For Lourena Gboeah, advocacy is more than work; it’s ingrained in the fabric of who she is. A former refugee from Liberia, Lourena has spent nearly two decades working with unseen and marginalized communities. Today, as the Program Director for Upwardly Global, she brings that dedication and professional expertise to the frontlines of workforce inclusion.
From Policy to Practice
“I’m a master’s level social worker,” Lourena said. “But I didn’t go into social work for the clinical side of things. I’ve always been more drawn to policy, because that’s where the root of most of our social ills lies.”
That intersection — where policy meets community — is where Lourena thrives and what led her to Upwardly Global.
“I was expecting my second child,” she recalled. “And I kept saying to my network, ‘I want to return to nonprofit work, but I want it to be with immigrants and refugees.’”
A colleague at Refugee Congress, where Lourena chairs the board, sent her a job posting for Upwardly Global. She followed up by initiating an informational interview with CEO Jina Krause-Vilmar, which led to a formal introduction with another member of the executive leadership team.
“Here I am today, almost three years later,” she said. “I truly spoke this role into existence.”
Leading With Purpose
As Program Director, Lourena oversees a team of full-time and contract staff. Her days are filled with everything from internal check-ins and reviewing grant deliverables to prepping for presentations and outreach with partners. “I start each day reviewing my priorities,” she said. “That’s how I stay grounded.”
What keeps her inspired day after day is simple: the mission.
“I love the work we do,” Lourena said. “It’s an honor to align my passion for refugee advocacy with workforce development. Economic inclusion is essential. When people are included in the economy and have access to opportunity, it eases so many other challenges.”
Her favorite Upwardly Global memory remains attending her first gala. “That moment really hit me,” she shared. “I was in the room with people who power this work — our supporters, partners, funders. Being able to thank them, to share space with them, was powerful.”
Amplifying Voices Beyond Upwardly Global
Lourena’s impact isn’t limited to Upwardly Global. Her board work spans across Refugee Congress, Refugee Council USA, and a global advisory board with UNHCR focused on meaningful participation of organizations led by forcibly displaced and stateless persons.
“Each of these roles allows me to use my voice, and the voices of others with lived experience, to inform policy change,” she said.
The belief that those closest to the issues should be closest to the solutions fuels her advocacy. She’s spoken at multiple events globally, including a live taping on Voice of America.
“At those events, I’ve been able to connect my advocacy work with the direct service and workforce programming we do at Upwardly Global,” she noted. “It shows the full scope of what inclusion really means.”
Balancing Work and Family
Lourena’s dedication also extends to her personal life as she juggles her work at Upwardly Global with being a wife and mother of three.
“I’m fortunate to have a very supportive partner,” she said, “but I’ve also reached a point where I need to start stepping back a bit. My kids are growing, and I want to be more in tune with them. I never want them to feel a void.”
Her Vision for the Future
Through every trip, every presentation, and every speaking engagement, Lourena Gboeah remains anchored in her passion to uplift, advocate, and change systems for the better. Looking to the future, Lourena’s vision for Upwardly Global is one rooted in transformation.
“My hope for the next 25 years is that our current work will no longer be necessary,” she said. “That we will have influenced policy to such an extent that economic inclusion for immigrants and refugees is simply embedded in our systems. If that happens, we’ll be a different organization — and that’s the goal.”
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