Our team is a diverse group of leaders who dream of a world where all children are literate and numerate. Our work is overseen by a world-class Board of Directors that provides us with guidance to ensure that we meet our ambitious goals.
Building Education Foundations Through Innovation & Technology (BEFIT) is a program that, at full scale, will serve 3.5 million children per year across all public primary schools in Malawi. Imagine established a Malawian NGO that is supporting the government in coordinating the implementation of BEFIT, along with the government’s Program Implementation Management Unit.
Victor is a Program Manager at Imagine Worldwide. Prior to joining Imagine, he held positions at the International Justice Mission in Ghana, which is the largest anti-slavery organization in the world. Victor is the immediate former Chair of the Africa Scout Committee, the governing board of scouting with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement. Victor currently volunteers as a consultant supporting National Board inductions, strategic planning, and sustainable growth for scouting countries all over the world. Victor holds a BA in Integrated Development Studies from the University of Development Studies from WA in Ghana and an MSC in Project Management and Community Development from the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) from WA in Ghana. Victor is based in Ghana.
Abraham is a Research Analyst at Imagine Worldwide. Most recently, Abraham was a research assistant for the Perceptions and Social Judgement Laboratory at CSU East Bay. During his time there, he gained experience working with quantitative research to discover how people think in order to improve relationships. He was also a behavior therapist with experience implementing behavior plans while collecting quantitative and qualitative data to help improve the quality of life for clients on the autism spectrum. Abraham earned his BS in psychology with a minor in statistics at California State University East Bay. He was also a member of The Center for Student Research at CSU East Bay and is part of the Tau Sigma Honor Society. Abraham is based in California, USA.
Sarah is Senior Researcher at Imagine Worldwide. Most recently, Sarah was a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University where her research focused on understanding how parents and teachers support children’s social-emotional development. She also developed expertise in quantitative methods including experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation design and multilevel modeling. Earlier in her career, Sarah worked as an English teacher and a volunteer in Vietnam, supporting health and education programs for disadvantaged children. Sarah earned her BA at New York University, MPP at Georgetown University, and her PhD in Developmental and Psychological Sciences at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. Sarah is based in California, USA.
Carl is a Programs & Systems Data Analyst at Imagine Worldwide. Prior to joining Imagine, Carl worked in the banking industry with National Investment Bank Ghana as a Credit Analyst. During his time there, he gained valuable experience working closely with small-scale enterprises (SMEs) and households to assess their credit worthiness and then making the necessary recommendations to support decision-making. He also supported the monitoring of these SME and household loans to identify challenges that hampered portfolio quality. Carl is passionate about giving back to his community and holds a BSc in Marketing from the University of Professional Studies Accra and an MBA in finance from the University of Ghana. Carl is based in Ghana.
Antonie Chigeda is the Executive Director of Imagine Worldwide Ltd. (Malawi), a subsidiary of Imagine Worldwide. With more than 20 years of experience in teacher development, e-learning, and education technology research, Antonie leads our groundbreaking work to scale child-directed, tech-enabled learning to every primary school learner in Malawi.
Antonie has been part of the evolution of education technology in Malawi since 2015, when he was lead collaborator with the University of Nottingham in researching the impacts of the digital learning program, Unlocking Talent, in Malawi. He continued to lead evaluations on the efficacy of the tablet-based program in partnership with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and eventually for Imagine Worldwide as Africa Region Director. His work has directly contributed to the Government of Malawi’s decision to expand the use of education technology nationwide.
Prior to joining Imagine, Antonie spent 17 years as a Lecturer in Education, teaching and training teachers at the University of Malawi-Chancellor College, where he also served as Director for the E-Learning Center and played a key role in negotiating projects to support the effective delivery of online and distance learning programs in Malawi and elsewhere in Africa.
Antonie has led and participated in research and digital learning project evaluations in partnership with several organizations, including VSO Malawi, World Vision Malawi, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Commonwealth of Learning, among others. He has presented his work at local and international conferences in the USA, UK, Greece, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, and Malawi.
Antonie holds a B.Ed from the University of Malawi, an M.Ed in Education Policy and Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, an M.Phil in Philosophy of Education from Moi University in Kenya, and a PhD in Democracy and School Governance from Kyoto University in Japan. Antonie is based in Malawi.
Cher-Wen DeWitt is Director of Development at Imagine Worldwide. She has worked for over 15 years at social impact organizations and as a philanthropic advisor. Most recently as Director of Partnerships at Segal Family Foundation, Cher-Wen worked to build more equitable relationships between doers and donors, facilitating new funding relationships for African nonprofits and social entrepreneurs. As Director of Operations at Flippable, she worked with a small but unstoppable team to democratize access to data-informed political giving in the US, channeling donations from grassroots donors to state legislature races. At One Acre Fund, she organized the last mile delivery of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers in Rwanda. Cher-Wen was a 2010-2011 Global Health Corps fellow and Country Director for FACE AIDS, a program of Partners In Health in Rwanda, delivering youth-focused community health education and support services to people living with HIV. She serves on the boards of Fundi Bots and AkiraChix, and holds a BA in Neuroscience from Oberlin College. Cher-Wen is based in New York City.
Souleymane Dia works at Imagine Worldwide as a Program Manager. He is an agriculture and
project management specialist with 15 years of experience with public, private, and community-based organizations. He has been involved in various food security, poverty alleviation, vocational
training, resilience, and sustainability programs. Souleymane was recently focusing on youth
employment through the National Agency for Youth Insertion and Agricultural Development (ANIDA)
where he was appointed as Regional Supervisor and Program Officer. Souleymane is part of a
National Agricultural College (ISFAR, University of Bambey) research team that has published a dozen
of papers on agriculture and vocational training. He has contributed to the training of over 400
technicians at the National Horticultural Vocational Center (CFPH – Dakar). Driven by the continuous
quest for new skills, Souleymane has completed two master’s degrees in agriculture (Graduate School
of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) and project management (Institute of Entrepreneurship
and Management – ISEG). His two dissertations were reflecting on respectively cotton improvement
and the non-appropriation of project deliverables by project target communities. Souleymane is based in Senegal.
