Speakers
Keynote Speakers
H.E. Ramatoulaye Diallo
Ramatoulaye (Rama) Diallo is the founder and CEO of GGWoA Foundation. An organization aimed at enabling climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives across Africa, to improve lives for Africans, particularly women, children, and youths. Through the foundation, she has led major climate action initiatives in Africa; notably; 1) the initiative to drive awareness of the Great Green Wall project across the Sahelian communities and engage stakeholders and policy makers to prioritize the project in the development agenda for the region. 2) the initiative to engage private sector in the Great Green Wall project to mobilize more financial resources to catalyze the reforestation effort across the Sahel. 3) the effort to drive the inclusion of women and youths in climate actions across Africa. This effort is part of Rama’s mission to develop and empower African women and youths.
Thelma Ekiyor- Solanke
Mrs. Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke brings over 23 years of dedicated experience in the development Philanthropy and Impact Investing sectors. She is the current pioneer Chairperson of the first-ever Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact Investing (NPO)- a private sector led coordinating Office, domiciled in the Office of the Vice President. In 2021 - 2022, the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, USA named Mrs. Ekiyor-Solanke as one of the top 10 Black Women working Philanthropy and Impact Investing globally and she received the “Black Women Give Back” global Honourees Award. Mrs. Ekiyor-Solanke is the co-Founder/Chair of SME.NG. She also served as its Managing Partner. She is the Co- Founder/Chairperson of Afrigrants, a social enterprise.
C.D. Glin
C.D. Glin is President of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact for PepsiCo. In this role, Glin leads the organization’s social- and community-driven impact efforts and a portfolio of global employee engagement programs. Glin oversees the Foundation's strategic direction, leading internal and external engagement around The PepsiCo Foundation's three core pillars of creating equitable access to nutritious food, safe water, and economic opportunity. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Glin began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa during the Mandela administration. He also served as President and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation, Associate Director of The Rockefeller Foundation and Vice President for Business Development at PYXERA Global.
Mathilde Mukantabana
Dr. Mathilde Mukantabana serves as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States of America, as well as non-resident Ambassador to Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Her ambassadorial responsibilities include advancing Rwandan policies and priorities abroad, championing Rwanda’s culture, history and economy, and leading/engaging Rwanda’s residential and professional communities throughout the U.S. Prior to her diplomatic career, Ambassador Mukantabana served in higher education as a tenured professor of History and as a lecturer in Social Work, served on the Sonoma State University board of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and prior to academia, worked as a social worker for the California State Department of Health.
Dr. Monde Muyangwa
Dr. Monde Muyangwa serves as the Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Africa. She has over 25 years of senior-level experience on Africa and U.S.-Africa relations, including working with African governments, international partners, civil society, academia, and the US and African private sector. Dr. Muyangwa most recently worked as the Director of the Africa Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where she led programs and research designed to analyze and offer practical, actionable options for addressing some of Africa’s most critical, current, and over-the-horizon issues; foster policy-focused dialogue about and options for stronger and mutually-beneficial U.S.-Africa relations; and challenge the dominant narrative about Africa by enhancing knowledge and understanding about the continent in the United States.
Welcome Remarks and Context Setter
Motaz Attalla
Motaz Attalla is Senior Program Officer, Engagement on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's North America team, where he supports the Foundation's partnerships with civil rights and diaspora organizations. Previously, he has worked on multi-stakeholder systems-change initiatives with the Garfield Foundation, and on human rights and education reform in his native Egypt.
Honorable Supervisor Susan Ellenberg
Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg represents the almost 400,000 residents in District 4, which includes the unincorporated community of Burbank, much of West San Jose, and the cities of Campbell and Santa Clara. She serves as President of the Board of Supervisors as well as the Chair of the County’s Public Safety and Justice Committee and Vice Chair of the Finance and Government Operations Committee. Among her accomplishments, President Ellenberg and Vice President Otto Lee in January 2022 led the County in declaring mental health and substance abuse a public health crisis in order to advance a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response.
David M. Rice
David M. Rice is a senior tourism and hospitality executive with over 30 years of leadership and management experience in private and public sectors including tourism, hospitality, government and social service organizations. David’s tourism experience includes his tenure as CEO Barbados Tourism Authority which he led for four years, as well as his continued experience with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism, California Travel & Tourism Commission and the United Nations & Tourism Association. Since 2020, David has been working as an Investment Executive (USA) with Invest Barbados and integrates his extensive multi sector experience in the United States and Caribbean to promote the vibrant culture and diversified growing economy of Barbados as ideal for investment opportunities.
