Building Bridges through Policy & Diaspora Engagement
Policy frameworks play a critical role in mobilizing resources and shaping investment flows. What are the roles of the public and private sectors in building U.S.-Africa relations? How do we build bridges and relationships that foster development and prosperity? This session examines how diaspora-led action, in partnership with African governments and local partners, can drive structural reforms, such as reducing the interest burden on sovereign and corporate borrowing, debt restructuring, and advocating for equitable terms in global finance. The session will examine methods to amplify intra-diaspora collaboration, support free trade and regional integration (e.g. AfCFTA), and promote policies that lower borrowing costs in Africa. Participants will explore how collective advocacy can convert financial pressure into development opportunities, and how ADN and partners can act as bridge-builders across continents.
Tunde Agboke is a mission-driven executive with over 18 years of experience leading public policy, education, workforce development, and social impact initiatives across the Americas and Africa. He specializes in aligning legislative strategy with enterprise IT priorities, helping organizations navigate digital transformation, infrastructure readiness, and the future of work.
Tunde currently serves as Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy at HP Inc., where he leads advocacy strategy across U.S. legislatures and leads HP’s efforts to explore and establish a government affairs presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. His work directly influences HP’s access to public sector sales opportunities exceeding $300 million annually, while shaping policy positions that impact digital equity, education, and skills-first hiring.
Cheick Camara is the VP and Managing Director for ServiceNow Africa, where he leads efforts to expand the company's presence across the continent. He focuses on driving growth and innovation by utilizing ServiceNow's AI-powered platform to help businesses and public sector organizations achieve rapid digital transformation. With over 20 years of experience in finance, technology, and operations, Cheick’s career includes platform engineering and technology leadership roles at Veritas and Symantec. He holds a B.A. in Finance from Washington State University and has completed executive education at Stanford and MIT. Cheick is also deeply committed to philanthropy, particularly in supporting underserved communities. He has developed partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and nonprofits, including a $1 million donation to Benedict College. Additionally, he serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley and the College of Engineering at San Jose State University, advocating for diversity, education, and community development.
Director, Policy & Government Relations, Humanity United
Ayla Francis Foster
Director, Policy & Government Relations, Humanity United
Ayla Francis Foster is the Director for Policy & Government Relations at Humanity United (HU), which is responsible for pursuing policy change and regulatory actions that cultivate the conditions for enduring peace and freedom through advocacy, grantmaking, and convening. In this role, Ayla leads HU’s policy team and provides strategic coherence for HU’s engagement with the U.S. government and select multilateral institutions.
Prior to joining HU, Ayla worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in a variety of roles. Most recently, she served on the inaugural USAID- U.S. International Development Finance Corporation partnership team. Prior to this, she managed USAID’s bilateral relationships with donor governments in Europe and Australia in the Bureau for Policy, Planning & Learning after starting her USAID career in the Bureau for Management.
Previously, Ayla worked in corporate citizenship and communications in the private sector, and on Capitol Hill. Ayla is an alumna of The Fletcher School at Tufts University and Baylor University. She serves as a board member at-large for the International Career Advancement Program Fellows Association and is a 2025 Center for New American Security National Security Leadership Fellow.
Elizabeth Hoffman is Executive Director for North America at ONE, bringing deep expertise in government relations and international policy. She previously served as Director of Congressional and Government Affairs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, leading efforts to strengthen engagement with Congress. At the National Endowment for Democracy, she managed Capitol Hill and executive branch relations and oversaw the budget process. Elizabeth also served on the House Committee on Homeland Security and held multiple House roles focused on foreign policy, national security, and human rights. She began her career at the George W. Bush Institute, supporting Burmese political leadership development.
