and in the securities investment sector, where she worked as an investment analyst. Born and raised in Kenya, Louise earned a bachelor’s degree in international business at Ecole Supérieur des Libre Sciences Commerciales et Appliqués in Paris, France, and a master’s in global economic development at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Since joining Geneva Global in 2004, Louise has analyzed more than 200 philanthropic investments in community development programs and helped develop guidelines and indicators for assessing their impacts. During her tenure with Geneva Global, she has served in various roles including senior sector advisor for community health, water and sanitation for program across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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  Divina C. Puukila

  Program Director, New Partners Initiative

  Divina oversees Geneva Global’s HIV/AIDS program with the New Partners Initiative of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She joined Geneva Global as a research analyst, later specializing in HIV/AIDS to provide guidance and training on good practices and impact indicators. Before coming to Geneva Global, Divina was project manager with Manila-based Development Academy of the Philippines where she led project teams to improve quality and reduced costs in small and medium enterprises. Divina holds a master’s degree in international economic development from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pa., and a master’s degree in community development from the University of the Philippines in Manila.

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  Jenna Mulhall-Brereton

  Program Director, New Partners Initiative

  Jenna oversees Geneva Global’s HIV/AIDS program with the New Partners Initiative of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as the Strategic Initiative in North Haiti, and Geneva Global’s Haiti Earthquake Recovery Fund. Prior to joining Geneva Global, Jenna interned for Pro Mujer, a leading microfinance institution, in New York and in Puno, Peru. In Peru, she also conducted field research for her Master’s thesis on microfinance and women’s empowerment. As a freelance photographer for the past decade, Jenna has been fortunate to work with a number of NGOs, both domestically and abroad. She also taught foreign languages for nine years. Jenna holds an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from Arcadia University, and a BA in French and Spanish from Bryn Mawr College.