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# Day: November 15, 2023
## 
You may have noticed something a little different about Seeding Labs—we have a brand-new look, but it’s grounded in the story of who we are.
The story of Seeding Labs lies in the stories of the scientists and communities we serve.
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**Paul Hohenberger**Director of Individual Giving
Paul is responsible for individual outreach to increase philanthropic support for Seeding Labs. He is an experienced fundraising professional with broad knowledge and understanding of resource development and advancement in major research universities and public trusts.
In previous roles at The University of Massachusetts, MIT, Harvard University, and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Paul cultivated relationships within the philanthropic community, garnering support for programs and priorities spanning nuclear engineering, global health, climate science/energy, and demographic and survey research.
Paul’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is active in his alma mater, serving on the Department of Political Science Advisory Board, and was a former board member of the UMass Alumni Association.
Additionally, he has completed professional certificate programs at the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health and MIT, enhancing his expertise in policy, politics, and innovation.
**Kaitlyn Snyder**Logistics Intern
Kaitlyn is a fifth-year student at Boston University pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a Masters degree in Biotechnology. She plans to graduate with both degrees in May 2025.
Her courses have allowed her to develop skills within research labs and understand various types of laboratory equipment. She is excited to bring her experience and knowledge to the Seeding Labs team and support the program.
**Jennifer Raymond**
Director of Corporate Relations
Jennifer builds and stewards Seeding Labs’ partnerships with corporations and other life science institutions. Our partners’ financial and lab equipment contributions help support universities and research institutions in under-resourced settings.
the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Brandeis University. She graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in French studies.
**Manisha Patel**
Scientific Director
Manisha uses her scientific expertise to implement the equipment-related aspects of Seeding Labs’ programs and plays a key role in Instrumental Access.
She provides support to Instrumental Access awardees, helping them choose the instruments that best meet their research and teaching goals. She also advises the Corporate Relations team on equipment that would be useful in our awardees’ labs.
Manisha has extensive experience in managing academic research labs with knowledge spanning lab setup, compliance, and equipment training. Most recently, she oversaw labs at Harvard University.
For the past decade, Manisha directed an undergraduate internship program focused on one of her passions:  diversity and inclusion in STEM. She holds a BS in ecology from Rutgers University and an MS in ecology from the University of Vermont.
**Micalea Leaska**
Programs Specialist,
Metrics & Evaluation
Micalea works with the Programs team to develop and implement metrics and evaluation tools, and to monitor the worldwide impact of Instrumental Access. She compiles and analyzes quantitative data and qualitative stories that exemplify our mantra, “talent is everywhere.”
Her prior work experience includes consulting for the World Bank, working on Water Security Assessments for Peru and Central America, and improving access to safe water in rural Ecuadorian communities with the nonprofit WaterStep.
Micalea holds a BA from Saint Michael’s College and completed her Master’s degree in Climate Change and Global Sustainability from SIT Graduate Institute, where she studied global science issues alongside scientists, stakeholders, and community members in Iceland, Tanzania, and Ecuador.
**Chiudo Ehirim**
Instrumental Access
Consultant
After completing an Atlas Corps Fellowship with Seeding Labs, Chiudo now provides support to our Instrumental Access partners from his Rumines Ltd. office in Lagos, Nigeria. Chiudo is CEO of Rumines, an environmental technology and management consulting company.
Prior to his fellowship, Chiudo was a country manager for Nigeria with Climate Scorecard, a US-based organization that monitors how the top 25 greenhouse gas-emitting countries implement the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Chiudo earned a BS in pure and industrial chemistry from the University of Nigeria and a Master’s of Science in environmental technology and management from the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria.
**David Borman, PhD**
Communications
Director
David works to highlight the innovation and scientific successes of Instrumental Access awardees. In telling these scientists’ stories, he helps to show the global impact of the Seeding Labs mission.
Prior to joining Seeding Labs, David worked as the alumni affairs director for Brevard College in North Carolina and managed communications for Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies, a nonprofit in Louisville, Kentucky, that provides services to children with special needs.
David earned his PhD in English from the University of Miami. He holds an MA in English from the University of Louisville and a BA in English from Bellarmine University.
