Pure Earth staff work from our headquarters in New York City and also globally in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Richard Fuller
PresidentRichard Fuller is an Australian-born, U.S.-based engineer, entrepreneur, and environmentalist best known for his work in global pollution remediation. He founded Pure Earth (formerly known as Blacksmith Institute) in 1999, using profits from Great Forest, the sustainability consultancy he started a decade earlier, to rally attention to the under-reported issue of pollution and its impacts on poor communities worldwide. In 2012, Richard convened the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) to scale up the global response to toxic pollution. In 2017, Richard co-chaired the groundbreaking Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, bringing a group of 50 top researchers together to produce a report, which outlined the enormous health and economic costs of pollution and laid out solutions. In 2018, Richard was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to conservation and the environment. He is the author of the book The Brown Agenda. He remains President of Great Forest Inc.
Contact: [email protected]

Andrew McCartor
Executive DirectorAndrew (Drew) McCartor is a lawyer and internationally recognized leader in pollution management and environmental health with 13 years of experience designing and leading strategies to reduce public health impacts from toxic chemicals. Drew has managed complex and diverse programs across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas focused on pollution assessment, remediation, risk mitigation, health surveillance, research, education, and public policy. As Pure Earth’s Executive Director, Drew oversees all external affairs, including communications, development, and partner relations, and is a key architect and implementor of the organization’s strategic plan.

Gabriel Sanchez Ibarra
Vice President, ProgramsIn the last three decades, Gabriel has worked in humanitarian, developmental and environmental programs in more than 25 different countries. Over that period, he occupied the full range of managerial positions from project officer to program director, both in NGOs and governmental institutions. Between 2015 and 2020 he was Head of Regional Programs and then Head of the Emergency Response Unit at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) headquarters in Barcelona. He holds a master’s degree in International Development from the University of Manchester. Previously, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Geography and History from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Prof. Stephan Boese-O´Reilly, MD
Senior Technical DirectorProf. Stephan Boese-O´Reilly, MD is the Senior Technical Director at Pure Earth. He is a professor for Environmental and Public Health at the University Hospital, LMU Munich (Germany). He is a pediatrician, and his main interest is to prevent children from disease by helping to reduce their exposure to toxic substances, such as lead and mercury. Scientifically he mainly worked to assess the health in mercury exposed artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas. With his expertise gained in multiple international projects for inter-governmental agencies, in the area of lead and mercury exposure of children, he will support the program team of Pure Earth. Special interests are to introduce micro-sampling methods, transfer of knowledge and capacities, training of scientists and experts to improve children’s environmental health.

Alfonso Rodriguez
Technical ManagerAlfonso has extensive experience in the topic of soil pollution and contaminated sites. He recently coordinated a group of experts who, at the request of the Ministry of Environment, designed a strategy to address the issue of contaminated legacy sites in Colombia. Alfonso has great knowledge about the current legislation, programs and needs in this area.

Emily Nash, MPH
Director, ResearchEmily joined Pure Earth in early 2018. She implements programs in South Asia and supports the development of Health and Pollution Action Plans across the world. She is also heavily involved in Pure Earth’s research projects and publications. She brings experience in environmental health research and governance in a range of international settings. Emily earned a Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from Cornell University and a Master’s of Public Health in environmental health from the University of Michigan.

Lori Fried
Director, Monitoring, Evaluation and LearningLori leads Pure Earth’s efforts to build and implement an organizational MEL system to track, assess, and learn from its work. Previously, she served as Pure Earth’s Grants Manager, securing funding and managing grant reporting. Prior to joining Pure Earth, she worked with Trickle Up, managing a 10-country refugee livelihoods program; with Winrock International, developing MEL plans for major USG proposals; and with Tetra Tech, supporting access to justice and peace & security projects in Iraq and Liberia. Lori, who grew up in rural North Dakota, has an M.A. in International Affairs from The New School and a B.A. in Film Studies from University of Colorado. Her favorite things include documentary films, juicy memoirs, and chocolate.

