Harper McConnell
Manager
As a manager at williamsworks, Harper is based in Africa, providing crucial insight and counsel for clients. She likes connecting people across continents that share the same ideals for social change.
Harper spent the last three years working in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo with a number of local NGOs and offers unique insight into the situation in eastern Congo developed from her experience on the ground. Most recently, she worked for HEAL Africa, a locally founded humanitarian organization as Program Manager and U.S. Director of Development. Harper has spoken on various panels across the U.S. and has served as an on-the-ground resource on the situation in the Congo to government and UN officials, journalists, and other notable figures. She has also worked with Give Us Wings, an organization specialized in sustainable agriculture development and women’s rights in Uganda and Kenya.
Harper is profiled in Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Nicholas Kristof’s, new book, “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.” She has a passion for bridging gaps between cultures through education and the arts and is one of the founders of the 2009 “Congo in Harlem Film Festival”. She also founded a vocational and business training program for women in Congo.
Harper graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in political science and English Literature and was a four-time Big 10 Scholar Athlete. She is fluent in French and Swahili.