executive leadership team
The executive leadership team is actively engaged in Feed the Children’s work to deepen our impact, leverage our partnerships, grow our voice, explore new ideas, and strengthen organizational capabilities.
Emily Callahan
President and Chief Executive Officer
Emily Callahan joined Feed the Children in January 2025 as President and CEO, where she leads the global anti-hunger organization in helping improve food access and security for children and families.
Emily is focused on the vision, strategy and growth plans for the future of the organization and leading the incredible staff and operations made possible by Feed the Children’s generous donors, community partners and other key stakeholders to amplify efforts to provide the food and essentials kids need to grow and thrive.
2029 marks 50 years of Feed the Children’s incredible work. For Emily that milestone is not about the past. It’s all about looking forward, to continue to rise to the challenges ahead as the needs of children around the world are growing rapidly. She is passionate about meeting the increasing needs of children and knows that we have the ability to solve these problems if we all come together now.
Prior to joining Feed the Children, Emily was the first chief marketing officer for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There she helped grow revenues from $600M to more than $2.5B in 50+ consecutive quarters of growth and led St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to becoming the Most Trusted brand of any brand in America per Morning Consult.
She was previously SVP of Global Marketing & Networks at Susan G. Komen, where she helped double revenue and led 124+ independently incorporated affiliates through a total rebranding and global expansion. She began her career at Edelman. Emily is known as a global movement builder, empowering people and partners everywhere to raise billions to save millions of lives. She has led key transformation roles for national nonprofits – Susan G. Komen and ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and brings a passion and commitment to empower teams to operate with excellence, trust and accountability.
In addition to her deep experience driving financial growth, she cares deeply about building strong relationships with stakeholders across the communities she serves. She has served as vice chair for ANA (the Association of National Advertisers), vice chair for the Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing and is a founder and chair of The Memphis Brand, one of the nation’s only place-based branding initiatives.
She is a gifted strategist, excelling in driving revenue, building iconic brands, developing alliances with Fortune 500 giants, managing P&Ls, navigating complexity, building world class teams and driving thriving cultures through deep relationships. Emily has been recognized for the CMO Club’s CMO Officers Award, PR Week’s Hall of Femme, and the Dallas and Memphis Business Journals’ 40 Under 40 lists for her impactful work.
She is a proud, native Oklahoman.
Bregeita Jefferson
President of FEED International
With her programmatic and organizational expertise, Bre Jefferson leads our international operations, implementing multifaceted projects in diverse cultures and contexts to improve food insecurity, health, education, and livelihoods in the communities we partner with across the globe. For more than 20 years, she has been dedicated to empowering communities and effecting positive changes. Bre’s experience combines programming, enterprise risk management and business development to devise cutting-edge strategies with a keen understanding of local dynamics, creating sustainable solutions that resonate at a global scale.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Bre remains committed to fostering the next generation of leaders in international development. Her mentorship and advocacy initiatives have equipped individuals with the skills, knowledge, and inspiration to effect change in their communities.
Mike Panas
Chief Information Officer
Michael Panas has served as Chief Information Officer at Feed the Children since 2016. He provides leadership in managing information technology and developing robust and secure technology solutions for our U.S. and international operations. He has led efforts to implement Blackbaud CRM, Qlik Sense BI and Data Analytics, MS 365 E5, managed detection and response, migrations to Azure Cloud and a number of other SaaS solutions.
Under his tenure, the organization has also established in-house IT management capabilities for Information Security and Data Governance. Mike has chaired or maintained membership on the boards of several nonprofits that provide programming in the areas of financial counseling, autism support and community impact.
Colleen Ridenhour
Chief Growth and Strategy Officer
Colleen Finn Ridenhour joined Feed the Children in 2022 as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, where she leads the organization’s strategic growth initiatives, including fundraising, U.S. program development, and marketing and communication efforts. Recognized by Women We Admire as a top nonprofit leader in 2023 and 2024, Colleen is grateful for the opportunity to engage and inspire future nonprofit leaders to make an impact in the world.
Colleen is passionate about integrating philanthropy, marketing, and program strategies into a unified approach to have a greater impact. In her role, Colleen is responsible for leading Feed the Children’s five-year strategic plan to advance the organization’s mission, growth strategy, and impact as the nonprofit approaches its 50th year milestone anniversary.
Previously, Colleen served as Chief Development Officer at Habitat for Humanity International, overseeing global fundraising and strategic initiatives. Her career includes managing corporate and philanthropic partnerships in the entertainment sector, with leadership roles at E! Entertainment Television, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Debra Shoaf, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Debra Shoaf is Feed the Children’s Chief Financial Officer, providing a clear vision and strategic fiscal counsel to our global organization. She works to ensure professional and ethical integrity in upholding the expectations of regulatory agencies and donors. Debra is responsible for advising key stakeholders about important business decisions as we forecast and strategize for the future, while overseeing financial reporting, analysis, and management for the organization.
