Meet the Team
Executive Leadership
LOREN STODDARD
Founder & CEO
Loren Stoddard is a senior diplomat and economic development leader with over 20 years of experience driving multi-million dollar public-private partnerships across emerging markets. As a former USAID senior advisor, he has spearheaded energy, trade, and agribusiness initiatives across Africa, Latin America, and conflict-affected regions, managing portfolios exceeding $1.8 billion. A specialist in stakeholder engagement, foreign direct investment, and competitive market expansion, Loren has led high-impact projects, including Power Africa’s clean energy rollout and Afghanistan’s rural trade development. He holds an MBA and a Master of International Management (MIM) from Arizona State University and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Board of Advisors
Ann Rutledge
Ann Rutledge is a capital markets expert with over four decades of experience applying systems thinking to the evolving dynamics of global finance. As Founder and Managing Principal of her firm, she co-developed patented intellectual property that models how credit risk decay affects bond valuation. Her mission is to democratize access to credit information through rigorous, unbiased analysis.
A published author with Oxford University Press, she has designed and led advanced training for corporations, regulators, and universities worldwide, and has contributed to statutory exam development in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Ann currently advises the UNDP Africa Concilium on sovereign credit ratings, serves on the Executive Committee of the Fixed Income Investor Network, and is an advisor to Veridicor. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a BA from Wellesley College, and is a Phi Beta Kappa and former FLAS Scholar in Chinese.
Ambassador Christopher Dell
Ambassador Christopher Dell is a distinguished former U.S. diplomat with a 32-year Foreign Service career that spanned Europe, Africa, Asia, and Washington, where he served in senior roles including Director for NATO Affairs. He held ambassadorial posts in Angola, Zimbabwe, and Kosovo, and served as Deputy Ambassador in Afghanistan and Deputy Commander of U.S. Africa Command.
Since retiring, he has led operations for Bechtel in Mozambique, consulted for Fieldstone on African infrastructure projects, and served as a director for Sicona Batteries. He continues to advise the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff on civil-military affairs and serves on the boards of the National Center for State Courts and the American College of Sofia. His numerous honors include the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and high state decorations from Afghanistan and Bulgaria. Ambassador Dell holds a B.A. from Columbia University and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford, and is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and Bulgarian.
Justin R. Stoddard, PhD
Dr. Justin R. Stoddard is a leadership expert, speaker, and executive coach with over 20 years of experience shaped by service as an Army combat medic, infantry officer, and intelligence officer. As founder of Climbing the Mountain, LLC, he specializes in resilience, mentoring, and ethical leadership, translating both frontline experience and academic research into actionable strategies for growth through adversity.
Holding a PhD in education with a focus on resilience and character development, he has published and presented internationally and consults across sectors to strengthen cultures of trust and accountability. Dr. Stoddard is an active member of the International Leadership Association and serves on several advisory boards, including Veridicor.
Dr. Ken Yamashita
Dr. Ken Yamashita brings over four decades of international development and public health experience to Veridicor’s Board of Advisors. A former Career Minister with USAID, he served in leadership roles across Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia, including as Mission Director in Afghanistan, Colombia, and South Africa. Ken also served as Director for Global Operations at the Peace Corps and was recently inducted into the American Academy of Diplomacy. He has coordinated multi-agency U.S. efforts abroad, pioneered women’s empowerment initiatives, and advised on development strategies at the highest levels of government. His global expertise and strategic insight are instrumental in guiding Veridicor’s impact-driven mission.
Nenad Janicevic
Nenad Janicevic is a globally respected legal expert with over 30 years of experience in corporate law, governance, and international legal affairs. He is the Managing Partner of a leading law firm in North Macedonia and served as President of the Macedonian Bar Association for over a decade. A trusted advisor to global legal bodies, Nenad currently counsels the President of the International Association of Lawyers (UIA) and represents legal interests across Europe. He is also the Honorary Consul of Peru in North Macedonia. Recognized for his contributions to legal ethics and reform, Nenad brings strategic insight, cross-border expertise, and a commitment to integrity—qualities that strengthen Veridicor’s governance and stakeholder engagement mission.
