Fellows

Nino has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the International University of Tunis. After founding two social businesses, Nino became a social entrepreneurship specialist and has developed a curriculum for a MEPI funded job development project. The project will teach practical skills to young unemployed people on starting and running their own businesses. He also serves as manager of EL SPACE, a community shared workspace that he co-founded. EL SPACE provides interdisciplinary workshops for local business people and affordable office space for social entrepreneurs. While working on these initiatives, Nino developed project management skills: conception, research, design, planning, execution, quality control, and report writing. He is the volunteer head of an ongoing organization, Tunisian Association for Nature and Sustainable Development (ANDD), which educates people through public workshops and debates on climate change. This work followed his volunteer work with EVASIONS, an outdoor activity association which he co-founded, that encouraged good bodily health and exploration of Tunisia. Through EVASIONS, he learned how to manage large groups of people and organize events. He also managed the budget for EVASIONS and ANDD. Nino is determined to improve the community by developing social entrepreneurship thus encouraging economic development for young people.

Host: PYXERA Global

Fellow Role at Host Organization: Nino will assist in improving local partner and participant training/tools for the SAP program that has a focus on assisting entrepreneurs. He will also help with Ares client management, social media/communications, project development, and impact measurement.

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.

Alexandra has 9 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She received a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM) and a Master’s degree in International Cooperation for Development from Ortega y Gasset University Research Institute in Madrid, Spain. She was the Institutional Development Coordinator at Center Prodh – a human rights nonprofit in Mexico – for 8 years. She was also a consultant for AJWS. She has experience in strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, as well as knowledge on methodologies such as Logical Framework Approach and Theory of Change. She has worked with U.S. private foundations and the EU-Mexico cooperation. Her experiences have provided her with an understanding of the main human rights issues and confirmed her deep commitment with social justice and strengthening of civil society. Alexandra enjoys processes of learning, cultural exchanges, the outside and the arts.

Host Organization: Southwest Economic Solutions

Role at Host Organization: Alexandra will develop, implement, and
evaluate processes that integrate the work of SWES both programmatically and technologically.
Her work will culminate in both the implementation of new programs as well as an actionable
recommendation for integrative practices for the future.

Chiudo has eight years of experience in environmental management consulting and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Pure and Industrial Chemistry from the University of Nigeria, and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Technology and Management from the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. Chiudo is Head of Projects at Rumines Limited, an environmental technology and management consulting company in Nigeria. His responsibilities include project management, environmental research, data collection and analysis, as well as technical report writing. Since June 2016, he has served as Country Manager for Nigeria with Climate Scorecard – a U.S.-based organization that monitors how the top 25 greenhouse gas emitting countries implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. As a participant of the USAID Young African Leaders Initiative training program that held in Accra, Ghana, from October to December 2015, he served as Research and Outreach Volunteer with U.S.-based Leaders of the Free World, a nonprofit that aims to improve positive outcomes for young Black males through training on leadership and self-efficacy, and international travel. Chiudo helped to develop a White Paper on the LFW program and contributed to blog articles. He is interested in environmental protection and sustainable development, as well as entrepreneurship and youth empowerment.

Host Organization: Seeding Labs

Role at Host Organization: Chiudo will be responsible for managing several partnerships with universities in the Instrumental Access program. He will also help increase the annual capacity of universities that Seeding Labs can support.

Diana has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector offering legal services. She earned a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies from University of Rotterdam, Netherlands, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in Uganda, and a Bachelor’s of Law Degree from Uganda Christian University. She has worked with War Child Canada as the senior legal officer on the Bureau of Population, Refugee, and Migration (BPRM) a United States. Department of State Federal Assistance Grant project, and UN WOMEN Central Emergency Fund (CERF) project. She has advanced pro bono legal services to refugee sexual based violence survivors from South Sudan, the Congo, and Burundi. Previously, she worked for the Uganda Law Society Legal Aid Clinic on a Democratic Government Fun to represent children that come into conflict with the law. Diana prides herself in empowering women and girls to demand for their rights and seek justice through awareness raising, training, advocating for gender equality and ensuring that all human rights and fundamental freedoms for women and girls are respected, protected and fulfilled. Through these experiences, she has acquired skills in coordination, networking, mobilization, and strategic planning skills. Diane has a keen interest in human rights especially women and children’s rights, gender equality, and social justice. When she is not busy advocating for human rights or representing the marginalized in court, you will find her site seeing or busy in the kitchen trying out all kinds of recipes.

