Our Team - Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Meet Our Executive Leadership Team

Vice President, Technology

Ernest Ostro

Ernest Ostro serves as Vice President, Technology at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, overseeing core systems and operations while partnering with business leaders to align technology initiatives with organizational goals. He brings over two decades of senior technology experience spanning global humanitarian response, international development, healthcare, and logistics. Before joining RPA, he served as Senior Director for Technology at Innovations for Poverty Action, a research and policy nonprofit committed to reducing global poverty with evidence-based approaches. He holds a Master's in Conservation Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and has served in advisory and steering roles with Microsoft TSI, UNICEF, and several nonprofits. Based in New York, he is kept busy by a soccer-playing teenager, hiking, and volunteering with his village's EMS agency.

Chief People & Culture Officer

Stephanie Royal

Stephanie Royal serves as RPA’s Chief People & Culture Officer, overseeing organizational design, talent strategy, HR policy, and risk management. With over two decades of experience across sectors, she is widely recognized for driving organizational effectiveness and inclusive workforce practices in mission-driven environments. She began her career as an analyst on Wall Street, has led statewide youth and education initiatives, and has received national acclaim for her work to expand opportunity for underrepresented communities. She holds a B.A. in English with a minor in Finance from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Cabrini College, and a doctorate in Executive Leadership with a focus on Social Justice from St. John Fisher College. She completed a post-doctoral certification in nonprofit leadership at Georgetown University. She is a civic leader, nonprofit founder, and board member active in workforce development, education, and the arts. She lives in New York City and is the proud mother of three sons.

Chief Financial Officer

Alik Hinckson

As Chief Financial Officer, Alik Hinckson brings more than 25 years of experience in finance, operations, and nonprofit management. He oversees RPA’s financial strategy, compliance, and risk management, building on prior CFO roles at the World Resources Institute, Rainforest Alliance, Pact Global, and Prep for Prep. Throughout his career, Alik has led financial planning for organizations with budgets of hundreds of millions, consistently advancing fiscal responsibility and sustainable growth. Born in Guyana, he remains passionate about promoting the culture, history, and development of his homeland. He is an alum of Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and the proud father of two children.

Vice President, People & Culture

Wafa Abboud

Wafa Abboud brings more than 15 years of experience in enhancing organizational effectiveness through innovative and thoughtful human resources strategies and business partnerships. At RPA, she leads HR services across a wide range of functions, from policy and compliance to recruitment, talent development, and organizational culture. Wafa has worked across both nonprofit and corporate sectors globally, aligning HR strategy with business and philanthropic goals. She holds a B.A. in Applied Psychology and Human Relations from Pace University and is bilingual.

Vice President, Advisory

Theresa Schieber

Theresa Schieber is Vice President of Advisory, leading RPA’s work with individuals, families, family foundations, and corporations across the East Coast. A social impact executive with more than 25 years of experience, she has helped nonprofits raise over $500 million, developed partnerships with 250+ global organizations, and built high performing teams to generate 10X revenue growth and deliver $115M in charitable giving. She has worked with and advised some of the world’s largest companies, and previous leadership roles include Chief Social Impact Officer at CBS Corporation and senior roles at Givewith and the Whelan Group. She is also the founder of Impact Atelier, a strategy and communications firm. Theresa holds an MBA from Loyola University New Orleans and a B.A. in History from Tulane University.

Co-CEO & President

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell is Co-CEO and President of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), where she oversees institutional transformation, positioning RPA to help shape a more effective, equitable, and responsive philanthropic sector. Before joining RPA, Nic founded and led the Build Up Companies, a group of mission-driven organizations focused on governance, grantmaking, organizational design, and institutional sustainability. Earlier, she held senior leadership roles at Dalio Philanthropies, the Open Society Foundations, and The New York Community Trust. Nic serves as Board Chair of Proteus Fund and on the boards of Candid and Philanthropy New York. She received her B.S. from MIT, her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from NYU School of Law, and earned a Certificate in Executive Leadership from INSEAD.

Senior Vice President, Advisory

Greg Ratliff

Greg Ratliff is Senior Vice President of Advisory Services, managing client engagements with a range of individual, family, and corporate donors. As part of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors' impact investing practice, he advises investors on portfolios to generate both social and financial returns. Greg previously held leadership roles at the ACT Center for Equity in Learning, as well as the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, where he built an impact investing portfolio, and at the Gates Foundation, where he advanced strategies for increasing postsecondary education access. Greg holds a B.A. from UCLA, an MBA from Northeastern University, and has completed graduate work at MIT. He is a board member of Domini Impact Equity Funds.

