2022/2023 Kirchner Food Fellows
Americas Fellows
Shivani Desai
Shivani is a graduate student at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, where she is focusing on Environmental Policy and International Business. She has over seven years of experience in the international development space – consulting with nonprofits and social businesses on their organizational strategies and programs, advising private funders on their philanthropic investments, and managing multi-year implementation projects in South Asia. >> Read full profile
Shisbeth Tábora
Shisbeth, originally from Honduras, is a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University. She earned her M.Sc. in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Wildlands Science and Management with a Certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology at Texas Tech University. >> Read full profile
Brian Ezeonu
Brian is a Ph.D. Candidate at Auburn University; where his research focuses on international development, global finance, and governance. He earned an MA. in Economics from Georgia State University (GSU) and a BSc. in Economics from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). >> Read full profile
Mexico Fellows
Marion Ximena Ochoa Hidalgo
Marion is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Digital Humanities and has a Bachelor’s in International Business from the Tecnológico de Monterrey in León, Mexico. She is passionate about achieving sustainability through socially-driven undertakings and disruptive innovation concentrated on impactful businesses. >> Read full profile
Mildred Gissel Jiménez Rodriguez
Mildred is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Nanotechnology at Tecnologico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. Throughout her studies, she has led and participated in several initiatives to promote youth involvement in the development of the Latin American bioeconomy through science communication, evidence-based policymaking, and entrepreneurship. >> Read full profile
Benjamín Trujillo Barrera
Benjamin is pursuing an economics degree at UNAM and has a BS in biotechnology from Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) with a minor in molecular biology. Seeking to be a bridge between biotechnology and business, he worked as a junior in innovation at Distrito Emprendedor, conducting business analysis of SMEs among other events in conjunction with the National Institute of Entrepreneurs. >> Read full profile
HBCU Fellows
Devotha Mwazembe
Devotha is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Integrative Biosciences at Tuskegee University. Her research focuses on crop production, soil science, crop modeling decision tools, climate change, and sustainability. She earned an MS. Environmental Sciences from Tuskegee University and a BSc. Agronomy from the Sokoine University of Agriculture. >> Read full profile
Taylor Weekes
Taylor is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She recently served as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Financial Institutions Group. >> Read full profile
Ayodeji Akande
Ayodeji is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems at Howard University. He previously worked at PJT Partners as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst in the Strategic Advisory Group. >> Read full profile
Costa Rica Fellows
Sianny Chavarria Zamora
Sianny is an animal science specialist from the University of Costa Rica. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in industrial engineering with a focus on administration. >> Read full profile
Itnan Vargas Venegas
Itnan is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology Engineering at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica. >> Read full profile
Celestina Brenes Porras
Celestina is a Political Scientist from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and an Internationalist from the National University (UNA). >> Read full profilePast Fellows
Check out updates on what some of our past fellows are doing on our Fellows updates page.
