In Episode 7, Chris Hoffman is joined by Paula Gil Baizan (Principal, Something Meaningful) and Ben Holt (Principal, New and Useful) for a candid conversation on what the humanitarian sector needs next after a brutal 2025: is this a “reset” — or a complete redo?

Paula argues we’re running on an outdated operating system built for predictable funding, stable access, and clear mandates — and those assumptions no longer hold. Ben reframes strategic foresight as a tool for action under uncertainty (not prediction), and asks the tougher question: if the sector’s “hardware” (institutions, incentives, hubs) can’t move fast enough, what new coalitions and models will emerge?

They get practical on what individuals can do right now: ground in values, prioritise dignity over scale, build networks of trust, and be honest about power and trade-offs. They also discuss “grief” and anger in legacy systems — and how to channel that energy into purpose-driven change, not institutional survival.

What we cover:

• Futures/foresight for humanitarian decision-making
• Values-based leadership in volatile environments
• Localization, power, dignity, and trust
• From legacy institutions to new models of aid

Links:

• Paula / Something Meaningful: https://www.somethingmeaningful.co/ (somethingmeaningful.co)
• Paula LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulagilbaizan/
• Ben / New and Useful: https://www.newanduseful.co.uk/
• Ben LinkedIn (quick find): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-holt-innovation/

keywords: future of humanitarian action, strategic foresight, humanitarian innovation, localization, dignity, systems change, humanitarian leadership, resilience.

In Episode 6, Chris Hoffman is joined by Kenneth Kou (Head of Venture Lab / Crypto for Good Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures) and Simon Meldrum (Innovative Finance, IFRC; Executive Director, Humanitarian Finance Forum) to unpack what “innovative humanitarian finance” actually means—beyond the buzzwords. 

This is a wide-ranging, practical conversation about where capital can (and can’t) move the needle: why the sector is shifting from narrative to delivery details, what’s broken about the hype around social impact bonds (and why the data matters), and how instruments like insurance, risk-sharing, and capital markets tools can help close the humanitarian funding gap—if they’re designed for real constraints. We also connect the dots between emerging tech + finance, including how venture-style approaches are testing new models for financially underserved and climate-vulnerable communities. 

What we cover:

• Social impact bonds: market reality vs. storytelling 
• Insurance, risk, and “doing less with less”
• The role of Humanitarian Finance Forum in unlocking private capital 

Links:

• Mercy Corps Ventures: https://www.mercycorps.org/what-we-do/ventures 
• Humanitarian Finance Forum: https://hfforum.org/ 
• Brookings “Impact Bonds by the Numbers”: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/social-and-development-impact-bonds-by-the-numbers/ 

LinkedIn (quick find):

• Kenneth Kou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethkou/
• Simon Meldrum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonmeldrum/

keywords: humanitarian finance, innovative financing, social impact bonds, blended finance, insurance and risk, capital markets for good, IFRC, Humanitarian Finance Forum, climate resilience, financial inclusion.

In Episode 5, Chris Hoffman is joined by Fran Baker (Director of Sustainability, Social Impact, and Innovation at Arm), Shane O’Connor (Innovation Manager, Emerging Tech, UNICEF Office of Innovation), and Hovig Etyemezian (Head of Innovation, UNHCR) to unpack what makes public–private partnerships actually work in humanitarian innovation.

This isn’t a “pilot story.” It’s a practical conversation about aligning incentives, building trust across sectors, and avoiding the trap of partnerships that look great on paper but don’t survive real operational constraints. The guests share how long-running collaborations stay effective: clear problem ownership, strong local feedback loops, shared learning, and designing solutions that can scale without forcing a single tech stack. You’ll also hear why co-creation beats “solution shipping,” how innovation teams move inside large institutions, and what it takes to deliver outcomes for communities—not just reports for donors.

What we cover:

• Partnership models that scale (beyond one-off pilots)
• Frontier tech, responsible innovation, and real-world constraints
• How UNICEF, UNHCR, and industry partners collaborate in practice
• Sustainable impact vs. “CSR theater”

Links:

• Arm + UNICEF partnership (Arm): https://newsroom.arm.com/blog/arm-unicef-partnership 
• UNICEF Office of Innovation: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/
• Shane O’Connor (UNICEF Venture Fund profile): https://www.unicefventurefund.org/team/shane-oconnor 
• Hovig Etyemezian bio (AI for Good): https://aiforgood.itu.int/speaker/hovig-etyemezian/ 
• Fran Baker:  https://www.arm.com/company/sustainability
• UK4UNHCR: https://unrefugees.org.uk/learn-more/news/news-updates/unhcr-partners-with-arm-to-unleash-tech-to-help-transform-refugees-lives/
  
  UNHCR Innovation: UNHCR Innovation Service

LinkedIn:

• Fran Baker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franbaker1/
• Shane O’Connor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-o-connor-b9600b4/
• Hovig Etyemezian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hovig-etyemezian-9b33994/

keywords: humanitarian partnerships, tech for good, UNICEF innovation, UNHCR innovation, Arm social impact, frontier technology, co-creation, digital public infrastructure.

