Advisory Body
The Advisory Body will play a pivotal role in guiding the EM2030 Secretariat team to serve the coalition in its mission to advance gender equality through data-driven advocacy. These leaders will provide critical guidance on key operational areas including executive management, financial oversight, compliance, business development, and risk mitigation, to ensure the operational excellence and strategic growth of our Secretariat.
Aparna Uppaluri
Chief Operating Officer at Tata Trust
Aparna is an interdisciplinary leader with over 20 years of experience across philanthropy, public health, arts, academia, and social enterprise. Amongst her experience is having led the gender justice initiatives at the Ford Foundation and served as the Acting Program Director for India. An author and curator, she integrates insights from performance, feminism, and embodied practices. Her expertise spans strategy, grant-making, DEI, operations, research, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder engagement across sectors.
Clare Winterton
Chief Programs & Operating Officer at The Solutions Project
Clare has more than 20 years of global social sector leadership experience, and deep global expertise in gender equality including as VP of Programs and COO at Global Fund for Women and as Senior Advisor, UN Women. She has proven executive level management experience, including financial management and leading high-impact staff and Board teams, and deep expertise in philanthropy, creative advocacy and organizational strategy.
Fridah Githuku
Head of Women’s Rights at Irene M. Staehelin Foundation
Fridah is a gender and women’ rights champion with vast experience advocating for women’s leadership and governance, land and territorial rights for women and local communities, women’s economic autonomy, gender and citizen generated data and ending violence against women and girls. She is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (ICPAK) and previously served as the Executive Director of GROOTS Kenya, one of EM2030’s coalition members.
Rita Karakas
Founder of RSK Associates Inc
Rita is the founder of RSK Associates Inc, an international consultancy with over 30 years of global in governmental, non-governmental and corporate sectors. She has demonstrated her ability to bring about transformative change as the Pres & CEI of the YWCA of/du Canada, Save the Children Canada and Canada World Youth.
In her organizational development consultancy, Rita has worked extensively with global clients including the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, Oxfam GB and Oxfam International, SIDIEF, Reseau International des infirmieres fracophones, Mobiity Data.
She is Chair of the Board pf Arrivals Legacy Project, an international NGO which centres the creative voices of African, Indigenous and Racialized artists, as well as acting as a Mentor for Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholars.
Shireen Motara
Chief Executive Officer at Tara Transform, Co-Founder of Young Women Thrive, Certified Coach
As an African feminist, Shireen is deeply passionate about the potential of Women and Africa, addressing inequality, and committed to social change that values and recognises women’s rights. She has held roles in management, coaching, executive leadership and consulting in South Africa, SADC and the United Kingdom. As a strategy consultant, her clients include UN agencies, funders and philanthropic agencies, corporates and non-profits.
Yasmina Benslimane
Founder of Politics4Her
Yasmina Benslimane is an award-winning feminist activist dedicated to advancing gender equality and promoting women’s rights focusing on climate justice, forced migration, gender-based violence, and peacebuilding. She has been recognized as BBC 100 Most Influential and Inspiring Women of 2023, Forbes 30 Under 30, MADRE Champion, Top 100 Under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent 2024 and a UN Women Peace-builder in the Arab States.