Alumni Directory Display

Isabella Todaro 2017-2018 Fellow with The Rwanda School Project, Rwanda Georgetown University Class of 2017

Isabella graduated from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in May 2017 with a degree in Science, Technology and International Affairs. During her time at Georgetown, Isabella focused on the implications of environmental policy in the lives of people worldwide. Her interest was solidified during her semester in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she worked at a BRICS Policy Institute studying the intersection between gender and climate in the BRICS countries and researching ground-up adaptive solutions to climate change pioneered by women. While at Georgetown, Isabella was a tour guide and the Director for Human Resources at the Corp, the largest entirely student run nonprofit in the world. Isabella has an insatiable curiosity for the natural world around her and as such idolizes Dr. Jane Goodall and enjoys hiking and camping.

Fenja Tramsen 2023-2024 Fellow with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Swarthmore College Class of 2023

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Originally from Germany, Fenja Tramsen spent her teenage years living in Yorkshire, England. In 2023, she graduated from Swarthmore College with a double major in History and Political Science. During her time at Swarthmore, Fenja developed her interest in politics by working as a research assistant at two labs (one focused on incarceration in the American South, and the other on the impact of socio-economic status on voting). She also enjoyed pursuing studies abroad, first studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan, and later spending a semester in Ghana studying history, politics, and Twi. While in Ghana she completed a policy internship at the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability in Accra, which deepened her interest in both advocacy work and international relations. Fenja also developed a strong set of skills in donor relations, archival work, and environmental justice through her positions at the List Art Gallery, the Peace Collection archives, Swarthmore’s Office for Alumni Engagement, and the Office of Sustainability. As a culminating academic project, Fenja combined her interests to complete archival research in Berlin for her thesis on German colonial livestock projects in Namibia. Fenja is thrilled to be joining the International Livestock Research Institute as a Princeton in Africa fellow this year!

Sandra Tsikor 2017-2018 Fellow with African Leadership Academy, South Africa University of Pennsylvania Class of 2017

Sandra Tsikor graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with honors in International Relations and minors in African Studies and International Development. Upon graduation, she was a recipient of the Arthur Fauset Award for intellectual pursuit and community service. Originally from Ghana but born in Russia, she has been committed to exploring the world around her. She studied intensive French in Tours, France and International Relations from an African perspective at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She is wholly committed to furthering the political, social and economic conditions in Ghana and Africa. She interned at the IMANI Center for Policy and Education, a think tank in Ghana, conducted research and produced a report on recommendations in improving Ghana’s doing business environment. This research fed into her senior thesis project where she received grants to conduct field research on entrepreneurial Ghanaian return migrants from the US and the UK, the challenges they face and policies for alleviating them. Interested in strategy and consulting, she has worked at the ShawbellConsulting Limited in Ghana and Deloitte Consulting with government agencies to transform their model, garner efficiency and improve their public service delivery. At UPenn, she managed the processes of 9 teams in delivering web content for the Wharton Africa Business Forum, a gathering of executives and leading professionals interested in furthering business in Africa. Sandra Tsikor is interested in exploring entrepreneurship, specifically social entrepreneurship, and youth leadership as a means for furthering Africa’s development. As such, she looks forward to her fellowship with the African Leadership Academy in South Africa!

Satya Twine 2018-2019 Fellow with Global Partnerships, Kenya Yale University Class of 2015

Satya, a Los Angeles native, graduated from Yale University earning  a B.A in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Energy Studies. Her academic work focused on resource use and sustainability, and during her time at Yale, she traveled extensively to explore her interests. Sachi spent one summer in Costa Rica studying sustainable development and another in Istanbul, Turkey interning with an energy investment firm where she conducted research to inform the development of their first biomass plant. She also spent a semester in Copenhagen, Denmark studying sustainable design and renewable energy systems. After graduating, she joined the Market Intelligence and Strategy team at Vestas, a global wind power company. There, motivated by her passion for climate change mitigation, she has worked to understand the drivers of renewable energy demand, analyze challenges the industry faces, and help customers and utilities identify opportunities to increase wind power deployment. In her free time, Sachi loves hiking and camping, seeing live music, and spending time near the ocean. She’s excited to spend the year in Nairobi pursuing her interests in the intersection of business and social/environmental impact, and to explore the outdoors in East Africa!

Mary Uwadineke 2019-2020 Fellow with The Kasiisi Project, Uganda University of Maryland, College Park Class of 2018

Mary graduated from The University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in Food Science and Global Poverty. Her experiences are mainly focused in nutrition, agriculture and education. Mary’s enthusiasm for nutrition led her to work with the US Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Food Care Program during her Junior year of college. As she progressed through college, she completed research in International Food Safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Mary is a Nigerian native and believes that education and culture are vital to personal development and growth. During the late months of 2006, the United Nations predicted that some minor languages of the world would become extinct by 2025. In response to the prediction, she pioneered an undergraduate class with the University of Maryland’s African American Studies department on the native Nigerian language; Igbo. Her international work spans throughout the countries of Nigeria, Uganda, Haiti, and Taiwan. In her free time she goes on personal missions trips and volunteers with non-profit organizations like Oxfam and The World Bank.

