Facilitators
Rahel Asefa
Rahel Asefa is a passionate leadership and development professional with over 10 years of experience in program design, management, and facilitation. Her extensive experience spans working with NGOs, government agencies, embassies, private companies, youth, and communities across Africa. Specializing in creating dynamic learning experiences, Rahel focuses on leadership excellence and organizational performance, leveraging her expertise in adult learning principles and client relations. She designs customized leadership development programs that drive impactful results, with a strong emphasis on leadership skills, communication, and team cohesion.
Throughout her career, Rahel has successfully led projects that resulted in significant improvements in leadership capabilities and organizational outcomes. Her leadership and facilitation skills have earned her recognition as a key contributor to the success of various leadership initiatives across the continent.
Rahel currently serves as the Client Engagement Director at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Ethiopia. In this capacity, she is responsible for managing a portfolio of clients, ensuring growth, retention, quality, and profitability. She leads the design and delivery of leadership solutions, working closely with clients to address their unique challenges and needs. Rahel also mentors team members, ensuring the highest standards in program delivery. Previously, she served as Program Manager and Senior Faculty at CCL, where she facilitated leadership workshops and managed high-impact projects for a diverse range of clients.
Rahel is currently completing her MA in Social Psychology at Addis Ababa University. She holds a master’s in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from Kalu Institute, and a BSc in Urban and Regional Planning from Addis Ababa University. She is also a certified trainer by the Center for Creative Leadership and holds Individual Accreditation (EIA) from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) for Coaching and Mentoring. Rahel is certified to debrief 360-Degree Assessment Suite, Workplace Big 5 Profile, Work-Life Indicator, Conflict Dynamics Profile, Influence Style Indicator, and Change Style Indicator. She also holds additional certifications in organizational development and leadership facilitation.
Rahel is a member of EthicalCoach Network working to advance the practice of coaching in Ethiopia.
Rethinking Imposter Syndrome
We envision a world where diverse, accomplished leaders collectively transform health outcomes. To realize that vision, we seek to expand the power and influence of talented mid-career women in health and engage with senior institutional and societal leaders to catalyze systemic change for gender equality in health leadership. We work in East Africa, India, Nigeria, North America, and Southern Africa and continue to explore outreach to other regions.
PowerUp Workshop Series
The PowerUp Workshops series are free and open to mid-career women working in global health in all the regions we work. The workshops are hosted virtually, focus on developing leadership skills, and fostering meaningful connections between women leaders in health within a regional context. The topics rotate with each workshop. We encourage women leaders in global health in each region to join us, and use these workshops as an opportunity to learn, engage with other women leaders, and build community.
Rethinking Imposter Syndrome
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 10am–12pm PT / 1–3pm ET
This interactive session will help you define and address imposter syndrome and work with others to identify potential gaps to improve your confidence.
In this two-hour workshop, you will:
- Recognize imposter syndrome and look for ways to overcome it
- Focus on learning from the specific experiences that are highly relevant
- Identify experiences that will prepare you to lead more effectively within the context of your job, role, and organization
Background
Impostor syndrome was first identified in 1978 by two psychologists, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. In a study of female academics, they found that many women felt that they weren’t deserving of their accomplishments. Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, believes that women in minimize their success and because they tend to fear being “found out.”
In 2021, WomenLift Health developed a discovery report that surveyed the experiences of women leaders in East Africa, India, and North America. Our report found that 42% of North American women classified “lack of confidence” as a top barrier to advancing into leadership positions. While building confidence often occurs over time, identifying ways to mitigate self-doubt in building confidence remains an ongoing challenge. As revealed in the report, women and women of color often wait for others to see their potential, while their male counterparts apply a “go for it” attitude regardless of qualifications. Women often undersell their qualifications and must be encouraged to recognize their value and contributions. Recent publications also argue that imposter syndrome is not an innate feeling that women are born with but rather the result of facing repeated exclusion and systemic bias. While we must collectively hold the system accountable, those of us who experience imposter syndrome also need strategies to counter it. We believe in the expertise, talent, and capacity of women leaders and we look forward to advancing your leadership and learning from your experience!
Registration Details
You are eligible for the workshop if you meet all of the following criteria:
- Identify as a woman
- Live and work in North America (Canada and U.S.)
- Are a mid-career global health professional*
This virtual workshop will be conducted in the English language and is free of cost.
WomenLift Health PowerUp Workshops are interactive. By signing up, participants agree to participate in the full session, which includes plenary discussions and breakout group activities.
Enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis, as spots are limited.
*Although women at all career stages are welcome to register, we believe participants who are at the mid-career stage will benefit most, as the content of the workshop has been designed with mid-career women health professionals in mind (10–25 years of experience working in the global health sector). If the number of registrants exceeds our capacity, women who are within the preferred experience range will be given priority.
Registrants should await an email confirming their spot in the workshop. Please check your spam folders if you did not receive an email.