Vanessa is the Development Manager at Imagine Worldwide. With years of experience in grant-making, grant management, and program management and coordination, Vanessa has implemented various initiatives that have secured substantial funding and supported impactful community development projects. Her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Kenyatta University sparked her passion for community development, which she has carried forward throughout her career. She has worked with organizations such as Synnefa and the Africa Digital Media Institute & Foundation, managing partnerships, securing donor funding, and contributing to high-impact projects. Prior to her role at Imagine, Vanessa consulted in fundraising and grant management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Project Management at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Vanessa is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sandy Jambawai is Program Director for Imagine Worldwide in Sierra Leone. He has over 20 years of experience in international development, working in strategic positions in key sectors with development agencies including the United Nations and the African Development Bank. He has worked in diverse environments including post-conflict, complex and fragile situations, and has a full grasp of the education and development challenges of these countries.
Sandy is nearing completion of a Ph.D. in Global Inclusion and Social Development from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He holds a Master of Science degree in Regional Development Planning and Management obtained jointly from the University of Dortmund and the School of Urban and Regional Planning University of Philippines. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Sandy is based in Sierra Leone.
Michelle Kalugendo is the Director of Internal Audit and Compliance at Imagine Worldwide, where she leads the organization’s efforts to ensure adherence to policies and procedures and enhance operational efficiency. With over a decade of experience in auditing and compliance, Michelle has developed a deep expertise in risk management, internal controls, and governance. Michelle works to ensure that Imagine has an effective risk management framework to identify key risks and design effective controls to support achievement of our goals as an organization. As an Alumni of one of the Big Four accounting firms (EY) she has served a number of clients in different sectors with main concentration in not-for-profit, oil and gas, and financial services. Most recently she worked with Letshego Tanzania, a subsidiary of Letshego Africa Holding Limited (LAHL).
Michelle is a Certified Internal Auditor and public accountant (CIA/CPA). She also holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Dar es salaam. She is also an active member of Tanzania Association of Women Certified Accountants where she facilitates training for different women groups to support and promote financial literacy. Michelle is based in Tanzania.
Neema is the Head of Programs & Systems at Imagine Worldwide. Neema specializes in leading the growth and expansion of impact-focused organizations in Africa. Most recently, she was the Head of Growth at Moko Home & Living, and previously at Nova Pioneer Schools. Her work with expansion has included market strategy, system design, operations management, people development and partnership building. Earlier in her career, Neema was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she worked primarily with government and social sector organizations to shape their strategy and advance their missions. Neema is passionate about the empowerment of women and girls, and she serves on the board of WISER International, an NGO that provides education and health services to girls in rural and underserved regions in Kenya. She earned her BA in Economics from Harvard University and her Executive Masters in Public Policy & Administration from the London School of Economics. Neema is based in Kenya.
Kira is the Director of Communications for Imagine Worldwide. With more than 25 years of experience in communications and public affairs, Kira works to share Imagine’s story and highlight the transformational impacts of its work. Prior to joining Imagine, Kira was Managing Partner, External Relations for The Learning Accelerator, a nonprofit focused on innovation in US K-12 education.
Kira has consulted for Fortune 500 companies, internet startups, education foundations, elected officials, and major municipal agencies. She has extensive experience in media, community, and government relations. Kira holds a degree in International Relations from Stanford University. Kira is based in California, USA.
Kamanzi Kenneth is the Director of Supply Chain at Imagine Worldwide. He is in charge of all supply chain functions (procurement, warehousing, logistics, repairs, and waste management). Kamanzi works closely with the technology and engineering team to develop and maintain supply chain systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Prior to joining Imagine, Kamanzi was the Head of Global supply chain operation in a solar and utility company called Bboxx where he worked for nine years in different supply chain roles. Kamanzi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering with Information Technology from the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) in Malaysia. Kamanzi is based in Kigali, Rwanda.
Karen is Head of Research at Imagine Worldwide. For 20+ years, she has led education research and technical assistance spanning early childhood through high school, including domestic-international collaborations in early childhood and early grade reading and math. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal and serves on the board of the African Library Project. She earned her BA at Smith College, MPP at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and PhD in Public Policy at the University of California-Berkeley. Karen is based in California, USA.
Celeste is a Research Associate at Imagine Worldwide, supporting both domestic and international qualitative research efforts. Most recently, Celeste was a Program Coordinator and Lab Manager for the Global Classroom. In these roles, she led the development of online social-emotional curriculum, ran efficacy testing on international educational programs, conducted classroom observations, and facilitated teacher training and parent workshops surrounding early learning. Previously, Celeste served as a preschool teacher for both Mission Neighborhood Centers and Jumpstart in the U.S., as well as internationally through volunteer work in Costa Rica, Chile, India, and China. Celeste earned her BA in Psychology and MA in Developmental Psychology from San Francisco State University, graduating with a Graduate Award in Distinguished Achievement. For her thesis, she analyzed student social-emotional outcomes as a result of the Psychology International Service Learning Program in the Sichuan region of China. Celeste is based in California, USA.
Jacqueline Halima Mgumia is Executive Director for Imagine Worldwide in Tanzania. She is spearheading our work with the Government of Tanzania to scale the tablet program throughout the country. Jacqueline is also an anthropologist working on development projects aimed at addressing systemic barriers to advancing the rights of children, women, and small-scale producers. She holds a BA in Sociology from Albion College, USA, an MA in Development Studies from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and a PhD from Wits University, South Africa. Jacqueline is an active member of the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), Haki Ardhi, and Soma. She also contributes as a gender expert to the Tanzania Volleyball Association. Recently, she and her colleagues founded a sports club called RiseHer to support women’s empowerment in sports. Jacqueline is based in Tanzania.
