SEMHAR ARAIA
Semhar Araia is the CEO of The Diaspora Academy, a diaspora advisory services firm and leadership institute which supports diaspora changemakers around the world. Semhar is a technical advisor to IOM, African Union, USAID, and various governments, foundations and non-profits around the world. Semhar previously led Diaspora Policy at Meta and Diaspora Partnerships UNICEF USA. A lawyer by training, she began her career as an attorney for the implementation of the 2000 Eritrea-Ethiopia peace agreement and later as a public policy advisor for Oxfam International, the US House of Representatives and Nelson Mandela’s organization, The Elders.
Semhar is a 2012 White House Champion of Change, an African Union Diaspora Awardee of the Year, and a former UN Delegate for Civil Society. She is listed in the Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent, The Root’s Top 100 and OkayAfrica's Top 100 Women. Semhar is profiled as one of the five individuals in the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture's Next-Generation Voices exhibit. She is a former Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, a former USAID's Advisory Committee on Foreign Voluntary Aid (ACFVA) member, and has been featured in The Africa Report, Financial Times, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Ventures Africa, AfroElle, and other media outlets. Semhar was born in New York City and resides in Washington, D.C.
Almaz Negash
CEO and Founder of the African Diaspora Network (ADN)
Almaz Negash, a prominent trailblazer in Silicon Valley, has been recognized as one of the 12 inaugural members of President Biden’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States.
In 2010, Almaz founded African Diaspora Network (ADN) to inform and engage Africans in the diaspora and facilitate direct collaboration with social entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to invest and improve the lives of everyone on the continent. She has also been named as one of Silicon Valley 100 outstanding Women of Influence for her significant contributions to social innovation.
Delina Medhin
Delina Medhin began her career over a decade ago. She is an influential Celebrity Makeup Artist, On Camera Beauty Expert, Host & Producer.
She has been featured on The Drew Barrymore Show, The Today Show, worked on NYFW, published in InStyle, Vogue, The CUT, Allure, ELLE, and Essence with a client list that includes Kamala Harris, Debbie Allen, Alfre Woodard, Issa Rae, Ilana Glazer, Phoebe Robinson & many more.
Her actively engaged social media following has fostered a creative community driven by her honest recommendations.
Her prowess as a business boss is equally matched by her philanthropic initiatives including It Takes a Village, a podcast on conversations about being an entrepreneur, focused on people who helped her and her guests in building their businesses, highlighting the importance of showing gratitude and acknowledging those who contributed to their entrepreneurial success along the way.
Dr. Mikal Woldu
Social Anthropologist & a UKRI Future Leaders Postdoctoral Research fellow (2023-2026)
Dr Mikal Woldu is a UKRI Future Leaders Postdoctoral Research fellow (2023-2026) within the Department of Politics and International Relations at SOAS. She received her doctorate in Social Anthropology from SOAS in 2020. She specialises in African migration and diaspora studies, with particular focus on the experiences of African migrant communities in Europe.
Her current research examines the concept of Pan-Africanism through the lens and experiences of second-generation Africans in the UK.
Mikal’s doctoral research examined the ways in which experiences of settlement and organising among Eritrean migrant communities in London and Milan, were shaped by changing political dynamics at national, transnational and supranational level over time.
Through a cross-national and an intergenerational approach, her research investigated the case study of the Eritrean diaspora in Italy and the UK, to highlight the complexities and heterogeneity of experiences among migrants from the same country of origin within and across two countries over time.
Prior to joining SOAS, Mikal worked in the third sector, with a focus on developing mental health support for young asylum seekers and refugees through a trauma-informed and culturally relevant approach. She also worked as a consultant for Shabaka, a diaspora-focused research consultancy. Community values and engagement are at the heart of everything she does, and in 2018 she co-founded Eriwellbeing, an online community platform dedicated to break the stigma around mental health within the global Eritrean but also African diaspora.
Dr. Yacob Tekie
Founder & Executive Director of Tesfa-House Psychotherapy & Consulting LLC
Dr. Yacob Tekie is a licensed psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania as well as in different states through Psypact. He received his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and completed a clinical doctoral internship and Postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Student Health and Counseling center, where he is a full-time Staff Psychologist.
Dr. Yacob Tekie specializes in community engagement, relationships and organizational development and he works closely with different communities and organizations to provide mental health services, workshops, training, and private consultations on topics of racial assault and trauma, interpersonal violence and sexual assault, suicide prevention and intervention, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Helen Tewolde
Diaspora Engagement Advisor
Helen Tewolde is the inaugural Director of the University of Toronto’s Access Strategy and Partnerships Office, leading efforts to expand and support access initiatives across the University. Previously, Helen served as Director of Policy and Programs at The Law Foundation of Ontario, overseeing a portfolio of high-value grants and fostering relationships to advance access to justice.
Helen has worked internationally in research and advisory roles on matters related to diasporas and development, in collaboration with organizations such as the African Union, Global Campaign for Education, and United Nations University for Peace. A recipient of numerous awards, Helen was a 2011 DiverseCity Fellow, 2015 ‘Vital People’ Award Winner and a 2020 Action Canada Fellow.
Helen attended McMaster University (Hons. BA), University of Toronto (MA), and Osgoode Hall Law School (LLM).
