DOT | Digital Opportunity Trust

Alain Ibarushamaboko (Rwanda): Alain is a passionate youth leader with rich experience in community development and business coaching. He has a committed vision for youth leadership in the digital age; a committed life-long learner and hopes to be a positive voice for youth in his community and the world in general. He runs a digital technology TV show - FATA Tech on popular Rwanda TV that inspires, guides and informs citizens about new advanced digital technology solutions that they can apply in their day to day living.

Through his involvement with Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board, he hopes to advance his leadership skills, to mentor & connect youth to global opportunities and expand his involvement in creating tangible solutions to problems affecting youth.  

Kelvin is a social entrepreneur based in the Western region of Kenya. He is dedicated to empowering youth and children through his SAIDE Community Library by providing free learning opportunities through digital literacy programs and community outreach programs.
Kelvin has worked with partners such as American Friends of Kenya, Worldreader, Population Service International Kenya, Foundation for Sustainable Development among others.

Kelvin looks forward to creating more connections and impact during his term as a Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board member.

Raya has proved to be an amazing role model to youth in her country. She brings on board extensive experience in women empowerment and youth development. She holds a Masters Degree in Business Management and has been working with young entrepreneurs for over 5 years.

“As a member of DOT’s Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board, I will incorporate youth voices and solicit insights to reach the power of change we, as youth, need to perceive in our communities and become the leaders of tomorrow!”

Sophia is an Electronics & Telecoms engineer and a young innovator who has been passionate about the STEM field since the age of 13. She is the youngest awardee to receive an award by Next Einstein Forum in Tanzania under the “Women emerging in STEM careers” category. She works to promote STEM subjects to girls in high schools to increase their interest and uptake. Her experience working with Vodacom Tz has enabled her to be a vibrant leader and a great role model to girls and women.

She is passionate about Engineering and is currently doing an apprenticeship program (SEAP) by the Engineers Registration Board so that she can further pursue her goals. She is also the current ambassador for Next Einstein Forum (2019-2021) and is working towards connecting science, society and policy in Africa and the rest of the world in order to leverage science for human development globally.

Sophia hopes to encourage many other young people and especially women to venture into the STEM space through innovative ideas and creation of lasting solutions during her engagement as a GYLAB.

Waad Al Amro is a young energetic and highly sociable lady from Jordan. She is a visionary young leader and has been participating in DOT Jordan’s programs to upskill herself as she looks forward to joining the workforce in the near future.

She is passionate about leading change in her community and recently played a key role during DOT Jordan’s launch of Dare to Shift program. She is currently a participant of the Impact Sourcing for Apprenticeship Opportunities funded by UNICEF.

“The training programs have helped me acquire numerous skills. I’m truly grateful to the DOT family for their hard work, vast knowledge and skills and I look forward to impacting more young people especially during my term as a Global YouthLAB member”

Zufan Tesfaye is a project coordinator and social entrepreneur who is well experienced and runs multiple projects in a not-for-profit organization. She holds a BA in law and is pursuing her MA in project planning and management. In collaboration with a local public school she has started a social enterprise that produces women’s reusable sanitary towels for the less fortunate women and school girls to minimize the days girls miss school for not having sanitary towels.

“As a #DOTYouth alumni and a member of DOT’s Youth Leadership Advisory Board, I want to model growth mindsets for youth and empower them especially women to actively engage in social entrepreneurship and changing people’s life.”

Janet Longmore is the founder and CEO of Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) and a champion for technology-driven, community-owned, and youth-led solutions in rapidly developing regions of the world.

Under Janet’s leadership, DOT has developed a global network of thousands of young people who are invested in their communities as leaders of change and social innovators. In communities across Africa, the Middle East and Canada, these young people are creating solutions to local challenges, starting businesses, and creating jobs.

A passionate believer in the power and potential of youth and technology, Janet works tirelessly to promote respect for youth as an untapped source of creativity, innovation, and talent. As a member of the steering committee for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Internet for All initiative, she shares insights on how young people can be champions of digital inclusion, driving social and economic change in emerging economies.