Lina Hernandez, MPH
Program Director, Project AdministrationLina is an Industrial Microbiologist with a certification in Epidemiology and an MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health. Lina has more than 15 years of experience in Public Health. Before joining Pure Earth, Lina worked for the Colombian government at the National Institute of Food and Drug Monitoring (INVIMA) and at the National Institute of Health (INS). Lina managed Pure Earth’s programs in Latin America for several years before becoming the Program Director for Projects Administration. In this new position, Lina supports and monitors the country offices of Pure Earth in all administrative and operational related matters.

Lavanya Nambiar
Program OfficerPrior to joining Pure Earth, Lavanya worked in different resource settings including India, Kenya and the United States. Her main areas of focus include health governance, systems strengthening, and evidence driven policy development. Lavanya holds a Master of Public Health degree in health policy from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in engineering in biotechnology.

Caroline Baylor
Program OfficerPrior to joining Pure Earth, Caroline graduated from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) with a focus in Latin American studies, Brazilian Portuguese, and sustainable waste management. She also holds a BSc in environmental science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Caroline has experience living and working in Latin America with the Peace Corps, where she worked with Ecuadorian and Panamanian colleagues to start recycling programs and build awareness about solid waste contamination. An East Tennessee native, Caroline enjoys hiking, cooking, and taking steps towards achieving zero waste.

Shishi Zhang
Finance DirectorShishi Zhang is a highly experienced and skilled professional with over 10 years of experience in the non-for-profit sector. She is actively involved in the fiscal management of a variety of non-profit organizations, including those focusing on housing, arts and science, and equal rights, etc.
Shishi also has a strong educational background, holding a B.S. in Finance and M.S. in Accounting. She is well-versed in various software systems used for accounting. Her extensive experience in all aspects of financing reporting, budgeting, and financial management, coupled with her analytical and strategic thinking skills, allows her to work closely with senior management, Finance Committee in making important financial decisions and ensuring compliance with audits.

Rhona McGill
Finance AssistantAt Pure Earth, Rhona works in the Finance Department under the CFO and aids in the organization of special events. In addition to a broad knowledge of accounting software, Rhona holds a BA (Honors) in Interior Design from the Glasgow School of Art. She has an interest in graphic novels, prints, and illustration.

Angela Bernhardt
Vice President, CommunicationsAngela leads the communications efforts for Pure Earth. She guides the development and implementation of campaign initiatives, social media and messaging strategy, global media relations and partnerships to direct attention to the global pollution crisis and Pure Earth’s solutions. She has 20 years of experience in communication, education and policy advocacy on a range of environmental and health issues, holding positions in corporations, nonprofits and academia.

Magdalene Sim
Director, CommunicationsMagdalene helps guide communications efforts for Pure Earth. She oversees editorial efforts, including the production of the Pollution Blog and the Pure Earth newsletter, which she launched, and the development of videos and other outreach vehicles. She implements day-to-day social media strategy for Pure Earth and creates content across channels. She also works on global media campaigns and provides support on special projects. Her experience includes work in television news, film production, and communications for some of the leading arts organizations in the country. Magdalene holds a M.S. in marketing communications from Boston University.

Sarah Berg
Communications Manager, Grants & Special ProjectsAs Communications Manager, Sarah works to promote Pure Earth’s program activities and accomplishments to government stakeholders, partner organizations and funders. Through the creation and distribution of videos, editorial content, and social media assets, she helps to raise awareness of Pure Earth’s mission to solve pollution, save lives and protect the planet. Sarah joined Pure Earth after serving as an AmeriCorps member with a community development corporation that addresses the social determinants of health (SDH) which influence health inequity in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies, French, and Public Health from Tulane University, where her studies focused on environmental health and justice.

Carol Sumkin
Vice President, DevelopmentCarol has devoted the past 25 years to a career in the nonprofit field. Carol specializes in developing and implementing multi-million dollar strategic campaigns that raise diversified resources for nonprofit organizations. She has extensive experience developing Boards, managing fundraising events, writing grant proposals and budgets, and establishing administrative systems. As the Chief Development Officer at Pure Earth, Carol worked with the staff and Board to create the organization’s first strategic plan: The Campaign for 10 Million Lives. The goal is to raise $10 million to launch 35 pilot cleanup projects of toxic sites in key developing countries. Carol received a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management from the New School for Social Research and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University.

