Selamawit Ayana serves as the Compliance Specialist Fellow at MFC, where she supports the organization’s legal and regulatory compliance functions. Her work focuses on ensuring that MFC’s operations align with applicable nonprofit governance standards, including tax-exempt status obligations, donor agreement compliance, and internal policy development in areas such as intellectual property, data privacy, and corporate governance. She also contributes to staff training and awareness on legal risks, publication-related considerations, and the protection of confidential information.
Professionally, Selamawit brings over a decade of legal experience spanning both private law firms and government agencies. She has held paralegal and legal support roles at organizations including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Burke Stein Rosenberg, PLLC, and Rees Broom, PC, where she developed expertise in document drafting, regulatory analysis, due diligence coordination, risk management, and compliance. Her work has involved reviewing financial statements, managing case timelines, coordinating with external institutions, and ensuring strict adherence to court deadlines and procedural requirements.
Her legal foundation is supported by a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. This combined education gives her a comprehensive understanding of legal systems and regulatory frameworks, which she applies directly to MFC’s compliance and fact-checking support functions.
At MFC, Selamawit further assists the organization’s fact-checking efforts by helping identify and document sources, ensuring that information is accurately recorded and meets established evidentiary standards. Her meticulous approach to documentation, file management, and regulatory processes strengthens MFC’s credibility, transparency, and operational integrity. Her passion lies in using her legal expertise to support mission-driven organizations in maintaining strong procedural and ethical standards.