A Superpower Secret Weapon for the newest Rising Star Award Winner

Congratulations Tjada, The 2023 HBS Women’s Association Rising Star Award Winner

Congratulations to the 2023 HBS Women’s Association Rising Star Award Winner.  Tjada McKenna has dedicated her career to bringing economic opportunity and poverty alleviation to the most underserved communities in the world. Currently, Tjada serves as the CEO of Mercy Corps, a humanitarian aid organization serving communities affected by conflict, poverty, and climate change in over 40 countries. Last year, Mercy Corps reached over 38 million people, helping them to build resilience and prosper in the face of immense challenges.

As the only black CEO of a large international NGO, Tjada is a strong advocate for increased diversity in the sector, creating more equitable power dynamics between aid organizations and the communities they serve, and addressing “forgotten crises” like the drought in the Horn of Africa or Syria’s recovery from the earthquake in Turkey.

Tjada also gives her time to other efforts helping to bridge the gap between the private sector and underserved communities. She is a Senior Advisor to GiantLeap Capital, a structured growth equity firm making impact on many ESG and DEI issues, and the social impact arms of technology companies, Okta and Twilio. Tjada is also a wife and mother to two boys, ages 8 and 10.

Grants Jewelry is thrilled to have helped design and create the Rising Star pendant awarded to the winners of this prestigious honor.  The necklace is made of 14k white gold and is diamond encrusted with colorless diamonds and finished with a crimson-colored diamond at one point.  Tjada said “I actually wore it to my board meeting the very next day. It’s now my superpower secret weapon necklace.  I absolutely love it.”

Wear it well Tjada, and congratulations on the much deserved Rising Star Award!