Staff Directory

Corporate and Foundation Relations

Susan Boerstling
Joe Matope
Dorcas Blue
Kafuti Talahumbu
Hyunjin Cho
Annika Sharp

Susan Boerstling

Assistant Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

Susan Boerstling, Assistant Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations, spearheads foundation and corporate engagement strategy for the university. She joined GW in 2013, and has more than 20 years of development experience specializing in partnerships with institutional funders. Prior to joining GW, Susan was with the Communications Consortium Media Center, a strategic communications nonprofit, for 13 years in a variety of positions, including development director and chief of staff. She also served at Georgetown University in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, and at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay in the marketing department. Susan is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Boston College with an A.B. in Communication. She is originally from Maine and enjoys lobster rolls and salt air.

Phone: 202-994-7384
Email: [email protected]

Joe Matope

Executive Director, Corporate Relations

Joe Matope, Executive Director of Corporate Relations, is responsible for leading GW’s corporate relations team to develop mutually beneficial holistic partnerships with corporations. Prior to joining GW, Joe served as Director of Corporate Relations at the Kansas State University Foundation where he developed and enhanced corporate partnerships, and executed strategies for increased investment to university priorities. Joe’s professional experience includes 12 years in the private sector in operations, marketing and business development management roles before working for the Commonwealth of Virginia and Fairfax County government in roles where he was responsible for developing and managing relationships with corporations to support economic and workforce development programs to advance the Northern Virginia region. Joe has a bachelor’s in business marketing from West Virginia University and a master’s in international commerce and policy from George Mason University. He is currently a board member of NACRO (Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers). Joe enjoys spending time with his family when he is not working.

Phone: 202-994-2270
Email: [email protected]

Dorcas Blue

Executive Director, Foundation Relations

Dorcas Blue, Executive Director of Foundation Relations, brings diverse experiences in philanthropy, community relations, and project development to her role. Prior to GW, Dorcas was at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, where she raised funds for public-private biomedical research partnerships. Her background includes serving in foundation relations at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and as a grant-maker supporting community-based initiatives focused on public education, arts & culture, and the environment. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Florida Institute of Technology, she is perpetually interested in learning about a wide diversity of topics through travel, reading, and enjoying cultural events.

Phone: 202-994-1304
Email: [email protected]

Kafuti Talahumbu

Associate Director, Corporate Relations

Kafuti Talahumbu is the Associate Director of Corporate Relations at The George Washington University (GW). Kafuti fosters collaborative and dynamic partnerships among the 10 GW schools, GW senior leaders, and private sector partners. His work involves initiating, developing, and facilitating private industry collaboration within a portfolio of 81 institutes and works closely with institute directors, faculty, and corporate partners to secure resources for strategic initiatives across the GW community. Prior to his tenure with GW, Kafuti served as a Channel Partner Manager at Verizon, where he forged strategic alliances in the healthcare, education, and public sectors. With IBM, Kafuti orchestrated key initiatives, including the market roll-out strategy for Watson Education’s Partner Ecosystem and expanded IBM’s government contracting footprint. Kafuti background includes studying and reporting on Wall Street firms at The Investment Company Institute, providing critical market insights to the Federal Reserve Board, US Treasury, and other industry actors. Kafuti holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Public Policy from Saint Mary's College of Maryland and an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business. In his free time, Kafuti enjoys spending time with his family, reading, working out, and traveling.

Phone: 202-451-0217
Email: [email protected]

Hyunjin Cho

Associate Director, Foundation Relations

Hyunjin Cho, Associate Director of Foundation Relations, collaborates with faculty and key partners at GW to strategically seek and obtain foundation funding for the arts and sciences. Prior to joining GW, Hyunjin was at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health where she raised funds for gun violence prevention research and advocacy. She also assisted foundation fundraising efforts at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She holds a PhD in History of Art and Architecture from Boston University and has a BA in Art History and Economics from Wesleyan University, CT.

Phone: 202-994-2084
Email: h.cho@gwu.edu

Annika Sharp

Development Associate, Corporate & Foundation Relations

Annika Sharp, Development Associate, Corporate & Foundation Relations, supports the team by assisting with proposal submissions, conducting prospect research, and managing key administrative functions to enhance GW’s corporate and foundation partnerships. Prior to joining GW, Annika gained valuable fundraising and administrative experience through internships, including working with UNICEF’s India Country Office in New Delhi and serving as a Fundraising & Development Intern at Family Service Rhode Island. Most recently, Annika was a research trainee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Annika holds a bachelor’s degree in International and Public Affairs and Psychology from Brown University.

Phone: 202-994-1304
Email: [email protected]