Biafra is a Nigerian-American, seeking to advocate and serve underserved populations through artistic activism, community engagement, and implementation of evidence-based research. He graduated from Amherst College with a double major in Interdisciplinary Global Public health and Middle Eastern Studies. While at Amherst, Biafra completed a study abroad year in Cairo, Egypt at the American University of Cairo. There he conducted research for his seniors honors thesis “Cardiovascular Disease: Exploring Cultural and Economic Conditions to Inform Intervention”. Which provided him the opportunity to interview a range of health professionals in both Arabic and English for potential reform policies. At The UT School of Public Health, he’s delved into innovative approaches to tackle HIV/AIDS. At The Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) he researched Suicidality in the Intellectual and Developmental disabilities population. He is a CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholar and received a certificate of public health training in Maternity Child Health/Research at KKI. Most recently, he worked at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Genitourinary Oncology department doing clinical research as a program coordinator. Additionally, he served as an ambassador for the Baltimore Health Dept. working in community outreach alongside health clinicians, to increase Covid-19 literacy, conduct needs assessments, and increase vaccination rates in Baltimore. Following the Piaf fellowship, Biafra seeks to further his experience working in global public health while obtaining a Master’s degree. A lover of the arts, he is a co-host for the podcast Shapes of Love, a dance choreographer, and a spoken word artist.

Sarah Louis is from Orlando, Florida and the proud child of Haitian immigrants. She has a B.A. in African American Studies and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida (UF). At UF, Sarah was President of her school’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She helped make an impact through political, economic, social, and educational changes. Additionally, Sarah served as a Teaching Fellow for the Political Science Department at UF. She loved learning about global issues and cultures and even studied abroad in Brazil, Palestine, Israel, and France. In fact,  her love for learning about global issues assisted her as a Junior Summer Institute (JSI)  Fellow with Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) in the summer of 2021. She took graduate-level courses about public policy and data analysis, and co-authored a published research paper on immigrant remittance flows before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing her passion for service, Sarah served as a Community Development Fellow with the City of Gainesville during her senior year. She worked on multiple projects collecting quantitative and qualitative data to help local government officials develop a food waste ordinance that redistributed excess food to feed those in need. Having had experiences in education advocacy and creating equity, Sarah is excited for her fellowship with Kakenya’s Dream as an Education Program Officer. In her free time, Sarah enjoys learning natural hairstyles, engaging in photography, and spending time with friends and family.

Mikaila Harper graduated from The George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs concentrating in International Development. During her undergrad years, Mikaila created a mentorship for young women of color at the middle school level. Her GWU Chapter of Women Everywhere Believe served local DC communities teaching lessons of cultural competency, professional skills, and body positivity. During the Fall of 2020, Mikaila interned at Safe Project, a nonprofit fighting the addiction epidemic in the United States and at the Society for International Development, a network of professionals dedicated to sustainable economic, social and political development. In the Spring she began her internship at Women for Women International, a nonprofit helping women survivors of war and conflict learn the skills they need to rebuild their families and communities. Additionally, during the 2020-2021 year Mikaila completed a yearlong research project with the United States Agency of International Development. The project was a comprehensive analysis of seven different social movements from around the world. At the culmination of the report, Mikaila was able to provide multiple recommendations to USAID officials on how to help advance the seven social movements. Since graduating Mikaila serves as an Americorp Vista researching racial disparities in Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability studies.

Rowan Sharkey is a recent graduate from Denison University with a degree in Data Analytics and Environmental Studies. She is interested in sustainable agriculture-based research in order to further the effort against global climate change. Rowan has carried out research projects in countries such as Germany and Tanzania to help understand topics revolving around urban air quality as well as rural food systems. She loved being able to engage with local communities and develop plans that meet their desires while also promoting environmental awareness. Rowan is deeply excited to be working with Princeton in Africa to learn from others and use her skills to benefit those with similar goals!

Brenda Coromina was born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida, where she attended community college before transferring to Georgetown University. There, she majored in international history with a certificate in religion, ethics, and world affairs. During her academic career, she was a casework assistant and civics instructor for the International Rescue Committee, coached students for their citizenship exams for the Immigrant Resource Center, interned at the U.S House of Representatives, and most recently, the U.S Embassy in Tunis where she facilitated creative programming. During the summer of 2019, she worked as a gardening intern for the Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center where she assisted the upkeep of an organic community garden. She is excited for the opportunity to work with the International Livestock Research Institute where she will be translating scientific literature on agricultural development to broader audiences.

