SOLM Appoints Inaugural Board of Directors to Advance Its Mission in Regenerative Tourism and Hospitality
SOLM was founded to transform how tourism and hospitality serve people and place, shifting from extractive models toward regenerative systems. As a nonprofit, it works to reduce harm while actively repairing and revitalizing the social, cultural, and ecological fabric of communities impacted by tourism. Beginning in Cabo Verde, SOLM empowers women, youth, and local communities to shape regenerative hospitality, creating pathways for meaningful economic opportunity while honoring local voices, traditions, and environments. The appointment of its inaugural Board of Directors marks an important milestone in guiding this vision and strengthening the foundation for its long-term impact.
1. The board is chaired by Jahira Martins, founder of SOLM and a Cape Verdean hospitality and technology entrepreneur and fourth-generation member of a family rooted in real estate and hospitality. Raised within a legacy of place-making and stewardship, she developed an early understanding of how tourism shapes economies as well as cultural identity, land use, and community life; an insight that continues to inform her vision today. Jahira began her career at JP Morgan in New York before moving into the technology sector, where she played a key role in scaling two high-growth, IPO-bound companies, MongoDB and Datadog. She later joined the African Leadership Group (ALX Africa) where she currently leads the Business Automation function, supporting the global organization across the US, Europe, and Africa. Today, she advises several women-founded technology startups and serves on the advisory board of HubSpot, contributing to more inclusive and forward-looking approaches to growth and systems design.
Drawing from both her professional experience in global technology and her personal heritage, Jahira founded SOLM and its sister brand, AURE, to reimagine hospitality as a regenerative force. Her work is grounded in the belief that tourism-heavy regions, particularly island states, require new frameworks that protect cultural heritage, empower local communities, and steward land responsibly. Through SOLM, she is building an ecosystem that supports these regions in developing models that are not only economically viable, but also culturally preserving and environmentally restorative.
2. Emilienne Macauley co-chairs SOLM, contributing over 30 years of leadership across Africa’s public and private sectors. With deep expertise in institutional communications, governance, and political strategy, she was the first African woman to serve as CEO of national mobile networks in Gabon, Burkina Faso, and Madagascar and previously led strategic communications for the Investment Climate Facility for Africa. Emilienne has been recognized with the African Woman’s Executive Leadership Award (Sierra Leone), the Yenenga Award for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (Burkina Faso), and was named one of Jeune Afrique Économia’s Top 50 Managers in Africa. Her pan-African experience and decorated leadership strengthen SOLM’s regional positioning and long-term impact.
3. Juliana Mae Vas is a project strategist leading SOLM’s on-the-ground development during its foundational phase. Raised in Mozambique, they bring experience shaped in complex and high-pressure environments, including work during the natural gas conflict where they contributed to grassroots construction, emergency shelter, and peacebuilding initiatives.
As co-founder of Olio, Juliana has led transdisciplinary projects across New York City, Barcelona, Cabo Delgado, and Goa, integrating multi-stakeholder collaboration with a strong creative design approach. Their work reflects a deep understanding of how to translate strategy into tangible, place-based impact; an essential capability for advancing SOLM’s regenerative model.
Juliana holds a Master’s in Design Through New Materials from Elisava School of Design & Engineering, a Postgraduate in Applied Design Management and Communication from ISEC Lisboa, and a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from University of Virginia. This multidisciplinary academic foundation underpins their ability to bridge design, systems thinking, and community-led development in practice, as a key driver of SOLM’s in-country execution and programme delivery.
4. Vanessa Tello Oliva is a global marketing leader specializing in brand building, transformation, growth strategy, and the elevation of purpose-led businesses across the wellness, beauty, and luxury sectors. With an international career spanning multiple markets and cultures, she brings a distinctive ability to connect brand, experience, and emotional resonance as key drivers of sustainable growth.
Throughout her career, Vanessa has led high-impact transformations in complex, matrixed organizations, shaping go-to-market strategies, strengthening brand positioning, and driving commercial performance. Her work sits at the intersection of data, creativity, and human insight, ensuring that brands not only compete, but matter. She is recognized for her ability to translate abstract vision into clear strategic narratives that mobilize teams and deliver measurable impact. Deeply committed to amplifying women’s voices and advancing more inclusive, purpose-driven innovation, Vanessa focuses on building brands and platforms that create both market relevance and societal value. Her perspective is grounded in the belief that businesses can – and must – do better to elevate the communities they serve.
