The Global Fellows Program trains the next generation of social impact leaders

Abbas is working in Lahore, Pakistan with Ansaar Management Company (AMC), a housing development and management company that provides an integrated approach to affordable, quality housing in Pakistan.  He is working on partnership development with investors and financial institutions, while also supporting organizational financial management.  Abbas is from Pakistan and has worked with Google, Apple, and with UNDP. He is the founder of vidpk.com. Abbas holds a B.S. in Computer Science from San Jose State, and an M.A. in International Relations & International Economics from Johns Hopkins.

Adrien is currently an Associate Partner at Dalberg Global Development Advisors, a strategic advisory firm that works to raise living standards in developing countries, and address global challenges. Before this, he served as CEO of a private water solutions company created by and spun off from the Naandi Foundation, one of India’s leading players in community water systems. After the fellowship, Adrien worked at Acumen Fund as the Water Portfolio Manager, based in New York. As a Fellow, he worked with IDE India (IDEI), a designer and distributor of low-cost drip irrigation for smallholder farmers. Adrien supported the first round of financing for GEWP, IDEI’s for-profit spinoff. He also supported the company’s export strategy and spearheaded operational improvements.

Aliyah Kurji will work in Nairobi, Kenya with d.light design, a company that makes low-cost solar lights that provides cleaner, safer, and cheaper lighting to families living at the bottom of the pyramid. Aliyah is from Kenya and has worked with Accenture as a Senior Consultant for over six years in the UK. She has also worked with SmallWorld Cambodia and is a member of RAPID UK Urban Search and Rescue. She holds a BA from the University of Warwick and has pursued her MBA from Oxford.

Andrea currently serves as Head of International Business Development for Orb Energy. Orb is India’s largest direct provider of off-grid solar systems. As a Fellow, Andrea worked in Bangalore with Orb. Andrea is from the United States, and has worked as an analyst at Bear Stearns and subsequently J.P. Morgan. She has also worked with the UNDP in Senegal and as a Summer Associate with Acumen Fund in Pakistan. She holds a Master’s in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University’s School for International and Public Affairs, as well as a B.A. in Economics from the University of Vermont.

Asim will work in Bahawalpur City, Pakistan with National Rural Support Program Microfinance Bank (NRSP Bank), which supplies financial services for rural communities in Pakistan. Asim is from the UK and has worked for Google in the UAE and Switzerland. He founded a consultancy business in South Africa, providing design and brand consultancy for startups. Asim holds a BSc in Art, Design, and New Web Technology from the University of East London.

Baheirah will work in Hyderabad, India with Lifespring, a chain of hospitals that provides quality health care to lowerincome women and children in India. Baheirah is from Saudi Arabia and worked for the Islamic Development Bank as VP of Operations for the Young Professional Program. She served at the Captain/ Leader of Girl Guides of Saudi Arabia. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering Management at Missouri University of Science and Technology and attended the International Relations and Diplomacy Program at Tufts.

Bavidra Mohan worked in China and India with d.light design, a company that makes low-cost solar lights that provide cleaner, safer, and cheaper lighting to families living at the bottom of the pyramid. Bavidra is from Sri Lanka/Canada and previously worked as a corporate social responsibility consultant at Ethos JWT. Bavidra received an Honours Degree in Sociology from Queen’s University, and an MA in Marketing from Kingston University.

Brenda Williams currently works for Genser Energy, an independent power producer (IPP) based in the USA with operations in Africa. As a Fellow, Brenda worked in Andhra Pradesh, India with WaterHealth International, which incorporates technology and social marketing to increase access to safe, affordable water. Brenda is from the United States, is the president and CEO of GlobaLink Consulting, Inc., a private consulting company specializing in business development, microfinance and organizational management services. She earned an M.S. in Organizational Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT. Brenda is from the United States.

Catherine drives Acumen’s global expansion – setting strategy, building teams, fundraising and investing in new regions. She is also responsible for leading operational excellence across Acumen’s five regional offices.

Most recently, Catherine launched Acumen’s Latin America office, based in Bogota, Colombia.  Prior to that, she led our expansion into West Africa, where she built regional operations from scratch, established an investment pipeline, and made its first three investments.

Prior to this, Catherine helped build social enterprises in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, which included expanding HealthStores’ clinics in rural Kenya. She also acted as chief of staff to Acumen’s CEO.

Catherine holds a BA with Highest Honors from Princeton University, and an MPP from Harvard University, where she was a Reynolds Fellow. She is a Board Member of GADCO Cooperatief, an African food production company.

CONTACT

E:ccasey@acumen.org

Chikako currently works with Arc Finance, a global non-profit that develops solutions for access to finance for clean energy and water, in India and Afghanistan. As a Fellow, Chikako worked in Mumbai, India with 1298 Ambulances, which focuses on providing affordable emergency medical response services. Chikako is from Japan and worked for SANYO on the company’s environmental initiatives. She also started an NGO’s rural electrification and development initiative in India. She earned an MEM from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Christina is working in Accra, Ghana with WaterHealth International, an India-based company that offers customers safe, affordable drinking water through its community water systems.  She is working towards expanding WHI into the larger West African market and developing solutions for expanding access to solar power.  Christina is from Hong Kong and has worked with Bain & Co as an Associate Consultant. She has previously worked on starting Rainwater for Humanity, a rainwater harvesting initiative based in India. Christina holds a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Environmental Science, both from Brown University.

Elizabeth Maina currently works for Azmasoft, a consulting agency in Nairobi. As a Fellow, Elizabeth worked in Kenya, with Global Easy Water Products, which provides affordable drip irrigation for small-scale farmers. Elizabeth is from Kenya and is a consultant for different companies in systems and process improvement. She has a BSc. in Information Systems and Technology from the United States International University in Kenya.

Gamuchirai is the Founder of Paruware Trust, a Zimbabwe-based social enterprise that empowers young people with information, resources and opportunities to create positive change in their own lives, their communities and in the world. As a Fellow, Gamuchirai worked in Kenya with Upper Hill Eye and Laser Centre (UHEAL), which provides affordable access to specialized eye care services for low-income Kenyans suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Gamuchirai previously built an enterprise that trains young Zimbabwean entrepreneurs to start their own businesses.

Heidi is currently Chief Operating Officer and Head of Communities Investing with New Island Capital, a mission-focused investor that strives to accomplish environmental and social good. As a Fellow, Heidi worked in India with d.light design, an organization that uses light emitting diode (LED) technology to provide an economically and socially preferable alternative to kerosene lanterns. She helped develop a sales, distribution, and marketing strategy, while also providing supply chain logistical support. Before Acumen Fund, Heidi was the Director of Employee OnRamp at Pacific Community Ventures in San Francisco, California. Previously, she was a founding member of AOL Time Warner Ventures and worked in Investment Banking at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and Credit Suisse First Boston. Heidi earned a BA from Princeton and an MBA from Stanford University.