Karabo Moloko is the Head of Portfolio at Imagine Worldwide, where she spearheads the strategic implementation and scaling of technology-driven educational programs. With over 25 years of experience in technology development, management consulting, and executive leadership, Karabo has consistently driven transformative initiatives that have positively impacted various organisations and communities. Before joining Imagine Worldwide, Karabo held several senior roles, including CEO of Sybrin Systems South Africa, where she led the expansion of operations and the implementation of cutting-edge technology solutions that enhanced service delivery and operational efficiency. She also served as a management consultant, where she developed and executed digital strategies for organizations across various sectors. She holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce, Honours in Business, and is an MBA candidate. Karabo is based in South Africa.
Rapelang Rabana is Co-CEO of Imagine Worldwide. She has deep technology industry expertise and a visionary mindset, along with an unwavering commitment to education and skills development in Africa. Prior to becoming Co-CEO, Rapelan was Imagine’s Board Chair and Head of Technology.
Rapelang is the Founder of Rekindle Learning, a dynamic learning tech company that enables organizations to easily codify and share institutional know-how amongst their teams to drive business performance. She is also a Partner at FFWD Innovation, a digital advisory firm. Rapelang has over 15 years of experience building tech, including her first startup right after university and becoming the Chief Digital Officer at BCX, one of South Africa’s largest IT companies. Rapelang has served as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Entrepreneurship, as a trustee of the Standard Chartered Bank Botswana Education Trust, and as a board member for African Leadership University. She was featured on the cover of Forbes Africa magazine, named Entrepreneur for the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum, and selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum 2017. She holds a B. Business Science (Computer Science Honours) and an M.Sc from the University of Cape Town and lives in South Africa.
Opheley is Senior Manager of Programs & Systems at Imagine Worldwide. Prior to joining Imagine, Opheley served as the Ghana Operations Manager at iSDA Africa and Head of Talent at Africa Foresight Group, where she spearheaded their people development, public-private partnerships and operations management. Earlier in her career, Opheley was the Implementation Director at Harambeans, championing efforts in education, mobilizing young entrepreneurs globally, and investing in the next generation of African leaders. Opheley earned a BA in International Political Science from the University of Akron and a Master’s in International Development and Human Rights from The University of Kent. Opheley is based in Ghana.
Kristen is Director of Administration for Imagine Worldwide. Earlier in her career, Kristen worked in the corporate sphere – initially at Apple where she was a senior manager in the retail development department, and later at Gymboree Corporation where she focused on partner relationships, budget preparation and management, and achieving economies of scale with Gymboree’s 800+ retail stores. Most recently, Kristen has been leveraging her many skills through freelance work, such as writing articles for The Language Educator, while working toward a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Southern Utah University. Kristen is based in Colorado, USA.
Alastair is the Director of Engineering at Imagine Worldwide. With a rich background in leading engineering and product teams, he has significantly contributed to the growth of various tech companies in the food and logistics industries. Notably, during his tenure at Deliveroo, he spearheaded the expansion of their grocery service and revolutionized customer care operations through the novel application of machine learning and generative AI. With Imagine, he returns to his educational technology roots; Alastair founded the mobile division at Eurotalk, the progenitor of onebillion. He holds a BA in International Politics from Warwick University and resides in London.
Jennifer is Head of Business Development at Imagine Worldwide. Prior to joining Imagine, Jen consulted for leading education reform organizations ranging from foundations, universities and non-profits to school districts and charter management organizations. Through this work, she developed deep expertise in program management, organizational strategy, talent recruitment, leadership development and strategic partnerships. Jen also served as Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation at The Broad Foundation as well as Program Director for Education Pioneers. Earlier in her career, Jen obtained a Masters in International and Intercultural Education during which time she conducted data collection and analysis for UNESCO related to the achievement of EFA (Education for All) goals. She also spent a year in Chile teaching elementary school and working with local community teachers to provide professional development in math instruction. Jen earned her BA at Dartmouth College and Masters and Doctorate from the University of Southern California. Jen is based in California, USA.
Joe Wolf is Co-CEO and Co-founder of Imagine Worldwide. Joe is passionately committed to eliminating global educational inequity through scalable solutions and he has dedicated the past decade of his career to launching, supporting, and leading educational philanthropies and nonprofit organizations. Joe co-founded Imagine to help all children achieve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills they need to achieve their full potential. Imagine’s child-directed, tech-enabled learning solution is massively scalable, evidence-based, and serves the most marginalized children. Joe co-founded The Learning Accelerator and Open Up Resources, two highly successful nonprofits focused on innovation and equity in the U.S. K-12 market. He has also served on the boards of the Clayton Christensen Institute, NPX Advisors, Summer Search, New Classrooms, and the New Schools Venture Fund. Joe is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Harvard Business School. He has three school-aged children, is a mountain biker and meditator, and loves all things in the natural world. Joe is based in California, USA.
Bertha Banda joined Imagine Worldwide Ltd (Malawi) as Finance Officer. She has over six years’ progressive continuous experience in Finance, Administration and Human Resource. Bertha specializes in budgeting and forecasting, risk assessment and record management. Prior to joining Imagine, Bertha was Finance and Administration Manager at the NGO YAMBA Malawi and before that, an Audit Assistant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from Malawi College of Accountancy. She recalls her achievements in budgeting for the Hilton Foundation grant proposal which was successful where a proposition to migrate the organization’s budgeting system from monthly to yearly budgeting was adopted. Bertha is based in Malawi.
Wongani Banda is a Program Manager at Imagine Worldwide Ltd (Malawi). With over seven years of experience in educational leadership and program management within Malawi’s Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) contexts, Wongani is an experienced education professional. She specializes in transformative, inclusive education, and digital education. Wongani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Namibia. Her career highlights include managing and teaching academic programs and developing curriculum for short courses in Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Leveraging her psychology background, Wongani designed these courses as life skills programs aimed at fostering critical thinking and transforming mindsets among students. Passionate about education and its potential to change lives, Wongani is dedicated to creating impactful learning experiences. Wongani is based in Malawi.
