Class 33

Carolyne has over eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Sports and Leisure Management from Kyambogo University Uganda as well as a Post Graduate degree in Monitoring and Evaluation from the Uganda Management Institute. While working as a Senior Program Manager at STiR Education, an education-focused nonprofit in Uganda, she participated in the Uganda National Teachers’ Union, Government and District Education Leadership to create teacher networks for both primary and secondary schools aimed to improve learning outcomes within the Central, Northern, and West Nile regions of Uganda. Previously, Carolyne worked with a health insurance company where she contributed to the research and development of a more affordable medical insurance package targeting low-income families and communities. She is passionate about education, economic development, and youth and gender empowerment.

Host Org: Spark Microgrants

Fellow role at  Spark Microgrants: Carolyne will serve as a Partnerships Fellow and support in partnership development through prospecting new funding opportunities, grant writing and managing external communications.

Meenakshi has eight years of experience in the development sector. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science followed by a Post Graduate Program in Hospital Administration from IILM Institute and Master of Arts in Psychology from India. Meenakshi was recently involved in the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative assessment for India. Prior to that, she worked as a program associate in collaboration with UNICEF and the Lady Harding Medical College and Hospital, New Delhi where she developed communication and training materials for maternal, infant and young child feeding practices for communities and frontline healthcare providers. In 2015, Meenakshi worked as a member of Nepal Earthquake emergency response team with Christian Aid and RedR, conducting Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment of Nutrition and Health sector. Previously, Meenakshi worked as a research associate with UC Berkeley for a study of sensor-enabled cookstoves in Orissa, India. She also worked with the Public Health Foundation of India, engaging in a research study assessing disease burden across India. Meenakshi also worked with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Centre for Communication Programs in India, developing social behavior change communications to promote and support maternal and child health and nutrition. She is passionate about humanitarian aid work, social equality, and positive collaboration.

Host Org: The Nature Conservancy

Fellow role at Parent-Child Home Program: Meenakshi will work as part of the research team at Parent-Child Home Program, focusing on internal and external research projects and data analysis, and leveraging that information to improve home visiting training and practice to prepare young families for school success.

Vanessa is passionate about the arts, culture, and environment. She has six years of experience in the nonprofit, public and private sectors in Nicaragua. Vanessa earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Central America University (UCA) in Nicaragua. In several of her previous roles, she contributed building and reinforcing leadership abilities of students from different high schools and universities from the United States. Vanessa worked with university students to help them design work plans and write grants focused on health awareness, women’s rights, environmental care, education and economic development for the community of Masaya. Previously, Vanessa worked with GSE, where she leads educational exchange trips that focused on sustainable small-scale agriculture and promoted the social leadership of students from the USA and local community members from the State of Boaco, Nicaragua. She guided in the process of finding sustainable solutions to address the common challenges as species. Through these experiences Vanessa has developed capacity-building abilities and project management, creating spaces in which art is included as a channel for recognition of the self and transmission of ideas. In November of 2017 she founded the social program: “Potencial de Nicaragua” and in April of 2018 participated as a finalist in the international competence, (TIC Américas), celebrated in Lima, Perú in the framework of the VIII Summit of the Americas. Her main goals are to strengthen human potential and promote respect for the environment.

Host Org: The Nature Conservancy

Fellow role at The Nature Conservancy: Vanessa will serve as an Ecosystem Disaster Risk Reduction Fellow and will contribute to the design and development of outreach tools, guidance and other resources pertaining to coastal risk and resilience. She will assume the lead role for one or more projects pertaining to strategic priorities and support website content development/maintenance and social media outreach.

Patience has three years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s of Art in History and International Studies from the University of Jos Nigeria. Passionate about spoken word poetry and the place of art as a tool for social change, she founded a nonprofit organization, Custodians of African Literature (COAL). COAL is an organization that promotes African Literature by providing expressive and creative platforms for writers and artists in various communities to express themselves on what they see as community challenges and how to find practical solutions. She was given an award of recognition from the Plateau Authors Group for COAL’s literary development in Plateau State. As a radio broadcaster, Patience uses her platform to advocate for the girl child’s right to education, the need for gender balance and parity in all sectors, youth leadership development and entrepreneurial development in Nigeria. She also volunteers with the BIHA Project and contributes towards addressing the challenge of child abuse and illegal human trafficking of persons in Nigeria by giving victims a voice and supporting them through the healing process. The Alliance Francaise De Jos and Tapsey Events recognized Patience in 2017 for her contributions to social development through Spoken word Poetry and the COAL Community Outreach Initiatives in and around Plateau State. Through these experiences, Patience developed strong project management and implementation skills. Patience is very interested in broadcasting, creative writing, civic engagement, entrepreneurial development, social and gender issues.

