History

Leadership Global (formerly Leadership Africa USA) is a 501 c3 non-profit, tax-exempt, nongovernmental organization based in Washington DC that works across the globe to implement leadership development and capacity building training programs across multiple sectors. Walker A. Williams, who believed in the power of positive leadership, founded the organization in 2006.

Leadership is essential to good governance and is a prerequisite for economic sustainability. Many African and Caribbean countries recognize the importance of effective and trustworthy leadership in addressing the many challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. It is critical to invest in the development of a generation of leaders who will expand and strengthen democratic principles, institutionalize good governance practices, eradicate poverty, sustain peace and security, and compete in a global marketplace. 

Leadership Global’s programs empower youth through leadership development training. Our goal is to help youth, especially young girls, emerge as future global leaders. At the heart of Leadership Global’s development agenda is a commitment to the cultivation and transformation of youth by fostering self-confidence and choosing to accept responsibility.

Mission

Leadership Global’s mission is to empower youth to develop comprehensive solutions to the complex problems within their nations through capacity building, skills transfer, education and life-skills training through public-private-partnerships.

Vision

Our vision is a world where leaders inspire, transform and innovate in order to achieve sustainable social and economic equity in the world. Leadership Global’s core values are integrity, democracy and equity.

Goals

• Encourage the participation of young leaders in the decision making process;
• Inspire the next generation to become effective leaders;
• Enhance and expand the next generation’s self confidence, skills and competencies;
• Stimulate intellectual development, critical thinking, creative solutions, and meaningful communication;
• Communicate the important link between leadership and sustainable development;
• Promote public-private partnerships among strategic players to achieve sustainable peace and democracy through leadership training.

Leadership

PRESIDENT & CEO
Shehnaz Rangwala

Shehnaz Rangwala is the President & CEO of Leadership Global (formerly Leadership Africa USA), where she oversees the design, implementation and management of programs in the United States, Africa and the Caribbean to address food security and poverty reduction.

Prior to launching Leadership Africa USA, Ms. Rangwala was the Program Director at Education Africa USA, and before that worked at Bread for the World, a D.C.-based nonprofit, grassroots lobbying organization that works on domestic and international hunger and poverty issues. Before joining Bread, she was Executive Assistant/Coordinator & Advisor for International Programming at the International Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, where she encouraged the achievement of the University’s campus internationalization objectives by strengthening relations between the international student community and campus communities.

Recently, Ms. Rangwala assisted in organizing a historic U.S.-Africa Energy Ministerial (AEM) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — ‘Catalyzing Sustainable Energy Growth in Africa’ in June 2014, which was attended by over 600 participants. The AEM focused on the need for increased investment in Africa’s electricity and energy sectors and was attended by energy and power ministers from over 40 African countries, over 130 U.S. and African businesses, and a U.S. Delegation led by Energy Secretary Moniz that included EXIM Bank, USAID, OPIC, USTDA, MCC, the State Department and the Obama Administration.

Ms. Rangwala worked on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and has conducted training workshops with the International Institute, USDA, and U.S. Department of State’s African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) on the challenges, opportunities and strategies to export textile products to the United States. Ms. Rangwala has experience in workplace training and labor-management mediation.

Ms. Rangwala has experience teaching International Trade in Textiles, providing students with a broad understanding of the global textile and apparel industry by emphasizing current global trends, prevailing global practices, trends in production and consumption, and the United States as an importing/exporting country. 
Ms. Rangwala served as a judge at Microsoft’s 3rd Pan-African Innovative Education Forum in Mombasa, Kenya, and at Microsoft’s Worldwide Innovative Educators Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. Additionally, Ms. Rangwala presented on the importance of leadership training in school curriculum and on best practices utilizing technology to deliver quality education. Ms. Rangwala currently serves on the Advisory Board of the IUGB Foundation.

Ms. Rangwala holds a M.Sc. in Textiles & Apparel Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri, and a M.A. in Media Communications from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and also has a Diploma in International Tourism Management from the Indian International Trade Center, Mumbai, India. Ms. Rangwala was a Fulbright Finalist to Mauritius where she researched the impact of industrialization on lives of women and children in the textile and apparel industry.

Ms. Rangwala has lived and worked in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Kenya, Ethiopia Mauritius, Turkey, Thailand and Honduras. She has extensive experience with issues related to education, and international trade related to empowering women and girls.

CHAIRMAN
Ainsley Gill

Ainsley Gill is the Chairman of Leadership Global. An energy industry veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with more than 20 years’ experience in international government relations, financing, business development, information technology and management consulting, Ainsley is the founding member, Group Chief Executive Officer and Director of the NiQuan Energy Group, and also serves on the NiQuan Energy Trinidad Limited Board of Directors.

Ainsley served as the Foreign Registered Agent for the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) in the United States, promoting foreign relations, national security, trade, energy, business development and investments. He was the principal consultant to GORTT in negotiations to leverage the country’s membership in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and was also engaged by the GORTT for the initial conceptualization, strategy development and rollout of the implementation plan for the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Center.

Other assignments included working as principal development consultant to state-owned gas company, Songagas, G.E. of Equatorial Guinea, where he advised on the collection, transformation and commercialization of all of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) interests and led negotiations to increase Sonagas’ equity interest in the Alba field and the establishment of the 3G consortium, which included Union Fenosa, Eon Ruhrgas and Mitsumi. He also served as the lead development consultant to RWE Supply and Trading and Excelerate Energy in the development of a major Natural Gas downstream facility and as principal consultant to BPTT in the promotion of the Trinidad and Tobago/ U.S.A. strategic energy interest.

Ainsley has founded several highly successful companies, one of which, CompSpa Inc., provided services to the US Government, including the IRS and NASA.

Meet Some of Our Past & Present Interns

Carolyn Casey

University of Central Arkansas
Fall 2018

Hannah Bohland

“Leadership Africa USA challenged my views of the world in which I live–the fundamental building blocks of communities and the connections that all people share regardless of place. I was challenged to see the development world differently–not an array of problems to fix, but a methodology of seeing the commonality among all humans, building a sustainable environment based on respect and care for the individual, and working diligently to see a vision come to life.”

Xavier University
Summer 2017

Kiera Gwynn

University of Pennsylvania
Fall 2015

Kristyn Lines

“I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with Leadership Global USA in the fall of 2016 during a semester abroad from the University of Calgary. During my internship I gained hands-on experience in the areas of international development, post-conflict societies, and global health. Leadership Global’s focus on local capacity-building aligned with my interests of promoting sustainable development and empowering youth by providing them with technical skills.”

The University of Calgary
Fall 2016

Katie Proch

Mount Union College
Spring 2014

Brianna Novelli

“I cannot express strongly enough how invaluable my internship at Leadership Africa USA was for me. The knowledge, skills, and exposure I gained during my time here contributed significantly to both my personal and professional development.”

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Fall 2014

Karen Delvoye

Ghent University
Fall 2010