Hanna is the Program Coordinator at Imagine Worldwide Ltd in Malawi. She began her work with Imagine
in 2023, supporting the set up of solar systems and infrastructure in the Government of Malawi’s Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) program schools. Hanna currently supports program implementation and monitoring for BEFIT schools. Before joining Imagine, she worked with Oxfam and the Lilongwe District Education office in Malawi supporting and coordinating projects in education, gender, and governance for over five years. She holds a BA in Arts Humanities from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. Hanna is based in Malawi.
Antonie Chigeda is the Executive Director of Imagine Worldwide Ltd. (Malawi), a subsidiary of Imagine Worldwide. With more than 20 years of experience in teacher development, e-learning, and education technology research, Antonie leads our groundbreaking work to scale child-directed, tech-enabled learning to every primary school learner in Malawi.
Antonie has been part of the evolution of education technology in Malawi since 2015, when he was lead collaborator with the University of Nottingham in researching the impacts of the digital learning program, Unlocking Talent, in Malawi. He continued to lead evaluations on the efficacy of the tablet-based program in partnership with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and eventually for Imagine Worldwide as Africa Region Director. His work has directly contributed to the Government of Malawi’s decision to expand the use of education technology nationwide.
Prior to joining Imagine, Antonie spent 17 years as a Lecturer in Education, teaching and training teachers at the University of Malawi-Chancellor College, where he also served as Director for the E-Learning Center and played a key role in negotiating projects to support the effective delivery of online and distance learning programs in Malawi and elsewhere in Africa.
Antonie has led and participated in research and digital learning project evaluations in partnership with several organizations, including VSO Malawi, World Vision Malawi, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Commonwealth of Learning, among others. He has presented his work at local and international conferences in the USA, UK, Greece, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, and Malawi.
Antonie holds a B.Ed from the University of Malawi, an M.Ed in Education Policy and Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, an M.Phil in Philosophy of Education from Moi University in Kenya, and a PhD in Democracy and School Governance from Kyoto University in Japan. Antonie is based in Malawi.
Chigomezgo Chimoyo is Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) manager for Imagine Worldwide Ltd. Chigomezgo has over six years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, research, and project design and data analytics. His expertise spans multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, education, and community development, where he demonstrated expertise in leading research studies, designing data analytics dashboards, and managing large-scale data management platforms. Before joining Imagine Worldwide, he held key roles in organizations such as Self Help Africa, Total LandCare, GIZ, Equip Consulting Group, and Médecins Sans Frontières. With a commitment to providing children with opportunities to succeed, he is passionate about the use of technology in scaling access to quality education for the less privileged. Chigomezgo’s academic background includes a B.Sc. in Human Sciences and Community Services, complemented by advanced certifications in data science, machine learning, and project management. Chigomezgo is based in Malawi.
Leah C Dindi has joined Imagine Worldwide Ltd as Operations and Administration Manager. In this role, she oversees office operations, logistics, and human resource, leveraging her expertise to empower children and enhance their literacy and numerical skills. With over 25 years of experience in the education, health and non-profit sectors, Leah has served in various projects, including the World Bank-funded government project Malawi Floods Emergency Recovery Project (MFERP). Her background includes coordinating grievances as a desk officer, ensuring compliance with donor requirements. She values diversity and brings a strong educational foundation to her role, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from Exploits University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI). Leah is based in Malawi.
Mwai is the ICT Manager for Imagine Worldwide LTD in Malawi. He has over eight years of experience in coordinating ICT programs for development organizations. Prior to joining the Imagine team, Mwai worked for World Vision International and Plan International. Mwai is passionate about utilizing innovative technology to support the development of Malawi. Mwai has a background in both hardware and software and holds a degree in Information Technology from Blantyre International University. Mwai is based in Malawi.
Amos Kudzala is the software Quality Assurance Manager for Imagine Worldwide Ltd in Malawi. Amos leads the testing and quality assurance processes for our innovative educational software, ensuring it meets the highest standards for functionality and user experience. He has over 7 years of experience in IT fundamentals, software development,data management, and project leadership. Prior to joining the Imagine team, Amos worked for NxtGen Labs, Padziwe Systems and Liberty Group Ltd among others. Amos is passionate about using data to make informed decisions and has a keen eye for details that drive continuous improvement in educational initiatives and contribute to the development of Malawi. Amos holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the CTI education group, Bedfordview, South Africa. Amos is based in Malawi.
Joseph is a Program Manager for Imagine Worldwide Ltd (Malawi). He manages engagements with BEFIT Implementation Support Partners (ISP) as they implement the BEFIT program in government schools. He is an education specialist with six years of experience in managing a blended-learning higher education program for people at the margins of society. Most recently, Joseph was the Country Representative for Jesuit Worldwide Learning (Malawi) where he was managing operations for a learning center for refugee students in the Dzaleka refugee camp. He has a passion for education and technology and for improving learning outcomes for people who have less access to education. Joseph holds a BA in English and Philosophy from the University of Malawi and is based in Malawi.
Maureen is the Director of Operations and Administration for Imagine Worldwide Ltd in Malawi. Maureen oversees the office’s major finance, logistics, and procurement projects to ensure the smooth implementation of the national BEFIT program. Maureen has over eight years of experience managing donor-funded projects and initiating community-driven and government-led programming. Prior to joining the Imagine team, Maureen worked in program and financial management roles at Yamba Malawi, NBS Bank, and Concern International. Maureen holds an MBA and BBA from Polytechnic University in Malawi. Maureen is based in Malawi.
Emmanuel is the Finance Manager for Imagine Worldwide Ltd in Malawi. He oversees the management of the organization’s financial resources in accordance with donor requirements and regulations. Emmanuel is a seasoned financial and audit specialist with over 13 years of progressive experience in the field. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Malawi. Emmanuel is a Chartered Accountant in Malawi and a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Emmanuel has worked with several developmental organizations such as Goal Malawi, Concern Worldwide, and Nascent Solutions Inc where he recently served as the Country Finance and Admin Manager.
Madalo is the Director of Programs at Imagine Worldwide Ltd (Malawi), with over 20 years of experience in project management, action research, community mobilization, and NGO leadership. She is committed to promoting inclusive quality education for marginalized children at the school, district, national, and global levels.
