Sena
Agbodjah
I'm
I am passionate about Africa’s development and its significant contribution to global development through SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8. I have worked in roles and on projects/ programs that support these by undertaking systemic reviews, as well as through education, competency development and skills training for youth and women, using African-centered approaches. My future passion is in ecovillage building while leveraging indigenous technologies to propel Africa’s development and growth through its young people, with equitable opportunities for women.
ABOUT ME
I aim to achieve this by equipping African youth equitably with the knowledge, competencies, and skills through education, interventions, and programmes.
SKILLS & ROLES
This experience enables me to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to make a lasting impact in various fields, ultimately contributing to the betterment of individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.
PROJECT MANAGER
Adept at planning, executing, monitoring and controlling projects from initiation to closure, while managing scope, timelines, resources and risks to achieve desired outcomes.
CONSULTANT
Providing expert business management and improvement guidance to unlock business potential and achieve sustainability-driven outcomes.
CHANGEMAKER
Passionate about making a meaningful impact, exploring new ideas, and rallying others to work towards a shared vision for transformation across organizations and communities.
RESEARCHER
Undertaking data-driven innovative interventions and solutions derived from rigourous qualitative research methodologies which leverage Participatory Action Research and Ethnography.
EDUCATOR
Dedicated to creating engaging learning experiences, fostering critical thinking skills, and equipping the next generation with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed.
Consulting Competencies
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development
Crafting and nurturing entrepreneurship ecosystems to foster the development and commercialization of innovations.
Business improvement
Implementing strategies and initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, optimize processes, and maximize overall performance within organizations.
Intervention Project/Program Management
Conceptualizing, designing and implementing interventions to tackle challenges and achieve set goals.
Knowledge Management
Facilitating learning and the creation, sharing, and management of knowledge within programs, projects, and organizations.
Impact Measurement
Using data-driven methods for impact measurement, monitoring, evaluation, and research to inform decisions and ensure accountability.
Decolonization of
Educational Content
Revising to decolonise educational content while building academic affairs in higher education.
EXPERIENCE
Projects
Ashesi Health Initiative, Ashesi University.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Start Date: April 2023
End Date: March 2024
- Instrumental in co-creation conversations with the funder to arrive at an overall program strategy.
- Co-led the development of Ashesi University’s strategy for the initiative in alignment with the university’s strategic objectives and that of the larger health collaborative.
- Responsible for driving the systematic review of the health ecosystem in Ghana, the development of the business incubator, and supporting program management.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: understanding of the health ecosystem, its gaps, existing interventions, and potential enhancements; program management skills; honing communication skills to gain endorsement by the university’s boards
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE / PAGE:
Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative (africahealthcollaborative.org)
Ashesi E-Learning Initiative, Ashesi University.
Role: Content Lead
Start Date: February 2022
End Date: March 2024
- Co-led program strategy development and proposal development for the E-Learning Initiative while seeking Executive and Board approval for project implementation.
- Responsible for programmatic activities including the development, evaluation, and management of the program schedule, financials, risks, personnel, learning, and evaluation, among others.
- Responsible for content design, development, instructional design, and content team formation.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: managing complex projects, instructional design, contextually relevant content development and design, team building and management skills, and communication skills.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE / PAGE:
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative - Mastercard Foundation (mastercardfdn.org)
StopNCD Project
(Research and Institutional Capacity Strengthening to Prevent and Manage Non-Communicable Diseases (StopNCD) in Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso.)
Role: Researcher and Community Engagement Lead
Start Date: October 2022
End Date: October 2023
- Support technical and financial proposal development.
- Serving on the Community Engagement Committee and involved in a systematic review of NCD prevention and maintenance, while exploring existing projects in innovation and systemic change.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: Systematic review processes and techniques, understanding the NCD landscape across three countries: Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso, communication across Anglophone and Francophone Africa, managing teams across multiple countries, building effective teams.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE / PAGE:
STOP-NCD | LSHTM
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project
(Education Collaborative’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem’s Project, The Education Collaborative.)
Role: Project Lead
Dates: August 2021 to December 2023
- Project conceptualization and alignment with the strategic goals of the Education Collaborative.
- Developing and managing the project implementation process, plan, risks, and budget, while building the project team.
- Lead researcher for a desk study to develop a framework for higher educational institutions in designing, developing, and diagnosing their entrepreneurship ecosystems in a bid to develop active entrepreneurship ecosystems to aid in developing an entrepreneurial mindset, and drive research and development to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in these institutions.
- Managing stakeholders from about 45 African universities across the sub-Saharan African Regions, along with a staff size of about 8 project team members.
- Disseminated findings to inform institutional-level entrepreneurship strategy development while driving them towards active entrepreneurship ecosystems, and through other outlets.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: working across time zones, program conceptualization skills, process distillation competencies, cross-country project management, communication skills, and program management competencies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE / PAGE:
African HEIs Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development | The Education Collaborative (ashesi.edu.gh)
The Berekuso Household Survey
Role: Co-Lead
- Conceptualizing and developing a methodology to collect data about Ashesi’s impact within the Berekuso community while building a database of dwelling, household, and individual characteristics to aid in developmental strategy development, teaching, and further research.
