Alumni

Every person who has shaped NASA Lifelines through the Team, Fellowship, and Advisory Committee

Past Team Members

The DevGlobal staff who led NASA Lifelines strategy, communications, and operations before moving on to new roles.
rhiannan price program lead

Rhiannan Price

Program Lead

Rhiannan has an extensive background in leveraging satellite data for social impact, having led initiatives that apply Earth observations to address humanitarian and sustainable development challenges. She previously lead NASA Lifelines, a community-building initiative bringing together scientists and humanitarians to use more satellite data for humanitarian action. She also serves as an advisor to NASA through their Applied Sciences Advisory Committee and is a former advisor to the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor. Previously, she led the global sustainable development and humanitarian portfolio at Maxar Technologies and founded their Open Data Program. She’s an expert in building unlikely coalitions and turning abstract ideas into action.

James Haithcoat

Community Tools Co-Lead | Impact Hub

James Haithcoat is a Principal Consultant at DevGlobal focusing on the application of cutting-edge geospatial technologies to sustainable development. James has nearly 15 years of experience working with geospatial data, products, and technologies. He has worked as a vector data analyst for local and federal government contracts, performed sensor data analysis and processing, established software engineering teams to automate production tasks, led R&D projects utilizing computer vision and AI/ML, and acted as an innovation lead for large geospatial contracts.
james haithcoat lifelines

Past Fellows

The researchers and graduate fellows who built Data Studios, ran technical reviews, and contributed to Lifelines through past cohorts.

Rufai Balogun

Program Fellow

Rufai is a PhD Student at the Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts focusing on the Remote Sensing of the Environment and Machine Learning. He is passionate about leveraging the tools of Earth Observation and Machine Learning to provide understanding of hydrometeorological hazards. He previously completed the Copernicus Masters’ in Digital Earth jointly hosted by the University of Salzburg and the University of South Brittany.
 
Rufai Headshot
Kelli Roberts Headshot

Kelli ROberts

Community Storytelling Fellow

Kelli Roberts is a science communicator, human rights advocate, and aspiring geospatial cartographer. She is passionate about environmental, social, and climate justice through community-based research and effective storytelling. Her research experience includes community resilience to climate change, machine learning in remote sensing, wildfire prevention, and comparative human rights. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia. 
Anna Headshot e1701170246815

Anna LoPresti

Strategy Fellow

Anna LoPresti is a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on reducing the impacts of wildfire in the western US, and monitoring the effectiveness of adaptation strategies such as prescribed burning. She combines GIS, remote sensing, and social science approaches in collaborative research with communities and land managers.

Vinithra Sudhakar

Communications Fellow

Vinithra Sudhakar is an interdisciplinary researcher with interests in economic development, population health, and informal urban settlements. She recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Geography and holds a BS in International Affairs from the George Washington University. She aims to translate technical research into accessible language and people-focused policy to engage with and better serve communities. 
Vinithra headshot scaled
liz saccoccia scaled

Liz Saccoccia

Research Fellow

Liz Saccoccia is a Water Security Associate and Geospatial Data Scientist at the World Resources Institute. She is passionate about breaking down the barriers to leverage advances in data and technology to support early intervention in crises, humanitarian action, cooperation and peace-building, and to help governments, communities, and companies plan for a sustainable future, particularly in the water sector.  She holds a Master’s degree in analytics from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science and geology from the College of William and Mary.

Billie burton

Research Fellow

Billie Burton is a writer, scholar, and cartographer specializing in the use of geospatial technologies and open-source material to develop better approaches to conflict, transitional justice, and humanitarian crises. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Exeter (UK), and she will soon graduate with a Master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Billie is committed to improving the localization of geospatial expertise to support communities affected by conflict and humanitarian crises. 
Billie
LianaBernt headshot

Liana bernt

Data Series Fellow

Liana Bernt is finishing her Master’s degree in GIS at Northeastern University. She also holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College. Her research interests include disaster recovery, sustainable development, and crisis management. She aims to be a bridge between technological innovation and existing practices to implement effective and long-lasting reforms. 

