Edna Udobong.
Edna Udobong is an Associate Professor of Government at the Liberty University, USA and a Fulbright Scholar.
She successfully initiated the University’s partnership with the Fulbright program and became the advisor for the Faculty and Student International Scholarship and Fellowship Programs for the Fulbright Scholar Program, as well as the Gilman Scholarship Program in the University.
Prior to her move to the United States, Edna served as an associate of Rhodes and Rhodes, Lagos and she represented the Nigerian Government on the Legal Committee of the United Nations at the 43rd session of the UN General Assembly.
She was a legal Advisor to the United Nations Children’s Fund, a research consultant to the United Nations Center for Transnational Corporations, the Georgia State University College of Law and the American Society of International Law.
A Graduate of the University of Lagos and an alumni of Harvard Law School, Edna is also the co-founder of the Partners for Freedom and Democracy Inc., a not-for-profit and non-partisan organization focused on promoting the rule of law and democracy in Africa.
She continues to partner with several organizations in the United States to provide aid to women and children in Africa.
Leah Pedersen
In 2018, Leah Pedersen was appointed as a Senior Advisor by the Head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to advance the Agency’s development finance, women’s economic empowerment, and digital strategy priorities. Most recently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer and Director of USAID’s Innovation, Technology, & Research (ITR) Hub, Leah led program investments that empower entrepreneurs, private capital, and global partnerships to deliver NextGen solutions that strengthen developing markets. While with the U.S. Government, Leah also led the White House's W-GDP (Women's Global Development & Prosperity) "Invest in Women" portfolio launching blended finance structures, in partnership with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation and USAID, to mobilize $1B of private capital into commercial investments advancing women as entrepreneurs and in the workforce.
Prior to USAID, from 2014-2018, Ms. Pedersen served as Vice President of Growth at VitalPet (a veterinary hospital roll-up) overseeing the Mergers & Acquisitions , Operations, and Human Capital functions to significantly scale-up the company. Prior, she served as interim Turnaround CEO of mGood (mobile platform for nonprofits) successfully reorganizing the company and exiting it to a strategic acquirer. In 2008, Leah joined Malaria No More (MNM) as the Co-Founder & Director of MNM’s innovative finance subsidiary, NetGuarantee - a blended finance facility structuring commercial guarantees to mitigate financial risks to speed investment in and delivery of life-saving health products for Africa. From 2003 to 2008, Leah held senior positions at AIG’s Global Product Development group where she structured risk management solutions for emerging markets as well as launched the company's micro-insurance impact portfolio (in Africa, Asia) via public-private sector partnerships with a focus on low-income women entrepreneurs and rural farmers. In addition, Leah dedicated parts of her career to Strategy Consulting, having held positions at Accenture and Dalberg Global Development Advisors.
Leah Pedersen obtained a dual-MBA from Columbia University and London Business School, and a BA in International Economics from the University of St. Thomas. She is a founding Board Member of Healing Hands of Joy (an Ethiopian maternal health NGO) as well as on the Advisory Boards of Praava Health (a
Bangladeshi healthcare start-up) and Peacock Advisors (a West African investment advisory firm). The Houston Business Journal named Leah a “40 Under 40” Award Recipient in 2016. In addition, the African Leadership Network (ALN) recognized Leah as an African Business Fellowship (ABF) winner. Upon invitation, she also served as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).