Innovation is at the heart of our work so when the opportunity arose to welcome a volunteer on a virtual basis, we were more than excited by the opportunity. After completing almost 15 years of grassroots work, during an evaluation, we decided to source an industry expert in the field of business development.
Melissa Sassi brought her skills and talent to Tobby Vision Computers in the capacity of a Business Strategy Trainer. She is the Global Head of IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator which focuses on empowering early-stage startups through technology and business acceleration. Before this she spent several years in Microsoft’s Airband Initiative where she was an internet and energy access impact investor.
She has also given over 100 talks at UN events, education summits, tech conferences, all while studying for her PhD and balancing her fast-paced career. Melissa is a keynote speaker in topics such as digital inclusion, women in tech, community building, youth empowerment, imposter syndrome, mentorship, and personal branding.
Melissa’s vast expertise and passion for sustainable development allowed us to hone our approach as she trained us in public relations, digital literacy and provided IT training resources which we used to educate our students and also develop our curriculum.
As the world changes and moves in a digital direction, so too does the development sphere. We recognise the importance of being ahead of the curve and look forward to continued virtual collaborations with such experienced practitioners as Melissa.