TEAM & ADVISORY BOARD
Our social architects.
Our team brings ten languages and HRDD fluency across government, sustainability, and global supply chains — assembled into project teams built precisely for each client's needs.
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OUR TEAM
Leadership Team
Leadership Team
Minal Patel Davis
Founder & CEO
Houston, TX
Minal Patel Davis is the Founder and CEO of Henekom Group, an advisory firm helping governments, sports federations, and corporations build human rights and governance systems that hold up under global scrutiny. Over a 20-plus year career, she has moved between public service, mega-event delivery, and the private sector, consistently focused on translating international human rights standards into practical, operational strategy.
Minal served on FIFA's Expert Advisory Group for the Club World Cup 2025™ and FIFA World Cup 2026™, advising on human rights standards ahead of tournament delivery. She went on to serve as Chief Legacy Officer for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee and Chief Human Rights Officer for the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee™, making her one of a small number of senior executives to lead human rights strategy across multiple World Cup 2026 host committees.
Before her work in sport, Minal was the founding Director of the Houston Mayor's Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, where she built a municipal response model recognized by Polaris Project and later replicated by other U.S. cities and internationally at the request of the U.S. Department of State. Her work there earned her a White House Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Minal's work has been covered in numerous national and international news outlets including the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Sports Business Journal, Reuters, FIFA.com, Front Office Sports, and Yahoo Sports.
Minal serves on the boards of Verité and the Eradicate Hate Global Summit and contributes to the Thomson Reuters Institute. Minal has a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor of Arts from New York University.
Click here to view the firm's digital resume.
Leadership Team
Sree Kancherla
Chief Growth & Innovation Officer
Atlanta, GA
Sree Kancherla is the Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at Henekom Group, where she develops partnerships and drives the deployment of advanced technology to solve complex human rights and environmental due diligence challenges across global value chains. As a pioneer in fusing deep technology capabilities with sustainability and human rights strategy, Sree helps multinational enterprises transform regulatory pressures, including the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), into catalysts for operational resilience. Sree supported Henekom's high-impact engagements for the FIFA World Cup in Houston and Dallas, including the launch of the landmark Worker Support Hub in Dallas.
Prior to Henekom, Sree served as Global Director of Sustainability at Kearney, spearheading supply chain risk and innovation frameworks for Fortune 500 brands and co-developing the Design for Sustainability methodology at the Product Excellence and Renewal Lab. Her 25-year commercial background bridges technology execution, legal governance, and sustainability. Sree has advised C-suite leaders across consumer retail, supporting multinationals such as Unilever, Coca-Cola, IKEA, and leading U.S. and U.K. fashion houses. Among her previous roles, Sree scaled technology operations for Navayuga Infotech in MEA, served as an advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group, and helped build the impact investing space early on as Executive Director for Dasra Social Impact and the IDEX Global Fellowship. She began her career as an international lawyer supporting the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and as the first U.S. in-house legal counsel for a leading defense technology company.
Sree's insights on AI, human rights, and procurement technology have been featured at international forums, including the Formula 1 Week Sustainability Summit and the Harvard Alumni Club of Zurich, as well as on major global podcasts.
Sree serves as President of the Board for Conservancy Guardians USA Fund and as an advisor to Emory University's Impact Investing Group. Sree has a Master of Business Administration from George Mason University, a Juris Doctor from New England Law Boston, and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University.
Leadership Team
Dr. Daniel Polomski
Senior Manager
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Daniel Polomski is a human rights consultant with over a decade of international experience working across business, international organizations, and civil society. As part of the Henekom Group, he brings a solutions-focused approach to bridging regulatory expectations with people-centered outcomes.
Daniel spent 15 years in Southeast Asia, where he worked closely with grassroots organizations, regional networks, and UN agencies, helping shape the regional business and human rights agenda. His work has included formulating human rights policies for the ICT sector and conducting research for organizations such as UNDP, Shift, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the ASEAN CSR Network.
Daniel has a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Rights and Peace Studies with distinction for his research on tangible results in the Bangladesh garment sector and a Bachelor of Arts in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Hamburg. He is fluent in English, German, and Thai, with basic knowledge of French and Bahasa Indonesia.
Leadership Team
Anna Fraser
Senior Manager
Washington, D.C.
Anna Fraser is a human rights specialist with more than a decade of experience advancing efforts to prevent and address human trafficking worldwide. She spent twelve years in the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, most recently leading a team focused on mitigating forced labor in global supply chains.
