Our People
National Team
DAVID P. ADAMS - Co-Founder and President, Linley Foundation
David Adams is co-founder and President of Linley Foundation Incorporated and the founder of The America I Want, a national civic initiative designed to give high school students a voice in a national conversation about the country they want to live in.
Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Brazil, David was educated in Europe and the United States. He holds a BA in Portuguese and French Literature from King’s College London and an MA in English Literature from the University of Massachusetts. He began his career teaching 19th-century Portuguese literature before becoming an entrepreneur, founding the Linley Group and later Linley International.
Through the Linley Foundation, David has supported projects in education, the environment, and animal welfare. Over the past three and a half years, his principal focus has been the development and national launch of The America I Want.
He is also a writer, public speaker, and interviewer. He is married to Brazilian artist Maria Lucia Ferreira and divides his time between Vermont and Brazil.
MARIA LUCIA FERREIRA
Co-Founder,Director of Operations/Communications /Coordinator
Maria Lucia is a painter, film editor and website designer.
She was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and graduated from Escola de Belas Artes de Sao Paulo with a degree in Fine Arts. In 2000, she moved to the United States where she became a citizen.
Maria Lucia regularly exhibited her work in Sao Paulo. During that period, she studied psychology and art therapy, two of her passions. She also worked as a private art teacher.
While in the US, Maria Lucia has explored different media, including film and editing. Her work with Portrait Interview, LLC, a personal interviewing service, allows her to combine her art and film editing skills with her interest in peoples’ life stories.
Maria Lucia is the co-founder and the Executive Director at Linley Foundation and co-director of the America I Want initiative.
CHARLIE DEPMAN
Chief Technology Officer
Charlie is a technologist, founder, and builder with more than a decade of experience shaping early-stage, people-centered, mission-driven ventures. He strongly believes in using technology, data and design for good - to improve the lives of all beings.
As Cofounder and CTO of Ridepanda, he grew the climate tech company into a nationwide platform with clients like Google, Amazon and OpenAI, leading engineering, product, and culture.
Before entering the startup world, he worked at international environmental nonprofits including Future Generations China and Waterkeeper Alliance. He has also worked in education, teaching at schools including NYU Shanghai, Moringa School in Kenya, and Product School.
Born in New Haven, CT and educated across the US, Canada, and China, Charlie thrives at the “zero to one” stage—turning bold ideas into practical systems that empower communities.
LEN GAMACHE
Chief Development officer
Len is a philanthropic fundraising consultant and Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Prior to consulting, he headed institutional fundraising programs for three major hospitals in Ontario and three Canadian national charities (The Royal Conservatory of Music, the Children’s Aid Foundation and Kids Help Phone).
He has led and coordinated numerous campaigns that have generated hundreds of millions of dollars over more than three decades. He has also been awarded the distinction of “Fundraising Executive of the Year” (Waterloo Region).
Prior to his philanthropic career he served in various public relations, marketing and editorial positions with non-profits, such as The Seagram Museum (Waterloo, Ontario) and the University of Waterloo. He volunteers with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Friends of Killarney Park and Georgian Bay Forever.
Len grew up in Massachusetts and attended Northeastern University. He lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife, Jody Dailey.
ZAIRO CHEIBUB
Analyst / Pro Bono Advisor
Zairo Cheibub is a political scientist and public opinion expert with extensive experience in academic research, teaching, and institutional leadership in both the United States and Brazil. His work focuses on political behavior, public opinion, and social policy, with a career spanning leading universities and public policy institutions across the hemisphere. He became an American citizen in 2017. He currently serves as Strategic Initiative Specialist at the Center for International Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Zairo holds an MBA from the Sloan Fellows Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed advanced doctoral studies (ABD) in Political Science at MIT. He earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro (IUPERJ) and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF).
Zairo has taught at Brown University, where he served as Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, teaching courses in public opinion, survey research methodology, and Brazilian politics. From 2002 to 2006, he was Director of FGV-Opinião, the public opinion research center of Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), where he led major initiatives in public opinion research and democratic governance.
NATHAN FOLEY
Associate Editor
Nathan was born and raised in Sacramento, California.
He discovered his passion at an early age after enrolling in an animation course at his high school, where he learned the basics of film production. Subsequently, he became Director, Lead Editor, and head of the Live Action Department at his school’s professional K9 studio.
His work on animated short films and music videos won him and his studio a number of Student Emmys.
Nathan has worked in other film studios, most notably Burn Films (BBB), where he took on such roles as Director of Photography, Editor, and Assistant Director. While at BBB, he helped produce short films, music videos, and live concert events, all of which fueled his growing love for film and photography as an artistic and intellectual medium.
Asher Edelson is a subacute residential counselor and an elected school board member in Vermont.
With a background in political organization, Asher brings a background of knowledge, and diversity to the team.
He was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at age seven, and wants to help as many people with disabilities as possible.
ASHER EDELSON
Associate Advisor
JIM ADAMS
Chairman, Board of Advisors
Jim Adams is a painter, writer, editor and translator.
He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and studied history, political economy and philosophy at the University of Toronto.
Following his studies, he worked in think tanks, both in government and the private sector.
In his early thirties, Jim decided to dedicate his life to painting and writing, passions he has since pursued in a number of countries, alongside his work as a freelance editor and translator.
Today makes his home in a hamlet in France.
Jim has exhibited his paintings in several European countries and recently published a book of his writings, entitled Epigrams—his work can be seen at www.EpigramIcon.com.
CRISTINA GOMES
Graphics Advisor
Cristina Gomes is a brazilian graphic designer based in Lisbon, with a solid experience in brand design and packaging.
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1963, the early contact with nature influenced her environmental concerns.
Lately she’s been dedicating more of her time to photography and illustration.
International Team
Advisory Board
Dr. Mike DeGagne
President, Indspire
Maxine Grad
Fmr. Chair of Vt. Judiciary Committee
Maria Lucia Ferreira
Co-founder, Linley Foundation
David Adams
Co-founder, President, Linley Foundation LLC
John R. Jonge Poerink
CEO Linley Capital
Sebastian C. Widmann
Restaurateur, Malaparte, NYC
Christie van Witsen
Director of European Programs