Alumni Directory Display

Allie Gips 2010-2011 Fellow with mothers2mothers, South Africa Brown University Class of 2010

Alumni Update:

Allie is now living in NYC, about to finish her third year of medical school at Mount Sinai.

Fellow Bio:

Allie ’10 is a Development Studies concentrator at Brown University and a native Mainer. At Brown, she was the co-coordinator of the SPACE Program (Space in Prison for the Arts and Creative Expression) and also worked as a Writing Fellow.  A former club soccer player, she is thrilled to catch the end of the World Cup! Other things she is looking forward to in South Africa include: meeting wonderful new people, working with an inspiring organization and (with any luck) learning to drive stick on the opposite (wrong) side of the road. Allie is planning on attending Mt. Sinai School of Medicine following her fellowship.

Ida Girma 2012-2013 Fellow with UN World Food Programme, Ethiopia Columbia University Class of 2012

Alumni Update:

After her fellowship, Ida stayed in Ethiopia to work with a microfinance institution called the Amhara Credit and Savings Institution, which provides financial services to over one million productive poor in the Amhara region. She wrote the institution’s gender policy, including provisions for gender-responsive budgeting, gender mainstreaming in the provision of microfinance services, gender equitable staff recruitment and development, parental leave, and sexual harassment protocols. She also conducted an evaluation of the institution’s Youth Savings Program, primarily using surveys and client interviews. Upon returning to the U.S., she worked at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Division of Epidemiology, where she worked on a randomized controlled trial testing the effect of the timing of postpartum clinical visits on various postpartum health outcomes. Since June 2014, she has worked at Arabella Advisors, a philanthropy consulting firm, where she provides strategy, evaluation, and implementation consulting services to a wide range of institutional, family, and corporate clients, and specializes in the firm’s global philanthropy practice.

Fellow Bio:

Ida graduated with a major in Comparative Literature and Society and a concentration in Political Science. She is from Richmond, VA, and studied in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Peru during her undergraduate career. At Columbia, Ida provided consultations to assist low-income Harlem residents navigate government benefits systems as a volunteer with the Advocacy Coalition, and sang as a member of the Chamber Singers. She is an avid music lover, enjoys writing, and intends to be an advocate for social justice throughout her life. She looks forward to learning her heritage language, visiting relatives, making new friends, and eating delicious injera while in Ethiopia!

Joyce Gitau 2024-2025 Fellow with Megnacio Company Ltd., Tanzania Moi University Class of 2014

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Joyce is a highly skilled professional with a wealth of experience in business development, strategic leadership, and partnerships within the African market. With over 9 years experience in the Banking, Payments, and the Software industry, she has a proven track record in driving revenue growth and forging strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans market analysis, GTM strategy, client acquisition, and product positioning. In addition to her extensive experience, Joyce has a Msc Degree in Management & Organizational Development from USIU and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Moi University.”

Eron (Winnie) Godi 2019-2020 Fellow with Maru-a-Pula, Botswana Augsburg College Class of 2017

Winnie (Eron) Godi was born in Kampala, Uganda and resettled in the United States with her immediate family in 1998. She graduated with honors, receiving degrees in both International Relations and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies with a minor in Peace and Global Studies from Augsburg University. As President of the Augsburg Pan-Afrikan Student Union she created spaces deconstructing misogynoir and established a platform for black youth and women of color. Winnie was an Augsburg LEAD Scholar, Norway Peace Scholar, and 2017 Student Commencement Speaker. She was awarded 2017 Outstanding Senior Leader of the Year and was inducted into the 2nd annual Augsburg Senior Leadership Society. After graduating, Winnie served as a Community Partnership Specialist at Girl Scouts River Valleys, providing inclusive programming to over 200 girls of color. She was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to the third cohort of the WFMN Young Women’s Cabinet of Minnesota, working closely with 24 other members to create and advance opportunities for young women in Minnesota. Over the past year, Winnie worked as a Kindergarten Teacher at Sabis International School in Nairobi, Kenya, challenging her students to explore non-traditional fields and is excited to continue a career in education in southern Africa.

Jennifer Goette 2001-2002 Fellow with International Rescue Committee (IRC), Ethiopia Princeton University Class of 1996

Alumni Update:

After working in The Gambia for three and a half years for Peace Corps as the Country Director (2014-2017), Jennifer transferred to Indonesia where she is currently the Peace Corps Country Director.

Morgan Goheen 2009-2010 Fellow with mothers2mothers, South Africa Princeton University Class of 2007

Alumni Update:

As part of the Physician Scientist Training Program, Morgan recently started her Infectious Diseases fellowship at Yale, where she also completed her Internal Medicine residency and participated in the Global Health and Equity track. After this clinically focused year, she plans to return to microbial pathogenesis lab-based research, with a focus on tropical medicine fieldwork. 