Chiedza is a proactive change agent from Zimbabwe with an acute appreciation and understanding of social justice issues. Chiedza’s goal is to educate and empower communities so that they can advocate for their social well-being and consequently breaking the cycle of poverty. A graduate student of Case Western Reserve University, with experience working with marginalized populations in Africa and the United States, Chiedza commands strong competencies in communication, research, grant writing, and project management. As a social development specialist, Chiedza has worked with humanitarian aid organizations such as World Vision as a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) consultant, where she was responsible for mainstreaming GESI across programs. Her role as a donor engagement and advancement intern for Catholic Relief Services enabled her to better understand how Non-Governmental Organizations secure funding from both the United States Government and Non-United States Government entities. In addition, Chiedza has extensive research experience which she gained as a research assistant working with data analysis software such as SAS, STATA, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) at the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development. Chiedza’s passion for the advancement of marginalized communities always shapes what she does. She is extremely excited to continue working in community development as a Princeton in Africa Fellow with Lwala Community Alliance. Chiedza enjoys reading, cooking, and volunteering, during her free time.

Elliot is from Vashon Island, Washington and recently graduated from Whitman College with a degree in economics. At Whitman, Elliot developed an interest in the intersection between economics and the environment, which guided him toward a diverse range of professional experiences. After his sophomore year, Elliot worked as a portfolio manager with Business Impact NW in Seattle, Washington, where he helped to increase the availability of financial services within economically marginalized communities across the Pacific Northwest. Following this experience, Elliot worked as a research assistant with Earth Economics in Tacoma, Washington. In this role, he co-authored a paper analyzing the complex relationship between disaster recovery, displacement, and economic insecurity in Puerto Rico and researched hurricane mitigation techniques, such as agroforestry and coastal ecosystem regeneration. These will not only improve Puerto Rico’s environmental resilience to future natural disasters but also the economic resilience of Puerto Rican communities. This project solidified Elliot’s understanding of the intricate connections between environmental sustainability and economic prosperity, and it fueled his desire to unlock sustainable avenues toward economic development. Inspired by the unique opportunities for sustainable development across Africa, Elliot is excited to continue working at the intersection of economics and the environment as a Fellow with the International Livestock Research Institute, a research center that works to improve food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe, and sustainable use of livestock.

Gwladys Boukpessi is a passionate young professional originally from Togo, West Africa. Growing up, her mother was a caseworker in the New York City area for African refugees seeking asylum. Witnessing their struggles for a better life made Gwladys want to dedicate her life to improving conditions for people around the world. In 2019, Gwladys graduated from Lehigh University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering with a minor in sustainable development. While at Lehigh, Gwladys was awarded the Dale S. Strohl ’58 Undergraduate Summer Research Grant to study sustainable waste management solutions in Ghana. Her undergraduate career also included research in Kenya on their clean water crisis and interning in Nepal with a local NGO to help improve local waste management. After graduating, Gwladys worked as an Environmental Engineer for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection where she helped to develop and implement air pollution control programs and regulations to improve air quality for NJ residents. In addition, Gwladys also served as an intern and Youth Ambassador for African Hope Committee, an NGO that empowers African immigrants in New York City through health education programs, immigration services, and social service support. Driven by her love for Africa and international development, Gwladys is honored to join the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT as a Research Fellow.

Ben Boston is driven to develop innovative governance solutions for sub-Saharan Africa. Ben is a native of Connecticut and a recent graduate of Stanford University, where he majored in political science and minored in history. His undergraduate studies focused on politics, governance, and conflict in post-colonial Africa. As a senior, he completed an honors thesis in international security studies, entitled America in East Africa: Security Partnerships, Aid Dependence and Diplomatic Leverage, through Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation under the advising of Professor Jeremy Weinstein. He has worked on US policy towards and communication on Africa while interning in the State Department with the Office of East African Affairs and the Press and Public Diplomacy office at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and with USAID at the U.S. Mission to the African Union. He also has experience working in American domestic politics, organizing for Elizaebeth Warren in Iowa in 2020 and for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire in 2016. At Stanford, he organized weekly breakfast donations for a local homeless shelter and served as the Captain, President, and Financial Officer for the Men’s Lacrosse team.

Catherine Blizzard was born and raised in Dallas and graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in international and global studies, german concentration, with coursework focusing on global health and refugee studies. A dynamic writer and effective communicator, she endeavors to help bolster the success and funding of global health and development organizations by telling their stories. Professionally, Catherine has worked with nonprofits, foundations and small healthcare startups. During college, she gained marketing and fundraising experience with Communities Foundation of Texas and spent a year living and working in Germany where she interned with the House of Democracy and Human Rights in Berlin. Since graduating she has explored the public health startup sector and spent her summer after graduation conducting qualitative research and conducting a needs-based assessment for Health Together. Currently, Catherine is the Business Development Consultant at Empathetics, Inc. and works directly with client outreach and development. Following a global health experience in the Volta region of Ghana, Catherine developed an interest in reproductive health education and access in the region. A US colleague and she have partnered with a Ghanaian friend and colleague to create ENE Empower, a nonprofit that promotes the development of women leaders by increasing their access to education, furnishing menstrual products, and reducing the violence and stigma around female reproductive health. She is very excited to join the Princeton in Africa community and to develop her fundraising and grant writing skillset with the Mt. Elgon Ecosystem Trust in Kitale, Kenya.