Etelle Higonnet
Founder & Director
Etelle Higonnet, attorney and environmental activist, has worked at Mighty Earth, National Wildlife Federation, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, as well as two war crimes courts. She was knighted as a Chevalier de l'ordre national du Mérite for her pioneering efforts to curb deforestation in high-risk commodities with an emphasis on cocoa, rubber, palm oil, cattle, and soy industries. She has worked in over 30 countries, is widely published, speaks 9 languages, and is a graduate of Yale Law School.
Joy Wahba
Chief Operations Officer
Joy Wahba is a lawyer with a background advocating for justice for vulnerable workers. Prior to joining Coffee Watch, Joy practiced labour law, employment law, human rights law and civil litigation. She has a particular interest in the intersection of climate activism and the labour movement. Joy has worked in environmental advocacy supporting several campaigns, including a campaign against human rights abuses in the cocoa supply chain. Her experience includes advocating for indigenous rights in Cambodia and access to rural water services in Malawi.
Angela Walker
Development Director
Angela Walker is a communications, advocacy, partnership and fundraising expert with more than two decades expertise globally. She has advised international NGOs including the INSPIRE Partnership, the Brave Movement, WEConnect International and ACCLED. Angela previously worked at the World Bank as an Advisor to the 25-member Board of Executive Directors and the Managing Director. Angela also served as a UN spokesperson and advisor in countries experiencing conflict and humanitarian crises in Asia, Africa and the Balkans, including as Chief of Advocacy and Partnerships for UNICEF and UNFPA Regional Advisor for Africa. Angela is also an award-winning journalist for her work at The Washington Post. She has a Masters from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Sarah Syed
Social Media Director
Sarah Syed is a digital storyteller and climate justice advocate with over five years of experience leading youth engagement and communications across Canada. She has worked with nonprofits driving record-breaking engagement through fully funded youth summits, national awards programs, and Hamilton-Burlington’s first community engagement project on local climate action. As a UN-Habitat Youth Advisor, she brings grassroots insights to global advocacy for climate justice and sustainable cities. Her work has been recognized internationally— she is a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist in Canada, a Developer 30 Under 30, and has been acknowledged by Members of Parliament. Sarah is passionate about building digital spaces that drive environmental action, and center the voices of those most impacted.
John Surico & Angela Alameida
Media advisors
Angela Almeida is an Emmy-nominated producer and freelance journalist based in New York City. She is known for her work on the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series “ROTTEN" (Netflix), "MerPeople" (Netflix), “VICE” (Showtime), “Somebody Feed Phil" (Netflix) and "Gutsy" (Apple), hosted by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, and produced "Do Not Attempt" (Disney+; NatGeo). Angela has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, Reuters, The Huffington Post and The Guardian, among other outlets, and has reported in over 10 countries on topics related to social justice, culture and politics. She holds a BA in journalism and psychology from New York University and a MSc in Migration Studies from the University of Oxford.
John Surico is a journalist, researcher and educator. He teaches urban-centric reporting at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and serves as the Senior Fellow for Climate and Opportunity at Center for an Urban Future, a leading policy organization in New York City. His reporting can be found in over 50+ outlets, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Guardian, and elsewhere. He is currently writing a book about Tactical Urbanism with Mike Lydon and Tony Garcia of Street Plans, slated for publication in 2025, and he authors a monthly newsletter on Substack called "Streetbeat." He is based in Queens, New York, where he is the chairperson of the 31st Ave Open Street Collective, a neighbor-run group that organizes a pop-up public space on weekends.
Legal allies
NGO allies and coalitions
