Our Team

A serial entrepreneur with a background in psychology, wellness and marketing, Cindy was inspired to start SPOON after adopting a severely malnourished child.

Under Cindy’s leadership, SPOON has developed a proven model for protecting children impacted by institutional care from the debilitating – yet fully preventable – consequences of malnutrition and improper feeding.

Cindy has recently been elected into the prestigious Ashoka fellowship for her systems-changing work with SPOON, and has been appointed as facilitator of the Nutrition Taskforce for the UNICEF-led Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities.

What I Do: I oversee SPOON’s top-notch team committed to a world where all children are valued and nourished. I lead our innovative staff and board in the creation and evaluation of our organizational strategy. I maintain a culture that upholds SPOON’s values and ensures that all activities operate ethically and in line with SPOON’s mission.

Background: After 15 years as a speech-language pathologist specializing in the communication and feeding of children with complex disabilities, I co-founded SPOON to bring nutrition and feeding solutions to children in low-resource settings whose rates of malnutrition were needlessly high. I assumed many roles at SPOON as we grew, including Program Director and Deputy Director, before becoming Executive Director in 2016. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Favorite SPOON Memory: In 2016, I was invited to speak at a conference in Moscow on best practices for children with disabilities. I happened to walk past another session and saw that the topic was feeding. I peeked in and watched as SPOON’s training content was expertly shared with an audience of parents and caregivers. I learned later that the presenters had been trained by our partners, who had been trained by me the year before when they visited SPOON in the US.

What I Do: I oversee SPOON’s online tools (our remote training courses and our app, Count Me In), as well as our fee-for-service work. As its sole developer, one of the biggest parts of my role is managing Count Me In’s evolution and helping us attain our goal of assessing 10,000 children for malnutrition using the app.

Background: I joined SPOON in 2015 to help the organization make the leap into the online world by creating an app to support the trainings we provide. Before that, I spent 15 years in various roles building websites, primarily for nonprofit environmental organizations. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Favorite SPOON Memory: When I traveled to Zambia in 2018, I was delighted to be able to watch Count Me In in action. I watched as a nurse demonstrated how to use the app, coaching a parent on safe mealtime positioning for her child. Seeing their skill with the app and the application of our training was extremely rewarding.

What I Do: I am responsible for SPOON’s financial management strategy and contribute to the development of the organization’s strategic goals. I develop tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to leadership and the Board, and make actionable recommendations on strategy and operations for organizational health and growth.

Background: In my 25-year career, I have worked with mission-driven organizations, large and small, local and international, and at different points in their lifecycle. I began my career in the arts, received an MBA from the Yale School of Management, and joined SPOON in 2013, impressed by its powerful mission and exceptional team, both of which have kept me here. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Favorite SPOON Memory: In 2019, I traveled with our Board of Trustees and Program Team to Lusaka, Zambia to meet our partners, build connections, and see our program in action. Taking a break from my computer, I gained a new perspective as I witnessed the profound impact of our training on a young girl with disabilities and her grandmother. It was truly enlightening to see them implement small changes that made a significant difference right in front of me.

What I Do: I support the Development team to secure funding that powers SPOON’s work and to share our story with a broader audience. I manage our grant writing processes and donor database to help ensure that SPOON has the financial support needed to achieve our mission.

Background: Before coming to SPOON, I worked as an administrator for apprenticeship programs. I joined SPOON in 2019 as the Administrative Assistant before transitioning to my current role in 2020.

Why I SPOON: I love being a part of a passionate, hardworking, and creative team that cares so deeply about a population of children who are often overlooked. I appreciate the innovative and holistic approach SPOON takes to our work, ensuring that children not only receive proper nutrition, but are fed safely as well.

What I Do: I am responsible for office management, and I assist with hiring and accounting. I also support activities related to SPOON’s staff, Board of Trustees, and Board Committees.

Background: Before coming to SPOON in 2021, I spent eight years as an executive assistant and catering sales coordinator. I have also been a volunteer puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. since I was young. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Why I SPOON: When I was 2 years old, I was adopted from Thailand but was underdeveloped due to dehydration and malnutrition. When I first learned about SPOON’s mission to serve children who are highly vulnerable to malnutrition, it immediately resonated with me. I am grateful for the opportunity to support SPOON in effecting change by helping improve the lives of 250 million children worldwide who are often overlooked but just as valuable.

What I Do: I design and implement nutrition and feeding programs (including SPOON’s digital health app, Count Me In) and research studies. I write curriculum and facilitate training for technical and non-technical audiences, through traditional and online platforms. I support SPOON’s data collection initiative to ensure children with disabilities and those living outside of family care are seen.

