Fellows

Aaron possesses about four years of progressive experience in developing data infrastructure software solutions. He has hands-on experience overseeing the design, development and maintenance of various database systems. He supports War Child Holland in Uganda as the IT Supervisor. In October 2017 he joined PATH, an international organization for global health innovation, as a Software Engineer Research Fellow on Health Systems under the USAID Advocacy for Health Fellowship. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and is also pursuing his Postgraduate degree online in Data Science. His professional history also includes positions such as M&E Database Engineer Research Fellow, Oxfam Database Developer, and Software Engineer. He supported a civil society organization locally known as Jinja Area Communities Federation to develop digital web monitoring and evaluation systems, plus a child participation database, during the twelve month placement period. The monitoring and evaluation systems supported collaboration of regional actors together with data and operations units from all projects. The effective new approach and channel of strengthening and tracking health units performance was linked to the organization performance data in thematic areas of HIV/AIDS and maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). He enjoys solving large, complex data problems in the process of building and determining a solution.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at American Red Cross: At The American Red Cross, Aaron will serve as a Disaster Preparedness ICTs Fellow: supporting coordination and dissemination of innovative programs of the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) and contributing to the GDPC’s knowledge management efforts.

Abdulsamod is a communications and marketing professional with over six years of experience leading end-to-end content storytelling and digital marketing (search, social and email) campaigns in the nonprofit, financial services, venture capital and technology sectors in Africa. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and is trained in product marketing and growth marketing by Product Marketing Alliance UK and CXL Institute US respectively. He is the director of partnerships at Vibrant Girls Development Initiative, a social enterprise that has empowered over 300 girls in semiurban areas of Lagos with soft and digital skills, and provided career mentorship to 90 girls. Previously, he was a communications and marketing fellow at VestedWorld, an impact-focused African VC, where he raised newsletter open rate to over 40% and executed content marketing strategies that grew Linkedin followership by 115%, engagement by 1100% and unique visitors by over 70%. He also led communications for Leonine, a financial services firm, where he helped over 20+ social entrepreneurs get investor-ready and raise external capital. He also executed tailored B2B and B2C content marketing strategies that helped increase the firm’s web traffic by 300%, Linkedin page followers by 70%, enterprise client pool by over 60%, training pool by over 150% and originated deals worth over $1million. He is one of 5 Agora Fellows trained in communications by Young Voices UK in 2019 and has coordinated marketing for LEAP Africa SIPA and SocialGood Summit Lagos. Through these experiences, he has developed strong skills in content, digital and event marketing. Abdulsamod enjoys launching initiatives and dissecting issues in youth development, entrepreneurship, gender, and education.

Host Organization: Generation

Role at Host Organization: As a Marketing Operations Fellow, Abdulsamod will support Generation’s global marketing function and initiatives by supporting the rollout of existing and new marketing tools, preparing and analysing data, interacting with the countries in gathering information, monitoring performance, training the teams, and supporting overall marketing activities. The Fellow will also interact with the Generation Digital team in monitoring changes and engagement.

Adelide has more than five years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies (magna cum laude) from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea and a Master’s Degree (summa cum laude) in Public Policy from Korea Development Institute Graduate School of Public Policy and Management. Motivated by driving social change, social enterprise acumen and youth capacity building, Adelide is the Co-Founder and Director of the Nairobi-based nonprofit organization Africa Young Entrepreneurs Support Centre which runs youth social entrepreneurship and leadership training & exchange programs. Adelide has most recently worked as an Atlas Corps Fellow in Australia supporting the design and development of youth and social change programs at the Foundation for Young Australians in Melbourne. Previously, she has worked in both government and non-governmental agencies such as the Global Peace Foundation and the Korea Trade Promotion-Investment Agency where she was actively involved in policy analysis, project management, event planning, research and report writing. Through these experiences, she has developed strong analytical, logical, project management, program design and development skills. Adelide is passionate about high performance in the social sector, social inclusion, education and youth and female empowerment.

Host Organization: RFK Human Rights*

Role at Host Organization: Adelide will develop strategies for expansion, provide support to fellows and nonprofit partners with Fellowship placements, execute and market events for Fellowship programs and fundraising, and build and maintain relationships with nonprofit partners. She will also identify new individual major donors, foundation prospects, and corporate partners.

*Also served with Atlas Corps Australia at the Foundation for Young Australians.

Adriana has eight years of experience working in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Advertising from the San Martin de Porres University in Peru and a Master’s degree in
International Relations from the University of Barcelona in Spain. While receiving her Master’s, Adriana served at the Public Information Office of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Thailand. During this training, she created daily content for ESCAP’s digital platforms and social media campaigns and developed a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy to increase regional outreach. Prior to that, Adriana worked at Doctors Without Borders, forming partnerships and raising awareness about the organization. Through AIESEC’s Global Community Development Program, Adriana interned at a nonprofit organization in Brazil, where she supported the implementation of various government programs in HIV prevention, LGBT rights, and social inclusion, and she also coordinated training sessions and conferences for HIV- positive women. Additionally, Adriana has a strong background in the private sector, where she worked for four years in the marketing department in the hotel chain Starwood. There, she was in charge of the annual marketing plan, branding and product development, management of online and offline campaigns, sales initiatives, and the communication plan for the sustainability and corporate social responsibility program. The materials she produced during these years
helped to increase Peru’s national brand visibility. Through these experiences, Adriana developed strong skills in leadership, multicultural teamwork, project and events coordination, and management. She shifted her career path into the nonprofit sector in search for more impactful work experiences. Adriana is passionate about poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment, specifically through the promotion of sustainable tourism practices in developing countries and their consumption patterns, social systems, and revitalization of local economies.

