Menen has a background in agri-business, cooperative capacity building, market links for small-holder farmers, rural and urban livelihoods, business advisory services, youth and gender programming, and education.  She has 16 years of professional experience working with international NGOs, higher education institutions, consulting firms. She was a project entrepreneurship expert for Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS) Ethiopia, impact programs and training manager at Nuru International Ethiopia, a training facilitator in US Peace Corps in Ethiopia, and a lecturer in Adama University. Menen graduated from Adama University with a master of business administration and a bachelor of marketing management.