Jen Marraccino
Sr. Director, DevelopmentJen joined Pure Earth in 2011 and brings over 20 years of fundraising experience at non-profits including the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Rockland County YMCA. As Senior Director of Development, Jen works on all aspects of fundraising for Pure Earth with a specialty in creating, managing and growing major events including Pure Earth’s Gala dinner and golf tournament. Jen graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Marketing. She is a mother of four and a community activist focused on causes related to children and education.

Dominika Sluszkiewicz
Development CoordinatorDominika first joined Pure Earth as an intern in 2021 and has since returned as a full-time member of the team. As Development Coordinator, Dominika works to develop strong relationships with donors and manage fundraising events, including the Pure Earth Gala, International Women’s Day Celebration, and Golf Tournament. She graduated from Binghamton University with two Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Art & Design, and is excited to bring her creativity and passion for shared stories to her position.

Dustin Becker
Institutional Grant Development ManagerDustin is a member of the Development team responsible for prospecting grant opportunities and developing concept notes and proposals in collaboration with Programs and Operations. Dustin has eight years of Business Development and Program Management experience for NGOs, local government, and government contractors. Having worked on projects in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, as well as in high-poverty areas across the U.S., Dustin has a broad knowledge base encompassing the sectors of education, workforce development, immigration, and community development, as well as humanitarian aid. Dustin is a National Geographic State Bee Champion and a graduate of the George Washington University Elliot School of International Affairs.

Sandy Lakhan
International Operations Officer/Platform ManagerSandy works in the Operations department at Pure Earth, helping to ensure that all country offices operate efficiently, in addition to the HQ office in NYC. She also helps to maintain the Pure Earth website and assists with all things HR and tech. She worked previously for 15 years as a childcare provider and for various community programs for inner-city children. She received a BS in Communications from Northeastern University. She joined Pure Earth to help make a difference in the lives of children on a larger scale. She enjoys traveling, attending live music events and helping others.
The Pure Earth global team includes many experts from around the world, among them are lecturers, doctors, engineers, researchers and other pollution and public health experts, who bring with them knowledge of the local community. Many have worked with the environment ministries of their countries, and some are founders of local and regional NGOs. Meet some members of our global team below.

Esmond Quansah
GHANA: Country DirectorEsmond Wisdom Quansah is a development professional with over 10 years experience in the development field. He served in several capacities and spearheaded many interventions for improved wellbeing for marginalized groups and young people. He implemented key programs in livelihoods, gender equality and climate action. Prior to joining Pure Earth, he served as Country Representative/Project Lead for Youth Challenge International, a Canadian INGO in Ghana to support young people in living sustainable livelihoods. Esmond comes with leadership skills in building partnerships, advancing Climate Action issues, engaging stakeholders across government, civil society, and private sectors. He also worked with Ghana Education Service, Right to Play International, and EQUIP HUBs program. He held several other positions which include Training Coordinator, Hub Coordinator/Manager, Project Coordinator, Operations and Finance Manager among others. He holds Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati, India. Esmond is passionate about issues related to marginalized groups, youth empowerment leading to sustainable livelihoods, gender equality and climate action.

Wilson Baaku
GHANA : Technical Project DirectorWilson Baaku has over 20 years of professional experience in natural resource governance and mining with a focus on sustainable mineral development, Forest-Smart Small-scale Mining, and responsible natural resource use. He is a natural resource geoscientist and a project management specialist with strong interests in social and environmental issues linked to natural resource development. Prior to joining Pure Earth, Wilson was the lead Stakeholder Engagement Consultant and Water Quality Expert of the Environmental Social Impact Assessment team for the Pwalugu Multi-purpose Dam Project in the Upper East and Northeast Regions of Ghana. As a Natural Resource expert, Wilson was part of the World Bank’s ground-breaking research work on the ‘Forest-Smart Mining’ in Ghana. He is a member of the Ghana Institute of Geosciences (GhiG) and has played key roles in natural resource governance, large- or small-scale mining, and Water Sanitation and Health projects across West Africa. Wilson holds a master’s degree in project management from the University of Ghana Business School, a master’s degree in Mineral Exploration Geoscience, and a bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Ghana.

