NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT EMZINGO|U

Cristina Bernardo Kullberg is the new Emzingo|U Executive Director.

By Emzingo Group

We are delighted to announce that as of September 2019, Cristina Bernardo Kullberg is the first-ever Executive Director at Emzingo|U!

“As an alumni, a long time team member, and a true believer in our mission to inspire, prepare, and connect the next generation of responsible leaders, I am very excited to take on this role and help build the next chapter of Emzingo|U. Embarking on our tenth year, I look forward to improving and increasing our responsible leadership programming while also making a deeper local impact in the communities we serve. Over the next few years, I hope to expand our reach to assist local students, leaders, and field partners have a greater social and environmental impact both locally and abroad.” – Cristina Bernardo Kullberg, Executive Director Emzingo|U.

Cristina Bernardo Kullberg, Emzingo|U Executive Director.

Cristina joined Emzingo in 2012 after completing her graduate studies at the London School of Economics. First, as an Emzingo Fellow in our Johannesburg program where she worked with our field partner P.U.S.H (Persevere Until Something Happens) in Soweto. It was then that we realized Cristina was a tremendous talent and offered her a role with our team shortly after that. Thus, in 2013, she joined as the Director of Business Development, Academic Services for North America.

Over three years, Cristina led a business development and partnership strategy that expanded Emzingo|U’s social impact and leadership programming to reach over twenty-five universities. Cristina also supported our Ashoka U Award-winning social impact fellowships in Peru and South Africa.

In 2016, Cristina was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as a Senior Advisor for the Rural Business and Cooperative Service (RBS) in Rural Development at the United States Department of Agriculture. Serving in that role, she joined the leadership team of the Community Economic Development division that administers all of the initiatives to support community development in persistently poor rural and tribal communities. In 2017 and 2018, Cristina was a research consultant at the Obama Foundation on several projects.

At the end of 2017, Cristina came back to Emzingo and co-led the efforts to create the Emzingo|U brand to house all of our academic programs, initiatives, and partnerships across Brazil, Europe, North America, Peru, and South Africa.

We are thrilled to have her lead the next chapter of Emzingo|U to amplify our impact on students and field partners. Cristina embodies everything that Emzingo stands for and is the perfect person to take the reigns and continue to grow and mature Emzingo|U.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Cristina will collaborate significantly with Drew and Pablo, the current active managing partners of Emzingo, on Emzingo|U strategy and ensuring there is a smooth transition into this new leadership role.