When James was a young boy and had been orphaned by HIV/AIDS, he heard about a government scholarship to attend school. Believing in the power of education, James was determined to seize this opportunity – no matter what it took. He sold a goat to buy a pair of shoes and made the trek from his village to Kampala to make an unannounced visit to the Ugandan President. Eventually, the First Lady agreed to meet with him and ultimately James received the scholarship he sought.

James’ persistence and audacity set him on a transformative course to becoming an international development practitioner and working on behalf of his own family and community to find solutions to poverty. After studying financial and managerial accounting and development economics in the U.S., James helped design Uganda’s largest youth scholarship program with BRAC and the MasterCard Foundation. He advanced youth development programs in the country, most recently managing Educate’s youth-based social entrepreneurship program in Uganda, serving more than 250 schools.

James will spend his Fellowship with education investee Labournet in Bangalore, India.

Javier began his career on the Audit & Consulting team at PricewaterhouseCoopers. His passion for social change led him to leave PwC to immerse himself in Cambodia’s social sector and learn Khmer to coordinate two education programs for more than 1,500 children. Upon returning to his homeland of Spain, he harnessed his experience in the social and private sectors to become an entrepreneur. His recent ventures include a tech startup and a men’s clothing line. Javier also works for Ashoka Spain as Fellowship and Alliances Manager and launched the organization’s GlobalizerX program to help Ashoka fellows scale their impact. Javier will spend his fellowship with KMRI in Kampala, Uganda.

Jay is working in Lahore, Pakistan with Pharmagen Healthcare, which supplies safe, clean and affordable drinking water to low-income residents. Jay is developing a marketing and sales strategy for the company’s water division with the goal of reaching the bottom of the pyramid.  Jay is from the Philippines and has worked with the Philippine government in the Presidential Communications Operations Office as New Media Head, with Procter & Gamble, and with Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. Jay is also the Co-Founder of the Yellow Boat Project. Jay holds a B.S. in Commerce from Ateneo de Davao University.

Joanne is used to being an outsider and navigating new cultures. Over the course of 15 years, she went from a Mandarin-speaking preschool in Singapore, to an international school in Switzerland, a rural high school in New Mexico, and then college in New England. These diverse experiences fostered her strong sense of identity as well as her ability to build relationships with new communities across lines of difference.  Joanne brings this and her experience in entrepreneurship, product management, marketing, and communications to the Global Fellows Program.

A force in the tech sector, Joanne spent the last three years at Google working to build and bring products to market for small businesses. Whether it’s founding a healthcare startup, organizing a women’s hackathon, or helping an accelerator manage deal flow, Joanne is always pushing herself and others to create greater impact by leveraging technology to do more with less. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Economics and Latin American Studies from Dartmouth College.

Joanne will spend her Fellowship with agriculture investee Esoko in Nairobi, Kenya.

Joel is currently the Director of International Expansion at Endeavor, a global non-profit that helps the highest potential entrepreneurs in growth markets expand globally.  As a fellow, Joel worked in Pakistan with Microdrip, a low-cost drip irrigation company that increased crop yields for poor farmers. At Micro Drip, Joel helped the company undergo a number of internal improvements, which included a new vision and mission, new HR processes, improved SOPs and a deeper understanding of the target market.  He also helped develop new sales strategies.  Joel has a MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and BS from Yale University.

“Meet people where they are,” a former employer and friend often said. To John, that means finding a better future with people rather than for people. It is his desire to fix the broken systems that perpetuate poverty that brought him to the Acumen Global Fellows program.

For 10 years John has explored the root causes and emerging solutions for poverty across the U.S., U.K., Peru, and Belize. Seeking opportunities to be part of a collective future, he worked on President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, consulted in New Orleans on a green jobs program for the Lower Ninth Ward with green economy pioneer, Majora Carter, and more recently set up his own Foundation in Peru that manufactures and distributes low-cost water filters and clean cook stoves in remote Andean communities.

John is a Starting Bloc Institute for Innovation Fellow, and comes to Acumen having recently completed his Masters in Social Entrepreneurship from the Goldsmiths College, University of London.

John will spend his Fellowship with Ziqitza Healthcare Limited in Mumbai, India.

Jon is the Strategy Director and co-founder of The Challenge Network which is one of the UK’s leading charities for building a more integrated society. The Challenge Network runs youth and community programmes – working with over 20,000 people a year – that have the central aim of mixing diverse groups of people with each other. As a Fellow, Jon worked in Kenya with ABE (now Botanical Extracts EPZ Limited, or BEEPZ), where he worked to identify the most effective method for agricultural production, assessed potential new botanical products, as well as supporting the work of the Acumen Fund East Africa office. Jon was previously a Culture and Strategy Leader at Tearfund, one of the UK’s leading development charities, and is a former consultant at McKinsey & Co. He earned a BA at Oxford University.

Junko is working in Sogakope, Ghana with GADCO, which seeks to increase farmers’ income through a combination of improved yields, agri-services, and access to end-consumer markets.  Junko will be scaling up GADCOs programs to reach approximately 1000 more smallholder farmers per year.  Junko is from Japan and has worked with McKinsey & Co, the International Finance Corporation, and a Kenyan NGO. Junko holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Tokyo and an M.P.A. in Economic Development and Management from Columbia University.

Karthik recently graduated from the Sloan Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business this summer. Prior to the Sloan program, he worked as Director of Product Development at Intevac and brought to market several new products in the solar cell manufacturing industry. As an Acumen fellow, Karthik worked at Global Easy Water Products (GEWP) on product development, supply chain and quality initiatives. Karthik started his career as an engineer at Applied Materials, a leading semiconductor capital equipment provider.

Keely currently serves as CEO of Bamboo Finance USA, a commercial investment firm that specializes in the financing of social entrepreneurship globally. Bamboo Finance manages more than 250M USD of assets; in 2007, and Keely helped Bamboo Finance launching their first private equity fund, Oasis Fund. As a Fellow, Keely worked in Tanzania with A to Z Textile Mills, the largest manufacturer of long-lasting insecticidetreated anti-malarial bed nets in Africa. While at A to Z, Keely conducted an analysis of cost effective distribution channels. She also worked with the Acumen Fund team to design and implement a standard due diligence process for investments in the East Africa region.