Rob Karpati
Rob Karpati is a seasoned finance executive with over 35 years of global experience in strategic transformation and business process optimization. He has led cross-cultural initiatives to align diverse stakeholders and unlock shared value, using finance as a driver of systemic improvement. Rob champions a balanced, win/win approach that integrates corporate, regulatory, and community interests for long-term, sustainable outcomes. As a Partner at The Blended Capital Group, he is currently focused on transforming the global artisanal mining sector to realize its financial, social, and environmental potential. As a Veridicor Advisory Board member, Rob brings deep insight into impact finance and ecosystem design to advance the organization’s mission.
Scott North
Scott North works at Kingsrose Mining as Corporate Development Manager. He oversees investor relations, strategy and business development. He has a background in business start-ups, holding senior management, operations and business development roles, and has been investing in and participating in the junior resources sector for over ten years. Scott’s experience in building companies and communicating with investors and stakeholders.
Sarah-Ann Lynch
Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch is a highly accomplished senior diplomat who recently retired from the U.S. government with the rank of Career Minister after a distinguished 34-year career. Her extensive experience in South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean gives her a broad global perspective and a deep understanding of varied cultural and political contexts. Ambassador Lynch’s expertise in navigating complex geopolitical landscapes and fostering international relationships aligns directly with Veridicor’s mission of facilitating stakeholder engagement. In her most recent role as the Civilian Deputy to the Commander and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor at U.S. Southern Command, she provided strategic counsel on geopolitical, political-military, and economic issues as she managed complex, multi-faceted relationships with diverse stakeholders. As the U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, a country with significant mining and energy resources, Ambassador Lynch was instrumental in ensuring the preservation of democratic processes during a highly contentious election as well as furthering commercial diplomacy by dramatically increasing U.S. investment in Guyana’s economy. While in Guyana, Ambassador Lynch concurrently served as the U.S. Secretary of State’s Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), increasing and strengthening U.S. relationships with key regional leaders. A two-time recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, Ambassador Lynch holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and master’s degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the National War College at the National Defense University.
The Team
Luis Flores, PhD
Luis Flores specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable agriculture projects—from site selection to linking farmers and processors with end markets—bringing decades of expertise to the nexus of land and water use, stakeholder participation and socio-economic wellbeing, and the evolving demands of the mining and energy sectors. He is a skilled international development professional with 25 years of experience spanning across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. A strategic thinker, Luis blends field expertise with research to address complex, multi-stakeholder challenges. He has led major programs, built alliances, and expanded market access across global industries.
Maria Pascual
Maria Pascual is a seasoned international development specialist with over 30 years of experience in organizational engineering, capacity building, and institutional development across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She brings deep expertise in structuring systems that support both for-profit and government-led initiatives. She has an extensive record in generating inclusive prosperity in agriculture, industry and service sectors. At Veridicor, Maria is responsible for making business architecture the glue that binds the different aspects of the company, including strategy, operational structure, services, data management, partnerships, and others, always through tight collaboration with all Veridicor team leaders.
Slavka Stojanovska
Slavka Stojanovska brings over 18 years of international experience spanning the security sector, international development, and private enterprise. Known for forging high-impact partnerships and navigating complex regulatory environments, Slavka has worked with institutions such as WHO, OSCE, and USAID—collaborating with senior government officials and diplomatic actors to drive sustainable, measurable outcomes.
Her past roles include serving as VP of Business Development at a private consulting firm, where she advised on market expansion, secured strategic alliances, and supported clients operating in high-risk and transitional settings. Slavka has also consulted on EU-funded social and policy initiatives, deepening her expertise in stakeholder engagement and public sector alignment.
Multilingual and skilled in leading diverse teams, Slavka’s cross-sector insight and global network make her a trusted advisor in Veridicor’s mission to support responsible, resilient operations worldwide.
Nasrullah Ahmadzai
Nasrullah Ahmadzai is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) specialist with over 18 years of experience working across South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He has led large-scale evaluations and data systems for USAID, the World Bank, and Oxfam, and served as COR at USAID/Afghanistan, overseeing $64 million in MEL contracts. Nasrullah combines field-tested stakeholder analysis with cutting-edge AI tools, such as NLP and sentiment analysis, to generate deep, actionable insights. He brings a rare blend of technical precision and cultural fluency to complex stakeholder environments. At Veridicor, he advances stakeholder diagnostics, adaptive learning, and strategic foresight to strengthen legitimacy, mitigate reputational risk, and inform decision-making in dynamic operational contexts.
