GFIR Welcomes Two New Members to Its Board of Directors

We are delighted to welcome Nichola Dyer and Chris Sickels to the Board of Directors of the Global Fund for Innovation and Resilience (GFIR).

Both bring extensive leadership experience and valuable perspectives that will help guide GFIR as we advance our mission to strengthen climate resilience through technology and innovation.

Nichola Dyer | International Development, Sustainability & Global Partnerships

Nichola is the Founder and President of NJDyer Global Advisory and Senior Advisor to the Global Seaweed Coalition. She brings 26 years of experience at the World Bank Group, where she led major global initiatives spanning agriculture, food security, governance, and social inclusion.

Her leadership experience includes managing the $1.5 billion Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, developing initiatives supporting marginalized and vulnerable populations, leading the World Bank Group's Ethics Office, and establishing its office in Gabon.

Nichola brings deep expertise in international development, institutional governance, and strategic partnerships across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Chris Sickels | Institutional Advancement, Philanthropy & Strategic Leadership

Chris is Senior Executive Director of Development, Leadership, Strategy & Engagement at the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego).

He brings extensive executive leadership experience in institutional advancement, philanthropy, strategic planning, and partnership development across leading academic, research, and healthcare institutions.

Prior to his current role, Chris held senior leadership positions at UC San Diego, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and Hunterdon Healthcare.

His experience in mobilizing resources, building strategic partnerships, and advancing innovative initiatives will be particularly valuable as GFIR expands its operations and strengthens its institutional foundations.

Strengthening GFIR's Leadership for the Next Chapter

As GFIR develops its technology-driven approach to climate resilience and builds partnerships across the regions, strong governance and diverse leadership perspectives will be essential.

Nichola and Chris bring complementary expertise in international development, institutional leadership, philanthropy, and strategic partnerships.

We are excited to welcome them to GFIR and look forward to working together to translate innovation into meaningful impact for climate-vulnerable communities.

Welcome aboard, Nichola and Chris!