Raniya Yimam is the Development Manager at Rabata, where she supports the organization’s fundraising, donor engagement, and development efforts. Based in Minnesota near the Rabata Cultural Center, Raniya has also been a student of Ribāṭ Riverstead and will begin studying at Ribāṭ University this fall, where she plans to major in Arabic. Her connection to Rabata as both a team member and student brings a unique perspective to her development work and a personal investment in the mission she helps advance.
Raniya holds bachelor’s degrees in Public Health and Global Studies from Hamline University. Her professional background spans research, advocacy, public health, and project management, experiences that have strengthened her ability to build relationships, coordinate complex initiatives, analyze needs, and work collaboratively toward meaningful outcomes. As a student, she conducted research on food insecurity and students’ basic needs to improve access to the campus food pantry and participated in statewide advocacy for Minnesota’s successful Tobacco 21 legislation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as a Public Health Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Health before moving into the medical device industry, where she worked as a Scrum Master and Product Manager, collaborating with clinics and software development teams to improve technology supporting patient care.
Originally from Ethiopia, Raniya came to the United States as an international student in 2017. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her siblings, and exploring new places.