### Christina Viola Srivastava
Vice President of Programs
Christina is responsible for program development, planning, and implementation at Seeding Labs.
Christina has experience as a research program evaluator and science policy analyst. She’s held roles with the consulting firm Abt Associates, Inc. and the Science and Technology Policy Institute.
Prior to entering the consulting world, Christina worked for the Boston-area nonprofits Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and Urban Ecology Institute. She holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Swarthmore College
### Rick Sherman
Vice President of Philanthropy
Rick is responsible for the fundraising activities at Seeding Labs, engaging with corporations, foundations, and individuals to increase their financial and equipment donations to the organization.
Prior to joining Seeding Labs, Rick spent 17 years working in a similar capacity at a number of science-focused organizations, including Keystone Symposia, the Carnegie Institution for Science, and the Chemical Heritage Foundation (now the Science History Institute).
Rick earned an MS in Finance from Drexel University, and a BS in Paper Science and Engineering from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
### David Qualter
Vice President of Operations
David is responsible for global logistics at Seeding Labs, overseeing the efficient movement of lab equipment worldwide.
He joined Seeding Labs from Image Arts, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, where he provided logistics direction for the company with $110 million in annual sales.
He brings 20 years of supply chain management experience with in-depth knowledge of international logistics, warehouse execution, and distribution center operations.
Originally an art student at Southeastern Massachusetts University, David now uses his creative talents to develop logistics strategies that produce operational efficiencies and quality customer service.
### Melissa P. Wu, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Please direct speaking requests to media@seedinglabs.org
Melissa is the CEO and a co-founder of Seeding Labs. She began as a volunteer leader of the Harvard Medical School student group; later, as a founding board member, she supported its transition to a nonprofit organization. In 2014, she joined the staff of Seeding Labs, leading the USAID-sponsored $3M scale-up of the Instrumental Access program. In 2019, Melissa became CEO, committed to increasing capacity for developing countries to use science.
Operating with a deep belief in the power of science to transform lives, Melissa has dedicated her career to creating scientific research opportunities for historically underrepresented and excluded communities. In addition to roles at Harvard and the BioBuilder Educational Foundation, Melissa has mentored many students in the sciences through programs at the *Journal of Emerging Investigators*, Harvard University, Boston Children’s Hospital, and MIT.
Melissa earned a PhD in Cellular and Developmental Biology from Harvard University and holds an SB in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
# Our bold new vision, rooted in our past
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## **A Special Post from Melissa P. Wu, PhD, CEO of Seeding Labs**
**→ It’s a story about research that changes lives**. Like the  that infect 1.5 billion people each year.
**→ It’s a story about the next generation of leaders.** And the **** to ensuring they have the skills, experience, and inspiration to use science.
**→ It’s a story about equity and sustainability.** And the  to increase access to the benefits of sciences in the least-resourced communities.
**It is a story about our superpower**—the network and relationships that we have built over the last 15 years.
We have long said that talent is everywhere, but resources are not.
And we have introduced you to:
**→ **, Nigerian toxicologist.
→ ****, Beninese plant biologist.
→ ****, Armenian genomicist.
They are experts who are addressing the problems of pollution, food security, and health in their local contexts.
They are the teachers, and the builders, looking to make a difference for their countries. Their individual efforts and journeys are important.
But we also want to tell the story of **who they are together, with all of us**. The network that we have built together with you.
This network—spanning over 40 countries and hundreds of institutions—is fighting to bring access to science to serve the billions of people living in developing countries.
This network comprises corporate giants in the life science industry, academics, small biotechs, engineers, storytellers, government officials, marketers, scientists and science lovers, humans and humanitarians.
**This network believes in science.** We believe in the power of science to transform nations. We believe that if resources are there, talent will use science to help people thrive.
And so, **the story of Seeding Labs is the story of bringing the power of our network to support scientific leaders**. We create the pathways for resources to flow, so that leaders in developing countries world can use science. We are changing the system of science so that there is more equitable access.
Seeding Labs still stands for science, and increased access to resources for science…but we move our mission forward now with more energy, intent, and focus on how science can accelerate locally led development and improve lives in developing countries.
**This is our story.** I’d love to hear what you think, and I invite you to help us write the next chapter.
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