During her time at the State Department, Anna advised governments, civil society organizations, and private sector leaders on strategies to mitigate human rights risks in supply chains and promote worker voice and agency. She also led a committee to drive implementation of a federal acquisition regulation prohibiting human trafficking in U.S. government contracts.
Anna has a master's degree in International Development from the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies and a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Mercyhurst University.
Team
Team
Jessica McGowan
Senior Associate
Houston, TX
Jessica McGowan is a Senior Associate at Henekom Group, where she leads project management and technical implementation across the firm's client work and oversees its branding, design, and website, supporting internal logistics, operations, and systems. Most recently, she has been embedded with the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston and North Texas host committees, where she directed FIFA-mandated human rights data collection and compliance reporting for both cities and contributed to the joint sustainability and human rights report. She also built and managed the host committees' supplier access and compliance system in partnership with outside developers, overseeing testing, launch, training, and continuous improvement, running the associated procurement process, and now leading its transition to the Sports Authority Foundation. Her work has also spanned Worker Support Hub operations, worker protections, youth soccer legacy programming, and accessibility programming across two Fan Fests, alongside a twelve-issue-area human rights policy assessment for the City of Austin.
Prior to joining Henekom, Jessica worked in the City of Houston Mayor's Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, developing responsible sourcing tools for procurement, mapping multi-level resources to strengthen access to remedy, and co-authoring the Women and Girls Equity Landscape Analysis and Benchmarking Report, which helped lay the groundwork for a new foundation. She also served as Assistant Director in the Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement, where she authored the office's first annual impact report and facilitated stakeholder workshops at a National League of Cities convening representing more than twenty cities.
At twenty-three, Jessica became the youngest person to hold a senior role in the Mayor's Office, and her work there contributed to Houston's designation as the first UNICEF Child-Friendly City in the US.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Texas A&M University, with minors in English and Women's and Gender Studies, and received a university award for writing excellence.
Team
Hyeonju Wang
Senior Analyst
Minneapolis, MN
Hyeonju Wang is a Senior Analyst at Henekom Group, supporting research, content development, and strategic communications across a range of human rights issues.
Hyeonju began working in business and human rights with A30/ as an advisor, spanning worker empowerment programs for global supply chains and human rights proposal evaluation for FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities. She also supported research efforts with UNDP to publish "Reflections and Directions - Business and Human Rights in Asia" and designed multiple reports for research initiatives focusing on Myanmar in collaboration with USIP and USAID.
Hyeonju has presented as a guest lecturer and speaker in academic and public forums, including at TEDxLincoln's Salon event. Hyeonju has a master's degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Hyeonju speaks conversational Korean.
Team
Anna Christians
Senior Analyst
London, UK
Anna Christians works at the intersection of human rights, climate mobility, and ESG policy. She contributed to the Climate Mobility Case Database at the Raul Wallenberg Institute, conducting in-depth research on climate displacement and related litigation. Anna also served as a Defender in Development with the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, supporting ESG-focused initiatives and human rights advocacy.
Her work and academic focus include climate mobility and human rights due diligence, with particular attention to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Anna has a master's degree in Human Rights and Democratisation from the Global Campus of Human Rights and a Bachelor of Arts in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds.
Team
Bridget Montovani
Analyst
Charlotte, NC
Bridget Montovani is an Analyst at Henekom Group, providing project support, research assistance, and administrative coordination across client deliverables and internal processes.
While in college, Bridget worked at the Kinney Center for Autism Support and Education, where she gained a firsthand understanding of the importance of advocacy, specifically in accessibility. She also served as her sorority's Vice President of Programming and Enrichment, overseeing engagement-based programming, academic support, and DEI initiatives.
Bridget has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Joseph's University, with a minor in Industrial Organizational Psychology.
Team
Iain Levine
Senior Advisor
New York, NY
Iain Levine is a Senior Advisor with Henekom and brings over 40 years of human rights and humanitarian experience with the United Nations, civil society, and the private sector.
His most recent position was as a director on the human rights team at Meta, where he was involved in policy development, risk assessments, human rights due diligence, and cross-sectoral stakeholder engagement. Before Meta, Iain occupied senior positions with UNICEF, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, including more than ten years working in conflict zones in Africa.
Iain has a master's degree in Social Policy and Planning in Developing Countries with distinction from the London School of Economics and a bachelor's degree in Nursing Sciences from the University of Hull. Iain is fluent in English and Portuguese.
