We are excited to announce the next speaker series: “An Interactive Workshop with Zoe Dean-Smith.”
Zoë is an award-winning social entrepreneur, social impact visionary with experience in economic empowerment & entrepreneurship, community development, leadership and mentoring across sectors including social enterprise, for-profit business and non-profit organizations around the world, with a driving force to provide solutions and bring positive change.

At Vital Voices, Zoë is responsible for driving the organization’s global approach to Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, to advance the organization’s mission. She provides vision and leadership for the organization’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship focused programs.
Between 2007 and 2011, based in Eswatini, Zoë served as Senior Director of Vital Voices’ Global Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Program. During this time, she also worked with TechnoServe, developing Eswatini’s handcraft sector and with the International Finance Corporation’s Grassroots Business Initiatives across Africa and SE Asia.
In 2011/2012, Zoë project-managed The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation’s programs across Africa. Prior to 2007, she was Managing Director of Gone Rural, working with 700+ women artisans in Eswatini and launched BoMake Rural Projects, a community development non-profit organization serving the Gone Rural communities.
Zoë received a 2011 World of Difference Award from The International Alliance of Women and a 2005 Pan African Business-Woman Award for Capacity Building. She has been a featured speaker internationally in her role as a social entrepreneur as well as addressing issues concerning Eswatini such as HIV/AIDS, women’s rights and basic community needs.
Since 2008, Zoë has presented the Holistic Life Map – a life-changing personal development workshop – to multiple audiences around the world.
She serves on the Boards of the Good Shepherd International Foundation (Italy), the Grassroots Business Fund (USA), on the International Advisory Council of Days for Girls (USA) and has served on the Jury of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. In 2008, Zoë initiated a young women’s mentorship program in Eswatini. She has served as a mentor in the Cherie Blair Mentoring Women in Business program and the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for Young African Leaders.
Outside of the business environment, Zoe is an emerging author, dog lover and indoor cycling instructor.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-dean-smith
Instagram: @zoedeansmith
Twitter: @ZoeDeanSmith
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