Welcoming InterAction’s Six New Board Members

At InterAction’s annual Members Meeting on June 25, we said goodbye to eight Board Members.

InterAction extends a heartfelt thanks to Sharif Aly, Dianne Calvi, Carol Jenkins, Koby Langley, Eskinder Negash, Michelle Nunn, and Michael Nyenhuis for their service to InterAction. A special thanks goes out to Abby Maxman, our outgoing Board Chair, for her steadfast commitment to InterAction over six years. We look forward to their continued engagement as leaders in our NGO community.

As we said goodbye to these eight outstanding leaders, we were excited to announce three Board Members who have transitioned to leadership positions—Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of Save the Children U.S., was elected Board Chair; Christine Squires, President and CEO of Americares, was elected Vice-Chair; and Rabih Torbay, President and CEO of Project HOPE, was elected Treasurer.

We were also thrilled to welcome six new Board Members. Learn more about them below. See our entire Board HERE.

Margaret Ackerley, Independent

Margaret Ackerley is an experienced leader with particular expertise in nonprofit law and governance. She has a deep commitment to the future of the planet and all its people.

Margaret recently retired from serving as SVP and General Counsel for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), where she served for more than 25 years. Her work included extensive work with and support to WWF’s board and all its committees, and leading and inspiring numerous global teams to strong results. In her final three years with WWF, she took on responsibility for all non-U.S. offices managed by WWF-US, including in Nepal, Bhutan, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru.

Daniela Ligiero, Together for Girls

Dr. Daniela Ligiero is the CEO and President of Together for Girls, a global partnership uniting governments, U.N. Agencies, and civil society to end violence against children and adolescents, particularly sexual violence. This partnership uses a model of data and advocacy to drive action, spanning over 20 countries. With nationally led surveys, it has amassed data on over 12% of the world’s population under 24 and more than 20% of children and adolescents in low-income nations.

Before her tenure at Together for Girls, Dr. Ligiero served as the Vice President of Girls and Women’s Strategy at the UN Foundation, where she developed the foundation’s gender integration strategy. During her five years at the U.S. Department of State, she pioneered the integration of gender issues into foreign policy and global health investments, impacting over 70 countries and over $1 billion in funding. Notably, she helped develop the first-ever International U.S. Government Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence and the largest investment in adolescent girls’ health, the PEPFAR DREAMS program.

Sam Owilly, BOMA

Dr. Sam Owilly is Chief Executive Officer at BOMA and is a dynamic and accomplished leader with a rich background in development. Born and raised in a village in Western Kenya, Sam’s early exposure to rural, agricultural communities drew him to veterinary medicine. He went on to earn his degree in Veterinary Medicine from Nairobi University and began his own practice, which provided his first exposure to the world of international development. During the 2009 drought, Sam witnessed the challenges faced by rural communities in Northern Kenya. This experience fueled his commitment to supporting and uplifting those facing extreme poverty and specifically ensuring that their livelihoods were secure.

Since 2009, Sam has worked in various sectors of the development sphere including food security, agriculture, risk reduction, and economic inclusion. Under his leadership, BOMA experienced unprecedented growth including a growing program portfolio, enhanced capacity, and impact at scale. Sam is passionate to lead a locally designed, locally led, and locally sustained solution that addresses the critical challenges of communities in Africa’s drylands.

Nida Saleem, Islamic Medical Association of North America

Nida Saleem brings over 20 years of nonprofit experience to her role as Executive Director at Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA). She has led a faith-based organization, managed conventions with thousands in attendance, and spearheaded mentorship programs.

With expertise in leadership and board service, Nida prioritizes professional development, in addition to presenting at conferences and contributing to books and journals. She holds a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from SUNY New Paltz, an M.P.H. in Epidemiology from SUNY Albany, an M.P.A in Nonprofit Management and Governance from Marist College, and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Rick Santos, Church World Service

Richard L. Santos is the President and CEO of Church World Service (CWS). Rick has spent more than 30 years working in the relief, development, and displacement sectors and has been a senior nonprofit executive for the last 15 years. Rick is an expert in engaging and partnering with civil society in the development process, and his developmental approach includes building and prioritizing robust local and regional partnerships—communities, organizations, and networks.

Earlier in his career, Rick spent more than a decade on the CWS staff, beginning as a Program Officer in Vietnam before rising through the ranks to eventually become Director of the Social and Economic Development program. Before returning to CWS as its President and CEO in 2021, Rick served as the President and CEO of IMA World Health, a faith-based public health organization that he led through several strategic pivots to achieve significant growth in both impact and revenue.

Steve Smith, Airlink

Steve Smith is the CEO of disaster logistics nonprofit Airlink and a passionate advocate for disrupting and redefining disaster logistics. With a career spanning almost two decades in the humanitarian and aviation sectors, Steve’s profound understanding of the critical role logistics plays in disaster response makes him an innovative thinker with a unique message for the humanitarian, philanthropic, and business community.

During his time as CEO, Airlink has grown from a unique start-up to a global humanitarian relief nonprofit that, in 2023, will support programs to reach almost 15 million people. Airlink simplifies and enhances the aviation industry’s critical role in the humanitarian relief and disaster response infrastructure. Under Steve’s leadership, Airlink has delivered aid to over 46 million people across the globe, working with the world’s leading airlines and logistics companies to provide free-of-charge transport on behalf of a network of over 200 non-governmental organizations.

Before leading Airlink, Steve’s experience encompassed both the private and nonprofit sectors. Steve worked for the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and, upon returning to the U.S., joined jet engine maker Rolls-Royce, where he led the manufacturer’s largest engine and aftermarket campaign in its history.

We hope you’ll join us in thanking our exiting Board Members, celebrating the new leadership, and welcoming the newest additions to our distinguished Board of Directors.