Host Org: Teen Empowerment

Fellow role at Teen Empowerment: Patience will serve as a Boston Program Coordinator Fellow and will primarily focus on direct youth work including daily intensive group facilitation with teens working as TE Youth Organizers. She will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of a TE Youth Organizing Site.

Olumide has over 10 years of experience working on Communications, Environment Sustainability, Climate Change, Agro-ecology, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Sustainable Development issues. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics from the University of Abuja in 2010. Olumide is a communication and digital expert and trainer with extensive experience in creating, facilitating and managing projects. He has represented Nigeria and Africa at over 25 high-level global governance and environment meetings on sustainable development and has served as the African Youth Champion for UNISDR. He was selected as a facilitator for UNISDR in Japan 2014 and Mexico 2017 for his strong interest in Youth and Disaster Risk Reduction, as well as serving as an Expert of the Week by UN environment and UNISDR. Olumide is the recipient of the 2015 Save the Children Award of Contribution toward Sustainable Development in Nigeria and Commonwealth Youth Climate Fellow. Olumide has co-founded two organizations: the Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition, the biggest youth environmental movement in Nigeria, and the International Climate Change Development Initiative, which identifies key environment-based issues affecting development across Africa. Olumide currently works as the Youth Lead Author for Global Environmental Outlook of the UN Environment and was selected by the US Embassy in Nigeria for International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), where he spent almost 3 weeks in the United State learning about Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation.

Host Org: Creating IT Futures

Fellow role at Creating IT Futures: Olumide will serve as a Social Media and Student Recruitment Fellow where he will manage social networks to increase audience engagement and strengthen the reputation as a thought-leader in the STEM and tech workforce development markets.

Mykola is a political and military journalist in with over 10 years of experience in media. He earned his Master’s degree in management and economics. Mykola has worked as an investigative journalist covering issues of corruption, including conflict with involving the regime of former president Yanukovich, as well as the conflict of the Russian invasion on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Previously, Mykola was a participant of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) of the U.S. Department of State as well as a participant of the internship at Deutsche Welle media broadcast in Bonn, Germany. He speaks frequently at think-tanks and other organizations in Washington D.C. on Ukrainian-Russian conflict, Eastern Europe and local politics of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Mykole worked as a contributor to the Atlantic Council’s “Ukraine Alert” blog, the Jamestown Foundation (EDM) and KyivPost, Lb.ua, Echo of Moscow. In 2017 he was participated in the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation fellowship at SAIS in Washington D.C. where he researched Russian informational warfare in Ukraine, the EU and US. Mykole has authored of over 200 publications and interviews on the US, Ukrainian and Russian issues, conflict in the Donbas and U.S. policy towards the Eastern European region. He speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English and some Polish.

Host Org: Voice of America

Fellow role at Voice of America: Mykola will serve as a journalist, identifying and researching news and feature stories about UR-Russia relations and American life. He will expand his skills in journalism and storytelling on various digital platforms and produce TV reports for international broadcast and/or digital content.

Karla has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, having earned a Bachelor’s in Laws, a Postgraduate in Family Law Procedures and a Diploma in International Humanitarian Law with a focus on Crimes against Humanity from El Salvador’s University. Previously, Karla worked as a Project Assistance and Case Manager for the International Organization for Migration under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), performing activities directly related to children in risk, migrant populations, refugees and parolees. Karla worked with IOM’s Child Protection Department, providing support in different tasks and legal translations of high confidential cases from the UNHCR. Prior to that Karla worked as Judicial Assistant in a Trial Court and in the Appeals Chamber of a Criminal Court, where she gained experience working with human rights, gender, children and family rights. She has worked as a founder, leader and volunteer of the nonprofit Organization Milagros de Amor in El Salvador, where she ran charity events and helped her community address concerns and perform animal welfare activities. Karla is very interested in international legal matters related to animal welfare, sexual and human rights, migration and children.

Host Org: The Unity Council

Fellow role at The Unity Council: Karla will serve as a Policy Advisor Fellow, conducting research, developing communications and presentations, and interfacing with a variety of partners and stakeholders. She will act as the proxy for the CEO.