Vice President, Controller & Deputy CFO

Tawfik Elkashef

Tawfik Elkashef is Vice President and Deputy CFO at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, where he oversees financial controls, compliance, audits, and reporting to ensure the organization’s fiscal integrity and strategic growth. He brings more than a decade of senior finance leadership experience across global nonprofits and social sector organizations. Prior to joining RPA, he served as Global Controller at Human Rights Watch, where he managed financial operations across 27 entities worldwide. He previously held leadership roles at Access: Supports for Living, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, and BTQ Financial. A Certified Public Accountant, Tawfik has extensive expertise in financial systems, policy development, and team leadership. He holds an MBA in Management–Accounting from Adelphi University and a bachelor’s degree in management from Sadat Academy.

Vice President, Global Africa

Henrietta Bankole-Olusina

Henrietta Bankole-Olusina leads RPA’s Africa practice, supporting donors – individuals, corporations, and foundations – with advisory, fiscal hosting, and thought leadership services to advance just and equitable economic development, in fulfillment of RPA’s mission in Africa, through philanthropy, grantmaking, and social impact investing. Previously, she served as Nigeria Program Director on a Sponsored Project at RPA, working with government and industry on financial inclusion reforms. Henrietta was formerly Managing Director of ARM Financial Advisers and held executive roles in corporate transformation and IT at the ARM Group. At Accenture Nigeria, she led Management Consulting for Financial Services and headed Payments and Mobility. She holds an MBA in Corporate Strategy and Economic Policy from Maastricht School of Management, Maastricht University, and a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Lagos. She is also a certified trainer, Change Management and Balanced Scorecard professional.

Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer

Heather Grady

Heather Grady is Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer (effective 2/17/26), leading RPA’s climate and environment practice, as well as a portfolio of funder collaboratives in sponsored projects, advisory engagements, and RPA’s Shifting Systems initiative, which encourages systems approaches in philanthropic funding. She previously served as Vice President for Foundation Initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation and as Managing Director of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. Heather has served as an adjunct professor at the China Global Philanthropy Institute and at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Her career includes two decades of living and working in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, managing development and humanitarian programs. She holds a Master's in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College. She is conversant in Chinese and serves on numerous boards and advisory councils.

Vice President, Sponsored Projects & Funds

Elizabeth Droggitis

Elizabeth Droggitis, Vice President of Sponsored Projects & Funds, leads RPA's work with more than 100 projects, providing governance, management, and operational infrastructure to support their charitable purposes. Before joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in 2017, Elizabeth worked as the Membership and Public Education Manager at MADRE, an international women’s human rights organization, where she managed communications and individual giving programs. Elizabeth has an A.B. in Government & Legal Studies and Spanish from Bowdoin College and a M.Sc. in Gender, Development and Globalisation from the London School of Economics.

Vice President, Insights, Research & Transformation

Olga Tarasov

As Vice President of Inquiry & Insights, Olga Tarasov leads RPA’s research, publications, and thought leadership programs, including hallmark initiatives on foresight and futures, time horizons, and foundation strategy. She regularly presents at global conferences and is a trusted voice on philanthropic trends and practices. Before RPA, Olga held roles at the National Endowment for Democracy and the Open Society Foundations. She earned her M.A. in International Affairs from Georgetown University and a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University. Olga holds certificates from INSEAD’s International Leaders Program and in Strategic Foresight for Social Justice Leaders from United Edge. Olga is a native English and Russian speaker and also speaks Polish, Turkish, and German. She currently lives in Munich, Germany, with her husband, son, and a Hungarian Vizsla dog, all fans of the Bayern München Football Club.

Vice President, Global Growth & Partnerships

Alejandro Alvarez von Gustedt

Alejandro Alvarez von Gustedt is Vice President for Europe, leading RPA’s advisory, project hosting, and research services for European donors, trusts, and foundations. He has built pan-continental networks of social investors, including as co-founder of Latimpacto, a Latin American network of philanthropists and social investors, and as partner of the International Venture Philanthropy Center. He also supported the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network. He was previously Director for the Inter-American Development Bank in Europe and a corporate strategy consultant with Monitor Group. Alex holds dual Spanish and German nationality and earned law and business degrees from Universidad Pontificia de Comillas in Madrid, and a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

Vice President, Talent

Nikki Biratsis

Nikki Biratsis serves as RPA's Vice President of Talent, leading the organization’s talent acquisition, learning and development programs, and employee engagement functions. Nikki brings over 20 years of experience in talent management across nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Her work centers on building thoughtful, scalable talent ecosystems that support both high performance and an inclusive, healthy culture. She is passionate about creating environments where people feel supported, challenged, and connected to meaningful work. Nikki is a proud first-generation Greek American whose experience growing up in her family-owned restaurants shaped her strong work ethic, people-first mindset, and appreciation for community. In her free time, she enjoys working with local animal rescue shelters.

