Staff
-
Kushal Chakrabarti
Co-Founder & CEO
Kushal began working on Vittana on a gut feeling in 2007. After months of talking to anyone who would return his calls, reading everything he could find on education and microfinance, and putting together different pieces of the organization, Kushal decided to devote himself full-time to Vittana in May 2008.
Previously, Kushal ran technology for a billion-dollar team at Amazon.com and is the author of 20+ patents, papers and talks. In his free time, he runs Ironman triathlons and trains guide dogs for the blind. Kushal was named one of Seattle's Top 40 Under 40 in 2010 and the Greatest Person of the Day by the Huffington Post in 2011.
-
Kate Cochran
Chief Operating Officer
Kate joined Vittana as COO in 2010 with a deep passion and belief that we can change the face of global poverty. Kate brings over 20 years of management experience in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. Prior to this role, Kate was part of the founding management team at Unitus, a global microfinance accelerator, where she led, at various points, fundraising, finance, and operations and was a frequent spokeswoman for the organization.
Previously, Kate was the COO and Director of Leadership Development for Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley, an organization she helped found in 1999. Before that, Kate was a management consultant with Towers Perrin, where she helped Fortune 100 clients address strategic human resources issues.
Kate holds a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, where she graduated as the top human resources student in her class. She is a frequent guest lecturer at business schools and universities on the topics of social entrepreneurship, microfinance, and nonprofit management.
-
Matt Duncan
VP of Marketing and Products
As Vittana's VP of Marketing and Products, Matt is focused on creating the ultimate lender experience and an impact story that inspires the world. A social entrepreneur and marketing executive, Matt has more than 20 years of building brands and programs as well as online, mobile and software innovations. His forte is taking a good idea and making it legendary.
Matt founded his own technology startup and has taken part in two IPO successes. More recently, he led digital marketing at Smilebox and Corbis. He has used his leadership to support many social efforts, especially as market director for Grameen Foundation and as an advisor for Seeds of Compassion and Kids in the Game.
Matt has a degree from UC Davis and completed his graduate studies at UC Berkeley. He has been a guest lecturer on social ventures and marketing and universities in the US and abroad. He stays busy keeping up with his three boys and through international adventures with his wife.
-
Deborah Agrin
Director of Development & Engagement
Deborah Agrin brings over 10 years of experience in international education program development, nonprofit management, and strategic planning.
Most recently she served as COO of Global Citizen Year, creating opportunities for students of all backgrounds to participate in a global service gap year before college. Deb previously was a Senior Education Program Associate at Asia Society, working to promote international education in the United States and expand experiential learning abroad for American faculty and students. She also was part of the core design and implementation team for the organization’s national network of internationally themed U.S. middle and high schools. Prior to Asia Society, Deb provided support for international students interning and working in the United States at the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).
Deb holds a MBA from the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley, a M.A. in International Education from New York University, and a B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University.
-
Todd Gehman
Senior Web Developer
Todd takes care of Vittana's website and writes the custom software running behind the scenes.
He began his software career at Amazon.com, working on myriad projects as a developer and manager, mostly centered around emerging technologies like personalization and digital media. He then joined a Web 2.0 startup called the Robot Co-op, working with former peers from Amazon's Personalization team to build a suite of "useful social networking" sites like life goals website 43 Things.
Todd adores the humanist potential of the still-in-its-infancy web and is excited to be at Vittana where he can apply that potential toward tangible global change.
-
Nick Cain
Regional Program Manager - Latin America & Africa
Nick is responsible for developing and managing our student micro-loan partnerships with microfinance organizations in Latin America and Africa.
Previously, Nick served as a Kiva Fellow, focusing on training and capacity building at 3 microfinance organizations across Paraguay and Bolivia. Before that, Nick worked in Rwanda, providing student services and program development for Generation Rwanda, a non-profit college scholarship organization serving young people affected by Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
Nick graduated from Columbia University with a degree in American Studies.
-
Sanjaya Punyasena
Regional Program Manager - Asia & Middle East
Sanjaya is responsible for developing and managing our Asian and Middle Eastern student micro-loan partnerships. He is an avid believer in the power of microfinance and education to permanently reduce global poverty.
Sanjaya began his career in the microfinance industry as a Kiva Fellow, working with two microfinance organizations in Cambodia to build up their Kiva operations. Sanjaya went on to work for one of them, Angkor Mikroherenvatho Kampuchea (AMK), as a consultant in their IT department. At AMK, Sanjaya oversaw the implementation of a new management information system and used technology to increase the efficiency of AMK's day-to-day operations.
Sanjaya graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in International Studies and Political Science.
-
Brad Mahaffey
Designer
Brad joined the Vittana team in 2011. His responsibilities at Vittana encompass any and all matters related to brand and product design as well as maintaining the integrity of both.
Brad brings a wide range of experience and expertise in design and brand management. Brad has founded and worked in several highly regarded startups in the past 13+ years and is now focused on Vittana. Brad has been featured in several computer and design publications and has received numerous awards and accolades. His work has been featured in gallery exhibitions here in the United States and abroad.
Brad is passionate about Vittana's mission and is excited about the chance to help spread educational opportunities around the globe.
-
Lindsey Maxfield
Projects Manager
Lindsey is responsible for coordinating and executing major projects at Vittana, including the Vittana Fellows program and web projects.
Previously, Lindsey was the operations manager at Vittana. Before that, she worked for organizations like World Vision and Seattle Works doing community outreach and traveled abroad to South Africa where she saw first-hand the importance of access to education and human potential.
Lindsey graduated from the George Washington University with a degree in International Affairs.
-
Roger Johnson
Chief Financial Advisor
Roger works with the program and operations team to ensure the fiscal integrity of Vittana's operations.
Roger brings 30-plus years of business and financial experience to the field of microfinance. Roger spent 15 years managing financial and manufacturing operations in the Asia Pacific region, most recently as the Director of Finance for Kellogg.
Roger has a B.A. in Accounting from U of Illinois-Chicago and a MBA from Pepperdine University. He was formerly a CPA in the state of Illinois.
-
Sophie Kauffman
Community and Culture Manager
Sophie keeps all those little bits and pieces up in the air to keep Vittana happy, healthy and running.
With a background in human capital and health research, Sophie is a passionate believer in the life-changing power of education. First exposed to micro-loans while studying development and foreign aid in Sierra Leone, she is convinced of its value as a fundamentally transformative tool to fight global poverty.
Sophie has a B.A. in Sociology from Colorado College.
-
Jocelyn Macdonald
Office Administrator
Jocelyn is the office administrator at Vittana. While studying peacemaking in Northern Ireland, she discovered that changing the world is the labor of ordinary people, not superheroes. With that in mind, she draws on experience from a range of fields -- from restaurant management to book publishing -- to strengthen the day-to-day operations and communication of the organization.
Jocelyn has a BA in English from Earlham College.