Prior to joining Imagine Worldwide Ltd, Madalo was Executive Director of CRECCOM, a Malawi-based education NGO. She also advised a USAID-funded Next Generation Project supporting Malawi’s National Reading Program. Madalo was a guest scholar at the Brookings Institute in 2013, where she influenced global attention toward community-led solutions to educate girls and where she remains as a Global Guest Scholar on girls’ education. Madalo holds a Master of Arts (Sustainable International Development) degree from Brandeis University, USA. Madalo is based in Malawi.
Andrew Singano is the Logistics Manager at Imagine Worldwide Ltd. With nearly 10 years of experience in the supply chain industry, Andrew has consistently driven operational efficiency and excellence across various sectors. He has a proven track record in telecommunications, infrastructure, manufacturing and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), having worked with Helios Towers Limited, Castel Malawi Limited, Airtel Malawi LTD, SEBA Foods LTD, and American Pirates Casino. Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship from Malawi College of Accountancy, as well as a Diploma in Business Management from the Association of Business Executives (ABE). He is also certified in Lean Six Sigma (Orange Belt) by Process Management International (PMI) and holds a Certificate in Leading at the Speed of Trust by FranklinCovey. Based in Malawi, Andrew brings a wealth of experience and expertise in logistics and supply chain management.
Tadala Tsilizani is Technical Services Director for Imagine Worldwide Ltd (Malawi). Tadala is an accomplished IT professional with extensive experience spanning over 17 years across NGOs and private sector companies. He holds a BSc in Computing and Information Systems from London Metropolitan University and an MBA in Management Information Systems from UNICAF University, Zambia. Starting his career as a Systems Developer, Tadala has excelled in roles including Network Administration, Cyber Security, and IT management, notably as IT Manager for World Vision Malawi and Regional Digital Solutions and Innovations Lead for World Vision Southern Africa Region. His career highlights include significant achievements in scaling up IT infrastructure, reducing costs, and transforming IT into a strategic business partner. Tadala is based in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Limbani Yatina is Repairs Manager for Imagine Worldwide Ltd. Limbani has broad technical working experience that spans implementation and maintenance of electrical, electronic, and ICT systems, implementation and support of data management systems, as well as implementation and management of various ICT projects. His experience includes working in organizations in the private, public, humanitarian and international development sectors.
Before joining Imagine Worldwide Ltd, Limbani worked as National Technical Advisor for GIZ Malawi’s Social Protection Programme (SPP), where he was supporting the institutionalization and strengthening of the Unified Beneficiary Registry (UBR) in Malawi, to help the Malawi Government in strengthening the social protection system in the country. Limbani is passionate about youth and community development especially in underprivileged areas. Academically, Limbani holds a Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Computer Science, and a Masters degree in Business Administration. Limbani is based in Malawi.
Nana Appiah-Korang is the Co-founder of Amayi Foods Limited, an African female-led company building a food systems platform in Africa. As an SME owner, Nana has been instrumental in fundraising for Amayi as well as playing a key role in the development of the very first product for the company called “poi poi” which is a well-known Ghanaian staple sauce called “shito”. Nana also works as an Advisor/Consultant for African institutions mainly focused on private equity investments.
Nana started her career at Goldman Sachs in New York in the Real Estate Principal Investment Area and continued her career in private equity at Emerging Capital Partners, where she spent over 16 years covering the African continent, eight of which were spent in ECP’s Nigeria office. At ECP, she worked across several sectors including financial services, agribusiness, manufacturing, education, and consumer products. Nana currently serves on the board of Vanguard Assurance in Ghana as Blue Orchard’s representative and on the Investment Committees of Africa Forestry Investment Platform (New Forests) and Nyala Venture. She also serves on the board of Dikan, a non-profit organization to develop visual education as part of Africa’s creative arts economy. She previously served on the board of Continental Reinsurance Plc (as well as the board of its Kenyan subsidiary) where she played a key role in the company’s turnaround plan to become a leading Pan African reinsurance company. She was on the board and Investment Committee of Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund. She is also currently a Trustee for Child2Child Book Foundation, a non-profit organization set up by her two teenage daughters and their friends to improve literacy in Africa by sharing the joy of reading.
Nana currently splits her time between Washington, DC and Accra, Ghana and is a mother of three wonderful teenagers. She holds a BA in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College, an MBA from Trium Global Executive MBA (LSE, NYU, HEC) and a Certificate in Company Direction with distinction from Institute of Directors (UK).
Chinezi Chijioke is the CEO and Co-founder of Nova-Pioneer Education Group, a network of accessible 21st century private schools across Africa. Today Nova-Pioneer operates 4 schools in South Africa and Kenya, with a goal of operating 100 great schools over the next decade.
Prior to founding Nova-Pioneer, Chinezi led McKinsey & Company’s African Education Practice, where he worked for 8 years gaining experience with over 25 countries’ school systems across the world, including South Africa. He is the co-author of McKinsey’s 2010 global education report, “How the World’s Best School Systems Keep Getting Better.” He has also founded youth leadership programmes in South Africa and Nigeria, and he currently serves on the Global Advisory Council of Teach For All. Chinezi started his career as a secondary school mathematics teacher, where he was nominated by his students to “Who’s Who of American Teachers.”
Chinezi holds a BA with honours from Harvard University, and an MBA and an M.Ed. from Stanford University. A Nigerian national, Chinezi lives in South Africa.
Susan Colby is Co-founder of Imagine Worldwide and founding CEO. Prior to founding Imagine, Susan was a partner in McKinsey & Company’s San Francisco office leading the firm’s North American Education Practice, where she worked with clients in the social, public, and private sectors to advance and improve education. Previously, Susan was the Chief Executive Officer at Stupski Foundation, leading national work increasing student agency to improve learning outcomes for children in low-income and minority communities. She was also a founding partner of the Bridgespan Group and led their work in K-12 education and philanthropic strategy for more than a decade. Susan also served as Co-President of the Sustainable Development Sector at Monsanto where she developed and led economically, environmentally and socially viable businesses in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Susan is a co-author of several major articles on strategy, philanthropy and education, including “Galvanizing Philanthropy” (Harvard Business Review) and “Zeroing in on Impact” (Stanford Social Innovation Review).
