Michelle Mesen is Senior Partnerships Officer and Team Lead of the Southern Partnerships and External Relations Team at the Global Partnership for Education. Over the past few years she has been leading the Southern Partnerships and External Relations Team and setting new directions for engagement with Developing Country Partners (DCPs) and the global south. She has worked closely with Ministers and senior public officials across GPE’s developing country partners to increase the DCP voice and visibility within the partnership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) from Southwestern University, a Master of Arts (International Communications) from American University, and a Master of Science (Counseling) from Loyola University. Earlier work and study experiences brought Michelle to France, the UK, and Italy.