Oluwatooni "Tooni" Akanni (Gideon Foundation): Tooni was born in Nigeria and raised in Minnesota. She received her BA in Psychology and African Studies from the University of Minnesota in 2008. At the time of her fellowship she was pursuing her Master’s degree at New York University Center for Global Affairs, concentrating in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance. While at NYU, Tooni also interned at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Market Women’s Fund. After her fellowship Tooni wrote: “This fellowship has been a life changing experience for me. I see the world in such a completely different way. My field experience can be a book all by itself. I learnt so much information in such a short time in Uganda. What I've learned within this fellowship is invaluable and priceless and it’s something you can't learn from the books or in the classroom.”