STPF alumni are known for being determined, adaptable, and entrepreneurial. It’s no surprise that many alumni start their own business or nonprofit organizations. On February 1, meet three such alumni: Gavi, Wanida, and Thomas. They’ll share what it’s like to go from idea to launch, and answer your questions. Even more exciting: career coach, small business owner, and alum Kate Van Waes will moderate the conversation.
This is the second webinar in the three-part series exclusively for alumni, “Candid Career Conversations.” These virtual chats feature alumni discussing career transition points post-fellowship. If you’re planning to launch a new venture in 2024 or are simply curious about how other alumni make this entrepreneurial leap, this chat is for you.
Have questions? Please contact the alumni engagement team at [email protected].
Please note: this event is exclusive to alumni (those who have completed their time as a fellow and are no longer in the core fellowship program).
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2016-18 Executive Branch Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, Office of Agricultural Policy
Dr. Wanida Lewis is the CEO and founder of non-profit Crescendo Foods, West Africa’s first co-working culinary hub in Accra, Ghana. Dr. Lewis completed her STPF fellowship working in the Economic and Business Affairs Bureau (EB), Office of Agricultural Policy at the Department of State. In EB, she contributed to the policy making process by advocating for science-based decisions to create efficient and effective agricultural policies. During her fellowship, Dr. Lewis collaborated with Embassies Accra, Addis Ababa, and Pretoria to develop outreach workshops connecting African women in agriculture. Dr. Lewis served a three-month tour as an Embassy Science Fellow at Embassy Accra where she continued her work developing capacity building programs for women in STEM and agriculture in Ghana and Togo. She also served as a Senior Economic Program Advisor in the Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. She has a Ph.D. in Food Science.
Thomas Lee, Co-Founder & President, Derapi
2008-09 IEEE-USA Congressional Science & Engineering Fellow, Office of Representative Jay Inslee
Dr. Thomas Lee has held a number of leadership roles across multiple functions in clean energy and technology. Before founding Derapi, he was the Director of Innovation at Union Labs, a seed-stage VC firm. Prior to Union Labs, Thomas held Product Management roles at AutoGrid and Enphase Energy. Thomas began his career as a circuit designer at Barcelona Design, and has held roles at McKinsey & Company, Strategen Consulting, and was an IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Gavi Begtrup, Founder and Principal, Polymath Strategies LLC
2009-10 Optica & MRS Congressional Science & Engineering Fellow, Office of Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Dr. Gavi Begtrup is a nonprofit and startup executive currently serving as the Executive in Residence for Innovation at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. His career spans science, public policy, and entrepreneurship, as he has served as founder, CTO, or CEO of venture-backed startups and was the policy advisor for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. As the founder and principal of Polymath Strategies, Dr. Begtrup has worked with startups, research institutions, and nonprofits across the globe with focuses on strategic development, stakeholder engagement, and fostering technology innovation. Dr. Begtrup's leadership extends beyond the boardroom into the community where he has served on numerous boards and is a substitute teacher at Cincinnati Public Schools. Dr. Begtrup holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley.
MODERATOR: Kate Van Waes, CEO & Founder, Van Waes Consulting LLC
2009-11 Executive Branch Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, Office of Economic and Development Affairs
Dr. Kate Van Waes has advised cabinet-level officials, ambassadors and rock stars. Over the years, Kate has led international research teams, co-led NASA Mars mission coordination, co-written speeches for POTUS, and much more. She’s also founded her own company, Van Waes Consulting, LLC. Kate’s super power is sorting through the noise to get at the root of the problem and having a deep empathy for what a leader needs to thrive. Kate holds a Ph.D. in Geological and Earth Sciences from Brown University.
