GABRIELLE SAMAD

Gabrielle Samad is an international development leader with more than ten years of experience designing and scaling programs across Africa, Latin America, and the United States - including over seven years on the ground across the African continent. As Country Director for Uganda and Malawi at Innovation: Africa, she led large teams overseeing the delivery of 170+ renewable-powered rural water and solar systems, bringing reliable water and energy to roughly 1.5 million people. She holds a Master's in International Development from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Bachelor's in Communications with a minor in Global Poverty Studies from the University of Maryland.

As a Project Developer at Izuba Energy in Zimbabwe, Gabrielle advises on market entry and operational strategy for renewable energy projects, guiding them through the environmental, regulatory, and financial approvals that turn an idea into a working project. She believes reliable energy is the foundation of lasting development, and brings that same rigor and passion to every project she works on.