Fellow Bio:

Morgan majored in molecular biology while at Princeton. Born and raised in the small town of Hamilton, Montana, coming to Princeton was a big change—but a terrific one, at that. At Princeton, Morgan spent time working in a herpes virology lab, being a peer academic advisor and Butler Undergraduate Fellow, playing recreational soccer, and studying abroad at the University of Cape Town. Since graduating, Morgan returned home to Hamilton to work as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at Rocky Mountain Labs, a satellite campus of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. At RML, Morgan studies the Chlamydia bacteria with a group of researchers working towards a vaccine. Aside from being in the lab, she spends time coaching grade-school soccer players, playing with her dogs, and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible. Morgan is deferring from the MD/PhD program at UNC-Chapel Hill to participate in PiAf, where she looks forward to experiencing the public health side of infectious disease work during her time with mothers2mothers in Cape Town.

Bear Goldstein 2017-2018 Fellow with Nyumbani Village, Kenya Princeton University Class of 2017

Bear (Princeton ’17) is from Dallas, Texas. His full name is Sierra Moon Goldstein, but he goes by Bear. He graduated from Princeton University in 2017 with a degree in Psychology and Highest Honors. At Princeton, Bear was a member of the men’s varsity lacrosse team, where he was a two-time captain, a three-time All-Ivy and Academic All-Ivy selection, and USILA Scholar All-American. During his summers, Bear worked for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Nature Conservancy. He spent one summer in Hawaii conducting independent research on the cognitive underpinnings of mental toughness in triathletes. He also was a research assistant for a lab exploring intergroup relations, prejudice, and stereotyping in an academic setting. For fun, Bear enjoys playing sports, hiking, and music. He has a propensity for visual arts, especially photography. Prior to the fellowship year, Bear had never been to Africa. He is most excited about the new perspectives, skills, and relationships he will develop at Nyumbani Village and beyond.

Gomez_Diego_WebsiteDiego Gomez 2016-2017 Fellow with Clinton Health Access Initiative, Swaziland Brown University Class of 2009

Diego joins Princeton in Africa from Santander Bank, where he worked for seven years after graduating from Brown University with a B.A. in Economics in 2009. While at Santander Bank, he worked on the Corporate Strategy and Project Finance teams in New York City. His responsibilities ranged from analyzing potential bank acquisitions to financing energy and infrastructure projects in the United States. Diego is originally from Brownsville, Texas, and in his spare time he enjoys playing and coaching soccer; he was also a youth soccer coach with the South Bronx United organization. He will be working with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Mbabane, Swaziland, and is looking forward to understanding how the results of data analysis are presented, debated, and implemented in order to improve the public health sector. He also can’t wait to experience the energy and joy of a braai.

Our History

In 1999, a group of Princeton alumni, faculty, and staff launched Princeton in Africa as an independent affiliate of Princeton University inspired by the University’s informal motto, “Princeton in the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations.” In 2010, the program opened up to include graduates of any US accredited university in order to meet the growing demand from host organizations and allow more young professionals access to the unique opportunities afforded by PiAf. During the past 20 years, we have placed over 600 Fellows with more than 100 organizations in 36 countries, while developing more strategic partnerships across Africa and creating more opportunities for our alumni community to engage with the continent and with one another.

Testimonials

The International Rescue Committee has been so fortunate to have had a longstanding relationship with Princeton in Africa since our very first Fellows landed in Rwanda in 1999.  Whether it was Emily or Renee in 1999 or the 110 Fellows across 14 IRC countries over the years, we have been blessed by the relationship, the quality of the Fellows and the impact on what IRC does on the ground every single day.

Brian Johnson
Chief Human Resources Officer
International Rescue Committee

My fellowship has been the most impactful personal and professional development opportunity of my life. I wanted a post-college experience that would push my limits, expand my comfort zone, and help me discern the next steps in my career journey. And this has been the case.

Ryan Elliott
2014-15 Fellow
Baylor Pediatric AIDS Initiative in Lesotho

I can honestly say that this year has changed my life and my view of what’s possible for the future. Princeton in Africa isn’t just a one-year fellowship, it’s an introduction to a particular way of life and a new way of thinking about the world. I feel like so many doors are open now that I never would have considered before.

Katie Fackler
2010-11 Fellow
UN World Food Programme

My Princeton in Africa fellowship was everything I could have hoped for and much more. The myriad of experiences makes my head swim, and it has strengthened my desire to help underserved populations worldwide.

David Bartels
2006-2007 Fellow
Baylor Pediatric AIDS Initiative

Princeton in Africa was an invaluable experience for me. I learned an infinite amount through my work and through living in Uganda. I also realized that I want to continue working on African issues as long as I can.

Alexis Okeowo
2006-2007 Fellow
The New Vision

The International Rescue Committee’s experience with Princeton in Africa has been exceptional. Each Fellow brings excellent writing and analytical skills as well as unique interests and passions that enrich the program and the field office environment. We were so pleased we expanded the program to more field offices.

Susan Riehl
Human Resources, IRC

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has been working in Africa for over 11 years through its Secure the Future program.  One common theme in all aspects of program implementation is having passionate, energetic individuals on the ground who can think outside the box and then transfer the skills for sustainability.  The Princeton In Africa Fellows have been a huge asset in this regard and our programs and patients have been better for it.

John Damonti
President, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation