William Reinecke

In 2005 I transitioned from private sector work to development work starting with two years of service as a Small Business Advisor for the Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa. This was followed by a month-long field research project spanning Ghana south to north overland during and MBA program. Upon graduation I found myself once again in Ghana working for a socially responsible, for-profit firm conducting desk-based and field research based on product marketing, as well as village-level quality control standards of shea butter production. From 2011 - 2012, I embarked on an Fulbright research project in Burkina Faso focusing on the shea butter value chain, but this time delving deeper into rural women's economic and social development issues. Outcomes included a presentation at Global Shea 2012 and an article published in an online magazine.