Experience

Stellenbosch Business School

• South Africa
• Education Administration Programs
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Research Fellow

  • Jul 2020 - Present

  Lecturer: MBA, Business in Society Lecturer: Small Business Academy, Business Plans Lecturer: Management Programme for Non-Profit Organisations, Strategic Management and Sustainability, Project Management Publications: • Smit, A., Choe, J., Theron-Wepener, M., Franzsen, E., van Coller-Peter, S. (2023). Driving Economic Growth with the Power of Small Businesses: The University of Stellenbosch Business School’s Small Business Academy. In O. Ike, A. Adamavi-Aho Ekué, D. Singh & J. Usher (Eds.), Leading Ethical Leaders: Higher Education, Business Schools and the Sustainable Development Goals. Globethics. https://doi.org/10.58863/20.500.12424/4278450 • Choe, J., Emjedi, E., Bam, A. (2023, 31 July). Specialized Training Uplifts SMME Entrepreneurs. AACSB Insights. https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/articles/2023/07/specialized-training-uplifts-smme-entrepreneurs • Bam, A., Choe, J. (2022, November 15). Empowering Small Business Owners in South Africa [Blog post]. https://www.eaie.org/blog/small-business-south-africa.html Show less



Dalberg

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Director of Strategy and Operations, North America

  • Jul 2014 - Apr 2015

  Strategy: Set game-changing strategies and rigorously help the leadership team to track progress, implement improvements and make important decisions. o Lead the implementation of strategic initiatives that drive the Company’s impact and growth. Human Capital: Make the Company the best possible place to work for impact-driven professionals. o Enable the Company to bring our best people to each engagement. Operations: Lead a team to carry out finance, HR, and IT functions. Strategy: Set game-changing strategies and rigorously help the leadership team to track progress, implement improvements and make important decisions. o Lead the implementation of strategic initiatives that drive the Company’s impact and growth. Human Capital: Make the Company the best possible place to work for impact-driven professionals. o Enable the Company to bring our best people to each engagement. Operations: Lead a team to carry out finance, HR, and IT functions.



Polaris (formerly Polaris Project)

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Operating Officer

  • Aug 2010 - Jun 2014

  Executive Management Team: One of four top executives driving strategic planning, organizational direction and partnerships during a time of rapid growth and opportunity. o Facilitated more effective and sustainable resource allocation that aligns with strategic plan, including expanding tiers of leadership and analyzing value and scalability of programs. o Promoted a culture of high performance and continuous innovation and improvement. o Coordinated risk management; cultivated pro bono legal representation to over $3M in value. o Engaged and communicated with Board of Directors on key strategic, financial, and legal issues. Operations: Ensured reliability and efficiency with HR, volunteer engagement, facilities, technology. o Built sustainable, professionalized infrastructure that scales with significant growth, while preserving key organizational culture and values. Operations team grew from three to nine staff. o Supervised database and data analysis innovations that became the platform for global growth. o Managed new headquarters transition, including contract negotiations, construction, space design, and move into a professional and 260% increase in productive space. Finance: Financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, and investment priorities for best value and optimal resource allocation that balance programmatic goals and resource restrictions. Funding sources include Federal/state contracts and grants, private foundation, individuals, corporations, and earned revenue. o Overhauled accounting and finance procedures and staffing, reducing accounting expenses by $50k/year while increasing efficiency and accuracy of data. o Reduced operational and benefits expenses while increasing services to staff by finding efficiencies, negotiating stronger contracts, and empowering directors with more purchasing decisions. Show less



Teaching for Change

• United States
• Education Administration Programs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate Director

  • Sep 2007 - Aug 2010

  Program Oversight: Managed parent engagement and publishing programs for optimal effectiveness, conducting evaluations, increasing organizational capacity and expanding national reach. Finance and Operations: Conducted financial analysis, budget oversight, overhauled fiscal policies and procedures, found operational efficiencies for cost savings and increased productivity, negotiated and managed move into a safer and cost effective headquarters. Human Resources: Created systems for and managed all aspects of HR, including employee lifecycles, benefits administration, and payroll. Instituted higher standards for staff accountability and reporting. Board management: Liaised between staff and board on finance, organizational development, board growth, increasing quality standards for reporting and board engagement. Show less



Princeton University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Executive Assistant, Office of the Dean of the College

  • Aug 2005 - Jul 2007

  Management: Improved interpersonal connections and communications within a complicated, multifaceted department, resulting in streamlined efforts, increased employee morale, and wins. Research: Supported various initiatives evaluating effectiveness of policies such as academic calendar, financial aid, changes to academic requirements with research, reporting, and resource management. Management: Improved interpersonal connections and communications within a complicated, multifaceted department, resulting in streamlined efforts, increased employee morale, and wins. Research: Supported various initiatives evaluating effectiveness of policies such as academic calendar, financial aid, changes to academic requirements with research, reporting, and resource management.



Gilder Gagnon Howe & Co. LLC

• United States
• Investment Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Assistant for Richard Gilder Group

  • Aug 2004 - Aug 2006

  Financial analysis: Learned financial modeling, reporting, regulations, and business communications. Crash course in financial assessment of companies and industries, with direct exposure to how public companies are led and run and how those decisions impact value and profitability. Research and Communication: Enabled better investment decisions through in-depth research on topics ranging from global economic trends to company- or product-specific issues, utilizing resources and tools to swiftly present thorough but succinct data to investment managers. Interpreted local and world news to identify trends, opportunities, and threats to investments. Show less



The Farm School

• Orange, MA

• Operations Director

  • Jun 2003 - Aug 2004

  Finances: reorganized financial systems; led annual budgeting process; saved tens of thousands of dollars in expenditures; increased program income with improved systems. Liaised with Board of Directors, improving reporting and identification of opportunities and challenges. Increased accountability for staff on time and expenses, uncovering fraudulent activity and curing the process. Operations: developed and implemented efficient systems for HR, development, and programs. Finances: reorganized financial systems; led annual budgeting process; saved tens of thousands of dollars in expenditures; increased program income with improved systems. Liaised with Board of Directors, improving reporting and identification of opportunities and challenges. Increased accountability for staff on time and expenses, uncovering fraudulent activity and curing the process. Operations: developed and implemented efficient systems for HR, development, and programs.



National Polytechnic University of Chimborazo

• Riobamba, Ecuador

• Professor of English

  • Jul 2002 - Jun 2003

  Educator: Taught adult learners English as a foreign language, increasing their comprehension and retention, and learned the Spanish language and Ecuadorean culture through community immersion. Educator: Taught adult learners English as a foreign language, increasing their comprehension and retention, and learned the Spanish language and Ecuadorean culture through community immersion.



Little, Brown and Company

• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Children's Books Senior Production Coordinator, Marketing Assistant

  • Jun 1998 - Jun 2002

  Project management: Coordinated production and printing of 75+ children’s and young adult books per year, controlling budget, production schedules, and quality of each project from concept to delivery. Marketing and Communications: Developed, designed promotional marketing and sales material, contributing to increased sales. Organized national author, illustrator and costume appearances to schools and libraries. Facilitated presence at national trade shows and sales conferences. Project management: Coordinated production and printing of 75+ children’s and young adult books per year, controlling budget, production schedules, and quality of each project from concept to delivery. Marketing and Communications: Developed, designed promotional marketing and sales material, contributing to increased sales. Organized national author, illustrator and costume appearances to schools and libraries. Facilitated presence at national trade shows and sales conferences.