Laura Sundblad is Arc’s Capacity Building Specialist. In this role, she leads Arc’s capacity-building and sector-building efforts at partner institutions and beyond. Laura also manages Arc’s relationships with partner institutions in East Africa.
ReadLaura has several years of diverse experience in international development. She joined Arc in June 2014 as a Project Associate, providing research support and leading stakeholder engagement events. During her graduate studies at Columbia, Laura was a pro bono consultant for Zara Solar, a Tanzanian solar energy business, developing a new strategic plan for its expansion. In 2013, Laura conducted research on climate change, gender equality and conflict in the Horn of Africa for the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Programme. Prior to her graduate studies, Laura served as Assistant Field Director in the Marshall Islands for the educational non-profit organization WorldTeach. Laura has held internships with the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations as well as the Department for Development of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Laura holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University as well as a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of St Andrews. A native of Finland, Laura is fluent in English and Finnish, and speaks French, Spanish, Swedish and Marshallese at an intermediate level.