Charlotte Sobolewski (2011 - 2012)

Canada

Charlotte is a management consultant who puts her abilities to work for non profit community organizations and international development programs. Having recently combined her passion for community involvement and business development, she has started up her own film production company through which she explores stories of social change and cross cultural issues.

She holds a Specialist Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Trudeau Centre at The University of Toronto and an Executive Business Program Certificate from the Rotman School of Management. Charlotte joined a global management consulting practice after working for several years with the internationally acclaimed Free the Children. Working in the development and youth department, Charlotte helped grow Free the Children’s operational capacity, expanding its adult and corporate partner base, and working on international development projects, especially in Kenya.

Recently, within Accenture, Charlotte worked with clients in public service, retail, and non-profit sectors. She has led teams in developing and implementing operating model and business process redesign, change management strategy, shared services, leadership coaching and development programs. Charlotte has spearheaded pro bono consulting engagements with non-profit community partners on a local and international level. She is an advisor for the company’s global development wing, leveraging her work experience in Kenya and other developing countries to provide business development opportunities and support for staff deployed in this field.

Her recent documentary The Power of Love: Kenyan Fans of Céline Dion had its world premiere at the 2011 Hot Docs Film Festival Gala in Toronto, and the 2011 World Wide Shorts Film Festival in Toronto, including the Vancouver International Film Festival and Hawaii International Film Festival in 2011. Her quest to use film and interactive media to engage people in social issues caught the attention of local filmmakers, who have engaged her as a producer for upcoming projects in Brazil and Cuba.

In addition to her professional career, Charlotte is actively involved in several community organizations in Toronto. She has volunteered for Junior Achievement Ontario's Economics of staying in School Program for many years as a classroom facilitator. Likewise, she is an advisor to Aspire, an artist and entertainment consulting service in Toronto. As well, Charlotte previously served as the Vice President of the Board of Directors Mixed Company Theater, helping to build the capacity of the organization, and to navigate the team through growth challenges and opportunities.

As a Sauvé Scholar, Charlotte devoted much of her year to building her skills and networks in the fields of media and communications. These efforts culminated in the production of several video projects featuring the 2011-2012 Sauvé Scholar cohort. A newly appointed member of the Canadian Women in Communications and the Women’s Executive Network in Toronto, Charlotte is currently engaged in a number of professional programs to promote the use of new media tools within employee engagement, corporate communications, and business operations strategy.

Among Charlotte’s hobbies, interests and passions, she lists skydiving, working out, triathlons, surfing, studying to be fluent in Kiswahili and French, cooking, and adventure trekking.