Our Team

Paul Morigi / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images

Transparentem’s diverse team brings a wealth of experience from a variety of backgrounds, and operates in numerous countries. For security reasons, we do not disclose the identities of our team based outside the United States.

Sheela Ahluwalia

Director of Policy and Advocacy
Sheela leads Transparentem’s policy, advocacy, and enforcement work, and develops and executes programmatic strategy. She previously served as Director of...

Claudia Baethgen

Project Manager
Claudia manages labor and environmental projects, including investigations and engagement with companies, NGOs, and others to improve conditions for workers...

Devereux Chatillon

Outside General Counsel
Devereux manages legal issues for Transparentem.

Dr. Lalanath de Silva

Managing Director
Dr. Lalanath de Silva oversees Transparentem’s programs, finance, and human resources. He is responsible for developing and implementing organizational strategy...

Anthony DiPreta

Program Analyst
Anthony assists in the development, planning, and execution of Transparentem’s projects throughout their investigative, strategic engagement, and policy & accountability...

Elizabeth Kester

Director of Partnerships and Communications
Elizabeth leads Transparentem’s partnerships and communications efforts.

Tom MacMillan

Program Manager
Tom develops and leads labor and environmental investigations and engages with companies, NGOs, and others to improve conditions for workers...

Jonathan Mead

Director of Investigations
Jonathan directs Transparentem's investigative portfolio, develops and executes programmatic strategy, manages a global team, and serves as subject matter expert...

Luke Olynyk

Senior Grants and M&E Manager
Luke oversees Transparentem's grants and monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that funders are effectively and regularly informed regarding organizational performance and...

Samantha Rudick

Program Manager
Samantha develops and leads labor and environmental investigations and engages with companies, NGOs, and others to improve conditions for workers...

Emma Sampson

Operations and Development Associate
Emma supports Transparantem's communications, finance, fundraising & grants, human resources, and operations, and assists leadership in the development and execution...

Ellen Schwartz

Director of Operations
Ellen leads Transparentem’s operations, finance, and human resources functions, and supports the implementation of its strategic plan.

E. Benjamin Skinner

Founder and President
Ben orchestrates Transparentem’s teams as they deliver on its mission.

Karen Stauss

Director of Strategic Engagement
Karen Stauss oversees Transparentem’s engagement with the private sector to remedy labor and environmental abuses connected to global supply chains.

Board Members

Dan Viederman

Chair

Dan Viederman is a Managing Director at the Working Capital Fund, focused on efforts to engage and invest in entrepreneurs and tech innovators in pursuit of new tools to scale improvements for vulnerable workers in global supply chains.

Previously, Dan was CEO of Verité, a leading non-profit organization working against global forced and child labor through in-depth research and corporate engagement. In recognition of Verité’s impact, Dan was winner of a 2007 Skoll Foundation Award for Social Entrepreneurship and was named Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011. He has also managed China offices for World Wildlife Fund and Catholic Relief Services.

Dan is graduate of Yale University, the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and the Chinese language program at Nanjing Teacher’s University.

Dan Elkes

Director

Dan Elkes works in the biotechnology industry as the Vice President of Portfolio and Program Management at Altos Labs. He previously led Portfolio Strategy and Operations for Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED). Dan was part of the team that developed the revolutionary cancer immunotherapy treatments Ipilimumab and nivolumab at Medarex. Prior to Medarex, Dan was a scientist at Exelixis and a management consultant.

In addition to his work in biotech, Dan has been heavily involved in the anti-trafficking/anti-modern day slavery movement, founding the Freedom from Slavery Forum, serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Free the Slaves, and supporting numerous other organizations in this space. He received his Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard University and studied Molecular Biology and Public Policy at Princeton University.

Aruna Kashyap

Director

Aruna Kashyap is the Associate Director in the Business and Human Rights division of Human Rights Watch. Her work focuses on corporate accountability and human rights in global supply chains. She has conducted research in numerous countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Nepal, and spearheaded international and regional advocacy for new regulatory standards governing corporations. Her research has spanned different areas including labor rights, social protection, gender, and access to health care. As a lawyer, she has a background in criminal litigation and strategic litigation on economic, social, and cultural rights, commercial contracting, and experience with applying criminal, contractual and tort law frameworks. Previously, she litigated in India and got her law degree at the National Law School of India University in Bangalore.

Neha Misra

Director

Neha Misra is the Global Lead for Migration and Human Trafficking at the Solidarity Center, the largest U.S.-based international worker rights organization. With over 20 years’ experience in the labor movement, Neha has managed labor migration, anti-human trafficking, trade union strengthening and democracy programs around the world. Before joining the Solidarity Center, she worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina on postwar elections and democracy, in the United States as a senior attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and served as president for an American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) local union at DOJ. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Neha holds a J.D., summa cum laude, from the Washington College of Law at American University, and a B.S. in business economics and public policy from Indiana University.

Kyle Wright

Treasurer

Kyle Wright is CEO of Stardust, a forward-thinking family office in Houston and New York City.  For more than a decade, Kyle has supported the multidisciplinary effort at Stardust to integrate and reimagine the use of philanthropy, art, advocacy, and investment capital for a more equitable future. He has worked with dozens of partners to advance change through innovative strategies in impact investing, shareholder engagement, and impact litigation. He is currently a member of Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Philanthropic Impact Committee, Criterion Institute’s Gender Based Violence Advisory Committee, and Houston Area Council on Human Trafficking. Kyle holds a JD, cum laude, from South Texas College of Law Houston, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin.