Public Partnerships Associate
Sallem Berhane is a Public Partnerships Associate at Ara Partners. She supports the firm’s government affairs strategy, policy monitoring, and government outreach across portfolio companies.
Before joining Ara, Sallem was a Manager in RMI’s (formerly known as Rocky Mountain Institute) Global South program. She worked to support sub-Saharan African partners in achieving their energy transition goals. Sallem managed RMI’s involvement in the Africa Minigrids Program, a 1.6 million USD Global Environment Facility-funded project jointly implemented by RMI, the United Nations Development Programme, and the African Development Bank, that aimed to increase access to electricity by improving the financial viability and promoting scaled-up commercial investment in renewable energy minigrids. Prior to joining RMI, Sallem worked as a Policy Specialist for the United Nations Development Programme. She has experience in strategy, policy development, and project management, having worked with international organizations, the private sector, governments, and donors on topics such as inclusive development, poverty reduction, and access to finance.
Sallem holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Macalester College and a master’s degree in International Development from Sciences Po Paris. She is a 2022 Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) fellow.