Khuram Hussain worked in Nairobi, Kenya with Ecotact, which improves the urban landscape for low-income communities through environmentally responsible sanitation and housing. Khuram is from Pakistan, was a consultant at TechnoServe, and formerly worked for Endeavor and JP Morgan. He earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business at University of California at Berkeley.

Lorenn is a strategy consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers where she co-created PwC’s Indigenous Consulting, a shared value business that is majority Indigenous owned and staffed, focused on powering positive change in Indigenous communities. Lorenn participated in Pollinate Energy’s young professionals program focused on alleviating energy poverty in India’s urban slums. In 2014, she attended Singularity University at NASA Ames, Silicon Valley to use exponential technology to positively impact one billion people within a decade. Following this, she co-founded Bibak, a social enterprise transforming post-conflict societies into thriving communities through technology for landmine detection. Lorenn holds a Bachelor of Science and Arts, majoring in Chemistry, Psychology and French and a tri-national Master of International Management in Social Innovation undertaken at the University of Sydney, HEC Paris and Copenhagen Business School.

Lorenn will spend her fellowship with SolarNow in Kampala, Uganda.

Lujain is the co-founder and CEO of Tasamy for Social Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit developing an ecosystem for social entrepreneurs in the region. She has been honored by HRH King Salman for her volunteer work during her tenure at AlGhad forum, an esteemed national youth development organization where she was a founding member of the strategic planning team. Born and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia she attended the Business Administration College, concentrating in Finance, at AlYamamah University. She has also participated in The Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Columbia Business School’s Executive Education Program for Nonprofit Organizations.

Lujain will spend her fellowship with Ignis Careers in Hyderabad, India.

As a Fellow, Meghan worked with LifeSpring Hospitals, a growing network of affordable maternal and child healthcare hospitals in India. She has a background in public health and business administration. Meghan earned a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University.

Umar will work in Lahore, Pakistan with Pharmagen, which provides safe drinking water for the urban poor in Pakistan. Umar is from Pakistan and has worked as a Senior Analyst at Ominvest in Oman. Previously, Umar worked as a Senior Research Analyst at Lakson Investments in Pakistan. He holds a BSc in Math and Economics from Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Mubarik is currently working in the Business Development Department for WhatsApp, a cross-platform mobile messaging app for smartphones. He recently recieved a dual degree in business and policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford Business School. As a Fellow, Mubarik worked on the housing pipeline for low-income communities in Pakistan. Before Acumen Fund, Mubarik was an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company and the President of the Association for the Development of Pakistan. Mubarik founded the Mobile Science and Computer Labs Project, which provides rural schools in Pakistan with science and computer facilities. She earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mustapha is working in Lagos, Nigeria with d.light design, a company that makes low-cost solar lights that provide cleaner, safer, and cheaper lighting to families living at the bottom of the pyramid.  He is working to develop new strategic distribution channels and help manage creative consumer and trade marketing initiatives.  Mustapha is from Nigeria and has worked with KPMG and Mobil Oil. Mustapha holds a B.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Technology of Nigeria.

As a Fellow, Naomi worked in Nairobi, Kenya with d.light design, a company that makes low-cost solar lights that provide cleaner, safer, and cheaper lighting to families living at the bottom of the pyramid. Naomi has a background in business development in internet business as well as e-commerce and advertisement, and has worked with Recruit Co. Ltd. and NTT Communications Corporation. She also has experience working at an NGO focused on increasing access to information and communications technology. She holds an M.A. in Responsible Management & Sustainable Economic Development from the UN Mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Navin has worked as a consultant for the last six years, most recently at Michael Page International, a global recruiting firm where he helped to launch two strategic business units, both of which turned a profit in the first year. During that time, he left to volunteer in war-torn Sri Lanka and rural Kenya, an experience that led him to found MAD, a social business that helps small nonprofits reduce the risk and cost of fundraising through the use of crowdfunding. MAD currently partners with nonprofits across Kenya, Sri Lanka and Cambodia to fund critical water and sanitation projects and impact more than 10,000 people living in poverty. Navin holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Technology, Sydney, and has spoken twice at TEDx.

Navin spend his fellowship with Sahayog Dairy in Bhopal, India.

“Growing up in Quito, my older sister always said I would be President of Ecuador one day. My sister was biased, but what she saw was my passion for helping others. By the time my family and I moved to the U.S., my bags were packed with dreams and I was starving for opportunities to explore my impact in the world.” Nicolas moved from Quito to New York City when he was 15 years old and the experience of being surrounded by those who were disadvantaged never left him, nor did his desire to shape his community.

Upon completing university, Nicolas was selected as one of 154 members worldwide to advise the Ecuadorian Department of Immigration on the needs of immigrant families abroad, through the Ecuadorian International Center. A dynamic self-starter, Nicolas spent five years working in risk management at Morgan Stanley and later launched his own software company. Nicolas comes to Acumen from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

Nicolas will spend his Fellowship with sanitation investee Sanergy in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nicole currently combines her global experience and cross-sector knowledge to offer consulting services focused on organizational capacity building, efficiency and impact optimization for Nonprofits, start-ups and SMEs in Panama. She also acts as Project Manager for Project SEED at the Panama Business Accelerator of the City of Knowledge Foundation, a 4- year project financed by the IDB and designed to foster a dynamic ecosystem for innovative entrepreneurship in the country. Prior to this, she was the Program Director for Global Citizen Year, a program that immerses high school graduates in developing nations to live and work on the frontlines of today’s global challenges during a gap year before college. As a Fellow, Nicole worked in India with AyurVAID, a patient-centric hospital chain with a standardized approach to delivering safe, effective, and, affordable care to poor communities in India. She helped develop processes and systems for managing relationships with network hospitals and partners. Before Acumen Fund, Nicole was the Manufacturing Plant Manager and Continuous Improvement Team Leader for Frito Lay in Panama and a volunteer for Plan International in the UK. Nicole earned an MBA and Msc in Development Management from HEC, Paris and LSE, London, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.

Paula will work in Mumbai, India with Edubridge, a company that provides vocational skills training for low income youth across rural India. Paula is from Colombia and has worked as a Business Analyst at McKinsey. She has also worked as an Actuarial Analyst for Grupo Bolivar in Colombia. She holds a BSc and MSc in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad de los Andes.