Budi Susilorini
INDONESIA: Country DirectorWhile Budi Susilorini and her local team have assessed hundreds of hotspots in Indonesia, she tells us that there are still many more. Among her projects, Budi is working with Pure Earth in Indonesia to test the “Benguet” method, which eliminates the use of toxic mercury in the gold mining process. Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of gold. Over 300,000 artisanal miners (including many children) release more than 1000 tonnes of toxic mercury every year. She is also working to break the cycle of extreme lead poisoning in Pesarean, Indonesia. Read a full profile of Budi here.

Nicklaus Hariojati
INDONESIA: Program OfficerNickolaus has always been interested in environmental issues. He has a background in forest resource conservation and more than 4 years of experience as a forest firefighter. He joined Pure Earth in 2014, when Pure Earth was carrying out a clean-up project on lead-contaminated land in Cinangka Village, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. As Program Officer, Nickolaus assists the Pure Earth Country Director in Indonesia and conducts Initial Site Assessments of contaminated land based on information from partners such as the Indonesian government, non-governmental organizations, universities, and the communities themselves.

Larah Ortega Ibañez
PHILIPPINES: Country DirectorLarah Ortega Ibañez oversees a variety of projects for Pure Earth in the Philippines, including both research and cleanup. Larah is currently preparing for a large-scale project aimed at reducing heavy metal contamination in fishponds in the river systems surrounding Manila.

Dr. Lynn Panganiban
PHILIPPINES: National ConsultantDr. Lynn Panganiban has been our go-to expert through the years and is now officially on board as our National Consultant for GiveWell project implementation in the country particularly in the area of Public Health and Toxicology. She’s a professor at the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine; one of the pioneers and still is a Toxicology Consultant at the National Poison Management & Control Center, UP College of Medicine-Philippine General Hospital; Member of the Pesticide Expert Panel and Technical Service Consultant of the Center for Cosmetic Regulation and Research of the Food and Drug Administration among others.

Elezabeth "Beth" Ompad
PHILIPPINES: Program Officer for Field OperationsElezabeth “Beth” Ompad has rejoined us officially as Program Officer for Field Operations. She’s been working with PE Philippines in various roles as Junior Investigator, Research Assistant, Senior Investigator, and Project Officer/Coordinator for different periods of time since 2009. She is a Chemical Engineer with backgrounds in Biology, Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science and engagement in research relevant to our advocacy and work.

Dr. Subrata Dutta
INDIA: Country DirectorDr. Subrata Dutta has more than two decades of professional experience working with international development agencies, academic institutions and in the private sector. Before joining Pure-Earth as Country Director- India, he worked as the Country Head (FFI) at Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, USA; Country Coordinator of Nutrition International, Canada; and worked with Tata-Trusts, UNICEF, Ford Foundation and Christian Aid funded projects.
He managed large-scale public health programs—for 80 million vulnerable populations for eradicating micronutrients deficiency, mid-day-meals for 1.2 million school-children; fortified milk distribution program for millions of children, IYCF for millions of infants etc. for purging high level of malnutrition, micronutrients deficiency, iron-related anaemia and birth defects. He strategically established a high-empowered technical advisory body of UN, international development agencies, Ministries and Govt. institutions for collaborative nutrition programs and evidenced-based public health & nutrition policy. He was actively involved with the Planning Commission and several Ministries of Govt. of India for implementation of food fortification & IYCF-guidelines in India.
He was awarded a Doctorate degree in development communication management and obtained four post-graduate degrees in Public Health and Nutrition, Human Rights, Mass Communication and Journalism. He is a distinguished research scholar and, an expert of food & nutrition security had substantially contributed to the food & nutrition in Asia.

