Åsa Fanelli, (pronounced “Osa”) is the co-founder and the Chief Strategist of IdeaLift Group, a boutique strategy consulting firm that works with organizations to provide key insights to boards and executives, solve problems, design new services and products, inform strategic decision-making, develop capable leaders and identify cultural practices that will fuel success. Åsa is also the founding board member of Power Launch, a new social impact accelerator and innovation lab. Power Launch invests in compelling ideas, exceptional leaders and high- potential organizations to accelerate social change. 

 

Åsa brings over 20 years of broad-based leadership experience, both in the global corporate and nonprofit sectors. She is known as a passionate, engaging leader with an entrepreneurial spirit who has contributed to significant growth and great impact in her career. Most recently, Åsa served as CEO and President of Horizons for Homeless Children, a Boston-based nonprofit that provides high-quality early education and play for young homeless children. During her time at Horizons, Åsa led the development and implementation of a new strategic plan that strengthened the organization as a national thought leader and advocate on early education and homelessness.  Åsa also served on several advisory councils, including the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, and the Massachusetts Head Start State Collaboration Office Advisory. 

 

Before joining Horizons, Åsa spent more than 15 years at EF Education First, a global company providing language education, cultural exchange, academic programs, and immersion travel with offices and schools spread across 52 countries with 23,000 staff, teachers and volunteers. She held numerous leadership positions in business development, sales/ marketing, operations and talent management in this highly entrepreneurial, fast growing organization. 

 

Åsa started her career with EF Education in Rome, Italy and later moved to Boston as President of EF’s High School Year student exchange program. While at EF, Åsa also served as head of Human Resources and Talent Management. In addition to overseeing recruitment, training and performance management for the North American EF offices, she was appointed to lead a global cross-company talent management initiative where she created and facilitated leadership seminars and professional development trainings for managers in the US, Asia, Europe and Latin America. 

 

Åsa graduated in Human Resources Management and Economics from University of Stockholm and has Boston University's Fundraising Certificate Program as well as the Board Source Certificate of NonProfit Board Consulting. She has completed numerous leadership trainings through her career, such as the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute Program developed by SIYLI/Google, Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for Managers and BrainPower (Mindsight and Emotional Intelligence in Leadership) by Daniel Goleman. She is a member of The Boston Club where she serves on the Nonprofit Board Committee to organize educational events for members. 

A Swedish citizen, she was born in India and grew up internationally in Africa, Asia and Europe. Åsa regulary visits Nicaragua where she has been volunteering with children in an orphanage for ten years.  As a passionate world-wide traveler Åsa has hopes to add Japan, Tasmania and Myanmar to the extensive list of countries she has explored. 

 

Åsa loves the time she spends with her family, including two sons and many cool friends. Additionally, she is a Zumba enthusiast, enjoys photography and someday will learn to play golf. As a curious life-long learner, she is continuously seeking to expand her capabilities, most recently by studying variuos mindfulness-based practices and completing another Certificate of Nonprofit Board Governance.