Michael is working with BASIX Krishi, which delivers affordable extension services to smallholder farmers in India.  At BASIX Krishi he is implementing a revised sales and operating model, is revamping the monitoring, controls and financial reporting in the business, and is a Strategic Advisor for BASIX’s Chairman.  Michael is from Canada and has worked with KPMG in Canada and in the UK, first as an Auditor and then a Turnaround professional. He is a CPA, CA, holds a B.Comm(H) from Queen’s University, and an MBA from INSEAD.

Ramakrishnan is currently the COO of Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (Kilimo Salama), based in Nairobi, Kenya. Syngenta provides agriculture micro-insurance to small scale farmers in Kenya and Rwanda. As a Fellow, Ramakrishnan worked in Kenya with Meridian Medical Centre, whose vision is to establish a chain of affordable, high quality outpatient clinics across Kenya. At Meridian, Ramakrishnan helped to develop expansion plans, opened a new branch outlet for services, and supported the development of a branding and marketing strategy to attract and retain new business. Before Acumen, Ramakrishnan was a consultant in the development and banking sectors with a background in consumer banking and industrial goods. He has served as Head of Operations for Pratham, an NGO working in primary education in India. Ramakrishnan earned a Masters in Management Studies and a BS in Chemistry from Mumbai University.

Rutendo currently consults for Untu Microfinance, a Botswana-based microfinance enterprise. As a Fellow, Rutendo worked in Nairobi, Kenya with Juhudi Kilimo, which provides microfinance loan products that allow Kenyan smallholder farmers to access high-quality agricultural assets that enhance the productivity of their farms. Rutendo is from Zimbabwe, and worked as a portfolio manager at a financial services firm. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting Science from the University of South Africa.

Sarah is currently pursuing a master’s degree in city planning with a specialization in international development from MIT-Department of Urban Studies & Planning (Master of City Planning-International Development Group Candidate ’14). She was selected as a 2013-2014 MIT Legatum Center for Entrepreneurship Fellow – starting an infrastructure energy & real-estate development firm in Tanzania. She is working on a 2013-14 forum series w/MIT Energy Initiative on energy and human development in developing countries. As a Fellow, Sarah served as a Operations & Project Management at Ansaar Management Company (AMC), a social enterprise which provides low-income housing in Pakistan.

Seema began her career in television production and development working on programs such as LOST, Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives before moving into affiliate marketing at Lifetime Television and Disney-ESPN. In 2012, Seema transitioned to Enso Collaborative, a creative agency focused on uniting business success with social impact. There, with a focus on branding, storytelling and partnerships, she led the launch of Google Fiber in Kansas City, and worked with various departments at Google including public policy, small business, and Google.org. Seema also led marketing campaigns for Humanity United, University of Santa Monica and WakaWaka. Most recently Seema has consulted for Participant Media and MAL\FORGOOD. A Kansas City, Missouri native, Seema holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, with a focus on international business and a Master of Arts in Television-Radio-Film from Syracuse University.

Seema will spend her fellowship with SEED Schools in Hyderabad, India.

Shane currently serves as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company. As a Fellow, Shane worked in Kitale, Kenya with Western Seed, which develops and distributes high-quality hybrid seeds in East Africa. Shane is from Jamaica, and he has a background in the consumer goods industry as well as microfinance experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Shane received a joint degree in Business Administration and International Relations from the University of Western Ontario and an M.A. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics. Shane is from Jamaica.

As a community organizer, entrepreneur, and a former Acumen Summer Associate in Pakistan, Stephanie brings a diverse set of management and policy experiences to the Acumen Global Fellows program.

Stephanie’s work has been guided by two principles: a belief in social progress and the fundamental need to change politics to increase public welfare. She managed field operations in seven states for President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2007-2008 and served as Director for Yemen Policy at the White House during the Arab Spring. She has worked to expand low-income energy access through consultancies in India and co-founded a solar energy startup in the U.S.

Hailing from Hawaii, she holds Bachelor’s in History & International Studies from Yale University and a Master’s in Public Affairs, with a concentration in international development, from Princeton University.

Stephanie will spend her Fellowship with energy investee d.light design in Gurgaon, India.

As a Fellow, Sunru worked in Nairobi, Kenya with Global Easy Water Products, which provides affordable drip irrigation for smallscale farmers. Sunru is from the United States, and was a manager at Bain & Company where he has served clients across multiple industries, including consumer products, financial services, healthcare, telecom, and private equity. He previously worked in international business development at TRG Group. He studied History at Washington University and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Tafadzwa works for Cosmos Capital Limited, a Zimbabwe corporate finance outfit where she develops business initiatives centered on growth, refinancing and turnaround. Her expertise in risk analysis in finance and business is built upon her past roles at Zimnat Life Assurance and Old Mutual Life Assurance. She volunteers with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and the Actuarial Society of Zimbabwe. She also provides counseling on emotional, marital and financial matters to Woman on a Mission, a small interpersonal group she founded in Zimbabwe. Tafadzwa holds a MBA in Banking and Finance from the Bologna Business School in Italy and a Bachelor of Commerce Actuarial Science from Zimbabwe’s National University of Science and Technology.

Tafadzwa will spend her fellowship with Frontier Markets in Jaipur, India.

Tamsin is currently building partnerships on behalf of Living Goods, a social enterprise that operates a network of micro-entrepreneurs selling life-changing products to the poor (“We’re like Avon ladies, except selling malaria treatments instead of make-up”).  During her year as a Fellow she worked at GADC in Gulu, supporting factory operations, financing, and extension work with smallholders.  Before that she was at Oxford University, Bain & Company, & Technoserve.

Wangari is currently working for Equity Bank, a micro-finance bank based in Nairobi, Kenya. As a Fellow, Wangari worked in Pakistan with the microfinance organization Kashf. She monitored and evaluated the Health Insurance Pilot and the Home Improvement Loan Pilot, devising strategies for further outreach. She also conducted a poverty study to assess the vulnerabilities of Pakistanis not accessing Kashf’s financial services. She earned an MBA from the University of Nairobi.

Yehia currently serves as COO for Tasmeem Middle East, the largest creative commons social network in the Middle East region. As a Fellow, Yehia worked in India with Dial 1298 for Ambulance, the first reliable emergency medical response service in Mumbai and other major cities in India. He has experience as a financial analyst, focused on access to financing for the poor. Before the Fellowship, Yehia served as a Financial Analyst for the World Bank. Yehia earned a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University.

Yuliya arrived in the U.S. from her native Belarus in her early twenties with an aspiration to continue her education, $200 in her pocket, and a scant English vocabulary. What she lacked in means did not stand in the way of her grit, resilience, and audacity. In nine months, Yuliya taught herself English, and was accepted into an American business school to study finance. That accomplishment is one in a long list of academic successes; earlier in her academic career, Yuliya achieved the top score on a national math exam, and later earned a perfect average at Belarus’ top university.

