Vision: EmpowerEdX strives to build curious, courageous, resilient, independent, emotionally intelligent, resourceful, and caring young leaders and lifelong learners who help to create a better world, and Afghanistan, through compassion, intercultural understanding, and respect.

Mission: At EmpowerEdX, our mission is to develop a highly engaging, academically challenging, project-based, personalized, locally & globally relevant education to the needs of Afghan students to help them gain mastery over core topics, and become compassionate lifelong learners who understand themselves and others.

Shared Values: Courage, Curiosity, Resilience, Respect, Understanding, Wisdom, Local-Global Citizenship, and Innovation

Our understanding of Afghan culture, the challenges Afghan girls face, the intricacies of the Afghan education system, application processes, and insights into the scholarship landscape enable us to develop the most creative & impactful solutions to the problems facing girls in Afghanistan.

At the heart of our program is a passionate and dedicated team committed to empowering Afghan girls and fostering educational opportunities. Each group member brings unique skills, including teaching, college counseling, mentorship, networking, and more, collectively working toward a common goal: to inspire, educate, empower, build resilience, and support Afghan girls in their pursuit of academic success.

Board of Advisors

Diana Martelly

Diana has served as the High School Principal at Keystone Academy in China, Carol Morgan School in the Dominican Republic, and the American International School of Abuja in Nigeria. Currently, she works with the Search Associates as a Senior Consultant and is a math professor at the University of St. Thomas.

Diana earned both BS and MS degrees in Mathematics Education at Florida International University, where she continued to pursue an Ed.D. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. After several years working overseas, Diana returned to the university and completed an M.Ed. in Private School Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Jody Emmings

Jody is the Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Macalester College. She designs strategies related to all entrepreneurial initiatives and implements programming. Jody also leads the vision of the Idea Lab at Macalester to be a community hub of creativity, experimentation, and innovation, collaborating with students, faculty, and departments across campus.

Furthermore, Jody has worked at the Pohlad Family Foundation. As a certified welder and visual artist, Jody owns a small business called Hot House Metal, where she creates custom architectural metalwork. Jody studied English and American Studies at the University of St. Thomas.