Alumni Directory Display

Hailing from NYC, Alexandra has a B.A. Honors in International Relations from Stanford University, where she consolidated her regional specialization and quantitative/qualitative research training through an M.A. in African Studies with a concentration in political economy and security. While abroad, Alexandra studied conflict resolution and post-conflict development economics through programs at University of Oxford and Hebrew University. Outside of the classroom, Alexandra conducted research in West Africa for her B.A. Honors Thesis, Measuring government reform progress in post-conflict states: A comparative case study of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Alexandra has also pursued her interest in topics such as poverty eradication, gender-based violence, infectious diseases, food security, and political accountability across sub-Saharan Africa through work as a Stanford research assistant; RTI International research intern; USAID policy intern; Stanford in Government International Fellow at Ghana’s Center for Democratic Development; and Stanford Graduate Teaching Assistant for Global HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. She looks forward to working for IRC, learning Swahili, horse riding, and exploring Kenya. Following the fellowship, she plans to work in social impact investing in the developing world, and eventually return to school to pursue an MBA/Ph.D.

Fellow Bio:

Avery (Stanford ’11) is an International Relations major and Economics minor from Minneapolis, MN.  At Stanford, she was co-president of the Stanford Association for International Development (SAID) and involved with FACE AIDS.  She studied abroad in Paris and worked with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) in D.C.  Avery also spent two summers in Africa volunteering in a Maasai village in Tanzania and interning with Idasa- An African Democracy Institute in South Africa.  In Benin next year, Avery is excited to explore West Africa, learn about the Kingdom of Dahomey and meet new people.

Alumni Update:

Hannah is working at the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), where she currently covers Afghanistan. She is also working on her Ph.D. at George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, with her dissertation research focusing on refugee protection in Zimbabwe. She is based in Washington, D.C., with frequent travel. 

Fellow Bio:

In 2014 Hannah received her MA in Global & International Studies from UC Santa Barbara, focusing on human rights in sub-Saharan Africa. Her MA thesis was titled, “How Mitigating Conflict and Building Lasting Peace Prevents Genocide and Mass Atrocity: A Ugandan Case Study for Central Africa Today.” She spent fall 2013 in Uganda, where she worked in Patongo, Northern Uganda, conducting field research and volunteering with PCCO, an organization engaged in counseling individuals traumatized by war. She also lived in Kampala, interning in the POL/ECON section of the U.S. Embassy where she worked on human rights issues. In 2012 Hannah graduated cum laude from UC Davis with a BA in International relations and Sociology focused on development in Africa, during which she studied abroad in Botswana. She has also spent time in Washington, D.C. working with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the Crisis, Conflict, and Cooperation Division and working with Africa Action. When she’s not reading books on Africa, you can catch her rapping to Tupac or hitting the beach! Hannah is very excited to spend her fellowship year in Kasulu, Tanzania working with the International Rescue Committee!

Jennifer Bryan, originally from Honolulu, HI, graduated from The George Washington University in 2018 with a B.A. in International Affairs and a concentration in International Development. She speaks fluent French and conversational Arabic, and is passionate about financial markets, regulations, and the role they play in the development of Sub-Saharan Africa. During her time at George Washington, Jennifer studied abroad in Dakar, Senegal and worked at the Global Research and Advocacy Group (GRAG), where she participated in research and field studies in rural Senegal on female genital mutilation. Jennifer also studied abroad in Kigali, Rwanda where she analyzed economic development in post-conflict society. Her passions for business and development lead her to join the World Bank as a Consultant for the Enabling the Business of Agriculture (EBA) project, where she conducted research and assisted in Livestock data collection from 82 countries. After graduation, Jennifer joined Deutsche Bank as a Regulation, Compliance, and Anti-Financial Crime Analyst where she studies regulatory trends, and advises business lines on best practices and risk management. She believes in giving back to communities through public service, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. At George Washington, Jennifer volunteered with the Smithsonian National Museum for Natural History, and the African Union. Jennifer aspires to increase her experience in Sub-Saharan African development, in order to use business, finance, and social inclusion to promote sustainable and equitable opportunities in Africa.

Alumni Update:

Erin is an ecologist at the US Geological Survey based in Colorado. She conducts research addressing conservation and management challenges in the American west, ranging from wildfires to wildlife connectivity.

Fellow Bio:

Erin (Princeton ‘11) is an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major from Rosalia, Washington. While at Princeton, she played on the women’s club basketball team, was a leader for the freshmen pre-orientation community action program with the Student Volunteers Council, and was a member of 2-Dickinson Co-op. A defining experience of her time at Princeton was studying abroad in Kenya with the EEB department her junior spring and then conducting her thesis research there during the summer. This led to her pursuit of an African Studies certificate. She looks forward to working in Livingstone and seeing Victoria Falls next year as a fellow with African Impact.

Alumni Update:

Laura is currently a 2nd year veterinary student at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, located in Davis, CA. Last summer, she was able to return to Mpala to conduct research on camel milk quality and production. It was wonderful to return and catch up with many friends from her year in Mpala.

Fellow Bio:

Laura (Middlebury ‘11) is a Biology major from Hinesburg, VT. While at Middlebury she was involved in theatre as a stage manager and set builder. She was also active in the Mountain Club, Quidditch Club, and is an international Quidditch champion. Laura spent six months in South Africa’s Kruger National Park studying abroad with the Organization for Tropical Studies. She is passionate about wildlife and conservation biology. Laura is excited to play soccer, learn Swahili, and once again be surrounded by some of her favorite wildlife while she is in Kenya this year.

India graduated from the University of Southern California with a major in Cognitive Science and minors in International Relations and Consumer Behavior. A New York City native, India got involved in her local Los Angeles community as a mentor and Director of Involvement for Women and Youth Supporting Each Other and as a high school teacher for USC’s Teaching Ethics Program. At USC, she worked as a Research Assistant in the School of International Relations as well as the USC Shoah Foundation. India’s interest in post-conflict reconstruction led her to spend a semester at the University of Cape Town where she studied Politics and Psychology. While she wasn’t in class or exploring Cape Town’s natural wonders, India interned with Enablis, an entrepreneurship NGO. Following her time in South Africa, India worked in Eastern Rwanda, where she facilitated the creation of a grain-storage business with a team of local entrepreneurs. She has further pursued her interests in social enterprise, gender equality, and sustainable development as a Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab scholar and as a StartingBloc Fellow. This year India is looking forward to spending time with BOMA’s entrepreneurs, living on the equator, and learning Swahili!

Alumni Update:

After her PiAf fellowship Hannah worked with Tiyatien Health (now Last Mile Health) as a Global Health Corps fellow in development and communications. She is currently living in Boston and working in Admissions at Northeastern University, where she is also pursuing an MBA with a focus in social entrepreneurship.

Fellow Bio:

Hannah, Middlebury College Class of 2010, is an Independent Scholar in Global Health and Medical Anthropology from North Granby, CT. At Middlebury, she was co-president of GlobeMed, a group that partnered with Africa 2000 Network in Uganda and ran the Global Health Action Network. She also played JV field hockey, volunteered at the John Graham Shelter, and was a Senior Fellow and the Tour Guide Coordinator at the Admissions Office. Through Middlebury, she volunteered with Partners in Health and studied abroad at University College London. While in Cape Town next year, she looks forward to learning more about mothers2mothers, seeing the Big Five and the Penguins, and watching lots of the World Cup!