EDUCATION
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
PhD candidate, Comparative Developing, Political Science; minor public policy (2010)
Collaborative with Women Studies and Gender Institute, University of Toronto
Dissertation: Politics of Micro-Banking in the Caribbean (working title)
Exploratory field work to Jamaica (2007) and Haiti (2008)
Supervisor: Judith Teichman
Comprehensive Exams passed: Comparative Politics, May 2007

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, US
Masters of Public Administration, May 1997
Thesis: Fundamentalism, Militarism & the Effects on Human Rights in the Sudan (1989-1997)
Field research and internship in Cairo, Egypt with the Arab Lawyers Union and London, England with the Sudanese Human Rights Organization (6 months, 1996)
Supervisors: Muna Ndulo, Salah Hassan, Arch Dotson
Coursework: Planning and Development, Globalization and Development (Beneria), African Law, Sudanese Politics, Economics, Algebra, Statistics, Regulations, Politics, Policy Admin

University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, UK
Bachelor of Laws, honors, 1995
Coursework: Labor (Conaghan), property and equity, contracts, family, business
Internship in Kent Legal Clinic to low income people (2 years)

Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS, Canada – Bachelor of Laws, Honors, 1995
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Philosophy, 1993
Coursework: International development (Wein), economics, political thought, Canadian politics (Landes), Women and Politics (Arscott), Administration, Gender (Mount Saint Vincent)

HONORS AND FELLOWSHIPS
• Fulbright Research Award, Kingston Jamaica research, 2009 ($23,000)
• Doctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto, 2006-2010 ($18,000 annually)
• Best Incoming Graduate Student Award, Women and Gender Studies Institute, University of Toronto, 2006-2007 (Cash Award)
• Travel Awards for Conferences 2008: University of Toronto (cumulatively $1,000); WGSI ($500); NCOBPS ($500); CALACS ($350); CSA ($300)
• Graduate Scholarship, Cornell University, 1995-1997 ($32,000 annually)
• Mario Einaudi Travel Scholarship, Cornell University, 1996 ($8,000)

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• Teaching Assistant in US Foreign Policy, third year course, 2008
• Teaching Assistant in Politics of Africa, third year course, 2008
• Teaching Assistant in the Politics of the Disposessed in Latin America, 2008
• Teaching Assistant in Political Science, University of Toronto, 2006 to 2007
       • Conducted two years of tutorials in Politics of Development, includes grading, tutorials and proctoring final
          exams at UTSc campus
• Teaching Assistant in Basic Logic and Philosophy, Saint Mary’s University, 1991-1993
• Teaching Fundamentals Certificate, Teaching Assistant Training Program, 2007-2008
• Mentor for Havergal College Alumni, young professionals in non profit sector, 2007-2008

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Twelve years experience in enterprise development and project management. Assignments carried out in at least 20 countries.

Owner, Ebony Development Associates, work includes:

04.2008 - 09.2008	Jordan and Rwanda – Research Director for multi-country entrepreneurship and impact study. Chemonics International/USAID
06.2008 – 09.2008	Nigeria – Market research for Banking on Health project with commercial sector
06.2008	Capitalization of Credit Unions in Ukraine, Canadian Cooperative Association
05.2008	Subject reviewer for training course, Making Cents International
04.2008	Project design and technical finance writing for youth MF project in Egypt; Morocco for corporate donor, MEDA
03.2008 – 04.2008	Haiti – Technical assistance to the largest MFI, DAI; Youth MF training to banks
01.2008 - 02.2008	Nigeria – Market research and down-scaling workshop to commercial banks, Banyan Global/Abt Associates
12.2007 - 01.2008	Gender equality review for Pakistan proposal – livelihood project design, Plan International
09.2007	Afghanistan rural enterprise development – project design, Women for Women International - research and technical writing
08.2007 - 09.2007	Gender and Environment – Tanzania project design, University of Toronto
07.2007 - 08.2007	Afghanistan – Livelihood project for Women, Women for Women International; based in Kabul and Parwan
05.2007 - 07.2007	Jamaican Loan Guarantee Fund and Legacy Fund, MEDA – in conjunction with corporate donor Alcan
06.2007	Curriculum Development for Professionals, Making Cents International
05.2007	Donor Mapping – global skills training, MasterCard Foundation
01.2007 - 02.2007	Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises study, Foundation for International Training
10.2006	Banking and health in Kenya – Equity Bank, Barclays Bank, Save the Children
09.2006	Governance on the Ground Workshop, CIDA-Jamaica, University of Toronto

