Passionate about unlocking the potential of rural communities, Menen  is a dedicated development professional who brings together deep marketing expertise with a strong commitment to social impact. Her work focuses on creating sustainable, inclusive market systems that empower women, youth, and smallholder farmers to thrive.

With a background in Business Administration (MBA) and Marketing Management, she brings both strategic insight and practical experience to the field. Before joining iDE, she contributed to a range of development initiatives through her roles with Adama University as a lecturer, VIS, Nuru International Ethiopia, and several consultancy firms. These experiences equipped her with a holistic understanding of local development challenges and the market-based solutions needed to overcome them.

Over the years, she has led and supported transformative projects in economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, agribusiness development, climate-smart agriculture (CSA),  and  livelihood for forest dependent communities.  Her approach is rooted in promoting market-oriented production, value chain development, and strong market linkages that foster resilience and sustainable  change. 
A believer in sustainable, systemic change,  Menen  is committed to building pathways that ensure rural voices are not only heard but economically empowered — driving forward a future where development is inclusive, practical, and lasting.