Sandeep Dahiya
INDIA: Director of Advocacy and CommunicationsSandeep develops and implements advocacy and communication projects and strategies to engage diverse influencers, decision-makers, governments, private sector companies, NGOs, research institutes, media and public in support of awareness-raising and policy development/change to bring attention to lead pollution and its solutions. Sandeep is an environmentalist, scientist, policy expert and a campaigner. Before joining Pure Earth, Sandeep worked at Purpose developing and implementing a wide range of campaigns on air pollution, clean transport and clean energy. He comes with great experience in Government policy/program implementation & coordination. In the past, he has worked on the Clean India Mission with Tata Trust and the Indian Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. He started his career as a researcher at TERI University and contributed to different air quality and climate change-related research projects funded by government, non-governmental and international organizations.

Promila Sharma
INDIA: Programs DirectorPromila Sharma Malik has been associated with Pure Earth since 2005 representing the organization in India, as well as one of its global initiatives, the Toxic Sites Identification Project (TSIP) in the South-Asia Region. She holds a degree in Environmental Sciences and has been involved in planning and monitoring various projects in different states of the country. Along with providing general management ,oversight and co-ordination between all sub-partners and the NY office, she provides research support to the head-office teams as well. Prior to Pure Earth, she has served Child Rights and You (CRY) and Pragya in various capacities providing development support to various programs run by the organisations in Rajasthan and Indian Himalayan Regions.

Dr. Jayapriya Dhandapani
INDIA: Program AssociateDr. Jayapriya is a medical professional with a decade of experience providing healthcare services in rural Tamilnadu. She works towards creating safe environments for future generations. She has recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Policy where she focused on developing policy alternatives for reducing the harmful impact of Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) waste on humans and the environment. At Pure Earth, she continues her work reducing ULAB waste through active participation in the Toxic Sites Identification Program and remediation efforts in southern states of India.

A Bhaskar Raj
INDIA: Program AssociateA Bhaskar Raj works as a program associate at Pure Earth, India. He has over 10 years of working experience in the field of sustainable social development, specifically Nutrition, Education, Rural Development, Migration and Human trafficking. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Work, a Master of Philosophy in Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. His research in the past mainly focused on Self Help Groups, Farmer, Urban slum dwellers, issues of Migration, Human trafficking and Agriculture. Before joining Pure Earth, he worked with Tata Institute of Social Sciences in the Research department and with TATA TRUSTS on Nutrition in Central Kitchen.

Annu Sharma
INDIA: Admin & Finance OfficerWith over 20 years of experience in both profit and non-profit sectors, Annu Sharma holds a postgraduate degree in Commerce. She has worked with renowned organizations like IDEI-International Development Enterprises (India), The Union (International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease), and IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation). Annu’s expertise lies in managing accounting, cash flow forecasting, budgeting, donor reporting, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations, conducting audits, and supervising administrative departments on a daily basis.

Kumar Bhaskar
Program OfficerKumar Bhaskar is working as a Project officer in Bihar. Before joining Pure Earth, he worked on different research Projects as a research associate & junior research fellow. His area of interest is environmental monitoring, environmental pollution and public health. He comes with years of experience in research; government, CSO and industry partnerships and projects management. He completed his Masters’s in Environmental Science from the Central University of South Bihar and a Bachelor’s degree in Environment and water management from Anugrah Narayan College, Magadh University Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India.

Dr. Mahfuzar Rahman
BANGLADESH: Country DirectorMahfuzar Rahman is a physician/epidemiologist by training; He has been with Pure Earth since 2020 after successfully completing tenure with UNICEF, BRAC, Columbia University and ICDDRB. His main research interests over the past 20 years have been occupational, environmental and molecular epidemiology, focused in studying various pollutants on health and pollution in producing acute and chronic diseases. Other interests include health systems performance particularly for the poor; universal health coverage; program evaluation; implementation research for successful delivery of evidence-based interventions to improve the quality of care services; and access to safe water and toxic elements in environment. He also serves as a cost analyst of different projects in Bangladesh. He used to work in International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. While most of his work has related to low-income settings, Rahman has also been involved in research with the GBD in Seattle and Imperial College, London for many years.