- Survey design/ update, sample selection, survey data collection, data analysis, focus group discussions, dissemination events, community engagement, schedule, and budget management.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: community-based research, surveys, community engagement, stakeholder management, dissemination event facilitation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE / PAGE:
Faculty-led study provides insights on Berekuso's suburban transition - Ashesi University
The Education Collaborative
Role: Academic Strategy and Curriculum Development Consultant
Dates: May 2018 – December 2020
- Working with the African Development University, Niamey, Niger, to repurpose and restructure their academic offerings and structure; recruiting faculty and faculty development to revamp the University’s academic department. Serving and delivering on the responsibilities of a Provost while the University worked to recruit a Provost. March to December 2020.
- Developed a framework for course re-design and new course development for core- and co-curricular activities and training stakeholders on these. June 2019.
- Worked with a team of faculty, students, and staff to co-develop a two-year extended capstone option for students enrolled at the Palm Institute, Kordeabe, Ghana. February – July 2019.
- Worked with the Palm Institute (now Palm University Palm University College - Educating Ethical and Excellent Leaders with Integrity), Kordeabe, a startup university, to strategize and develop their academic structure, organizational structuring, and educational offerings. May 2018 – February 2019.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: academic programme development, academic strategy development, curriculum/ program design, working across multiple countries.
Ashesi Ecosystem Development & Enterprise Fund
Role: Faculty Lead
Start Date: September 2013
End Date: December 2019
- Led a team of faculty members to reimagine entrepreneurship education at Ashesi University using the ecosystem approach.
- Designed and institutionalized an entrepreneurship ecosystem for Ashesi and assisted in developing its components: courses, co-curricular activities, and organizations, promoting an entrepreneurial culture on campus, finding markets, and aligning these with the overall strategy of Ashesi.
- Establish and manage the Ashesi Enterprise Fund.
- Raise funds to support an annual entrepreneurship education and training budget of USD20,000.00 on campus, while driving the conceptualization and development of entrepreneurship programming.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: entrepreneurship ecosystem development, fundraising activities, engaging stakeholders, communications, and entrepreneurship co- and extra-curricular activity development.
Next Generation Cocoa Youth Programme (MASO) Business Academy
Ashesi University was a consortium member with Solidaridad West Africa as the Consortium Lead.
Role: Project Lead
Dates: October 2015 to December 2020
- Working with the Solidaridad team to conceptualize and develop the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Programme in alignment with the strategy and values of all partners.
- Conceptualize, design, develop and implement the MASO Business Academy covering both the training and incubation of over 1000 rural youth who set up over 400 community businesses.
- Responsible for program management including schedule, budget, risk, and stakeholder management within over 40 communities across 5 regions in Ghana.
- Responsible for developing an entrepreneurial training and incubation curriculum for the Academy while managing a curriculum development team of 6 members, a research team of 4 members, and a project management team of 3 members.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: management of community-level research and intervention deployment, multi-stakeholder management, communication, rural enterprise development, team building and management, and funder reporting.
Grants Secured
This section list the grants that Dr. Sena has applied for and successfully secured in her mission of driving Africa’s development in key focus areas.
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Ashesi Health Innovation Initiative
PROJECT: Ashesi Health Innovation Initiative
PROJECT START DATE: April 2023
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $8,059,444.28 over 10 years.
Stop-NCD
PROJECT: Global Health Research Centers for Non-communicable Disease Control in West Africa (Stop-NCD) / Research and Institutional Capacity Strengthening in NCDs
PROJECT START DATE: October 2023
GRANT AMOUNT WON: GBP £2,434, 223.00 over 5 years.
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Design, Development, and Diagnosis for sub-Saharan African higher educational institutions
PROJECT: Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Design, Development, and Diagnosis for sub-Saharan African higher educational institutions
PROJECT START DATE: July 2021
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $400,000.00 over 3 years
Ashesi’s E-Learning Initiative
PROJECT: Content Development Lead for Ashesi’s E-Learning Initiative
PROJECT START DATE: February 2022
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $1,117,000.00 over 2 years.
C3 Grantmaking – Strengthening the Evidence Base Application
PROJECT: C3 Grantmaking – Strengthening the Evidence Base Application
PROJECT START DATE: September 2021
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $149,690 over 1 Year
Mastercard Foundation Partners Research Fund
PROJECT: MasterCard Foundation Partners Research Fund
PROJECT START DATE: September 2020
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $249,774 over 2 Years
“Cultural Creativity and Securitization”: COVID-19 Responses in 6 African Countries
PROJECT: Between “Cultural Creativity and Securitization”: COVID-19 Responses in 6 African Countries
PROJECT START DATE: November 2020
GRANT AMOUNT WON: €50,000 over 1 Year
Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program, MASO
PROJECT: Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program, MASO:
PROJECT START DATE: September 2015
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $14,900,000 over 5 years.
