Meet the current class of Fellows who will be working with Acumen Fund investees in the field!
Acumen Fund Fellows - Class of 2009
Premal Desai
Premal is working with LifeSpring hospitals, which provides quality health care to lower- income women and children in India. He will develop a current state analysis of LifeSpring's processes around human resources and talent, both at the corporate and hospital level. Before Acumen Fund, Premal was a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft Corp, India, responsible for strategy, planning and delivery of software to enterprises. He has volunteered for LV Prasad Eye Institute and is a former owner of a Gymboree Play & Music franchise in California. Premal earned his MS in Computer Science from University of Texas.
Sophie Forbes
Sophie is working with Drishtee in India, a rural "Information and Communications Technology" (ICT) network orchestrator that helps local entrepreneurs to set up kiosks that provide a variety of services to villagers for a fee. Sophie will assess the current revenue model, assist with strategic planning of the health expansion, and develop a business, health and education training module. Prior to Acumen Fund, Sophie was a consultant to economic development and microfinance projects in Africa. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer and has worked in ten different countries in senior management and technical advisor roles. Sophie earned her MS from Carnegie Mellon in Public Policy and Management.
Ramakrishnan Hariharan
Ramakrishnan is working with Meridian Medical Centre, whose vision is to establish a chain of affordable, high quality outpatient clinics across Kenya. At Meridian, Ramakrishnan will develop expansion plans and open a new branch outlet for services. He will also support the development of a branding and marketing strategy to attract and retain new business. Before Acumen Fund, Ramakrishnan was a consultant in the development and banking sectors with a background in consumer banking and industrial goods. He has served as Head of Operations for Pratham, an NGO working in primary education in India. Ramakrishnan earned a Masters in Management Studies and a BS in Chemistry from Mumbai University.
Joanna Harries
Joanna is working with Acumen Fund investee Dial 1298 for Ambulance, the Mumbai-based provider of emergency medical services with an ethos of service for all. She will develop a strategy for the implementation of new initiatives related to improving the quality of service for customers, and she will support building a network of multinational corporations for business development efforts. Prior to Acumen Fund, Joanna was a Brand Manager at Unilever in Toronto, where she also leads community focused projects. She has previous experience in natural resources at Conoco Oil and Gas for their UK Division and in hi-tech marketing with Microsoft. Joanna earned her MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University with a focus in Sustainable Strategy.
Mubarik Imam
Mubarik is working on the housing pipeline for low-income communities in Pakistan. Before Acumen Fund, Mubarik was an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company and the President of the Association for the Development of Pakistan. Mubarik founded the Mobile Science and Computer Labs Project, which provides rural schools in Pakistan with science and computer facilities. She graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a BS in Electrical Engineering.
Karthik Janakiraman
Karthik is working with Global Easy Water Products (GEWP), an investment in India that provides poor farmers with access to affordable micro-drip irrigation solutions. He will develop a production, inventory and logistics plan, while also building and refining GEWP's export strategy. Before Acumen Fund, Karthik was a Senior Engineering Manager at Applied Materials in Santa Clara, California, responsible for new product development. He has been awarded five patents in the area of semiconductor design. Karthik holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Heidi Krauel
Heidi is working with D.light, an investment in India that uses light emitting diode (LED) technology to provide an economically and socially preferable alternative to kerosene lanterns. She will develop a sales, distribution and marketing strategy, while also providing supply chain logistical support. Before Acumen Fund, Heidi was the Director of Employee OnRamp at Pacific Community Ventures in San Francisco, California. Previously, she was a founding member of AOL Time Warner Ventures and worked in Investment Banking at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and Credit Suisse First Boston. Heidi earned a BA from Princeton and an MBA from Stanford University.
Joel Montgomery
Joel is working with Micro Drip, and investment that procures and sells affordable drip irrigation systems to farmers in the Thardeep region of Pakistan. He will develop a strategy for entering new markets and scaling existing ones, while also supporting the development of an MIS database system to improve customer research and communication. Before Acumen Fund, Joel was a consultant with the Business Development Center in Amman, Jordan and Endeavor Global in Istanbul, Turkey. He has experience in 18 countries, in the areas of Business Development, Strategy, and Operations. Joel earned his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management with an emphasis in International Development.
Nicole Orillac
Nicole is working with AyurVAId, a patient-centric hospital chain with a standardized approach to delivering safe, effective, and affordable care to poor communities in India. She will develop processes and systems for managing relationships with network hospitals and partners. Before Acumen Fund, Nicole completed her MBA and Msc in Development Management from HEC, Paris and LSE, London. Previously, she was the Manufacturing Plant Manager and Continuous Improvement Team Leader for Frito Lay in Panama and a volunteer for Plan International in the UK. Nicole earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.
Suraj Sudhakar
Suraj is working with Ecotact, a Nairobi-based company that aims to improve the urban landscape for low-income communities through environmentally responsible projects in sanitation and housing. Her projects will involve developing a marketing plan for expansion of the Eco-toilet model and building a financial consolidation plan. Prior to Acumen Fund, Suraj was currently working on a variety of consulting projects in market research and healthcare. He has served as a Team Leader for Rural Innovations Network and as a programmer analyst at Cognizant Technology Solutions. Suraj earned a B. Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from Cochin University of Science & Technology.