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE

10.2006 - present	Owner/Consultant, Ebony Development Associates www.ebonydevelopment.org Practice areas: gender, governance, enterprise and project management
01.2005 - 09.2006	Senior Microfinance Consultant, MEDA, Waterloo Canada Provided microfinance consulting services in the areas of new product development, business planning, operational support, gender and technical training. Managed Egypt youth MF project; consulting to Benin, Mozambique and DR Congo banks.
09.2004 - 01.2005	Consultant, OIC International, Philadelphia
01.2004 - 08.2004	Technical Program Manager, CRS Niger Managed a sustainable microfinance bank (receiving wholesale financing) in southern Niger with 4,000 clients.
07.2001 - 01.2004	Director of Entrepreneurship and Business, OIC International, Philadelphia Managed global microfinance network valued at US $1.6M with 16,000 clients. Non-formal education in Nigeria, Angola and Guinea. TA to village banks in Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Ghana and Togo. Launched start-up bank for women in Tanzania.
02.2000 - 07.2001	Senior Program Officer, The Hunger Project, New York City Managed US $2M African Woman Food Farmer Initiative, loans & literacy to 14 000 clients. Expanded US $600,000 village banking to entrepreneurs in Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique.
09.1997 - 12.1999	Small Business Advisor, US Peace Corps and Government of Benin Developed training modules and led business planning for local enterprises and cooperatives. Assisted in disbursements and assisted in reporting for local government, CARDER under Japanese funded project.
04.1996 - 09.1996	Legal Researcher, Arab Lawyers Union, Cairo, Egypt Human rights and economic development research with Sudanese exiles in Egypt.

COUNTRY KNOWLEDGE
Africa: Angola, Benin (long-term), Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Egypt (l-t), Guinea, Ghana, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger (l-t), Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal (l-t), South Africa, Togo, Tanzania, Uganda
Americas: Canada (l-t), US (l-t), Cuba, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad &Tobago, St. Kitts & Nevis, Bahamas, Barbados
Europe: Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, UK (l-t), Belgium, Canary Islands
Asia: Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, UAE

PUBLICATIONS
“Understanding the Impact of Employment, Entrepreneurship and Training Programs on Youth in Jordan and Rwanda,” microNOTE 52. www.microLINKS.org. USAID. Nov 2008.

“An Egyptian Case Study: Financial Services for Youth,” (co-authored Redfern and Carothers), International Journal of Emerging Markets. Vol 1 Issue 4: 329–340. NH: Southern New Hampshire University, October 2006.

“Thinking Outside the Islamic Box: Linking Context and Credit in Muslim West Africa,” Critical Half Journal. Washington DC: Women for Women. October 2004.

CONFERENCES
• At the Crossroads of Empire. “A Critical Review of Remittances in the Global Economy: Are gifts from abroad a part of the neoliberal agenda?” Congress, Vancouver, June 2008. CALACS. Paper presented.
• Sociological Perspectives: Thinking Beyond Borders/ Global Ideas and Global Values. “A View of a Political Scientist on Black Feminism in Development” Congress, Vancouver, June 2008. CSA. Paper presented.
• Identity Politics in the US and Abroad: Race, the Black Diaspora and Electoral Politics Conference. “How to use a Black Feminist framework in Comparative Politics,” National Conference of Black Political Scientists, Chicago IL, March 2008. Paper presented.
• Black Feminist Thought Conference. Paper delivered on “Black Feminism and Development,” University of Toronto, OISE, December 2007. Co-chair and conference organizer.
• UN International Year of Microfinance 2005 event. Paper delivered on “Building Inclusive Financial Systems.” Keynote speaker. Herb Gray Center for Non Profits and the University of Windsor. Canada, December 2005.
• Arab Sanabel Microfinance Network. Paper presented on “Innovation in non-financial services in the Arab World.” Morocco, Nov 2005.

ASSOCIATIONS
Women Advancing Microfinance, since 2005;
Canadian Association for International Development Consultants since 2005;
Association of Women in Development, since 2005;
Caribbean Graduate Students Association 2006;
National Conference of Black Political Scientists 2007 – Graduate Assistance Program Award; American Political Science Association 2007;
Canadian Political Science Association 2007;
National Association of Women 2007;
Canadian Association for Latin American and the Caribbean 2007.