Fellow Directory

President of Rising Star Outreach

Living in Provo, United States

Organization based in the United States and serving youth in India since 2001

Rising Star Outreach empowers individuals and families to rise above the stigma associated with leprosy and to live healthy productive lives through quality education, medical care, and community development

I am grateful for wonderful, thoughtful, humble people that gave their all to make the world better.

I hope that, by joining this program, we learn to work closely with other NGO’s and governments to be able to eradicate leprosy. The people we serve deserve the best ideas and implementation, regardless of where that comes from.   As we grow, we have no choice but to be more collaborative. 

Experience Areas: Leadership Development | Mentoring | Team Building

Director of Shamwari Yemwanasikana

Living in Harare, Zimbabwe

Organization based in and serving youth in Zimbabwe since 2014

Shamwari Yemwanasikana strives to empower girls and young women to be active agents of their own development through igniting the power within to reach their full potential.

I am grateful for an opportunity created for like-minded leaders to network, learn, develop, and exchange best practices, bringing in different expertise.

I would like to become a Gratitude Fellow because I believe that my expertise, the platforms that I have had an opportunity to be part of, and the exposure that I have had through my interactions in civil society at different levels will allow for me to bring in best practices that will build a global alliance of civil society organizations. 

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Fundraising | Grants | Leadership Development | Mentoring | Policy/Advocacy | Project Management | Social Impact | Social Work | Social Entrepreneurship | Sustainability | Team Building | Youth Empowerment

Executive Director of Desiderata Institute

Living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Organization based in and serving youth in Brazil since 2003

The Desiderata Institute is a Brazilian non-profit organization conceived to improve public health for children and adolescents, specifically focused on childhood cancer and childhood obesity.

I’m grateful to work with a team and for an organization that chooses to build long-lasting actions as the best way to overcome the challenges of child health in Brazil. 

I see the Gratitude Fellowship as a great opportunity to expand our network and add different perspectives to our repertoire.  

Experience Areas: Fundraising | Grants | Marketing | Project Management | Social Impact

Executive Director of Stepping Stones International

Living in Salt Lake City, United States

Organization based in and serving youth in Botswana since 2006

Stepping Stones International aims to unlock the potential of vulnerable children and youth through holistic development, strengthening families and activating sustainable opportunities.

I am grateful for my husband and children who inspire and support me daily to support the lives of children in Botswana and beyond.  My sisters and parents continue to listen to my successes and challenges and offer support to Stepping Stones International, for which I am forever thankful.

With the Gratitude Network, I could share experience of how we have been able to diversify funding and being deliberate about our strategic thinking. I will be able to tap into the wealth of networks from the team members, fellows, coaches and facilitators.

Experience Areas: Board Management | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Fundraising | Government Cooperation | Grants | Leadership Development | Mentoring | Operations | Project Management | Recruiting | Team Building | Youth Empowerment

President of Medical Ambassadors International

Living in Ripon, United States

Organization based in the United States and serving youth in globally since 1980

Medical Ambassadors International equip communities through Christ-centered health and development.

I am grateful to be involved in an organization that serves the poor, marginalized and hurting.

I hope to learn from the one-on-one facilitator and the others in the cohort about their successes and failures, so that I can hone my skills and become more effective. I particularly look forward  to learning from past Fellows, Coaches, Facilitators Team members and Supporters. I want to learn to do 'Good, even better'

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Fundraising | Government Cooperation | Grants | Healthcare | Leadership Development | Marketing | Mentoring | Operations | Policy/Advocacy | Project Management | Public Relations | Research | Social Impact | Social Work | Social Entrepreneurship | Succession Planning | Sustainability | Team Building | Technology Access/Training | Other PRA/ PLA

Co-founder and CPO of Dost Education

Living in London, United Kingdom

Organization based in the United States and serving youth in India since 2017

Dost Education supports low-income caregivers to create a home environment that unlocks their child's full potential and gets them school ready

I am grateful for amazing mentors, advisors, and a fantastic team who I get to work with on a purpose that I deeply care about.

As we grow rapidly, I want to learn how to effectively make time and space for long-term goals/vision and what a healthy team involvement looks like in that process I can contribute on: how to think about the use of simple and effective tech in programs, how to think about embedding outcome measurement within programs, innovative revenue models and partnerships

Experience Areas: Education Technology | Fundraising | Leadership Development | Operations | Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Team Building

Founder and Executive Director of Little Lumpy's Center for Educational Initiatives

Living in Cleveland, United States

Organization based in and serving youth in the United States since 2018.

