FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Dr. Shefali V. Mehta is an economist and statistician who founded and leads Open Rivers Consulting Associates. Shefali is an Adjunct Professor at University of Minnesota’s School of Statistics and Bard College’s Sustainable MBA program. She is a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Mathematics’ Sustainability Roundtable. She serves or has served as advisor or Board member to a range of nonprofits including Land Core, the NSF Big Data Hubs, One Resilient Earth, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever (also served as Vice Chair of the Board, the first woman to hold this position) amongst others. She has held roles with McKinsey, Syngenta (R&D and Operations for Global Seeds), the National Corn Grower’s Soil Health Partnership and as Deputy Under Secretary of Research, Education and Economics and Acting Chief Scientist of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the Biden-Harris Administration.

Shefali earned her PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics and MS in Statistics from the University of Minnesota, MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University and a BA in Economics from New York University. She earned her integral coaching certification from New Ventures West. Shefali loves being outdoors, arts and music and exploring this incredible world.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Elena Tsakakis works as an evaluation and research associate at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Her research focuses largely on understanding how teachers and students engage with informal science resources and experiences, and how community members engage with science. She also contributes to ongoing evaluation of informal learning experiences, formative and summative evaluations of exhibits and museum programming, and tracks key metrics across the museum to measure impact. She is passionate about telling stories with data and finding ways to articulate how people and science are intertwined. She has a M.S. in Natural Resource Management from the University of Minnesota, and a B.S. in molecular biology from the University of South Dakota. Outside of work, Elena enjoys reading, playing soccer, and all things outdoors. 

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Lauren Ng is passionate about leveraging data to advance measurable, equitable sustainability outcomes. Her experience spans several areas, from assessing climate risk in agricultural supply chains for a Fortune 500 client to designing Scope 3 emissions reductions strategies as an EDF Climate Corps Fellow. Most recently, Lauren worked with the Rocky Mountain Institute to design a decision making tool for microgrid development, allowing for site selection that incorporates social, technical, and environmental criteria and stakeholder inputs. Previously, Lauren worked with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, supporting a $19 million portfolio of urban food systems, indoor agriculture, and crop development research grants. Lauren is also well-versed in establishing GHG emissions management programs, leading data collection and analysis for Scopes 1-3 data, training stakeholders, and producing comprehensive support documentation to drive program continuity. As a Research Associate with Open Rivers, Lauren is eager to support strategy formation, project implementation, and business development.

Lauren earned a Masters Degree in Environmental Management from Duke University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Soka University of America. She loves swing dancing, traveling, and her tortoiseshell cat Mimi.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenng2019/

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Arnold Johnsen is a PhD candidate in the School of Statistics at the University of Minnesota, and an Ecological Data Science Intern with the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) at the USGS. He has experience in statistical consulting with academic, government, and nonprofit clients through UMN’s Institute for Research in Statistics and its Applications and Open Rivers. He will be starting as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the fall developing statistical methods for cancer screening trials.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/arnold-johnsen

Anika Agarwal is an undergraduate student at Barnard College, Columbia University, studying Economics and English. She has a particular interest in gender, labor, and environmental economics. Her experience includes research on ESG and sustainable lending practices, developing systems to support healthcare workforce planning, and building tools that improve access to wellness and public spaces. She brings a deep interest in human-centered problem solving, especially where strategy and equity intersect. Outside of work, Anika enjoys reading novels, strength training, and long walks. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anika-agarwal-12327718b/

Emerson Sarmiento has 25 years of experience in fin-tech, nonprofits, and corporate philanthropy impact measurement, with expertise in B2B consulting, management, and business development. Co-founding Parktivity in 2012, Emerson has led three successful global playground projects while prioritizing local collaboration, sustainability, and circularity to drive impactful community engagement.

Dominique Mailloux has worked in the Organic and regenerative agriculture space for over a decade and brings a deep understanding of global commodity supply chains from farm through end use. She is passionate about uplifting producer voices to build trust and drive change, and is pursuing an MBA in Sustainability to enhance equitable food systems while embedding the business case. Dominique uses her program management skills and curiosity to guide her work.

Malkie Rothman is a strategic operator with over a decade of experience leading cross-functional initiatives in early- and growth-stage startups. With a foundation in human-centered design, she builds sustainable systems and processes that prioritize both operational efficiency and the human experience. Currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainability, Malkie is expanding her focus, aiming to apply her generalist skill set to drive meaningful change in how capital is structured and deployed in service of advancing regenerative agriculture.

Annie Keating is a sustainability and waste management consultant with expertise in zero waste strategies, supply chain assessment, and stakeholder engagement. Since 2017, she has worked across the textiles, building products, and real estate sectors, helping businesses enhance sustainability performance through data-driven solutions. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainability to strengthen her ability to support strategic, long-term decision-making that accelerates the transition to a circular economy.