As 2023 begins, the WISER board and staff are excited to announce new changes of our own.

Join us as we welcome Michael Carson as our new executive director.

With significant consideration given to the skills, focus, and expertise needed to successfully guide WISER International in its next phase of growth, the board has selected Michael P. Carson to serve in this imperative leadership role. Michael’s experience with non-profits in STEM, community growth, and agriculture enterprises in conflict settings have distinguished him as an experienced leader in cultivating equitable education systems. Under Michael’s leadership as a consultant and leader, Africare  was able to successfully return to the Casamance region, which was recovering from a twenty-five year long civil war, by starting agriculture, natural resource management and health initiatives. Michael’s resource management and health initiative expertise, leadership skills and commitment to racial and social equity make him an exceptional individual for the role of executive director. We are confident that under Michael’s leadership, WISER’s success and impact in achieving its mission will continue to flourish.

Most recently, Michael has served as the executive director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology for the Environment (CREATE!), based in Eugene, Oregon. Michael’s technical assistance and strategic advice as an executive and consultant has helped transform small businesses, community-led health clinics and schools, and agriculture enterprises in conflict settings and emerging economies. Michael has a certificate in non-profit management from Stanford University’s Social Innovation Review, and a mid-career Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

While celebrating our changes in leadership, we also invite you to welcome Seth Borden to the WISER U.S. Board. Seth joins us with vast experience as legal counsel, having practiced labor & employment law at a number of national law firms representing clients in the logistics, automotive and aerospace manufacturing, telecommunications, hospitality and food service industries. A frequent lecturer and author on workplace and technology issues, Seth has a BA from Brandeis University, and JD from Brooklyn Law School.

He currently serves as an Associate General Counsel at Amazon.

Please join us welcoming Michael and Seth by making a donation and showing your support for WISER’s new leadership! Your financial support helps us accomplish our important work for the hardest to reach girls, and your donation today will help usher in an exciting new chapter for the organization. You can also send your congratulations to Michael and Seth by posting on WISER’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn pages.

We thank you all for your continued support and partnership as we welcome Michael and Seth into their new roles. May we continue growing and empowering girls together!