Little Lumpy's Center for Educational Initiatives develops partnerships to support artistic, cultural, and academic pursuits, and enhances the experiences of all artists through culturally relevant and innovative curriculum.

I am grateful for life, a robust spiritual life, nature, my health and my gifts, friends and family, and the knowledge that LOVE is supreme!

I would benefit greatly from a network of other nonprofit founders, executives, and administrators. Gaining this network would enhance my capacity as a professional and nonprofit leader.

Experience Areas: Communications | Community Development | Education | Fundraising | Government Cooperation | Grants | Leadership Development | Marketing | Mentoring | Operations | Project Management | Public Relations | Research | Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Teaching | Team Building

CEO of The Freedom Story

Living in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Organization based in the United States and serving youth in Thailand since 2008

The Freedom Story prevents child trafficking and exploitation through culturally relevant programs for vulnerable children and share their stories to empower creative, compassionate people to act.

I am grateful for the support of family and friends, a job that I love, and the opportunity to make a difference in many lives.

I am eager to learn from other leaders in the space and see what can be applied to TFS’s structure and operations. I am very keen to share what we have learned, what works well, and what lessons we have learned. 

Experience Areas: Communications | Community Development | Education | Fundraising | Grants | Mentoring | Operations | Project Management | Research | Social Impact | Team Building

Executive Director of Partners in Education Ethiopia

Living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Organization based in Canada and serving youth in Ethiopia since 2015

Partners in Education Ethiopia works to improve the lives of disadvantaged people through quality education, using a holistic approach

I am grateful for job satisfaction.

We learn from the experiences of each other and deliver improved practices for the population groups we serve. Our community engagement, local resource mobilization and discharging downward accountability are worth sharing with others. I anticipate that the network will provide opportunities for members to better no each other and jointly apply for funding and other opportunities. 

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Education | Operations | Project Management | Social Impact | Succession Planning | Teaching | Team Building

Founder and Team Leader of Imagine Her

Living in Kampala, Uganda

Organization based in and serving youth in Uganda since 2016

The mission of Imagine Her is to work with communities to accelerate the power and potential of girls, young women and youth as active leaders and social entrepreneurs.

I am grateful for the opportunity of being part of a system that is empowering young women, girls and youth as amplifiers of their own change.

Through the network, with the diversity of fellows and coaches, one critical piece to our growth is the ability to measure the right impact. Gratitude Network is a perfect opportunity to learn and collaborate with the other fellows who are pioneers in this space to better our offerings to the community we work with.  

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Fundraising | Leadership Development | Operations | Project Management | Research | Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Team Building | Technology Access/Training | Youth Empowerment

CEO of Education for all Morocco

Living in London, United Kingdom 

Organization based in the United Kingdom and serving youth in Morocco since 2007

Education for All Morocco provides access to secondary education for teenage girls from the most remote villages in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco by building and running safe, girl-only boarding houses.

I am grateful for my life journey so far, for the incredible family and friends who love and support me, and for my youthful spirit and openness to explore lifestyles, practices and methods for complete thriving.

The Gratitude Network would support me to be a better leader and team-member who serves with a full cup (and heart). This will make a broader impact on girls' education in rural Morocco. 

Experience Areas: Communications | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Fundraising | Grants | Mentoring | Online Communities | Project Management | Social Media | Team Building | Other Human Rights

President of Charitable Foundation Zaporuka

Living in Kyiv, Ukraine

Organization based in and serving youth in Ukraine since 2008

Charitable Foundation Zaporuka seeks to be present, regardless of the circumstances, and to create conditions ensuring that every child affected by disease and war can remain united with their family, and has the right to life, health, and free development.

I am grateful for choosing a career in the non-profit sector two decades ago. Through my work, I have encountered proactive, conscious, and devoted people driving positive change. I am grateful to the countries that stand by Ukraine in our pursuit of freedom against the occupying force.

We are eager to learn from the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the Gratitude Network members to enhance our organization’s capabilities. We would be also delighted to share our experience from Ukraine with the network. 