Dr. Martin Russell
Martin completed his PhD at the UCD Clinton Institute where his research focused on the strategic engagement of diaspora media, diaspora philanthropy, and diaspora politics in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Northern Ireland Peace Process. He is the founder of Global Diaspora Insights (GDI), which provides advisory, research, policy, and training on diaspora engagement. He was a visiting research fellow at the United Nations University in Maastricht and currently sits on the Advisory Board of Ireland Reaching Out. He is also an advisor at The Networking Institute (TNI). GDI and TNI have collaboratively worked in over 50 countries on diaspora engagement.
Paddy Siyanga Knudsen
Paddy Siyanga Knudsen is a Zambian national with over 17 years of professional experience as a Development Economist. She holds a Master in Financial Economics from SOAS and BSc Development & Economics from London School of Economics. Her work covers development cooperation, regional integration and migration governance. Her experience includes supporting governments, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), bilateral development partners, EU institutions, Civil society as well as UN agencies in engagement strategies, research, programme formulation, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation. On migration governance, she has worked with IOM, UNESCO, UNHCR, EU, civil society, foundations and diaspora organisations in continental Europe, Jordan, China, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe as well as other assignments in West, East and Southern Africa
Speakers
Dr. Gertrude Mwangala Akapelwa
Doctor Gertrude Mwangala Akapelwa is the Founder and Vice Chancellor of the Victoria Falls University of Technology in Livingstone-Zambia. She is leading the establishment of the Victoria Falls University Clean Energy Limited and promoting innovations in economic sectors. Dr. worked at the African Development Bank in Ivory Coast and Tunisia for 25 years, managed ICT infrastructure, and led the AfDB initiatives in ICT for development.
Mimi Alemayehou
Mimi Alemayehou is the Founder and Managing Partner of Semai Ventures LLC, which collaborates with mission-driven enterprises to advance sustainable development in emerging economies. She is also a Senior Advisor of the Three Cairns Group, an investment and philanthropic firm working to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Previously, she was Senior Vice President for Public-Private Partnerships at Mastercard where her portfolio included initiatives designed to catalyze social impact and financial inclusion in emerging markets. As Managing Director of the Black Rhino Group and Chair of Blackstone Africa Infrastructure, she advanced major energy and infrastructure projects across Africa.
Degan Ali
Degan Ali is an internationally-renowned humanitarian leader who has been at the forefront of shifting power for decades. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellow for Social Innovation, a contributor to the Overseas Development Institute/Humanitarian Policy Group and the Global Food Security Journal. Degan is also the co-founder of the first Global South civil society network for local and national humanitarian organizations, the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR). She is an innovator, translating ground-breaking ideas into action, such as pioneering the first large-scale cash transfer, in 2003 in Somalia, leading the transition to global acceptance of cash assistance.
Magdi M. Amin
Magdi M. Amin is the Managing Partner of African Renaissance Partners, a venture capital firm backing innovators and entrepreneurs who use technology to solve development challenges in East Africa and the Horn. Before launching ARP, Magdi held leadership roles in multilateral development banks, philanthropy, government, and the private sector. He served as Sr. Advisor to the Minister of Finance in the Transitional Government of Sudan (2020-2021), helping with macroeconomic stabilization, access to multilateral finance, external debt restructuring, and reforming the financial sector. Magdi spent two decades with the World Bank and IFC, in Bangkok, Addis Ababa, and Cairo focused on private sector development, economics, and strategy.
Emma Andrews
Emma Andrews, Pharm.D. is Pfizer’s Vice President, Global Patient Advocacy, leading the organization’s work to embed the patient perspective across all Pfizer’s efforts – from bench to bedside, and beyond. A registered pharmacist, Emma is passionate about helping people live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. In her current role, Emma works with internal and external stakeholders to advance patient-focused programs across the enterprise. Emma joined Pfizer in 1999 and has held a variety of positions in Operations, Research and Strategy. Prior to her current role, Emma was Senior Director US/Global Medical Affairs Team Lead for the Women’s Health Franchise.