Yuliya brings to the fellowship a decade of business experience in the areas of portfolio management, market research, risk assessment, and investment strategy evaluation. She worked at Summit Rock Advisors and Managers Investment Group and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.

Yuliya will spend her Fellowship with agriculture investee Juhudi Kilimo in Nairobi, Kenya.

Adedotun Eyinade will work in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania with Husk Power Systems. Husk uses innovative biomass technology to convert abundant rice husks into energy that provides power to rural villages. Adedotun is from Nigeria and has worked for KPMG for over four years, most recently as a Senior Associate in Financial Risk Management. He holds a Bsc in Microbiology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria and an International Certificate in Banking Risk and Regulation.

Ajay is an engagement manager at Deloitte, where he advises global healthcare clients on how to improve their operational efficiency and minimize their business and regulatory risks. He has over eight years of experience with a specialty in health care, including a role as a development consultant in India, where he implemented primary healthcare delivery programs in rural areas and designed a sales and distribution strategy to improve revenue for a community pharmacy. Ajay also co-founded Ignited Brainz, an education startup focused on holistic development. A PMP certified professional, Ajay holds a master’s degree in Health Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Medicine, and has lectured on the subjects as part of an MBA program at an Indian government university. Ajay will spend his fellowship with Mekelle Farms in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ame has more than 10 years of experience as a business strategist and consumer marketing specialist. Born in Nigeria and raised in Kenya, the United States and France, she has employed her international experience to help companies like L’Oreal and Elizabeth Arden build their global marketing strategies and grow their brands. More recently, Ame has combined her professional skills with her personal passions to help organizations function more effectively and increase their impact while addressing climate change and poverty. She is an Environmental Leadership Program Senior Fellow and an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow. Ame holds a bachelor’s degree in Art from Williams College and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University. Ame will spend her fellowship with BURN in Nairobi, Kenya.

Asim currently works in Pakistan for the International Development branch of Land O’Lakes. He has also been involved part-time in multiple social ventures and learning initiatives. As a Fellow, Asim worked for Micro Drip, a drip irrigation company that develops and provides products and services as poverty alleviation solutions to farmers in Pakistan’s arid regions.

Ayeleen is currently working with BYLC (Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre), an organization creating an enabling environment for youth from diverse backgrounds to engage in critical thinking and service oriented projects. Prior to this she worked with Friendship, a not-for-profit working with isolated, marginalized communities living in extreme poverty. As a Fellow, Ayeleen worked with Kashf Foundation, an organization that provides microfinance services in Pakistan. Ayeleen earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Social Development from London School of Economics and a MBA from Indian School of Business.

While working as a productivity engineer at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Bailey was inspired to create efficiency through different means. “How can burnt-out and unhealthy employees be productive in an unsupportive working environment?” At age 24, this question paved the way for Bailey to leave behind a lucrative career and pursue her vision. Today, she is the founder of Proactive Movement, a company enhancing employee and organizational wellness.

Bailey’s success comes from her desire to challenge status quo, her vision when taking risks, and creativity when working with limited resources. Her industrial engineering skills honed during her years at GlaxoSmithKline and CIBC have also been critical to her ability to make positive impact.

Bailey was born in Iran and immigrated to Canada when she was13, a move that enhanced her sense of purpose, gratitude, and drive to live a life of exploration and impact.

Bailey will spend her Fellowship with healthcare investee Asian Health Alliance in Hubli, India.

Benje Williams is currently an MBA Candidate at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. As a Fellow, Benje worked in Lahore, Pakistan with Pharmagen, a company that provides access to drinking water for lowincome, urban customers, and produces bottled water for middle-income customers. He has worked previously as a management consultant for social enterprises and Fortune 500 corporations, and supported start-up SMEs in Nairobi. Benje holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley. Benje is from the United States.

Bryan Farris worked in Lahore, Pakistan with Ansaar Management Company, which is a housing development and management company that provides an integrated approach to affordable, quality housing. Bryan is from the United States and was a management consultant for Bain & Company. He received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research from the University of California at Berkeley.

Cherian is passionate about using his experience to help SMEs scale and be sustainable. He is currently advising leadership in operations strategy and transformation in agriculture, healthcare and energy in India.

As a Global Fellow, Cherian worked in Mumbai, India with Dial 1298 for Ambulance (ZHL), which focuses on providing affordable emergency medical response services.

Cherian is from India and has an operations background. Prior to Acumen, he worked with the Tata Group to develop innovative low cost solutions for emerging markets. Cherian holds a M.S. in Industrial Engineering with focus on humanitarian applications from Georgia Institute of Technology and a B Tech in Mechanical Engineering from College of Engineering Pune.

Chris currently works for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, which is dedicated to supporting the use of food fortification and other strategies aimed at improving the health and nutrition of populations at risk. As a Fellow, Chris worked in India with Dial 1298 for Ambulance, the Mumbai-based provider of emergency medical services with an ethos of service for all. He worked to develop and implement a marketing strategy to raise awareness about the ambulance service as well as providing assistance on business development. He was previously the Associate Director of International Relations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation and an international economist at the U.S. Treasury Department. He earned an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs at Princeton University.

David recently joined TechSoup.org as the Senior Director of Strategy and Impact, and is driving their overall mobile strategy and also heads the team responsible for generating most of TechSoup’s earned income. The past several years he has been consulting for corporates and non-profits to help them create inclusive businesses and on recent trip to Colombia was able to hang out with Acumen folks from Colombia and India. Right after the Fellowship, David was the Senior Advisor Social Innovations at MercyCorps. As a Fellow, David worked in India with Drishtee, a franchisor of internet kiosks created to deliver affordable goods and services to remote villages. He collaborated with Drishtee to improve their distribution models, integrate new products, strengthen internal communications and develop the organization’s first health care offering.

Eric currently works as an investment executive at Swiss-based Bamboo Finance, a commercial social investment fund. As a Fellow, Eric worked in multiple locations with BroadReach, a third party healthcare administrator for HIV/AIDS treatment, as well as the Scojo Foundation (now VisionSpring), a manufacturer and distributor of affordable reading glasses for the poor. While at BroadReach, Eric spearheaded a feasibility study on the development of franchised health clinics. At Scojo Foundation, he helped streamline their supply chain in order to source and ship glasses more cost-effectively and also assessed the feasibility of launching their work in China.

