Keep in touch with meI'm using Intch to connect with new people. Use this link to open chat with me via Intch app
Work Background
Programming Consultant
Africa Film SocietyProgramming Consultant
Jan. 2025 - Mar. 2025www.africafilmsociety.orgProgramming for Classics in the Park and the Africa Film Society Centre. Films (shorts & features), and consulting on other aspects of the cultural programming, from exhibitions to future fellowships. 🇬🇭 🍿🇬🇭🍿🇬🇭 "Africa Film Society seeks to preserve and promote Africa's rich cinematic legacy while cultivating new filmmakers and nurturing an audience for their work. Our mission is to EMPOWER, EDUCATE and ENCOURAGE the art of filmmaking on the African continent and the larger Diaspora. Our newly opened 40 Seat Theater, Film Library and Exhibition Space will be a hub for filmmakers and cinephiles. Through our Classics In The Park initiative, we are bringing free outdoor cinema to communities focusing on early African films (1950 - 1980). We intend to acquire, restore and redistribute these films from their original reels in order to introduce them to a new generation. Africa Film Society is founded by Ghanaian Filmmaker Blitz Bazawule in 2016 and headquartered in Accra."
Consultant & Facilitator
Malala FundConsultant & Facilitator
Jun. 2021 - May. 2024🎓 Bilingual Programme Design & Facilitation Girl Programme: Malala Fund As part of Malala Fund’s Girl Programme, I provided bilingual (English–Portuguese) support to a fellowship initiative empowering young women from across the globe — including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil and India — to promote gender equality and education rights within their families, communities, and countries. 📚 I supported the design, development and facilitation of curriculum content focused on leadership, advocacy and community engagement. Our learning experiences were enriched by partnerships with organisations like 100cameras and Pravah, and tailored to support fellows in creating sustainable, girl-led change. 🌍 In line with Malala Fund’s mission to ensure every girl can access 12 years of quality education, this work centred the voices and perspectives of girls themselves — providing tools and frameworks to help them lead with confidence, advocate for their rights, and build meaningful social impact. 💡 This experience deepened my skills in international programme delivery, curriculum co-creation, and cross-cultural collaboration, all within a dynamic and values-driven global team. The fellows were incredibly inspiring, and we supported them in delivering impactful messages online and in person at events like COP and the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women.
Deputy Director
Royal African SocietyDeputy Director
May. 2021 - Oct. 2023🌍 As Deputy Director of the Royal African Society, I led across strategy, programming, people and partnerships during a landmark year celebrating the organisation’s 120th anniversary. ✨ I led the 10th editions of Film Africa and Africa Writes, expanded regional programming, and helped curate a sold-out Gala that united African creativity with high-level stakeholder engagement. 🤝 I played a key role in team leadership, staff wellbeing initiatives, scaling up personal development budgets, improving workplace policies, and securing new partnerships and sponsors. 📈 Contributed to shaping fundraising and corporate engagement strategies that helped the Society achieve a record-breaking year financially—generating over £1 million in revenue. 🎬 Supported colleagues working with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Africa, and our news platform African Arguments, while supporting communication and partnerships across business, advocacy, education, and the arts. 🎤 Coordinated dozens of events each year, with the gracious help of partnerships including The British Film Institute, The Garden Cinema, the National Film & Television School (NFTS), SOAS, Picturehouse, University of Leeds, British Library, AFREADA, Cassava Republic, Huza Press, Royal Society of Literature, The Caine Prize for African Writing, Brittle Paper, Head of Zeus, AiAi Studios, Stacked Podcast, Cinewax, Deaffest, South London Gallery, Orion Books. 🌍Africa Writes 10th Anniversary : bit.ly/AW10programme 🍿Film Africa 10th Anniversary Programme: bit.ly/FA10programme 🌍Annual Report 2022: bit.ly/RASreport22
Regional Coordinator (Africa Region)
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsRegional Coordinator (Africa Region)
Dec. 2019 - Nov. 2020💪🏽At WAGGGS — the world’s largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women — I served as Regional Coordinator and Capacity Building Manager for the Africa Region 🌍, supporting 30+ Member Organisations (who in turn support over 1 million girls) across regional strategy, educational content, and partnership development. 🛠️ I co-developed the Capacity Assessment Tool — a resource for organisations to evaluate and improve across key areas: organisational identity, structure and management, finance and fundraising, programme design and evaluation, and internal culture. https://www.wagggs.org/en/resources/capacity-assessment-tool/ 🗣️ I worked in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish, and helped organise conferences and workshops in Cameroon 🇨🇲, Rwanda 🇷🇼, and Mozambique 🇲🇿, delivering bilingual content on safeguarding, leadership, empowerment, and advocacy. 🌎 I also supported the Western Hemisphere Region 🌎 (35 countries, nearly 3 million members) during a colleague’s maternity leave — further developing cross-cultural communication, programme design, stakeholder engagement, and event management experience. 🏅 Proud to have contributed to an organisation nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 — empowering girls and young women to become leaders and changemakers worldwide.