Facilitators
Rahel Asefa
Rahel Asefa is a passionate leadership and development professional with over 10 years of experience in program design, management, and facilitation. Her extensive experience spans working with NGOs, government agencies, embassies, private companies, youth, and communities across Africa. Specializing in creating dynamic learning experiences, Rahel focuses on leadership excellence and organizational performance, leveraging her expertise in adult learning principles and client relations. She designs customized leadership development programs that drive impactful results, with a strong emphasis on leadership skills, communication, and team cohesion.
Throughout her career, Rahel has successfully led projects that resulted in significant improvements in leadership capabilities and organizational outcomes. Her leadership and facilitation skills have earned her recognition as a key contributor to the success of various leadership initiatives across the continent.
Rahel currently serves as the Client Engagement Director at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Ethiopia. In this capacity, she is responsible for managing a portfolio of clients, ensuring growth, retention, quality, and profitability. She leads the design and delivery of leadership solutions, working closely with clients to address their unique challenges and needs. Rahel also mentors team members, ensuring the highest standards in program delivery. Previously, she served as Program Manager and Senior Faculty at CCL, where she facilitated leadership workshops and managed high-impact projects for a diverse range of clients.
Rahel is currently completing her MA in Social Psychology at Addis Ababa University. She holds a master’s in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from Kalu Institute, and a BSc in Urban and Regional Planning from Addis Ababa University. She is also a certified trainer by the Center for Creative Leadership and holds Individual Accreditation (EIA) from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) for Coaching and Mentoring. Rahel is certified to debrief 360-Degree Assessment Suite, Workplace Big 5 Profile, Work-Life Indicator, Conflict Dynamics Profile, Influence Style Indicator, and Change Style Indicator. She also holds additional certifications in organizational development and leadership facilitation.
Rahel is a member of EthicalCoach Network working to advance the practice of coaching in Ethiopia.
We envision a world where diverse, accomplished leaders collectively transform health outcomes. To realize that vision, we seek to expand the power and influence of talented mid-career women in health and engage with senior institutional and societal leaders to catalyze systemic change for gender equality in health leadership. We work in East Africa, India, Nigeria, North America, and Southern Africa and continue to explore outreach to other regions.
PowerUp Workshop Series
The PowerUp Workshops series are free and open to mid-career women working in global health in all the regions we work. The workshops are hosted virtually, focus on developing leadership skills, and fostering meaningful connections between women leaders in health within a regional context. The topics rotate with each workshop. We encourage women leaders in global health in each region to join us, and use these workshops as an opportunity to learn, engage with other women leaders, and build community.
Rethinking Imposter Syndrome
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 10am–12pm PT / 1–3pm ET
This interactive session will help you define and address imposter syndrome and work with others to identify potential gaps to improve your confidence.
In this two-hour workshop, you will:
- Recognize imposter syndrome and look for ways to overcome it
- Focus on learning from the specific experiences that are highly relevant
- Identify experiences that will prepare you to lead more effectively within the context of your job, role, and organization
Background
Impostor syndrome was first identified in 1978 by two psychologists, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. In a study of female academics, they found that many women felt that they weren’t deserving of their accomplishments. Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, believes that women in minimize their success and because they tend to fear being “found out.”
In 2021, WomenLift Health developed a discovery report that surveyed the experiences of women leaders in East Africa, India, and North America. Our report found that 42% of North American women classified “lack of confidence” as a top barrier to advancing into leadership positions. While building confidence often occurs over time, identifying ways to mitigate self-doubt in building confidence remains an ongoing challenge. As revealed in the report, women and women of color often wait for others to see their potential, while their male counterparts apply a “go for it” attitude regardless of qualifications. Women often undersell their qualifications and must be encouraged to recognize their value and contributions. Recent publications also argue that imposter syndrome is not an innate feeling that women are born with but rather the result of facing repeated exclusion and systemic bias. While we must collectively hold the system accountable, those of us who experience imposter syndrome also need strategies to counter it. We believe in the expertise, talent, and capacity of women leaders and we look forward to advancing your leadership and learning from your experience!
Registration Details
You are eligible for the workshop if you meet all of the following criteria:
- Identify as a woman
- Live and work in North America (Canada and U.S.)
- Are a mid-career global health professional*
This virtual workshop will be conducted in the English language and is free of cost.
WomenLift Health PowerUp Workshops are interactive. By signing up, participants agree to participate in the full session, which includes plenary discussions and breakout group activities.
Enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis, as spots are limited.
*Although women at all career stages are welcome to register, we believe participants who are at the mid-career stage will benefit most, as the content of the workshop has been designed with mid-career women health professionals in mind (10–25 years of experience working in the global health sector). If the number of registrants exceeds our capacity, women who are within the preferred experience range will be given priority.
Registrants should await an email confirming their spot in the workshop. Please check your spam folders if you did not receive an email.
