Thione Niang is a public servant, speaker and consultant. Born into a family of 28 children in Senegal, Thione arrived in the US in 2000, speaking no English and with $20 in his pocket. He worked as a waiter and sent money home to his family every month while saving up to obtain a college diploma.
Thione Niang became involved in politics while studying in Ohio, holding numerous positions within the Democratic Party. Having campaigned for several local and national candidates, in 2008 he was active in the Presidential campaign to elect Barack Obama.
In 2009, he launched the GIVE1 project – a global not for profit organisation dedicated to helping young leaders promote economic and social progress in their communities. This organisation is active in numerous countries, including France, the US and Japan, as well as in Africa (Senegal, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gabon, etc).
Today, Thione Niang travels the world promoting the importance of leadership and the involvement of youth in public life. He also founded the consulting group TN, which aims to improve communications and relations between governments and global organisations.
In October 2015 he was appointed by President Obama and The Energy Secretary as ambassador at the US Ministry of Energy representing minorities in energy.