Ghoncheh worked in Nairobi, Kenya with Sproxil, which is combating the global counterfeit drug market through a mobile product authentication technology. She is a former project manager/engineer at The Procter & Gamble Company. She is currently working with former East Africa Regional Fellow, Soiya, in Nairobi at “We the Change” Foundation where is the Program and Operations Director. “We the Change” Foundation sets up Early Childhood Development Centers in the Mathare slums. She is an Electrical Engineer by degree from the University of Illinois. Ghoncheh is from Iran.

Passionate about harnessing humanity’s capacity for innovation in tackling today’s most pressing social challenges, Henry brings a unique set of business building skills to the Global Fellows Program. He launched two tech enterprises before the age of 20, and, as a Chartered Accountant, served as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte’s Strategy and Operations practice in Vancouver, Canada. Over the past five years, Henry has applied his business skills to address critical development challenges in energy, consumer business, and the public sector. Most recently, Henry completed a half-year sabbatical in India with Dasra, where he provided critical support to emerging social entrepreneurs.

Henry will spend his Fellowship with housing investee AMC in Lahore, Pakistan.

Javed started his career at General Electric and today has more than 15 years experience working in a variety of industries, from health care to insurance. A process-oriented Six Sigma black belt, the majority of his career has been spent focused on operations and process reengineering but he also has a deep knowledge of marketing and finance. He currently works as a Program Manager at Nationwide Insurance. He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and his MBA from Ohio State University, which involved a three-week consultancy in Ethiopia to work on a roadmap to eliminate rabies from the region. Javed will spend his fellowship with an energy investee in Karachi, Pakistan.

Jawad is the founder and CEO of Ansaar Management Company, which is the only private sector affordable housing developer in Pakistan. AMC is a for-profit spin off of Saiban, and has received investments from Acumen Fund and Bamboo Finance, and is focusing on scaling low-income housing in Pakistan. As a Fellow, Jawad worked to scale the activities of Saiban, a non-profit housing organization providing urban squatters and low-income groups in Pakistan with access to affordable home ownership and essential amenities. Previously, he worked as a project manager for Saiban and for a land development company in Maryland. He has experience in both the public and private sectors in Pakistan and the US, where he earned an MBA from the University of Baltimore. Jawad lives in Islamabad with his wife and daughter.

Joanna is the Director of Expansion at Endeavor Global. Since joining in January 2010, she has doubled Endeavor’s footprint in the Middle East and North Africa region. She launched Endeavor’s offices in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. She continues as an advisor and member of the local boards. Joanna is now launching Endeavor’s first U.S. affiliate in Miami. As a member of the expansion team, she is responsible for the strategy-setting to accelerate Endeavor’s global scale and impact with a goal to reach 25 affiliate offices by 2015. Prior to Endeavor, Joanna spent six years with Unilever North America in brand management, brand development and sales. She was awarded an Acumen Fund Fellowship in 2009. As a Fellow, Joanna worked in India with Dial 1298 for Ambulance, the Mumbai-based provider of emergency medical services with an ethos of service for all. She helped develop a strategy for the implementation of new initiatives related to improving the quality of service for customers. She earned her B.B.A. (2003) and MBA (2008) from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. Joanna is based in New York City. She has been recognized as a Kauffman Fellow, and serves on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Parity Task Force.

Jocelyn Wyatt is the Executive Director and Co-Lead of IDEO.org, the nonprofit organization started by IDEO to address poverty-related challenges through design and to encourage the use of our human-centered approach to innovation in the social sector. Previously, Jocelyn led IDEO’s Social Innovation practice, which she expanded over the course of several years.

As an Acumen fellow, Jocelyn worked in Kenya with Advanced Bio-Extracts (ABE), a leading manufacturer and cultivator of Artemisinin. Previously, she served as VisionSpring’s interim country director in India and as International Training Manager for Chemonics International, a USAID contractor in Washington, DC. Jocelyn received an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA in anthropology from Grinnell College in Iowa.

John will work in Uttarakhand, India with Avani Bio Energy Pvt. Limited, a growing company that creates pine needle gasification power projects for remote communities in northern India. John is from Ireland where he owned and managed a sustainable food event management company. Most recently he worked for iFarms Venture Advisors where he focused on agri tech investment. John holds a BA in Political Science, University College Dublin, an MA in Development Studies from the University of Manchester, and an MBA from Northwestern University.

John is currently the Director of Member Experience at Trunk Club, a men’s clothing start-up. Before launching Trunk Club, John worked as a Project Lead for IDEO, a design consulting firm based in New York. As a Fellow, John worked in India with Scojo (now VisionSpring), an investment in low-cost reading glasses in India, where he supported the development of the vision entrepreneur channel, while also designing marketing tools and incentives for micro-franchises. John earned a BA from Bates College.

Josephat currently works with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda as the Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture and Agribusiness. Previously he worked as Uganda’s Country Manager for Vredeseilanden (VECO EAST AFRICA Regional Program), a Belgian nongovernmental organization dedicated to the empowerment of organized family farmers, through Agriculture Value Chain Development and market access. As a fellow, Josephat worked in Kitale, Kenya with Western Seed, which develops and distributes high quality hybrid seeds in East Africa. Josephat is from Uganda and has experience in program management, agricultural value chain development, conservation farming, agricultural marketing, cooperatives and farmer institutions development. He holds a Masters degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University (USA) and a Bsc in Agriculture from Makerere University.

Justus will work in Gulu, Uganda with Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC), which provides market access to smallholder farmers in northern Uganda. Justus is from the US and has worked as a Senior Financial Analyst at Merrill Lynch, and as a Global Securities Technician at the Northern Trust Company. He holds a BSc in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Kathleen will work in Sogakope, Ghana with GADCO an integrated agri-food company in sub-Saharan Africa focused on crop production, processing and supply of cereal and protein-based foods. Kathleen is from the US and most recently worked as Vice President in Equity Capital Markets in the Investment Banking division at Barclays in Hong Kong and New York, and has previously worked for Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. She is the Founding Board Member
of Roots of Health, a Philippines based non-profit. She holds a BA in Japanese Studies from Wellesley College and an MBA from NYU.

