BOMA staff
Kenya Staff |
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| Ahmed “Kura” Omar, director of operations: Kura has earned a diploma in community development from Premese Africa Development Institute and a certificate in information technology from Kenya School of Professional Studies. He also has three years of training with Village Enterprise Fund (a Kenyan grants-based organization). Kura spends half of his time in Laisamis District and half of his time in Nanyuki, home to BOMA’s office in Kenya. Kura is well known in Laisamis District, having attended school in a number of villages there. He also served as a representative of Honorable Joseph Lekuton, the local member of parliament. Responsibilities: Developing and implementing all elements of the project, managing the project on the ground, selecting and monitoring BOMA village mentors.Daphin Bundi, office administrator: Daphin has studied computer skills and also earned a diploma in community development at Jomo Kenyatta University. She interned with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in the community development department, did volunteer work with the Muchui Women’s Group horticulture project of Farmers Helping Farmers, and most recently was a field officer with the Desert Oasis Residents Empowerment Programme (DOREP). She provides administrative support to BOMA operations in Kenya.
Sarah Ellis, director of new program development and evaluation: Sarah is a 2004 graduate of St. Lawrence University and holds a graduate degree in global finance, trade and economic integration from the University of Denver. She has had field experience in Kenya and Ghana, in addition to an internship with the International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. Before joining BOMA full-time in July 2011, Sarah served as the 2010–2011 BOMA fellow. Sarah is responsible for new program development and implementing a micro-savings training program. Sarah also oversees the evaluation and assessment of all current programs.
Emma Impink, 2011–2012 BOMA fellow: Emma is a 2010 graduate of Barnard College with a degree in African studies. Emma will spend her ten-month fellowship designing village profiles for the REAP micro-enterprise program, implementing an assessment of current BOMA businesses, and conducting field research into the establishment of earned-revenue strategies for BOMA Enterprises. Emma comes to BOMA through Princeton in Africa, a yearlong fellowship program.
26 BOMA village mentors: Village mentors are the foundation of BOMA’s economic-empowerment program, the Rural Entrepreneur Access Project. They are active residents of their communities with professional experience and an established income; they are carefully selected and trained by the BOMA staff. |
 Ahmed “Kura” Omar
 Sarah Ellis
 Emma Impink
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 Omar Sekotei Naida |
 Semeji Lekuton |
Omar Sekotei Naida and Semeji Lekuton are BOMA’s part-time staff in Laisamis District, providing field support and security for all of our training programs and grant disbursements.Omar is a man of few words, but he anticipates every need, changes a mean tire and has a flair for cooking. Semeji is referred to as the “entertainment mentor” for his gift of making everyone laugh and for his soulful warrior songs. |
United States Staff |
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| Kathleen Colson, founder and CEO: Kathleen has more than 20 years in nonprofit fundraising for African causes. She has been in the safari business in Africa for 25-plus years and worked with refugee groups in London for four. Kathleen oversees fundraising and donor cultivation for BOMA, as well as program development. She undertakes several extended trips to Kenya each year to meet with staff and evaluate programs. Kathleen graduated from St. Lawrence University with a B.A. in government; as a SLU student, she participated in the Kenya Semester program.Margaret (Meg) Harris, executive director: Meg has 20 years of experience in project management, fundraising and evaluation for international organizations. She previously served as director of philanthropic partnerships at the Salzburg Global Seminar, where she was responsible for donor cultivation, researching new revenue streams, and developing proposals and reports for foundation, government and corporate support. Before joining the Seminar in 1999, Meg worked with Associates in Rural Development (ARD), Partners for International Education and Training (PIET), and the Overseas Development Network. She spent her formative years in Nigeria, Zambia and Kenya and earned a B.A. from Carleton University and a M.A. in Adult Education from the University of Toronto, Canada. Meg is responsible for BOMA’s day-to-day operations.
Judy Paris, accounting and systems manager: A graduate of New York University, Judy has 25 years of accounting experience, mostly with nonprofits. She operates an independent business that provides bookkeeping and financial-management consulting services to many nonprofit organizations.
Kathleen James, director of communications and foundations: James has worked as an editor and writer for various newspapers, magazines and nonprofits since graduating from Northwestern University with a master’s degree in journalism in 1989.
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 Kathleen Colson  Meg Harris  Kathleen James, intern Haley Feickert, Judy Paris |
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