Nicholas M. Bassey
Nicholas M. Bassey is Deputy Vice President for MCC’s Department of Congressional and Public Affairs, where he works to strengthen relationships with Congress, NGOs, businesses, government officials, and the U.S. public. His portfolio includes the planning, implementation, and oversight of domestic and international communications, media relations, events, and digital and outreach strategies, and as well as nurturing strategic relationships with key partners. Mr. Bassey previously served as Division Chief for Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Institutional Capacity in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s PSE Hub. There, he fostered strategic alliances to enhance the Agency’s capacity to leverage private sector resources for international development.
Paul Belknap
Paul Belknap is a seasoned impact investor with over 10 years of experience in the social enterprise space. He is currently Director of Impact Investing at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, where he leads fundraising and investment activities for Miller Center Capital and provides investment readiness and fundraising support for social enterprises. He is also on the Stewardship Group of Pollinate Impact. Prior to joining the Miller Center, Paul was the Co-Founder of Monarch Parents, a venture funded maternal health tech company. He also served as the Chief Operating Officer of Villgro Africa, where he led the improvement of diligence and portfolio management processes. In addition, Paul has held investment roles at Villgro Innovations Foundation and Menterra Venture Advisors. Paul holds an MBA from the Smeal College of Business at Penn State, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University. He is passionate about using his skills and experience to help social entrepreneurs build successful businesses that make a positive impact on the world.
Brian Bell
Adopted at birth, Brian has always understood the limitations and opportunities that are defined by geography. In his career, he has sought to contribute to and create digital solutions that enable people, workers, and ideas to overcome geographic limitations. He spent many years at Upwork, helping grow it to the world's largest work marketplace. More recently, his attention has shifted to more focused communities within Security and Legal. Having been the Board President for A2SV since 2021, in 2024 he will take a more active role. His aim is to utilize digital marketplaces and online communities to unlock new opportunities for African talent, fostering growth and innovation.
Karishma Bhagani
Karishma Bhagani is a producer, dramaturg and theatre-maker from Mombasa, Kenya. Karishma is keen on contributing to the development of a sustainable creative economy within East Africa, as well as sharing African stories around the globe. Karishma has worked at the LAM Sisterhood in Kenya, the Tebere Arts Foundation in Uganda and the Nairobi Musical Theater Initiative. She was also a fellow at the Georgetown Lab for Global Performance and Politics (2019-2022). Production credits include: Goddess: The Musical, The Manic Monologues: Africa Edition, Theatre for One: Nairobi Edition. She graduated from New York University with a B.F.A in Theatre and History and is currently pursuing her PhD at Stanford University.
Romi Bhatia
Mr. Romi Bhatia is the Senior Finance and Investment Advisor for USAID’s Africa Bureau supporting the strategic priorities of Prosper Africa; a presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows. Mr. Bhatia has worked for the past 20 years in the international development and finance field with a focus on microfinance, small business development, and mobilizing private capital for development. During his 10-year span at USAID, Mr. Bhatia has also served in roles as the Sr. Advisor for Diaspora Engagement and Africa Team Lead for the former Office of Development Credit and currently oversees the Prosper Africa Catalytic Investment Facility.
Olufunto Boroffice
Funto Boroffice is the founder/CEO of award winning Chanja Datti Ltd, a waste collection & recycling social enterprise dedicated to transforming the waste in her environment to value and creating jobs and positioned to solve the growing plastic waste and unemployment crisis in Africa. Chanja Datti’s 4-pronged sustainability model focuses on waste management solutions that reduce CO2 emissions, creation of economic opportunities through the circularity of plastics, engaging on principles of circular economy, and economic empowerment of women and youths via job creation. She started her career in the US, where she spent 17 years gaining global experience, 12 of which were with GE as an executive.
Wilson Da Silva
At the African Leadership Academy, Wilson leads the charge in identifying the next generation of African leaders as the Director of Enrollment Management. His extensive tenure has seen him forging strategic partnerships and spearheading educational initiatives across more than twenty countries on the continent. Wilson's expertise is bolstered by a BA in Communication Science and management, alongside his current Executive MBA studies. He is a driving force in educational innovation and a catalyst for empowering the continent's youth.
