About Dessa Dal Porto

This is how Dessa is a Changemaker:
Dessa joined Ashoka in April 2005 and is currently a Competitions Manger for Ashoka’s Changemakers. Dessa works to bridge the gap between competition entries’ innovative ideas and the DC and global policy world, in hopes to influence domestic and international policies. Prior to Changemakers, Dessa worked with The Global Fellowship Program researching and mapping themes within Ashoka Fellows, and creating the framework for developing collaborations with an outside client as well as between current Ashoka Fellows.

Dessa’s passion for cross-disciplinary studies and her belief that all fields could benefit by including those outside their subject matter led her to study international policy at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute, where she combined her hard science undergraduate education with economics and public finance to receive her Mater in Public Policy in 2007. Prior to Ashoka, Dessa worked for the Democratic National Committee, specifically Democrats Abroad, increasing overseas voting rights and voter registration.

Dessa is a Washington State native and attended Washington State University for her undergraduate education. When not working, Dessa loves to travel, fly fish and watch movies.