As a senior consultant with Kinaura Partners’ Agricultural and Development Team, Sunanda Verma Bhatta supports the Gates Foundation on its agriculture and food systems portfolio. Her engagement focuses on translating complex technical and evaluation content into clear, compelling communications for both internal and external audiences, ensuring rigorous analysis reaches the right people in ways that inform strategy, influence policy, and drive meaningful change.
Supporting organizations across the U.S., South Asia, and Europe, Sunanda brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of science, development, and communications. Across complex research and advocacy portfolios, she has helped organizations strengthen visibility, influence policy, and build stakeholder engagement. Her work helps bridge research and practice, making evidence accessible to audiences ranging from policymakers and funders to civil society and field teams.
Previously, Sunanda served as communications consultant at CGIAR, one of the world’s largest agricultural research networks, where she led science communications across South Asia and later joined the global team, supporting communications for research programs, advocacy initiatives, and a network of 15 centers. This included leading communications for the flagship stakeholder consultations that shaped CGIAR’s 2025-2030 Research Portfolio. Most recently, she worked with BAIF Development Research Foundation on the Multifunctional Landscapes program, translating field-level research into evidence-led narratives. She has also applied her communications expertise in the science and health sectors, supporting Squegg Inc. in the U.S. and PeakData AG in Switzerland, developing content strategies and communication products for clinical and research audiences.
She holds an MBA in management from India, with part of her studies completed in France through a student exchange program that has shaped her global experience. Outside of work, Sunanda is a long-standing TEDx volunteer and contributor, drawn to the power of ideas and the communities they bring together. Her other passion is specialty coffee, where she loves exploring single-origin beans, learning about brew methods, and seeking out great roasteries in the pursuit of her next great cup.
