Pathbreaker in Vegan Philanthropy: Thrive CEO Jessika Ava Awarded Professional of the Year by Sloan Scholars Network

This year marks a proud moment for the Thrive Philanthropy community, as our CEO, Jessika Ava, MS, MPA, has been recognized with the Professional of the Year Award from the Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network — a testament to her lifelong commitment to equity, education, and sustainable change. https://lnkd.in/edqjHHsP

For Jessika, this recognition carries deep personal meaning.

As a first-generation college graduate and one of the first Native Americans to hold a leadership role in vegan food systems philanthropy, her journey embodies the transformative power of education and compassion-driven leadership.

Reflecting on her path, Jessika shares:

“The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership (SIGP) and Sloan Graduate Scholarship Programs enabled a STEM graduate degree in Biostatistics, which I now use toward developing equitable philanthropic funding systems in the plant-based food systems space. I was the first person in my family to receive a college degree and two graduate degrees, and am one of the first Native Americans to sit in a leadership position in the vegan food systems philanthropic space. I owe so much of this to SIGP, as well as the American Indian College Fund and Native Forward Scholars Fund.”

At Thrive Philanthropy, Jessika’s leadership has guided the organization in building a global movement grounded in trust-based philanthropy, equity, and a shared vision for a just, plant-based food system. Her work continues to inspire advocates and changemakers in more than half of the world’s countries to challenge injustice and cultivate sustainable, compassionate food systems for all.

This award not only celebrates Jessika’s individual achievements but also symbolizes what Thrive Philanthropy stands for — breaking barriers, centering equity, and empowering global leadership in the movement for animals, people, and the planet.