5. Johanna Reiland is dedicated to shaping a regenerative, resource-efficient future where communities and industries thrive… together. In her daily work, she focuses on innovation management processes to advance circularity and the sharing economy, building resilient local economies that replace extractive, linear systems with regenerative ones that create shared value for all. For the past eight years, she has been at the forefront of collaborative innovation: building networks that bring diverse actors together to tackle challenges and support project development to secure the resources needed to bring innovative ideas to life. She believes that lasting solutions emerge when communities are empowered, new skills are developed, old ones valued, and innovation aligns with real needs on the ground
6. Sibongile Metsing is a strategic marketing & communications professional and language consultant dedicated to brand storytelling that amplifies local voices and empowers communities. Her twenty-year career spans corporate marketing and communications roles in which she led integrated brand campaigns and developed digital marketing strategies across diverse industries such as manufacturing, engineering, retail, and food franchising. Her work bridges brand development and cultural engagement, helping to ensure that SOLM’s voice remains grounded in local truth and expression. Her cross-sector experience strengthens SOLM’s commitment to building a diverse, competent board that champions regenerative hospitality, cultural preservation, and sustainable community development.
7. Segesmundo F. Vieira, president of SOLM’s Audit Council, is a financial management and development projects specialist with significant experience supporting high‑impact initiatives across Africa. Throughout his career, he has worked with international development institutions and government agencies to strengthen public financial management, improve accountability, and enhance the effective use of development resources. As a financial management consultant for African Development Bank–financed programs, he has advised project teams on fiduciary oversight, risk management, and institutional capacity building. Segesmundo combines technical expertise with a strong commitment to sustainable development, contributing to stronger institutions and more transparent management of development finance.
8. Màriam Lutfi Royo specializes in European Union affairs, international relations, and sustainable development, with a focus on environmental governance and social impact. She currently serves as Head of the Euromediterranean and European Networks Service at the Government of Catalonia, where she leads strategic collaboration with European and Mediterranean institutions across climate, circular economy, regional development, and social inclusion. Her career spans public administration, international diplomacy, and academia, including work with the European External Action Service in Costa Rica and over a decade managing European cooperation and research projects. Alongside her institutional work, she is an international consultant and trainer supporting organisations in integrating sustainability and gender equality into their initiatives. Màriam also brings a strong commitment to social impact as the founder of a Barcelona-based non-profit using art and dance for health awareness and through her involvement in international volunteering initiatives across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
9. Aisha Jackson is an entrepreneurship and talent development strategist with over 15 years of experience building high-impact programs that support founders, develop future leaders, and expand access to economic opportunity. She currently serves as Regional General Manager of ALX Southern Africa, where she leads initiatives that equip young people and entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, and support needed to thrive in the future of work. Her expertise spans ecosystem building, sustainable venture development, and leadership cultivation, all critical to advancing SOLM’s mission of economic empowerment.
10. Cheick Mbengue is a Cape Verdean marketing, lifestyle and entertainment professional specialising in cultural experiences, brand activations, and event production. With a strong foundation in nightlife and audience-driven environments, he has built a reputation for curating high-energy, community-centred experiences that connect people, brands, and cultures in meaningful ways. He is the co-founder of DT Nation, a prominent lifestyle and entertainment brand known for producing curated events and managing high-profile nightlife experiences, and is currently part of the Roc Nation D’Ussé team in the United States. Cheick's experience in promotions, styling, and DJing enables him to blend creativity with strategic thinking, providing a sharp perspective on partnerships, visibility, and brand integrity as SOLM continues to expand its global presence.
11. Daniela Navalshankar specializes in people-centred project management, logistics, and strategic storytelling across the cultural and travel sectors. She holds two Master of Science degrees, including an MSc in Climate Science, Management and Finance from Imperial College London, where she developed an interdisciplinary perspective combining environmental systems, economics, and strategic decision-making. This background informs her approach to projects at the intersection of culture, place, and sustainability. Her collaborative, detail-orientated approach helps drive SOLM’s operations and program delivery.
12. Maguy Awadi, is a co-founder and producer at Studio Sankara, a leading Senegalese audiovisual and production company with over 20 years of experience delivering content and large-scale productions for major brands, international organisations, and television networks. With a background in business, marketing, and communication, she played a key role in building Studio Sankara from its early days and continues to lead its strategic and creative direction. As a producer, Maguy has led numerous advertising campaigns as well as documentaries, short films, and series addressing themes such as migration and social change. Her work sits at the intersection of storytelling, entrepreneurship, and cultural impact, bringing a powerful narrative lens to SOLM’s cultural and communications strategy.
Together, this board brings the wisdom, creativity, and discipline necessary to steward SOLM’s mission at every level. Its leadership reflects not only the world we work in but also the world we are working to build.
We look forward to sharing more soon.