Kevin is currently a Professor of Business Administration at New England College and the president of Red Rake Studio, a strategy and marketing consultancy focused on social enterprises.  He also operates a small organic farm in New England.  During the fellowship Kevin worked in Tanzania with the solar powered lighting company d.light design building new marketing initiatives across East Africa. Previously Kevin and his wife founded the Tanzanian based HIV/AIDS education program TEAM. He has experience working with a variety of sustainable enterprises and international development organizations.  He earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Laura recently completed her master’s thesis on leadership in social innovation in Sweden after studying in the United Kingdom and Italy and plans to pursue a career in social impact. She has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and three master’s degrees as part of a Master in Strategic Project Management program. Laura also has more than seven years of work experience planning, implementing and evaluating projects for both public and private institutions. One of her biggest roles focused on revenue optimization for the airline industry while working for Avianca, an airline member of Star Alliance and leader in Colombia. Laura will spend her fellowship with Amal Academy founded by former Acumen Global Fellow Benje Williams in Lahore, Pakistan.

Luis will work in Nairobi, Kenya with Virtual City, a company that increases rural farmers’ incomes through mobile technology. Luis is from Mexico and has worked as a Business Unit Manager at Det Norske Veritas, a climate change and environmental services company. He worked as a Commercial Strategy Analyst for CEMEX in Mexico and the USA. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurship from the University of Alberta in Canada.

As a fellow Mario worked at Husk Power Systems testing a mobile payment system for rural Bihar. He is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand, where he started Wedu, a social enterprise investing in women in South East Asia by providing mentorship and leadership training combined with innovative financing options to complete university. Wedu is Social Enterprise Startup 2012 at Cambridge University and winner of GSVC South East Asia 2013. He previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory, Greenpeace International and in humanitarian relief after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. He holds an MSc from the London School of Economics.

Mina spent the past seven years working in Zambia, Uganda and Ghana to improve opportunities for smallholder farmers and African agribusinesses. His bottom line that service is love in action has guided him to live a life of service to those whose potential is systemically constrained. As co-founder and Director of Business Development for Kulemela Investments, he has invested in agribusinesses within the rice, poultry, maize and vegetable sectors as well as analyzed business models and designed cash-flow lending products. Prior to Kulemela, Mina was a market development strategist in Ghana and Uganda for Engineers Without Borders Canada. Mina not only identified leverage points for social and financial impact in agriculture value chains and designed new business models, he also lived and farmed alongside smallholder farmers to intimately understand their realities and empower them through market-based interventions. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto. Mina will spend his fellowship with Siembra Viva in Medellin, Colombia.

Fahim is working in Kitale, Kenya with Western Seed, a Kenya-based company whose mission is to address the lack of maize productivity among smallholder farms in East Africa. He will work towards improving financial processes at the organizational and customer levels. Fahim is from Pakistan and has worked with Al Meezan Investment Management as an analyst, with Ernst & Young’s Global Islamic Finance team in Bahrain as a consultant, and with Capital Management House in Bahrain in private equity. Fahim holds a B.Sc. in Accounting and Finance from the Lahore University of Management Sciences and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder.

Zahoor currently works as Chief Executive at the Centre of Excellence for Rural Development, a community driven initiative of the UNDP to sustainably improve the livelihoods of over 254,000 people in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. As a Fellow, Zahoor worked in Pakistan with First Micro Insurance Agency (FMiA), which provides micro-insurance products for low-income families. He has experience managing rural development programs and has worked in public-sector education in Pakistan. Zahoor earned a Masters in Sociology from the University of Peshawar and a M. Phil degree in Sociology from Malakand University.

Nadaa is currently studying Nutrition and Dietetics at Arizona State University. Her goal is the help people adopt a whole foods plant based diet to improve their health and prevent and reverse chronic disease. For three years, she was the CFO and COO of Omedix, a web-based service for healthcare companies that is based in Phoenix, Arizona. As a Fellow, Nadaa worked in India with Medicine Shoppe, an internationally-recognized pharmacy chain that launched a new store format – Sehat Clinics – targeting low-income customers. Nadaa was the project lead for the Sehat Clinics rollout, and focused on developing pricing models, metrics, a community marketing program and staff recruitment. Nadaa led the opening of eight clinics.

Neha currently works as an educational consultant with an organization based in New York. Neha worked in Bihar, India with Husk Power Systems, which uses innovative biomass technology to convert abundant rice husks into energy that provides power to Indian villages. Neha is from India and previously worked in international marketing for General Motors. She holds a B.S. in marketing and management from Purdue University and an MBA with a concentration in social entrepreneurship from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.

Nicole is working in Nairobi, Kenya with Juhudi Kilimo, which provides micro asset financing to smallholder Kenyan farmers, enabling them to acquire assets that boost their productivity and provide long-term economic stability and growth.  Nicole is evaluating the current IT infrastructure and developing a more streamlined tech strategy in order to improve farmer mobile finance and date reporting.  Nicole is from the US and has worked with Capital One as a Bank Vice President, Grameen Foundation, and Accenture. Nicole holds a B.A. in Economics from William & Mary, and an M.S. in Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia.

Sitting on the lawn of Central Park in 2008, Wale knew that the time for change had come. Wale dreamed of a different future for West Africa and, despite large student loans, made the decision to leave his career in banking and apply his newly-minted MBA to development in his home country of Nigeria. In his words, “As Nigeria moves towards becoming a top economy, sacrifices must be made and mine just started.” Five years later, in 2013, Wale returned back to that same Central Park lawn, this time standing in front of 75,000 people to receive the Global Citizen Award from Professor Mohammad Yunus for Abuja Enterprise Agency’s work providing entrepreneurship and IT training to youth across Africa.

Now, Wale brings to Acumen 13 years of experience in social enterprise development, banking, public policy, as well as community and youth development.  He has worked as Project Manager of Business Leadership at LEAP Africa, Principal Manager of Abuja Enterprise Agency, Senior Banking Officer at GT Bank, and he holds a Masters of Business Administration from Hult Business School.

Wale will spend his Fellowship with energy investee d.light design in Lagos, Nigeria.

Premal currently is a Director at EXFO (India), a telecom test solutions company. Prior to this he researched and designed hands-on learning programs for children and conducted sessions at a girl’s orphanage in Delhi with a view to starting an education company in hands-on learning. During his Fellowship, Premal worked in India with LifeSpring Hospitals which provides quality health care to lower-income women and children. He helped design and develop their immersion-based on-boarding program, self-learning modules (video) on process training in collaboration with Rockefeller Foundation and their IT infrastructure using Open Source to connect all the hospitals. Prior to the fellowship Premal worked for Microsoft, India and large product companies in US for over 10 years. He volunteered at LV Prasad Eye Institute and is a former owner of a Gymboree Play & Music franchise in San Jose, CA. Premal has a MS in Computer Science from University of Texas.

