Tamlyn Stevens

Analytical lead at the intersection of Economics, Law, and Climate Policy. Expert in translating geopolitical decisions into local economic action with a focus on Natural Capital and sustainable finance. Proven experience in Chatham House policy analysis, financial operations, and stakeholder negotiation. A 'Global Majority' leader dedicated to future-proofing youth-led advocacy through strategic resource management and legislative accountability.

Founder Cohort Member at Founders6 Accelerator (2026-07 – Present)

• Selected to participate in an international startup accelerator supporting high-growth technology founders.
• Receiving mentorship on venture fundraising, customer discovery, product strategy, and investor readiness.
• Developing Rewear Closet's fundraising strategy, go-to-market execution, and venture scaling roadmap.

Regional Lead at Girls Into VC (2026-03 – Present)

• Founded and lead the Cape Town chapter, growing a local community for women interested in venture capital and investing.
• Organised educational events, networking sessions, and partnerships with universities and industry professionals.
• Built relationships with founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to increase access to venture capital careers.
• Led community strategy, operations, outreach, and volunteer coordination.
• Organised speaker events and workshops while developing partnerships across universities and the South African startup ecosystem.

Policy Research & Advocacy Candidate at Politics 4 Her Africa (2026-03 – Present)

• Selected as a candidate for the Policy and Research Writing role, focusing on the intersection of gender justice, legislative frameworks, and economic autonomy across the African continent.
• Developed a comprehensive policy analysis of the South African Criminal Justice System, identifying structural defects and proposing data-driven solutions for the forensic and evidentiary implementation gap.
• Conducted independent thematic research on the geopolitical and economic dimensions of the conflict in Sudan, focusing on the weaponization of the economy against women and the integration of grassroots Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) into formal humanitarian frameworks.
• Utilized a Law and Economics framework to analyze the care economy and advocate for localized, gender-responsive budgeting to bridge the gap between grassroots realities and legislative change.

Extern at National Geographic Society + The Nature Conservancy (2026-02 – 2026-03)

• Learnt about various freshwater conservation issues and approaches, through resources and case studies provided by National Geographic (NGS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
• Learnt and applied various primary and secondary research methods to identify freshwater conservation issues in your local area or region
• Spoke to local leaders, conservationists, community members, and experts from NGS/TNC to gain a deep understanding of freshwater issues and their impact on the local community
• Conducted a landscape/gap analysis to identify gaps and propose solutions
• Used compelling written and visual storytelling to communicate freshwater issues and the ways in which communities can help

Finance and operations lead at Mobility for Climate Policy (2025-12 – Present)

• Directly manage the Programs Unit, overseeing the integration of research, policy, and event work to strengthen climate mobility governance across the Global South and Global North.
• Oversee the conversion of high-quality, evidence-based research into implementable policy recommendations that address climate displacement, voluntary movement, and immobility.
• Coordinate cross-regional and South-North cooperation by managing partnerships between academic researchers, community leaders, and policymakers to ensure governance frameworks reflect lived realities.
• Lead Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks to ensure research findings reach the right audiences and tackling root causes of vulnerability, such as environmental degradation and lack of adaptive capacity.

Branch Secretary at Democratic Alliance (2025-02 – Present)

• Directly manage ward-level administration, including scheduling, agenda drafting, and recording official minutes for community council meetings.
• Oversee financial fundraising efforts for regional campaigns and local community initiatives.
• Coordinate large-scale community projects (such as urban reforestation) and manage stakeholder communications via official channels.

Data Intern at Mission for Inner City Cape Town (2025-08 – 2025-09)

• Served as the sole intern on the data team, spearheading the analysis of urban planning and regional development initiatives.
• Engineered a comprehensive city map identifying urban safe zones, tourist hotspots, and key economic opportunities to inform city development.
• Spearheaded local sponsorship outreach, successfully raising R50,000 to fund community projects and data-driven initiatives.
• Provided actionable, data-backed insights to improve urban spaces and foster sustainable community engagement.

Social Media & Community Lead at World Economic Forum (Global Shapers) (2025-07 – Present)

• Lead the social media strategy for the Cape Town Hub, managing a team to drive youth engagement in local policy initiatives.
• Key contributor to the "Reskilling of the Future" project, handling strategic planning and logistical coordination.

Extern at Magusta Ventures (2025-07 – 2025-12)

• Selected for a competitive externship focused on venture capital acquisition and funding pathways for early-stage startups.
• Conducted intensive market and financial research to identify growth strategies and scaling opportunities for diverse portfolios.
• Produced data-driven recommendations and strategic reports to assist startups in navigating the venture capital landscape.

Founder / Tech Lead at Built By Her & Rewear Closet (2024-02 – Present)

Built By Her: Established a student-led non-profit providing financial literacy education to young women in South Africa. Rewear Closet: Developed a fashion-tech platform promoting circular consumption; managed all front-end/back-end coding and UI/UX design.

Author at Equality for Africa (2021-01 – 2023-06)

• Diplomatic Outreach: Initiated formal correspondence with international heads of state and monarchs to advocate for South African youth priorities and socio-economic equity.
• Policy Analysis: Authored weekly research-based reports on South African history, current affairs, and the systemic barriers facing the "Global Majority."
• Digital Engagement: Built and managed an independent digital platform that reached a global audience of over 50 weekly readers, utilizing storytelling to bridge the gap between youth and complex political discourse.
• Resilience & Transition: Managed the platform independently for two years while navigating personal displacement and educational transitions, demonstrating long-term commitment to advocacy goals.

Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law & Economics – Harvard University (2025-05 – 2029-06)

Program in Sustainable Development Goals Program on Coursea – University of Copenhagen (2024 – 2024)

High School Diploma – Bridgeway Academy (2025)

Policy Fellow – Youth in Policy (2025-01 – 2025-07)

Program in Robotics & Research Program – The Knowledge Society (TKS) (2023 – 2024)