Thomas Debass
Thomas Debass serves as Managing Director of the Office of Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State. Thomas is responsible for coordinating the Department’s private sector engagement efforts and providing thought leadership on partnerships related to economic growth, global finance, entrepreneurship, and innovation. His notable partnership accomplishments include: Fishackathon, Unreasonable Goals, Women In Science (WiSci) Camp, Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP), Liberalizing Innovation Opportunity Nations (LIONS@FRICA), and Boldline PPP Accelerator. Thomas has played a leading role in promoting and institutionalizing the role of public private partnerships as a tool for advancing foreign policy and development objectives.
Pedro De Vasconcelos
Pedro De Vasconcelos is the Programme Manager of IFAD’s multi-donor Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR) and Lead Senior Technical Specialist on remittances, migration and inclusive finance. The US$62 million Facility, under his leadership, tests and scales innovative approaches on migration and economic development by maximizing the impact of remittances and migrant investment in migrants’ communities of origin. Mr De Vasconcelos has over 20 years of internationally recognized expertise in this field and contributes actively to national, regional and global policy agendas supporting the inclusion of remittances, migration, financial inclusion. In addition, he is also the originator and coordinator of IFAD’s UN-mandated International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR) and the Global Forum on Remittances, Investment and Development (GFRID).
Ali Diallo
“Tonton” Ali Diallo is a Senegalese American investor and entrepreneur focused on sustainable capitalism which combines profit, planet, and purpose. He is the Founder of Aurion Capital, an investment holding group, and the Managing Partner of NOVA West Virginia Investment Fund. He serves as a Managing Director at Clearbrook, an investment firm with over $10B in Assets Under Management where he co-leads ClearImpact Ventures, a VC firm that manages NOVA Prime, a fund he launched with LG Electronics. He co-founded United Capital, a Dubai-based industry consortium; Blutel, a company addressing the digital divide; and ACE (Alliance for Connected Economies), a global investment initiative that builds bridges between the US and the EMEA.
Nasser Diallo
Nasser Diallo is the Founder & CEO of Clinic+O, a social enterprise that builds technology-enabled primary care solutions to eliminate barriers to accessing quality healthcare for marginalized communities in West Africa. Before starting Clinic+O, Nasser worked as a Public Policy Analyst at Facebook where he helped design programs that support digital literacy, prevent internet shutdowns and stimulate the growth of the digital economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Nasser has a BA from The George Washington University, and Master’s degrees from Oxford University (UK) and Sciences Po (France). He is passionate about using digital technology to develop practical, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions that will improve health and well-being for communities across West Africa.
Patricia Dwyer
Pat is an internationally respected sustainability expert. She is passionate about sharing her 20+ years of experience and leadership to help businesses in Asia activate purpose, manage ESG impacts and grow responsibly to future-proof their businesses. She has guest lectured-and continues to speak and moderate-across global platforms including The Obama Foundation, The World Economic Forum, The University of Cambridge, The Climate Competent Boards Certificate Program, and the Thomas Reuters Foundation, sharing her insights in sustainability, purpose, leadership, and governance. Before founding TPB in 2015, Pat led teams at the Shangri-La Hotels and Ayala Land, setting standards in corporate sustainability with firsts, such as a shark fin's ban, DJSI listing, impact measurements, and LEED developments.
Josh Ghaim, Ph.D.
Josh Ghaim is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Studio, a new brand and innovation accelerator focused in the Health and Beauty markets as well as investments and support of Women and Minority led start-ups.
Kristal Hansley
As the CEO and Founder of WeSolar Inc., the first Black Woman-owned community solar development company in the U.S., Kristal has accrued over 8 years of hands-on experience in solar and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) development. Her prior role as a policy adviser to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid underscores her commitment to addressing policy issues related to clean energy.
Uzodinma Iweala
Uzodinma Iweala is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, and medical doctor. As the CEO of The Africa Center, he is dedicated to promoting new narratives about Africa and its Diaspora. Uzodinma was the CEO, Editor-In-Chief, and co-Founder of Ventures Africa magazine, a publication that covers the evolving business, policy, culture, and innovation spaces in Africa. His books include Beasts of No Nation, a novel released in 2005 to critical acclaim and adapted into a major motion picture; Our Kind of People, a non-fiction account of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria released in 2012; and Speak No Evil (2018), a novel about a queer first-generation Nigerian-American teen living in Washington, D.C.
Rohit Jain
Rohit is the CIO for Harvard Business School Alumni Association and serves on the Advisory Board. In addition to his CIO responsibilities, Rohit is an investor / advisor at the Harvard Business School Angels, advisor at the Harvard New Venture Contest and a Mentor at the Innovation Lab, Harvard University. He serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory board and is frequently quoted in Forbes. He is an alum of Harvard Business School.He is also the Vice President of Technology, Applications and Analytics at iRhythm (Nasdaq: IRTC) a digital healthcare company redefining the way cardiac arrhythmias are clinically diagnosed by combining wearable biosensing technology with deep machine-learning capabilities.
John Kamara
John Kamara is a Pan-Africa smart technology thought leader, investor, and technology entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in business growth and market expertise. As the CEO and co-founder of Adanian Labs, he has a mission to actuate the tech revolution in Africa by investing in and building tech ventures, building smart technology capacity, launching tech tools to impact multiple sectors, and helping tech companies scale across the continent. John's expertise spans AI, blockchain, IoT, and smart technologies, and he has successfully delivered multi-million dollar global initiatives and projects both online and offline in corporate and government sectors in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Triomphant Tchulang Kouogue
Triomphant Tchulang Kouogue has more than nine years of experience in the renewable energy field and is the chief executive officer of Clean Energy Services with a Project Management Professional(PMP) Certificate. He focuses on solar energy, energy transition, solar cooling, and access to essential services in remote areas. Triomphant holds a Master of Engineering in Renewable Energies and is committed to helping communities in even the most remote places have access to electricity, water, and other essential services. He has won numerous awards for his work, including first prize in the EDF (Electricité de France) Pulse Africa Tour 2019 and, in 2021, being named one of the top three most innovative Sustainable Development Goal 7 project leaders by SE4ALL (Sustainable Energy for All); he was also a DOW challenge champion in Dakar.
Deniece Laurent-Mantey
Deniece Laurent-Mantey serves as the Executive Director of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States and the senior State Department representative for the U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit. From April 2021 – February 2023 she served as the Director for Africa at the White House National Security Council where she led over 18 U.S. government agencies and coordinated with various stakeholders to execute President Biden’s priorities for the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and was the policy architect behind the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement.
Kiazi Malongo
Kiazi Malonga is a second generation Congolese American born into a family of artists. He was first introduced to the Ngoma drum at age two by his father Malonga Casquelourd, a world-renowned traditional drummer, dancer and choreographer from Congo Brazzaville. Casquelourd traveled to the US in 1972 and shortly thereafter began to build his exceptional legacy in the traditional arts in the US. It was in this setting that Kiazi Malonga was trained and learned about his Congolese cultural heritage. He became the lead drummer of his father’s dance company, Fua Dia Congo, at age 16 and began teaching at that time as well.
Latanya Mapp
Latanya Mapp is the President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), a global nonprofit that remains at the forefront of philanthropic growth and innovation, with a mission to accelerate philanthropy in pursuit of a just world. RPA currently advises on and manages more than $500 million in annual giving by individuals, families, foundations, and corporations while also serving as a fiscal sponsor for more than 100 projects. Previously, Ms Mapp was President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women and prior to that, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global, the international arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, with regional and country offices in Africa and Latin America.
Edward Moses Mbewe
Edward is a Just Energy Transition (JET) advocate, working at the nexus of rapid electrification in sub-Saharan Africa and critical energy technology assessments. As founder/lead of the newly established Youth Council on Energy - Africa, Edward aims to empower young people to drive sustainable solutions for the continent's energy needs through entrepreneurship, research, and policy. Recognized as a G20 Young Global Changer by the World Policy Forum as well as a Fred Hansen Leadership Institute Fellow at the University of San Diego, Edward brings a diverse perspective and deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing African youth in tackling the global climate crisis.