Colin Vaida 2018-2019 Fellow with International Rescue Committee (IRC), Tanzania Davidson College Class of 2016

Colin, a Miami native, graduated from Davidson College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. While an undergraduate, Colin studied abroad in South Asia, where he analyzed sustainable development interventions in Southern India and examined post-conflict challenges in Sri Lanka. His internship experiences included positions with Human Rights Watch, the Hudson Institute, and a boutique immigration legal team. After graduation, Colin was a program associate with the Population Reference Bureau working to support USAID-funded projects that addressed family planning, the environment, and reproductive health. Colin aspires to be an advocate for integrated development approaches, especially as it pertains to women’s empowerment and resilience. As a PiAf Fellow Colin is excited to serve with International Rescue Committee in Tanzania and build his capacity for grants management and proposal development.

Conor Vance 2020-2021 Fellow with Kaz'O'zah Keza, Uganda Princeton University Class of 2020

Conor graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Political Science and a certificate in African Studies. Academically and professionally, he specializes in issues of institutional design and government accountability. Conor has examined these topics closely in his research, including a comparative investigation into East African tax administrations and a senior thesis that tested links between urban protests in South Africa and the responsiveness of municipal officials. In the summer of 2019, he interned at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, where he supported efforts to develop and expand regional partnerships and transparency initiatives. He is especially passionate about protecting the human rights and dignity of the most vulnerable, having taken part in State Department initiatives to combat human trafficking. Conor is excited to work as a Princeton in Africa fellow with Kaz’O’zah Keza, an organization that provides artisan training and organizational support to communities in Burundi and Uganda.

Morgan Wack 2017-2018 Fellow with Clinton Health Access Initiative, South Africa Colorado College Class of 2015

Alumni Update:

Morgan is currently a PhD student at the University of Washington, where he studies how new technologies and urbanization influence the politics of sub-Saharan Africa. 

Fellow Bio:

Morgan graduated in 2016 from the London School of Economics with an MSc in Global Politics and an emphasis on global health and post-conflict development. Having previously graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Sociology along with minors in African Studies and International Community Development, Morgan has completed a number of research and internship programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Commencing with his study in Rwanda as an undergraduate, Morgan has since conducted academic research throughout west Africa focused on developmental athletic academies and worked in northern Uganda on the development of health and youth livelihoods programs. Morgan has also gained governmental experience developing policy briefings, communications programs and exploring data systems within two UK Shadow Ministries. Alongside these roles, Morgan has worked as an editor and writer for his university’s paper, served as an advisor for two national parliamentary campaigns and supported the IRC as a Health Access and Intensive Case Management Intern. He is an avid backpacker, pick-up soccer player and writer of unintelligible screenplays. Morgan is eager to dedicate himself further to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of sub-Saharan African healthcare systems as an analyst focused on HIV-prevention for the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in South Africa.

Liz Wangu's HeadshotLiz Wan'gu 2012-2013 Fellow with African Leadership Academy, South Africa University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2012

Alumni Update:

Liz holds a J.D. from Duke University, with a term at the University of Hong Kong. She currently works as an associate attorney in the Washington DC office of the global law firm, Clifford Chance LLP. Her practice focuses on international project and corporate finance and other cross-border development finance transactions. Liz previously worked at a social change consulting firm where she managed the launch of a new social venture serving communities of color. 

Fellow Bio:

Liz graduated with degrees in Journalism and African Studies. She is originally from Nairobi, Kenya. While an undergraduate, she did independent studies that focused on topics of wealth disparities in Kenya and Black Economic Empowerment policies in South Africa. She also spent a summer doing research on ICC cases and investigations. Liz interned at TransAfrica Forum, a foreign policy advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora, and at a human rights advocacy organization in Cape Town, South Africa. Liz looks forward to returning to South Africa and learning more about the work of the African Leadership Academy.

Neil Wary 2022-2023 Fellow with USAP Community School, Zimbabwe Stanford University Class of 2022

Neil Wary was raised in the Chicago suburbs and deeply cares about health equity, mentorship, and service. He recently graduated from Stanford University (2022) with a bachelor’s in Human Biology, a master’s in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, and a minor in Music. During his time at Stanford, Neil was involved with Stanford Medicine’s free clinics, edited Stanford’s Journal of Science, Technology & Society, and was a peer tutor. Neil has extensive research experience in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases and wrote his master’s thesis on predicting insulin sensitivity using blood-based biomarkers. In his free time, Neil plays the violin. Following the Princeton in Africa fellowship, Neil plans to attend music conservatory and then medical school. He is excited to be joining the faculty at USAP Community School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe.

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