Damonique Sonnier is a Government Innovation Fellow based in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area supporting the Criminal Justice and Procurement policy teams within the Government Performance Lab. Prior to joining the GPL, Damonique spent years working for JP Morgan Chase leading innovative strategic projects and programs enhancing the customer and employee experience and productivity. Always possessing a fervent passion to address current and emergent social and economic challenges faced by marginalized populations, Damonique shifted her career path to public service. She spent 2 years embedded in a municipality in Namibia, Africa collaborating with city officials on implementing economic development revitalization strategies and social welfare programming. Damonique has also worked within the Small Business Administration in the Office of Disaster Assistance supporting recovery and resiliency efforts for small businesses impacted by natural disasters. She has collaborated with various international and domestic nonprofits to provide research, grant, and program facilitation support in the policy areas of housing affordability, social justice, education, and healthcare equity. 
Damonique graduated with a master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration (MSNPA) from Louisiana State University-Shreveport and holds a BA in International Business from Howard University in Washington, DC. In her spare time, Damonique enjoys powerlifting, discovering new cultures through international films, and karaoke.