In 2016, Janet was decorated with a Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General of Canada in recognition of her strong example of social innovation and leadership that brings considerable honour to Canada. In 2018 she was appointed to the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation's Business Leaders Caucus, through which she works to develop guidelines on how to best use public resources to engage the private sector in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

While guiding DOT’s steady growth, Janet has built long-term partnerships across private and public sectors, including with Cisco Systems, IBM, The MasterCard Foundation, and agencies such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and USAID.

Janet is a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur and a Senior Ashoka Fellow; from 2014-2016 she was an active member on the WEF Global Agenda Council on Emerging Multinationals. Janet is a recipient of the CATA Alliance Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (2011) and has been recognized as a Trailblazer and Trendsetter by the Women’s Executive Network Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada (2012).

Drawing upon more than ten years’ experience living and working in Kenya, Liberia, and Ghana, Natasha brings hands-on experience managing and implementing programs in Africa. Most recently, she served as the Regional Program Manager of West Africa at Right To Play, where she oversaw a diverse range of programs addressing youth leadership, education, gender equality and child rights. In this role, Natasha supported the capacity development of country program teams in results-based management and reporting. She also has an extensive background in monitoring and evaluation, training, and community-based research. Having witnessed first-hand the energy and innovation of young people who are empowered to become agents of change in their communities, Natasha was excited to join the Program Operations team at DOT in December 2016. She holds a Masters Degree in Medical Anthropology from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia.

As Gender Specialist and Safeguarding Focal Point, Meaghan works closely with her counterparts across the DOT network to strengthen DOT's growing focus on gender equality and women's empowerment. Meaghan is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of project gender equality strategies and implementation plans, strengthening capacity in gender equality across the DOT network, and supporting the mainstreaming of gender into proposals, programs, operations, and budgets. Meaghan also serves as the safeguarding focal point at DOT HQ.

Prior to joining DOT, Meaghan worked as a gender technical expert and Associate Manager, Strategy and Learning, with the Mastercard Foundation, playing a key role in mainstreaming gender equity across the organization and its programming. Meaghan's background in gender equality and women's economic empowerment is grounded in her experience supporting grassroots efforts among women’s rights organizations working to support survivors of gender-based violence, and improve the resilience of their refugee and migrant communities at the Myanmar-Thailand border. She is passionate about community-driven and youth-led solutions that highlight and strengthen the transformative leadership of women.

Meaghan has a Master of Arts in political sociology and International Development from University of Guelph, Bachelor of Political Science and History from Carleton University, and a post-graduate diploma in International Development Program Management from Humber Business School.

Marianne is DOT’s Director of Operations for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), leading regional business development and forming new partnerships to support expansion. She is also DOT Lebanon’s Country Director, and has led its operations since 2010.

Before joining DOT Lebanon, Marianne managed operations at World Vision International and established World Vision Lebanon’s refugee program. With her extensive experience in NGO management, she has an impressive network within Lebanese and international civil society, and she is an expert in issues concerning refugee communities in Lebanon.

Marianne has a Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering from the American University of Beirut, a master’s in food science from McGill University in Canada, and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Joseph University/Paris Dauphine.

As Director of Finance, France is responsible for all aspects of financial operations, including financial reporting, oversight of Ottawa and International accounting staff, and oversight of the branch and affiliate operations.

France is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and obtained her Chartered Accountant (CA) designation in 2016.  France joined DOT in 2017, bringing with her over 9 years experience performing external audits and review of financial statements and financial reporting for both private and non-profit organizations in Canada, Haiti, Malawi and Tanzania. She has also provided analyses and recommendations on internal controls and proper application of accounting treatments for organizations and pensions plans.

As Data Officer, Weris supports with collection of qualitative and quantitative data, and the implementation of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks across DOT’s network. 

Prior to joining DOT, Weris worked at UNDP Rwanda and East Java - Indonesia where she supported the establishment of M&E frameworks and facilitated M&E capacity building for implementing partners of youth entrepreneurship programs. She also played a key role in the organization and evaluation of youth skills development and training programs in both Rwanda and Indonesia.

In her spare time, Weris holds workshops on career building for Canadian high school students and is an active member of the East African Community in Ottawa. Weris is an alumna of the University of Ottawa. 

