Alicia Tambe
Co-Founder and Board Chair

Alicia is a licensed attorney who holds a Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University, a Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Albany.

Alicia is currently Public Policy Manager for Global Connectivity and Access at Facebook. She focuses on connectivity policy issues across the globe and is passionate about providing affordable and reliable internet access initiatives.

Her passion for exploring the world has led her to travel to more than 35 countries over the past few years. She is Founder and Owner of, Luxe A Travels, a luxury travel company.

Prior to joining Facebook and launching Luxe A Travels, Alicia was Regulatory Counsel at SES, where she worked on global satellite and connectivity regulatory issues. She has also served as Counsel and Regional Specialist for Africa in the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission. Alicia has also served as a Law Clerk in the Office of the White House Counsel during the Obama Administration as well as Law Clerk to the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

In her words: The work we are doing is so important. It sits at the intersection of everything I am passionate about: family, travel, women across the African diaspora, and increasing accessibility to resources through technology.

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ESTHER Tambe
Co-Founder and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In her words: Esther Tambe is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist based in Long Island, NY. She received her Master’s degree in Nutrition with a concentration in Exercise Science from Long Island University. She also received her bachelor’s degrees in Nutrition from Long Island University and Health Science-Public Health from Stony Brook University.

Esther has spent her career working in underserved communities providing nutrition education and counseling to individuals with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and HIV/AIDS. In addition to being a clinical
dietitian, Esther volunteers and serves as a mentor for Complete Girlz Inc, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, motivating, and empowering young women, as well as Diversify Dietetics, a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the racial and ethnic diversity in the field of nutrition by empowering nutrition leaders of color. 

Esther strongly believes nutrition is an important topic for the African-American community but especially for young women, who may not connect with traditional weight-centric messages they see and hear about nutrition from society. She is committed to increasing awareness of eating disorders and weight inclusive nutrition counseling in Black communities. 

Outside of work, you can find Esther traveling around the world, taking Zumba classes, and spending time with her family.

In her own words: Breast cancer among black women really pulls at the strings of Black woman in the community. From body images to nutrition to awareness, it is all interconnected.

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MELANIE ALLEN
BOARD MEMBER

Melanie currently serves as the Program Director for the Black Farmer Fund. She is passionate about pushing forward efforts that create a future where black farmers and residents take control of local food systems, and have access to healthy, affordable and sustainable food.

Melanie has worked on the intersection of climate change, agriculture, human rights, and international policy for nearly a decade, specifically through her work with Conservation International, Amnesty International, and Les Jardins Chez Marlene. Most recently, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Benin, studying how environmentally-induced migration was impacting the livelihoods of yam farmers. She understands the benefits of wellness and nutrition for the black community

She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources from the University of Delaware and a Masters degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University. Melanie currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at UC Santa Cruz and is a member of the IUCN Specialist Group on Local Economies, Communities and Nature. She is a 2015 Robert & Patricia Switzer Fellow and 2018 Kathryn Davis Fellow for Peace.  She has traveled to over 30 countries for work and school.

In her words: The mission of this organization hits home. As a Jamaican-American I need our community to know we are here to support.

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gloria Namayuga
Board Member

Gloria was born and raised in Jinja, Uganda, a small town best known for where the River Nile starts in East Africa. She came to the United States during graduate School.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Makerere University and a Masters Degree in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. 

She has over 7 years of experience working and serving the nonprofit sector as a fundraiser, organizer, activist, and director.

She is currently a diversity fellow with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, MA chapter, and an Impact Fellow with Building Impact, MA. She has been active on the boards of organizations important to her and has had the privilege to share her fundraising skills generously. She is a firm believer in extending a hand in whichever way one can; it could be your time or money - for you never know whose life you are changing.  She volunteers as a fundraiser with the Lobster Feed (a celebration of grassroots organizing), African Bridge Network, and as a Letter Reader with Letters Foundation, where she evaluates many requests for philanthropic support. She has had the rare honor to sit “on both sides of the aisle” in philanthropy.

In her free time, you can find her at the farmer’s market with her partner and two beautiful children, watching futbol, traveling, visiting farmers market with her toddler, trying cooking traditional Ugandan dishes.

In her words: I do find my deepest joys in helping others and the gifts of family. As an African woman, we must protect our sisters in their battle. We have lost too many.

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