Mitali Das
BANGLADESH: Communications LeadMitali Das leads the communication efforts of Pure Earth Bangladesh. She is a communications professional with more than 9 years of extensive experience in the development, media and communication sectors. She has played a lead role in successfully designing and implementing hundreds of national and local-level campaigns that have reached millions of people. She has expertise in developing communication and branding strategies, social media and website content, IEC and SBCC materials, creative campaign concepts and documentary and animation scripts. She also has experience in report writing, documenting lessons learned, achievements, and best practices of projects. She has worked closely with many international donor agencies, the government’s multi-sectoral departments, UN organizations, media agencies, and partner NGOs. She has a rights-based approach in her work that promotes inclusiveness, gender-sensitive communication, and non-discrimination. She also volunteers with various local and international charitable organizations to provide education to underprivileged children.

Khatuna Akhalaia
GEORGIA: Country DirectorKhatuna holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and Planning and a PhD in Biosciences. She has more than 15 years of professional experience in Agrochemicals management including hazardous waste management in Georgia and abroad. She has worked with FAO, UNEP, UNDP, WB, EBRD. She helped with the preparation and validation of the 2021-2031 Climate Action Plan (CAP) Waste (solid & water) sector chapter and has experience working on normative regulations on solid municipal waste, toxic waste and chemical substances management issues at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. She possesses 5 years of Greenhouse management and 10 years of environmental consultancy work in Georgia. She is a trainer of trainers on pesticides and obsolete pesticide management issues and has been a part of different programs and projects aiming at strengthening the capacities and knowledge of farmers to help increase the production of crops in Georgia.

Valeriia Kovach
UKRAINE: Country CoordinatorValeriia Kovach, PhD is Pure Earth’s country coordinator in Ukraine. Since joining Pure Earth in 2014, Valeriia has worked to identify polluted sites contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, radio nuclides. Valeriia’s experience includes work with the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the Department of Environmental Problems, and on many national and international projects connected with rehabilitation and remediation of polluted areas. She has been awarded many national and international certificates, and received her PhD in Ecology in May 2015. Her areas of interest include environmental safety, nuclear safety and radiation protection.

Lizeth Olaya Zambrano
COLOMBIA: Country DirectorLizeth is an Environmental Engineer, with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. She has worked in the areas of consulting, environmental and project management, teaching and research, and has experience in the administrative and technical coordination of projects of a diverse nature and in the implementation of sustainability strategies.

Angie Tatiana Ortega Ramirez
COLOMBIA: Project CoordinatorAngie Tatiana Ortega Ramírez is the Project Coordinator Pure Earth – Colombia. She is a Chemical Engineer a Petroleum Engineer and a specialist in project management. She holds a Masters in Environmental Management for Competitiveness and is a doctoral student in Sustainability. She has been a member of the Pure Earth team since 2018. She is currently coordinator of the CSO project for Colombia, administrator of the TSIP database for Latin America and the Caribbean and assistant for Mercury (Hg) projects. She has 7 years of research and teaching experience, experience in the hydrocarbons sector in the field of reservoirs and HSEQ. She has experience in management of environmental remediation projects due to mining – energy impacts in Colombia has been a leader of social and environmental projects in non-profit organizations. She has published academic research on sustainability, especially in the oil industry. She is the director of her foundation “Sueño de Ángeles” in Colombia, where she works with children in a state of vulnerability.

Agustin Gama
MEXICO: Country ManagerAgustín Gama is currently the Country Director of Pure Earth Mexico – his 30 years of professional experience began at American Express and Reader’s Digest; he has held top executive positions as Executive Director of The American Society of Mexico and General Manager for Diario EL PAÍS Mexico LATAM North. He has also worked in the public sector, where he held several directive positions in the Ministry of Finance and Administration of the Government of the State of Hidalgo. His academic background includes Business Administration and Accounting at the Universidad Anáhuac and Public Administration and Political Science at the Universidad Iberoamericana. He is also an active member of the American Benevolent Society Mexico, American School Foundation Alumni Association, and has participated in international marathons.

Jesús Maldonado
MEXICO: Operations DirectorJesús is a Biochemical Engineer from ITESM and has an MBA from IPADE in Mexico. He has held several positions in the Finance and Microfinance Industries, and has had extensive experience in operations and project management, customer service, and strategic planning. Prior to joining Pure Earth, he worked as a consultant for the food industry, designing and implementing several operational re-engineering projects, as well as continuous improvement programs.