Women in Higher Education Leadership Study (Pilot), 2020
PROJECT: Women in Higher Education Leadership Study (Pilot), 2020
PROJECT START DATE: April 2020
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $4,130 over 9 months
Rural Enterprise Support Grant
PROJECT: Rural Enterprise Support Grant
PROJECT START DATE: November 2020
GRANT AMOUNT WON: USD $5,000 over 3 months
Secured a USD 5,000.00 mini-grant from Chocolonely Foundation to support the training of rural entrepreneurs in the Jasikan District, Hohoe Municipality and the Liati Central District in the Volta Region of Ghana in November 2017.
Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurs Network (AJEN)
PROJECT: Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurs Network (AJEN)
PROJECT START DATE: February 2013
GRANT AMOUNT WON:USD $5,000 over 6 months
Raised USD 5,000.00 from corporate Ghana for the maiden Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurs Network (AJEN), an entrepreneurship High School Enrichment Programme for High school students in Ghana in August 2013. This was followed by a fully funded award to run the same project in Monrovia, Liberia.
Teaching and Learning Educational Fund (TALEF) of the World Bank 2005 window for KNUST Building Technology Department
PROJECT: Teaching and Learning Educational Fund (TALEF) of the World Bank 2005 window for KNUST Building Technology Department
PROJECT START DATE: September 2005
GRANT AMOUNT WON: ≈USD $180,000 over 2 Years
Won a grant with a team from the KNUST Building Technology Department from the Teaching and Learning Educational Fund (TALEF) of the World Bank 2005 window for ≈ USD180,000.00 to support infrastructural development at the department.
Work In Higher Education
Sena is a life-long learner and teacher, building a career spanning over 20 years and four leading institutions in Ghana. Over the years, she has helped students build skills in Entrepreneurship, Real Estate, Negotiation and Design.
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2009 - 2024 - Ashesi University, Berekuso
- Developing departmental strategy in alignment with the university’s overall strategy, while operationalizing this strategy.
- Responsible for the general administration, program improvement and management, department budget development and management, personnel: faculty and faculty interns management.
- Developing and executing projects to aid in the achievement of department goals, enriching the student’s experience, while engaging stakeholders.
- Reviewing the Business Administration programme for better alignment with the university’s learning goals and that of existing global standards for potential accreditation.
- Serving on committees: Academic Council, Academic Programmes Committee, Quality Assurance Committee, and Research Committee to develop and execute policy towards the university’s strategic objectives.
- Liaising with external institutions and universities on behalf of the department and university to foster collaborations, networks, and professional development, among others.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: Strategy development, strategic alignment, administration and management, stakeholder engagement and management, building mutually beneficial collaborations, setting and measuring performance, performance enhancement programmes, team building and development, and curriculum reviewing.
- Led the development of new courses – Project Management, Creative/Entrepreneurship and Research Internship non-major elective, and the Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship.
- Worked with a team to develop a new Economics programme.
- Led the redesign of 2 capstone courses: Applied Project and Entrepreneurship.
- Taught the following courses: Capstone Entrepreneurship, Applied Projects, Project Management, Real Estate Development, and Creative/Entrepreneurship and Research Internship non-major elective.
- I manage the administration and logistics of the Entrepreneurship capstone while coordinating a teaching team of two faculty members, two faculty interns, and over 30 industry advisors.
- Support the department as thesis capstone supervisor of between 1 and 3 thesis projects annually, faculty advisor to four student clubs: the Business Club, the Agribusiness Club, the Real Estate Club, and the Project Management Club, and engaged in career advising and counselling.
- Support Ashesi’s Entrepreneurship Center as an Entrepreneurship Faculty Lead from 2020 to 2022.
- Skills/Competencies/Knowledge developed and honed: curriculum assessment and revision, curriculum design and revisioning, curriculum alignment, session and meeting facilitation, administration, and stakeholder engagement and management.
- Course development: led the team that developed the Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship Course (2013 – 2015), a university-wide required course, and re-designed the Capstone entrepreneurship experience (2013 – 2014)
- Teach Capstone Entrepreneurship session and Real Estate Development
- Taught Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship, Negotiations and Creative Problem Solving, and Organizational Behaviour.
- Course coordinator for Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship 2015/16 academic year where I was responsible for coordinating the administrative and logistical aspects of the class, as well as managing a teaching team of 6 faculty, 6 faculty interns and 8 student coaches.
- Supervise and examine Capstone thesis and applied projects
- Faculty advising to an average of 20 students and 3 student clubs: the Business Club, the Real Estate Club and the Women of Change.
- Entrepreneurship and Admissions lead for Ashesi Innovation Experience (AIX) where I am responsible for marketing, recruiting and selecting students for AIX, as well as designing and managing the entrepreneurship module (since AIX 2014)
- Project Lead for the Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurs Network where I worked with four student Project Assistants and 8 student Coaches/ Facilitators to run a 1-week entrepreneurship summer camp for high school students in Ghana. As Project Lead, I was responsible for the publicity and overall success of the summer camp.