Liam Bhajan

Data Series Fellow

Liam Bhajan is a PhD student in the Geography Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on understanding cover crop adoption in almond orchards in California, using a combination of satellite imagery, drone imagery, and in-situ measurements such as biomass and plant height. He is passionate about working at the intersection of geospatial analyses and science communication with a particular emphasis on working with communities to develop tools and datasets to help climate change adaptation and mitigation.
LBhajan Headshot 1
Trinity headshot e1701170605776

Trinity Johnson

Programs Fellow

Trinity, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences at Louisiana State University. Her research interests focus on environmental health, hazards, and the factors influencing human health and well-being in a changing environment. Trinity enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, finding new adventures, being in nature, and spending time with her family and friends.

Estenia Ortiz

Programs Fellow

Estenia Ortiz is a PhD Candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida with research interests in water quality improvement, nature-based solutions, food security, and sustainable and equitable infrastructure. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from USF and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida. Estenia’s career goals are to design and engineer with communities, especially those underrepresented in STEM, sustainable innovative solutions to challenges at the nexus of food and water.
Estenia headshot e1701170429169
Ritika headshot e1701170510698

Ritika Prasai

Community Tools Fellow

Ritika Prasai is a geospatial remote sensing data scientist with expertise in earth science, database management, machine learning, and deep learning technology. She has a strong track record of developing innovative solutions to complex problems related to natural resource management and environmental monitoring. Ritika is passionate about using her skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. She is committed to developing innovative solutions to the environmental challenges that we face today.

Christabelle Toso

Communications Fellow

Christabelle Toso, a dedicated public health expert, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Georgia State University. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s degree at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in the Department of Global Health. Her passion lies in promoting sexual and reproductive health and justice and global health equity, particularly within marginalized communities. She is deeply committed to advancing the transformative power of research, advocacy, communications, media, and technology to foster community engagement, collective action, and meaningful change.
Christabelle headshot scaled e1701170338164

Past Advisors

The outside experts who guided program strategy and shared field experience during their time on the Advisory Committee.

Sarah McLane Bryan

With over two decades of experience, Sarah Bryan has a background in Geographic Information Systems data development, project design, curriculum development, grant management, and natural resource management fieldwork. She has worked collaboratively with private companies, national governments, non-profits, and grassroots organizations. Serving as an advisor to non-profit boards, Sarah fosters long-term connections between practitioners and scientists. Passionate about making a positive impact, she is now focused on disaster response and recovery, contributing to the development of tools for quick decision-making. Currently based on the beautiful island of Maui in Hawai’i, Sarah is a Senior Disaster Services Analyst at the Pacific Disaster Center, where she provides data and technical assistance and serves as subject matter expert to internal and external clients on disaster mapping, risk and vulnerability assessment, and comprehensive disaster management.
Sarah Bryan e1701726856655
Dr. Freddie Wills. Headshot e1701725068480

Dr. Freddie E. Wills, Jr.

Freddie E. Wills, Jr., Ph.D. is a higher education professional knowledgeable about theories and practices that meet at the intersection of secondary and post-secondary education. Dr. Wills serves as the Vice President for STEM Initiatives and Research Partnerships and he leads the Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MOLSAMP) as its Principal Investigator. In his role, Dr. Wills works to develop and implement institutional partnerships that advance HSSU’s STEM agenda and supports student success.

Dr. Fawad Akbari MD, MPH

Fawad is an expert in pediatric medicine, global health, and humanitarian response. As the Director, Humanitarian Innovation at Grand Challenges Canada, he leads initiatives to fund and nurture health, WASH, life-saving information, and alternative energy innovations in conflict-affected countries. Fawad has held leadership positions in various organizations, including Aga Khan Foundation in Canada, the USA and Afghanistan. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health. He has been a fellow, coach, mentor, and instructor with the Unites Nations Institute for Training and Research fellowship programs for Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt since 2009.
Fawad Akbari scaled e1701725408116
HeatherLeson 300x169 1 e1701726087918

Heather Leson

Heather Leson is the Digital Innovation Lead with the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies Solferino Academy. She delivers innovative products and experiences with global networks at the intersection of social impact and technology. Heather created and co-edited the IFRC Data Playbook by engaging 1000s to improve data literacy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Combined Political Science and History from Carleton University and a Library and Information Technician diploma from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. In 2020, she received a post-graduate Emeritus diploma in Digital Business Strategies and 2022, she obtained a certificate in Applied Behavior Design. She is a Climatebase Fellow.
 