In Episode 5, Chris Hoffman is joined by Abhi Kumar (Thunes) and John Reynolds (Aleo) to make “blockchain” practical for the humanitarian world—focusing on trust, traceability, and cross-border transfers that can reduce (not replace) the need to move physical cash.

Abhi explains how modern payment infrastructure is now bridging fiat rails + stablecoins through a single API, and why stablecoins like USDC/USDT are becoming a serious option for global payouts and wallet-based distribution in volatile contexts. John breaks down what stablecoins are (and what they aren’t), then goes deeper on the privacy problem: most blockchains are transparent by default, creating real risks around surveillance and sensitive beneficiary data. Aleo’s approach—using zero-knowledge cryptography—aims to enable private, compliant payments with selective disclosure. 

What we cover:

• Stablecoins in aid delivery: USDC/USDT, wallets, liquidity, on/off-ramps 
• Interoperability: moving value across rails (banks, wallets, digital assets) 
• Privacy + compliance: protecting PII while enabling auditability 

Links:

• Thunes (global payment infrastructure): https://www.thunes.com/ (thunes.com)
• Thunes Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets (USDC/USDT payouts): https://www.thunes.com/pay-to-stablecoin-wallets/ (thunes.com)
• Aleo (zero-knowledge by design): https://aleo.org/ (aleo.org)
• USDC (issued by Circle): https://www.circle.com/usdc (Circle)

LinkedIn (quick find):

• Abhi Kumar (Thunes): https://www.linkedin.com/in/abxkumar/
• John Reynolds (Aleo): https://www.linkedin.com/in/1jreynolds/

keywords: humanitarian payments, stablecoins, USDC, USDT, cross-border transfers, cash and voucher assistance, blockchain for good, zero-knowledge, privacy-preserving payments, fintech for humanitarian response.

In Episode 3, Chris Hoffman sits down with Kate H. Wilson (Managing Director, Impact Futures Global) and Sean Burke (Strategy Lead – Nonprofit Practice, Accenture Health & Public Service) for a straight talk on what HR has to become in humanitarian and development organisations—especially in an era of AI, tighter budgets, and rising operational complexity. 

This episode goes beyond “HR policies” into the real work: rebuilding operating models, retaining talent when purpose alone isn’t enough, and designing human + machine collaboration without losing the human outcomes that matter. We dig into why the sector’s funding squeeze is forcing a reset (or reckoning), and how organisations can rethink roles, skills, and leadership so they can deliver more impact with fewer resources.

What we cover:

• Future of HR in humanitarian response and international development
• Talent retention, career pathways, and staff care under pressure
• AI in operations: “human in the lead” (not just in the loop)
• Rethinking operating models: people + process + technology
• Ecosystem partnerships and sustainable capacity-building

Links:

• Kate H. Wilson bio: https://r4d.org/about/our-team/kate-wilson/ 
• Sean Burke bio (Independent Sector): https://independentsector.org/people/sean-burke/ 
• Accenture Nonprofit Consulting: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/industries/public-service/nonprofit 

LinkedIn (quick find):

• Kate H. Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinehwilson/
• Sean Burke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanburke/

keywords: humanitarian HR, future of work, AI for social impact, operating model redesign, talent retention, organisational transformation, workforce strategy, non-profit digital transformation.

In Episode 2, Chris Hoffman is joined by Sandra Uwantege Hart (Mercy Corps Ventures) and Doug Smith (Acting CEO, Data Friendly Space) for a clear-eyed conversation about open source, Digital Public Goods (DPGs), and what sustainability really looks like once the pilot funding runs out.

This episode cuts through the buzzwords and gets into the hard parts: why “everything must be open source” can unintentionally create abandoned codebases, how donor incentives shape what gets built (and what gets maintained), and why long-term ownership, governance, and security often matter more than ideology. Doug shares why AI adoption is accelerating faster than most humanitarian policies can keep up, and what that means for risk and accountability. Sandra adds the nuance on localization—how blanket requirements can undermine local tech start-ups and limit sustainable business models in the places where humanitarian response actually happens.

What we cover:

• Open source vs. DPGs (and when each makes sense)
• Sustainability beyond pilots: maintenance, governance, security
• Localization and market-shaping effects of funding requirements
• Responsible AI + data risk in humanitarian operations

Links:

• Data Friendly Space: https://www.datafriendlyspace.org/
• Doug Smith (DFS profile): https://www.datafriendlyspace.org/members/doug-smith
• Mercy Corps Ventures: https://www.mercycorps.org/what-we-do/ventures
• Mercy Corps Ventures: https://www.mercycorpsventures.com/

LinkedIn:

• Sandra Uwantege Hart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-uwantege-hart-862b5986/
• Doug Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectwithdoug/

keywords: digital public goods, open source sustainability, humanitarian innovation, responsible AI, localization, humanitarian technology, NGO digital transformation, data governance.

