Gobee Group was founded in 2009, after a decade of research and consulting through the University of California, Berkeley and GlobalCSR. Gobee resulted from the partners’ realization that innovation takes place at the intersections of disciplines (e.g. engineering, health, social sciences), partnerships (industry, academic, government and nongovernment), and innovation hubs across mature and emerging markets. By “going between,” Gobee combines essential expertise and crosses divides to offer better results for its clients. Gobee is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington (USA), a major technology hub, and has offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.
About
How did an engineer, an economic geographer, and an information scientist end up forming a company to make technology meaningful? Read about it in...
The Gobee Story
The Gobee Team
Mahad Ibrahim, PhD
Managing Partner
Mahad’s primary focus is technology and information management with an emphasis on strategy, policy and information equity. Through Gobee, he and his teams consult extensively with clients on their mobile products and business models for emerging markets. He is using his experience with information equity in Africa to help lead Gobee’s involvement in the Vote4Africa initiative. For Gobee, he conducts workshops for global leaders on pertinent topics and is responsible for overseeing the roll out of many of our clients projects. Prior to Gobee, as a Fulbright scholar, he researched the development of better policy mechanisms to increase the utility of government-run public access technology centers in Egypt. He received his PhD and Master’s degrees from the University of California, Berkeley and his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. He speaks Arabic, English, Portuguese, and Somali.
Jaspal S. Sandhu, PhD
Partner
Jaspal’s primary focus is on human-centered design for technology and service innovation in global public health. Through Gobee, he and his teams consult international organizations on various issues related to the design and usability of technology to improve population health. In 2009, he was selected as one of three iSpot Award winners by the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation. He has designed a globally unique graduate public health innovation course and teaches at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to Gobee, he worked with the Mongolian Ministry of Health to research the design of mobile health information systems as a Fulbright scholar in rural Mongolia. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He speaks Punjabi, Spanish, Mongolian, and English.
Jessica Rothenberg-Aalami, PhD
Partner
Jessica’s primary focus is technology and international sustainable development and global intelligence. Through Gobee, she and her teams advise clients on the way “innovation at the margins” is redefining business, research and international exchange. Prior to Gobee, she was a research scholar with the University of California, Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE) on technology innovation and global corporate social responsibility (GlobalCSR). As a Fulbright scholar, she researched Nike’s global production network. She holds a PhD in Economic Geography with a Master’s degree in International Studies and an undergraduate degree in International Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley. Her most recent book is Technology at the Margins: How IT Meets the Needs of Emerging Markets. She speaks German, Vietnamese and English.
Jessica Vechakul
ASEE/NSF Fellow
Jessica is one of 40 ASEE/NSF Engineering Innovation Fellows nationwide and for the tenure her fellowship is being hosted by the Gobee Group. Jessica is a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where her research focuses on evaluating human-centered design methods for working with marginalized communities. Jessica has several years of experience working on transport and renewable energy projects in Zambia and Haiti. A common thread in her projects is a dedication to reducing maternal and infant mortality through human-centered design of technologies, services, and systems. Jessica received her SB and SM degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Susanne Krohn
Research Associate
Susanne (Suzy) holds a Master’s degree in Management & Information Systems/Controlling from the Leuphana University, Germany. She received her BBA from the University of Applied Sciences Stralsund with a major in Knowledge Management and published the German edition of “Knowledge 2.0” in 2009. Her primary focus is technology, emerging media relations, and corporate social responsibility. Susanne is an experienced online professional with a background in market research, and social media monitoring and communications. She speaks German, English, and Swedish.
Flynn Warren
Creative Intern
Flynn is a 2012 graduate from The University of the Arts London, where he studied photography. His work is primarily documentary and portraiture and he shoots on a variety of cameras, digital and film. He designs color palettes to elevate the creative process and his complex images encompass multiple layers that enhance small and important details. Working as intern with Gobee, Flynn will use multiple media to capture and disseminate stories to support their partners and internal initiatives. Flynn grew up in Africa, an experience that gives him a very strong understanding of cultural diversity. Flynn is based in Nairobi.