Carmina Jure Caderón
MEXICO: Institutional Development CoordinatorCarmina studied International Relations and has spent 7 years dedicating herself to the fundraising and strategic development of different social causes in Mexico. She is passionate about contributing to the social development of the communities and collaborates with Pure Earth in Mexico promoting the Barro Aprobado Program and seeking funds for the development of projects.

Netzy Peralta
MEXICO: Operations CoordinatorNetzy has a degree in Social Anthropology from the Autonomous University of Morelos, a master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the College of Michoacán, and a doctorate from the CUCSH of the University of Guadalajara in Social Sciences. She is a part-time professor at the University of Morelos and has been the Operations Coordinator with Barro Aprobado since 2014. She specializes in local project management and community organizing.

France Cabanillas
PERU: Project CoordinatorForestry engineer by training, with a master’s degree in environmental management, with more than 14 years of experience in the forestry sector of Peru, working on the problem of alluvial mining in Madre de Dios, Peru, since 2011, investigating issues related to environmental mining management, mercury-free technologies, as well as the restoration of areas degraded by mining in the Amazon.

Dr. Lilian Corra
SOUTH AMERICA: Government Relations AdvisorDr. Lilian Corra is Pure Earth’s government relations advisor for South America.
As a pediatrician/neonatologist, Lilian has done extensive work to raise awareness about children’s health in relation to the environment. She is the director of the Medical Specialist Program on Health and Environment at the School of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires.
She connects with global aid agencies and South American governments on behalf of Pure Earth, which acts as Secretariat for the new Global Alliance on Health and Pollution. She also works with Pure Earth on the Toxics Sites Identification Program in Argentina, which has, in some cases, led local authorities to halt development on contaminated sites. In 2016, she was part of a team of global experts who contributed to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s new series of children’s environmental health training modules.

Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH
Senior Technical AdvisorDr. Jack Caravanos is presently Professor at the School of Global Public Health at NYU. He received his Master’s Degree in Environmental Health Engineering and proceeded to earn his DrPH from Columbia University. He is board certified in industrial hygiene (CIH) and prides himself as being a practicing field-based environmental health scientist. Since 2005, Dr. Caravanos has assisted the international NGO, Pure Earth, with its Toxic Site Inventory Program and has traveled to over 20 countries assisting partners in both the private and governmental sector in sampling and assessing environmental health threats from hazardous waste sites and operations. Dr. Caravanos conducted dozens of environmental health assessments of e-waste sites, backyard smelters, gold mining sites and tanneries.

David Hanrahan
Principal Technical AdvisorHanrahan is an expert in water and wastewater planning, environmental engineering, pollution control and soil clean-up; technical director of Pure Earth; former lead environmental specialist, Environment Department, World Bank

Karti Sandilya
Senior AdvisorAn expert in development policy and strategy, Karti works closely with Pure Earth and international governments on Pure Earth’s effort to end toxic pollution in some of the world’s worst polluted places, focusing in particular on Pure Earth’s work on the World Bank’s Global Alliance for Legacy Pollution and Health initiative, a worldwide effort to clean up pollution left behind by past industrial activities.

Gordon Binkhorst, Ph.D.
Senior Technical AdvisorDr. Binkhorst comes to Pure Earth from the private environmental consulting world. As a Senior Hydrogeologist and Project Manager at ALTA Environmental Corporation in Connecticut since 1998, Gordon was primarily responsible for providing technical oversight and direction on projects involving complex hydrogeologic and contaminant investigations, water supply development, underground storage tank removals and closures, expert witness work, various types of remediation including mitigation of exposure pathways using engineered and institutional control measures appropriate to site usage. Gordon is currently an Adjunct Professor at UConn where he teaches an undergraduate class on completing environmental site assessments and pertinent regulations, and serves as a member of UConn’s Geoscience Advisory Board. At Pure Earth, Gordon serves as the Senior Technical Advisor and has been an active member of Pure Earth’s Technical Advisory Board for over 7 years.