The PTFI leadership team brings a broad range of expertise and backgrounds from multiple academic disciplines along with the technology, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors. We are all driven by solutions for people and the planet.

Leadership

Selena Ahmed

Global Director, The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI); Dean, Food EDU; American Heart Association
John de la Parra

Director, Global Food Portfolio
The Rockefeller Foundation
Tammy Gregory

Executive VP of Healthcare Business Solutions
American Heart Association
Maya Rajasekharan

Director of Strategy Integration and Engagement
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Roy Steiner

Senior Vice President for the Food Initiative
The Rockefeller Foundation
Steve Watkins

Chief of Science & Technology
Founder, Verso Biosciences

PTFI Secretariat Members

Jenny Johana Gallo Franco

Postdoctoral Fellow
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Jenn Hall

Chief, Data Science, Co-Director, Institute for Precision Medicine
American Heart Association
Lauren Rauscher

National Executive of Mission Advancement
American Heart Association

Director, Crops for Nutrition and Health
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Sarah C. Brinkley

Postdoctoral Fellow
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Jackie Bertoldo

Senior Curriculum & Product Manager, Food EDU, American Heart Association
Kevin Cody

Senior Program Manager, Food EDU, American Heart Association
Jillian Pavich

Senior Program Manager, Lab Ecosystem, American Heart Association
Nile Nair

Senior Program Manager, Research and Translation
American Heart Association
Britt Molde

Program Manager, Food EDU & Good Food Fellows
American Heart Association

Technology and Onboarding Team

Chi Ming Chien

Lead, Database Workstream
Co-founder, Verso Bioscience
Tracy Shafizadeh

Director, Programs & Partnerships
Verso Biosciences
Troy Viss

Designer
Co-Founder, Verso Biosciences
Jessica Prenni

Professor, College of Agricultural Sciences
Colorado State University
Melanie Odenkirk

Research Scientist, Jessica Prenni Lab, College of Agricultural Sciences
Colorado State University

PTFI Secretariat

A coalition of the American Heart Association and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT serves as the Secretariat for the PTFI, providing operational project management and facilitating a multi-stakeholder partnership. The Secretariat leads strategic engagements and communication strategies, positioning PTFI as a truly global, diverse, multi-sectoral, and culturally/geographically representative group of collaborators, partners, and stakeholders.

American Heart Association logo
Alliance Bioversity & CIAT Logo

Funding Partners

the rockefeller foundation logo
Foundation for food and agriculture research logo
Seerave foundation logo
Fourfold logo
Atria Health collaborative logo