Karmen Bennett is a senior strategic planner and high-level adviser with 25 years international experience in the public and private sectors, focused on improving governance processes, enhancing effective intra- and inter-organization collaboration, delivering results in time-constrained multi-stakeholder/ international settings, and leading diverse multi‐functional and multi-national teams to success.  Her past 15 years have involved senior roles mandated to steward and lead institutional reform processes aimed at increasing institutional impact and bring a pragmatic approach to problem resolution.

The holder of Law and Political Science degrees, she brings additional qualifications in board governance and business management.  Having worked across more than 20 countries over the past 25 years, Karmen brings a proven capacity to communicate across all levels and cultures, accompanied by a deep-seated desire to affect change and deliver improved, sustainable, outcomes for people and their communities.

Until 2022 Derek Byerlee was an Adjunct Professor in the School of Foreign Services at Georgetown University, USA, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute. He has held senior positions at Michigan State University, USA; in the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) at Mexico and South Asia; and in the World Bank where he co-directed the Bank’s 2008 World Development Report on food and agriculture. He has since served as Chair of the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR’s, Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Global Agricultural and Food Security Program, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Global Food Security.  He has a long-standing interest in agricultural research and innovation policy and management and has participated in many reviews of CGIAR centers and programs as well national research systems.

A citizen of Australia, Derek holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Oregon State University, USA, and D.Econ (Hon) from the University of Adelaide.  He is a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association and an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Sally Deffor van der Heijden is a senior communications specialist with DAI Global, and currently supporting activities in Ukraine.  She has more than 15 years of experience in the international development field, working with various donor implemented projects in areas such as trade and finance, agribusiness, humanitarian services, climate change, migration, rule of law, and civil society development.  She has supported these projects in her capacity as strategy, advocacy or communications advisor, and program specialist or director.  These projects were focused on countries including Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and funded by the World Bank, European Union, USAID, and/or the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development.  Sally is also a researcher, and her published works focused on topics such as (open) science and health communication, and digital news and markets.

Sally was born in Ghana, and now lives in the Netherlands.  She holds a PhD in Digital Media and Communications from the University of Central Lancashire, UK.  She also holds an MA in Communication for Development from Malmo University, Sweden, and a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Ghana Business School.  She’s a former Google Policy Fellow (2013) and EUI Policy Leader Fellow (2019).

Michael Devlin is trained as a journalist.  His professional activities bring together strategic communication, knowledge sharing, research synthesis, advocacy and fund raising – supporting international science and development programs and centers.  His expertise includes: synthesis of complex topics to inform and influence various groups, including investors, decision makers and development practitioners; and mentoring and capacity building of research teams to make their results more relevant and visible.  Michael was born in the UK and has spent much of his life in Brussels, where he now lives.

During his career Michael has served in senior positions in knowledge, communication, and donor relations in IWMI, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Council on Health Research for Development, Geneva, ICARDA, Aleppo/Amman, Jordan, and the International Bamboo & Rattan Organization.  He is currently co-founder and Director, Science for Development (Sci4D, an international non-profit agency providing synthesis and promotion services for publicly-funded science technical assistance programs; capacity building of research teams to communicate their results, based in Brussels.  He is a member of the Future Work Forum think tank.

Carlos Iglesias is the Director of the Plant Breeding Consortium at North Carolina State University, and a Professor in Horticultural Science. Carlos’ experience is in both the public and private sector, with roles as Global Cassava Germplasm Improvement Lead at CIAT (1989-98); Head of Hybrid Breeding and Seed Production at Weaver Popcorn (1998-2012); Head of Corn R&D LATAM (2012-15) and Head Wheat R&D and Seed Business North America (2015-2020).  He has worked or managed programs in different species (corn, cassava, popcorn, wheat, peas); and has experience in more developed agriculture production systems (North America, Brazil/Argentina), as well as production in less developed regions of the world (Sub-Saharan Africa).  He is a consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for Root & Tuber Crop projects in Africa; the CGIAR; Avalo AI (Durham, NC) and INARI (Cambridge, MA).

Carlos grew up in a small farming community in Uruguay, getting his BSc at the University of Uruguay (1983); and his MSc and PhD in Plant Breeding at Iowa State University (1989). He has an MSc in Ag Econ from Purdue University and an MBA in Food and Agribusiness from Indiana University (2014).

Mellissa Wood has over 30 years’ experience in leading and providing scientific and strategic advice on sustainable development, food system research, conservation and environmental management, and public policy.  She has held Executive positions with the Australian Government and internationally, including UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and CGIAR.  Her expertise includes resilient food systems research for development across Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia and the Pacific.

Mellissa is a Visiting Scientist CSIRO, Food Systems and Global Change and chairs the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council.  Most recently she was General Manager, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and member of CGIAR’s System Council and System Management Board and Chair, Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutes (APAARI).  Prior, she led the Australian International Food Security Research Centre in Africa and held senior positions with Global Crop Diversity Trust in FAO Rome and with the Bureau of Rural Sciences, Federal Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. She holds a Master of Public Policy (Development Policy) from Crawford School of Public Policy and Bachelor of Science (Resource and Environmental Management) from the Australian National University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).