Our people

Dr Christie Peacock, Chief Executive

Christie is an animal scientist who has worked in applied research on traditional livestock systems in Africa and South East Asia, specialising in goat production. On joining FARM-Africa, she ran the Ethiopia Dairy Goat Project, leading to the publication of the book Improving Goat Production in the Tropics. Christie has been an adviser to DFID's Livestock Research Programme, is a member of The Wellcome Trust's Animal Health in the Developing World Committee and is on the board of The International Goat Association.

Karen Thompson, Chief Operating Officer

Karen is a chartered accountant who began her career over 15 years ago as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche, working with a wide range of clients ranging from FTSE 100 companies to small businesses, not-for-profits and charities. After a short career break she became director of finance and administration at War on Want and acted as interim director of fundraising for 18 months.

George Mukkath, Director of Programmes

George is an agricultural economist with 30 years' experience in the private and NGO sectors in India, Eastern Europe and Africa. George worked with Oxfam (GB) holding senior positions in the field, including country director for Angola. As a consultant, George worked with several organisations including the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. George was development director at EveryChild (UK) before joining FARM-Africa.

Carla Miller, Director of Fundraising and Communications

Carla Miller is a fundraiser and marketer who has worked in the voluntary sector since 1998, at charities including NSPCC, Action for Blind People and Samaritans. Her most recent roles include Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and Interim Fundraising Director at School-Home Support.

Helen Altshul, Regional Director, Kenya

A natural resources manager, Helen Altshul has 15 years' international development experience in Africa and Asia, ranging from soil conservation and sustainable livelihoods to monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment. Before taking up her current post with FARM-Africa she was country director of FARM-Africa Kenya and prior to that, worked in Kenya on farming systems research with the UK Overseas Development Administration (now DFID). She also managed East African development programmes for Christian Aid.

George Odhiambo, Regional Programme Manager, Kenya

George previously worked with Africa Now in Western Kenya. His experience includes programme development and management of market development and commercial linkages projects. He has a BSc in agricultural economics and a postgraduate diploma in project planning and management. He joined FARM-Africa in 2003 and after working as a project co-ordinator and Tanzania country director took on his current role as the regional programme manager based in Nairobi.

Johnathan Napier, Country Director, Ethiopia

Johnathan has a wealth of experience of managing NGO programmes, at project and senior management level, in development, emergency and post-emergency work in South East Asia; East, Southern and West Africa; and Central America. Before joining FARM-Africa he worked as the programme director for Mercy Corps in Zimbabwe, country director for Oxfam (GB) in Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone, and international assistant country director for CARE in Zimbabwe.