The work, quantified.

Problem · Non-profits and founders were losing millions in unclaimed funding — grant discovery, matching, and writing were manual, opaque, and biased toward incumbents with fundraising teams.

Solution · Built the first AI-powered full-cycle grants platform: personalized matching, intelligent application autofill, and an assistive proposal writer. Recruited and now lead a cross-functional team of 9.

Impact · A repeatable path to institutional capital for teams historically shut out of the grants economy.

Problem · African youth and BIPOC leaders were underserved by leadership pipelines and job-readiness programs built for other rooms — unemployment stayed structural.

Solution · Founded and led four flagship programs (ElevateHer, Built in the Valley, Black in Sales, Okwera Hours) plus a Digital Inclusion Hub. Raised funding, mentored a team of 6, and built partnerships to scale.

Impact · Long-term career advancement pathways — mentorship, hard skills, and hiring pipelines — for marginalized African youth and the diaspora.

Problem · A fintech startup needed community-led growth and a credible pathway into SMB lending for underserved African-Canadian entrepreneurs.

Solution · Led community engagement and sales. Launched and managed a pilot SMB lending program. Designed and shipped 'BRIDGE-ing the Gap for African Entrepreneurs in Canada' — deploying capital, capacity, and mentorship.

Impact · Woveo positioned as a trusted lending resource for SMBs the banks ignored — with operational efficiency to match.

Problem · The University of Toronto needed to build a national community and program engine for Black entrepreneurs from a blank page.

Solution · As the first hire, I was the founder's right hand — building the community, coordinating 15+ events (2,000+ attendees), leading a team of 7+, delivering a 25-startup accelerator with 15+ facilitators, and running fundraising.

Impact · The BFN vision and infrastructure — partnerships with FACE, Federation of Black Canadians, Mastercard Foundation, Province of Ontario, and more — that outlasted my tenure.

Problem · Rural Zambia needed a durable model where land, food, jobs, learning, and cultural tourism reinforce each other instead of extracting from one another.

Solution · Secured 150 acres. Master-planned agroforestry, hydroponics, a market hub, cultural tourism, and the Okwera Learning Center — with local stewards as co-owners of the plan.

Impact · A blueprint for diaspora-backed rural regeneration — land that feeds, teaches, employs, and hosts, all at once.

Problem · In Situmbeko Village, young women had ambition and networks but no on-ramp to the digital economy.

Solution · Co-designed and co-funded a 6-month pathway into digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and employability. Partnered with local schools, chiefs, and diaspora sponsors around a TEVETA-aligned curriculum.

Impact · Proof-of-model for Okwera Village — the anchor cohort for the future Learning Center on the 150-acre site.

Problem · Startups and SMBs needed a recruitment partner that could source globally, move quickly, and build trust as a long-term hiring extension of their team.

Solution · Founded and led the firm end-to-end: sourcing pipelines, sales strategy, client success, and team leadership across three countries. Sold recruitment services to startups and SMBs, then paused operations to focus on Okwera Academy and GRANTED.

Impact · The muscle for building, selling, and running a services business — later re-deployed into every venture I've founded since.

Problem · Post-acquisition, a critical software product needed to be sunset without disrupting mission-critical customers like the City of Toronto.

Solution · Led the End-of-Life project across Sales, Solutions Engineering, Legal, Marketing, and Operations. Built self-paced training, managed the PMO Google Site and Department Wiki, and partnered with HR on onboarding improvements.

Impact · Company-wide recognition for the PMO contributions, and a clean transition for government divisions on the platform.

Problem · Cowichan needed a warm, community-first space where remote workers, artists, parents, and elders could belong — not just transact.

Solution · Co-designed the physical space, programming, and community model. Partnered with local voices to make sure the space reflected the region, not a template.

Impact · A replicable community-space model rooted in belonging over consumption.

Problem · Black Canadians deserved joyful, unbothered access to the outdoors — and community while getting there.

Solution · Built a gathering platform for hikes, water days, and outdoor rest. Made 'showing up' the whole point.

Impact · Nature as a birthright, not a luxury — and a community that keeps showing up together.