I marry my passion for social justice and equity with systems thinking and organizational development skills to increase economic opportunity for those often excluded. Growing up in Botswana, I began by working on basic education as a key factor in escaping poverty, transitioned to the skills and preparation to successfully transition from school to work in the U.S. and applied that knowledge to support opportunity youth in the global context. I broadened my focus to economic development given the intrinsic connections between employment and entrepreneurship, business growth and economic ecosystems.Some examples of how I've lived this out: I advised the D.C. Workforce Investment Council on coordinating workforce and economic development initiatives to enhance recovery from COVID; researched and co-wrote a guidebook on labor market responsiveness for U.S. community college leadership; designed and advised a project preparing 25,000 Ghanaian youth for work opportunities while simultaneously strengthening the capacity and coordination of the construction sector; and established an economic empowerment department that served the clients of a legal aid organization in Zambia with microfinance loans. I specialize in designing and launching programs and developing strategies that create immediate impact and facilitate systems change. I have experience in overseeing and advising implementation to ensure that programs are of high-quality and draw upon best practices, acting as a coach for staff. My analytical mindset and analysis skills help me translate the findings of assessments and research into actionable steps or the design of a winning grant proposal. Speaking of proposals, I'm a persuasive communicator who gets a lot of kudos on my writing. My passion is evident when presenting, I'm a practiced meeting facilitator. and have negotiated more partnerships than I can recall. I'm always interested in connecting with others applying systems thinking and innovation to workforce and inclusive economic development.
Listed skills include Program Development, International Development, Proposal Writing, Capacity Building, and 12 others.
