With a Masters in aeronautical and astronautical space engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Bachelors in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Rikin began his career at Oracle, where he received patents for linguistic search algorithms that he helped develop. Later he joined Microsoft Research India’s Technology for Emerging Markets team, where he researched ways to amplify the effectiveness of agricultural development globally. The time Rikin spent in India’s rural communities changed his life. He developed a passion for helping the country’s rural farmers, whom he saw as heroes. More than a decade later, that passion has become Rikin’s career; in 2006, he co-founded what has become Digital Green.

Alex was Digital Green’s first U.S.-based team member, having joined as Director of Business Development in 2015. He currently serves as the Deputy Director of the USAID-funded Feed the Future Developing Local Extension Capacity program which Digital Green leads. Alex has nearly 20 years of development experience in the agriculture, economic growth, and education sectors. Prior to joining Digital Green, he helped launch the nonprofit SNV USA, the U.S. affiliate of SNV Netherlands Development Organization. He led SNV’s business development efforts and designed projects in market-driven agriculture, renewable energy and water, sanitation and hygiene. Alex holds two master’s degrees in Public Policy and East European Languages and Politics from Indiana University. Alex was born in Vietnam and is now based in Washington, D.C., where he loves to get messy in his backyard garden, and lives for family camping trips in the mountains.

Lakshmi serves as Digital Green’s Country Director for Ethiopia where she oversees the strategy and program operations. Lakshmi has over 13 years of program management experience within the realm of international development. She has spent a significant amount of time during her career learning from and working with smallholder farmers in Kenya, India, Georgia, Kosovo and Ethiopia. While working internationally to operationalize program portfolios, Lakshmi supported and provided leadership to various country teams. She received her Bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and her Master’s degree from Cornell University, and currently resides in the UK. Lakshmi loves running, reading non-fiction, and going on hikes with her family.

As one of the founding members of Digital Green, Vinay provides leadership in program strategy and operations. He has over 35 years’ experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, having implemented on-the-ground projects in more than 20 countries. Prior to Digital Green, Vinay was India Operations Director at Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), a Seattle-based global health nonprofit. He led operations at IntraHealth International Inc. for its Asia and Near East office, overseeing implementation of a global reproductive health program. He was Vice President at JPS Associates, a management consulting firm, and an officer at the Reserve Bank of India. Vinay also served as an Advisor to the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology, and laid the foundation for the Clinical Development Services Agency, a national body that conducts clinical trials in India. He earned a Master’s of Business Administration from Delhi University, as well as a Master’s in Political Science and Master of Philosophy in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Vinay loves to travel to new locations and meet interesting people; spend time with his son and read social and political history.

Karin joined Digital Green as Director of Global Agriculture Strategy. In this role, Karin supports the development and implementation of our global agriculture programs. Previously, she acted as a Program Officer on the Agricultural Development team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, specializing in seed sector development and input delivery, with a special interest in women’s empowerment. Prior to that role, Karin worked for the Gates Foundation’s Urban Development team, focusing on women’s livelihood development and community mobilization within urban slums. Her interest in and passion for global development stems from her experience as the daughter of two USAID Foreign Service officers, growing up in Guyana, Pakistan, Peru and Thailand. Prior to the Gates Foundation, she worked for Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans, providing affordable housing to low-income families devastated by Hurricane Katrina. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with Bachelor’s degrees in history and political science, from George Washington University with a Master’s degree in international security policy, and from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Master’s in Business Administration.

Giovanna serves as Digital Green’s Director of Growth. As we enter our next phase of growth, Giovanna supports in growing and developing our human resources and internal operations. Giovanna comes to Digital Green with over 10 years experience in international development and social enterprise. She was an early employee at Kiva.org; while there, she developed and grew Kiva's presence around the world, managing their work in over 80 countries and with more than 300 partners. She served on Kiva's management team, helping guide Kiva's mission and strategy throughout periods of rapid growth. Giovanna’s passion for international issues and economic development stem from an amazing high school teacher, growing up across two different continents, and early experiences in rural Latin America. Giovanna holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and an MBA from Yale University. Giovanna loves to travel, is an avid swimmer, and most of all enjoys watching her son learn and grow.

Aditya oversees Digital Green’s technology and product innovation function globally that designs and builds mobile and web solutions to amplify our impact. Prior to Digital Green, Aditya worked in investment banking building portfolio analytics tools and modelling market trends to drive investment strategies at TD Asset Management in Canada; and developing trading and pricing platforms at Barclays Capital in Japan. He has also developed graphic card drivers at Advanced Micro Devices and network solutions at Scotiabank. His passion to realize the potential of technology for social development brought him back to India. Aditya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering with Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo. In his spare time, Aditya loves to travel, play tennis and catch up on the latest in technology and politics.

Neeta leads Digital Green's administrative, financial and business planning functions and has been instrumental in developing robust financial and administrative systems. Prior to Digital Green, Neeta was Director Program Operations at International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a New York based non-profit; Donor Coordinator at National AIDS Control Organization, the apex organization of the Government of India to control spread of AIDS; Regional Operations Manager for Asia at IntraHealth International Inc. She was also the Chief Executive of Kesha Processors, a unit of the Modi Group in India. Neeta began her career at The Oberoi Hotel, Bombay. Neeta completed her management education at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and holds bachelor degrees in Nutrition and Education from Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi. She also completed Hotel Management from Oberoi School of Hotel Management.