Fellows

Gabriel has almost two years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from Kampala International University in Uganda. While working as an Assistant Finance Manager and a Zonal Grants Accountant for World Vision International (April 2012 – December 2013) in Western Equatoria State, South Sudan he helped transform and set up financial systems in the zone, introduced procedural accountability in the zone, as well as facilitiated zonal audit by various donors. Through his work experience, he has developed an incredible knowledge of financial and grants management for USAID, EU, UK and AUSAID, funded projects in Western Equatoria state, he also has helped build capacity for national staff in the zone through his fair and credible financial management skills. He has enhanced good relations with the state government on financial matters, advocated for the welfare of the children in the state, and conducted an advice project to officers/managers in proper budget prioritization. Previously, Gabriel worked for an International Commercial Bank in Juba as the head of Customer Care and Relationships Officer. Within three months of his duties, he helped promote the bank’s popularity and increased their customer base despite the growing competition in banking activities in the new country. Gabriel is a constant advocate of proper, fair and credible financial management in any profession.

Host Organization: Amir Project

Role at Host Organization: Yach will mainly work on budgeting, account management and reporting, and fiscal planning during his time at Amir Project. He will be responsible for ensuring monthly budget projects align with historical financial data and take into account organizational growth. He will also work to put together monthly expense reports, as well as work with CEO and Board of Directors to put together fiscal goals and upcoming milestones.

Hae Soo Park has three years of experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Kyung Hee University in Republic of Korea. Currently, Hae Soo is interning for Good Neighbors International, a Korean nonprofit humanitarian organization focused on child education, community development, health, sanitation, and disaster relief projects. She is researching case studies of global campaigns and international governance, as well as updating current international issues and trends. Prior to her internship, Hae Soo was a Research Assistant at a private financial company in Korea, Woori Investment and Securities, for almost two years. She joined the firm in 2011 and assisted the equity research analyst in researching market trends, industry trends, and company updates. In 2009, she completed an internship for nine months at The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO). Her work mostly dealt with assisting the executive coordinator with updating membership database and information. She was also responsible for covering meetings on behalf of CoNGO at the United Nations. Finally, she assisted the staff of New York in organizing the logistics for CoNGO-sponsored meetings and receptions, including CoNGO Board Meetings as well as the Civil Society Development Forum. Through her experiences, Hae Soo has not only learned research skills, but she has also learned how to work proficiently in a fast paced environment. Hae Soo enjoys and feels passionately towards topics related to children’s empowerment, education, and rights advocacy.

Host Organization : InterAction

Role at Host Organization: Hae Soo will provide support to InterAction’s Standards related work, as well as support the planning and execution of the 2014 InterAction Annual Forum.

Iryna has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s of Art in Sociology from the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. As a Research Associate at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER), a think tank in Kyiv, Ukraine, she applied her expertise in sociology, economics, and project management. She coordinated research projects which focused on the analysis of business climate in Ukraine. Previously, Iryna worked for Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms (UDAR), a liberal democratic Ukrainian political party that pursues economic and institutional reforms in Ukraine. There, she gave recommendations for the party’s policy based on electoral research and monitored current events. She also prepared statements and talking points for the party representatives. Outside of work, Iryna founded an informational website for students and youth which highlights events and opportunities in the field of civil society. Throughout her career in think tanks and politics, she has developed research, statistical analysis, and strategic planning skills. She has gained experience in analysis of economic and institutional reforms, benchmark indexes, and giving public policy recommendations aimed at improvement of institutional conditions for business. Her research interests include business climate and civil society development.

Host Organization : Heritage Foundation

Role at Host Organization: Iryna will preform independent research into all aspects of economic freedom and development, with a particular focus on Europe and Central Asia, and assist in the online, print and media packaging and presentation of the research, along with other research by The Heritage Foundation, for audiences in the United States and overseas. Iryna will contribute to research and drafting for the Index of Economic Freedom, and assist with outreach efforts.

Naledi earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Economics from the University of Botswana. She has two years of work experience in a think tank, the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA), where she works in the Macroeconomics, Forecasting and Planning Unit. At BIDPA she has gained experience working with development partners like the African Development Bank on the Botswana Country Assistance Evaluation project and the African Capacity Building Foundation on the Africa Capacity Indicators project. She has been published in different journals, notably Rand/Pula Exchange Rate Volatility in Botswana, on the impact of exchange rate volatility on Botswana’s imports and what drives private savings in Botswana. She is a part of the team that writes the annual BIDPA Budget Brief. Previously, Naledi worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Botswana, providing teaching assistance in the form of mentoring and tutorial sessions to undergraduate students. She has also worked as an intern at the Public Enterprises Evaluation and Privatization Agency (PEEPA). At PEEPA she was involved in a number of projects including public enterprise performance review and an outsourcing project for the Institute for Health Sciences. She also did analysis and interpretation of public policy, regulations and laws that impact on public sector reforms, business and economic analysis of projects for advice on privatization and related activities. Naledi has aslo worked as a freelance research consultant. In 2009 she was awarded the Barclays-Mogae Scholarship for graduate studies

