Our Team
Elizabeth Sheehan, PA-C, MPH, Founder & Principal
Elizabeth is the Founder and Principal of The Valerian Fund. Founded in 2022, The Valerian Fund, a pioneering philanthropic platform committed to building a gender-equitable, climate-safe, and health-resilient future for all.
As a seasoned clinician and global health advisor, Elizabeth brings two decades of clinical experience in North America, Africa, and Asia, working to build resilient healthcare systems. Trained as a Physician’s Assistant, Elizabeth has provided clinical care in U.S. emergency rooms, conducted healthcare training in Cambodia and Mozambique, and worked on primary healthcare reconstruction projects in post-war Mozambique and Angola. In 2010, she co-founded Care2Communities (C2C), a non-profit delivering affordable healthcare to 150,000+ patients annually in Haiti through self-sustaining, community-based clinics.
As a philanthropist, Elizabeth is committed to building resilient, gender-responsive healthcare systems and advancing large-scale reform through systems change initiatives. She champions women on the frontlines of climate change–amplifying their voices, driving policy change, mobilizing resources, and fostering resilient, community-based solutions.
A believer in the power of collaboration, Elizabeth engages actively in global funder and advocacy networks to pool resources to amplify impact. She is a founding partner of Co-Impact and a board member of the Network of Engaged International Donors, and previously served on the executive board of Women Moving Millions. She is also a member of Connected Women Leaders and a founding partner of Project Dandelion.
Nicole Ippoliti, Advisor
Nicole Ippoliti is a philanthropic advisor and founder of Bitton Global Advisory (BGA), a firm specializing in mobilizing capital for integrated climate and health solutions with a focus on advancing gender equity and resilience. BGA partners with today’s leading global foundations, bilateral development agencies, private sector companies, social impact funds, high-net-worth individuals, and donor-advised funds to develop strategy and deploy capital toward gender-equitable climate innovations which advance health equity. BGA prioritizes solutions that deliver dual (or multi) returns by advancing climate resilience alongside health, economic, education, and gender-equality outcomes. To date, BGA has directed approximately $80 million toward climate and health initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
A recognized leader in women’s health and rights, digital innovation, and climate resilience, Nicole’s research has been published in Nature Medicine, Journal of Adolescent Health, Studies in Family Planning, Pediatrics, Reproductive Health, among others. Multilingual in French, Spanish, and English, Nicole has lived and worked across 14 countries in Central America, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the U.S. She holds an MPH from UNC Chapel Hill, specializing in maternal and child health.
Allison Howard-Berry, Advisor
Allison Howard-Berry is a non-profit and social enterprise leader with 20+ years of experience in global health, international development, organizational impact, and social sector growth strategy. Allison co-founded Care 2 Communities (C2C), a healthcare social enterprise in Haiti, in 2009 with Elizabeth Sheehan; she served as the organization's chief executive for a decade, leading C2C's strategic growth, cross-sector partnerships, and optimization of the social business model.
Allison has worked with various health organizations globally, including Touch Health in East Africa; Planned Parenthood North Central States; and the Clinton Foundation Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Ethiopia. Allison serves on the Board of the KLM Foundation, a charitable organization that supports youth leadership development and education in rural South Africa. She holds an MA in International Development from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.