Team
Paul Costello
Senior Consultant
Berlin, Germany
Paul Costello is a senior program manager for the German Marshall Fund Cities program, based in the organization's Berlin office. He leads work on city international engagement, migration, democracy, and disinformation projects.
For years, Paul has been conceptualizing and implementing successful programs that bring together local leaders and officials from cities across North America and Europe, fostering exchange, learning, and innovative local solutions to global issues. He also serves on the Democracy & Belonging Forum's Advisory Board.
Paul is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Catalan. Paul has a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University.
Team
Irene Carretero Sala
Senior Consultant
Zurich, Switzerland
Irene Carretero Sala is a dedicated human rights consultant specializing in gender, migration, and emergency response. Currently serving as a human rights program manager at FIFA, she leverages the global influence of football to promote the protection of at-risk athletes and foster resilience in humanitarian situations.
With a decade of expertise in humanitarian aid, conflict mediation, and cross-cultural management, Irene has partnered with various international organizations to establish sustainable strategies addressing human rights violations and bridging the gap between policies, organizations, and vulnerable communities.
Irene has a master's degree in International Cooperation and Development Politics from Universidad de Malaga and a bachelor's degree in Political Sciences from Sciences Po Paris. Irene is also a certified Business and Personal Master Coach from Academie Europeenne de Coaching.
GOVERNANCE
Advisory Board
Meet our advisory board — though we are a for-profit company, we believe in transparency, accountability, and oversight as the foundation of good governance and part of our internal value system. These colleagues are big thinkers and great guides for Henekom Group.
Advisory Board
Kyle Wright
CEO, Stardust
Houston, TX / New York City, NY
Kyle Wright is CEO of Stardust, a forward-thinking family office in Houston and New York City. For more than a decade, Kyle has led the multidisciplinary effort at Stardust to integrate and reimagine the use of philanthropy, art, advocacy, and investment capital for a more equitable future.
Kyle has worked with dozens of partners to advance change through innovative strategies in impact investing, shareholder engagement, and impact litigation. Kyle currently serves on the board of directors of Transparentem, a leading non-profit working to eradicate human and environmental abuses in complex supply chains.
Kyle has a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from South Texas College of Law Houston and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Advisory Board
Nicole Perry
Partner-in-Charge
Houston, TX
Nicole Perry is a partner at the global law firm Jones Day. Nicole focuses on complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, with an emphasis on energy and technology matters.
Nicole has represented clients in Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act cases, preemption matters, purported class actions, trade secret and copyright lawsuits, and employment disputes. She is the Houston Office hiring partner and previously served as the Pro Bono partner in Houston, and continues to lead Firm anti-human trafficking initiatives related to public awareness and data issues.
Advisory Board
Karen Pointer
Partner, Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller
Los Angeles / San Francisco, CA
Karen Pointer is a partner at Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller, a full-service law firm focusing on employment law, business litigation, business advice and counseling, and real estate in Los Angeles. She co-chairs the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group.
Karen represents clients across industries in employee/employer relations, workplace investigations, and employment law — from individuals and small businesses to publicly traded entities and large nonprofit organizations. She is an active member of the community and serves on the boards of multiple non-profits.
Karen has a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law and a Bachelor of Science from Loyola Marymount University.
Advisory Board
Tara Montovani
Director, Global Income Tax Reporting, Analysis and Compliance, Trane Technologies PLC
Charlotte, NC
Tara Montovani is currently the Director, Global Income Tax Reporting, Analysis and Compliance at Trane Technologies PLC, a role she has held since 2022.
Prior to joining Trane Technologies, Tara spent fifteen years at Raytheon Technologies Corporation (formerly United Technologies Corporation), in positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as Senior Director, Tax Reporting — a role she held during the merger with Raytheon Company and the simultaneous spin-off of the Otis Elevator and Carrier Corporation subsidiaries in 2020.
Tara has a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Fairfield University. Tara is a member of both the New York and Connecticut State Bar.
Advisory Board
Anastasia Gentles
Entrepreneur
Phoenix, AZ
Anastasia Gentles, MD, was Founder & Physician of NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care from 2007 to 2021. She is a current Staff Physician at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
Anastasia founded and scaled the first in Houston, and one of only a few in the country, multi-location Urgent Care facilities devoted to Pediatric patients. NightLight was recognized as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) 2020 regional award winner. Anastasia has gone on to judge this regional award and continues to encourage entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses.