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Krystin Anderson is a 2023 graduate from the University of Florida (UF) where she earned her bachelors in Anthropology with a focus on cultures and a minor in Ethnomusicology/Music History. Her academic interests intersect with sociocultural anthropology, international and diasporic organizing, Pan African History, education, and music. She seeks to ascertain how cultural understandings can impact our connection with those from different backgrounds, and how historic knowledge can impact international relations. Krystin devotes her person to building community and making and enjoying art. She served as the 2022 Director of UF’s Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn Black Hair Expo, an event that opens citywide discussion of black woman-ness and black hair politics through speeches, fashion shows, and performances. She was a Housing Resident Assistant, a mentor in the International Mentor Association, and an International Scholars Program fellow. Krystin has a passion for language and culture, which has driven her travel and study abroad experiences to New Orleans, France, Colombia, Mexico. She prides herself on what she has learned working as a teacher of English as a Second Language at UF’s English Language Institute. Krystin’s passion for oral history and storytelling has been embodied in her research with UF’s Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, where she is also the 2023 Coordinator for the annual summer fieldwork research trip through the Mississippi River delta. Krystin is also a talented vocal performer and has been a member of the UF Gospel Choir, a Graduation National Anthem Singer, and one of the SEC sports singers for UF matches of multiple sports including women’s basketball, softball, and volleyball. She also performs around the state and country as a jazz, R&B, and soul singer. Krystin embraces her familial home of Jamaica and has been steadily involved in the Jamaican Student, Caribbean Student and Black Student unions, where she partakes in events, mentors, and performs on many different occasions.
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Michael Banks holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and international affairs, with minors in business and anthropology from the University of Georgia. His interdisciplinary education spanned four colleges at the university, driven by a curiosity about cultural formation and cross-cultural interactions, particularly through media and business channels. At UGA, Michael conducted research on the impact of US foreign aid in Africa and educational disparities in post-Apartheid South Africa, igniting his interest in international development. He gained valuable experience in media strategy and healthcare communications while collaborating with health equity advocates in West Africa and the Caribbean through work with the United Nations Foundation’s United to Defeat Malaria team. He proposed a restructuring of McKinsey & Company’s Careers Blog to underscore colleague and talent narratives of the firms’ offices in Africa, Asia, and Latin America as one of their inaugural communications interns, and he explored how the higher education research ecosystem on the continent can inform STEM partnerships between the US & African states through work with the US State Department. Michael hopes to pursue a career in international development that joins his passion for cultural advancement with his varied experiences in communications across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Outside of work and academia, Michael is a classically-trained singer, former long-distance swimmer turned gym-goer, and an aspiring polyglot.
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Rachael Mutisya, a native of Kenya, holds an MBA in Marketing as well as a BSc in Hotel and Restaurant Management from United States International University- Africa (USIU- Africa). Throughout her professional journey, Rachael has garnered valuable experience across multiple industries including finance, hospitality, education, and e-commerce. Her area of expertise is in communication, social media management, customer experience, and brand promotion, and she has successfully applied her skills in various locations in Kenya. Rachael’s commitment to her community is evident through her strong passion for giving back. During her free time, she actively volunteers for an NGO called Together for Africa (TOFA) in Kenya. In this role, she forges new partnerships, organizes events, and develops empowering content for Kenyan youth in the fields of entrepreneurship, leadership, and ICT development. Outside of her professional pursuits, Rachael finds joy in various hobbies and activities. She is an avid badminton player and takes pleasure in gardening and exploring new destinations. Rachael is excited to join the PiAF program this year at the Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia, Kenya, further exemplifying her dedication to making a positive impact.
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David graduated from the University of Texas San Antonio with a degree in Geology and graduated from Clark University with a Master of Science in Geographic Information Science. He was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, he worked in rural agricultural development, where he collaborated with multiple government agencies to meet the development goals of communities. He is an active member of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer service community and is a former Coverdell Fellow. During a previous internship with the Red Cross, he consulted with the Red Cross volunteer recruitment services to leverage census data to find new communities for outreach. He also interned with the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) and supported the disaster rapid mapping group, which provides timely analysis to humanitarian disaster response organizations. More recently, he worked full-time as a contractor for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, where he monitored global food production through satellite remote sensing. Following the Princeton in Africa Fellowship, he plans to pursue a career in agriculture monitoring and development. Originally from Texas, he enjoys hiking, traveling, and learning new skills and languages.
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Haby Sondo is a Burkinabe-American woman from The Bronx, fueled by her passion for international development in Africa, travel, and storytelling. Growing up in a culturally diverse environment fostered her love for immigration and cultural immersion. She completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University where she majored in International Relations & minored in Political Science. Haby’s awakening to the world outside of New York City occurred while living abroad in The Dominican Republic and France. During these experiences, she gained a profound appreciation for the complexities Black immigrants face globally and has since searched for opportunities to include their realities in global migration discourses. These experiences ignited her desire to create two travel blogs that offer an authentic glimpse into the experiences of Black Women traveling globally. With a focus on unconventional travel experiences, Haby shines a spotlight on underrepresented travel destinations. In her professional life, Haby has worked as a Business Immigration Paralegal; her leisure time is spent traveling, blogging, biking, hiking, and exploring cuisines from around the world. With a bold vision for the future, Haby aspires to pursue a career at the intersection of her passions for immigration, law, and international development, using her voice and digital content to inspire Black Women and People of Color to pursue global travel opportunities. She is confident that her Princeton in Africa Fellowship at Food for Education in Nairobi, Kenya will provide her with the tools and knowledge to make a meaningful impact in the world.
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Zoe Kaldor graduated from the University of Denver in 2020 with a bachelor’s in strategic communication and international studies. She was later accepted into the University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies’ dual-degree program where she received her master’s in international development with a certificate in global environmental change and adaptation. While pursuing her graduate degree, Zoe interned with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s Office of Public Affairs. Her responsibilities included drafting social media and blog posts, assisting podcast development, and formatting report summaries. After graduating, she began working for Abt Associates as the communications specialist for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative VectorLink Project. In this role, Zoe wrote success stories, organized webinars for malaria stakeholders, produced short videos, and maintained the project’s website. She is looking forward to communicating about Mpala Research Centre’s work this coming year as a Princeton in Africa fellow.
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Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Hanul (Bentley) Choi is a recent graduate of Duke University with B.A. in Global Health and International Comparative Studies (concentration in Africa) with a French Studies minor. She is passionate about resolving global reproductive health disparities through reforming social systems. At Duke, she was selected as a Nakayama Public Service Scholar, committed to changing the political landscape of reproductive health as a global public servant. As part of Duke Global Health Institute’s Student Research Training program, Hanul spent eight weeks in Kisumu, Kenya in summer of 2022, researching HPV testing stigma and factors that influence the translation of newly acquired knowledge to behavioral change. For her senior thesis, she examined the intersection between civil and social rights and governmental responsibility and proposed a post-pandemic reproductive healthcare delivery recovery agenda in Kenya. With her international and diverse academic background, she hopes to assist governments in constructing legal frameworks and establishing social institutions to protect reproductive rights. Hanul is excited to join Population Solutions for Health as a documentation and technical writer and contribute to increasing accessibility to crucial health knowledge through her writing skills. Following Princeton in Africa, Hanul plans to attend Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs to pursue her master in International Governance and Diplomacy. Beyond academics, she is a sports photographer and a volunteer puppy raiser for future service dogs.
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Renée Ledoux is graduating from Tufts University in May 2023 with a B.S. in Biology and Community Health. While studying for a semester in Copenhagen, Denmark, Renée focused her studies on healthcare abroad compared to the U.S. During her undergraduate years, Renée focused on public health initiatives and providing support to those is strengthened by her internship with the Kasiisi Project, an education, health, and conservation nonprofit based near Fort Portal, Uganda. She is responsible for conducting grant research, writing grant proposals, and assisting with the development of programming for the mobile clinic and girls’ health. Renée loves the outdoors and has led backpacking orientation trips for Tufts University. She plans to pursue a career as a physician following the Princeton in Africa Fellowship.
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Eloah is a lifelong learner from the Washington D.C. metropolitan, born in France, and proud of her Congolese and Angolan roots. Her love for exploring the world developed from her extensive time abroad at an early age. She is a recent graduate of American University studying International Studies, concentrating on International Development with youth. She was a part of the School of International Services’ 3-year Global Scholars program. Eloah plans on a career in youth development, and before her enrollment at American, she was a Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange student in a Department of State exchange program in Ghana. This program sparked her love for youth empowerment as she worked with disadvantaged youth in Accra, helping them seek a better future through education. Through grassroots outreach, she had conversations with youth who experienced educational inequity. Although her time in Accra ended early due to COVID-19, she helped enroll children in public and vocational schools while providing information to stakeholders as the Social Media Lead. Eloah spent last Fall semester studying and interning in Kenya where she worked with the Horn of Africa Youth Network. She believes that the advancement of all youth, specifically African youth, can be reformed by providing opportunities and skills to understand the relevant technology of today. Her involvement in campus life included events coordinator of the African Student Organization and photographer for the Student Union Board and the Yearbook club. In addition, Eloah is always eager to be surrounded by cultures, learn new languages, and spend her free time learning something new (preferably outdoors).
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Emily Langlois is a recent graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University where she received a degree in Regional and Comparative Studies with a concentration on East Africa. She grew up in Nairobi, Kenya and is excited to be returning for her work with the International Rescue Committee–Somalia Programme as a PiAf fellow. Prior to this fellowship she has spent time in various NGO and governmental settings in Kenya and Tanzania. This experience led to her burgeoning interest in both journalism and international development, and she hopes to pursue a career in those fields in East Africa. In her free time, she loves to read, write, crochet, and spend time outdoors.