Our Team

Svetha is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Incentives, an organization she started in 2011 after doing research with faculty at the Center for Effective Global Action to evaluate leading conditional cash transfer programs (CCTs). She built New Incentives, a nonprofit that provides cash incentives to increase uptake of routine immunizations, as a way to introduce the nonprofit sector to CCTs because they are among the most well-studied evidence-based development tools in the world. With her background in impact evaluation and field research, Svetha has brought together policymakers, development researchers, and NGO partners to create a scalable intervention that is now known to be one of the most cost-effective ways to save a life. Svetha has 15+ years of international development experience, was highlighted as a Changemaker by the Clinton Global Initiative, was named a Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Social Entrepreneur, and participated in Y Combinator's 2016 NFP (nonprofit program) batch. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and Economics from the University of Minnesota. Svetha’s visionary and ethical leadership drives New Incentives’ ability to meet complex challenges and remain transparent, accountable, and data-driven.

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Prat is the Co-Founder and COO of New Incentives. Prat leverages a diverse background in business strategy, project management, and team leadership, working closely with staff members, partners, and other stakeholders to streamline processes, optimize resources, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and effectiveness. He’s played a key role in growing New Incentives team from a start-up of 10 people to over 3,000 staff today. Prior to joining New Incentives full-time in 2016, Prat worked at technology startups, helping them to achieve product-market fit, while continuing a lifelong commitment to nonprofit innovation. Born and raised in Nepal, Prat graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in Economics. While an undergraduate, he led the Student Initiative for International Development and started his first company and he participated in Y Combinator's 2016 NFP (nonprofit program) batch. For nearly 15 years, he has been helping businesses and nonprofits innovatively scale. He is relentlessly passionate about driving organizational excellence and has been instrumental in growing New Incentives, which now has thousands of employees and reaches millions of infants each year.

Mubarak is New Incentives’ Operations Director. He manages ongoing operations in several key states and oversees the country's expansion team and the monitoring and evaluation team. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2017, Mubarak accumulated extensive experience in the public health sector, including working on a UNICEF-supported maternal, newborn, and child health project in hard-to-reach communities in Nigeria. He graduated from Usman Danfodiyo University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and has a Master’s degree in IT from the National Open University of Nigeria. He is currently pursuing his second Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy at Ahamdu Bello University. He has 11+ years of experience in public health programming and is a pioneering alumnus of the Geneva Learning Foundation, which has recognized his contributions to routine immunization initiatives.

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Nura is New Incentives’ Stakeholder Relations Director. In this role, he leads the Stakeholder Relations Team, which cultivates relationships at all levels of the government and coordinates with cold chain officers on a daily basis in order to ensure vaccine supplies are sufficient to cover the need generated by the program. In addition to focusing on building positive and productive partnerships with government stakeholders and traditional leaders, Nura identifies and assesses avenues to add value to core stakeholder and government initiatives. He has 15+ years of experience in partnership development and management. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2017, he held various roles at Save the Children, where he worked with prominent programs such as ECHO, USAID, and DFID, eventually rising to the position of Area Manager for Save the Children’s Katsina and Jigawa Field Offices. He has a Master’s degree in Adult and Non-Formal Education from Bayero University.

Dhanasiddharth is New Incentives’ Director of Technology. As the leader of the Engineering Team, he oversees the building and maintenance of all apps and data collection infrastructure, positioning the organization to collect and utilize over 120 Program Monitoring Indicators. He has 12+ years of experience developing software tools. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2018, Dhanasiddharth worked for several years crafting software solutions for a variety of businesses, from small-scale operations to enterprise solutions. He has a Bachelor of Engineering from Anna University. When he first came on board at New Incentives, he supported spreadsheet integrations as a developer, and, over the course of six-plus years, he has grown with the organization, taking on the larger responsibility to match all technology solutions with the evolving program goals.

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Jobel is New Incentives’ Director of Finance. He oversees the organization’s Accounting and Finance Team, which is responsible for all accounting, reporting, and budgeting, including overseeing more than 2,500 expense accounts for field staff. Jobel also provides strategic advice on liquidity, treasury management, long-term financial planning, reduction of program unit costs, and cost models for fundraising. He has 12+ years of experience in finance and accounting. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2019, Jobel worked for a consulting firm, shared service entities, and a business processing outsourcing company. He has a BS in Accountancy from Southern Luzon State University and is a certified public accountant. His love for the field of accounting began when he was 14; he enjoys solving problems and telling the stories behind the numbers.

Vanessa is a Program Director for New Incentives. As the leader of the Console Team, she oversees continual monitoring and verification to ensure accuracy and efficiency throughout the organization, developing metrics to assess program and staff effectiveness, collecting and analyzing data, and generating reports to demonstrate impact and inform future initiatives. She also contributes to the strategic planning process, identifying opportunities for program expansion and improvement. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2020, Vanessa predominantly worked in payroll, financial accounting, and auditing in various business sectors. She has a BS in Accountancy from the University of the East. Her 20+ years of finance experience, coupled with her ability to think both critically and creatively, allow her to navigate complex challenges with ease.

Benjamin is New Incentives’ Security Director. He leads the Security Team, working to ensure the safety of all staff and continually keeping a pulse on the security situation in all areas of operation. Benjamin designs security plans, protocols, and training modules and monitors protocol adherence to reduce risk, prevent threats to staff and assets, and support program delivery. He has 15+ years of experience in public and humanitarian security. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2019, Benjamin spent most of his career supporting international nongovernmental organizations’ program delivery in emergency situations and developmental capacities in northeast and northwest Nigeria. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University and a Master’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Bayero University. He is a member of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), the International NGO Safety and Security Association (INSSA), and the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators in Nigeria (AISSON).

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Khaly is the Human Resources Director of New Incentives. He oversees all HR functions, including recruitment, onboarding, training, retention, and exit management. He provides leadership oversight and decision-making per strategic organizational goals and is also responsible for maintaining compliance with labor laws in Nigeria. Khaly has 12+ years of experience in general human resources management in corporate settings and NGOs. Prior to joining New Incentives in 2021, he supported the workforce in many local and international organizations, particularly in compensation and benefits, employee engagement and well-being, performance and talent management, recognition and rewards, and policy development. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Adamawa State University and a Master's in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University. Khaly is continually inspired to create a professional environment where staff and managers can excel at their daily work.