Annafi Wahed, CFA, is the Programs Director at Ascender. She oversees the design and implementation of all programs, fosters relationships with the entrepreneurs we serve to ensure they gain access to everything Ascender offers, and liaises with public, private, and community organizations and stakeholders to enhance Ascender’s offerings and broaden our impact. An Ascender alum herself, Annafi had long been part of the Ascender community prior to taking on this role.
Annafi brings over a decade of experience across the federal, private, nonprofit, and startup sectors. Most recently she founded The Flip Side, a media startup on a mission to bridge political divides in America. With no prior startup or media experience, she built a newsletter subscriber list of 200,000+, raised $900,000 in investment funding, and has been generating $100,000+ in revenue each year since 2021. Annafi’s op-eds have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, and USA Today. Her media appearances include Fox & Friends, The Young Turks, and numerous podcast interviews.
Annafi has a BA in Economics and Psychology from Bryn Mawr College. She was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, raised in Queens, New York, and now lives in Shadyside, Pittsburgh.