As Stakeholder Relations Specialist, Emma supports the Partnership Development Hub to build and maintain relationships with donors, partners and stakeholders across DOT’s network. In her role, she also supports DOT’s presence at global events and fundraising and partnership engagement.  Before joining DOT, Emma worked as a Communications Coordinator with IMRSV Data Labs, contributing to business development initiatives through liaising with key decision-makers in the public and private sectors. 

In her free time, Emma is an active committee member and the Director of Camp Lau-Ren, a summer camp for children.  Emma graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts with Specialization in Communications, and Queen’s University with a Graduate Diploma in Business.

Jane is a dynamic executive with extensive experience in international development, corporate social responsibility, inclusive business and strategic partnerships in emerging markets. She has worked in over 40 emerging economies in her career and has been based in Turkey since 2005. Jane has held multiple management and executive positions in DOT since 2004, including development and oversight of DOT’s innovative corporate partnerships programs, business development, tri-sectoral collaboration initiatives and the MENA region. She is a former Canadian diplomat and holds an M.A. in International Relations.

Heather has been working with DOT since 2008, originally as DOT‘s Executive Assistant and currently as the Senior Manager of Corporate Operations. Heather has helped manage the growth of the organization, and now takes on HR responsibilities for the DOT Ottawa team. Heather is passionate about international development and gender equality, and is inspired by the commitment to social innovation she sees in the DOT network.

As Chief Financial Officer at DOT, Lisa is responsible for overseeing the organization’s financial management, internal controls, and financial reporting. With over 20 years of experience, Lisa is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and obtained her Chartered Accountant (CA) designation in 2002. She has expertise in managing global growth and expansion, budgeting and forecasting, internal controls and risk management, securing financing, and strategic planning. Lisa has held senior level and executive positions in both not-for-profit and technology companies, and currently sits on the Board of Directors of several organizations.

As a senior project manager, Elizabeth works with country teams to ensure the successful implementation of youth-focused innovation and entrepreneurship projects in East Africa. She also contributes to DOT’s broader work in the areas of gender equality, research, and project planning and design.

Elizabeth brings 10 years of experience that includes programming, research and analysis, strategic planning, and partnership building. She began her career in social change with an NGO in Guatemala City, helping families living alongside the Guatemala City Garbage Dump gain education and skills. Prior to joining DOT, Elizabeth served as the Executive Director of Ethiopiaid Canada, where she led the organization’s efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable women and girls in Ethiopia through projects and partnerships focused on maternal health, education, and skills development. She has also worked on various international development initiatives, including a water, sanitation and hygiene project with USAID in Ethiopia, assignments with the North-South Institute, and research projects exploring women's land rights in East Africa, a systems approach to reducing child, early and forced marriage, and the role of social capital in informal financial services. Elizabeth holds a Master’s Degree in Law and Diplomacy, with a specialization in International Development and Human Security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (Massachusetts, USA) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College (Maine, USA).

Julia is DOT's Director, International Partnerships and Country Director for DOT UK; she leads partnership-building and fundraising work in support of DOT's global vision and country programs. Julia has spent her career addressing the needs of young people through youth enterprise projects with major UK-based international youth organizations, and as International Director of The Prince’s Youth Business Trust and International Award Association. Julia has experience establishing and building the capacity of charities, and has more recently raised funds for charities addressing the needs of marginalized young people in the UK. Julia has spent time working in eight countries of Africa, India, Hungary and Russia.

As a Project Manager, Nicole is responsible for leading, coordinating and supporting project planning, implementation and reporting across the DOT network. She also contributes to the development of project management practices and tools, the management of project risks and coordinating the multi-functional project team. 

Nicole brings with her over fourteen years of work experience within the non-governmental/non-profit sector. Most recently, Nicole worked with UNDP Lebanon where she managed, supervised, coordinated and supported the implementation of more than 100 complex, cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder projects focused on women’s empowerment, improving livelihoods, social and economic development and community engagement.

Nicole is passionate about upholding gender equality and promoting children's rights and education. She possesses an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the Lebanese University and is certified in project management (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI). 

As Alumni and YouthLAB Coordinator, Ann is responsible for leading international and regional alumni and YouthLAB engagement efforts. In her role, she supports the development of alumni engagement strategies and coordinates global opportunities for YouthLAB member across DOT's network.

Ann brings over 9 years of experience in human resource administration, gender and program implementation for youth and women-led projects. In her previous role, Ann supported DOT Kenya to implement programs addressing youth leadership, training and development in social entrepreneurship, gender, ICT, sustainability  and women's empowerment. She is an exceptional coach and is actively engaged and committed to supporting in youth and women in sustainable economic development.

Ann graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Economics and has an Executive Certificate in Human Resource Management from the College of Human Resource Management in Kenya.

As the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Pushpita supports the design and implementation of DOT’s global feminist, participatory, rights-based and ICT supported MEL systems, evaluation and research methodologies. At DOT, Pushpita's work contributes to the expansion of evidence-based programs and policy formulation to advance social justice for youths.

Over the course of her career, Pushpita has worked in multiple international organizations. She has developed M&E systems for programs which focus on gender equality, community resilience, youth empowerment and ICT4D. 

Pushpita is currently doing a Masters in Development Practice at University of Waterloo. She has another Masters in Development Studies from BRAC University and holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Economics from University of Dhaka.

Born and raised in Morocco, Adil is an international development professional who has worked in both North America and North Africa. Most recently, Adil served as Program Manager at the United Nations Association in Canada, where he oversaw a wide variety of work-integrated learning and international development programs addressing youth leadership and training, youth (un)employment and social innovation. He is an experienced workshop facilitator with a background in experiential learning and capacity building around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As a Senior Project Officer at DOT, Adil works with country teams to ensure the successful implementation of projects and programs. Adil is an elected member of the Youth Advisory Council of the World Federation of UN Associations, board member of the National Council for Canada Arab Relations and #TeachSDGs Ambassador.

He is an alumna of Carleton University.

Yan holds an MBA with a concentration in Financial Management from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from Beijing Normal University, and has a strong background in corporate finance, accounting and business administration.

Prior to joining DOT, Yan worked as a General Accountant with the accounting firm Positive Venture Group Inc. where she was responsible for the full cycle of accounting for five companies in industries which including manufacturing, retail, technology, and mining. Yan is currently working toward her Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.

Formerly DOT’s Vice President, Strategic Development, Grant continues to work closely with DOT as an Executive Officer and advisor. He is an experienced management professional with extensive international experience. He is a specialist in partnership and joint venture development and has been responsible for significant private and public sector investment in developing and transitional economies. Grant is a former executive in several IT companies, a partner in PriceWaterhouse, and he co-managed the Acacia Initiative in Africa for Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He has served on the board of directors of Precarn Incorporated, the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Willis College and TeKnoWave Inc.

Violette has led DOT Rwanda since its inception in 2010. Prior to DOT Rwanda, she spent seven years at the Embassy of Rwanda in Washington DC, beginning as a policy analyst and rising to become a diplomat in the position of First Secretary. Upon completion of her mission, she was posted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kigali, in charge of Asia and Oceania.

Violette is involved in numerous youth and women’s economic empowerment and technology-fueled development initiatives. She is a mentor through the Imbuto Foundation, a member of the Africa Leadership Network and a recipient of the Change Agent ABIE Award from the Anita Borg Institute. In 2016, Violette was named one of Amazon’s Watch Magazine’s Top 25 Distinguished Women in Business Excellence in Africa for her work to economically empower young girls and women.

Violette holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus on International Development from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Comparative Development from Trent University.

As Finance officer, Atinder supports the operations of the finance team in Ottawa. He holds a commerce degree with a concentration in finance from the University of Guelph and has a breadth of experience in various finance and accounting roles in both the public and private sectors. He also holds various certifications and credentials in the financial services industry which allow him to bring a unique perspective to the team.

