By: Deborah Monfette
Victoria Trabosh didn’t find her purpose, it found her. With more than 40 years of leadership experience across the corporate, nonprofit, and coaching worlds, she is now widely recognized as a transformational coach, international speaker, bestselling author, and the creator of the AdFARsity™ framework. But her journey to global impact began not with a business strategy but with a single word.
A Life-Changing Conversation
At a World Vision event in Portland in 2004, Victoria introduced herself to the only African woman in the room. When she told the woman, Rita, that her late mother’s name had also been Rita, the woman paused, looked her in the eye, and said, “Then I will be your mother.”
That simple but profound moment formed an unexpected bond. Rita Ngarambe was a Rwandan leader working to rebuild her country after the 1994 genocide. Her strength, compassion, and clarity of mission deeply moved Victoria.
That moment sparked a connection that would change the trajectory of her life and work. Moved by the story of post-genocide Rwanda and the strength of its people, Victoria said yes to an invitation that would forever alter her definition of leadership.
At the time, she didn’t know where Rwanda was on a map. She had no formal plan, only a willingness to listen, show up, and act. What she didn’t expect was that Rwanda would become not only a place of service, but a source of her deepest personal growth.
Building Itafari, Brick by Brick
Before I ever set foot in Rwanda, I knew I needed to do something more than just show up. I needed to act. So, I organized a fundraiser called Brick by Brick, a name inspired by both the physical rebuilding in Rwanda and the emotional rebuilding required after unimaginable trauma. That evening, each guest discovered a small brick hidden beneath their chair.
As they held the bricks in their hands, I shared what they represented: the weight of a starving child, the burden of a mother carrying her family, the color of the soil seen by women in moments of violation. But I also told them, “This brick symbolizes hope. And with it, we will help Rwanda rise, brick by brick.”
The night was powerful. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Keir Pearson, who wrote Hotel Rwanda, generously provided 200 DVDs for attendees. The stories shared and the presence of the Rwandan diaspora created a moment no one would forget. By the end of the night, we had raised $23,000.
From Inspiration to Institution
That momentum led to the creation of the Itafari Foundation. When I told my husband I was planning to go to Rwanda, his response was, “You’re not going to Rwanda.” He was worried, of course. And understandably so. But the calling was too strong to ignore. I co-founded the foundation with two other women. We didn’t hold focus groups or conduct market research, instead we simply asked a Rwandan friend for the word for “brick”. It happened to be, “itafari”, and knew immediately that was the name. It carried the weight and promise we were trying to honor.
Over the next 11 years, Itafari raised more than $1.5 million, supporting microfinance programs for women, child sponsorships, education initiatives, goat cooperatives, and artisan development. We operated with less than 6% overhead and were entirely volunteer-led.
“We didn’t follow a plan,” I often say. “We followed the purpose.”
Between 2005 and 2025, Victoria traveled to Rwanda 13 times. She cried at genocide memorials, laughed with women in cooperatives, and learned what it meant to rebuild, not just infrastructure, but identity and trust. Rwanda, she says, became her greatest teacher.
“It taught me the power of presence, resilience, and completion,” she reflects. “After seeing what the people of Rwanda had lived through and how they continued to rise, I made a vow to never whine again. Gratitude and grit are now non-negotiables in my life and work.”
Her experience in Rwanda didn’t just shift her worldview, it reshaped her coaching philosophy. The lessons of clarity, courage, dignity, and service that she witnessed firsthand became the backbone of her AdFARsity™ framework, a method she now uses to help leaders turn adversity into aligned action.
Coaching That Transforms from the Inside Out
Today, Victoria works with executives, founders, and change agents around the world. Her coaching is not about quick wins, it’s about deep alignment. Using her proprietary framework, she helps clients lead with authenticity, navigate uncertainty, and create impact from the inside out.
“I teach what I’ve lived,” she says. “Rwanda showed me what’s possible when we lead from purpose, not ego. When we serve from humility, not fear.”
She believes leadership is not about holding power, but holding space for others, for healing, and for the future.
Returning with Purpose in 2025
Now based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Victoria continues to write, speak, and coach while preparing for her 14th trip to Rwanda in October 2025. This time, she’s bringing others with her.
She’s leading a curated leadership journey through Rwanda designed for individuals ready to deepen their purpose, expand their perspective, and experience transformational growth. The journey will include visits to cooperatives, memorials, community organizations, and even a trek to see Rwanda’s famed mountain gorillas.
“It’s not a tour,” she says. “It’s a calling. We’re going to witness, to connect, and to grow.”
A Legacy of Listening and Action
“Your words and passion lit a spark in me. When you said people reach a point where they’re ready to play a bigger game—and there’s no going back—it landed deeply. Your journey is a reminder to rise up, listen to the voice in our hearts, and act now,” said client Maura Conlon-McIvor, Ph.D., an author, speaker, coach and psychologist.
What began as a spontaneous promise to a stranger has evolved into a lifetime of impact. For Victoria Trabosh, Rwanda is not just a country she supports, it’s a place that shaped her soul.
She believes the best leaders are those who answer the call, even when they don’t yet understand the path. “You don’t need all the answers to begin,” she says. “You just need to be willing to listen and act.”
And if you ask her what leadership means to her now? She’ll tell you it’s what happens when service meets courage, and vision meets integrity.
About Victoria Trabosh
Victoria Trabosh is a transformational coach, international speaker, bestselling author, and creator of the AdFARsity™ framework. She has over 40 years of leadership experience and co-founded the Itafari Foundation, which raised $1.5 million for Rwandan-led initiatives.
Learn more at victoriatrabosh.com | Tour details: rwanda2025.com