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Finance | Fundraising | Government Cooperation | Grants | Healthcare | Leadership Development | Marketing | Mentoring | Operations | Project Management | Public Relations | Social Impact | Social Media | Sustainability | Teaching | Team Building

Executive Director of Rosie the Riveter Trust

Living in Berkeley, United States

Organization based in and serving youth in the United States since 1999

Rosie the Riveter Trust celebrates the stories of sacrifice, opportunity, and profound social change that took place in America during World War II. Through historic preservation and educational programming, they inspire people to learn from history and apply those lessons in today's world.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to support and inspire the next generation of leaders, with an organization that values the work that will lead us to a more inclusive and equal society.

The executive director role of a nonprofit is an isolating and challenging role. Having a cohort of people that care about similar issues or can relate helps create growth in a supportive environment, offering resources, community and a circle of trust.

Experience Areas: Communications | Fundraising | Grants | Marketing | Operations | Project Management | Social Impact | Youth Empowerment

Co-founder of Madhi Foundation

Living in Chennai, India

Organization based in and serving youth in India since 2016

Madhi Foundation seeks to work with government systems as a trusted partner, collaboratively ensuring an excellent education for every child and an opportunity to thrive for every teacher.

I am grateful to every person who has contributed to the learning in my life. Without any one of them, my life would not be the same!

Being a part of the Gratitude Fellowship network will facilitate peer learning from a group of like-minded individuals who have made significant strides and impacts in their respective domains and enrich my social entrepreneurship journey. 

Experience Areas: Education | Education Technology | Government Cooperation | Policy/Advocacy | Project Management | Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Team Building

Founder and CEO of Launch Girls

Living in Somerville, United States

Organization based in the United States and serving youth in India since 2020

Launch Girls equips girls to thrive in the world of work.

I am grateful for the incredible people that I work with who are passionate about bringing resources and support to underserved girls and the organizations that support them. They show up every day and challenge me and each other to do our best work.

In addition to coaching, the biggest incentive of this fellowship for me is the collaborative network. Through the collaborative network, I would like to actively build partnerships with other mission-aligned organizations to empower adolescent girls.  

Experience Areas: Leadership Development | Operations | Project Management | Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Team Building | Youth Empowerment

Director of Goodness and Mercy Missions

Living in Jinkfuin, Cameroon

Organization based in and serving youth in Cameroon since 2007

Goodness and Mercy Missions helps the rural poor, providing tools and means to the underprivileged for a sustainable livelihood.

I am grateful of the impact Goodness and Mercy Missions has made over the years. When we founded Goodness and Mercy Missions, we were largely driven by passion. Today we have exerted much impact.

I have worked together with people in several spheres and have seen the value of collaborating as a team. We need coaches and supporters to succeed. Collaborating in a team helps me to learn best practices, reconsider my assumptions and adapt to better ways. 

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Fundraising | Social Work | Teaching | Team Building | Youth Empowerment

Co-founder and CEO of the Rahul Kotak Foundation

Living in Kisumu, Kenya

Organization based in and serving youth in Kenya since 2016

The Rahul Kotak Foundation aims:to make good quality education accessible to children living in marginalized communities in Kisumu County in Kenya by addressing some of the biggest barriers that children face.

I am grateful for community. I am deeply aware of the nature of interdependence (Ubuntu) in the work we do at the Rahul Kotak Foundation. I am looking forward to building relationships, learning and growing from members of the community and in turn being of value to others and sharing my gifts.

The larger collaborative network will provide a fertile space for learning, growing and taking risks to really scale the work we are doing. Furthermore it is my hope that it will help create some accountability for me to  stay aligned to my purpose and mission.

Experience Areas: Board Management | Communications | Community Development | Corporate Social Responsibility | Education | Finance | Fundraising | Grants | Leadership Development | Marketing | Mentoring | Operations | Project Management | Social Impact | Social Media | Social Entrepreneurship | Sustainability | Teaching | Team Building

Executive Director of Partners in Education Roatan

Living in Roatan, Honduras

Organization based in and serving youth in Hondruas since 2006

Partners in Education Roatan aspires to bring inspiration and a solid educational foundation to students  in the Bay Islands of Honduras.

I am grateful for being a result of education, willing to work as much as I can and inspire others to succeed.

This is a remarkable opportunity to get inspired by mentors and fellows achievements in all areas, and their strategies to thrive and overcome challenges. This program  will bring my organization new partnerships and outcomes that potentially evolve into alliances and strengthen my programs or projects. 

Experience Areas: Community Development | Education | Education Technology | Grants | Leadership Development | Marketing | Policy/Advocacy | Public Relations | Research | Social Media | Social Work | Teaching