Joshua has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration majoring in Nongovernmental Organizations Management at Kampala International University and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. In 2014 he co-founded Youth for Reconciliation and Leadership, a community based organization in rural Serere promoting peace and digital skills. Acting as Head of Communications and Partnerships he is responsible for acquiring partners, finding new local and international partners within his first six month. Joshua works part-time as a digital skills trainer, helping over five thousand young people with the Google Digital Skills for Africa project under the Ujamaa Tribe. Previously he worked as the IT Support Staff and Google Suite Administrator at Kampala International University. Joshua is an alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative, a flagship program of President Obama. Over time he has developed skills in grassroots mobilization and improved his cultural intelligence. As he continues to work within the nonprofit sector, Joshua desires to learn new skills in managing growth, volunteers, stakeholder expectations and managing conflicts.

Host Org: Center for Technology & Workforce

Fellow role at Center for Technology & Workforce: Joshua will serve as a Program Manager, working to create events, resources and studies that will help get more people into and retained in tech and tech-enabled careers, preparing them for future employment.

Duaa Elfadil is a social entrepreneur, web designer and social media specialist with four years of experiences in web designing and social media management. Duaa is passionate about using technology innovations to solve chronic social problems. Her interest in youth empowerment inspired her to join YALI R LC East Africa where she expanded her network throughout the continent. Dua also later joined Shabab Gadir, a national leadership development program. Currently, Duaa is leading two startups project, acting as Founder and CEO of the social enterprise My Academic Platform (MAP), a professional development platform that compiles different professional development opportunities targeting Sudanese and African youth professionals. She is also the Founder and Web Solutions and Digital Marketing Manager at Zonilus Tech Solutions, which provides digital services for different sectors. Leading regional and national initiatives, Duaa co-founded and designed the website of Kush Sudan; the first Sudanese digital initiative that aims to reflect a positive image about Sudan. She is also leading A MORAN (The Great I AM), an initiative and movement around Africa founded by a `group of YALI RLC East Africa Alumni aiming to empower and transform African youth.

Host Org: MetroLab Network

Fellow role at MetroLab Network Duaa will serve as a Project Coordinator, working on content and exploratory research, supporting MetroLab’s Annual Summit, and assisting with website development.

Jessica has over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of the Philippines. She managed and implemented development projects funded by Oxfam and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), aimed at addressing poverty, child protection and education inequality. For the past five years Jessica has taken in the lead in improving the economic capacities of over 30,000 vulnerable families in the sugarcane farms through sustainable agriculture, enterprise development, business services, market linkaging, savings mobilization, microfinance and youth skills development throughout the Philippines. She is currently engaged in humanitarian work as the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Coordinator of Action Against Hunger leading its FSL program.. In 2017 Jessica co-founded ENABLRS, Inc. (Engaging and Empowering Nation-builders in Learning, Research and Social Entrepreneurship), a development consulting firm focused on improving development effectiveness and impact of nonprofits. She is a Fujitsu Global Leaders for Innovation and Knowledge fellow, and an alumna of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) of the U.S. Department of State, a program of President Barack Obama to strengthen leadership development in the ASEAN. In her free time, she runs career coaching and mentoring sessions to prepare youth to successfully transition from school to work. Jessica is committed to promoting inclusive growth through entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, agriculture development and resilient livelihoods.

Host Organization: Albright Stonebridge Group

Role at Albright Stonebridge Group: Jessica will act as a member of several client teams and will generally function as the engagement manager for one or more client engagements, taking the lead in communications with client POCs and other external stakeholder and leverage the expertise and networks of senior staff to meet clients needs.

Abir Chermiti is a Software Engineer from Tunisia. She is a Program Manager of the nonprofit Arab Women In Computing (ArabWIC) as well as an ICT4D Research Fellow for Engineering For Change LLC. Abir has years of volunteer experience among a variety of organizations. Professionally, she is well versed in computer sciences and was selected by the IEEE Women In Engineering as the Winner of the Most Inspiring Student Member of the year 2017 award. Additionally, Abir founded the first women in technology summit in Tunisia, the IEEE Women in Engineering Leadership Summit. She is a proactive team player, problem solver and has impressive interpersonal skills.

Host Organization: Cultural Vistas

Fellow Role at Cultural Vistas: Abir will serve as a Software Engineer Fellow and is responsible for developing, creating, and modifying general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. She will also analyze users needs and design databases within an application area.