Meet The Team

Committed to make a difference for those we engage with

MEET THE Team

Committed to make a difference

Paola de Leo

Founding Partner

Strategic Lead

Andy Wakefield

Andy Wakefield

Senior Partner

Creative Lead

an Tu Ly

Van Ly

Partner

Strategy and Fundraising

Mimi Vu

Mimi Vu

Partner

Strategy and Corporate Citizenship 

Research and Training

Martin Alen

Martin Alen

Partner

Digital Services

Website Development

David Middlebough

David Middleburgh

Associate

Legal Services

Monwabisi Mhlophe

Associate

Editorial Services

Paola de Leo

Paola de Leo

DIRECTOR - Strategic Lead

Paola worked for fifteen years as a derivatives specialist in leading financial institutions in the UK. She moved to the third sector in 2020 after completing her MA in International Relations. She delivered global strategic thinking, leadership and resource growth programs for national and international organizations including Save the Children Alliance, Amnesty International Secretariat and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), she last held the position of Head of Global Private Philanthropy.

Motivated by the desire to share expertise and keep supporting others to achieve results, she envisages Raise to be a creative and effective strategic partner for those pursuing social good.

Andy Wakefield

Andy Wakefield

DIRECTOR - Creative Lead

Andy entered the advertising industry as an Art Director working in small, medium and large London and international agencies. He worked across a wide range of accounts including fashion, beauty retail and FMCG and was awarded for creative work and effectiveness in Design and Art Direction (D&AD) in Cannes Lions, British Arrows, New York Festival Advertising Awards and Clio Awards.

He gained over thirty years of experience as a Creative Director, managing large teams of creative specialists across three London advertising agencies and sat on several international award juries.

After three years as in-house Creative Director for TJX Europe (TK Maxx) responsible for all external and internal communications, he co-founded the Help Agency, an innovative creative agency working exclusively for charity and not for profit organisations.

Today he leads Raise Partners creative work to continue sharing his inspiration with organizations pursuing social good.

an Tu Ly

Van Tu Ly

PARTNER - Asian Region

Van has 15+ years of experience working in both the private sector in branding and communications and the non profit sector in fundraising, communications, and program management.  In particular, she has extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising and program strategy, strategic marketing and communications planning and delivery, grant writing, corporate social responsibility and citizenship, and donor and stakeholder engagement.

Van has a Master’s Degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from American University in Washington D.C.

Mimi Vu

Mimi Vu

PARTNER - Asian Region

Senior consultant and managing director of MV Consulting. Mimi has 20 years of non profit experience in communications, policy, fundraising, and advocacy for organizations in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Her areas of expertise include: law enforcement training; transparency in supply chain; corporate social responsibility and citizenship; fundraising and partnership strategy; public-private partnerships; campaigns; NGO/NPO capacity building; research; and diaspora engagement. 

Mimi is also a leading expert on Vietnamese trafficking and modern slavery and provides commentary for media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, CBC, South China Morning Post, and Sky News. In 2018 she was recognized by The Evening Standard (UK) as one of their “Anti-Slavery Heroes.” 

Betty Abeng

Research and Training

Betty has had a varied career working for several nonprofit organisations in fundraising, events, project management, and business development. Based between native Africa and adoptive UK, she enjoys engaging, training and coaching NGOs, philanthropists, private investors and entrepreneurs with a common interest in improving the lives of others.