Background: I’m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and have a doctorate in nutritional sciences from the University of Arizona. I have nearly 20 years of experience designing and implementing international nutrition programs, research studies, and interventions to improve nutrition for vulnerable children. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Why I SPOON: I was with SPOON for over a decade, but I’ve moved to Europe and am now an Independent Consultant. Over the years, I witnessed the team learn and evolve to meet the needs of the children SPOON serves in the most strategic and effective way. As a scientist, I appreciate SPOON’s evidence-based and pragmatic approach, and as a colleague, I value the team’s creativity, hard work, and passion for our mission.

What I Do: I design, develop, and implement training, tools, and interventions around feeding and disability in support of SPOON’s programs. I collaborate with other members of the Program Team to support implementation of SPOON’s programs and to foster strong relationships with our partners and stakeholders.

Background: I am a Speech-Language Pathologist and certified lactation consultant. Prior to joining SPOON, I spent nearly 10 years working with infants and children in healthcare settings, specializing in pediatric feeding and swallowing, and lecturing in graduate-level courses. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Favorite SPOON Memory: I think of my excitement when I first heard about SPOON’s vision to create a low-cost seating solution so that more children had access to supportive and safe positioning for mealtime. I still recall the first meeting we had with the product designer, Utensile, and the long list of problems we set out to solve. Since then, it has been a journey from brainstorming, to that first CAD drawing, to an actual prototype. I have enjoyed the process of collaborating with experts, reading current research, getting input from parents and children, refining the design, and testing out the SPOON chair.

What I Do: I developed and now lead SPOON’s advocacy strategy, which aims to ensure that all children have the nutrition and feeding support they need to grow and thrive. I work with coalitions, stakeholders, and local partners to promote policies, practices, and investments related to inclusive nutrition, early child development, and family care.

Background: I have 15 years of experience implementing global health programs, advocacy initiatives, and public-private partnerships. My work has focused on key issues facing children around the world, including health workforce training, digital health, water, sanitation, and hygiene, and community-based development. I received my Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University, with a focus on Maternal and Child Health and Health Education.

Why I SPOON: The children we work with are too often excluded from the systems that should be serving them. SPOON can’t reach all 250 million children with disabilities or children without family care directly through our programs, and that’s why advocacy is so important. My work allows me to team up with leaders and caregivers to change systems to fulfill children’s rights.

What I Do: I secure funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations in order to ensure SPOON can carry out our worthy mission. I communicate about SPOON’s work so current and prospective supporters can understand what we do and why it’s so critical.

Background: I received my Master’s in Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service, and have spent the last 15 years managing programs and fundraising for organizations that are committed to leveling the playing field for marginalized communities. See my LinkedIn profile here.

Why I SPOON: When I learned about SPOON’s mission, I incorrectly assumed that our target populations—children with disabilities and those living outside of family care—were a very small sliver of the world. I had no idea that this issue affected 250 million children worldwide, and that no other organization is addressing it the way we do. I enjoy being part of a team that’s making a difference in a way that no one else is.

What I Do: I lead the implementation of SPOON’s business development strategy to scale our impact through partnerships.  I look for trends and opportunities for operational excellence, program growth, innovation, and technical excellence, ensuring SPOON remains at the forefront of inclusive nutrition and feeding efforts.

Background: I have 30 years of mission-driven experience supporting teams and organizations to assess needs and priorities, articulate and communicate critical gender, diversity, and social inclusion concepts, and identify and address roadblocks to positive, inclusive, and practical action, particularly for children and young people.  I coached cohorts of emerging leaders to drive organizational change processes, build and nurture diverse and inclusive teams, negotiate strategic partnerships, build and grow their influence skills, and design competitive bids.

Why I SPOON: I joined SPOON in June 2023 because I believe that children have the right to grow up healthy and safe. SPOON supports children with disabilities–those most at risk of being excluded and malnourished–to be included in systems that prioritize and meet their needs so they can develop and thrive.

What I Do: I oversee our brilliant program team as well as our international programs, and cultivate existing and new relationships with strategic partners.

Background: With over 20 years as an international emergency relief and development professional, I have worked to empower vulnerable communities and create resilient, just, and vibrant societies in over 40 countries around the globe. See more about my work with Mercy Corps and Medical Teams International on my LinkedIn profile here.

Why I SPOON: Throughout my career I have been committed to working on behalf of vulnerable individuals, supporting their capacity to advocate for themselves, their families, and their communities while building resilience to better enable them to navigate future threats. Children living, or at risk of living, outside of family care and children with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable, and they are often left out of essential nutrition and care services. I am inspired by the dedication of SPOON to improve nutrition and feeding for these children and advocate for their rights and equality.