Team | Embrace Global

OUR TEAM

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Team

Embrace Team & Founder Story

Melody Westen, CEO

Melody Westen joined Embrace as Chief Executive Officer in January 2025, bringing over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, development, and strategic planning. She previously served as Executive Director of Akashinga, an INGO dedicated to female-driven conservation in Africa, and held leadership roles at the International Rescue Committee and Back on My Feet, where she championed innovative strategies to empower communities and drive impact. Melody is known for her expertise in building sustainable infrastructure, diversifying funding opportunities, and aligning organizational messaging. Melody loves long distance running, is a certified Rescue Diver, and has been snowboarding since 1994. Embracing adventure and personal growth are key elements of her leadership philosophy.

Alanna Shaikh, VP of Programs

Alanna Shaikh has twenty years of experience in building and leading teams for rapid response to humanitarian emergencies and for long-term development of healthcare systems in low-resource situations. She has worked for USAID, International Medical Corps, Project HOPE, the World Bank and Save the Children. She’s a senior TED fellow and she holds an MPH from Boston University and a BS from Georgetown University. She has lived in seven countries, and is a published poet.

Ramakrishna Havaldar, Senior Director, Quality & Production

Ramakrishna brings over 30 years of expertise in medical device manufacturing, operations, and semiconductor assembly. He has been with Embrace since its inception in India, playing a crucial role in ensuring the highest standards of quality and compliance in our production processes. His expertise spans critical process management, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance, ensuring business continuity even in complex and evolving global markets.

As a Certified Lead Auditor for ISO 13485:2016 and a Person Responsible for Regulatory Compliance under EU MDR, he upholds the highest industry standards, ensuring that Embrace’s life-saving incubators meet rigorous safety and quality requirements.

Kerry Wells, Operations and Communications Officer

Kerry Wells joined Embrace Global as Operations & Communications Manager in 2024, bringing a cross-sector background in finance, communications, and operations. Prior to joining Embrace, she worked in Prudential’s risk management group, where she built tools to streamline investment strategy, enhance reporting, and support data-driven decision-making. There, she developed a passion for solving complex strategic problems and helping teams operate more efficiently.

Kerry holds a degree in political science and economics from Wellesley College. Outside of work, she loves to travel, read as many books as she can, and explore new restaurants around New York City.