Tessa Martin is a strategic communications expert with eight years of global experience driving impact in global NGO, Fortune 500 and agency settings.

As Communications Manager with Land O'Lakes, she led worldwide communications for Venture37, the company's nonprofit, overseeing digital strategy, thought leadership, and growth initiatives across 12 countries.

Her storytelling has reached audiences at major forums including COP27, Borlaug Dialogue and the Africa Food Systems Forum, while her field-based production work has spanned four continents, from documenting the benefits of agricultural cooperatives in Malawi to amplifying agri-tourism campaigns in the Republic of Georgia.

Whether supporting a Haitian art gallery's reconstruction after the 2010 earthquake, interviewing government officials about transboundary disease mitigation in East Africa, or designing communications strategies that bridge technical complexity with human impact, Tessa brings a unique combination of strategic vision and on-the-ground execution. Her expertise spans strategy development, digital media, crisis communications, content creation and stakeholder engagement, consistently translating complex global work into compelling narratives that drive action.

Tessa holds an M.Sc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a B.A. in Middle East Studies from McGill University. She speaks English and French.

Communications Specialist

Sam Viney is a communications, marketing, and digital strategy expert with over a decade of experience working with NGOs, development consultancies, media outlets, and mission-driven businesses. With a focus on living and working in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, Sam develops narratives that inspire people to reflect on their relationship with social and environmental justice while promoting solutions for a better world. In the last three years alone, Sam has worked in Kenya, Kosovo, Malawi, Moldova, Montenegro, Nigeria, Poland, Tanzania, the UK, Ukraine and Zambia.

Communicating complexity is the common thread that runs through Sam’s career. He has worked at Chemonics International with first responders to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with King’s College London neuroscientists exploring how trauma impacts local peacebuilding, with African farmers on how a changing climate impacts their livelihoods and with blue-chip fund managers investing in socially and environmentally minded opportunities in emerging markets. Across a diverse range of challenges, Sam partners with experts and communities to unlock their potential and help influence the conversations that will define tomorrow.

Sam is a digital-first content creator, with experience building and managing complex websites and data-driven communications strategies. Beginning his career in journalism shaped Sam’s instincts for media work, regularly placing stories with the BBC, the Financial Times, The Economist and The Guardian.

As the Head of Communications at Sun King, the world’s largest off-grid solar company, Sam leads a team of fifty marketing, digital, design, and communications professionals across three continents. Sam enjoys the challenge of building multidisciplinary, cross-cultural teams that are greater than the sum of their parts. Sam also previously led communications for Chemonics International’s UK company and UK government-funded programmes. Before Chemonics, Sam worked with Farm Africa, an agriculture-focused NGO, where he drew from his early journalistic focus on the intersection of Africa’s social and economic development with technology.

Co-Founder, Managing Director

Pandora has over ten years of experience in strategic communications, press, media and campaigns; shaping evidence-based narratives to deliver lasting change in international development, human rights, health inequalities, global food systems and sustainability.

From leading on the PR and social media that underpinned The Food Foundation’s 2020 campaign in partnership with Marcus Rashford to coordinating communications around the release of Ridley Scott Associates’ #WomanLifeFreedom film ‘Rise’, Pandora specialises in cultivating relationships with journalists, finding newsworthy angles, and expanding influential media reach at pace.

Working from within government bodies as well as with NGOs and private sector clients, Pandora’s expertise lies in building partnerships with diverse stakeholders to create powerful coalitions and facilitate policy engagement, shaping, for example, the UK Sepsis Trust’s awareness campaign delivered with Public Health England across Transport for London and the NHS or liaising with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner to influence UK Home Office policy on child trafficking and exploitation.

Whether she’s delivering strategic communications support in the Western Balkans for Chemonics International; providing communications consultancy and capacity-building support to NGOs in Rwanda, Uganda and Afghanistan; or working with startups and SMEs including The AA, SpareRoom, USwitch and Protect Your Bubble, Pandora crafts compelling messages that reach the right audiences across a broad spectrum of themes and sectors. 

Co-Founder, Editorial Lead

Mohamed Omar joins us from the UK public sector, where he played a leading role in shaping energy policy reforms to advance the UK Government’s Net Zero and Clean Power ambitions. With more than a decade of experience spanning public policy, communications, education, and technology, he brings deep expertise in strategic communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and outreach.

He has successfully led complex marketing initiatives and high-profile public information campaigns, including for a major national inquiry, ensuring clear and accessible communication on critical public issues. Mohamed holds a degree in Economics and Business Finance.

Abby Corey is an international development professional with a background in business development, adaptive program management, and partner engagement. Her interdisciplinary proposal development and grant management experience ranges from human rights and conflict mitigation to independent media and civic technology. Abby most recently worked as a business development manager for DT Institute, a DC-based international development non-profit organisation. In this role, she identified strategic funding opportunities and managed grant proposals to support human rights and independent media, ultimately securing over $5 million in 2024 to fund projects in Yemen, Iran, and Syria.

In her previous role as a senior associate with Chemonics International, Abby conducted qualitative research in Iraq, organised internal and external events, and completed a meta-assessment of Chemonics’ stabilisation projects in Syria, Iraq, and Libya to inform future programming. Her experience also includes working with the US Institute of Peace in Tunisia, where she contributed to proposals focused on transitional justice and conflict mitigation, managed research projects and donor reporting, and organised workshops for Libyan stakeholders to further project goals.

Project Management and Business Development Specialist

Jack Saville is a communications, marketing and creative copywriting expert and press officer. He has worked in advertising and production for over a decade, developing a reputation as a highly skilled pitch writer, director’s assistant, creative researcher and copy-editor. Beginning his production career as an in-house writer at Somesuch & Co, he has since developed a client list of some of the world’s most prominent commercial production companies, including Biscuit Filmworks, MJZ, Anonymous Content, Revolver, Iconoclast and Zauberberg, and successfully won pitches with global brands ranging from Apple to the BBC.

With experience writing and editing creative and compelling scripts across hundreds of commercial, film and TV projects, Jack brings a strong and singular grasp of narrative and a keen understanding of how to make a message resonate with an audience across both written and visual storytelling.

Jack has also worked as a press officer and content creator for a number of grassroots organisations including the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) trade union and more recently the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA), which represents the itinerant boater population on the UK’s waterways. Working in press for small and under-funded community organisations has given Jack a creative and disruptive approach to press and media work, with attention-grabbing press releases, community-led content creation, diligent journalist relationship management and a keen eye for media trends. He has recently secured the NBTA coverage in national press outlets including The Guardian, The Independent, the BBC, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail and The Times.

Communications Manager

Gladys is passionate about helping brands grow through smart, creative and data-driven digital strategies. With over six years of experience in digital marketing and social media, she’s worked across diverse markets spanning Africa and Europe, blending creativity with performance analytics to deliver real, measurable results.

She thrives on bringing ideas to life, from building engaging campaigns to leading teams that amplify brand visibility and drive online growth. Her expertise spans paid media, social media management, SEO, PPC and content marketing, and she’s earned certifications from leading institutions such as Google and Hubspot.

With a master’s degree in marketing communications, Gladys is known for her strategic mindset, attention to detail, and clear communication style. She loves seeing the tangible impact of her work, not just in numbers, but in how brands connect with people.

Outside of work, you’ll find her travelling, dancing or exploring new wellness routines like yoga and gym workouts. For her, balance and creativity go hand in hand, both in her career and in life.

Team

Sam Viney

Pandora Haydon

Mohamed Omar

Abigail Corey

Jack Saville

Gladys Megai

Tessa Martin