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.

Amy Cotter, Global Strategy Director

Amy Cotter is a global health strategist and organizational leader with extensive experience helping mission-driven organizations translate ambitious visions into clear strategies, sustainable growth, and high-impact programs across low- and middle-income countries. She spent nearly a decade at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) working on global maternal, child, and newborn health, and later held a senior leadership role at a technology nonprofit overseeing a global vaccine cold chain program during COVID-19. As an independent advisor, she partners with governments, multilaterals, and NGOs on strategy, growth, and partnerships, and advises Embrace on long-term strategy and program direction. She holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and a BA from Duke University.

Lauren Gilliss, Senior Program Manager

Lauren Gilliss is a global health program manager and monitoring and evaluation specialist with a decade of experience helping mission-driven organizations strengthen impact measurement, translate data into strategy, and scale evidence-based programs across low- and middle-income countries. She has supported nonprofits and government agencies to manage multi-country health system strengthening portfolios, design evaluation frameworks, and build trusted partnerships with stakeholders across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Her commitment to health equity was shaped early in her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia, where she worked alongside community health workers and district health officials to support maternal and child health services.

She holds an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BA from the College of Wooster. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, watercolor painting, knitting and crocheting, and playing tennis.

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.