As a seasoned impact catalyst and ecosystem builder, I spent the last two decades cultivating innovation for impact across disciplines (design & engineering, ecosystem building, public policy), sectors (climate & sustainability, built environment, blue economy), and geographies (North America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa).
A CAREER FUELED BY *PRENEURSHIP
Early career as an Intrapreneur
I started my professional journey in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry. At Kiewit and Buro Happold, I worked at the forefront of what was, at the time, an emerging field: urban sustainability. From the US Midwest to Europe, and later the Middle East, my role was to champion sustainability on several cutting-edge projects around the world.
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Venturing as a first time Entrepreneur
In 2013, shortly after the Arab Spring sparked in Tunisia, I co-founded Cogite, the country’s first innovation hub - and one of the "10 best coworking spaces on Earth” according to Forbes (2016). This pivotal experience marked the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey and set the course for what was to come.
Hear the origin story
Advising others as an Extrapreneur
Leveraging my hybrid experience at the intersection of sustainability and innovation, I set off to advise a wide range of future-forward organizations -small and large- on designing and delivering programs, initiatives and ventures to drive meaningful impact. To support this mission, I founded my consultancy firm, Ousia (formally Medina Works).
Learn about Ousia
Tinkering on the side as Parapreneur
Along the way, I pursued various peripheral opportunities with varying degrees of success. During the pandemic, I wrote a children’s book and launched Oboot with my younger son to introduce young people to changemaking. I also developed Offsetgo, a greenhouse gas calculator for distributed teams, which earned a startup award at Cooperathon Canada.
Discover oboot
Building ecosystems as an Edupreneur
Most recently, I was part of uniquely rich university-based innovation ecosystems in the Boston area: During the 2022-2023 Academic year, I joined the MIT Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship as a Senior Advisor and I am currently the Director of Alumni Innovation and Engagement at the Harvard Innovation Labs
Learn about my current work at Harvard iLab
A LIFELONG LEARNING PURSUIT
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Cambridge, MA, USA — 2022
Master in Public Administration
Recipient of the Lucius N. Littauer Fellows Award
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Cambridge, MA, USA — 2018
Executive Education | Beyond Smart Cities
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands —2015
Creative Leadership
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Singapore — 2012
Social Entrepreneurship - Executive Education
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2003 — Montreal, QC, Canada
Master of Applied Science in Building, Civil, & Environmental Engineering
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Lyon, France — 2000
Master in Civil Engineering and Urban Planning
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Lyon, France — 2000
Diploma in Initial Studies of Architecture
