Virisila Buadromo is a Fijian feminist and co-leads the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights Asia and the Pacific (UAF AP). Her role focuses on strategic partnerships and resource mobilization. Prior to joining UAF AP, Virisila freelanced as a feminist facilitator, trainer, and gender advisor across the Pacific and Asia, focusing on organizational strengthening and supporting feminist coalitions and movements. Virisila’s feminist beginnings were nurtured at the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, a cutting-edge feminist organization that she led for more than 13 years.
Joy L. Chia is the Executive Director of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, a public foundation rooted in LGBTQI communities and movements working globally to advance the rights of LGBTQI people and communities. Astraea endeavors to mobilize and distribute resources so as to reach the activists and communities who need them most and who are best positioned to make transformational impact over time. Joy comes to Astraea from the Open Society Foundations (OSF), where she was team manager with the Women’s Rights Program (2018-2021) and the East Asia program officer (2012-2018).
Gabriela Toledo is the Co-Executive Director of Fondo Semillas. She holds a Master of Science in Business Administration and has more than 10 years of experience in the third sector, supporting women and national and international organizations in managing their resources in a flexible, inclusive, and equitable manner. Throughout her career, she has been committed to strengthening financial and economic skills and capacities to help build a more equitable society.
Salome Chagelishvili is a feminist leader from Tbilisi, Georgia, devoted to social and gender justice. She has a strong track record in executive leadership, management, programming, strategy, philanthropy, and resourcing feminist groups, as well as in advancing trust-based grantmaking models through an intersectional lens. She holds a master’s degree in gender studies and has been engaged in feminist movement building for more than 15 years.
Salome’s work spans gender-based violence, domestic violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s labor rights, environmental and climate justice, healing justice, holistic security, and digital security and rights. Since 2014, she has worked actively on the safety and security of activists and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), providing integrated security workshops for activists from underprivileged groups.
Zeina Abdel Khalik has over 15 years of experience advancing women’s rights and gender equality and currently serves as the Executive Director of Doria Feminist Fund. She is a feminist and human rights advocate, with a BS in Biology and a master’s degree in public health from the American University of Beirut. She is also a certified gender trainer from KIT University in Amsterdam.
As an active actor in the philanthropic ecosystem, Zeina works to shift power and resources toward feminist movements across the MENA region. Through her work, she advocates for feminist and gender-responsive funding models that center trust, care, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that those closest to the struggle are also closest to the resources needed to lead transformative change.
Mukami Marete is an African queer feminist and human rights advocate currently serving as the Executive Director at UHAI. Mukami’s leadership is rooted in feminist values of justice, integrity, and collective care. Her career has focused on strengthening movements through participatory grant making, movement accompaniment, and sustainable resourcing for grassroots organizing. She holds an MBA and brings extensive expertise in financial management, organizational sustainability, and governance. Beyond UHAI, Mukami serves on several boards across Africa and globally, contributing to advancing feminist leadership, equity in philanthropy, and the wellbeing of marginalized communities.