She is CEO of Mela Glow + Co., a boutique brand offering luxury lifestyle products for global diasporas.
Henok Weldemicael
Co-founder and CEO, Jebena App
Henok WeldeMicael is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jebena App and Co-founder and Board Member of Eritreans in Tech. Born and raised in Eritrea, Henok graduated from Ohio State University after moving to the US, majoring in Software Engineering with a minor in Leadership Studies.
He launched Jebena in 2020 part-time, and has been working on Jebena full-time since April 2024. Jebena recently crossed 900,000 matches in the Eritrean and Ethiopian community. It's now a small company of 7 employees, spanning across 3 countries (US, Ethiopia, and Rwanda). Before Jebena, worked for NASA in Houston, for JP Morgan Chase and Amazon in New York, and for Mastercard in DC.
Kibra A. Yohannes
Senior Program Associate, Mellon Foundation & Founder of AFRICA’S OUT
Kibra A. Yohannes is a senior program associate at the Mellon Foundation, the largest funder of arts and the humanities in the United States. Within the Arts and Culture program Kibra is focused on major grantmaking initiatives across disciplines including artist legacies, leadership, and artists' working conditions within the US.
Prior to joining Mellon, Kibra was founding executive director of AFRICA’S OUT!, a platform to celebrate and advocate for artists who radically change the narrative around Africa and its Diaspora.
She has held executive leadership roles at artist-founded organizations, including Arts Engine, Inc. where she oversaw the expansion of the documentary film, filmmaker services, and film festival programs, and in higher education at Long Island University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies where she fortified and expanded professional programs for adult learners.
Kibra began her career at the historic African American institutions The Philadelphia Tribune and New Freedom Theatre. She has produced theater, documentary film, visual art exhibitions, artist residency experiences, and community-based programming in the United States and internationally. She holds a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of Virginia and pursued graduate work in social science from Long Island University, focused on global NGO systems. Kibra is co-chair and secretary of Artist Communities Alliance, an international network of artist residencies.
Luam Keflezgy
Choreographer, Director, Producer
With a combined YouTube audience producing over 38 million views and a loyal following, Luam is a global sensation in dance and choreography. Luam's credits include: senior producer and associate creative director on Dancing With The Stars Season 29 and 30, choreographer for Netflix’s "Karma’s World", Nickelodeon’s 2021 Kids Choice Awards, and HBO’s "Homeschool Musical".
She has also been kept busy with music artists, commercials, & TV shows such as America's Got Talent, Kelly Rowland, Moncler, PEPSI, Icona Pop, Janelle Monáe, Nike, Britney Spears, Macy’s & Travis Scott.
Martha Haile
Martha Haile is an entrepreneur with deep roots in the agricultural technology sector. Over the past decade, she has lived in Kenya and Nigeria while working across sub-Saharan Africa, holding leadership roles in prominent AG tech startups. She is the founder of Abze, a digital media company amplifying the stories, innovations, and visionaries transforming Africa's food systems. Martha is also co-founder of Hello Tractor and has advised numerous early-stage agtech ventures. With a passion for leveraging technology to empower smallholder farmers and drive sustainable solutions, she continues to shape the future of agriculture across the continent. Martha is a proud Eritrean American currently based in Nairobi with her husband and two daughters.
Fshaye Woldemichael
Fshaye Woldemichael holds a B.A. in Film Production with an emphasis in directing and an M.A. in Special Education. For 26 years, he has taught in special education settings, supporting students with diverse learning needs. He has led autism awareness seminars at the SELLA School of Eritrean Languages and the Eritrean Catholic Church. A certified sports coach, he has coached high school soccer and basketball for over 15 years and served as an athletics director. He also volunteers with the Eritrean Sports Federation of North America and has taught Sunday school at the Eritrean Coptic Orthodox Church, supporting youth in academic, faith and sports.
Ruthie Zerai
Leadership & Wellness Coach & Host of ZANTA Podcast
Ruthie Semere is a business developer, entrepreneur, and ICF-accredited leadership coach with over 12 years of international experience in digital media and business development. Since 2017, she has coached individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies globally in self-leadership and success creation. Ruthie is also the co-founder of Women of Color in Biz, a network that champions women of color entrepreneurs.
As a trilingual daughter of Eritrean immigrants with experience in navigating two cultures, Ruthie’s biculturalism has shaped her ability to deeply understand people from all walks of life. This unique perspective allows her to hold a global and inclusive mindset that resonates across diverse backgrounds. She holds a master’s degree in International Management from King’s College London and hosts the podcast Zanta on personal development.
Wintana Melekiin
Organizer, World to Win
Wintana Melekin is founder of World To Win, an organization solely focused on advancing justice in Minnesota. She brings more than a decade of expertise in spearheading impactful campaigns and leading diverse organizations. With an impressive track record, she has played a pivotal role in the electing over a dozen progressive candidates in Minnesota.
Her contributions have been instrumental in historic achievements, including the election of the first openly Queer Black woman school board member, the first Black woman senator and the first Black immigrant to congress in the country. Moreover, she has been at the forefront of various policy initiatives, championing causes such as the $15 minimum wage and paid sick time in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as successfully advocating for the restoration of voting rights for the 55,000 Minnesotans with felony convictions.
