Board of Directors

She brings 20+ years of public relations, fundraising and marketing skills to Elimu. She runs Lavoie Public Relations and is an international business advisor with non-profit clients in emerging economies such as Nigeria, Vietnam, Macedonia, Ethiopia and the Yukon. With Elimu, she assists with global communications and fundraising. Jennifer fully supports Elimu’s community-wide approach to learning, which empowers children, families and communities to build better livelihoods and realize their dreams. She holds a bachelor of public relations from Mt St. Vincent University, a masters in management from University of Ottawa, and a certificate in international community development. Jennifer teaches inner-city kids how to cook and coordinates a winter shelter in Nanaimo.

She is a native of Quebec City but has lived in Ottawa for over 45 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Mathematics from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She spent her entire 33-year work career with the federal government as an economist and policy advisor in the Energy Sector of Natural Resources Canada, retiring in 2008. Maureen served for two years as treasurer of the Ottawa District Golf Association. She then became treasurer of the Ottawa Heart Institute Auxiliary, a position she held for 20 years. After retiring from the public service, she assumed the position of Managing Director for the Auxiliary. Maureen was also the treasurer of a small investment club for 15 years and has participated in a number of committees in her church, including 3 years on the finance committee.

Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Sospeter is the Director, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning (R, ME&L) and the Kenya Country Director at Learning for Humanity (Waterloo, Canada), and divides his time between Canada and Africa. He has been involved in knowledge translation/implementation research in diverse areas with local and international organizations to improve education, health, food security and community development especially for the rural poor in Africa. As a trained teacher, he tackles many issues from the educational perspective and has shared his expertise with stakeholders on the development of Kenya’s Competency Based Curriculum. He also has in-depth experience with offline education technology for the classroom. Sospeter is a member of the Centre for Leading Research in Education (CLIRiE) of the Wilfrid Laurier University, and a visiting lecturer at the Nairobi University. Sospeter has a PhD in Health Studies and Gerontology from the University of Waterloo, Master of Arts (Communication) from Daystar University (Kenya), and a Bachelor of Education from Kenyatta University (Kenya). He is proficient in English, Swahili, and four other Kenyan languages. He enjoys photography, reading and writing.

Currently retired in Burlington, Ontario, over the years Paul has consulted with executives in for-profit organizations in North America and Europe, and with not-for-profit and charitable organizations in Canada, typically in terms of their organizational development and leadership needs. During his career, Paul has had extensive manufacturing, marketing, sales, general management, executive officer and board experience in a variety of industries including construction, automotive, environmental services, healthcare, refrigeration, executive development, insurance, wireless communications, film studio marketing, finance/leasing, and not-for-profit/charitable sectors. His responsibilities have ranged from managing development stage technology firms to leading multinational companies at both divisional and corporate levels. He has business experience in North America, Europe, Australia, and the Far East and has lived and worked in both Canada and the USA. Paul has a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University and is a graduate of Mahler’s International Advanced Management Skills Program. Paul is married, enjoys golf, tennis and fishing and is a dual citizen of Canada and the USA.

Greg Yost, Director, resides in Ottawa. He is a lawyer who spent 17 years with the Manitoba Department of Justice and 22 years with Justice Canada before retiring in 2020. Volunteering in the community has always been part of his adult life.

He has shared his skills and energy, often in leadership positions including president, chairperson and treasurer with organizations such as the St. Norbert Community Club in Winnipeg, the Heron Emergency Food Centre in Ottawa, the Parish Pastoral Council of his local church in Winnipeg and in Ottawa, the Holy Cross Council of the Knights of Columbus, and the Ottawa chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He is the proud father of five children and of 9 grandchildren.

His position on the board of Elimu represents a welcome new challenge in dealing with an overseas charity working to build a sustainable future.

