Aurora is the CEO and founder of Hack for Big Choices, a global tech NGO registered in San Francisco, USA with local communities in 15 cities and 5 continents.
Biography
Aurora has been recognized as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum http://h4bc.org/. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences from Università di Bologna and is currently the head of strategy at Plug The Sun. In 2015 she organized the largest hackathon in West Africa through her organization Hack for Big Choices. Being a woman, she is very conscious of women representation in technology, and this is seen in Hack for Big Choices hackathon events which usually feature good participation of women as participants and organizers. Aurora has worked in over 18 companies in technology innovation and community development to date. Her social serial entrepreneurship tendency appears to be a side-effect of her passion to drive change, coming from an African/Italian background and becoming a US immigrant. She is currently active in energy, fashion and community development through Makola, Ray Power Africa, Plug the Sun and Hack for Big Choices among others.
Biography
Aurora has been recognized as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum http://h4bc.org/. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences from Università di Bologna and is currently the head of strategy at Plug The Sun. In 2015 she organized the largest hackathon in West Africa through her organization Hack for Big Choices. Being a woman, she is very conscious of women representation in technology, and this is seen in Hack for Big Choices hackathon events which usually feature good participation of women as participants and organizers. Aurora has worked in over 18 companies in technology innovation and community development to date. Her social serial entrepreneurship tendency appears to be a side-effect of her passion to drive change, coming from an African/Italian background and becoming a US immigrant. She is currently active in energy, fashion and community development through Makola, Ray Power Africa, Plug the Sun and Hack for Big Choices among others.
Janus University is a private, distance education institution located in Newport Beach, California. It was founded in 1976 and was licensed by the former State of California Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. In 2011, according to its website, Janus University changed its name and stopped offering degree programs.
Janus University was an approved school by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Janus University was not accredited by any higher education accreditation organization recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Achieve accreditation candidacy or pre-accreditation, as defined in regulations, by July 1, 2017, and full accreditation by July 1, 2020.
Janus University was an approved school by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Janus University was not accredited by any higher education accreditation organization recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Achieve accreditation candidacy or pre-accreditation, as defined in regulations, by July 1, 2017, and full accreditation by July 1, 2020.
The PLENTY (Piedmont Local Economy Tender) is a local currency used and accepted by some businesses in Pittsboro, North Carolina. The currency is managed by the PLENTY Currency Cooperative Corporation and is backed by Capital Bank Financial with United States dollars. , 10 PLENTYs may be purchased for US$10. PLENTYs can be traded for goods or services, or exchanged for United States dollars at businesses that accept them.
PLENTY are offered in 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 denomination bills and feature the phrase "In Each Other We Trust." The logo and currency were designed by artist Emma Skurnick and feature illustrations of native plants and animals. Bills are printed locally on bamboo-based paper and include anti-counterfeiting features.
Like other local currencies, the PLENTY is legal as they do not closely resemble United States currency. Transactions conducted with PLENTY are taxed in the same way as transactions in United States dollars.
History
Local currency was commonly used during the Great Depression to keep commerce flowing locally when U.S. dollars were scarce. The PLENTY was first created by Annissa Clarke in Carrboro in 2002. The goal of the relaunch of the currency in 2009 was to encourage local spending. The relaunch was inspired in part by the book, Small is Possible: Life in a Local Economy, which was written by Lyle Estill. In a chapter entitled "Financing Ourselves," Estill introduces Capital Bank as a locally owned institution, and recounts his version of the PLENTY. The book attracted the attention of BJ Lawson who was running for Congress, and interested in monetary theory, and who now serves as the chairman of the PLENTY board.
PLENTY are offered in 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 denomination bills and feature the phrase "In Each Other We Trust." The logo and currency were designed by artist Emma Skurnick and feature illustrations of native plants and animals. Bills are printed locally on bamboo-based paper and include anti-counterfeiting features.
Like other local currencies, the PLENTY is legal as they do not closely resemble United States currency. Transactions conducted with PLENTY are taxed in the same way as transactions in United States dollars.
History
Local currency was commonly used during the Great Depression to keep commerce flowing locally when U.S. dollars were scarce. The PLENTY was first created by Annissa Clarke in Carrboro in 2002. The goal of the relaunch of the currency in 2009 was to encourage local spending. The relaunch was inspired in part by the book, Small is Possible: Life in a Local Economy, which was written by Lyle Estill. In a chapter entitled "Financing Ourselves," Estill introduces Capital Bank as a locally owned institution, and recounts his version of the PLENTY. The book attracted the attention of BJ Lawson who was running for Congress, and interested in monetary theory, and who now serves as the chairman of the PLENTY board.