For the past 13 years, she has led governance and engagement in open projects, including board and advisory positions and is the chair of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Governance Working Group

Linet Kwamboka

Linet Kwamboka is a leading practitioner in data science, policy and sustainable development. As the Senior Program Manager for Data4Now at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, she works to strengthen African countries with data and technical skills to tackle challenges and achieve the SDGs. She’s the Founder of DataScience LTD™. With a background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Analysis, and GIS, Linet approaches complex issues with a multidisciplinary perspective. Her exceptional contributions have earned her international recognition, including being named one of the World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government and top 30 women in data. She’s been recognized as a global open data champion and is dedicated to transparency and data-driven decision-making. With her expertise and commitment to utilizing data for sustainable development, Linet continues to shape the future of data science. She is a former Mozilla Foundation Fellow, former consultant at the World Bank and UNDP. She currently serves as a board member at WeRobotics and B-Lab Africa.
Linet 2023 scaled e1701726276966
Nuala pic light scaled

Nuala Cowan

Nuala Cowan is a member of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) at the World Bank. As part of GFDRR’s Digital Earth Partnership (DEP) Team, Nuala supports World Bank clients, associated Bank task teams and project beneficiaries to create, access, and use localized Digital Earth data and services to enhance the outcomes of development operations.  Nuala is also research faculty at The George Washington University, Department of Geography, and is one of the co-founders of the YouthMappers, a university consortium initiative funded by the Geocenter at USAID.

Olivier Cottray

Olivier Cottray is director of Humanitarian Solutions at Esri, where he helps relief organizations get the most out of Esri solutions and develops best practices for the global humanitarian GIS community. Prior to joining Esri, Cottray led the Information Management Division of the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) where he developed and implemented the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). Before focusing on remnants of war, he helped optimize and complement the logistics of cooperating agencies at the UN Joint Logistics Centre. He first applied GIS for humanitarian aid in 2002, when he helped found MapAction to provide rapid information management and GIS support following a crisis.
Olivier Cottray e1701726461228
Patrick Gathara e1701726556130

Patrick Gathara

Patrick Gathara is a Kenyan journalist and political cartoonist based in Nairobi. He is the Senior Editor for Inclusive Storytelling at The New Humanitarian, one of only a handful of newsrooms world-wide that specialize in covering humanitarian crises and in holding the aid industry accountable.

Dr. Qiusheng Wu

Dr. Qiusheng Wu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography & Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He specializes in geospatial data science and open-source software development. Check out his open-source projects at https://github.com/opengeos.
Qiusheng Wu
Rohini scaled e1701726748589

Rohini Sampoornam Swaminathan

Rohini Sampoornam Swaminathan is a geospatial expert with close to 12 years of international experience working with the humanitarian and development sectors. She currently heads the Geospatial Support Unit at the United Nations World Food Programme and previously served with UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, UNITAR and the NASA DEVELOP program.
Rohini holds a Bachelors and Masters in Geomatics Engineering, an MBA and currently pursuing her PhD in climate science and sustainability.

Alumni

Every person who has shaped NASA Lifelines through the Team, Fellowship, and Advisory Committee

Past Team Members

The DevGlobal staff who led NASA Lifelines strategy, communications, and operations before moving on to new roles.
rhiannan price program lead

Rhiannan Price

Program Lead

Rhiannan has an extensive background in leveraging satellite data for social impact, having led initiatives that apply Earth observations to address humanitarian and sustainable development challenges. She previously lead NASA Lifelines, a community-building initiative bringing together scientists and humanitarians to use more satellite data for humanitarian action. She also serves as an advisor to NASA through their Applied Sciences Advisory Committee and is a former advisor to the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor. Previously, she led the global sustainable development and humanitarian portfolio at Maxar Technologies and founded their Open Data Program. She’s an expert in building unlikely coalitions and turning abstract ideas into action.

James Haithcoat

Community Tools Co-Lead | Impact Hub

James Haithcoat is a Principal Consultant at DevGlobal focusing on the application of cutting-edge geospatial technologies to sustainable development. James has nearly 15 years of experience working with geospatial data, products, and technologies. He has worked as a vector data analyst for local and federal government contracts, performed sensor data analysis and processing, established software engineering teams to automate production tasks, led R&D projects utilizing computer vision and AI/ML, and acted as an innovation lead for large geospatial contracts.
james haithcoat lifelines

Past Fellows

The researchers and graduate fellows who built Data Studios, ran technical reviews, and contributed to Lifelines through past cohorts.

