Staff Members

SAI - New York Headquarters

Alice Tepper Marlin, President & Founder 
Ms. Tepper Marlin is the President and Founder of Social Accountability International. She has held this position since 1997, upon the founding of SAI. Ms. Tepper Marlin has received numerous awards (e.g. 2010 Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior by Trust Across America, Adweek and Mademoiselle Woman of the Year, Japan Society Fellow, Ashoka, Right Livelihood Award, Wellesley college Alumna of the Year), been profiled in various newspapers and magazines around the world (e.g. New York Times, People, Time, Le Monde) and has also been interviewed on numerous television and radio programs (e.g. Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN).

Ms. Tepper Marlin founded the Council on Economic Priorities (CEP) in 1969 and served as President & CEO for 33 years. CEP pioneered the social investment field and regularly published the best selling consumer guide, “Shopping for a Better World.” Ms. Tepper Marlin has been a frequent public speaker on corporate accountability for three decades.  She is a faculty member at Wellesley College’s Madeline Albright Institute for Global Affairs, served as the 2007–2008 Citi Distinguished Fellow in Ethics and Leadership at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and as an Adjunct Professor in the Markets, Ethics & Law program.

Earlier, Ms. Tepper Marlin served as a Securities Analyst and Labor Economist at Burnham & Co., and as the editor of an international tax journal at the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation in the Netherlands. She designed and managed the first social investment portfolio management service, in 1968.  She is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she earned a B.A. in Economics, and the NYU School of Business Administration.

Eileen Kohl Kaufman, Executive Director
Ms. Kaufman serves as Executive Director of Social Accountability International. She has held this position since SAI was incorporated in 1997. Prior to joining SAI, she was Director of Strategic Planning at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, a strategic planner at the NYC Department of Design and Construction, and a financial planner at the NYC Water Board. At SAI’s inception, she worked at the Council on Economic Priorities, co-authoring Paper Profits, an analysis of paper mill pollution and its control. Ms. Kaufman is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she earned a B.A. in Economics. Ms. Kaufman also holds an M.A. in Economics and an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University.

Richard Cook, Chief Financial Officer
Richard supervises all accounting and administrative systems staff, oversees budget development and prepares interim financial reporting. He also oversees cash management, banking, contracts, policy review and all human resource-related dealings, and is a graduate of Pace University.

Craig Moss, Executive Advisor
As SAI's Executive Advisor, Mr. Moss supports the Director of Corporate Programs & Training and the Corporate Programs Manager in their work to assist companies with continual improvement in their supply chain. Prior to joining SAI, Mr. Moss worked extensively in international business development, focusing on export development and investment attraction for emerging market companies and governments. He is a graduate of Hampshire College.

Doug DeRuisseau, Field Services Director
Doug DeRuisseau is one of the earliest pioneers in the field of social auditing, helping to create SA8000 as the first management system-based social compliance standard in the world. Additionally, as SAI's first Lead Trainer, he has trained hundreds and hundreds of social auditors around the globe. He's also performed numerous accreditation audits (auditing the auditors), and has worked as an auditor for SGS. Mr. DeRuisseau's consulting background includes working with companies to implement or redesign quality and social accountability management systems. He has over 29 years of executive management experience in AT&T and its subsidiaries and is a graduate of Norwich University.

Alan Spaulding, Senior Advisor
After a 34 year career in the US and global labor movements and service on the SAI Advisory Board from 2005 to 2012, Mr. Spaulding joined the staff of SAI in July 2012.  He held the position of Director of Global Strategies for the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union from 2005-2012, during which time he also served as president of UNI Commerce Global Union and vice president of the International Union of Food Workers. Prior to that, he served in various capacities in the organizing and international affairs departments of the UFCW, where he pioneered the union’s original web site in 1995 and developed innovative shareholder strategies in the early 1980s. In addition, he was a member of the Advisory Board of the U.S. NGO US/LEAP from 1998-2010.

Mr. Spaulding holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maine in his home state, pursued graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received a master’s degree in Labor Relations from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Jane Hwang, Director of  Corporate Programs and Training
Ms. Hwang oversees SAI training and technical assistance for auditors, suppliers and buyers, as well as advisory services for SAI corporate members.  This includes development and delivery of strategic initiatives, multi-stakeholder partnerships, training and tools, aimed at improving social performance and supply chain management related to the SA8000 standard and other corporate/industry codes. Prior to joining SAI, Ms. Hwang worked in medical and legal research, as well as communications and outreach for NGOs and private firms.  She earned her B.A. from Columbia University and is currently pursuing her M.B.A. there.

Christie Daly, Manager of Corporate Program
Christie Daly is the Manager of SAI Corporate Programs. Christie manages service delivery to Corporate Programs members, including Social Fingerprint evaluations, supplier and supply chain management trainings and multi-stakeholder panels. Along with the Corporate Programs and Training team, she also works to promote and expand corporate memberships as well as capacity-building programs for other corporate partners. Christie also provides project management and research support for various corporate programs such as the Brazil Worker Engagement Program.

Before joining SAI, Christie worked as a Project Associate at the NYC Department of Education in the Office of Public and Community Affairs. She received a Master’s Degree from NYU’s Center for Global Affairs with a concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance and her Bachelor’s from Skidmore College. During her graduate school internship at the NYU School of Law Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, she conducted research on a wide range of business and human rights issues.  

Stephanie Wilson, Training Manager 
Stephanie Wilson manages the planning, operations and expansion of all public classroom trainings, including Auditor, Professional Development and Social Fingerprint courses.She has a long-standing interest in development and human rights and is orginally from Perth, Australia. Ms. Wilson is in the final stages of her Master's Degree in International & Community Development and has done extensive volunteer work, including projects in India. 

