Women leaders in philanthropy, global education policy and media join Malala Fund’s board.
Malala Fund is proud to announce that our global board has elected three new members: Erin Ganju, Managing Director of the Accelerator for Shifting Gender Norms through Education; Lucy Lake, Director of Global Engagement for the Yidan Prize Foundation; and Tech and Media Business Leader, Vanessa Kingori OBE*.
“As we begin a new chapter for Malala Fund with the launch of a 2025 - 2030 strategic plan, we are thrilled to welcome Erin, Lucy and Vanessa to our board,” said Lena Alfi, CEO of Malala Fund. “Each of them brings not only deep expertise but also bold, innovative leadership that will strengthen our work across advocacy, grantmaking and global influencing. Their commitment to challenging the systems that hold girls back reflects the urgency and ambition that this moment demands.”
At the Accelerator for Shifting Gender Norms through Education, Erin leads efforts to change the way societies shape adolescent gender norms. She previously served as Managing Director of Echidna Giving, one of the largest private funders of girls' education, and co-founded Room to Read, where she also held the role of CEO.
“Joining Malala Fund is a chance to help scale solutions that not only get girls into school but shift the structures that hold them back,” said Erin. “I’m excited to support the organisation’s focus on changing social norms and investing in policy reforms that put girls’ rights at the centre of education systems.”
Lucy served as CEO of CAMFED, an organisation dedicated to girls’ education and women’s leadership across Africa, for over 10 years before joining the Yidan Prize Foundation, which champions changemakers in education. Throughout her career, she has helped shape global education policy through her roles with the U.N. Girls’ Education Initiative, Global Education Commission and UNESCO.
“What drew me to Malala Fund is its clarity of purpose and the relentless drive to achieve systemic change for girls who are too often overlooked,” said Lucy Lake. “I’m thrilled to be part of an organisation that understands the power of local leadership and global solidarity.”
Vanessa offers a powerful voice from the media and technology sectors. As a Managing Director at Google, the first female Publishing Director at British Vogue and first Black Publisher of Conde Nast Britain, she has been creating space for women in the media and creative industries for 20 years.
“Malala Fund stands for courage, innovation and impact - values that resonate strongly with me,” said Vanessa Kingori. “I truly believe if we can unlock girls' potential we can change the world, so I'm honoured to support its vision and help drive action for girls’ rights and education, which feels more essential now than ever.”
Erin, Lucy and Vanessa join Malala Fund’s existing global board which includes our co-founders Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, Akhter Mateen, Fayeeza Naqvi, Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, Pearl Uzokwe and Vanessa Nakate. All global board members also sit on at least one of Malala Fund’s country boards (U.S Board, U.K. Charity Trustees, and Nigeria Board).
To learn more about our current board leadership, visit malala.org/board.