Rajanthi will work in Nairobi, Kenya with M-KOPA, which provides financing for mini solar home systems in Kenya. Rajanthi is from Canada and has worked for Cuso International in Ghana as a Strategic and Organizational Consultant. Previously, she worked as a Senior Financial Analyst for Rogers Communications in Toronto. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Waterloo and is a Certified Management Accountant.

When Ramya met a young war widow from an impoverished region in Sri Lanka, the woman represented an alternate version of herself. Born to Sri Lankan parents who immigrated to Australia before the civil unrest in the 1980s, Ramya was humbled by how different the young woman’s life was from her own, having not grown up there. After that meeting, she promised to return to Sri Lanka to understand and address the consequences of conflict on disempowered communities.

Ramya stayed true to her promise. After working as a financial management consultant, Ramya joined Palmera, a non-profit that empowers vulnerable communities in Cambodia and war-torn regions of Northern Sri Lanka. She also started a social business, It Starts with a Stitch, which donates 100 percent of its profits to war widows in Sri Lanka.

Ramya holds a Bachelor’s of Commerce and Science from the University of Sydney, and brings strong management skills and a deep commitment to social impact to the Acumen Global Fellows Program.

Ramya will spend her Fellowship with agriculture investee KZ Noir in Kigali, Rwanda.

Raised in Pakistan, Saad has a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges in Pakistani society. It was this exposure that drove Saad to apply his skills and education to create social impact and is what brought him to the Acumen Global Fellows Program.

Saad has a strong track record of leadership. He was the first President from the undergraduate program of the Students’ Council at the reputed Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). During his time at K-Electric (formerly Karachi Electric Supply Company) he developed strong technical and operational skills and was part of the team that transformed the utility that supplies electricity to more than 20 million individuals. Saad has also leveraged his passion for storytelling to help produce documentaries for the largest television network in Pakistan.

He holds a Bachelors of Science [MC1] (Hons) in Economics from LUMS and brings experience in project planning, research, analysis, and management in addition to strong leadership skills to the Acumen Global Fellows program.

Saad will spend his Fellowship with energy investee Husk Power Systems in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Satoko worked with AyurVAID, an affordable hospital chain providing comprehensive care for chronic diseases in India. She is currently Project Manager at Emerging Asia Management Consulting in Shanghai, China. Prior to Acumen, she worked with leading public and private institutions in the US and Japan with assignments in India, the Philippines and Sierra Leone. A researcher and a development practitioner, she is skilled at catalyzing actions. She holds a master’s degree in International Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Shahd is working in Bangalore, India with Hippocampus Learning Centres (HLC), which provides affordable educational services that better prepare children for advanced education and employment.  She is designing technology and media focused after-school and teacher training initiatives.  Shahd is from Saudi Arabia and has worked with Global Giving, and was the Director of Operations of Al Qadem Fashion House, an entrepreneurial venture focused on supporting underprivileged women. Shahd holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Evansville, and an M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins.

Sophie currently works as an independent consultant on microfinance, enterprise development and women empowerment projects for various International NGOs. As a Fellow, Sophie worked in India with Drishtee, a rural “Information and Communications Technology” (ICT) network orchestrator that helps local women entrepreneurs to set up kiosks that provide a variety of services to villagers for a fee. Sophie helped assess the current revenue model, assist with strategic planning of the health expansion, and develop business, health, and education training modules. Prior to Acumen, Sophie ran an economic development and peace-building project in Eastern Indonesia and consulted on agriculture lending projects in Africa. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer and has worked in 20 different countries in senior management, technical advisor and consultant roles. Sophie earned an MS from Carnegie Mellon in Public Policy and Management.

Sule currently serves as Systems Design Management Engineer at Kinder Morgan. He also consults for Envirofit International, a social enterprise established in 2003 to develop well-engineered technology solutions to improve the human condition on a global scale, with a primary emphasis on applications in the developing world. As a Fellow, Sule worked for d.light design in India, he helped improve their performance and decrease costs. Tasked with ensuring a high quality product life-cycle, Sule established a quality control team to identify products or services that did not meet their quality standards. With these new procedures in place, one month’s work could be done in one or two weeks.

Suzuka will work in Lagos, Nigeria with Pagatech, which delivers universal access to financial services in lowincome communities. Suzuka is from Japan and worked as a Reporting Officer for UNDP in Nepal. She has sales and marketing experience and lead a sales team at Recruit Co. in Japan. She holds a BA in International Development from the University of Tsukuba and an MA in Sustainable Development from SIT Graduate Institute.

Originally from a small town in rural Georgia, Tammy spent the last 12 years volunteering and working across three continents – in Guatemala, Kenya and Cambodia. Her natural curiosity, coupled with her deep sense of empathy, propelled her to travel to and work with under-resourced communities in different parts of the world, listening and learning from each experience abroad.

Tammy has over 15 years of consulting experience in the corporate sector, including her most recent role as Project Management Consultant for Target Corporation. She has worked on portfolio and risk management in many different industries including healthcare, education, retail and banking for CedarCrestone and Capgemini.

Tammy holds a Bachelors of Business Administration [MC1] from the University of Georgia and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

Tammy will spend her Fellowship with agriculture investee Mekelle Farms in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Tricia currently serves as the COO of Kangu Inc., a non-profit organization protecting the lives and health of pregnant women and babies in the developing world. Before Kangu, Tricia served as Improvement Advisor at the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage (JLN), an organizing that campaigns for universal health coverage (UHC). Previously, she served as the Marketing Director for LifeSpring Hospitals, which is also where she worked as a Fellow. LifeSpring is a chain of hospitals that provides quality health care to lower-income women and children in India. She worked to create and implement LifeSpring’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy, including community outreach. Tricia is a former consultant at Katzenbach Partners and Braun Consulting. She has also worked with Women’s World Banking, the International Finance Corporation, and the Grameen Foundation. She earned an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MA in International Affairs from SIPA (Columbia University), and a BA from Harvard University.

Wendy Wallace currently works for Kazoza Finance, a microfinance organization based in Burundi. As a Fellow, she worked in East Africa with d.light design, a company that makes low-cost solar lights that provide cleaner, safer, and cheaper lighting to families living at the bottom of the pyramid. Wendy previously worked in consulting, and previously served as a field agent in Nairobi, Kenya with Renew Strategies. She has an MPP from Harvard University and a B.S. in Engineering Sciences and Astronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Wendy is from the United States.

Yousef worked in Hyderabad, India with WaterHealth International, which incorporates technology and social marketing to increase access to safe, affordable water. Yousef is from Saudi Arabia, and worked as a Program Officer at the King Khalid Foundation. He received a B.S. degree in Accounting from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals and an MBA from Clark University in Massachusetts.