B.A., University of Virginia (1996)
M.B.A., Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College (2001)
“I grew up moving around the world as the child of a Naval officer, including living two years in the Philippines, but spent the later years of my childhood in Loudoun County, Virginia. I now live in Canaan, New Hampshire.
“I am the founder of Global Grassroots, an international non-profit organization which supports conscious social change for women. My approach uses ancient consciousness practices, social entrepreneurship training and seed funding to help marginalized women survivors of war advance their own ideas for social change benefiting women. In 2005, I launched Global Grassroots’ work in the Darfur refugee camps of eastern Chad, and in 2006 expanded to Rwanda. To date, Global Grassroots has trained 250 conscious social change agents, whose social ventures are now reaching upwards of 50,000 women and girls across Rwanda. I am a producer of the documentary film, The Devil Came on Horseback, and co-author of the memoir, The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur, about my brother’s experience as a military observer in Darfur. In 2007 I was honored by World Business Magazine and Shell as one of the top International 35 Women Under 35. I’m also an apprentice practitioner of the alternative healing modality, integrative breathwork, which I hope to use to help heal trauma from war and sexual violence.”
Photos of Gretchen & Global Grassroots
“The principles of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship, fundamental to the Jefferson Scholars Program, so influenced me during my time at the University that they have become an integral part of my life and work today. My belief is that cultivating inner awareness and contributing to the common good are both necessary to advance the greatest level of positive social change. This includes becoming a scholar of your field of work, finding your unique offering to contribute toward society, and leading with integrity and compassion. Not only do I aim to uphold these principles in my own work, I also incorporate the same in my teachings to marginalized women from Africa.”