Host Organization : Urban Institute

Role at Host Organization: Naledi will contribute to the expansion of Urban Institute’s program on urban service delivery – investigating the constraints on more effective, efficient and accountable delivery of essential services in the worlds rapidly-growing urban areas. This will involve helping collect and analyze data produced by UI’s several local and international partners, reporting on results and convening workshops of key actors in particular sectors such as health, education or solid waste. Naledi will work with partner think tanks and local consultants to build on-going capacity for this stream of research and support UI and these partners in funding requests for on-going work.

Paul has five years of experience in the charitable organization and nonprofit sector, and has earned a Bachelor’s of Education, Diploma in Education, and Certificate in Teacher Education from both the University of Nkumba as well as the Kyambogo University in Uganda. Paul worked as a Project Manager with Good Neighbors International South Sudan, in implementing Community Development Program and in collaboration with the local authorities. As a Project Officer with War Child Holland, Paul also implemented a Connecting Teaching project under DUTCH & UNICEF. Paul trained government officials to build their capacity on education management and planning, particularly with computer usage to develop wide research skills in teaching profession. Paul has executed his expertise in teacher training, HIV/AIDs Awareness, entrepreneurship skills, life skills/lifesaving messages, and capacity building. Paul led the implementation of small business management and vocational skills training among youth through planning, coordination, and implementation. Through these experiences, Paul developed strong project coordination, implementation and monitoring skills. Paul enjoys focusing on the topics of Peace education, human rights, children’s rights, gender sensitivity, conflict resolution and management, and has a strong passion for youth and women empowerment, specifically children who are termed as wealth earners in society.

Host Organization : Meridian International Center

Role at Host Organization: Paul will be supporting The Pan African Youth Leadership Exchange Program (PAYLEP) and The Business and Entrepreneurship Exchange Program (BEEP). Paul will help develop concepts for emerging leader programs for professionals, entrepreneurs and, youth, research and develop innovative U.S.-based and in-country short term educational programs, write proposals and explore funding options and further develop programming opportunities for countries of interest such as Pakistan.

Saket Mishra earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mumbai in 2007. He has seven years of experience in healthcare marketing as a Creative Director, designing strategy, concept and ideas for pharmaceutical brands and campaigns. Looking to engage in more fulfilling work, he took a sabbatical in 2009 to set up his own nonprofit that launched Maid in India. The project has been a success, raising over $15,000 in grant money, changed 250 lives and reached 1000 households. The project is making revenue of over $10 million and working towards training and employing 1000 maids by 2015. He also helped Online Buddies, a LGBT dating site to launch in India, by helping with strategic partnerships and designing their offline marketing strategy. Saket is a skilled community mobilizer and uses his marketing background creatively to launch grassroots awareness campaigns that engage end users and brings them to the program. Along with strong program management skills and social marketing, Saket is interested and involved in advocacy for labor rights and women’s employment and health.

Host Organization: Massachusetts General Hospital

Role at Host Organization: Saket is joining Partners HealthCare, Center for Connected Health in Boston. The Center is working on technology-based programs to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare and public health efforts in the US. As a fellow, Saket will be executing research pilots for new delivery programs in areas of chronic disease management, cancer care etc. Also, he will contribute to user interface design, and design strategy for new LGBT-based projects, as well as project manage existing projects for their design philosophy.

Smiti has close to ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector in India and holds a Masters degree in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. Smiti is currently working with VOICE 4 Girls as a business development officer, helping them streamline their organizational policies and financial strategies. During her time as a student social worker/counselor with Muskaan, she was individually handling cases of children battling mental stress, as a result of parents seeking separation. Previously, she worked with People’s Association of Training and Health, where she designed and conceptualized a program on preventive health and education for adolescent girls and older women of the community in Mumbai, India. Smiti has volunteering experience with organizations such as Rotary International, FIAPO, CARE India, Freindicos, World School Network, Goonj, Janarth Adivasi Vikas Sanstha, and IDA on projects relating to the thematic areas of health and environment. Her strengths include volunteer management, human resource management, event coordination, planning, listening and interpretation skills. Along with focus on mental health, Smiti also enjoys working with children, in the areas of health and education. She has a strong passion for rescue and rehabilitation of animals. In future Smiti sees herself working in the area of health and education.

Host Organization : Nike Foundation

Role at Host Organization: Smiti will help the Nike Foundation use her Investment Fund intelligently to take the Girl Effect to scale. Smiti will help manage a portfolio of grant relationships that deliver maximize return on investment, capture and distill learning, and inspire large-scale initiatives for girls.