Shelby Quackenbush
Communications Manager
Shelby leads all communications activities for the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI), including social media marketing, website management, graphic design, reporting, and storytelling.
Prior to joining the RSRI in April 2024, Shelby served as the Senior Director of Brand Strategy & External Relations at RefuSHE where she managed the Nairobi-based organization’s communications and marketing efforts and led creative development for the Artisan Collective. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Shelby has developed a passion for helping impact-driven organizations execute effective communications strategies, craft compelling brand narratives and editorial content, and manage strategic partnerships. She has supported the growth and visibility of education and livelihoods programs for youth, orphaned and unaccompanied minors, artisan women, social activists, and refugees across the US, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Kenya. Shelby’s experience working in East Africa has informed her interest in ethical craftsmanship and artisan supply chains and inspired her commitment to advancing economic inclusion, human rights, and gender equality around the globe.
Shelby holds an MPA in International Policy and Management from NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a BA in Journalism and Women’s Studies from the University at Albany (SUNY).