- Ashesi Enterprise Fund Designed and established an Enterprise Fund for the University in 2015 and have since been serving as its Faculty Representative, responsible for Fund strategy development and day-to-day management.
Dates: January 2011 - May 2011
- Teach Level 200 students Business Negotiations and Creativity in Problem Solving
- Students undertook a Creative Problem Solving project – finding a creative solution to an existing social problem
- Assisting in the teaching of and responsible for tutorials for Negotiations and Creative Problem Solving, Organizational Behaviour and Real Estate Development on a part-time basis
2003 - 2016 - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology
Dates: January 2012 – January 2016
- Teach the MSc Construction Management and MSc Project Management courses in Project Resource Management: Human Resource Management and Project Communications
Role: Assistant Lecturer (Demonstrator)
Dates: August 2007 – August 2008
- Tutorial sessions for Introduction to Materials and Construction and Components and Finishes; and Assistant Coordinator, Integrated Project 2008
Role: Teaching Assistant
Dates: August 2004 – May 2006
- Tutorial sessions for Building Economics, Measurement of Construction Works and Building Management and Assistant Coordinator, Integrated Project 2005 and 2006
Role: Teaching Assistant, National Service Personnel
Dates: September 2003 – June 2004
- Teaching and tutorial sessions for Building Services and Building Management
- Assistant Coordinator for Integrated Project 2004
- Assisted in the development of the maiden computerized grading system for Integrated Project
- Initiated use of ICT: PowerPoint, CAD drawings, Microsoft Project and Excel in works presentations, design, programming and Bills of Quantities preparation in Integrated Project
2010 - 2011 - Ghana Institute Of Management and Public Administration
Role: Adjunct Lecturer
Dates: September 2010 – May 2011
- Taught Level 200 Economics and Accounting students Management and Organizational Behaviour
- Taught Level 300 Entrepreneurship and Level 400 Entrepreneurship and Accounting students Project Management.
2010 - 2011 - Central University College, Prampram, Ghana
Role: Lecturer
Dates: September 2010 – August 2011
- Taught Levels 200 and 300 Architecture Students Building Economics and Costing
- Taught Level 300 students Costing in Real Estate Development
Publications
Over her career as an educator, Sena has authored or co-authored multiple publications on Entrepreneurship, Real Estate, Negotiation and Design
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Book & Book Chapters
- Laryea, S., Agyepong, S., Leiringer, R., & Hughes W. (2012). Construction in West Africa. WABER Conference, Accra (ISBN-978-0-9566060-3-7).
- Ankrah, N. A., Agyepong, S., & Ahadzie, D. (2012). Role of Human Resources in Construction in West Africa in Laryea, S., Agyepong S., Leiringer, R., & Hughes, W. (2012) Construction in West Africa. WABER Conference, Accra (ISBN-978-0-9566060-3-7).
Journal Articles
Osei, D. B., Alagidede, I. P., & Agbodjah, S. (2023). Impact investing in Ghana: A multiple case study. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2023.2166093
Agyepong, S.A., Owusu-Ansah, A., Annoh, W., (2021) Ashesi’s 360 Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Studies in Educational Administration ISEA Journal of the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration & Management. Volume 49, Number 1.
DOWNLOAD THE PDF HERE: Ashesi’s 360 Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Awuah, R., Agyepong, S., & Kwarase, P. K. (2020) Leadership Education through Extracurricular Civic Engagement. Partnerships: A Journal of Service-Learning & Civic Engagement, Vol. 11, No. 1, 257-274. ISSN 1944-1061. http://libjournal.uncg.edu/prt/article/view/1858/1445
Awuah, R., Douglass, R., Agyepong, S., & Kuwornu, E. (2017). An adaptive household sampling method for rural African communities. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 17(01), 11477–11496. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.77.16680.
