Staff
- Elizabeth Stokely, Executive Director
- Jane Meseck, Strategic Advisor and Board Member
- Alena Owen, Strategic Advisor, Programs and Advocacy
- Maggie Lear, Marketing & Social Media Intern
Elizabeth Stokely, Executive Director
Elizabeth has over 17 years of global development experience across a variety of sectors and dozens of countries. She has a deep commitment to cross-sector collaboration for social impact, with a proven track record of mobilizing over $60 million through partnerships with organizations such as Mastercard, USAID, and MetLife. As Director of Strategic Partnerships at Accion International, Elizabeth led a diverse portfolio of global partners for over 7 years, attracting investments in and shaping initiatives focused on financial inclusion, small business development, women’s economic empowerment, and climate resilience. In 2018, she helped secure the largest grant in Accion’s history. Prior to Accion, Elizabeth managed sales and operations at a multi-billion-dollar supply company and led community development programs with the Peace Corps in Loja, Ecuador and Fulbright in Cali, Colombia. At the Inter-American Dialogue, a Western Hemisphere focused think tank, Elizabeth also developed education policy research and grants for a regional network of experts, policymakers, and civil society organizations dedicated to improving education quality throughout Latin America. Elizabeth is Founder and Principal of Stokely Consulting, LLC, a mission-driven management consulting firm. She holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business, a BA in International Studies and Spanish from Dickinson College, and is fluent in Spanish.
Jane Meseck, Strategic Advisor and Board Member
Former Senior Director of Global Programs, Microsoft Philanthropies Jane has served the nonprofit and humanitarian sectors for 30 years. Formerly Sr. Director for Microsoft Philanthropies, Jane was a leader in Microsoft’s social impact work for over 24 years. As Microsoft’s Global Lead for Humanitarian she led programs and partnerships supporting international humanitarian organizations and the communities they serve, respond, and rebuild from crisis. Jane has been a fixture in the nonprofit tech segment, leading Microsoft’s effort to help nonprofits and humanitarian organizations adopt and use technology for mission. She led Microsoft technology donations for over 20 years scaling donations to 235 countries and $1B FMV. She helped create NTEN and supported TechSoup’s growth as the premier global online nonprofit resource. In 2017, Jane helped create Microsoft’s Tech for Social Impact team bringing together the best of Microsoft’s commercial ecosystem with renowned philanthropy programs. In July 2020, Jane formed a new Philanthropies’ team to help expand humanitarian efforts to empower humanitarian organizations and crisis affected communities thru technology, including AI for Humanitarian Action. In 2018, Jane received NTEN’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing her role in shaping the field of nonprofit technology. Jane currently serves on the Board of Directors of USA for UNHCR and GlobalWA, continuing her personal mission to support humanitarian and global development nonprofits.
Alena Owen, Strategic Advisor, Programs and Advocacy
Alena Owen is a public health leader with over a decade of experience spanning global, national, and local levels. She has worked across healthcare, philanthropy, and international NGOs to build strategic partnerships, shape inclusive policies, and advance collective action for global development and health equity.
Before joining Global Washington, Alena served as Senior Advocacy Officer at PATH, where she led strategies to expand access to digital health tools and strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Earlier in her career, she worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, managing advocacy grants and cultivating partnerships focused on philanthropic and policy impact.
Alena holds a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley, and a B.A. from Gonzaga University. A lifelong Washington State resident and committed global citizen, she is passionate about building bridges across communities, sectors, and geographies to promote health and human dignity for all.
Maggie Lear, Marketing & Social Media Intern
Maggie is a Seattle local, currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at the University of Washington’s Evans School, with a focus in program evaluation and policy analysis. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology, with a minor in statistics, from California State University, Long Beach in 2024. Her interest in global development was sparked during a high school trek with GlobalWA member BuildOn, an experience that has driven her commitment to positive social impact. Maggie has also worked for the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, where she helped connect Washington’s immigrant community with resources through bilingual communication.
Please contact info@globalwa.org with any questions or comments regarding Global Washington. We welcome your feedback.