Founders
AFGHANreach & HEALTHreach
We are a dedicated team of global development specialists with extensive experience in social responsibility initiatives spanning the globe. Our approach is deeply informed by rigorous research and professional expertise gained from our diverse work across various regions.
SUZANNE SMITH
Head of Curriculum Design, Measurement,
& Coach Training Strategy
Ms. Smith has taught underserved communitees across the globe, starting with the Peace Corps with whom she taught immunization and nutrition during a massive famine in Niger.
During her lengthy stint in Bangladesh, she worked on poverty alleviation and consulted on microfinance, and was involved in rural advancement and flood recovery. For years she was involved in micro credit, as well as health and financial curriculum design and education during the catastropic HIV/AIDS crisis in Mozambique.
In Afghanistan, Ms Smith developed and deployed nation-wide gender-based training and development projects. Today, Smith is a certified facilitator and women’s empowerment trainer and coach, while running her innovative paper-based financial tracking business for funding recipients, Accountable Partners.
LORI FIGUEIREDO
Head of Data-driven Technology Design &
Learning Strategy
Ms Figueiredo has co-created large-scale development interventions which harness the power of tech and teams. Together with the ecosystem of stakeholders, the key enablers of change are put in place using her proprietary SYZYGY® design methodology.
Lori ensures the solutions are scalable and sustainable by leveraging the best of human psychology and the latest in technology. On a human level, the strategy taps into the community’s own tacit knowledge and shared purpose. At a technology level, first the basics such as electricity, connectivity and accessibility are addressed, and then suitable user-friendly digital enablers are set up.
Lori is based in Dubai, working globally, innovating organizational change strategies as co-founder of S&W Accelerate. While experimenting with web2 and web3 learning solutions, she is committed to uplift, upskill and inspire the under-served to accelerate their development.
TARYN ASH
Head of Business Operations &
Outreach Strategy
Ms Ash is a Canadian adult learning specialist with over 25-years experience working globally with multinational organizations, government bodies and NGO’s. She has been a teacher, lecturer, trainer, instructional designer and change management consultant. Her expertise is in the full range of human skills.
Just prior to starting her own companies , Ash was Assistant Director at the British Council, Singapore, where she ran the operations’ marketing, sales functions and led large teams of learning professionals. She has also been involved in upskilling domestic workers in Singapore, migrants in China, teachers in Cambodia and underserved communities in the US.
She has an MBA and is a certified leadership coach runnng her upskilling company, Wise World Consulting, and jointly-owned change management consultancy, S&W Accelerate, out of Dubai.
RANGINA HAMIDI
Head of Government Relations,
Culture & Local Outreach Strategy
Ms Hamidi was Afghanistan’s most recent Education Minister. An Afghan-American, she also established Afghanistan’s most successful international school.
American educated, today she is a lecturer at the prestigous Thunderbird Business School, a celebrated public speaker and international advocate of women’s empowerment. She also continues to act as CEO of Khandahar Treasure,a women-run embroidery business through which hundreds of disadvantaged Afgan women are able to support themselves and their families.
Despite stark differences in values and beliefs, Ms Hamidi has managed to keep dialogues open with the Taliban regime in the interests of the women and children she serves. Ms Hamidi currently resides in the USA, soon to be relocating to the UAE.
Organizations we've worked with.
