Our Leadership

Woochong Um is CEO of GEAPP, leading efforts to mobilize finance and accelerate renewable energy adoption to address energy poverty and climate challenges. Formerly Managing Director General at ADB, he drove global partnerships and climate initiatives, including the Energy Transition Mechanism to phase out coal in Asia. He has advanced funding for ocean sustainability and clean energy transitions. With a background in corporate IT and development finance, he brings decades of experience in climate action and sustainable development.

Ajay Kumar is the Chief People Officer at GEAPP, bringing extensive global HR leadership experience across commercial and manufacturing sectors. He played a key role in the 2021-22 spin-off of embecta from Becton Dickinson, shaping its executive leadership and HR strategy. Previously, he led HR functions at BD across India, Singapore, and the US, driving talent management and organizational transformation. Ajay also held leadership roles at Unilever India, focusing on talent development and leadership acceleration. A qualified MBTI practitioner and leadership coach, he holds degrees from BIT and XLRI Jamshedpur, with a passion for cultivating agile and high-performing teams.

Marina Shmoukler is the Chief Financial and Operations Officer at GEAPP, overseeing the organization’s fiscal health and operational integrity. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit and business sectors, she has held senior finance and operations roles at Foundation for a Just Society, Concern Worldwide US, and American Jewish World Service. Marina also worked in private equity with Delta Private Equity Partners and the US-Russia Investment Fund. She holds an MBA from the Zicklin School of Business and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Lviv State Polytechnic University in Ukraine.

Elizabeth Small is the Chief Legal Officer and Head of ESG at GEAPP, leveraging her legal and policy expertise to drive a just energy transition. Formerly General Counsel and Head of Policy at CDP, she led environmental disclosure initiatives engaging 14,000+ organizations. She has advised boards, policymakers, and financial institutions on sustainability and governance and is an Adjunct Professor of Bioethics. A former global litigator, she has also worked on human rights and refugee advocacy. Recognized for her contributions to climate justice, Elizabeth is dedicated to bridging law, ethics, and sustainability to promote equitable and transparent environmental action.

Kate Wills is the Chief Communications Officer at GEAPP, leading global communications and campaigns to drive awareness of its mission. With over 25 years of experience across NGOs, the UN, and social enterprises, she has worked on initiatives spanning Fairtrade, youth entrepreneurship, and global health. Previously, she was Global Communications Director at Malaria No More, where she led the Zero Malaria Campaign, uniting 200+ partners and securing $4B in funding. Raised in Malawi and Indonesia, Kate now lives in London. Living with Stage 4 cancer, she advocates for breast cancer charities alongside her work in climate and development.

Renée Cutting is the Chief Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer at GEAPP, leading innovative partnerships and resource mobilization to advance the organization’s mission of cutting carbon emissions, creating jobs, and expanding electricity access. With over 25 years of nonprofit leadership, she previously led UNICEF USA’s Philanthropy team, doubling its annual funding. Renée also held leadership roles at the Legal Defense Fund, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A native of Barbados, she holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in English and American Literature from NYU.

Isabel Beltrán is Vice President at GEAPP, leading efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean to expand energy access, foster green economies, and support the energy transition. Previously, she was a Director at The Rockefeller Foundation’s Power Initiative, working on energy resilience. With over 15 years of experience in economic development, she has worked at The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Isabel holds master’s degrees in Economics from the Catholic University of Ecuador and Public Administration from Syracuse University, bringing deep expertise in sustainable energy solutions to her role.

Kitty Bu leads GEAPP’s Asia team, driving investments in clean energy to support a just transition. With over a decade of experience in energy and agriculture system decarbonization, she has worked at the intersection of business, policy, and finance. She co-founded Rocky Mountain Institute’s China practice, shaping energy transition strategies, and later worked at the European Climate Foundation on Asia’s renewable energy scaling. Most recently, she led market expansion for Impossible Foods in Asia. Kitty’s expertise in catalyzing disruptive technologies and sustainable investments makes her a key force in advancing clean energy across the region.

Saurabh Kumar is the Vice President of GEAPP India, with a distinguished career in energy policy and efficiency. A former Indian Revenue Service officer, he served in the Ministry of Power, appraising major infrastructure projects. As Managing Director of EESL, he led energy efficiency programs like UJALA and implemented one of the world’s largest Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) lighting projects. Saurabh has also worked at the UN on environmental issues in Asia. An electrical engineer from IIT Kanpur, with a master’s in public policy from GRIPS, Japan, he is committed to advancing sustainable energy transitions in emerging economies.

Boaz Liesdek is the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) – Asia at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), currently serving as interim Head of MEL. With extensive experience in impact measurement and data-driven decision-making, he ensures rigorous impact monitoring, evaluation, and strategic learning. Boaz leads the development of high-impact measurement frameworks, integrates MEL across global and regional portfolios, and equips program teams with advanced monitoring tools. He also spearheads impact modeling to assess renewable energy solutions. His evidence-based approach enhances organizational effectiveness, ensuring MEL drives progress and scalability at GEAPP.

Edward Borgstein leads the Solutions team at GEAPP, developing cross-cutting strategies for energy transitions and access. With 15 years of experience in energy efficiency and renewables, he has designed, built, and scaled sustainable solutions globally. Previously, he was a Principal at RMI, co-leading the Africa program, and helped establish green energy businesses in the UK and Brazil. His expertise spans policy, technology, and business development, ensuring GEAPP’s initiatives maximize impact. Edward’s work focuses on integrating best practices across the energy sector to drive scalable and transformative change in emerging economies.

Michelle is the Managing Director of Strategy at GEAPP. She is a committed, creative problem solver with 14 years of experience creating and operationalizing strategy to address global challenges in clean energy, economic & workforce development, public health, transit/mobility, water/sanitation, and technology – with an emphasis on working cross sector to deploy affordable, novel solutions relevant for the needs of vulnerable communities. Previously, Michelle helped architect and implement Rockefeller Foundation’s COVID-19 programs, enabling governors, CEOs, and the White House to rapidly rollout testing and vaccines, and led strategy and innovation projects at Deloitte Consulting. Michelle has an MBA from Darden School of Business at University of Virginia and BS in Science, Tech, & International Affairs from Georgetown University.

A global communications strategist with nearly two decades of experience leading teams across the energy, technology, and development sectors, Eric guides the collaborative communications of GEAPP’s 50+ partners. While building GEAPP’s communications approach he also led Communications, Policy and Advocacy for The Rockefeller Foundation’s Power initiative and launched award-winning campaigns to end energy poverty with clean energy.  Prior to joining the Foundation in New York, he spent a decade in emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia. As co-founder and Managing Director of Eye On, and Regional Director of The Energy Year he led market research, editorial, and event teams across these regions, creating sector-leading content and conferences in partnership with government, the private sector, and media.