Hi, Yui here!

From a young age, I became acutely aware of the systemic disparities in my own community—why a single mother had to work three jobs, why some children worried about their next meal, or why safe housing remained out of reach for many families. These early experiences planted the seeds of my lifelong commitment to advancing equity and justice for underserved and underrepresented communities.

Over the years, I’ve lived and worked across the globe—from Africa to Southeast Asia—witnessing firsthand how structural inequalities echo across borders and cultures. Today, I channel those lessons into social policy, international development, and cross-sector collaborations.

My mission is clear: to build inclusive systems that uplift communities, dismantle barriers, and move us toward a world where opportunity and dignity are truly universal — regardless of race, gender, or class.

Experience

Yui Inaniwa is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience advancing social impact through evidence-based policy, strategic partnerships, and results-oriented program design. With experience across civil society, public, and private sectors, Yui supports clients worldwide in strengthening education systems, enhancing social protection programs, and building monitoring and evaluation frameworks that drive equity and inclusion.

She currently serves as an International Consultant with UNDP, supporting UNDP Uzbekistan in translating global and country-level priorities into action under UNDP’s Global Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Uzbekistan Country Programme 2026–2030 (CPD). Yui provides strategic and technical expertise across communications, M&E, partnerships, and gender equality, strengthening corporate visibility, results-based reporting, and innovative resource mobilization.

Previously, Yui partnered with the Peace Corps in Ethiopia through its Virtual Service Pilot, co-developing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks and tools to strengthen a local nonprofit’s impact and sustainability. Her work enabled the organization to optimize its processes, track outcomes more effectively, and align its strategy with long-term community needs.

As one of just 12 Fulbright Public Policy Fellows globally, Yui worked with Botswana’s Ministry of Labour & Home Affairs to reform employment policies and improve workforce readiness. She conducted national program assessments and helped align youth skills development programs with labor market demands—drawing on her global experience across North America, South America, and Asia.

Yui has also led national social impact strategies in the private sector, serving in leadership roles at T-Mobile and Sprint. At T-Mobile, she launched initiatives reaching millions in marginalized communities. At Sprint, she collaborated with civic and nonprofit leaders to expand digital access and support opportunity youth through workforce development initiatives.

She holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy, cum laude, from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations from Michigan State University. Yui also earned a Project Management Professional Certificate from Google. She is fluent in English and Japanese, has intermediate proficiency in Spanish, and basic proficiency in Portuguese—enabling her to operate effectively across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

Leadership & Involvement

Peace Corps Ethiopia (community of practice moderator)
- The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world.

The Fulbright Program (mentor for new scholars)
- The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. government and designed to forge lasting connections between the United States and other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.

The Lake Clinic (honorary board member)
- An NGO providing free healthcare services and community programs, such as clean water and sanitation, to the people living on or around the Tonle Sap

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Corporate Coalition (past member)
- A coalition of business and nonprofit leaders from the city of Chicago addressing the most pressing issues of the city with the Mayor's Office to find solutions, funding and organizations to implement changes.

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s City Tech Collaborative – Connect Chicago (past technology advisory council member)
- A coalition of tech leaders and the Mayor's office working together to make Chicago the most digitally skilled city in the U.S.

Youth Guidance (past associate board member)
- A Chicago-born, international NGO that aims to serve at-risk youth by providing mental health and mentoring services to help young people succeed in school and in life. Youth Guidance is supported by Former President and First Lady of the United States, Barack and Michelle Obama.

Light Reading’s Women in Comms (past board of advisors)