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.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Travis Arnold has been President and CEO of Feed the Children since 2017 after extensive service to the organization in multiple leadership roles. He first joined Feed the Children in 2001 and was Chief Operating Officer from 2006 to 2017, serving three separate terms as interim President and CEO through periods of change.
He led the development of a world-class inventory management system and implemented a new budgeting process as well as the organization’s first strategic plan. He also streamlined logistics through our network of U.S. distribution centers and international offices in Africa, Asia and Central America.
Travis is an Oklahoma native with three decades of broad experience in operations, transportation and executive leadership at companies with annual revenues and donations in excess of $1 billion. During his more than 20 years at UPS, he held numerous management positions in operations, training, health and safety, business development and human resources.
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.
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.
Chief Growth and Strategy Officer
Colleen Finn Ridenhour joined Feed the Children in 2022 as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. Focused on the organization’s impact and strategic plan, she leads our long-term advancement and the development and implementation of U.S. programs and also oversees our marketing and communication teams. Previously, she served as Chief Development Officer at Habitat for Humanity International.
Colleen also held leadership positions at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer and Research Center in Los Angeles and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Prior to her nonprofit career, Colleen managed corporate and philanthropic partnerships in the entertainment sector as an executive at E! Entertainment Television and the Style Network.
Chief U.S. Operations Officer
Gary Sloan currently serves as the Chief U.S. Operations Officer at Feed the Children, overseeing our operations in the U.S. For the past 15 years, he has provided executive leadership in the development of U.S. programs and operations, including managing our network of distribution centers. Gary has served on the boards of directors for several nonprofits that focus on helping children and families and has nearly 25 years of corporate leadership experience.
Chief Financial Officer
Christy Tharp has been Feed the Children’s Chief Financial Officer since 2001. Responsible for our financial reporting and management, she works to ensure professional and ethical integrity and to uphold the expectations of regulatory agencies and donors.
Prior to Feed the Children, Christy served as an audit manager with the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche and has served a large client base of nonprofit organizations. She also gained experience in the private sector as a Controller and Accounting Supervisor. Christy is a CPA and a member of the AICPA and OSCPA.
Chief Corporate Procurement & Business Continuity Officer
Bob Thomas is Feed the Children’s Chief Corporate Procurement and Business Continuity Officer. In addition to administering the organization’s development and implementation of a comprehensive business continuity plan, he oversees relationships with corporate donors that provide gift-in-kind products as well as the purchase and procurement of products that supplement our efforts in the U.S. and internationally.
Before Feed the Children, Bob served as Executive Director of The Xenia Institute for Social Justice, Executive Director of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and Senior Director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, along with several other leadership positions. His service on boards currently includes, among others, his appointment to the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Dispute Resolution Advisory Board.
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.
Chairman
Mike 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 Frameworking 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.
Vice Chairman
Joining the board in mid-2019, Hooper is president and CEO of Oklahoma City-based Jordan Advertising. She is the immediate past chair of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber where she served on the executive committee as vice chair of economic development, as well as convention and tourism development. She has served in a voluntary capacity on a long list of city and statewide boards.
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.
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 senior leader, she helps professionals reach their full potential, generate new ideas and expand their thinking.
Director
Bernstein is the EVP and President, North America for ACCO Brands. She joined the board in mid-2019. Previously, she was the President at Crystal Farms Dairy Company, CMO of Post Consumer Brands, CMO at Heritage Home Group and Senior VP of Marketing for Cessna Aircraft Company. She also served in the military for five years as an officer in the United States Army.
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.
Director
After serving on the finance committee for five years, John Cardoza joined the board in late 2019. He is a VP 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.
Director
Clendening joined the board in late 2020. He currently serves on the board of Silicon Valley Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB). Additionally, he is engaged as a consultant focused on financial services, wealth management and digital innovation. He recently served as president and CEO of Blucora, Inc. Previously, 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.
Director
Joining the board in 2017, he is president and chief executive officer of Texas-based NEAT Transportation Group. Prior to founding NEAT Transportation Group, Hagenbuch served as president of Transport Industries.
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.
Director
Blayne Arthur is the state of Oklahoma’s Secretary of Agriculture. She acts as Governor Kevin Stitt’s chief advisor on policy development and implementation related to agriculture, food and forestry, and holds the titles of Oklahoma Commissioner of Agriculture and the President of the Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture. She previously served as executive director of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation and is a former Deputy Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Director
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 Finance Committees.