Vinod Thomas was director general of Independent Evaluation at the World Bank and at Asian Development Bank.
He was the director-general and senior vice-president of the Independent Evaluation Group at the World Bank Group. He was formerly country director for Brazil and vice-president, a position that he held from October 2001 to July 2005. Prior to that, he was vice-president of the World Bank Institute. He joined the World Bank in 1976 and held several positions, including chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific region, director for the World Development Report, chief of trade policy and principal economist for Colombia, and economist for Bangladesh.
Thomas is currently visiting professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
Books
* Agricultural Price Policies and the Developing Countries, with G.S. Tolley and C.M. Wong, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982.
* Linking Macroeconomic and Agricultural Policies for Adjustment with Growth: The Colombian Experience, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. Spanish version published by the Central Bank of Colombia.
* The Economics of Urbanization and Urban Policies in Developing Countries, ed. with G.S. Tolley, World Bank publication, 1987.
* Adjustment Lending: How It Has Worked, How It Can Be Improved, ed. with A. Chhibber, The World Bank, 1989.
* Restructuring Countries in Distress, ed. with others, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* Best Practices in Trade Policy Reform, with J. Nash, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* The Challenge of Development, World Development Report 1991, with others, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* Sustaining Rapid Development in East Asia and the Pacific, with R. Agarwala. A World Bank publication, 1993.
* The Lessons of East Asia: An Overview of Country Experience, with Danny Leipziger, A World Bank publication, 1993.
* The Quality of Growth, with Yan Wang, Nalin Kishor, Dani Kaufmann, Ramon Lopez and Ashok Dhareshwar. Oxford University Press, 2000.
* From Inside Brazil: Development in a Land of Contrasts, Stanford University Press, 2006 (English and Portuguese).
* Multilateral Banks and the Development Process: Vital Links in the Results Chain, with Xubei Luo. Transaction Publishers. 2012.
* Evaluation for Better Results. 10 Year of Independent Evaluation at Asian Development Bank, with others. Asian Development Bank: Manila. September 2014.
* Remembering our Future Results for Development. April 2015.
* Climate Change and Natural Disasters: Transforming Economies and Policies for a Sustainable Future. Transaction Publishers. 2017.
He was the director-general and senior vice-president of the Independent Evaluation Group at the World Bank Group. He was formerly country director for Brazil and vice-president, a position that he held from October 2001 to July 2005. Prior to that, he was vice-president of the World Bank Institute. He joined the World Bank in 1976 and held several positions, including chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific region, director for the World Development Report, chief of trade policy and principal economist for Colombia, and economist for Bangladesh.
Thomas is currently visiting professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
Books
* Agricultural Price Policies and the Developing Countries, with G.S. Tolley and C.M. Wong, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982.
* Linking Macroeconomic and Agricultural Policies for Adjustment with Growth: The Colombian Experience, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. Spanish version published by the Central Bank of Colombia.
* The Economics of Urbanization and Urban Policies in Developing Countries, ed. with G.S. Tolley, World Bank publication, 1987.
* Adjustment Lending: How It Has Worked, How It Can Be Improved, ed. with A. Chhibber, The World Bank, 1989.
* Restructuring Countries in Distress, ed. with others, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* Best Practices in Trade Policy Reform, with J. Nash, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* The Challenge of Development, World Development Report 1991, with others, Oxford University Press, 1991.
* Sustaining Rapid Development in East Asia and the Pacific, with R. Agarwala. A World Bank publication, 1993.
* The Lessons of East Asia: An Overview of Country Experience, with Danny Leipziger, A World Bank publication, 1993.
* The Quality of Growth, with Yan Wang, Nalin Kishor, Dani Kaufmann, Ramon Lopez and Ashok Dhareshwar. Oxford University Press, 2000.
* From Inside Brazil: Development in a Land of Contrasts, Stanford University Press, 2006 (English and Portuguese).
* Multilateral Banks and the Development Process: Vital Links in the Results Chain, with Xubei Luo. Transaction Publishers. 2012.
* Evaluation for Better Results. 10 Year of Independent Evaluation at Asian Development Bank, with others. Asian Development Bank: Manila. September 2014.
* Remembering our Future Results for Development. April 2015.
* Climate Change and Natural Disasters: Transforming Economies and Policies for a Sustainable Future. Transaction Publishers. 2017.