Madeline Grasso
Global Human Development Student
Madeline is a development professional dedicated to building resilience and sustainable development, particularly among women and children in rural, displaced, and crisis-affected communities. Alongside her studies, she serves as a Program Manager with the Global Hope Groups Collaborative, supporting evidence-based, community-led programs that combine psychosocial support, positive parenting, and violence prevention for caregivers and children in over 30 countries.
Her experience in development spans communities across the globe, with an emphasis on locally-led initiatives. As a Fulbright grantee in Brazil, Madeline partnered with the State University of Paraná and the Municipal Educational Authority of Apucarana to strengthen students’ internationalization and professional preparedness. With Teach Thailand Corps, she collaborated with educators in rural secondary schools to develop engaging curriculum to further students’ language and career development. At the Alif Institute, she supported outreach initiatives for Arab refugee and immigrant communities in Atlanta, Georgia, including co-founding a university student-led network of language and cultural organizations across the state.
Madeline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages with a minor in Political Science from the University of North Georgia. She speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic, as well as basic French and Thai. During her undergraduate studies, she served as a researcher and analyst for the United States Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, monitoring human rights developments across Southwest Asia and North Africa and contributing to the development of an online portal for information sharing on human rights cases among Department of State staff in Washington, DC.
During her time at GHD, Madeline looks forward to deepening her expertise in monitoring and evaluation to strengthen and advocate for effective, sustainable development programs. Beyond the classroom and workplace, she can be found hiking, watching soccer, or paddleboarding.