Featured Articles
- Sena Agbodjah & Esther Laryea (2024) Navigating the New Normal: How the Pandemic has Reshaped Teaching and Learning in African Business Schools. Education Collaborative Reports. https://educationcollab.ashesi.edu.gh/ehub/publication/navigating-the-new-normal-how-the-pandemic-has-reshaped-teaching-and-learning-in-african-business-schools/
- Agyepong, S. A. (2012). Are the Classifications for Contractors operating in Ghana Accurate? The Quantity Surveyor. Issue 1, June 2012
- Agbodjah, L. S. (2009). Conflict Management within Large (D1/K1) Construction Companies operating in Ghana. The Quantity Surveyor. Issue 1, January-June 2009
- Agbodjah, L. S. (2008). A People Management Policy Development Framework for Large Construction Companies Operating in Ghana. A Feature Article in the Daily Graphic of Thursday August 7th 2008. Page 27
Professional Seminar Papers
- Agyepong, S. A., & Adomdza, G. K. (2019). Thinking before drawing on the Business Model Canvas: The Value Fulfilment Blueprint. VentureWell Open 2019 Conference. 28th – 30th March 2019. Washington DC
- Agyepong, S. A., & and Isham, J. (2019). Co-developing Courses with Students: A Strategy for Enhanced Student Engagement. The Education Collaborative. 10th – 15th June 2019. Ashesi University, Berekuso
- Agyepong, S. A. (2018). The role of Higher Education Institutions in Developing a talent pipeline for the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, West African Conference. 24th – 25th July 2018. Enterprise Development Center, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria
- Agyepong, S. A. (2016). Managing Different Approaches in Negotiation Situations. PMI-Ghana Chapter (PMI-Gh) Chapter Meeting. 30th September -2016
- Agyepong, S. A. (2015). Finding Yourself in the Maze of Life. PMI-Ghana Chapter (PMI-Gh) Panel Discussion for Graduate Students at Pentecost University College (PUC) in fulfilment of an MOU between PMI-Gh and PUC to share Project Management knowledge at the PUC Graduate School, Kama Plaza, Labone, Accra
- Agyepong, S. A. (2013). Creativity in Project Management. PMI-Ghana Charter Meeting, August 2013. Accra 30 August 2013
- Frimpong, M. K., Ashiboe-Mensah, N. A., & Agbodjah, L. S. (2008) Ethics in Quantity Surveying Practice: A Pursuit of Excellence. Proceedings: 4th Triennial General Assembly and 10th Council Meeting of the Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors and Annual Seminar and Conference of the Quantity Surveying Division of the Ghana Institute of Surveyors. Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, Accra, Ghana. 18th – 21st August 2008
Research & Other Outputs
A Framework for Defining, Describing, and Diagnosing (D3) Entrepreneurship Ecosystems within Sub-Saharan African higher educational institutions. 2023. Dr Sena Agbodjah, Dr William Murithi, Dr Annstellah Gakii, Dr Disraeli Asante-Darko, Dr Amoako
A Framework for Defining, Describing, and Diagnosing (D3) Entrepreneurship Ecosystems within Sub-Saharan African higher educational institutions.
Laryea, E.A., Agbodjah, S., and Annoh W.O., (2023). The Impact of Online Learning on the Learning Outcomes and Performance of First-Generation College Students in a Ghanaian University. Mastercard Foundation e-Learning Initiative Working Paper Series 1.0. https://doi.org/10.14507/MCF-eLi.I17
Catalytic Capital Investments in Ghanaian SMEs. Strategies, Hurdles, and Outcomes (2022). Dr. Charles Atanga Adongo, Ms. Amma Lartey, Dr. Gordon Adomdza and Dr. Sena Agbodjah https://impactinvestinggh.org/download/catalytic-capital-investment-in-ghanaian-smes/?wpdmdl=78044&refresh=656861668d7a71701339494
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 9: Ahafo Ano North District for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). December 2019 by Agyepong, S. A, Quaicoe, N. G. & Laari, M.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 6 & 7: Sefwi Asawinso and Wiawso Districts for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). April 2019 by Agyepong, S. A, Quaicoe, N. G. and Laari, M.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 5: Asunafo North District for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). June 2018 by Agyepong, S. A, Oduro-Frimpong, J. & Morris, K. J. K.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 4: Bia West District for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). June 2018 by Agyepong, S. A, Oduro-Frimpong, J. & Morris, K. J. K.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 3: Volta Region: Jasikan District, Hohoe Municipality and Liati Central District for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). December 2017 by Agyepong, S. A, Oduro-Frimpong, J. & Nicanor, N.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Research Report Call 2: Assin North District for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). March 2017 by Agyepong, S. A, Oduro-Frimpong, J. & Nicanor, N.
- Summary of ISV Participants’ Responses to Survey of Business Challenges Results of Survey Sent to ISV Participants Prior to ISV meeting in Accra, Ghana June 26-July 1, 2017 Submitted to the IEEE Smart Village. Compiled by Agyepong, S. A. & Lutterodt, S.
- Facilitation Manual for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). 2nd Edition. August 2017. By Agyepong, S. A.
- Participant Workbooks for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana For the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). 2nd Edition. August 2017. By Agyepong, S. A.
- Mentoring Manual for Entrepreneurial Training in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana For the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). 2nd Edition. August 2017. By Agyepong, S. A.
- Incubation Manual for Entrepreneurial Incubation in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana for the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). 2nd Edition. August 2017. By Agyepong, S. A.
- Incubatee Workbooks for Entrepreneurial Incubation in Cocoa Growing Communities in Ghana For the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program (MASO). 2nd Edition. August 2017 By Agyepong, S. A.
Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers
- Agyepong, S. A., Nicanor, N., & Lartey, J. S. K. (2019). Situational Motivation of Entrepreneurship Students Progressing through the Opportunity Exploration Phase. International Conference of Entrepreneurship, Business and Technology. 25-27 August 2019. Accra – Ghana
- Agyekum, K. G., & Agyepong, S. A. (2017). The Applicability of Rogers’ Innovation Diffusion Model in the Ghanaian Start-Up Ecosystem. International Conference on Education, Development and Innovation. 28-29 August 2017. Accra International Conference Center, Castle Road, Accra – Ghana
- Agyepong, S. A., Spio A. E., Dzanie, T., & Salihu, O. (2016). Can Africa Innovate Education? Developing an Innovative Course in Design and Entrepreneurship for an African University. International Conference on Education, Development and Innovation. 29-31 August 2016. Tang Palace Hotel, Accra-Ghana
- Agyepong, S. A., Dodd, R., & Akoto, B. (2016). Does Context Matter? Entrepreneurial Teaching and Training in Rural Ghana. International Conference on Education, Development and Innovation. 29-31 August 2016. Tang Palace Hotel, Accra-Ghana
- Warren, T., & Agyepong, S. A. (2015). From West Coast to Gold Coast: Teaching a Capstone Entrepreneurship Course in Ghana based on Lean LaunchPad. Proceedings of VentureWell Open 2015 Conference. Marriott Marquis, Washington DC. 20-21 March 2015
- Agyepong, S. A., & Wuni, A.W. (2014). Investigating the relationship between the age-stage demographic and preferences in dwelling type In: Laryea, S. and Ibem, E. (Eds) Proceedings 8th Construction Industry Development Board Postgraduate Conference Pp. 393-403. 10-11 February 2014, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Laryea, S., & Agyepong, S. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 5th West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference, 12-14 August 2013, Accra, Ghana (ISBN 978-0-9566060-1-3)
- Laryea, S., Agyepong, S., Leiringer, R., & Hughes, W. (Eds) Proceedings of the 4th West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference, 24-26 July 2012, Abuja, Nigeria (ISBN 978-0-9566060-1-3)
- Agyepong, S. A., Fugar, F. D. K., & Tuuli, M. M. (2010). The Applicability of the Harvard and Warwick Models in the Development of Human Resource Management Policies of Large Construction Companies in Ghana. Proceedings of the West African Built Environment (WABER) Conference. British Council, Accra. 27-28th July 2010. (ISBN 978-0-9566060-0-6)
- Agyepong, S. A., & Adjei-Kumi, T. (2010). An Overview of Human Resource Management Practices of Large Construction Companies in Ghana Proceedings of the 1st International Postgraduate Research Conference on the Built Environment organized by the Faculty of Architecture and Building Technology. Great Hall Conference Room of the KNUST. 3rd – 4th June, 2010. (ISBN: 978-9988-1-3859-2)
- Agbodjah, L. S., Dainty, A. R. J., & Adjei-Kumi, T. (2007). Integration of the Human Resource Management Function into Large Construction Companies Operating in Ghana. Proceedings: 25th Anniversary Conference of the Construction Management and Economics Journal, Reading University, Reading, UK. 16-18 July 2007
- Agbodjah, L. S., Adjei-Kumi, T., Dainty, A. R. J., & Manteau, K. A. (2007). Managing Workplace Conflict: Managing Conflicts within Large Construction Companies in Ghana. Proceedings: American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE/CIB 2007 Construction Research Congress. Grand Bahama Islands, Bahamas. 6-8 May 2007
Non-Peer reviewed Conference Papers
- Agyepong, S. A. (2019). Urban-Rural Knowledge Migration: Reviving Rural Economies through the Adaptation if existing Entrepreneurship Processes in Ghanaian Rural Communities. VentureWell Open 2019 Conference. 28th – 30thMarch 2019. Washington DC
- Agyepong, S. A., Nicanor, N., & Oduro-Frimpong, J. (2017). An Exploration of Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Rural Communities in Ghana: the case of Assin District. International Conference on Education, Technology and Entrepreneurship. 12th -14th June 2017. Ghana Technology University Campus, Tesano-Accra
- Agyepong, S. A., & Spio, A. E. (2017). The Use of Simulation Games and Reflections to Compliment Pedagogy at the Higher Educational Level in a Ghanaian University. International Conference on Education, Technology and Entrepreneurship. 12th -14th June 2017. Ghana Technology University Campus, Tesano-Accra
- Agyepong, S. A., & Lutterodt, S. (2017). Responding to Business Challenges: A Creative Problem Solving Approach. IEEE Smart Village meeting at the IEEE, PES, IAS Power Africa Conference. 25 – 26 June 2017 at the GIMPA Conference Center, Accra
- Agyepong, S. A., & Banful, K. (2016). Transforming High School Students using Entrepreneurial Education as a tool for Problem-Solving at the Ashesi Innovation Experience. Second International Conference on Education Research for Development in Africa (ICERDA). Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, Accra, Ghana. 3rd – 5th October 2016
- Agyepong, S. A., & Ohene, Y. A. Is Project Management all about “big projects”? PMI Africa Conference. 30 August – 01 September 2016. Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra-Ghana
- Agyepong, S. A., & Owusu-Adjei, K. B. (2013). Meeting Ghana’s Housing Deficit: Is this possible? Ghana Studies Association Kumasi 2013 International Conference on Perspectives on Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. 23-26 May 2013
Entrepreneurship Endeavours &
Leadership Roles:
Over the years, Dr. Sena has held various Board positions and launched various organizations. This section showcases her ability to drive innovation, manage teams, and deliver impactful results.