DONATO PEÑA QUIÑONES
Donato Peña is a seasoned international development expert with nearly three decades of experience across Latin America and South Asia. His expertise spans monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning, stakeholder analysis, and results-based program design. At Veridicor, Donato leads the firm’s Monitoring and Evaluation practice and curates the “News of the Week” platform, offering strategic insights on global license to operate trends. A former USAID advisor and Peruvian government official, he has worked across sectors including alternative development, youth empowerment, agriculture, and private sector engagement. Donato holds advanced degrees in economics and social management and is also a certified soccer coach, using sport as a tool to build trust and community resilience in rural regions.
Liliana H. Gil
A purpose-driven Development Specialist with deep expertise in economic growth, social inclusion, and sustainable development, particularly in emerging and entrepreneurial ecosystems. She specializes in designing and implementing high-impact programs that close inequality gaps, empower women and youth, generate economic growth, and foster environmental sustainability. Skilled in strategic planning, partnership development, and social impact advisory, Liliana has built strong alliances with governments, multilateral organizations, and private sector leaders such as Starbucks, Walmart, Cisco, and Microsoft. With a strong focus on innovation, resilience, and measurable impact, she is passionate about leveraging entrepreneurship and inclusive business models to drive lasting change.
Engr. Clever Sithole
Engr. Clever Sithole, MSc, BEng is a distinguished mining strategist, gemologist, and mineral evaluator with a continental footprint in gemstone formalization, ethical sourcing, and value chain integration. He also consults as the Chairperson of the African Gemstones and Jewellery Committee (AGJEC) under the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), a specialized agency of the Africa Union (AU).
Engr. Sithole holds a Master’s degree in Applied Entrepreneurship & Business Management and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mining & Mineral Processing Engineering Degree. He is presently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Mineral Economics at the University of Zimbabwe, deepening his expertise in resource governance, financial modeling, and sustainable extraction strategies.
His advanced gemological training spans leading global institutions, including the Gemological Institute of America (USA), HRD Antwerp (Belgium), SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute (Switzerland), Gemmological Association of Great Britain (UK), Indian Diamond Institute (India), De Beers Institute of Diamonds, and the University of British Columbia (Canada), among others.
Professionally, Engr. Sithole has served as Head Gemologist for the USAID/DAI Invest project in Afghanistan, where he led gemstone certification, market access, and technical training across Central Asia. In Zimbabwe, he held the role of Mineral Evaluator, overseeing diamond and gemstone valuation for national export and compliance. He also pioneered the establishment of the Silk Road Heart Gemological Laboratory and Lapidary in Kabul, a regional milestone in formalization and beneficiation.
His work continues to shape sustainable mineral governance, inclusive development, and regional beneficiation across Africa’s extractive industries.
Noah Flessel
Kristina Kempkey
Kristina Kempkey is Director of the Africa Group at Veridicor, where she provides strategic advisory services across the African continent on political risk, stakeholder dynamics, and governance frameworks affecting extractive sector operations. She advises governments, investors, and private sector clients on license-to-operate (LTO) and Stakeholder Prosperity Assurance (SPA) strategies, designing community consultation and engagement frameworks that build trust, mitigate risk, and align commercial objectives with long-term value creation and operational stability.
Prior to joining Veridicor, Ms. Kempkey spent over two decades in senior leadership roles at USAID, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the United Nations, directing governance and conflict mitigation portfolios exceeding $660 million across 20+ countries. At USAID, she led programss in Moldova, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Sudan, building coalitions across government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders. In Mozambique, she advised ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies on community engagement strategies for the $30B Rovuma LNG project. She also served as a Department of Defense Senior Adviser in Afghanistan, managing $50M in stabilization operations.
Ms. Kempkey holds a Master’s degree in International Security Studies from Columbia University (SIPA), where she received the George C. Marshall Prize for Strategic Studies, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley, Magna Cum Laude.