Clausen Center Speaker Series -
Nina Marini

Ashesi University - Learn how two Haas students started a university in Ghana. Nina Marini, Haas MBA 1999, co-founder and vice president of Ashesi University and the Ashesi Foundation.

Nina Marini is Co-Founder and Vice President of Ashesi University – a new private, non-profit university in Ghana, West Africa – and its parent organization, Ashesi University Foundation in Seattle, Washington. From a feasibility study in 1998 and the start of instruction in March 2002, through a current focus on fundraising and program development, she has been involved in all aspects of the university’s growth. She plays a leading role in the organization’s strategic and financial planning; operational management; faculty, staff and volunteer recruiting; fundraising; and board management. Nina previously worked as a financial analyst with Horst, Frisch, Clowery & Finan Inc., an economic consulting firm in Washington D.C. specializing in international tax and trade issues, and in international public relations at Bridgestone Corporation's global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

Born and raised in Japan, Nina earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Haverford College in 1992 and a Masters of Business Administration from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business with a certificate in Global Management in 1999. She currently serves on the board of the World Affairs Council of Seattle, and as Vice President and board member of the World Affairs Council’s Young Professionals International Network (YPIN).