____________________________________________________________________
Founder and Director @ Fututorwo
Organization: Fututorwo
January 2024 – Date
Fututorwo is an organization committed to African-centered early childhood education; community-based enterprise development; youth career guidance and counseling; and community development.
Co-founder and Director @ Fahimta Africa Ltd.
Fahimta Africa Ltd.
January 2024 – Date
Fahimta Africa (www.fahimta.com) is a research, program management, and capacity-building consultancy committed to supporting data-driven excellence, business improvement, and project impact assessment.
Member @ Education Collaborative’s Consulting Committee
Education Collaborative’s Consulting Committee
January 2021 - December 2023
Served as a member of the advisory committee to the Executive Director and leadership of the Education Collaborative (https://educationcollab.ashesi.edu.gh/) to guide its strategy, programming, and growth.
Advisory Council Member @ Project Management Institute Ghana Chapter
Project Management Institute Ghana Chapter
January 2018 - December 2019
Served on the Advisory Council of the PMI-Gh Chapter (https://pmi-ghana.org/) to support the board in delivering on its mandate including leadership capacity building, membership drives, and strategy development.
Co-founder and Regional Director @ West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference
Co-founder and Regional Director
West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference
January 2009 – June 2015
WABER (https://gh.linkedin.com/in/waberconference) provides a series of knowledge-sharing platforms, academic practice development programs, and continuous professional development courses to academics and professionals in the built environment.
Co-Founder and Director @ Dzigua Enterprise (Defunct)
Co-Founder and Director
Dzigua Enterprise
Aug 2016 – Mar 2018
Dzigua Enterprise was an agribusiness that specialized in creating market access to food produce from the northern parts of Ghana to markets in the south, specifically to “chop-bars” in Accra.
Co-Founder and Director @ Enable-IT Ghana Ltd.
Co-Founder and Director
Enable-IT Ghana Ltd.
Apr 2012 – Dec 2019
Enable-IT Ghana Limited (https://enableitgh.com/) is an IT services company dedicated to enterprise and wireless LAN, WAN, and VPN solutions, IP telephony, and CCTV solutions among others.
Co-Founder and Director @ Casabel Properties Ltd. (Defunct)
Co-Founder and Director
Casabel Properties Ltd.
Jan 2010 – Dec 2015
Casable Properties was a real estate brokerage with expertise in both property leasing and sale, property management, and a property valuation service provider which was liquidated in December 2015.
Founding Steering Committee Member @ Project Management Institute - Ghana Chapter
Founding Steering Committee Member
Project Management Institute - Ghana Chapter (PMI-Gh)
Apr 2009 – Sept 2010
The Committee worked closely with the Project Management Institute to establish the PMI-Gh Chapter (https://pmi-ghana.org/) to promote and institutionalize the knowledge and practice of project management in Ghana.
FEATURED PROJECTS
Welcome to my Portfolio that showcases some of the notable projects that I’ve worked on over the years.
Fututorwo Career Guidance
and Counselling
The Fututorwo Career Guidance & Mentorship program is designed to support high school students navigate their high school journey. The team, primarily bikers and advocates of responsible biking, shares their professional experiences, trends in the current and future workplace, and other tricks and tips to help the students succeed, during school visits. The project is also setting up a Virtual Counseling Program for high school students to augment their existing school counselors and provide the needed career and life counseling support.
Devi
Project
An early childhood development project targeted pre-K children in rural communities in centres run by youth in these communities as impactful businesses within their communities. The content, which is purposefully developed for this project is based on Afrikan-centered education and is positioned to help the children appreciate their Afrikanness while involving the community in the development of their children through historical lessons and passing on of oral traditions and folklore. (story about a student team that support this project in the beginning.
Business Academy of the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Project (MASO)
Conceptualized and developed an entrepreneurship training and incubation program for 1000+ youth in 80+ cocoa growing communities across 5 regions in Ghana. This led to the establishment of over 400 rural youth-led enterprises which have supported the development of local economies and granted youth access to income and other opportunities. It also provided some much-needed services to enhance cocoa farming in the target communities while developing youth traction for agriculture.
READ MORE IN THESE VARIOUS ARTICLES:
Berekuso Household Survey
Providing data collection expertise and driving the qualitative research component to aid in a developmental survey project for the Berekuso township. The purpose is to track the development of Berekuso, document the contributions of Ashesi University, and support the leadership of Berekuso in making data-driven development decisions for the community. It will also develop a database of community development indicators for both academic and community development work. The project also sought to propose a methodology for community-based surveys.
