Special Skills, Qualifications & Previous Board Experience
- Board Member, Penn Club of DC – I am currently on the board of the Penn Club of DC and have been since July 2022.
I have co-led flagship events such as the “Conversation with Dean Erica James” in March 2023. For this event, our team coordinated with the UPenn Alumni Relations Division, Penn Spectrum, the Office of the Dean, Communications Division and others in a very intensive engagement. In this event, I was a co-facilitator and interviewed Dean Erica James in a ‘lightning round’ of Q&A. It was a well-attended event and we received fantastic feedback from attendees who were delighted by the discussion.
I was a member of the hosting committee for the flagship event held for the University of Pennsylvania new President, Liz Magill’s visit to Washington, DC in April 2023.
- Member, Wharton Club of the National Capital Region (NCR) – Member since July 2022
- Member, Wharton Club of DC – Member since July 2022
- Volunteer, Wharton Club of the UK – was responsible for setting up the Linkedin Group and supported social media, 2014
- Member, UPenn Alumni Interviewing Committee, 2015
- Member, Executive Committee, Wharton Africa Club, 2014
- Advisory Board Member – various start-ups and social enterprises 2014-current
- Treasurer, Wharton Undergraduate Middle East Club (in undergrad)
- Member, Black Wharton Undergraduate Association (in undergrad)
- President, USESA (US-Educated Sudanese Association) – President of a diaspora civil society organization of 1,000+ members
- Chapter Lead, Washington DC – Tutu Fellowship of University of Oxford, 2022-current
- Member, Ethics Committee – Tutu Fellowship of University of Oxford, 2023
- Global Media – I am often called on for interviews by various global and DC-based media houses as an Expert on Sudan. I give interviews for TV, radio and written press.
Diversity
In terms of my own identity, I come from a diverse background. I was born in Khartoum, Sudan, grew up in the US, speak English, Arabic and some French. I identify as African (originally from Sudan) and am also categorized as Afro-Arab (this applies to countries like Sudan who are at the bridge between Africa and the Middle East). I identify as black and female (she/her/hers).
I have lived and worked in geographic locations across the globe and also managed diverse cross-cultural teams.
I have lived and worked in Khartoum, Sudan, Dubai, UAE, London, UK, New York City and Washington, DC, US, and Rome, Italy
I have worked within companies that are led by Chinese, Malaysian, Canadian, Emirati and Sudanese management
I have led teams that cut across continents and regions – North America, Europe, US and Asia, Middle East and Africa
Vision
Help grow Wharton Club of the National Capital Region’s base and cross-collaborate with the Penn Club of DC - I would love to work collaboratively between both the Penn Club of DC, of which I am a Board Member and the Wharton Club of the NCR. I believe there are huge potential synergies and that we can collaborate more actively on events and initiatives, bring together the UPenn community in the DC Metro area across the different UPenn schools and programs. This would also serve to grow and broaden the membership base of the WC of the NCR.
Highlight and Celebrate International Affiliations within the Wharton Club of the National Captial Region - I would love to collaborate on an event that highlights the international and global interests of the Wharton/Penn alum in the DC area. I think that there could be potential for some interesting events given the global nature of DC at the intersection of business, politics/policy, government and media.