Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC), with the goal of continuing to invest in and elevate the field of economic development, is pleased to welcome the second cohort of its Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program. Check out the amazing cohort, who will begin their Fellowships in June for eight weeks, below!

2023 Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program Fellows

Atsouco Saint Louis

Atsouco Saint Louis will be joining our second cohort of the Equity in Economic Development fellowship program. Souco, as everyone calls him, has experience in entrepreneurship, data analysis and sales. During his time as a Data Analyst/Sales Associate at Channel Mortgage, he sourced new clients and networks, managed customer mortgage history data, and conducted property pro forma analysis to ensure client loan eligibility. He also assisted in advising clients on fixed rate, floating, and interest only commercial mortgages. As an Administrative Assistant at Vision International, he created a children's recreational center budget, wrote and submitted grant proposals. Additionally, Souco has experience as a Due Diligence Intern at University Impact, and being a co-founder of an AI-powered web application at CUNY Startups. He was also a Social Innovation fellow at L+M Partners. He is a hip hop enthusiast who aspires to utilize the power of culture to drive community investments.

“I am beyond thrilled to be accepted as an Equity in Economic Development Fellow. This is an incredible opportunity for me to be introduced into the world of economic development. I never planned on it but I am excited to spend my summer at Sierra Vista Arizona. As a NYC native I am excited to collaborate with the entire team at Arizona's Regional Economic Development Fund. Lastly, I am looking forward to networking with my cohort and contributing to the success of the fellowship program.”

Camila Batres

Camila Batres is an MBA candidate at George Washington University and a Forté Fellow with a passion for economic development. With a marketing and real estate background, she has honed her communication and research skills while working with senior management, corporate teams, and clients. Camila is dedicated to community outreach and has applied her research skills to develop marketing strategies for local businesses. She earned her BA in International Relations from the College of William and Mary. She completed a Global Citizen in Cape Town, South Africa, where she understood the meaning of community. She hopes to explore her interest in business development through data analysis and marketing.

"Being offered the IEDC Equity in Economic Development Fellowship is an honor and an opportunity to promote inclusive economic growth and development positively. I am excited to contribute my skills and knowledge towards advancing equitable economic opportunities for all communities."

DaSean Spencer

DaSean Spencer is a graduate of Tulane University, where he received a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Mandarin Chinese. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has dedicated his professional career to the pursuit of equity in education and economic advancement within his community. In the future, DaSean hopes to enter a career in public service to advocate for marginalized individuals through policy writing and community advocacy.

"The IEDC Equity in Economic Development Fellowship is an extraordinary opportunity for me to practically apply two values close to my heart: intersectional equity and the essentialism of promoting economic mobility in marginalized communities. I am beyond thrilled and appreciative for the opportunity to support American communities in this capacity."

Fatou Jammeh

Fatou Jammeh is a rising junior Economics major, Political Science minor at Howard University. In the past, she has had internship experiences with finance and operations, coding, persuasive writing, and public speaking. This is my her fellowship, and her first time working with IEDC.

“Being offered the chance to work in economic development, alongside such intelligent minds and accomplished individuals is a privilege. I appreciate the opportunity to explore my interests through IEDC and look forward to meeting new people while gaining new knowledge along the way!”

Tiffany Ip

Tiffany is currently a Master of City and Regional Planning student at Rutgers University with a focus on Affordable Housing and Real Estate. She is driven by her desire to find solutions to end homelessness, particularly in urban areas, and understand the factors that contribute to chronic poverty in these communities. Through her undergraduate studies at NYU and internship experience with here there and EVERYwhere Inc., she learned how intimate the relationship is between poverty and other social issues and why it can feel impossible for someone to climb out of poverty without proper resources or support in place. At the culmination of her work, she envisions a design for transitional housing that incorporates a multitude of resources, such as job assistance and mental health services, while developing programs to address the factors that are hindering economic growth in the community.

“I'm thrilled to be a part of the 2nd cohort of Equity in Economic Development Fellows and for the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the Greater Richmond Partnership this summer. I'm excited to gain first-hand experience in the economic development sphere and carry that knowledge with me as I move through my graduate studies and start my professional career.”

Vanesa Garcia Nunez

Vanesa Garcia Nunez is a first-generation undergraduate student at Johnson and Wales University at Charlotte, majoring in Business Administration. She works as a Marketing Specialist at the Western Women’s Business Center (WWBC). Her responsibilities include developing marketing materials and messaging for WWBC's services, training, and special events. Prior to her career at WWBC, she held various positions, including Business Operations Assistant at Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Enterprise Operations Intern at Brighthouse Financial, and Gate Agent at Delta Airlines.

"I am very excited to be part of the 2023 IEDC Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program. As a first-generation Mexican American, I am culturally aware and have first-hand experience with the barriers the Latinx community faces in the US. Rather than letting that negatively impact who I am, I use the experience and knowledge I have gained to leverage others' opportunities, such as being bilingual in English and Spanish. We all want to see our community grow, but this fellowship will allow me to be part of that change!"

About the Program

As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing equity and closing disparities in the industry, IEDC launched the Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program in 2022. The fellowship provideds six diverse young people interested in economic development the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field, and to spend the summer working with a local EDO to advance substantive and impactful projects in their communities. For the summer of 2023, the seven diverse young people highlighted above will get this same opportunity.