Capacity Building Manager (Africa Region)
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ScoutsCapacity Building Manager (Africa Region)
Dec. 2018 - Nov. 2019
Intercultural Trainer
SirvaIntercultural Trainer
Aug. 2014🌐 Intercultural Trainer SIRVA (Global Relocation & Mobility Services) As an Intercultural Trainer with SIRVA (formerly BGRS) — a global leader in relocation and mobility services — I’ve delivered over 100 bespoke training sessions for employees, spouses, youth and executive groups from leading organisations including American Express, Mars, Jaguar Land Rover, HSBC, UPS, PepsiCo, Unilever, Kenvue, Cummins, and the London School of Economics. 🧠 I specialise in helping senior executives and their families develop a Global Mindset, supporting smoother transitions into new cultures. I also work with multicultural teams to improve cross-cultural collaboration, communication, and cohesion. I have delivered sessions in English, French, Portuguese, and once, for a child, my very shaky Türkçe. 📘 I redesigned and updated training materials for Youth, Younger Youth and Teen programmes used by SIRVA trainers worldwide — enhancing engagement, relevance, and impact across age groups. 🏆 Recognised for excellence with two Platinum Awards and a third nomination, my work blends cultural insight, practical application, and empathy to ensure meaningful, lasting outcomes for globally mobile professionals and families. 🎓 I hold Intercultural Business Trainer qualifications from International House London and Commisceo Global.
Founder & Director
Languages through Music Founder & Director
Jan. 2014▶️ Languages Through Music is a creative and cultural education platform that has engaged over 10,000 learners globally through online workshops, international festivals (including Southbank’s Africa Utopia, BOZAR’s Afropolitan, and St. Bart’s Book & Jazz), and interactive sessions at schools worldwide—from Mechai Pattana Bamboo School in Thailand to Fir Vale School and ACS Hillingdon in the UK. ▶️ The Languages Through Music podcast features conversations with 40+ educators and artists from around the globe, while the current masterclass offers collaborative resources in over 30 languages. As Founder and Director, I’ve received a grant for innovation in language learning (Afropolitan Forum, Brussels) and spoken at events including TEDx Luanda. ▶️ The first Languages Through Music book is forthcoming from Teach Yourself, an imprint of Hodder Education, renowned for self-instruction books since 1938. 🌐 www.languagesthroughmusic.com
Artistic Director/ Student Ensemble Leader
International School Theatre AssociationArtistic Director/ Student Ensemble Leader
Nov. 2004🎭 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah 🎭 American Community School, Abu Dhabi 🎭 Prem Tinsulanonda International School (Environmental Symposium), Chiang Mai 🎭 Tashkent International School 🎭 International School of Geneva 🎭 Windhoek International School, Namibia 🎭 Marymount School, Rome 🎭 International School of Belgrade, Serbia 🎭 9/11 Memorial Museum, New York, USA 🎭 Carlucci American International School of Lisbon 🎭 St. John's School, Vancouver, Canada 🎭 JFK School, Berlin, Germany 🎭 American International School, Chennai, India 🎭 NIST International School, Bangkok, Thailand 🎭 St Julian's, Lisbon, Portugal 🎭 Institute Le Rosey, Rolle, Switzerland 🎭 Atlanta International School, Atlanta, USA 🎭 Copenhagen International School, Copenhagen, Denmark 🎭 Fallibroome Academy, Macclesfield, UK 🎭 International School of London, London, UK 🎭 American School of Warsaw, Poland 🎭 The American British Academy, Muscat, Oman 🎭 Aukamm Elementary School, Wiesbaden, Germany 🎭 Amman Baccalaureate School, Jordan 🎭 American School of Moscow, Russia 🎭 Bangkok Patana, Thailand 🎭 Canadian International School, Singapore 🎭 Cevre Koleji, Istanbul, Turkey 🎭 Eden Project Festival, Cornwall, UK 🎭 American International School, Guangzhou, China 🎭 Victoria Shanghai Academy, Hong Kong 🎭 Ruamrudee International School Bangkok, Thailand 🎭 North London Collegiate School, Jeju, Korea 🎭 Tanglin Trust School, Singapore 🎭 International School of Manila, The Philippines 🎭 Koç International School, Istanbul, Turkey 🎭 International School of Munich, Germany 🎭 American Community School, Cobham, UK 🎭 La Chataignerie International School, Geneva, Switzerland 🎭 The British School of Jakarta, Indonesia 🎭 Jakarta International School, Jakarta, Indonesia 🎭 Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Intch is a Professional Networking App for the Future of Work
300k+ people
130+ countries
AI matching
See more people like Desta on Intch
Entertainment
1005493 people
15
Managing Director @ Streamfield Business Support
16
Virtual Assistant & Events Manager @ Self Employed
15
Photographer/Editor/Art Director @ The Artisan Photographer
EntertainmentVoice Over
179399 people
16
Virtual Assistant & Events Manager @ Self Employed
15
Photographer/Editor/Art Director @ The Artisan Photographer
16
Virtual Assistant