Ethiopian Legacy Professional Development and Consulting Firm

Dr. Menna Demessie is a nationally recognized and published scholar, strategist, and educator whose career has been defined by one core mission: ensuring communities have the tools and strategies to empower themselves whether in the workforce, in the classroom, or on Capitol Hill. With more than 15 years of experience across academia, government, music and entertainment, corporate leadership and professional development, she brings both rigorous scholarship and real-world insight to the work of building successful careers. Dr. Demessie holds a joint PhD in Public Policy and Political Science from the University of Michigan and a certificate from Harvard Business School in the Business of Sports, Entertainment, and Media. Her academic training is not abstract - it is grounded in how power works, how decisions are made, and how individuals can position themselves to influence outcomes. Her policy career reflects that same focus on preparation and access. At the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Dr. Demessie founded the organization’s inaugural research and policy analysis center, launched a national undergraduate research and policy internship program that operated for over a decade, servicing thousands of African and African American students across the country and established a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal. These initiatives were designed to make careers in policy and leadership more attainable, especially for first-generation and immigrant students. Her own scholarship further underscores the power of voice, leverage, and strategy when it comes to influence. Dr. Demessie conducted the first empirical congressional study of African congressional caucuses in the U.S. Congress and their effects on U.S. foreign policy, a project awarded U.S. Senate funding. The study highlighted how first- and second-generation immigrants can be represented in Congress and use their voice strategically to shape policy—another lesson and skillset she also applies to professional development more broadly. As an educator, Dr. Demessie taught as an adjunct professor for the University of California and continues her long-standing appointment teaching at the University of Michigan, where her most popular undergraduate course, “Political Advocacy and Public Opinion in a Digital Age,” equips students with both an in-depth understanding of political behavior and practical tools in public speaking, persuasion, and strategic influence. Students leave her classroom smarter on how Congress works—but also how to successfully influence public opinion and take these skills on their job journey and impact! Dr. Demessie currently serves as a Senior Vice President and Executive Director at Universal Music Group, is serving her second term on the Board of Trustees of Oberlin College, and sits on the Board of the American Political Science Association where she advises on career strategies for political scientists in applied fields. She is also the founder of LevelUp, her career and professional development company, through which she has advises with undergraduate and graduate students and emerging and established professionals. Her message to the Ethiopian community is clear: the playbook for career success is not someone else’s, it’s YOURS, so SHOW UP, SHOW OUT, SHOW YOU!