When connectivity drops, power is limited, and the stakes are life-and-death, “cool tech” isn’t enough. In Episode 1, Chris Hoffman is joined by Camille Crittenden (Executive Director, CITRIS & the Banatao Institute at UC Berkeley) and Carlos Pignataro (former CTO at Cisco, Founder/Principal, Blue Fern Consulting; tech-for-good inventor) to talk about what it really takes to build resilient, offline-first technology for humanitarian response.

You’ll hear why the best systems are designed for reality: messy environments, unreliable networks, frontline workflows, and rapid change. Camille breaks down practical principles for offline data collection, delayed sync, usability under pressure, and responsible deployment. Carlos adds hard-won lessons from field experience and the importance of co-design with the people who will actually use the tools—so solutions don’t fail at the last mile.

What we cover:

• Edge computing + offline-first design for humanitarian operations
• Co-design (top-down architecture + bottom-up user reality)
• Security, resilience, and trustworthy data in crisis settings
• Building tech that scales without breaking communities

Links:

• Camille (CITRIS bio): https://citris-uc.org/people/person/camille-crittenden/ (CITRIS and the Banatao Institute)
• Carlos (Blue Fern profile): https://bluefern.consulting/carlos (Blue Fern Consulting)
• Carlos (Cisco author page): https://blogs.cisco.com/author/carlospignataro (Cisco Blogs)
• Carlos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpignata/ (cednc.org)
• Camille LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillecrittenden/

keywords: humanitarian innovation, edge computing, offline-first, crisis tech, resilient systems, co-design, digital transformation, humanitarian operations.

Get Ready!  New Season Launches in 2026!

During the tenth and final episode of Humanitarian Frontiers in AI, we discuss how the changes we have seen in the past year might influence the year to come. This broad conversation covers tech advancements and adoptions in the humanitarian sector, what is fuelling the need for partnerships, and how context-specific work can support the effective use of community-driven technologies. We also get into false perceptions about open source, the risk AI poses to open source, and why traditional ways of work are irrelevant to evolving tech. Next, we discuss what our sector can do to improve its relationship to technology and leverage it to achieve more, including shifting some of the perceptions that have informed its approach in the past. Join us as we wrap up a 101 in humanitarian AI relevant to listeners from all backgrounds. Thanks for listening! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcome to the tenth and final episode of Humanitarian Frontiers in AI. 
• Why the conversation around AI and innovation in humanitarian work is so relevant.
• How Nasim’s experiences over the past year may lead to future advancements.
• Tech advancements and adoptions in the humanitarian sector.
• The missing lexicon that highlights the need for partnerships. 
• Context-specific work and supporting community-driven technologies.
• Why it’s important to distinguish between open source and zero cost.
• How risks from AI are threatening open source.
• The problem of applying traditional ways of working to AI. 
• How the humanitarian sector can improve its relationship to technology.
• Distinguishing between humanitarian and international mandates.
• The stumbling block posed by in-between spaces.
• How we will continue this podcast’s mission in the future. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

AI Code Hallucinations Increase the Risk of ‘Package Confusion’ Attacks

Nasim Motalebi
Nasim Motalebi on LinkedIn
Chris Hoffman on LinkedIn

What happens when the worlds of policy, product development, and pragmatic decision-making collide in the race to create responsible AI? In this episode of Humanitarian Frontiers in AI, we are joined by a panel of experts, Sabrina Shih, Hadassah Drukarch, Gayatri Jayal, and Jigyasa Grover, for an in-depth discussion of responsible AI development in humanitarian contexts. Together, they unpack the realities of applying AI technologies in crisis-affected settings and grapple with issues around trust, speed, cultural adaptation, and ethical responsibility. They unpack how “human-in-the-loop” models must adapt depending on the context, how affected populations should be involved in AI design, and how to navigate scaling technologies quickly versus building them responsibly. They also explore the challenges of building context-specific tools, the evolving definitions of responsible AI, and how humanitarian organizations can stay rooted in people and processes, not just technology. Join us to discover insights into the crucial role of people and AI design in reshaping humanitarian work. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introduction to today’s guests and their perspectives on the role of AI in humanitarianism.
• Learn about the risks and opportunities of using AI for decision-making in humanitarian work.
• Why AI is a “double-edged sword” and how organizations can set effective guardrails.
• What “human-in-the-loop” means and why it depends on autonomy, context, and design.
• Explore the role of affected populations in AI development, lifecycle, and implementation.
• Challenges of balancing speed, cost, and responsible AI deployment in humanitarian work.
• Unpack the colonial undercurrents of AI development and the power imbalances it causes.
• How to identify the needs of an affected population and the potential AI-based solutions. 
• Measuring the cost and return of humanitarian AI solutions versus private-sector models.
• Hear about the future of AI, how it will enable experts, and best practices for developing AI.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sabrina Shih on LinkedIn

Hadassah Drukarch on LinkedIn

Responsible AI Institute

Gayatri Jayal on LinkedIn

Dimagi

Jigyasa Grover

Jigyasa Grover on LinkedIn

Nasim Motalebi
Nasim Motalebi on LinkedIn
Chris Hoffman on LinkedIn