Jakob Elster - Northwestern University School of Education ...
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
◘ Founder of MTL America Coffee Trading Co. (aka Crop to Cup Coffee Company) Jan ’05-present
Purchasing, importation, processing and sales of coffee. Organize coffee farmers into self-affiliated groups to better access market and industry opportunities. Train lead farmers on best cultivation and harvesting practices, on Information Technology tools to decrease market vulnerability, cut transportation costs and obviate the use of middle men, thus increasing household economic income. Work with the local partners to ensure quality and traceability. Establish a fund to support community projects, broker sales green and roasted coffee to fill fund.
◘ Director, Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Nov. ’05 – October ‘07
Conduct all activities and operations necessary to building and running an entrepreneurship center. This includes budgeting, recruitment and management of staff, project management, fundraising, recruiting, serving, and evaluating portfolio companies, building depth and breadth of services, managing communications, creating marketing materials, planning board meetings, and creation of public programming within IIT and the Chicagoland area.
◘ Founder of the DevelopNet Uganda project. Feb. ’03-present
Secure land from the Ugandan government and the partnership of a Ugandan NGO forum to start a self-sufficient Internet Communications Technology (ICT) center in rural Uganda. Draft proposal, donor newsletter, organization policy, and training/maintenance manuals. Implement a ‘train the trainers’ program. Conduct village outreach, design programming and balance accounts. Work between a NGO consortium of over 160 NGOs/CBOs, Ugandan government, foundations, and businesses. Raise and administer over $30,000 from private donors and $15,000 from a World Bank sponsored grant. Act as chairman for the World Learning Reciprocity Fund and fundraising campaign.
◘ Program Director for the Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values research grant. May ’04-present
Partner with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) and DePaul University’s bioethics committee to conduct a
photographic and bibliographic ethnography of homelessness in Chicago. Research and present findings on perceptions
of health among homeless, services for the homeless, and the homeless perspectives of homelessness. Emphasize
expression through art; winner of the 2007 Aegis award and 2007 Telly Award.
◘ Consultant for Haiti Coffee Project of the Episcopalian Church. April ’06 – June ’06
Plan and conduct feasibility study, design project parameters, and draft work plan for the cultivation and
commercialization of Haitian specialty coffee in connection with community development projects which were seeking
more sustainable programming. Oversaw installation of infrastructure, recruited team, formed business strategy, and
achieved $430k in 1st year revenues for the project.
◘ Managing Director for MTL Uganda. Sept. ‘04- Jan.’05
Auditing and oversight of daily operations, accounts, quality control and staffing for a specialty coffee exporter. Design and implement stock control programs, streamline reporting and exporting procedures, and develop recruitment/training policies. Liaise with governmental and non-governmental bodies, coordinate with head office in Switzerland, secure $25,000 capacity building grant. Manage the purchasing and quality-assurance activities of 68 staff located at 5 washing/purchasing centers and 2 country offices, arrange for the construction of two new branches.
◘ Expansion Coordinator for Mt. Elgon Resort and Conference Center. Nov. ‘04- Jan. ‘05
Advise the Bugisu Cooperative Coffee Union as to how best utilize their properties. Prepare request for bank loan, contract labor and approve plans for the expansion of a resort and conference center. Implement staff training program, simplify menu to decrease reliance on non-locally available foods, establish the hotel as a sporting and music option for member of the local community. Negotiate with overland bus companies to include Mt. Elgon Resort as a destination. Increase transportation and guide services to nearby Mt. Elgon National Park.
◘ Operations and Organizational Consultant for JENGA CDO’s Mooni Water Project. Dec. ‘04- April ‘05
Design and administer a workshop to guide the organizational structuring and document drafting for a relatively new NGO. Assist with marketing materials, content creation for JENGA website, and networking for volunteers/materials. Design a public health approach to the water project in Mooni Village, supplying 6,000 villagers with water.
◘ Chief Opinion Editor for ‘Student Life’ Newspaper. Aug. ’01-May ‘02
Research, write, and edit opinion articles. Run executive board meetings, hire and manage 12 staff columnists, 2 cartoonists, independent contributors, and classifieds. Enlarge editorial sections, expand format, plan partnership outreach programs, meet with advertisers/investors, and coordinate with the heads of other sections.
◘ Program co-director for University of New Mexico’s Preventive Health program. Summer of 2001
Aided the inception and implementation of the UNM preventive public health program by outlining education goals and developing detailed curricula in order to secure funding from the Navajo Tribal Council. Led high-adventure, outdoor experiential education excursions. Directed sustained development projects concerning community irrigation ditches and communal garden plots. Led a subsistence life-style of eating what could be gathered or caught.
◘ Technical assistant at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Feb-Nov. 2003
From the UN headquarters in Geneva developed a ‘lessons learned’ database, created training scenarios, and facilitated cooperation between the Geneva and New York offices while trying to get relief water into Iraq.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
◘ Founder, organizer, and coordinator for a university based St. Louis hub of CARE US. Aug. ’03-Aug. ‘04
◘ Showcase match and speaker for Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Louis. Jan. 2000-present
◘ Team member of the 5/30 Campaign. Jan. 2001- May 2001
◘ Missouri Public Interest Group’s (MOPirg) regional coordinator for the O17 network. Aug. 2000 -Feb 2001.
◘ MOPirg representative to the Democracy Campaign. Sept. 2000-Dec. 2000
EDUCATION
Washington University in St. Louis
◘ Graduation date: May 2004 with GPA 3.67/4. Cum Laude
◘ Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Anthropology, and the Humanities
School for International Training (SIT): Geneva International Institutions and Social Justice Program.
◘ Foreign study program alongside Geneva-based international institutions for winter, spring and summer of 2003
Recognized Writings
◘ ‘Opposition and Oppression, the creation of Jeemah Islamiyah in Indonesia’
Published as collection under Dr. Lois Beck- Spring ‘06
◘ ‘A Discursive Review of the Water Debate: the polarization over privatization and the erosion of the moderates’
In preparation since April 2004
◘ ‘Aligning Interests for Social Development in the Water Sector: From the inception to the implementation of socially sound policies’ – available at:
Honors/Awards:
◘ Aegis Award, 2007, for ‘Walking the Trail’
◘ Telly Award, 2007, for ‘Walking the Trail’
◘ Lambda Alpha national anthropological honors association
◘ Deans List 2000-2004
◘ Liaison to board of trustees for the Praxis Leadership in Technology Program
◘ WU Social Service Recognition award in 2002
TECHNICAL SKILLS
“Fluency in Technology” certificate from the Praxis Leadership Program.
Certified to guide outdoor excursions; over 2400 hours of leading special education groups outdoors
Resourcefulness and Ingenuity
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LANGUAGES
English: Native
French: Working
Jacob Aaron Elster
2127 N. Clark St. Chicago IL 60614
jakeelster@ 630/745-8088 [cell]
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