Invest Appalachia is a regional blended capital platform, designed to accelerate and expand community investment across Central Appalachia. We build on our region’s existing strengths, working side-by-side with partners who are rooted in place and understand their community. We take a broad view, looking across the region to aggregate opportunities and overcome common investment obstacles that hold back progress. We connect community-centered projects and businesses to creative and flexible capital. We identify clusters of opportunity and target deals that accelerate the growth of key wealth-building industries. Our goal? Helping to finance Appalachia’s transition to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable economic future.As the Director of Community Impact, I act as a touchpoint for community members and stakeholders, developing, nurturing and leading effective working relationships with a diverse range of community partners including the Appalachia Funders Network, Central Appalachia Network, financial institutions, community groups, local governments, regional planning districts, non-profit organizations and socially minded corporations. Together with our partners, I will shape and guide Invest Appalachia’s Community Advisory Council as they seek to accelerate the pipeline of investable opportunities in Central Appalachia through the deployment of catalytic capital. I will also lead strategic initiatives around ecosystem development, capacity and skill-building, and development of a robust, inclusive, and community-centered pipeline of projects. Lastly, I will act as a “mission steward” for Invest Appalachia, ensuring we continuously strive to advance inclusive practices and create equitable impacts for Appalachian communities.

• Program Officer for Executive Director’s Discretionary Fund and Good Neighbor Program • Coordinate Foundation's Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning • Conduct research on areas of interest and collaboration • Coordinate priorities of Senior Management Team, communications with Board of Directors, and grants committee meetings for US & UK Programs • Lead planning of Unbound’s annual Board-Staff Retreat

Refugee and migrants rights intern within AIUSA's Identity and Discrimination Unit:-Drafted policy briefs on proposed legislation pertaining to the global refugee crisis and migrants’ rights-Conducted research on migrants rights in Central and Northern American-Developed, design, and wrote materials to be used in AIUSA advocacy campaigns-Wrote for organization’s blog

-Conducted research on the effectiveness of mineral certification and traceability systems in combatting illicit trade of minerals from entering Rwanda.-Carried out semi-structured interviews with informants working within the Rwandan Government, Private sector mining, and civil society groups to gauge perceptions on the varying schemes in place (ITSCi & ICGLR).-Visited mines of varying size to observe the bagging and tagging practices of mines in the Western province of Rwanda as well as Kigali District.

-Conducted a systematic literature review of the academic literature on the effectiveness of issuing certificates of ownership to small-scale and traditional landholders as a form of protection from large-scale land grabs.-The research was used to analyze Concern’s land rights programs in Tanzania.

-Co-coordinating with staff in building community service program.-Assisted in the planning and coordination of spring and fall student orientation.-Participated in planning and registration of Student Services Office student trips all around Italy.

-Operating volunteer programs at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center in Rome, Italy. Directing English and Italian learning programs, and handling registration of incoming refugees. -Developed and maintained ACADO children’s orphanage in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Darfur Stoves Program, Caravan Aid Project, and other organizations. -Coordinated bi-annual used text book-sale fundraiser. During my time we increased books sale revenues from 3000 euro per sale to 6000 euro minimum per sale.-Organized concert fundraisers with local artists at John Cabot University to raise funds for partner organizations.-Organized awareness campaigns over migrant and refugee crisis in Italy, included organizing a compilation of refugee and migrant’s stories of their journeys to Rome titled, “Traveling Feet”.-Hosted weekly meetings to organize volunteer activities and hold lectures on genocide, mass atrocity, and conflict given by university faculty, guest speakers, and board members.

-Remained up to date with news outlets, blogs, and contacts in Sudan/South Sudan and reported on political, economic, and social issues within the country focusing on the role of natural resources and conflict -Periodically writing for organization’s blog-Drafting US policy proposals and suggestions regarding Sudan/S. Sudan-Worked with other board members in coordinating STAND outreach to university chapters globally

-First point of contact for constituents.-Assisted Staff by attending congressional committee meetings.-Carried out research on proposed legislation.