Prior to joining Feed the Children, Debra served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. While there, she served on the Feeding America Financial Leaders Steering Committee and was the Co-chair of the Recruiting subcommittee. She was selected as the Feeding America Senior Financial Leader of the Year in 2018 and to Forbes’ list of Best Non-Profit CFOs for 2020. She also serves on the Advisory Boards for Rural Development Partners and Accion Opportunity Fund.
Debra has also held senior Finance and Accounting positions at Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Renfroe Enterprises and Ivan Allen Company. She holds a B.B.A in Accounting from Georgia State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Board of Directors
The board of directors is committed to the oversight of Feed the Children’s important work to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry. Each distinguished member of the voluntary board brings with them a unique set of experiences and expertise which are invaluable to the health and growth our organization.
Mike Hogan
Chairman
Hogan joined the board in 2013. Most recently, he served as president of Tax-Smart Innovation for Blucora. Previously, he served as the Executive VP of Strategy & Brand at GameStop, a principal with Strategic Frame-working Inc., the CMO at Dean Foods, as well as the VP of Marketing at Frito-Lay. In addition, he serves on the boards of Arcbest Corporation and Valyant AI.
Rhonda Hooper
Vice Chairman
On the board since 2019, Hooper is President/CEO of an Oklahoma City based marketing/communications company, Jordan Advertising. She is the past chair of the Greater OKC Chamber where she continues to serve on the executive committee for business and economic inclusion. She currently serves on the boards of the 10th District Federal Reserve– OKC branch; the OKC Economic Development Trust; the Alliance for Economic Development; the Human Rights Commission; and the OSU Foundation. Her previous leadership roles have been city, statewide and national in scope.
C.E. Crouse
Treasurer
A board member since 2017 and an audit committee member prior to that, Crouse retired after 40 years in the accounting profession. He was the co-founder of CapinCrouse LLP, a leading national accounting firm serving the not-for-profit community. In addition, he serves on the boards of TrueFace in Atlanta and Asbury University in Kentucky.
Terry Puchley
Director
Puchley is the founder and CEO of TRice Executive Coaching and has more than four decades of experience successfully leading, coaching and mentoring teams and professionals. Joining the board in 2023, she is a retired PwC partner, certified public accountant and serves as the Audit Committee Chair. As an industry leader, she helps professionals reach their full potential, generate new ideas and expand their thinking.
Amanda Rodriguez
Director
Joining the board in 2022, Rodriguez has extensive financial and strategy experience in the oil and gas industry and the government sector. Currently, she is the founder and co-CEO of LYT Consulting Group. She previously served as a Client Account Executive for the world’s largest consulting firm, Accenture. Amanda was also Oklahoma’s first Chief Financial Officer, overseeing a myriad of aspects of statewide finance and billions of dollars in funding, and in various leadership capacities at Chesapeake Energy for more than 13 years.
John Cardoza
Director
After serving on the finance committee for five years, John Cardoza joined the board in late 2019. He is a SVP and Trust Investment Officer at BancFirst where he has spent most of his professional career. He previously worked as portfolio manager with Regions Investment Management in Tyler, Texas.
John Clendening
Director
John Clendening is the founding CEO of Earned Wealth and joined the FTC board in late 2020. Previously, he served as the President and CEO of Blucora, Inc. Prior to this, he worked at Charles Schwab Corporation as EVP, Co-Leader of its Retail Business Unit, EVP of Shared Strategic Services and CEO of Charles Schwab Bank. Additionally, he served on the board of Silicon Valley Financial Group.
Brent A. Hagenbuch
Director
Joining the board in 2017, Hagenbuch is president and chief executive officer of Texas- based NEAT Transportation Group. Prior to founding NEAT Transportation Group, he served as president of Transport Industries.
Kathy Doyle Thomas
Director
Thomas is president of Half Price Books, the nation’s largest family-owned bookstore chain with 125 stores in 19 states. She’s held various roles at the company during her 34-year tenure. Thomas rejoined the board in 2023, having previously served from 2013 to 2022. She previously served on numerous committees as well as Treasurer in 2016- 2017 and Secretary from 2017 to 2022. She’s also a board member for the Global Retail and Marketing Association and a founding member and board chair of Literacy U.S.A.
Gregg Yeilding
Secretary
Recently retired after serving 45 years in facilities management and administrative services. Included among his previous career experience is his time as the Director of Administration for Continental Resources. Today, he provides accounting services to nonprofit organizations including churches and homeowner associations. Yeilding served previous terms on the board, and he has continued to serve on the Investment and Audit & Risk Committees.
