Grace Mamie Kargobai is a policy enthusiast and an aspiring author with an innate passion for life, environmental sustainability, fashion, and women’s empowerment.
She currently holds key technical leadership roles with the Government of Sierra Leone as the Head of Delivery at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Executive Assistant to the Chief Innovation Officer for the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), who doubles as the Chief Minister within the Office of the President.
Driven by a keen interest in service delivery and policy formulation processes, Grace works with various government ministries, directorates, development partners and agencies to develop data systems, solutions and designs that support cross-sector collaboration and planning with government, as well as contributing to the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies to enhance free quality school education in Sierra Leone.
Grace’s contributions in leadership, governance, public policy, and collaboration with key stakeholders to implement sustainable development initiatives in Sierra Leone has garnered notable recognition as one of the 50 Most Influential Young Sierra Leoneans (2017) and an alumnus of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI). With a focus in continuous improvement, she seeks professional development programs that will enhance her skills in developing evidence-based and data-informed public policies that integrate the knowledge of marginalized groups, especially women into decision-making processes regarding their environments. She is looking forward to receiving classroom and research-based training in international public policy practices, learning how states and non- state actors shape public policy at the local and international levels and how states’ domestic policies affect global policies, as well as cultivating skills for public-private partnerships.
On the path of self-discovery, Grace is the founder of Illuminating Ladies, a community-based organization of vibrant young Sierra Leonean women with a mission to inspire girls and women to aspire for leadership roles. She is also the founder of an online platform named “Press for Progress”, which promotes advocacy on civic education. Additionally, she is the owner and fashion designer of the clothing line “Rhophys Couture”.