Helen Meldrum
Helen Meldrum, PhD has over 20 years in Consumer Healthcare industry and has a passion for translating science & technology into consumer relevant products. She is currently Head of Science Hub North America at Sanofi CHC. Helen previously worked at GSK Consumer Healthcare in Skin & Respiratory Health and before that in Unilever within Personal Care & Health Categories. Helen has a PhD in Molecular & Cellular Biology from University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom in the area of heart disease
Yeukai Mlambo
Yeukai Angela Mlambo (PhD) is Executive Director of Africa Initiatives in the office of Global Academic Initiatives at Arizona State University, and Assistant Research Professor at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU. Her administrative portfolio encompasses advancing the university's African initiatives and strategy, and overseeing various EdTech projects, scholarships, and programs. Her academic scholarship is focused on transforming higher education leadership by emphasizing access, inclusivity, and equity for historically marginalized groups. She brings a wealth of strategic, operational, and relational expertise across educational and international development sectors.
Hugh Molotsi
Hugh Molotsi is the President and CTO of BuyNothing, a gift economy platform. Hugh is a seasoned product and technology leader with over 30 years of experience developing global solutions for small businesses and consumers. Hugh is an accomplished innovator and has helped launch several disruptive products. He has expertise in leadership development and digital transformation and has led diversity and inclusion initiatives. Hugh had a 22-year career at Intuit where his last position was Engineering Fellow and Vice President of Innovation. In 2011, Hugh became the first recipient of Intuit’s Founders Innovation Award for his contributions helping launch Intuit’s payments business. Hugh serves on the boards of Barloworld (BAW:SJ) and the Mozilla Corporation.
Stanley Mukasa
Stanley Mukasa is the Associate Director of Entrepreneurship at CMU-Africa, where drives initiatives in tech-entrepreneurship, believing in its capacity to create decent jobs in Africa. He identifies promising tech startups and links them to support programs through CMU-Africa’s Industry Innovation Lab. Stanley serves as a board member for the Global Entrepreneurship Network. He held several leadership roles in entrepreneurship at African Leadership University (ALU) and Davis College Akilah. He received his Ph.D. from The Swiss Management Center, a Master’s in Economic Policy Management from Makerere University, and an iMBA specializing in Strategic Innovation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Eric Rutayisire Muziga
Eric holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. As a seasoned systems engineer, he boasts a rich history in pioneering new technologies and tech products worldwide. In 2014, Eric established Charis UAS, the premier drone company in Rwanda, dedicated to furnishing aerial imagery for informed decision-making. Under his leadership, Charis UAS expanded its services to encompass diverse sectors including climate resilience, agriculture, mining, healthcare, and infrastructure across eight African nations. Recognized for his groundbreaking work, Eric earned a spot on the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 list in the technology category and clinched a top-three ranking in the All Africa Business Leader Award's Young Business and Innovator category.
Sr. Josephine Nabulya
Sr. Josephine Nabulya belongs to the Institute of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix Ggogonya (IHMR), Uganda. She is an Accountant by profession with a master's degree in administration and management. She is interested in farming. Currently she is the Treasurer General of the Institute and a Marketing Manager of the Social Enterprise (Sunga Coffee Social Enterprise.
Almaz Negash
Almaz Negash, a prominent trailblazer in Silicon Valley, has been recognized as one of the 12 inaugural members of President Biden’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States. Leveraging 25 plus years of experience in international trade, business management, and social innovation, Negash is able to build successful partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, including Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, investors, and entrepreneurs based in the USA and around the world. In 2010, Almaz founded African Diaspora Network (ADN) to inform and engage Africans in the diaspora and facilitate direct collaboration with social entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to invest and improve the lives of everyone on the continent.She has also been named as one of Silicon Valley 100 outstanding Women of Influence for her significant contributions to social innovation.
Chike Nwoffiah
Chike Nwoffiah is an award-winning film and theater producer and director with over 50 productions to his credit. He is the founding director of the Silicon Valley African Film Festival and president of Rhesus Media Group. He serves on the President’s Community Advisory Council of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and boards of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Precious Kids Foundation, and Pavillion Afriques at the Cannes Film Festival. Nwoffiah was inducted into the Silicon Valley Black Legends Hall of Fame in 2021 and awarded the Cornerstone of the Arts Award by the City of San Jose in 2022. He received ADN’s African Luminaire Award in 2023.
Naomi Nwokolo
Naomi Nwokolo is an award-winning international development attorney, currently serving as the Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, the country office of the United Nations Global Compact - the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Under Nwokolo's leadership, the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria has become a leading voice for sustainability and responsible corporate practices in Nigeria and Africa. She has successfully led numerous initiatives and programs aimed at promoting sustainable business practices, such as workshops and training sessions for companies on ESG risk management. She has also played a critical role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria through projects aimed at improving the lives of people.