She has addressed major convenings on topics of strategy, philanthropy, gender, and education and has served on the board of education and gender-focused organizations. Susan is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow (Entrepreneurial Leaders for Public Education) and a Rainer Arnold (Mulago) Fellow. She is a Lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Graduate School of Education. She earned a BA from American University and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Susan is based in California, USA.
Rebecca Enonchong, FREng, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppsTech, a global provider of enterprise application solutions. She is also Co-founder of I/O Spaces, an inclusive coworking space in the Washington DC metro area.
Rebecca chairs ActivSpaces (African Center for Technology Innovation and Ventures) supporting entrepreneurs from three technology hubs in Cameroon. She is Vice-Chair of the WHO Foundation and President of its US affiliate, the Go Give One Foundation, tackling global health challenges. An active investor in African startups, Rebecca is Co-founder of Cameroon Angels Network and Co-founder and Treasurer of African Business Angels Network. She is Trustee and Chair Emeritus of Afrilabs, a Pan-African network of over 400 innovation centers in 52 African countries supporting over 1 million entrepreneurs in Africa. She also sits on the boards of the International Chamber of Commerce, Venture Capital for Africa (VC4Africa), the US Exim Bank Advisory Council on Advancing Women, and the UN ECA Center for Digital Excellence.
Rebecca has been a recipient of numerous awards, including Business Insider Africa’s “Female Leader of the Year” in 2022 and Forbes Africa’s “50 most powerful women in Africa” in 2019 and 2020. She was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum of Davos, Switzerland. Rebecca was elected in 2022 as an International Fellow of the prestigious UK Royal Academy of Engineering. Rebecca is based in Cameroon.
Michael Horn speaks and writes about the future of education and works with a portfolio of education organizations to improve the life of each and every student. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Choosing College, which strips away the noise around college to help students and parents understand why they are going to school and how to make better choices, as well as aids schools in designing better experiences. Michael serves as Senior Strategist for Guild Education, an education and upskilling certified B Corporation. He is also the co-founder of and a distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a non-profit think tank.
Michael is the author and co-author of multiple books, white papers, and articles on education, including the award-winning book Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns and the Amazon-bestseller Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools. An expert on disruptive innovation, online learning, blended learning, competency-based learning, and how to transform the education system into a student-centered one, he serves on the board and advisory boards of a range of education organizations, including the Clayton Christensen Institute, the Robin Hood Learning+Tech Fund, and the LearnLaunch Institute. He also serves as an executive editor at Education Next and is a venture partner at NextGen Venture Partners.
Michael was selected as a 2014 Eisenhower Fellow to study innovation in education in Vietnam and Korea, and Tech&Learning magazine named him to its list of the 100 most important people in the creation and advancement of the use of technology in education. Michael holds a BA in history from Yale University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Michael is based in Massachusetts, USA.
As a Managing Partner at Imaginable Futures, Amy leads their Education initiative globally, which includes education strategy and investments across Africa, India, Latin America, and the United States. Amy was previously responsible for their work in the Financial Inclusion, Property Rights, and Consumer Internet & Mobile initiatives in key geographies. She has held board seats or observer roles with Kiva, Living Goods, Bridge International Academies, Social Finance US, Teach for All, Code.org, Andela, Imagine Worldwide, and Off Grid Electric.
Prior to Omidyar Network, Amy worked for eBay where she served as vice president of relationship marketing, leading email, on-site, and other retention marketing channels and as vice president of product strategy and operations, driving the development of the company’s long-term product vision and leading user experience and design. Amy formerly worked for PayPal, joining as one of its earliest employees in 1999. As vice president of product for PayPal, she and her team developed the company’s payments platform, facilitated the company’s overseas expansion into Europe and Asia, and were instrumental in the launch of PayPal Mobile. Earlier in her career, Amy worked in corporate strategy and development at Gap Inc. and as an analyst at JPMorgan & Co. Amy holds a B.S. in mathematics from Bucknell University, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Amy is based in California, USA.
As a Managing Director of Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Kanini Mutooni plays a lead role in sourcing new investments and working with the leadership of those organizations, primarily in Europe, Africa, and India, as an operating partner and board member as they grow to build capacity and to achieve their maximum impact. As a member of the Foundation’s senior leadership team, she also helps to execute the Foundation’s strategy and goals and contributes to its thought leadership and external outreach. Kanini currently serves on the board of DRK grantees Kwangu Kwako and People’s Pension Trust.
Kanini Mutooni continues to serve as the Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and was previously MD for Toniic, the global action network for impact investors. Prior to this, Kanini was the Director for Investment at the USAID-funded East Africa Trade and Investment Hub, a $65M, 8 country initiative to attract investment and increase trade in the East Africa region. Kanini is a UK Chartered Accountant with a record of exceptional leadership gained in East Africa, Europe, and the United States. She is currently Board Chair of The Global Innovation Fund, a $250M investment vehicle supported by the UK, US, Canadian, Australian and Swedish Governments. The fund focuses on investing a range of capital for innovations in emerging markets that impact those living on $5 a day and below with a focus on Food and Agriculture, Healthcare, clean energy, and Fintech.
Kanini has worked at the Board level in leadership positions at investment banks in London and the US, such as Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. In 2014 she was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader for her exceptional leadership in business, the health sector, and global entrepreneurship. She continues to provide strategic advisory support to a number of Africa focused impact funds such as the $100m African Agriculture SME Fund and the $30m AHL Venture Fund. She is a visiting lecturer at the University of Capetown’s Bertha Center for Social Innovation. Kanini is based in Kenya.
Rapelang Rabana is Co-CEO of Imagine Worldwide. She has deep technology industry expertise and a visionary mindset, along with an unwavering commitment to education and skills development in Africa. Prior to becoming Co-CEO, Rapelan was Imagine’s Board Chair and Head of Technology.
