Katy studied Political Science, Global Security, and African Studies and is originally from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. During her time as an undergraduate, Katy spent a semester at the University of Ghana where she interned for a women’s rights organization. At UW, she was the Chair of Amnesty International and the Regional Organizer for the Conflict-Free Campus Initiative. She conducted research for her senior thesis at the U.S. Africa Command. Katy is looking forward to exploring Nairobi, getting to know Kenyan hip hop, and attempting to learn Swahili!

Alumni Update:

After leaving Dakar, Kaitlyn started a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, where she will be focusing on political-military cooperation in Africa. This summer she plans to be interning with the US State Department at the American embassy in Djibouti.

Fellow Bio:

Kaitlyn is originally from New Canaan, CT and is a Class of 2010 graduate of Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. At Georgetown, Kaitlyn majored in Culture & Politics and received a certificate in African Studies. Throughout her course of study, Kaitlyn had the opportunity to improve her French in Tours, France, study at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa, and immerse herself in Senegalese culture in Dakar, Senegal. Her African Studies capstone paper on international media representations of Idi Amin won her the Mopane Award for Excellence in African Studies. Since graduating, Kaitlyn has served as an Africa Analyst at the United States Marine Corps Center for Advanced Operational Culture Learning, providing training on African cultures and French language to deploying Marines. When she returns to Senegal as a fellow, Kaitlyn looks forward to finally mastering conversational Wolof, listening to mbalax, and travelling throughout the region.

Alumni Update:

Josh is currently working at Vera Solutions in Mumbai, India, as a consultant designing cloud-based monitoring and evaluation and other data management systems for a range of social impact organizations (from IPA and GAVI, to your small social enterprises). Sarah Evans (PiAf 2013-14) is also working at Vera!

Fellow Bio:

Josh is an International Studies major from Traverse City, MI. In undergraduate at Hope College (Holland, MI), he spent time abroad studying global health and development in Geneva, Switzerland and human rights in Kigali, Rwanda. Since graduation, Josh has spent time in India studying local governance systems, interned as a part of the Monitoring and Evaluation team at Search for Common Ground in Washington DC, and worked for Lutheran World Relief on the Constituent Engagement unit. In Malawi next year, Josh is looking forward to learning Chichewa and hopes to scuba dive in Lake Malawi.

Jon was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in Psychology and a Certificate in African Studies. By mixing his a focus on cultural psychology and neuroscience with his affinity for Africa, he hopes to find new solutions to problems facing the continent. After studying African politics and development for two semesters abroad in Cameroon and Paris, France, he could not resist pursuing an African Studies Certificate and honors thesis to continue critical reflection on corruption and NGO accountability in Africa. In Yaoundé, Jon interned with LAGA and Anti-Corruption, creating partnerships between businesses in the community and the city’s population of street children. He worked as a translator and consultant for corruption cases. Recently, Jon has co-founded the Social Innovation in Development Lab that consults with NGO’s and businesses in Africa to promote best practices in the development industry. Jon is a Board Member of School Girls Unite – a student-run activist organization and an avid producer and performer of electronic and rock music

James graduated with a degree in Government and Legal Studies and is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. He enjoys traveling, learning other languages, and outdoor activities like hiking and whitewater kayaking. At Bowdoin, he was on the rowing team and led a group of volunteer tutors who staff a study center at the Portland Housing Authority. He also had several major opportunities to travel and volunteer abroad, spending a summer teaching English and volunteering at a health clinic in Rwanda, 6 weeks spent as a kindergarten classroom assistant at Safe Passage in Guatemala City, and a semester in Lima, Peru studying and volunteering as a math tutor and leading a leadership workshop with disadvantaged urban youth at Building Dignity. While in Ethiopia next year, James looks forward to teaching Chemistry, learning Amharic, and getting involved with the health clinic at Project Mercy.

Gordon graduated with a degree in Finance. During college, Gordon was a member of the Texas State Men’s basketball team. He served as the Chief of Staff of the student body and was awarded the Lyndon B. Johnson Outstanding Senior Award. Additionally, five years ago, Gordon started a non-profit organization called Focused, which was founded on the principles of mentoring and accountability. Since graduating, Gordon has worked as a Business Technology Analyst in Deloitte’s Consulting practice. He has worked in a variety of industries, but has recently been aligned with the consumer goods sector. Gordon looks forward to learning Bemba, meeting/making new friends and enjoying the local cuisine.

Alumni Update:

After his fellowship ended in June 2014, Fritz moved to Moscow, Idaho where he is completing his first year of medical school at University of Washington School of Medicine. This summer, he will be implementing small-scale global health initiatives within a longitudinal cardiovascular study in Nepal. This fall, he will move to Seattle, WA to start his second year of school.

Fellow Bio:

Fritz is from Boise, ID and graduated with degrees in biochemistry and philosophy. While at Whitman, Fritz was the volunteer coordinator at a free health clinic, CFO of Whitman’s student government, a starter on the club rugby team, and an avid wearer of topsiders. Also while at Whitman, Fritz led two Spring Service Trips to New Orleans, rebuilding houses destroyed by Hurricane Katina.  This past year, Fritz has been working as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department back in Boise. He also started his own tutoring company and interned at the Boise Basque Culture Museum. Having never been to Africa before, Fritz is looking forward to just about everything during his fellowship. As an aspiring physician with an interest in pediatrics, he is especially looking forward to working with kids in Botswana and hoping he can match their energy!

Flannery is from Baltimore, MD and received a degree sociology and anthropology from Carleton College. At Carleton, she played ultimate Frisbee, co-founded the Carleton chapter of FACE AIDS, and served as a respondent to the HOPE Center crisis line for people who have experienced sexual or domestic violence. Interested in and passionate about human rights and global health, Flannery studied in Durban, South Africa for a semester, worked with Catholic Relief Services on the Haiti earthquake relief team, volunteered with Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore and biked across the country to raise funds for and awareness of FACE AIDS. While in Uganda next year, Flannery looks forward to finding the Kampala Frisbee team, exploring a new region of the African continent, and having countless new adventures with new friends.

Alumni Update:

Erik is currently a Quantitative Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia where he is working with a team of economists and policymakers to modernize the Community Reinvestment Act, a landmark legislation focused on eliminating redlining. 

Fellow Bio:

Erik is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Public Policy at the LaFollette School of Public Affairs in UW-Madison. He will be starting his second year in the program after the Princeton in Africa Fellowship. He completed his Bachelor’s in Economics at UW-Madison. Erik studied abroad in St-Louis, Senegal, during his senior year of undergraduate, where he studied French, Wolof, and Economics. He loved Senegalese culture, particularly the music and dance, and he looks forward to experiencing Malawian culture next year. In his free time, Erik enjoys singing, running, and biking. He is currently in a Jewish a capella group at UW-Madison, Jewop.  He hopes to join a choir while in Malawi.

Alumni Update:

Emily signed on to a longer contract with SteamaCo and is now working as their Digital Product Manager in Nairobi. They are using their technology to operate 25 microgrids across East Africa, and are currently raising money to expand internationally.

Fellow Bio:

Emily is a Civil/Environmental Engineering Major from Needham, MA. She also pursued studies in Computer Science and Sustainable Energy. Her favorite class at Princeton was building a hybrid wind/solar power system which could be deployed in a disaster relief setting, and she is excited to continue working in a similar field with access:energy in Kenya. Over the past 4 years, she has also been involved in Princeton’s Engineers Without Borders chapter, recently leading the project to construct a potable water system in Samne, Peru. In her free time, Emily enjoys playing on the club field hockey team and rock climbing.