Angela Naa Afoley Odai
Angela Naa Afoley Odai is the Head of the Diaspora Division, Directorate of Citizens and Diaspora (CIDO), at the African Union Commission. She is a Migration, Diaspora and Development expert with 16 years of professional experience. Angela has previously worked as a Labour Migration Advisor with the Programme Migration for Development of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as well as the International Organization for Migration (IOM/UN Migration) as a Diaspora Engagement Consultant where she contributed to the establishment and operationalization of the erstwhile Diaspora Support Unit- Ghana’s National Platform for Diaspora Engagement, Migration and Development for 5 years.
Oyetola Oduyemi
Oyetola is responsible for driving sustainable solutions to health and related developmental challenges, through private, philanthropic, and public sector engagement, advocacy, public policy influencing, and partnerships in countries across Africa, at the END Fund. Prior to joining the international development sector, she worked in various industries including financial services, energy, and telecommunications; and handled regional roles covering different markets. She is a business sustainability leader, and sustainable development expert. She holds some trustee/advisory board roles, focused on business sustainability through the specific lens of public affairs, corporate governance, and business purpose.
Nkeiruka Oruche
Nkeiruka Oruche, a multimedia creative, cultural organizer, and producer, founded and directs Afro Urban Society, a hub for Pan African arts and culture. She created and directed ‘Mixtape of the Dead & Gone #1’’ dance-theater comedy about death and igbo cosmology. In 2023, she was on the creative team of ‘Nollywood Dreams’ at SF Playhouse. Oruche was a Dance/USA Artist Fellow, Kikwetu Honors Awardee, a NYFA Immigrant Artist Fellow, and YBCA 100 Honoree. She has received awards from Creative Work Fund, MAP Fund, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and California Arts Council. Her work has been featured in BBC Africa, Goethe-Institut, Fjord Review, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Coal City University-Enugu, and Oakland Museum of California.
Omolayo Nkem Oyudo
Omolayo is a multi-lingual strategist and researcher with over ten years experience in international development and has worked with or for African diaspora communities across the US, Europe and Africa to mobilise, impact and advocate for their needs and interests. Omolayo holds an MSc with Distinction in Migration, Mobility and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Prior to joining ADN, Omolayo was a research manager and gender specialist at DMA Global where she oversaw key projects for organisations such as the World Bank, IOM and others.
Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall
Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall is a highly accomplished virologist, holding a doctorate in public health and having pursued studies at respected institutions worldwide. As the CEO of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) since 2016, his research focuses on arboviruses and viral hemorrhagic fever viruses. Dr. Sall has contributed significantly to the field, with over 200 published articles and 300 scientific presentations. He has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Grand Prize of the President of Senegal for sciences and the UNESCO Prize for life sciences. Beyond academia, he has expertise in public health and has played crucial roles in combating Ebola and addressing Zika outbreaks.
Shingai Samudzi
Data scientist by training, Shingai has built AI-based tools for driving greater efficiency in major industries for nearly 20 years. Currently, with Asoba, he is building Africa's largest private retail clean energy marketplace, with a goal of 10GW under management by 2030.
Ruka Sanusi
Ruka Sanusi is an accomplished management consultant with 30 years of consulting experience in Europe and across sub-Saharan Africa. Her career has been built around abilities to both provide advice on matters of business/organisational strategy, operations and transformation, and organizing resources and facilities to implement recommendations – she has strategic and operational ability. Ruka is currently the Executive Director of the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC), a pioneering national business incubator providing business and financial services to climate entrepreneurs. The Centre is an institute of Ashesi University.
Ham Serunjogi
Ham Serunjogi is the Co-founder & CEO of African fintech giant, Chipper Cash. As CEO, Ham heads the Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for leading the company’s overall direction and strategy. After graduating from Grinnell College in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Ham began his career at Meta (formerly Facebook) where he worked in their Dublin, Ireland office responsible for building partner relationships with some of Facebook’s biggest UK advertisers. Ham was appointed by President Biden to serve as a Member of the inaugural President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement (PAC-ADE).
