Meet the 2017 Smithsonian Mandela Fellow: Guilène Assamoi

Meet Guilène Assamoi, the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow. Guilène is nearing the end of her 6-week fellowship at the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) where she is writing for the Smithsonian Insider, with John Barrat as her advisor. The Smithsonian placement caps a three-month professional development experience, beginning at Dartmouth College, as a part of The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. This flagship program is part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which aims to strengthen the skills of young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa as they spur growth, prosperity and peace across Africa, through impactful projects and community service.

Hailing from Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa, Guilène is the founder of a communication consulting company and creator of Jolieville, a platform exploring the creativity and talent through African contemporary art and culture. She has over eight years of experience in the communications industry, specializing in content creation and digital marketing. Guilène holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management from Sorbonne University, in France. Upon returning home, she plans to continue her work promoting African contemporary art and culture, developing educational training programs, and assisting organizations interested in getting involved in the African narrative.