Objectives of the Fellowship Program Include:

Connecting diverse young people with opportunities and hands-on experiences in economic development with the hope of developing their long-term interest in the industry.
Increasing the number of diverse young people in the economic development industry.

Expanding the diversity of IEDC members, board members and economic development leaders.
Addressing historic racial injustice and advancing social equity in the economic development industry.
Questions? Please reach out to [email protected]

Hear from the Summer 2022 Equity Fellows

Want to hear the impact of the Equity in Economic Development Fellowship program? Check out these videos from Equity Fellows from the pilot program cohort:

Equity in Economic Development Fellowship Program at IEDC’s 2022 Annual Conference

Learn more about the 2022 Equity Fellows below.

Alvin Gusman

Alvin Gusman is a rising junior with a major in economics at Texas A&M and equity in economic development fellow working with the EDCKC. Alvin Comes from a background of service and leadership through church, community, and academic roles and experiences. Alvin has a strong interest in real estate and property development. Through his studies in school, and observation in his own community Alvin developed a focus on the intersection of development and community and how it can be understood to facilitate healthy growth in a region. Alvin believes that healthy growth in a community involves creating mutually beneficial relationships between business and community to ensure no one gets left behind. Alvin is very excited for the opportunity to develop real industry skills and gain valuable experience in economic development during his fellowship this summer.

“With this fellowship, I have an opportunity to develop a passionate understanding for the pillars of society and find inspiration to improve communities’ nationwide”

Anesu Nambware

Anesu Nambware is the next Fellow of Algoma University. This is the first time he will have participated in a program of this size and he can't wait to get started. The reason he participates is to find ways to improve the lives of those who have been overlooked and underestimated in terms of economic equity and justice. He firmly believes that there is always a way for everyone to win and make their voice audible, and get a platform and microphone to fill these economic gaps and differences. That's right for him. He is currently a student at Algoma University and is from Zimbabwe, Africa.

“My time at this program has given me so much to learn. To work with people from different walks of life has been really eye opening for me personally. I can’t help but be excited about what I will always learn the following day”

Gifty Antwi

Gifty Antwi is a Georgia native heading into her sophomore year at Georgia State University. As a Sociology major, Gifty has strong interests in human social relationships and institutions, especially within the criminal justice system. Gifty has also volunteered as a fellow at Ballotpedia and interned at the National Policy Alliance. Both opportunities granted her the ability to gain greater knowledge and skills in data entry, research, networking, and leadership. Gifty is excited to learn about economic development through her fellowship with the IEDC this summer and serve underserved communities.

“I am really enjoying my Equity Fellowship program. I have met some really amazing people, learned so much about economic development, received great career advice from co-workers, and learned more about myself.”

Jerome Miller

Is a recent graduate of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, where he procured a Master of International Business graduate degree at Georgia State University. In addition, he is also a 2020 alumni of Georgia State University, where he procured his Bachelor's degree (Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies) in Social Entrepreneurship with a concentration in Global Issues.

Jerome, has experience as a Financial Representative at (Northwestern Mutual), Business Consultant, and Baggage Handler & Ramp Operator at (Delta Air Lines). Also, he has held a Research & Development intern position at Safety MD LLC located in Atlanta, GA. For skills, Jerome possess, expertise in Retail, Nonprofit Relations, International Business & International Relations, Public Speaking, Mentoring, Sales, Marketing, Consultancy, Business Development, Economic Development, Business Scaling, Financial Advising, Civic and Community Engagement, Writing, Strategic and Critical Thinking, and Advertising.

“In life, we as people, are deemed to state the good which occurs to us in our life as opportunities. As the saying goes, you have to be ready to act if opportunity knocks, or you might end up regretting it forever. While that may be perceived as true to society, I'm indifferent! Indifferent, because in life I look at every positive or good news received as a blessing. One which will come when you least expect it and one that is based on what you as a human were put on earth to fulfill.”

Josiah King

This summer Josiah King, a rising sophomore and an economics major at Howard University served as a fellow for Cornerstone Alliance in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Josiah is working and learning how to support underserved and under-resourced communities in need of economic development. He gained his passion for helping under-resourced communities by participating in countless volunteer programs throughout his high school experience. During his senior year of high school, Josiah had the opportunity to work with the South End Settlements, a program whose mission is to provide meals for families struggling with food insecurity. In the future, Josiah envisions himself working at an Economic Development Agency in Boston where he can give back to his community.

"I have been meeting a lot of great interesting people. And through this program, I have learned that economic development is a field that I would be interested in, and it is an essential aspect of every community. "

Patrick Dixon

Patrick Dixon is an incoming fellow at Invest Atlanta. He has experience serving low-income African American communities through volunteering, interning, and work experiences. His passion, mission, and purpose lie in helping those who are overlooked and underserved. His ultimate goal in his career is to expand awareness and access to economic development for groups who are underserved. He believes that closing access and opportunity gaps while empowering the underserved are not only the best way to create more equitable economies, it is simply the right thing to do. To achieve his goals, he plans to gain real-world experience in economic development so that he is in a position to build opportunities for others. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and is originally from Blythewood, SC.

“At Invest Atlanta I have been able to participate in projects that are both rewarding and eye-opening. I am thankful that I am able to learn from a fun, dynamic, and welcoming team.”