Rapelang is the Founder of Rekindle Learning, a dynamic learning tech company that enables organizations to easily codify and share institutional know-how amongst their teams to drive business performance. She is also a Partner at FFWD Innovation, a digital advisory firm. Rapelang has over 15 years of experience building tech, including her first startup right after university and becoming the Chief Digital Officer at BCX, one of South Africa’s largest IT companies. Rapelang has served as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Entrepreneurship, as a trustee of the Standard Chartered Bank Botswana Education Trust, and as a board member for African Leadership University. She was featured on the cover of Forbes Africa magazine, named Entrepreneur for the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum, and selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum 2017. She holds a B. Business Science (Computer Science Honours) and an M.Sc from the University of Cape Town and lives in South Africa.
Joe Wolf is Co-CEO and Co-founder of Imagine Worldwide. Joe is passionately committed to eliminating global educational inequity through scalable solutions and he has dedicated the past decade of his career to launching, supporting, and leading educational philanthropies and nonprofit organizations. Joe co-founded Imagine to help all children achieve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills they need to achieve their full potential. Imagine’s child-directed, tech-enabled learning solution is massively scalable, evidence-based, and serves the most marginalized children. Joe co-founded The Learning Accelerator and Open Up Resources, two highly successful nonprofits focused on innovation and equity in the U.S. K-12 market. He has also served on the boards of the Clayton Christensen Institute, NPX Advisors, Summer Search, New Classrooms, and the New Schools Venture Fund. Joe is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Harvard Business School. He has three school-aged children, is a mountain biker and meditator, and loves all things in the natural world. Joe is based in California, USA.
Dr. Fritz Kadyoma is a member of the Imagine Worldwide LTD Board of Directors and the CEO and Executive Director of the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE). MIE works to design and develop national curriculum for primary, secondary, technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship programs. He is a career educationist, textbook author, NGO manager, and corporate governance specialist. He has over 29 years of work experience in the civil service, public service, and NGO sectors. He has taught at the secondary school and university levels and has previously worked in education leadership positions at World Vision International and Link Community Development International. Dr. Kadyoma holds a Doctor of Education, a Master of Philosophy, and a Bachelor of Education.
Neema is the Head of Programs & Systems at Imagine Worldwide. Neema specializes in leading the growth and expansion of impact-focused organizations in Africa. Most recently, she was the Head of Growth at Moko Home & Living, and previously at Nova Pioneer Schools. Her work with expansion has included market strategy, system design, operations management, people development and partnership building. Earlier in her career, Neema was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she worked primarily with government and social sector organizations to shape their strategy and advance their missions. Neema is passionate about the empowerment of women and girls, and she serves on the board of WISER International, an NGO that provides education and health services to girls in rural and underserved regions in Kenya. She earned her BA in Economics from Harvard University and her Executive Masters in Public Policy & Administration from the London School of Economics. Neema is based in Kenya.
Jani Moliis is a strategy manager at JBJ Foundation, an American philanthropy investing in the most cost-effective ways to create impact for the world’s poorest. He oversees the Foundation’s education portfolio, including its $10mn investment into Malawi’s tablet-based foundational learning program, BEFIT. Prior to JBJ Foundation, he worked for top-tier management consulting companies, such as McKinsey & Company, and for public sector organizations at the local, national, and international levels. While employed at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he worked for three years as a strategic advisor for Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Office of the President. He holds a Master of Social Sciences degree from Helsinki University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations degree from Webster University. Jani is based in Finland.
Randson Mwadiwa is a retired civil servant having served in the Malawian civil service for 38 years. During this time, Randson served as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Gender, Children, and Community Development, and the Department of Disaster and Refugee Affairs. Prior to joining the civil service, Randson worked in the banking sector and with SADCC. He has served on the Board of Directors for a number of companies and state-owned enterprises, both in his individual capacity and as a representative of the Government of Malawi. Currently, he chairs the Board of Directors of Press Corporation plc, a leading private sector conglomerate with 13 subsidiary and associate companies in the sectors of energy, telecoms, agriculture, fisheries, real estate, and insurance. Randson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Malawi, a Master of Arts in Public Administration, and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Ohio University. Randson is based in Malawi.
Rapelang Rabana is Co-CEO of Imagine Worldwide. She has deep technology industry expertise and a visionary mindset, along with an unwavering commitment to education and skills development in Africa. Prior to becoming Co-CEO, Rapelan was Imagine’s Board Chair and Head of Technology.
Rapelang is the Founder of Rekindle Learning, a dynamic learning tech company that enables organizations to easily codify and share institutional know-how amongst their teams to drive business performance. She is also a Partner at FFWD Innovation, a digital advisory firm. Rapelang has over 15 years of experience building tech, including her first startup right after university and becoming the Chief Digital Officer at BCX, one of South Africa’s largest IT companies. Rapelang has served as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Entrepreneurship, as a trustee of the Standard Chartered Bank Botswana Education Trust, and as a board member for African Leadership University. She was featured on the cover of Forbes Africa magazine, named Entrepreneur for the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum, and selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum 2017. She holds a B. Business Science (Computer Science Honours) and an M.Sc from the University of Cape Town and lives in South Africa.
Joe Wolf is Co-CEO and Co-founder of Imagine Worldwide. Joe is passionately committed to eliminating global educational inequity through scalable solutions and he has dedicated the past decade of his career to launching, supporting, and leading educational philanthropies and nonprofit organizations. Joe co-founded Imagine to help all children achieve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills they need to achieve their full potential. Imagine’s child-directed, tech-enabled learning solution is massively scalable, evidence-based, and serves the most marginalized children. Joe co-founded The Learning Accelerator and Open Up Resources, two highly successful nonprofits focused on innovation and equity in the U.S. K-12 market. He has also served on the boards of the Clayton Christensen Institute, NPX Advisors, Summer Search, New Classrooms, and the New Schools Venture Fund. Joe is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Harvard Business School. He has three school-aged children, is a mountain biker and meditator, and loves all things in the natural world. Joe is based in California, USA.