Host Organization: Heartland Alliance International

Role at Host Organization: Diana will provide legal support in subaward management, contract management, lease management and registration management, as well as providing translation as needed. She will provide back-end support to ensure quality operations that are on par or better than international standards and best practices.

Diego is an international business developer with 6 years of experience in business development, sourcing and sustainability within a Fortune 500 company as well as in international trade & investment in government
organizations. He holds a Bachelor’s dual-degree in International Business Management from ESB Reutlingen in Germany and Universidad de las Américas in Puebla and an MBA from Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM) in Mexico City. An upbringing in Mexico and the U.S., as well as extended academic and work experiences in Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and France, has given him keen cross cultural experiences and helped him become fluent in English, Spanish, German and French. Until recently, he led multi-sectoral efforts to promote Mexican exports and attract foreign direct investment as an international business consultant at the Trade & Investment Commission of Mexico in the U.S. and Germany. Previous experience includes leading Communication and PR Programs for Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility for water usage efficiency, residue management, renewable energy sources and human development within a Fortune 500 company. In 2016, he founded Xiik’ Business Accelerator, a boot camp for Mexican startups in founding stages with core businesses linked to environmentally sustainable business models. Through his experience as project leader in the public and private sector, he developed solid project management skills; enabling him to lead multiple projects and its budgets with a strategic approach while meeting strict time schedules and productivity targets. Diego is passionate about the current role of social entrepreneurship – with the firm belief of becoming a social entrepreneur himself – and would like to further pursue doctoral studies on how institutions can effectively foster economic development in Latin American countries.

Host Organization: Goodwill Industries International

Role at Host Organization: Diego will support Goodwill Industries International, Inc.’s goal to strategically expand the Goodwill social enterprise model internationally. He will join the International Development team, identifying new international opportunities, supporting existing international affiliates and partners, and contributing to broad initiatives including data collection and analysis, fundraising, the development of tools for the delivery of technical assistance and training to international partners, and other capacity-building mechanisms.

Dorena has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration and a Master’s of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tirana, Albania. She has been working as
Event Coordinator for around 5 months in a known company in Albania, which organizes big conferences for organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, OSBE, World Bank, and UN Women, among others. She is responsible for organizing meetings, social programs, conferences, and similar business events in Albania. Dorena has been part of Peace Corps Albania as a short-term Medical Assistant and full time Administrative Assistant for the U.S. Peace Corps office in Albania. She has also been working for three years as Head of Human Resources at Unique Junior Enterprise, a very active student organization operating in the Faculty of Economics. She has vast experience working with people from all over Europe on different projects, since she has been involved in several activities of the Erasmus program part of European Commission, such as training, youth exchanges, seminars and conferences in Albania and abroad. Through her experiences and volunteer work, she has developed strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a fast-moving, multi- cultural environment.

Host Organization: Young Professionals in Foreign Policy

Role at Host Organization: Dorena will be responsible for conducting financial and market research, assisting the Chief of Staff to maximize volunteer effectiveness, improving the organization’s HR system, and helping manage organizational and program budgets. She will work with the Executive Team to contribute to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies, and practices.

Efe has seven years of professional experience and almost ten years of volunteer experience in civil society. After finalizing his AFS year in Wisconsin in 2004, he started as a volunteer in community based activities in Istanbul, Turkey. As a graduate of Psychology, Bilkent University in 2010, he took civil society field as a profession and worked both in the field and in providing operational support with UN-FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations), AFS (American Field Service) Turkey, Violence Stories in Turkey with CRA (Cross Cultural Research Association), LGBT and Human Rights with SPoD (Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association) and KAOS GL, and Refugee and Asylum Seekers Rights with MdM (Medecins du Monde). As his primary interest in Human and LGBTQ Rights, he has prioritized a gender-based advocacy in the institutions and projects he has worked for. In 2015, he founded Harup, a project space that combines LGBTQ advocacy and arts as a medium. He has worked with several national and international media platforms where his writings and interviews were published. His intention is to be able to combine his passion for arts and culture and human and LGBTQ rights in order to work closely with different advocacy methods while keeping ties with local and global community.

Host Organization: Human Rights Campaign

Fellow Role at Host Organization: Efe will be a member of the HRC’s Global Office assisting with assignments to support programs in HRC Global and the HRC Foundation.