Liz’s Story
INSPIRE • CONNECT • ACTIVATE • TRANSFORM
Storytelling is in my DNA. My late father, Dr. John Ruganda, was Uganda’s preeminent dramatist, and my mother, Hilda Rwabazaire Paqui, was an on-air Ugandan television personality and later a senior communications official with the United Nations Development Programme – sharing stories of people around the world whose lives were impacted by UNDP activities. Like them, I believe in the power of stories.
I am an international social entrepreneur, executive coach, educator, and speaker, and I help purpose-driven leaders worldwide to clarify, develop and share their stories in order to increase their impact. I believe that when you share your story, you invite others to learn what makes you unique, and you inspire them to support you…thereby amplifying your voice and enhancing your visibility.
The insights that I offer to my clients and students are informed by the lessons drawn from a 25+ year career during which I have: excelled in various corporate roles; founded and run three businesses; overseen the turnaround of the US arm of an international nonprofit organization (one of only four Nelson Mandela-endorsed organizations in the world); been an invited member of the U.S. Speaker Program at the U.S. Department of State; taught and guest lectured at top academic institutions around the world; delivered training that has transformed lives and organizations worldwide; and served in alumni leadership roles at all three of my alma maters.
With my first role models – my granny and my mom – at The Museum of Natural History in New York. They taught me about the importance of kindness, of creating social capital and of striving for excellence.
My professional experiences have taught me a great deal about perseverance, handling success, learning from setbacks, overcoming fear, navigating transitions, and managing relationships, as well as the importance of support systems, access to timely information, and an “internal GPS.” Of particular importance, I have learned how essential it is to be able to articulate what uniquely prepares you, and your organization, to understand and solve your stakeholders’ most pressing problems.
COVID has led many people to take stock of their lives and careers, and to place greater emphasis on doing meaningful work. I have chosen to dedicate this phase of my own career to helping social impact-driven leaders and entrepreneurs to shape successful and fulfilling lives and careers that will positively impact their communities and the wider world. With proper guidance, we can all identify our unique purpose and develop a roadmap for bringing that purpose to fruition, and my background, my interests, my extensive network and my hard-earned wisdom equip me to provide that sort of guidance.
I feel an urgency to do this work because so many people have invested generously in my own development and have provided opportunities for me to excel in my own life. As a believer in the principles of Ubuntu – an African term referring to the importance of recognizing our interconnectedness and lifting others up as we rise – I see my services as natural outgrowths of my own successes and the lessons I have learned.
Please review the following images and videos to learn more about my story, the services that I offer, and how I can help you or your business or organization. Then reach out with any questions. I look forward to meeting you!
With my mentor of nearly 30 years, the late Tom Pedulla. He taught me the importance of developing long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with clients, colleagues and collaborators.
My Story
In Uganda at nine months of age, ready to explore and excited about what life has to offer.
Here I recount some of my extraordinary experiences at the United Nations International School in New York, which I attended from kindergarten through 12th grade and which helped train me to become a global citizen and a changemaker.
One extraordinary UNIS memory: high school graduation at the United Nations General Assembly with Carl Sagan as our speaker!
My inner girl geek was ignited by my first courses at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies. I am pictured here with a mentor from Syracuse, the late Professor Marta Dosa, whom I assisted with her research into information access in Africa.
Immediately after graduating from college I worked as a Marketing Specialist at Digital Equipment Corporation in Massachusetts. I had the honor of meeting DEC founder Ken Olsen and learned a great deal about cutting-edge computer technology. Here I am pictured working a tradeshow booth.
As a a Sales Executive at MICROS Systems Inc., I sold Point of Sale systems to hospitality companies throughout Massachusetts. I learned about the challenges faced by small business owners, and how to help them address those challenges.
As a graduate student at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, one of my proudest accomplishments was the planning and execution of a “Taste of Africa” luncheon with two of my classmates during the annual Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC) event. That year’s HEC theme was “Illuminate the World,” and we produced a contemporary African event experience that helped to debunk some popular misconceptions about Africa.
The Master of Management in Hospitality degree program at Cornell was a wonderful experience for me, and a very wise investment. In this hospitality-focused business program, I learned a tremendous amount about service excellence – lessons that I subsequently incorporated into my business activities, my teaching, and my volunteer work.
In my final corporate job, immediately after completing graduate school, I worked as a business consulting manager with a “Big 5” firm. After that I started my second business venture (the successor to my high-school era babysitting service!). It started out as Amazing Taste Catering and Event Services and later morphed into AT Marketing and Event Strategy, which served a clientele consisting largely of nonprofit organizations.
In 2005 one of my favorite Cornell professors, Dr. Sheryl Kimes, invited me to speak in the prestigious Dean’s Distinguished Guest Lecture Series. It was my first large lecture, and it gave me an opportunity to share my entrepreneurial journey with hundreds of students…a real honor!
I am pictured here with one of the Hotel School’s most storied alumni, the legendary businessman and philanthropist Chuck Feeney. My firm was responsible for re-branding the annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards event, at which this memorable 2013 meeting took place.
The late fundraising powerhouse Naomi Levine hired me to teach at New York University’s Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising in 2009. She subsequently became a mentor and opened many doors for me. Among other things, she helped lay the groundwork for two of the first projects undertaken by The International Social Impact Institute.
Sharing my personal story publicly for the first time: my 2013 TEDx CornellU Talk titled “Want your enterprise to change the world? Start with yourself!”
Over the years, I have been privileged to address many different audiences around the world. In this photo, I am about to keynote the 2013 Southern Africa Fundraising Awards.
At the 2017 African Diaspora Awards, I was honored to receive the Advocate of the Year Award for my work as the CEO of Afrika Tikkun USA – the North America representative of South Africa-based youth development organization Afrika Tikkun.
Another valued mentor has been the pioneering Ugandan serial entrepreneur and philanthropist Mrs. Tereza Mbire. Her groundbreaking career utterly dispels the myth of the African woman as breeder and beggar.
I am pictured here (on the streets of Reykjavik) with my partner, Stuart Cane, who grounds me, advises me and always brings out the best in me! We both love puffins!
Anyone who knows me knows that I love teaching, which I have been doing since I was a graduate student at Cornell. I am pictured here receiving a 2021 Teaching Excellence Award from New York University, where I have taught since 2009 and where I am currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Fundraising.