Chief Operating Officer

Heidi Hernandez Gatty

Heidi Hernandez Gatty is Chief Operating Officer, where she draws on nearly 20 years of expertise in fiscal sponsorship. She previously served as Vice President of Client Service at Community Initiatives in Oakland, where she was responsible for business development and service provision for more than 100 fiscally sponsored projects. Heidi began her career in the arts as a professional stage manager and continues to support leaders through creative problem-solving and developing appropriate infrastructure to support long-term impact. She holds a B.A. in Theater from UCLA and a Certificate in Arts Administration from NYU. She serves as a Governing Board Member of the Walnut Creek School District.

Co-CEO & President

Walter Sweet

Walter Sweet is Co-CEO and President of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, where he oversees organizational growth and leads global program teams. He previously served as executive in charge of advisory and sponsored project practice, and frequently represents RPA in the press, speaking engagements, and other external activities. Since joining RPA, he has advised foundations and philanthropists on initiatives in health, education, entrepreneurship, and community development, including guiding complex, high-profile philanthropic projects that require sensitivity and strategic insight. Before RPA, Walter was a partner in a family business focused on defense threat reduction in Ukraine. Walter holds a B.A. from Columbia University and is a board member of the Business Outreach Center Network, which aims to help disadvantaged entrepreneurs access resources to launch their businesses. Walter is the proud parent of two children and lives in New York.

Chief Legal & Compliance Officer

Hayley Smith

Hayley Smith is RPA’s Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, providing guidance on legal issues, leading legal strategy, and overseeing compliance and risk management frameworks. Hayley has more than fifteen years of experience serving and advising nonprofit organizations. Most recently, Hayley served as Principal and Vice President for Strategic Impact at the Build Up Companies, where she supported innovative, systems-change grant makers – including public charities, fiscal sponsors and their projects, donor-advised funds, and private foundations – helping them expand their impact through strengthened governance, grant-making strategies, compliance, and organizational design. She has held previous roles at Foundation Source and the ACLU. Hayley holds a B.A. from Colgate University and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. She is passionate about advancing equity through her legal work and, outside of her role, enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family.

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Executive Leadership Team

Ernest Ostro

Ernest Ostro

Stephanie Royal

Stephanie Royal

Alik Hinckson

Alik Hinckson

Wafa Abboud

Wafa Abboud

Theresa Schieber

Theresa Schieber

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell

Greg Ratliff

Greg Ratliff

Tawfik Elkashef

Tawfik Elkashef

Henrietta Bankole-Olusina

Henrietta Bankole-Olusina

Heather Grady

Heather Grady

Elizabeth Droggitis

Elizabeth Droggitis

Olga Tarasov

Olga Tarasov

Alejandro Alvarez von Gustedt

Alejandro Alvarez von Gustedt

Nikki Biratsis

Nikki Biratsis

Heidi Hernandez Gatty

Heidi Hernandez Gatty

Walter Sweet

Walter Sweet

Hayley Smith

Hayley Smith

Our Staff

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell

A. Nicole (Nic) Campbell

Aaron Xia

Aaron Xia

Abby Conway

Abby Conway

Adam Wolfensohn

Adam Wolfensohn

Alex Alberti

Alex Alberti

Alexandra Fog

Alexandra Fog

Alexandria Hamlette

Alexandria Hamlette

Allie Norwood

Allie Norwood

Allison Payne

Allison Payne

Alta Buden

Alta Buden

Amee Shah

Amee Shah

Ana Marie Argilagos

Ana Marie Argilagos

Andre Barkholz

Andre Barkholz

Anisa Kamadoli Costa

Anisa Kamadoli Costa

Ayana Bartholomew

Ayana Bartholomew

Brittany Norris

Brittany Norris

Camille Morris

Camille Morris

Carli Schulz

Carli Schulz

Caroline Suozzi

Caroline Suozzi

Cathy Frank Halstead

Cathy Frank Halstead

Chandler Gravely

Chandler Gravely

Chase Millikin