Resident Community Council

Joseph Kouadio, President (Region: Africa)

I am Joseph Kouadio, a UN Young Leader with a rich international educational background, including a bachelor’s degree from Japan and an academic stint in Switzerland. Originally from Ivory Coast, I bring a unique global perspective shaped by experiences across Africa, Asia, and Europe. My commitment to environmental sustainability has led me to represent Ivory Coast at key UN forums with entities like UNESCO, the World Bank, and UNFCCC. I am a Public Policy student at Berkeley and served as the Resident Community Council (RCC) President at I-House for the 2023-2024 term. My tenure as RCC President was marked by a commitment to enhancing community engagement and organizing memorable events that brought our diverse community together. We successfully hosted a variety of significant events, including a cruise, prom, Halloween, a community benefits concert, and more. They all have contributed to a vibrant and inclusive community atmosphere. We are proud of our work, helping to strengthen the I-House vision of creating long-lasting friendships.

Elise Yi, Vice-President (Region: Asia)

Josemaria Gabriel Fadri, Non-Officer Council Member Representative (Region: Asia)

My name is Josemaria Gabriel Fadri, and I am from Manila, Philippines. I am doing the Master’s of Engineering program in Civil Engineering, focused on Transportation Engineering. I am interested in public and active transportation and their potential to bring communities together. I am part of the Resident Community Council as the Non-Officer Representative to Asia. I know these languages to varying levels of proficiency: Filipino (Tagalog), English (both native), Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Japanese (upper intermediate), as well as, Italian, Japanese, Romanian, German, Dutch, and Korean (beginner). I am proud of the work the RCC has done to launch events to bring people together.

David Gravanita, Secretary (Region: Europe)

My name is David Gravanita, and I am from Lisbon, Portugal. I am a first year PhD at UC Berkeley Haas, and I focus on political and public economics. Prior to coming to Berkeley I did a Masters at Università Bocconi in Italy and my undergrad at Nova School of Business and Economics in Portugal, both in Economics as well. I have also interned at McKinsey and Company, and worked as a research assistant at Bocconi, Harvard Business School, and Columbia University. During my tenure as RCC Secretary I am proud to have contributed to an inclusive and safe community environment at International House.

Lisa Kasamba, Treasurer (Region: Africa)

Sanibonani. Hello, hello. I’m Lisa Kasamba, a master's student at the UC Berkeley School of Information, focusing on product management and user experience research. I’m passionate about finding ingenious ways to bring about efficacy and efficiency. To a Ugandan father and Swazi mother, I was born and raised in the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. I graduated from Methodist University, in Fayetteville, North Carolina with a double major in applied forensic science and justice studies, and double minor in mathematics and Spanish. I worked in special education and for the Baltimore City Police Department as a crime lab technician. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, trying new foods, and learning new languages. I served as the RCC treasurer for the 2023-2024 academic year. My role entailed assisting in the development and management of the council budget, and resources for programming. As a council, we collaborated to ideate and market events that promote a sense of community. It has been an honor for me to have helped foster meaningful I-House connections and enhance the quality of life of over 600 diverse residents.

Dinah Lawan, Non-Officer Council Member Representative (Region: Africa)

I am Dinah Lawan, an incoming third-year Ph.D. student in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. I was born and raised in Northeastern Nigeria and am fluent in at least four languages: Kibaku, which is my native language and the language I grew up speaking; Hausa, the predominant language in Northern Nigeria; and English. My research interests focus on political violence, peacebuilding, and development in Africa, particularly in Nigeria.  I earned my BA from the University of Notre Dame in 2022, with degrees in Political Science, Peace Studies, and Studio Art Ceramics. My commitment to fostering peace and supporting victims of political violence is driven by a vision to significantly improve their lives and ensure a sustainable future. In 2023, I was privileged to be chosen as one of the Projects for Peace winners and also served on the Resident Community Council as the Non-Officer Representative to Africa for the 2023-2024 academic year. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the International House community and family

Obiamaka Ude, Non-Officer Council Member Representative (Region: Americas)

Obiamaka served on the Resident Community Council during the 2023-2024 academic year. She is a second year doctoral student in the Department of City and Regional Planning in the College of Environmental Design. Her work as a graduate student examines whether sustainable textile manufacturing can mitigate soil and water degradation while also producing sustainable economies in order to resolve cycles of production that are detrimental to the environment. She believes that city planners as arbiters of land use and development have a unique responsibility and opportunity to reconcile ecological and economic systems. She envisions a world where ecological stability is a central component to the work of economic development within the field of urban planning. Prior to coming to Cal, Obiamaka worked as a city planner in Los Angeles.  Obiamaka received her Master of City Planning degree from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, and is a U.S. Fulbright Fellow. In her spare time, you might find her stitching a new sewing project into the evening or see her chasing sunshine in between study sessions. She is from Los Angeles, California.

Marguerite Mary Kelly, Non-Officer Council Member Representative (Region: Europe)

Dia dhuit! My name is Marguerite Mary Kelly (she/her/hers). Born and raised in Saint-Etienne, France, by a binational Irish and French family, I came to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 to finish my Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Bachelor degree as a UCEAP reciprocity exchange student from Université Louis Lumière Lyon 2. Prior to that I have earned a Scientific Baccalureate with minors in Russian Studies and Performing Arts and and have been studying Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in Aix-Marseille University for a year. As a disabled student passionate about Public Health and Disabled People Rights Advocay, I have, during my year in the Bay Area, shadowed and interned for several organizations, like the Health Service Internship of the School of Public Health, The Young Women Christian Association of Okaland-Berkeley and the San Fransisco Branch of Reproductive Medicine Associates. I have also been an active member of the Harm Reduction Expansion Project of Party Safe at Cal. For the academic year of 2023-2024, I served as one of the Non-Officer Representatives of Europe in the Resident Community Council, focusing on mental health awareness events, such as the Fall Semester Mental Health and Subtance Use awareness week.