Helen Abadzi is a Greek psychologist and polyglot. After 27 years as a Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank, she now conducts research at the University of Texas at Arlington. To improve the outcomes of education investments, she regularly monitors research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. She is an author of many publications and a frequent speaker in international education conferences. She experiments with science-based methods to improve beginning reading performance in various languages and scripts. Her work raised early-grade reading fluency into an international priority.
Bidemi Carrol is a Senior Education Research Analyst at RTI’s International Education Group, with over 15 years of experience in education policy, research, and program management in sub-Saharan Africa. Her areas of expertise include policy research and analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and education system reform. She is currently the home office project manager for USAID-funded reading program in Malawi. Before joining RTI, she served as an international education consultant for a diverse range of clients such as FHI360, Catholic Relief Services, and the World Bank. As a consultant, she worked on various research, evaluation, and capacity development projects.
Earlier in her career she was the director of a $15 million education program in West Africa; in that role, she supported partner governments and communities in finding innovative ways to transform education systems affected by conflict. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Doctoral degree in International Comparative Education from Stanford University.
John Pane is a Senior Scientist at the non-profit RAND research firm. He studies technology innovations in education using rigorous research methods. Recent work includes the first large-scale evaluation of schoolwide personalized learning and several studies of intelligent tutoring systems. John is a frequent participant in the scientific review of research proposals and articles, holds several advisory board positions, and regularly engages in the training and mentoring of doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows. He was RAND’s Distinguished Chair in Education Innovation from 2015 to 2018. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.
Dave Paunesku is co-founder and executive director of PERTS, a Stanford University center that helps educators apply insights from psychological research in order to create more motivating and equitable learning environments. PERTS and its partners have co-developed evidence-based resources that have reached millions of learners worldwide. His work has been published in academic journals, including Psychological Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; funded by the National Science Foundation, Institute of Education Sciences, Raikes Foundation, Joyce Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation; and featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Education Week, The Atlantic, and USA Today.
Nicola Pitchford is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Nicola’s research expertise lies in developmental psychology and education. She investigates how the cognitive processes that underpin scholastic progression develop over childhood. She works with specialist populations of children with acquired neurological disorders. Her clinical research centers on discovering how stroke, preterm birth, and brain tumour impact scholastic and neuronal development and wellbeing. Working at the interface of theory and practice, Nicola collaborates with academics from different disciplines (e.g. psychology, medicine, education) and works with practitioners and professionals from a diverse range of fields (e.g. neurologists, neonatologists, oncologists, nurses, educators, companies, charities, non-government organisations, and government officials) to ensure that her research secures maximum benefits for key users and stakeholders.
Her most recent research is exploring the use of innovative mobile technology to support the acquisition of basic skills (numeracy, literacy, English) by primary school children in Malawi, the UK, and several other countries. This international programme of work is being carried out in partnership with the charities onebillion and Voluntary Service Overseas. The evaluation studies she has designed and conducted formed the subject of a BBC Click documentary that was released on BBC Worldwide News. Nicola is a member of the Technical Research Group (TRG) for the new £20 million GBP EdTech Hub funded by the Department for International Development (DFID). She is also an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Psychology: Educational Psychology.
Mark Wilson is a Professor of Education at the University of California, Berkeley, and also at the University of Melbourne. He teaches courses on measurement in the social sciences, especially as applied to assessment in education. Recently he was elected president of the Psychometric Society and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME). His research and development interests focus on the development and application of sound approaches for measurement in education and the social sciences, the development of statistical models suitable for measurement contexts, the creation of instruments to measure new constructs, and scholarship on the philosophy of measurement.
Aishetu Fatima Dozie was a valued member of our Board of Directors until January 2022. She founded mission-driven cruelty-free beauty company, Bossy Cosmetics, to create makeup and conversations that empower working women to look, feel, and do good. Her previous professional background was predominantly in the financial services industry where her passion for global finance began in the equities division of Goldman Sachs on the international desk in New York over 20 years ago. She went on to work for a USAID-funded project with the Nigerian government in its privatization program. She worked closely with President Olusegun Obasanjo and his economic team of cabinet ministers in crafting the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, which drove several successful reforms including the $18 billion Paris Club debt write-off. Her passion for demonstrable development impact and understanding the intersection of the public and private sectors ability to stimulate economic growth led her to the World Bank in Washington, DC, where she focused on financing businesses in the manufacturing, infrastructure, and service sectors in regions such as Central and South America, Eastern Europe, and Eastern Africa.
Aishetu has worked for Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered Bank, and Rand Merchant Bank as a senior investment banking executive, having closed $130 billion in M&A, financing, and capital markets transactions. Over the past two decades, she’s lived in New York, Johannesburg, London, Chicago and Lagos. She founded a first-of-its-kind children’s play and activity center in Lagos and authored a children’s picture book entitled “Paloo & Friends in Imaginaria”. She recently filmed ambitious and successful African women on the continent and in the diaspora to showcase their lives and amplify their voice. The project is called African HERstory (www.africanherstory.com). She currently lives in Palo Alto, CA with her husband and three superhero sons where she was a Fellow at the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University. She holds a BA from Cornell University, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and participated in the Leaders in Development Program at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University.
Rebecca Winthrop was a valued member of our Board of Directors until January 2022. She is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. She is the former head of education for the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian aid NGO. Her research focuses on education globally, with special attention to the skills children need to succeed in their lives as workers and citizens. Of particular interest is improving quality learning for the most marginalized children and youth, including girls and children affected by extreme violence. Select recent publications include the 2018 book, Leapfrogging Inequality: Remaking Education to Help Young People Thrive with Adam Barton and Eileen McGivney; Millions Learning: Scaling up Quality Education in Developing Countries with Jenny Perlman Robinson; and What Works in Girls’ Education: Evidence for the World’s Best Investment with Gene B. Sperling.
She studied at Columbia University, Teachers College (Ph.D., 2008), Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs (MA, 2001), and Swarthmore College, (BA, 1996).