Atinder is currently working toward his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and consistently engages in community involvement and mentors’ students at the post-secondary and high school levels. With a strong spirit for helping others, Atinder is always looking for ways to help others in his local community

Tony brings extensive professional operations and project management experience and a commitment to innovation within DOT's vision. Prior to joining DOT, Tony was a project manager with the Global Connectivity program at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. In 2007, Tony completed a master's degree in international development at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (Ottawa, Canada). Tony has also enjoyed over 10 years in the telecommunications sector, having worked in senior product management, technical marketing, and executive advisory roles.

Marianne is DOT’s Director of Operations for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), leading regional business development and forming new partnerships to support expansion. She is also DOT Lebanon’s Country Director, and has led its operations since 2010.

Before joining DOT Lebanon, Marianne managed operations at World Vision International and established World Vision Lebanon’s refugee program. With her extensive experience in NGO management, she has an impressive network within Lebanese and international civil society, and she is an expert in issues concerning refugee communities in Lebanon.

Marianne has a Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering from the American University of Beirut, a master’s in food science from McGill University in Canada, and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Joseph University/Paris Dauphine.

Esther Wanjiru Gathigi is passionate about empowering young and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop the skills and insights they need to transition their startups into high-potential business ventures.

Prior to joining DOT, Esther was the Executive Director for WECREATE Kenya, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State that establishes entrepreneurial community centers in safe and centralized locations for women to gain access to the essential resources required for starting or growing businesses. Esther has also worked in business development at NIC Bank. She has extensive experience in relationship management, project and operations management, and strategy mapping and implementation.

As a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Esther collaborates with young business leaders in Kenya and abroad to impact the lives of others through projects in education, environment, and entrepreneurship. She also offers her expertise as a mentor with the African Entrepreneurship Awards, focusing on entrepreneurial capacity development. Esther believes in enhancing skills and knowledge of young entrepreneurs to transform the entrepreneurship landscape in Kenya, and to highlight success stories across the continent.

Julia is DOT's Director, International Partnerships and Country Director for DOT UK; she leads partnership-building and fundraising work in support of DOT's global vision and country programs. Julia has spent her career addressing the needs of young people through youth enterprise projects with major UK-based international youth organizations, and as International Director of The Prince’s Youth Business Trust and International Award Association. Julia has experience establishing and building the capacity of charities, and has more recently raised funds for charities addressing the needs of marginalized young people in the UK. Julia has spent time working in eight countries of Africa, India, Hungary and Russia.

Diana previously served as a manager in the Chandaria Group of Industries at their sister company Tanpack, in the positions of Sales Coordinator and Sales & Marketing Manager. Diana has been with DOT Tanzania since 2013, previously serving as the Communications and Partnerships Manager.

Before taking on the Acting Director role, Diana also acted as DOT Tanzania's Senior Program Manager, incorporating her vast expertise of gender into her work overseeing the implementation, operations, and review of all DOT Tanzania programs.

Diana holds a Bachelor of Development Studies from Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Hamza previously worked on several youth projects building the capacity of youth and supporting them through an ecosystem of youth innovators as part of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development and the Madrasati initiative. He brings experience in developing social enterprises and supporting the creation and expansion of youth-led initiatives. Hamza also holds a MSc in International Management and Leadership Innovation.

Solomon has several years of program development and project management experience in various organizations. He served as a project manager for Christian Children’s Fund of Canada and worked for Amhara Development Association as a deputy CEO and executive director.

Solomon has a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Addis Ababa University and has extensive training related to his profession and expertise.

Violette has led DOT Rwanda since its inception in 2010. Prior to DOT Rwanda, she spent seven years at the Embassy of Rwanda in Washington DC, beginning as a policy analyst and rising to become a diplomat in the position of First Secretary. Upon completion of her mission, she was posted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kigali, in charge of Asia and Oceania countries.

Violette is a member of the Africa Leadership Network (ALN) and recipient of the Anita Borg Institute Change Agent Award from the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. In 2016, Violette was named one of Amazon’s Watch Magazine’s Top 25 Distinguished Women in Business Excellence in Africa for her work to economically empower young girls and women. She is a mentor through the First Lady of Rwanda’s Imbuto Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation Young Africa Works, and is involved in numerous youth and women economic empowerment and technology-fueled development initiatives.

Violette holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a focus on International Development from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Comparative Development from Trent University.