Rufai Balogun

Program Fellow

Rufai is a PhD Student at the Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts focusing on the Remote Sensing of the Environment and Machine Learning. He is passionate about leveraging the tools of Earth Observation and Machine Learning to provide understanding of hydrometeorological hazards. He previously completed the Copernicus Masters’ in Digital Earth jointly hosted by the University of Salzburg and the University of South Brittany.
 
Rufai Headshot
Kelli Roberts Headshot

Kelli ROberts

Community Storytelling Fellow

Kelli Roberts is a science communicator, human rights advocate, and aspiring geospatial cartographer. She is passionate about environmental, social, and climate justice through community-based research and effective storytelling. Her research experience includes community resilience to climate change, machine learning in remote sensing, wildfire prevention, and comparative human rights. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia. 
Anna Headshot e1701170246815

Anna LoPresti

Strategy Fellow

Anna LoPresti is a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on reducing the impacts of wildfire in the western US, and monitoring the effectiveness of adaptation strategies such as prescribed burning. She combines GIS, remote sensing, and social science approaches in collaborative research with communities and land managers.

Vinithra Sudhakar

Communications Fellow

Vinithra Sudhakar is an interdisciplinary researcher with interests in economic development, population health, and informal urban settlements. She recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Geography and holds a BS in International Affairs from the George Washington University. She aims to translate technical research into accessible language and people-focused policy to engage with and better serve communities. 
Vinithra headshot scaled
liz saccoccia scaled

Liz Saccoccia

Research Fellow

Liz Saccoccia is a Water Security Associate and Geospatial Data Scientist at the World Resources Institute. She is passionate about breaking down the barriers to leverage advances in data and technology to support early intervention in crises, humanitarian action, cooperation and peace-building, and to help governments, communities, and companies plan for a sustainable future, particularly in the water sector.  She holds a Master’s degree in analytics from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science and geology from the College of William and Mary.

Billie burton

Research Fellow

Billie Burton is a writer, scholar, and cartographer specializing in the use of geospatial technologies and open-source material to develop better approaches to conflict, transitional justice, and humanitarian crises. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Exeter (UK), and she will soon graduate with a Master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Billie is committed to improving the localization of geospatial expertise to support communities affected by conflict and humanitarian crises. 
Billie
LianaBernt headshot

Liana bernt

Data Series Fellow

Liana Bernt is finishing her Master’s degree in GIS at Northeastern University. She also holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College. Her research interests include disaster recovery, sustainable development, and crisis management. She aims to be a bridge between technological innovation and existing practices to implement effective and long-lasting reforms. 

Liam Bhajan

Data Series Fellow

Liam Bhajan is a PhD student in the Geography Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on understanding cover crop adoption in almond orchards in California, using a combination of satellite imagery, drone imagery, and in-situ measurements such as biomass and plant height. He is passionate about working at the intersection of geospatial analyses and science communication with a particular emphasis on working with communities to develop tools and datasets to help climate change adaptation and mitigation.
LBhajan Headshot 1

Past Advisors

The outside experts who guided program strategy and shared field experience during their time on the Advisory Committee.

Sarah McLane Bryan

With over two decades of experience, Sarah Bryan has a background in Geographic Information Systems data development, project design, curriculum development, grant management, and natural resource management fieldwork. She has worked collaboratively with private companies, national governments, non-profits, and grassroots organizations. Serving as an advisor to non-profit boards, Sarah fosters long-term connections between practitioners and scientists. Passionate about making a positive impact, she is now focused on disaster response and recovery, contributing to the development of tools for quick decision-making. Currently based on the beautiful island of Maui in Hawai’i, Sarah is a Senior Disaster Services Analyst at the Pacific Disaster Center, where she provides data and technical assistance and serves as subject matter expert to internal and external clients on disaster mapping, risk and vulnerability assessment, and comprehensive disaster management.
Sarah Bryan e1701726856655
Dr. Freddie Wills. Headshot e1701725068480

Dr. Freddie E. Wills, Jr.

Freddie E. Wills, Jr., Ph.D. is a higher education professional knowledgeable about theories and practices that meet at the intersection of secondary and post-secondary education. Dr. Wills serves as the Vice President for STEM Initiatives and Research Partnerships and he leads the Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MOLSAMP) as its Principal Investigator. In his role, Dr. Wills works to develop and implement institutional partnerships that advance HSSU’s STEM agenda and supports student success.

