Our Team

Jonathan Berkey, Co-founder and Safari Director

Prof. Jonathan Berkey has worked on community development projects and natural resource issues in Europe and Africa (Greece, Morocco, Kenya and Tanzania) and the US for over 20 years. He first served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Marrakesh, Morocco where he worked on village and agricultural water supply projects with the Ministry of Energy demonstrating the practical use of renewable wind and solar energy systems. He continued working with the Peace Corps as a Regional Director based in Mombasa, Kenya, managing 5-program sectors composed of water engineers, small business advisers, small town planners and forestry managers while serving as the education sector staff liaison. He supervised over 200 Peace Corps volunteers in the Kenyan coastal region during a 5-year period.

He is the founding board member of Global Education Partnership, an NGO established in 1994, which expanded from East Africa to Central America and South-East Asia. He has also worked on nationally recognized watershed conservation projects with Latino farmers in Central California and has an active consulting business working with watershed, water quality issues and conservation management practices in agricultural farm operations from Salinas Valley to the Central Valley of California. Professor Berkey strive to strike a balance between theory and real world practical experience with a focus on skills training in workshops and courses that he teaches at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS).

Jonathan has an MA, International Policy Studies from MIIS. He has three BA’s in Environmental Studies, Science Writing, and Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz,. He also earned a certificate in Solar Energy Technology from Cabrillo College.

Sarah Shaikh, Co-founder

Sarah has a background in international development, with a focus on community revitalization through social entrepreneurship. Sarah is fluent in Spanish. She has lived and worked in both Costa Rica and El Salvador. In Costa Rica, Sarah coordinated a government-sponsored English as a Second Language (ESL) distance-learning program for rural communities. She also helped in the coordination of a micro-enterprise effort in El Salvador that offered women training and funding to run innovative social marketing campaigns that raised awareness about vision care while also bringing reading glasses and referral services directly to their villages. She is certified in on-line facilitation for building and bridging of global Communities of Practice. Her other consulting work includes: evaluation of gender, education, microfinance development programs in Kenya, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Colombia. Through her work, Sarah has experienced first-hand the power of opening “learning spaces” to those traditionally excluded from the decision-making process; above all else, she values participation and partnership.

Sarah has a BA in Human Geography from the University of Denver, and duel master’s degrees in International Policy Studies and Business Administration from MIIS. She currently works in the field of microenterprise development at Trickle Up Program, an NGO dedicated to alleviating poverty for those living on less than a $1 per day by providing business training, seed capital grants, and support to women and men in launching microbusinesses.

Consultants

GES hires consultants on an as-needed-basis to assist in expeditions. A good working knowledge of field of international development is required. Specialization and relevant experience in development, policy studies, education, environment issues, women’s issues, sociology, technologies for emerging markets, and African affairs are a plus. Potential candidates with field experience in Africa are strongly encourage to submit a resume. A typical contract duration is 2 - 3 weeks. GES is an equal opportunity employer as mandated by law. We invite you to submit a resume to:

Global Education Partnership c/o Jonathan Berkey P.O. Box 3293 Monterey CA 93942

GES will keep your resume on file for contact for appropriate contracts. We thank you for your interest in GES.