Rhea Simms is an international development professional with a Master of Development Practice. Getting her start as a volunteer in Asia, she has spent the last decade championing economic opportunity through social entrepreneurship around the world, especially for youth and women. Rhea has been the Senior Project Manager at Youth Challenge International (YCI) since 2022 where she leads HerStart Innovate the Future, a program funded through Canada’s Volunteer Cooperation Program. At YCI she is working alongside young innovators, volunteers, and partners to break down barriers to entrepreneurship and expand pathways to financial independence. Previously, as Director of Global Programs at Planeterra, Rhea supported the development of community tourism enterprises, building direct connections to tourism markets to ensure more of tourism’s economic benefits reach local communities. Rhea is passionate about creating meaningful partnerships across sectors and stakeholders that support financial independence for women and youth.