Hamse Warfa, presidential appointee as Senior Advisor for inclusive democracy, former refugee from Somalia and tech entrepreneur joins World Savvy as CEO.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US: Hamse Warfa, renowned global leader, democracy and workforce development expert, bestselling author and speaker, joins World Savvy, a national education nonprofit, as Chief Executive Officer.
Hamse is a transformational leader who brings to World Savvy a proven record of global and local impact on civic engagement and economic development while consistently partnering with young people as changemakers. Drawing from his 25 years of global leadership spanning federal and state governments, philanthropy, nonprofits and the private sector, Hamse brings unique lived experiences including his journey from child refugee to U.S. presidential appointee and global tech entrepreneur. He is committed to expanding the reach of World Savvy’s work to transform K-12 education into an inclusive, adaptive and future-ready system that ensures all young people can thrive. He is poised to lead the advancement of World Savvy’s emerging Thriving Democracy Initiative, which seeks to enhance young people’s civic and workforce readiness and success in a diverse, interconnected local and global community.
Hamse’s connection to World Savvy runs deep through over a decade of service as a volunteer, fundraiser and collaborator with the outgoing Co-Founder and CEO, Dana Mortenson. During this critical founder transition at World Savvy, Hamse embraces the responsibility of building on the legacy of the founders, Dana Mortenson and Madiha Murshed, who established World Savvy over two decades ago, with the vision that young people in the United States must be prepared for a more diverse, interconnected and interdependent world. Throughout his involvement, Hamse has written and spoken on the impact of engaging learners, championing place-based education and promoting inclusive and innovative teaching methods.
“I’m beyond thrilled and deeply honored that Hamse will be joining World Savvy as our next CEO,” shares Dana Mortenson. “I’ve known Hamse for more than a decade and have treasured our friendship and collaboration. His exceptional talents, experiences and knowledge are a perfect fit for World Savvy and I am confident he will take our organization to new heights. I am looking forward to supporting him as he steps into this role.”
As a father of four children, Hamse understands the importance of preparing students for a rapidly changing world. “As a refugee student, I struggled in public schools in Colorado and California,” Hamse recalls, “and I would have benefited from an education that supported students to feel safe, seen and heard as creative problem solvers and responsible citizens.” Dedicated to increasing the reach of World Savvy to more students in new regions of the U.S., Hamse will advance the implementation of World Savvy’s goals.
Word Savvy is a critical partner for K-12 education to remain the bedrock of a thriving, multi-ethnic democracy. Hamse recently served in Washington D.C., as a Senior Advisor for equity and inclusive democracy in the U.S. State Department. He advanced the administration’s democracy agenda at home and abroad, including supporting 74 nations to participate in the 2023 Global Summit on Democracy. In recognition of his innovative efforts, Hamse received a State Department Meritorious Honor Award. As CEO, Hamse will continue World Savvy’s mission to bridge gaps in empathy and understanding, equipping students with critical thinking, perspective-taking and evidence-based judgment—skills essential for navigating our diverse world.
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About Hamse Warfa
Hamse Warfa, a former child refugee turned U.S. presidential appointee, has over 25 years of global experience across various sectors. His mission is to inspire leaders to translate challenges into tangible solutions and impact through leadership strategy, training and innovative technology tools. In January 2022, Warfa was appointed as Senior Advisor to the U.S. State Department to advance a global democracy agenda, receiving a State Department 2023 Meritorious Honor Award for innovation and advancing equity.
Prior to joining the federal government, Warfa served as Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development in Minnesota. He is also a successful tech entrepreneur, co-founding BanQu Inc. and Tayo Consulting Group, and previously worked as a Senior Program Officer at the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
Warfa holds a Master of Science in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from San Diego University. He completed executive education at Harvard Business School and is a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow, recipient of the Minnesota Statewide Facing Race Award, and an Ashoka Global Fellow. Warfa is the author of the bestseller “The Transformational Leader: Twelve Practices for Driving Lasting Change” as well as “America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope.”
About World Savvy
World Savvy is a national K-12 nonprofit partnering holistically with schools, districts and communities to redefine what constitutes a quality education and reimagine the student experience. Together, we are creating future-ready and adaptable learning environments where all young people develop the skills and dispositions they need to thrive in a diverse, complex and interconnected world. Learn more at worldsavvy.org.