Host Organization: Meridian International Center

Role at Host Organization: Adriana will develop strategic communications plans, manage social media efforts, prepare graphic materials, support the monthly newsletter, manage the database, prepare the app for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) opening and summit, and collect program impact stories.

Adriana has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector and nine years working with social ventures. She earned a Bachelor’s of Social Sciences in Social Communications from USMA University in Panama. In 2013, Adriana joined a social enterprise ThinkImpact as Country Coordinator to establish their in-country operations. These operations were focused on social innovation programs carried out by foreign volunteers in rural communities of Panama. Previously, Adriana served for nine months as Project Officer in Save the Children’s regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean, and created internal communications channels to connect seven country offices. Earlier, Adriana worked for three years with nonprofit Global Brigades, as their Business Program Director and Deputy Director. As the first locally hired, she became President of the local entity of the organization as well. In Global Brigades and ThinkImpact, Adriana connected university volunteers from the United States with indigenous and rural entrepreneurs to create a social business or improve an existent business using design thinking, social innovation and consulting skills. She also built relationships with Peace Corps Panama, the U.S. Embassy, Indigenous Congresses, local nonprofits, academic institutions, community leaders and government agencies. Adriana has strong leadership, project management, strategy creation, and business consulting skills. She is passionate about social entrepreneurship, youth empowerment and corporate social responsibility.

Host Organization: WakaWaka

Role at Host Organization: As Strategic Operations Coordinator, Adriana will provide extensive research and market analysis for Mexico market entry. In addition, she will coordinate the participation of WakaWaka in technology events and support the development of WakaWaka’s marketing materials and campaigns.

Agha Mohsin Ali has been working in the development sector since 2006 with National & International organizations including NRDP, WWOP, Youth in Action, UNDP, BBSA, CPEA Network and SEHER on different management positions. He earned a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Balochistan, Quetta Pakistan. While working with the National Rural Development Programme (NRDP) Pakistan in Islamabad as Manager, Program Planning and Partnership Development, he led overall fundraising, resource mobilization, program research, planning, and program development processes. During 10 years of experience he implemented, coordinated, and developed partnerships with major donor agencies like USAID, DFID, UK-aid, UNICEF, USAID, CIDA, UNICEF, UNDP, USIP and IOM. Agha has had in-depth experience in child rights, education, and youth empowerment in Pakistan. He worked to protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation as well as to provide access to education through establishment of child-friendly spaces and temporary learning centers in flood affected areas. He has provided child protection actors opportunity to interact, share their experiences and avoid any duplication of resources through the CPEA Network and 12 larger projects on education, child rights, democracy and nutrition. Over this period, he has developed skills in monitoring and evaluation, program development, program implementation, proposal writing and resource mobilization. He has also written different articles and blogs on child rights and education in different news sites like ARY Blogs, Hamari Web, Duniya News and The Nations News. Agha also participated in different national and international forums like the World Youth Conference, 2010 in Leon City, Mexico, where he was as a delegate.

Host Organization: Creative Associates International

 Role at Host Organization: Agha will be assisting project staff with the development of an indicator database for a new evaluation project with the ExxonMobil Foundation. This project will be assessing the progress of client grantees in women’s economic empowerment on outcome indicators.

Aida Merabet has over ten years working experience with different nonprofits and corporations in the fields of business empowerment for women and youth educational programs in Algeria. She earned an MBA in Management Marketing from ESG Paris. Aida is the Founder of the social enterprise “Power Harmony Solution.” Previously, Aida worked as the Middle East Partnership (MEPI) Alumni Local Chapter Coordinator, where she strengthened commitment to civic activism, thus creating an environment where alumni can work together to bring positive change to the region. She helped empower young people to work for their economic success as an Education & Training Officer at Injaz El Djazair. As a Hub Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Business Women Network (MENABWN), she was responsible for leading and managing a program to support business women in Algeria. She has also served as an Algerian Country Officer Alwane-Algeria, with Women’s campaign International, an initiative that seeks to empower Algerian women to hold decision-making positions and to enhance their leadership roles so that they can become role models for the region. She also enjoys volunteering, whether it be as the Under Secretary General for Algeria’s national Model United Nations conference or as the Algeria Country Coordinator for the World Peace Initiative Foundation’s Project Peace In and Peace Out (PIPO).

Host Organization: Atlas Corps | American Express

Role at Host Organization: Aida will support the overall strengthening of leadership development in the nonprofit sector through a partnership with American Express. In her role, Aida will help to expand the American Express Leadership Academy franchise. Building on the American Express role in supporting best-in-class leadership practices and capacity building, she will coordinate and grow the alumni network; manage and coordinate the global Alumni Summit, help develop and improve communication and dissemination of best practices and provide overall project support for the Leaderstories.org website.

Alaa Saqer is a technology entrepreneur and one of the founding leaders of Gaza’s startup and technology community. An IT graduate from the The Islamic University Of Gaza, Alaa was a winner of Gaza’s first Startup Weekend in 2011 and went on to launch Datrios, a game and social network for sports fans. Datrios was one of the first two startups in Gaza to receive venture capital investment from Oasis500. In 2010, he co-founded Google Developers Group Gaza, a grassroots student organization that trains youth in tech and connects them to Google resources. Alaa previously worked with Nana Direct, a well-known startup company in Saudi Arabia, as their Product Manager and Business Development Manager. Alaa is well-versed in agile product development and has served as a mentor at startup events in Gaza, including the bootcamps at Gaza Sky Geeks. Prior to becoming a tech entrepreneur, he worked for Mercy Corps (the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza after the United Nations) as a program officer, providing psychosocial support to children via sports activities.

Host Organization: Affinis Labs

Role at Host Organization: At Affinis Labs, Alaa will help with the product development lifecycle for various projects at emerging startups and will help Affinis Labs build, cultivate, and strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems including Minbar.