Andy Williams
Director
Andy is based in the United Kingdom and currently serves as an Interim Chief Technology Officer for Informa plc. A board member since 2024, Andy has led and developed international teams across different cultures, geographies and industries. He has extensive experience identifying cyber security threats and defining risk mitigation strategies. Andy has a deep understanding of complex global supply chains as well as leadership coaching, mentoring and governance experience.
Paul DeLuca
Director
DeLuca, a board member since 2024, is currently the Chief Information Security Officer at Infinera Corporation. He has more than 25 years of cybersecurity and IT experience across multiple industries. Paul is an experienced security, technology, and business leader who drives innovation in alignment with business goals. He has built and mentored global teams to enhance cybersecurity engineering, operations, and response across the business. Paul has also volunteered as a mentor as part of a program to accelerate economic and social impact in communities through inclusive entrepreneurship.
Dr. Daniel Molina
Director
Joining the board in 2024, Dr. Daniel Molina is a board-certified Family Medicine physician, and an active duty commissioned officer (CAPTAIN O-6) in the United States Public Health Service. He has dedicated his medical career to caring for the Native American community of Oklahoma, and currently serves as the Chief of Research and Public Health for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health. Dr. Molina has been named Clinician of the Year by the Oklahoma Primary Care Association and has received multiple national awards for customer service and innovation in medical care delivery. Dr. Molina is a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians, having completed post-graduate training at the Baylor Family Medicine Residency Program in Dallas, TX. Dr. Molina earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD, and was recognized with the U.S. Public Health Service Surgeon General’s Distinguished Graduate Award. Dr. Molina is also an artist, author and founder of the life philosophy brand Sticks that Ahh®. He is an alumnus from the University of New Mexico, holding degrees in Biology and Spanish.
Brady J. Sidwell
Director
A board member since 2024, Brady Sidwell is the Founder and President of Sidwell Strategies, Sidwell Distribution, Enterprise Grain Company, Enterprise Grain Malt, Sidwell Solutions, Sidwell Seed, 81 Feed and Seed, Sidwell Transport, Arbitrage αlpha Solutions, Enid Brewing Company and Chisholm Trail Milling. Sidwell is also a Limited Partner and member of the Advisory Board of Germin8 Ventures, a Food Tech Venture Capital firm, and a founding partner of Ninja Ag, LLC, a precision agriculture technology business that creates variable-rate nutrient applications from corrected NDVI imagery. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Oklahoma City Branch in January 2020. Prior to becoming an entrepreneurial business owner and commodity broker, Sidwell held several senior roles leading global strategy, mergers and acquisitions with a focus across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA). Sidwell is active in his community as a Rotarian, Ambucs member, Advisory Board and Investment Committee Member of the Cherokee Strip Community Foundation, Class 31 of Leadership Oklahoma and the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma State University Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Economics from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Economics degree from the University of Hong Kong where he studied as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar to China. Mr. Sidwell was raised on a family farming operation in Goltry, OK, where he currently resides with his family.
Additional Committee Leadership
Bob M. Byers
Finance Committee Member
Robert M. Byers has served in various leadership positions in medical service, finance and mortgage companies. Byers has extensive experience as a certified public accountant, serving in this role with the international firm of Ernst & Ernst. He is also a former Shiloh Summer camp board member and currently serves as the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Chairman of Business. Byers graduated from the University of Oklahoma.
Russ Harrison
Investment Committee Member
Russ Harrison is currently the Chairman of the Board and CEO of HGC Holdings, LLC, headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is the former Chairman (July 2015-2016) and serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for Leadership Oklahoma. He also serves on the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and Business Committee for Allied Arts. Harrison is the past President and current member of the Executive Committee VP of Development, Executive Board, and current Chair of the Capital Campaign for Boy Scouts of America’s Last Frontier Council. Harrison was raised in Lindsay, Oklahoma, and graduated from Oklahoma State University.
Tyson M. Avery
Audit and Risk Committee Member
Tyson M. Avery is currently the Associate General Counsel and Director, Ethics & Compliance of Lucid Motors. Previously Tyson was the Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer of Starbucks. Tyson also served as SVP, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Director of Internal Audit for CBRE, Inc. Tyson also held various leadership positions in ITT as legal counsel and within the areas of Ethics and Compliance, Industrial Security, Trade Compliance, and Environmental, Health, and Safety. In addition to his corporate experience, he spent twenty-three years as an officer and judge advocate serving in the active and reserve components of the U.S. Marine Corps, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
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