Alex Katz, Senior Manager of Research & Stakeholder Engagement
Alex Katz manages the SA8000 standard, including its revision, interpretation, and promotion. In order to champion its adoption and understanding he researches the Standard’s impact on facility business practices and disseminates educational materials on its application to auditors and suppliers, including guidance documents and training modules. Alex coordinates and fosters stakeholder engagement, including SAI’s MACs (Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committees), thereby ensuring two-way communication and the continuous strengthening of relations with a wide range of stakeholders. His previous experience was in the private sector as a code of conduct and management systems auditor, specialized researcher, and consultant to brands, vendors, factories, and agents on capacity building engagements. Alex earned his BS degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

JoLeen Ong, Communications Manager
Joleen Ong oversees SAI's communication activities at HQ and in the field, and produces SAI's monthly newsletter. She also works across departments to support SAI's capacity building initiatives in various countries, including the RAGS Project in India and Pillars in Practice Program in Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe. Joleen earned her MS in Nonprofit Management from the New School in New York, and BA in International Studies at the College of New Jersey.  

Prior to her position at SAI, Joleen focused on industrial relations and grassroots organizing. Joleen helped to develop the SA8000 guidance document that focused on freedom of association in Costa Rican banana plantations. At the College of New Jersey, she led a two-year successful campaign to increase ethical purchasing practices on campus, and edited two award-winning short documentaries on social justice issues.

Eliza Wright, Development Manager
Eliza Wright is chiefly responsible for drafting proposals and procuring grants from foundations, corporations, and international governments, regarding human rights and labor rights issues. She manages international partner relations and act as liaison to SAI’s management, Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and other decision-makers in all aspects of development, including strategy and planning.  Prior to this position, Ms. Wright worked for over a year with U.S. Department of Labor sponsored programs implemented by SAI in the CAFTA-DR region.  She earned her B.A from Barnard College in economics her M.I.A from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs with a focus on economic and political development. She is fluent in Spanish.

Marie-Rose Coulibaly, Bookkeeper
Marie-Rose Coulibaly is responsible for the reviewing, processing and recording of all payables, receivables, cash receipts and cash disbursements, allocations payroll and reconciliation of all cash accounts. She earned her B.A. from Baruch College and her M.A. from City College of New York.

Carolyn Collantes, Administrative Assistant 
Carolyn Collantes provides support to SAI's President and Executive Director, in collaboration with Christie Daly, SAI Coordinator- Corporate & Executive Services Christie Daly. She will also be supporting Stephanie Wilson, SAI Training Coordinator on various tasks regarding auditing courses.

Ms. Collantes received her B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University double majoring in in International Politics and Spanish. She is currently a part-time graduate student at NYU working towards an M.S. in Global Affairs. Carolyn has a strong interest in human rights within Latin America which led her to her previous work as an intern in the Latin American Department for Covenant House International. She also completed an internship last summer with the organization Sistema Divina Providencia, a nonprofit in Brazil, assisting the Communications department.

Jason Turner, Office Systems Manager
Jason Turner works on HR related issues, Web, database, responding to information requests and assisting with fundraising, program-related and communications efforts.  Previously, he worked with American Indian Community House and was a Public Programs Associate at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center.  He graduated with a B.F.A. from the University of Connecticut.

Matthew Applebaum, I.T. Consultant
Matthew Applebaum manages all issues related to information technology, including networks, computers, websites and databases, as well as staff members' experiences with those items.  Matthew comes from Honolulu, and graduated from the University of Colorado and Berklee College of Music.

Global Staff Members

Yolanda Brenes, Senior Project Manager | San Jose, Costa Rica
Ms. Brenes has worked for over a decade as a CSR specialist for key transnational corporations in the region, including Chiquita Brands International. Ms. Brenes works on SAI's programs throughout Latin America, and has developed inspection protocols and conducted trainings for labor inspectors under the USDOL Comply and Win program.

Jane Liu, China Project Manager | Shenzhen, China 
Jane Liu has worked in different aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility for over 5 years, covering areas such as auditing, consulting and research. Prior to SAI, Ms. Liu served as the Programme Director and Assistant Executive Director at the Institute of Contemporary Observation (ICO) in China. Additionally, Jane worked as a trainer for the International Labor Standards Advocacy Project in 12 different cities across China, published ICO´s China Labor Research Newsletter, and conducted worker’s education projects for more than 5000 workers, 300 line supervisors and 100 managers in 6 factories. Ms. Liu has a B.A. from Sichuan International Studies University in China, and a M.A. from Kyushu University in Japan.

Rishi Sher Singh, India Program Director| Bangalore, India 
Rishi Singh oversees SAI's two programs in India: Scaling Up Indian Responsible Business Initiatives and the Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector (RAGS). Based in Bangalore, Mr. Singh works closely with global apparel brands and their suppliers in India. In 2011, he implemented 22 workshops for manager trainings on the topic of management systems and managing suppliers. Mr. Singh has extensive supply chain management experience in the apparel, automotive and electronics industry. He has good factory level experience and knowledge of business drivers as well as working conditions in the Indian industry. Mr. Singh is a certified auditor for SA8000, ISO9000, TS16949 and EICC.

SAI also works with a team of expert lead trainers & authorized representatives worldwide:

• Authorized Representatives
• Lead Trainers

Accreditation for SA8000 certification is managed by Social Accountability Accreditation Services.  Please visit www.saasaccreditation.org for more information.