Kady Sylla
Kady Sylla serves as Myriad USA’s Director – Africa. She oversees Myriad USA's partnerships with African nonprofits and donor relations, network-building, and programs. She brings a vital philanthropy and international development background and has dedicated her career to Africa’s social sector. Kady’s prior experience includes working with public and private institutions like USAID, Open Society Foundations (OSF), and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). Her passion for social justice and commitment to social impact in Africa is driven by her and her family’s experience of being forced to leave their native Guinea (West Africa) as refugees for settlement in New York.
Oula Tarssim
A native of Germany to Tunisian parents, Oula holds a Master's Degree in Information and Organization Management and Strategic Marketing from Niederrhein University. Commencing her career in strategic marketing and management consultancy, she oversaw 20+ European projects. Transitioning to Tunisia, she served as a Project Manager at the German Tunisian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, leading initiatives funded by the German government. Joining the German Development Cooperation, she coordinated the Program Migration and Development, establishing the Tunisian Center for Jobs, Migration, and Reintegration. As a Senior Project Manager, her focus remains on Migration, Diaspora Engagement, and Financial Inclusion.
Kedest Tesfagiorgis
Kedest is an experienced systems thinker whose work is guided by her belief that coalition building, and inclusive partnerships are essential to solving the world’s toughest problems and improving the human condition. Her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – and through her board and volunteer positions – is centered around building communities with diverse perspectives who can be mobilized to find solutions to existing & emerging challenges. Currently, Kedest leads the Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She has grown the foundation’s flagship innovation program into a global network, working with partners across Africa, Brazil and South Asia to create their own innovation programs.
Deirdre White
Deirdre White, a globally recognized leader in building tri-sector partnerships to address the world’s most pressing challenges, is president and CEO of Pyxera Global. Deirdre’s expertise spans private, public, and social sector experiences. Her social sector tenure at Pyxera Global is complemented by early career roles at the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) and American Councils. She has also served on the Boards of Directors of the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy, and IMPACT2030. She currently serves on the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Advisory Council and on the Leadership Council for Better World Leadership.
Elizabeth Wathuti
Elizabeth Wathuti is a multi-award winning passionate Kenyan Environmentalist and Young Climate Leader. She is the visionary Founder of the Green Generation Initiative (GGI) and recently won the TIME100 Impact Awards in Singapore. She is the youngest Kenyan presidential appointee serving as a commissioner representing Civil Society and Youths at the Nairobi Rivers Commission. She also serves as a Commissioner on the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW) alongside H.E President Tharman Shanmugaratnam – President, Republic of Singapore, Ngozi Okonjo – Iweala, Director General, World Trade Organization, Professor Johan Rockstrom, among other Commissioners.
Mathias Charles Yabe
Mathias Charles Yabe, Ghanaian social entrepreneur and innovator.
Founder and CEO at AkoFresh, an innovative startup that strengthens food systems using climate smart solutions.
To date, he has contributed to the implementation of five social impact projects, benefiting more than 7,000 individuals across Ghana. His efforts in driving impactful projects have earned him recognitions from Global Solutions Initiative, FAO and UNICEF. He is a Ford Fund COVID-19 Grant Recipient, a Kofi Annan Changemaker, BAF Awardee and UpLink- World Economic Forum Top Innovator. In 2023, he was a Mentor for the Women Entrepreneurship Accelerator Challenge hosted by the International Telecommunication Union. As a speaker at the ADIS 2024, Mathias brings a wealth of grassroots experience and passion for catalyzing positive change through climate action.
Prashant Yadav
Prashant Yadav is an Affiliate Technology and Operations Management Professor at INSEAD, Faculty Director of the INSEAD Africa Initiative, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. He is a globally recognized scholar in the area of healthcare supply chains. He serves on the boards of many startups, social enterprises, and global agencies. Prashant is the author of many peer-reviewed scientific publications about manufacturing and delivery models for health technologies in frontier markets. His work has been featured in prominent print and broadcast media including the Financial Times, Nature, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, CNN, and BBC.
Dien Yuen
As CEO and Co-founder of Daylight Advisors, Dien is working to maximize philanthropy’s potential for transforming lives by advancing the training, research, professionalization, and diversity of our sector. She also serves as lead faculty for philanthropy at the Wealth Management Institute (WMI) in Singapore.
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