Elaine Obenshain

Elaine’s retail and wholesale background spans 35+ years working with international and national brands and retailers including JCPenney, Sears, Petrie Corp. and Williamson-Dickies Workwear. She has collaborated on associate customer training programs with leading international brands including Nike, Addis, Dockers, Levi, Dickies, and more. Her roles include brand marketing, visual design, and corporate training. Her life focus has shifted to teaching and social entrepreneurialism with emphasis on empowering local artisans. The virtual exchange program, ENGAGE, was conceived and designed by Elaine and sponsored by the Mohammed VI Polytechnique University's agricultural department, ESAFE. Stevens Initiative was the grantor for this program. Through facilitated dialogues and intentional activities, students develop critical cultural awareness skills that are relevant in today’s global workforce while helping students develop a true #worldclassconnection. In addition to her teaching activities, Elaine co-founded a start-up export company, AMCO to facilitate a growing artisan wholesale export business. She is passionate about her work with American Moroccan Alliance. Elaine possesses a lifelong enthusiasm for exploring the cultures, religions, histories and politics of the world with a focus on Morocco where she has resided for the past six years.