Announcing the Third Edition of JA Worldwide Fellows
August 24, 2021
We’re thrilled to announce the third round of JA Worldwide Fellows! Starting in September, the nine new Fellows will embark on a 12-month fellowship, the third year JA Worldwide has offered this staff-development initiative. JA Worldwide Fellows deepen their leadership, mentorship, and strategic skills through monthly virtual leadership training, an in-person development opportunity, and three one-on-one coaching sessions.
Please join us in congratulating these nine JA superstars:
Pamela Ladrón de Guevara, JA Argentina
As a relationship management and institutional communication professional, Pamela has led an ambitious brand positioning strategy and alongside her team at JA Argentina. She has expanded JA’s marketing strategy, technological resources, and digital tools in response to the many challenges presented in her six years with the organization. With a fierce commitment to JA, she looks forward to bringing the skills, perspectives, and opportunities she encounters through the Fellows program back to her team at JA Argentina.
Nur Ainaa Delaila Khairuddin, JA Malaysia
Working as JA Malaysia’s Lead Coordinator for the Cha-Ching program for the past three years, Nur is no stranger to complex logistics. She conducts teacher training with numerous educators around the country and handles all aspects of program management. With the role of emcee/moderator for JA Malaysia’s TEDx event under her belt, Nur is ready to take on the task of JA Worldwide Fellow and the event coordination tasks to come.
Lewis Olaka, JA Kenya
JA Kenya’s Program Manager Lewis leads the implementation of in-school programs and manages partner relationships. His passion for ensuring young people have access to education programs and experiences that will directly empower them drives him every day. As a JA Worldwide Fellow, Lewis looks forward to connecting with his JA peers and gaining new perspectives that he will be able to take back to his colleagues at JA Kenya, as well as continues exposing the young people they serve continue to global opportunities.
Mark Armstrong, YE Scotland
Mark’s enthusiasm for JA runs deep. An alumnus of Young Enterprise Scotland and the JA Company Program, he now works as Head of Operations for YE: “Not many people I know get the chance in life to create positive outcomes for young people—I do and I love it.” As a JA Worldwide Fellow, Mark looks forward to expanding his global network, learning from others, and adding best practices to his toolkit.
Jennifer Lau, JA Hong Kong
Jennifer’s belief in positive thinking and innovation as key drivers of success motivates her every day. Having started her career in the hospitality industry, Jennifer joined JA Hong Kong’s staff as Senior Program Manager in 2018. Since then, she led the launch of the first-ever virtual trade fair for JA Hong Kong’s 1,200 students in the JA Company Program and transformed the curriculum of JA Be My Own Boss to a digital learning experience. Passionate about nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, Jennifer looks forward to strengthening her leadership and strategic skills as a JA Worldwide Fellow.
Tania Daniel, Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
Tania is at a turning point in her career. After setting a record for area expansion and outreach in Texas, Tania is ready to take on the world as JA Worldwide Fellow. With experience in CSR, human rights advocacy, arbitration, sales, nation-building, and reconciliation, her role at JA was created in fall 2019 specifically for her. Charged with resuscitating the JA Company Program in the region, Tania helped it grow from six student companies to 37, a group of incredible students that also included the 2020 JA USA Company of the Year, EVO. She looks forward to applying her learnings as a JA Worldwide Fellow to her future endeavors at JA of Southeast Texas, particularly continuing to expand the JA Company Program curriculum.
Yasmine Wilson, INJAZ Egypt
Yasmine’s 10 years of experience in a variety of fields—including sales, training, project management, and business development—has primed her for her role as Director of Programs for INJAZ Egypt. Working with budgets and detailed implementation plans for INJAZ programs is a logistical feat on its own, but Yasmine’s role also requires handling business development tasks, writing proposals and reports, and maintaining donor relationships, as well as marketing and communications for programs. As a JA Worldwide Fellow, Yasmine will put all these skills to work, as she looks forward to connecting with JA colleagues around the world, learning from them, picking up best practices, and moving forward efficiently and effectively.
Nicole Kazan, INJAZ Lebanon
Managing the marketing and communications strategy for INJAZ across Lebanon is no easy task, but Nicole still wanted to challenge herself. In her six years with the organization, she has organized and managed dozens of events and competitions, both in-person and virtual. As the only person in her department, Nicole organized and executed many events single-handedly. As such, she looks forward to working with a team and welcomes the rewarding challenges the JA Worldwide Fellowship will present.
Siphesihle Mkhonta, JA Eswatini
What is Siphesihle’s job? “I make JA Eswatini visible.” With a background in journalism, Siphesihle knows how to tell a story. Relentless, persuasive, and positive by nature, she handles promotions, exhibitions, PR, and digital campaigns for JA Eswatini. Before she became the head communications and marketing, she traveled the world for seven years as a professional journalist, creating groundbreaking stories and serving as the senior reporter for the royal beat. Prior to pursuing a career in marketing, Siphesihle attended the U.S. Embassy Exchange program, which turned her marketing spark into a flame.
The JA Worldwide Fellows is a global initiative to support the human-capital development of our high-potential leaders across the globe. Our goal is both to develop leaders within the network and encourage local JA locations to deepen their commitment to investing in staff. By the end of the program, Fellows will have . . .
Developed deep expertise in servant-based leadership, empowering their teams, coaching colleagues, creating psychological safety, and drastically improving communication
Developed deep understanding of who they are at their best and how to summon their best selves with ease
Dramatic improvement in productivity, motivation, and alignment to their personal purpose
Collaborated on a regional or global project of strategic importance to the success of JA globally
Deepened skills, including fundraising, education pedagogy, operations management, communications and marketing, design thinking, digital expertise, and more
After the first two rounds of the JA Worldwide Fellows program, this third looks to be just as successful. The third cohort also includes a previous applicant, proving that JA staff are as resilient as ever. While in years’ past, the Fellows have worked on individual projects, this year’s Fellows project will be a team effort to help launch two global events.