About Me
Building capacity
in people
& systems.
I'm Michele Slawon Tokpah, a Global Learning and Organizational Development Leader with over a decade of experience helping mission-driven organizations create lasting change through people-centered performance solutions.
Currently serving as Senior Manager of Commercial Enablement and Effectiveness at Thermo Fisher Scientific, supporting the Clinical Research Group. My career has taken me across five continents, where I've built learning systems for global enterprises and consulted on community programs from Atlanta to Monrovia.
My Master of Public Administration from Wake Forest University — research focused on Workforce Development Program Implementation — bridges my corporate expertise with a rigorous policy lens. It grounds my work in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks, budget and resource stewardship, and the kind of systems-level thinking that translates policy goals into operational results. It's the academic backbone behind everything from designing equitable onboarding frameworks to advising county commissioners on workforce and family policy.
- —Training and Workshop Facilitation
- —Project Management and Learning Program Design
- —Advocacy, Engagement, and Policy Communications
- —Talent Enablement and Organizational Strategy
- —Process Improvement, Monitoring, and Evaluation
- —Budget & Resource Stewardship
- —Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
My Story
Rooted in purpose.
Built across borders.
Roots & Family
I am the daughter of Liberian immigrants who sought refuge in the American South following civil unrest at home. Raised by two educators in East Charlotte—my father holds a doctorate and spent his career in international higher education consulting while my mother specializes in both early childhood and special education—I learned early that education is both a tool and a responsibility.
Formative Years
My formative years as a public school International Baccalaureate and JROTC student at Harding University High laid the groundwork for a career dedicated to strategic community engagement and innovative organizational management. Early experiences as a Girl Scout and volunteer instilled a deep passion for service and leadership that continues to guide my work today.
Education & Global Perspective
After graduating from Harding, I continued my educational journey at Hampton University but ultimately earned my undergraduate degree in Mass Communication from the University of Liberia. Having lived and worked in Liberia, West Africa, and led or managed global learning experiences in the UK, Amsterdam, India, Spain, Malaysia, and Mexico, I bring an international perspective to everything I do.
Career & Impact
Over the past 15 years, I've built my expertise by leading capacity-building initiatives for multinational corporations including Microsoft, Honeywell, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, while actively collaborating with community-focused organizations. My career has generated measurable impact—millions in attributed revenue, global program scaling across continents, and thousands of professionals equipped with the capabilities to excel.
Civic & Community Leadership
Beyond my corporate role, I serve as the elected Secretary of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party and as an appointed member of the Mecklenburg County Women's Advisory Board. I'm an active Rotarian. I've also held leadership positions with the Liberian Community Association of Greater Charlotte, serving as Public Relations Chair and later as Membership Chair. My affiliations with the International Minority Coalition and NAACP, along with my membership in the Association for Talent Development and Project Management Institute, have enriched my perspective on collaboration, inclusion, and evolving best practices in my field.
Beyond Work
My husband Prince is a US Army veteran with an MPA. When I'm not working, you'll find me practicing conscious parenting alongside him, writing, reading, hiking, or fostering environments where all are welcome and innovative ideas flourish.
Whether you're here because you're interested in organizational effectiveness, workforce development, public policy, or what it looks like to sustain a Fortune 500 career without abandoning community, I'm glad you found me.
Let's create meaningful change together.