Liz Benferhat, MPA-DP
Liz Benferhat has spent her career working on international sustainable development and social impact topics. From grassroots development to international policy, notable placements include the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Presencing Institute, the SDG Academy, and The Hunger Project.
She is a specialized generalist within the development field, meaning she works across sectors to design and implement systemic approaches to solving social and environmental problems. Upon seeing a need in the field for emotional and psychological skill building, in 2018 she began developing and facilitating educational programs, workshops and community-based tools to help fellow practitioners be longterm, effective and healthy change agents.
Liz (she/her) lives in the Bronx of NYC with her husband Anees and their cat Woodrow. She has field experience in East Africa and South America, and holds a Master’s of Public Administration in Development Practice degree from Columbia University.
Select Experience
The Presencing Institute
SDG Leadership Labs • 14 UN Country Teams • learning & evaluation consultant • evaluation framework design • transformational education & leadership development
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Sustainable Development SOlutions Network
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals • program management • think tank • international policy • nexus of academia and policy • Jeffrey D. Sachs
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The SDG Academy
Massive open online education (MOOCs) • course design • program management • international classroom
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The Sustainable Development Goals Center of Excellence for Africa
Startup manager • international research and policy • Board Secretariat • Kigali, Rwanda
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Timerepublik
Web-based time bank • social enterprise • social network analysis • economic impact • alternative currency • sharing economy
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The Hunger Project
International nonprofit • monitoring & evaluation • women’s empowerment • poverty eradication • grassroots development
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Minkay, Socialab
Startup consultant • social enterprise • community-based time bank • monitoring & evaluation framework • social capital • empathy mapping
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Harambee USA
Housing and education • homeless youth • Dagoretti Market, Nairobi, Kenya • startup nonprofit
Education
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (SIPA)
Masters of Public Administration in Development Practice
SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCE
Bachelors of Science in Sociology, minor in Latin
Geography
KENYA
TANZANIA
RWANDA
COLOMBIA
BRAZIL
UNITED STATES
Contact
lizbenferhat@gmail.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Publications
Indigenous Youth Suicide in Canada position paper, Canadian Psychiatric Association (2018)
Africa 2030: How Africa Can Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG Center of Excellence for Africa (2016)
Getting Started with the Sustainable Development Goals: A Guide for Stakeholders, UN SDSN (2015)
An Impact Assessment Model for Web-based Time Banks: A thought-experiment in the operationalization of social capital, Columbia University (2015)
Community-Reported Data in Bangladesh: Bikoshito Nari Network, The Hunger Project (2015)
Democratic Republic of Congo: One Million Community Health Workers National Strategy (2014)
Men and Women with and for Others. Where are the ‘others’ here? The Effects of a Culturally Dominant University on Students: Experiences at a Jesuit University, Saint Joseph’s University (2010)
Projects
SDG Academy Blended Learning Guide (2017) New York City
Youth Action Planner, UN Winter Youth Assembly (2017) New York City
Henry Street Settlement Rooftop Hydroponics System (2014) New York City
Harambee Youth Kenya (2012) Dagoretti Market, Nairobi, Kenya
Harambee Aquaponics Project (2011 - 2012) Dagoretti Market, Nairobi, Kenya