Health Initiative
A health-based venture incubator aimed at building traction for healthcare: preventative and curative, allied healthcare, and wellness business at Ashesi University through systems research, transdisciplinary innovations in health, venture incubation, and venture funding. 16 to 20 businesses will be funded annually to support efforts in changing the health and wellness landscape on the continent. This project is part of the African Health Collaborative with over 8 African higher educational institutions and the University of Toronto, powered by the Mastercard Foundation.
Agribusiness Initiative
A four-part agricultural sector enhancement project in a consortium with 5+ African Universities led by McGill University and funded by the Mastercard Foundation. The objective is to provide financial literacy training and coaching to youth working in the agricultural sector across selected rural communities in Ghana, provide tailored training and coaching to 10 agripreneurs, build capacity in gamification to aid the development of agricultural content to enhance the teaching of agriculture while debunking myths while running an agribusiness based certification program for persons with an interest but no background in agriculture and business and the nexus of the two.
Testimonials
Todd Warren
I had the distinct pleasure of co-teaching the entrepreneurship capstone at Ashesi with Sena and working closely with her over the years as a board member of Ashesi University Foundation and sometimes adjunct there. Sena is an insightful and energetic innovator, who is constantly creating new ideas and experiences that impact people and communities. When we worked together, we completely revamped the way the capstone worked by introducing lean launchpad technics. We wrote a paper together and presented it at the VentureWell Open conference in 2015. Over the years, Sena significantly evolved the class working with other faculty members at Ashesi to adapt both better to the institution and the local context. She also led the creation of Ashesi’s Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Design, a groundbreaking freshman program that fused entrepreneurship and design thinking in a year-long course that is a cornerstone of Ashesi. Outside the classroom, she has also had a strong impact. Her work with cocoa farmers in Ghana was groundbreaking. I am hopeful I will get the opportunity to collaborate with sena again, in the classroom, in research or business.
William Ohene Annoh
Dr. Sena is a great friend, mentor, and teacher. She embodies technical competence, practice, Afro-centrism, sharp honesty, and fun. I have worked with and under Dr. Sena’s supervision for 5+ years and gained a lot of relevant experience during this time. Her forward-thinking, project management skills and passion for community development and entrepreneurship on the continent have honed my passion for the same, and I look up to her in this regard. I have worked with Dr. Sena on multiple research grants (pre- and post-award processes) and sponsored program applications. As a researcher, she understands the research process and how to effectively steer a research team to successfully execute a study. As a learner, she constantly improves her teaching and learning, research skills through feedback from colleagues, attending and/or facilitating conferences and workshops, and general reading/research skill development to stay up to date. As a PI, she learns to understand and abide by funder requirements and meticulously connects all her projects to Africa’s development. As a teacher, she knows exactly how to impart knowledge to her students, mentees, and collaborators such that learning takes place. As a project manager/supervisor, she knows how to communicate tasks and efficiently delegate such that supervisees get to think and problem-solve while receiving the needed guidance from her. Dr. Sena does not mince her words when sharing feedback; a trait I greatly appreciate as it gives no room for miscommunication and points out exactly how said tasks must be executed.
Marin McLeod
Sena’s ability to stimulate and challenge intellectual capacity and influence critical skills development among students is impressive. Over the past year I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Sena at Ashesi University in Ghana, the University of Glasgow in Scotland and the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In each instance, Sena brought creative thinking and deep dedication to the tasks at hand, including co-mentoring a team of student researchers on a year-long research project focused on the topic of ‘No Bed Syndrome’ in Ghana. In Scotland, Sena spoke passionately at the Higher Education Reform Conference about the role of higher education in shaping the next generation of student leaders and the importance of supporting global collaboration and network building for youth. Over forty leading faculty members from around the world volunteer to be Reach Alliance (https://reachalliance.org) faculty mentors, and Sena stands out among this distinguished group. Her dedication to student experience, skills development, and support, not to mention her vision for student leadership is to be admired. In addition to Sena’s commitment to her Reach student researchers, she is an active member of the global faculty mentor community. During meetings with the faculty mentors, Sena provides important perspectives and contributes to a collaborative and productive discussion. Marin McLeod
Jermeen Sherman
I had the pleasure of working with Sena to organize an international pitch competition for diverse founders in Accra, Ghana in 2023. Her personal entrepreneurial experiences, coupled with her deep industry expertise, help to position founders for growth and new strategic partnership development. I look forward to additional opportunities to learn from and partner with Sena.
Jessica Naa Ahiney Boifio
My work experience with Sena is framed through the lens of a commitment to problem-solving and the creation of impactful initiatives, which has significantly shaped my work approach and ethic. We consistently delivered high-quality work with a commitment to excellence. Sena's openness to seeking and providing help fostered a collaborative environment, and she continues to be a reliable source of support for my ongoing professional development.
Rebecca Awuah
Sena is an ideas person. She brings energy and passion to her work. When there is a deadline, she’ll meet it. In the field, she’s brilliant—she connects easily with people and draws out their perspectives and understandings. I have collaborated with Sena on several research projects and program evaluations over the past decade. None of these projects would have come to fruition without Sena on the team!
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