Sharmi Surianarain is Chief Impact Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. She leads research, knowledge, and insights, focusing on the impact of Harambee’s capabilities to change the system and contribute to solutions for the African continent. Sharmi brings prior experience in human capital management, education, and facilitating links to employment across Africa, India, and the United States. She served as Vice President of Lifelong Engagement at African Leadership Academy (ALA) where she oversaw a network of 2,000 young African leaders, managed ALA’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Africa Careers Network, and ALA’s alumni engagement team. Sharmi also served as a management consultant providing strategic advice to clients including the Development Bank of South Africa, Transnet Capital Projects, and the Government of Mozambique. She holds a B.A. from Harvard University, a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.