About US

Staci Smith

President and Principal Consultant

Ms. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts, a Master of Arts, and extensive experience in developing, managing and evaluating complex projects with multilateral and international organizations. She has vast experience working with NGOs as well as federal, regional and local governments across the globe and, specifically, throughout Africa through direct service projects, high-level task forces and technical working groups. She has more than 25 years’ experience advancing community services, social justice and human rights projects, and ensuring sustainable community development on both the local and state levels. She has worked directly with the heads of state, government leadership and community leaders Africa and the United States, developing long-term community and social service projects that lead to better health, equitable systems and greater opportunity for the communities and people most in need.

Mozn Hassan

Director of Development for Women and Gender Issues

Ms. Hassan is the Founder and Executive Director of Nazra for Feminist Studies, the leading gender and women's rights organization in North Africa. She has a Master's in International Human Rights Law, a Diploma of Civil Society & Human Rights, a Bachelor’s in Law, and is completing her Master’s in Psychology. She is also the founder of Doria Feminist Fund, the first MENA region feminist ecosystem and a consultant for USAID Egyptian Red Crescent for capacity development on gender and mental health issues. Ms. Hassan received the Hrant Dink Award for peace, rights, and equality in 2020.  Ms. Hassan has been a Global Fund for Women Board member since 2015. She is a member of NANSHE’s Board of Directors, a global initiative for survivors of sexual harassment, abuse, and discrimination, and she is a member of the Executive Committee, Caucus of Women in Politics in the Arab Region since 2016. She is the Co-author of: The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Epidemic meets COVID-19 Pandemic: Survivors' and Advocates' Narratives in Egypt, 2022; Feminist mobilization on Combating Violence against Women, Al Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, 2021. 

Marc Paley

Deputy Director of Training and Advocacy

Marc Paley, LCSW, is a clinical social worker and a community organizer. He has over 25 years of experience working with marginalized communities in areas ranging from public health to civil rights and immigration justice. He has spearheaded and developed numerous programs for community engagement and development, as well as having a specialty in interfaith work. Marc also has US lobbying experience at both the state and national levels.  

Jennifer Hollingsworth

Technical Development Director

Ms. Hollingsworth holds a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Master of Arts degree in Communications and Organizational Development. She has been crafting organizational and community messaging for more than 20 years, with extensive experience in the development of NGO policies and narratives, promoting the mission and needs of communities and of community-based service organizations, while developing messaging that targets both community service participants and donors. She has served as Senior Editor on numerous publications and has led the redevelopment of large-scale community project narratives and public marketing campaigns in the US and in countries throughout Africa.  

The Team

Our team consists of a cadre of qualified consultants from around the world who provide the high-level expertise and local knowledge for every project we undertake. They have more than 30 years' combined experience in the non-profit and NGO world, and are well-versed in all areas of fundraising and development. The team includes grassroots professionals and community organizers in Nigeria, Tanzania, Lebanon, The UK, the United States and Egypt.