​​​​Supriya Lopez Pillai​

Founder and Consultant. Vision & Ink.

​2011 - present

After years of working with several different types of organizations in a variety of roles, I founded  Vision & Ink to be a vehicle to best utilize my skills and relationships to help build internal systems, capacity, visibility and viability of international and domestic funders and movement partners. For the past 4 years I have worked with feminist grantmakers, worker cooperatives, foundations, intermediaries and others on short and long-term projects ranging from facilitating strategy conversations with multiple stakeholders, planning for growth and expansion, navigating leadership and organizational transitions, delivering research and writing projects.  I work solo and can construct teams to meet the needs of clients and projects of all sizes.  For more on current and past clients and projects, please visit the Projects page.  

 

Executive Director. Funders' Collaborative on Youth Organizing.

​2008-2012

• Led the largest national intermediary committed to advancing youth organizing as a strategy for greater social transformation particularly for low-income youth of color and their communities.

• Directed the organization’s vision, mission and strategy with the board, consisting of leading youth organizing practitioners and funders nationally.

• Managed all aspects of administrative and financial oversight, including fundraising for a $2,000,000 annual budget. Grew the budget from $600,000 in 2008 to $2,000,000 in 2010, building significant new philanthropic relationships and solidifying anchor relationships. Conducted multiple funder briefings on the state of the field of youth organizing and funding opportunities.

• Designed, led and directed an annual $1,000,000 social justice grantmaking program.

• Advised large private and family foundations on strategy to increase efficacy and resource flows to strategic youth-centered programs.

• Conducted research for FCYO’s 2010 Youth Organizing Field Scan, including a listening tour with 80 organizations across the country. Led the editorial committee for two of FCYO’s Occasional Paper Series, a significant source of research related to the impacts and power of youth organizing strategies.

• Recruited and managed 5 staff and a roster of consultants, including developing staff leadership and development plans.

 

Asia Program Officer. International Women's Health Coalition.

2005-2008

• Managed a $350,000 grantmaking budget for the Asia Program focusing on strategic partnerships with grassroots organizations and key individuals in Turkey, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

• Developed and implemented strategy to expand IWHC’s four thematic areas: youth health and rights, sexual reproductive health and rights policy, sexuality and human rights and abortion.

• Provided technical assistance to partner organizations, including program development, capacity and coalition building.

• Led institutional capacity development in youth movement building, sex workers’ rights and sexuality. 

• Conducted trainings for young people on advocacy at regional and international venues, such as the United Nations.

• Represented IWHC in international and domestic arenas pertinent to sexual and reproductive health rights, including at the United Nations and with senior government officials in Asia portfolio countries.

• Published articles to advance critical thinking on women’s and youth health and rights, including an article on sex workers’ collectives in India.

• Supervised a program assistant and the Asia program budget

 

Population Services International (PSI).

2001-2005

                                    

Marketing and Communicaitons Management Advisor.  PSI/Cambodia.

2003-2005

• Managed 18 staff and a $2 million budget in the Marketing and Communications Department to enhance social marketing of products and services. Developed 9 products and launched 3 new ones, including emergency contraception, female and male condoms.

• Continued expansion of Cambodia’s leading male condom brand as well as hormonal contraception products and malaria prevention and treatment.   

• Created marketing and communications strategies to help increase access to key populations, including rural women, sex workers, LGBTQ communities and youth. Developed research-led mass media campaigns, including branded television, radio and print media as well as generic behavior change-based media for peer education groups and local health providers.

• Advocated for improved policy and outreach to key populations with national government, international donors and local and international NGOs.

• Developed new business through formative research and proposal development.  Contributed in securing funding from bilateral donors.

• Represented PSI at the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand in July 2004. 

                                         

Famly Health and AIDS Program Manager. PSI/West Africa

2002-2003

• Provided regional support to PSI’s West Africa Regional Program (WARP) Family Health and AIDS interventions, including technical assistance in program management, fundraising and administration. 

• Directed the Rail Link project, a cross border HIV/AIDS initiatives on train routes between Mali and Senegal. 

• Supervised the Ambassador’s Fund, launching a male condom brand in Sierra Leone. 

 

Associate Program Manager, West Africa.  PSI/Washington, DC

2001-2002

• Assisted in managing the West and Central Africa programs from PSI headquarters in Washington, DC, focusing on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health.

• Provided short-term technical assistance to country programs in the region for general management and communications strategy development.

• Developed proposals for multilateral and bilateral organizations as well as for private foundations. 

 

Opportunities Industrialization Centers International

Intternational Foundation for Education and Self-Help Fellowship

2000-2001

• Awarded with a Fellowship with the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) and placed with OICI in Guinea. 

• Managed a team of 14 in Mamou and Conakry, Guinea as part of a microfinance and food security initiative. 

• Redesigned and implemented microfinance operations for over 1500 rural women, achieving and sustaining a 95% reimbursement rate.

• Provided trainings related to small business development and women’s health. 

 

Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

1999-2000

• Managed $105 million in funds committed by the Fannie Mae Foundation and National Community Development Initiative (NCDI) consortium of financial institutions, foundations, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

• Collaborated with regional Program Directors to ensure compliance with federal regulations and development plans.  Prepared semi-annual reports to donors and organized semi-annual donor meetings.

• Managed capital disbursements to community development corporations.  Reviewed proposals for funding competitions.