Dr. Fawad Akbari MD, MPH

Fawad is an expert in pediatric medicine, global health, and humanitarian response. As the Director, Humanitarian Innovation at Grand Challenges Canada, he leads initiatives to fund and nurture health, WASH, life-saving information, and alternative energy innovations in conflict-affected countries. Fawad has held leadership positions in various organizations, including Aga Khan Foundation in Canada, the USA and Afghanistan. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health. He has been a fellow, coach, mentor, and instructor with the Unites Nations Institute for Training and Research fellowship programs for Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt since 2009.
Fawad Akbari scaled e1701725408116
HeatherLeson 300x169 1 e1701726087918

Heather Leson

Heather Leson is the Digital Innovation Lead with the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies Solferino Academy. She delivers innovative products and experiences with global networks at the intersection of social impact and technology. Heather created and co-edited the IFRC Data Playbook by engaging 1000s to improve data literacy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Combined Political Science and History from Carleton University and a Library and Information Technician diploma from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. In 2020, she received a post-graduate Emeritus diploma in Digital Business Strategies and 2022, she obtained a certificate in Applied Behavior Design. She is a Climatebase Fellow.
 
For the past 13 years, she has led governance and engagement in open projects, including board and advisory positions and is the chair of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Governance Working Group

Linet Kwamboka

Linet Kwamboka is a leading practitioner in data science, policy and sustainable development. As the Senior Program Manager for Data4Now at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, she works to strengthen African countries with data and technical skills to tackle challenges and achieve the SDGs. She’s the Founder of DataScience LTD™. With a background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Analysis, and GIS, Linet approaches complex issues with a multidisciplinary perspective. Her exceptional contributions have earned her international recognition, including being named one of the World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government and top 30 women in data. She’s been recognized as a global open data champion and is dedicated to transparency and data-driven decision-making. With her expertise and commitment to utilizing data for sustainable development, Linet continues to shape the future of data science. She is a former Mozilla Foundation Fellow, former consultant at the World Bank and UNDP. She currently serves as a board member at WeRobotics and B-Lab Africa.
Linet 2023 scaled e1701726276966
Nuala pic light scaled

Nuala Cowan

Nuala Cowan is a member of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) at the World Bank. As part of GFDRR’s Digital Earth Partnership (DEP) Team, Nuala supports World Bank clients, associated Bank task teams and project beneficiaries to create, access, and use localized Digital Earth data and services to enhance the outcomes of development operations.  Nuala is also research faculty at The George Washington University, Department of Geography, and is one of the co-founders of the YouthMappers, a university consortium initiative funded by the Geocenter at USAID.

Olivier Cottray

Olivier Cottray is director of Humanitarian Solutions at Esri, where he helps relief organizations get the most out of Esri solutions and develops best practices for the global humanitarian GIS community. Prior to joining Esri, Cottray led the Information Management Division of the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) where he developed and implemented the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). Before focusing on remnants of war, he helped optimize and complement the logistics of cooperating agencies at the UN Joint Logistics Centre. He first applied GIS for humanitarian aid in 2002, when he helped found MapAction to provide rapid information management and GIS support following a crisis.
Olivier Cottray e1701726461228
Patrick Gathara e1701726556130

Patrick Gathara

Patrick Gathara is a Kenyan journalist and political cartoonist based in Nairobi. He is the Senior Editor for Inclusive Storytelling at The New Humanitarian, one of only a handful of newsrooms world-wide that specialize in covering humanitarian crises and in holding the aid industry accountable.

Dr. Qiusheng Wu

Dr. Qiusheng Wu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography & Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He specializes in geospatial data science and open-source software development. Check out his open-source projects at https://github.com/opengeos.
Qiusheng Wu
Rohini scaled e1701726748589

Rohini Sampoornam Swaminathan

Rohini Sampoornam Swaminathan is a geospatial expert with close to 12 years of international experience working with the humanitarian and development sectors. She currently heads the Geospatial Support Unit at the United Nations World Food Programme and previously served with UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, UNITAR and the NASA DEVELOP program.
Rohini holds a Bachelors and Masters in Geomatics Engineering, an MBA and currently pursuing her PhD in climate science and sustainability.