Appreccia D. Faulkner is the Founder & CEO of Global Strategists Association, an international nonprofit organization working to increase global engagement among the African Diaspora.
The organization focuses on three areas;
- Global citizenship, a commitment to connect communities while working to transform local action into global impact.
- Global leadership: a commitment to develop engaged and relevant leaders that unleash potential in others around the world.
- Global entrepreneurship: a commitment to developing and sharing economic opportunities and innovation that spans beyond national borders.
Through her work at Global Strategists Association, she is committed to changing the face of Global Affairs through diversity, equity and inclusion.
She has hosted and curated several thought provoking events designed to platform emerging and established women and leaders of color on today's most foreign and domestic issues.
Under Ms. Faulkner’s tutelage Global Strategists Association has partnered with University of Chicago International House, WorldChicago, US Department of State, Peace Corps and many other local and global institutions. Ms. Faulkner is a speaker, thought leader and advisor. In 2017 She was one of seven Co-Chairs for The United State of Women Galvanize Chicago conference led by Valerie Jarrett and former White House Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama, Tina Chen. The conference drew over 1000 women from all over America interested in learning about ways to increase gender parity in business and, politics, and government.
In 2011 she participated in The Festival of Thinkers Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE with over 50 Nobel Laureates; she continues to speak on leadership, gender parity and the importance of diverse voices in global affairs at leading universities and businesses and conferences; she helped lead and advised an aldermanic campaign; and most recently, she is a regular monthly contributor on the radio show The Millennials on WJOU. Appreccia is a native Chicagoan who graduated from Kennedy-King College with an Associates and later studied Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington D.C. and Chicago State University.
Before founding Global Strategists Association in 2013, Appreccia spent over 10 years in the financial sector with BMO Harris, Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase. She is a regular volunteer, serves on several boards and mentors countless young women and men who aspire to pursue new heights in global affairs and beyond. She is the 2017 recipient of the Global Connections Award from Girls Like Me, and the 2018 recipient of the Women Empowered for Civic Engagement Purple Passion Award. Ms. Appreccia is a member of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy and the United Nations Association - Chicago Chapter.