Currently resides in Calgary, Alberta where she is the Vice President of the Calgary Marketing Association and owns her own marketing company. 2011 to 2014 she lived in Denver Colorado where she worked with OpenWorld Learning, a non-profit organization that supported after school learning using computer programming. From 2009 to 2011,

Jan travelled extensively teaching English at two private international schools in Thailand and volunteering for Elimu in Kenya, tutoring the children of Nyumbani Kwetu Home, as well as offering planning and development consulting for the establishment of Elimu as a charitable organization. Jan has over 20 years in the marketing profession with ten of those at Canada Post Corporation where she specialized in International Product Development and was in various management and leadership roles.

She also worked as National Marketing Manager of Travel CUTS (Canadian Universities Travel Services). Jan is a founding member of the Elimu board of directors and was instrumental in designing the strategy for taking Elimu from our founders’ project to a formal charitable entity. She led Elimu as Chairperson from 2018 – 2021.

He is Principal of Integral North. Prior to this, George spent nine years as President of the Ottawa Community Loan Fund, (OCLF) as well as 9 years as a City and Regional Councillor in Ottawa. As a Councillor, he served as Chair of the City’s Economic Affairs Committee and the Region’s Environmental Services Committee.

He has a Master’s of Science Degree in Community Economic Development from New Hampshire College’s Graduate School of Business (now Southern New Hampshire University) and an LL.B. degree from the University of Ottawa Law School. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in September, 2003.

He is Chair of United Way Ottawa’s Community Impact Cabinet and a Member of it’s Board of Directors. George is a founding member of the Elimu board of directors and our first chairperson, serving from 2011 – 2017.

Cindy Rodriguez is inspired by delivering education and empowerment to women and girls. She holds MAs in Curriculum and Instruction and Education Leadership. She has had an active hand in charity work ranging from assisting Latino students with scholarships to the development of preschools in Darfur/Chad refugee camps before diving into Elimu Girls as her main charitable focus. She believes providing a voice, choice, and a bank account to marginalized female communities will disrupt the cycles of poverty, child bride rituals, and female genital mutilation practices.

As a thought leader in education, a prior teacher & K-8 administrator, Cindy’s education background promotes Elimu Girls reaching their full potential. She is also passionate about creating pathways for female entrepreneurship. Cindy and Nina Chung, Elimu Founder, have collaborated on the development of Elimu Sewing Project since 2013 following Cindy’s first visit to Kenya. In her free time, she enjoys baking, cooking, travel, running with her two dogs, and being an active mom.

Elimu Girls engages U.S. audiences to support the empowerment of vulnerable rural Kenyan girls through Elimu Sewing Project, and is an initiative of Elimu-USA, an official 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Lives in Ottawa, Canada. Currently an Advisor with Environment and Climate Change Canada, she is a PR and outreach professional with 20+ years of experience. Suzanne brings extensive knowledge in developing and implementing effective communication strategies. With expertise in event planning and media relations, she is passionate in helping to tell Elimu’s evolving story.

She provides guidance on social media strategies and communications opportunities. She headed fundraising activities for Upendo School from 2010 – 2013, and visited Kenya in 2012 to attend the colourful thanksgiving celebration for the school opening in the Sabaki village.

A founding partner of Toronto law firm Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP, Michael practises personal injury law and is committed to helping accident victims and their families through difficult times to achieving a fair result to compensate them for their losses.

Michael’s commitment to support victims of personal injury is extended to his charitable activities. He has served as a Trustee for several local community organizations which focus on support for brain injury victims. He is also founder of the “Personal Injury Bar Charity Hockey Challenge,” an annual tournament that has raised almost $1-million for the Canadian Spinal Research Organization’s “Shoot for a Cure” campaign for the prevention and cure of spinal cord injuries.

Michael has been personally involved with Elimu for many years. He shares his community engagement skills and networks to raise funds to support young people who face significant challenges in completing their education. Amongst the those who have benefitted are a young woman who was the first girl in her village to finish high school and a young man who is now pursuing medical studies!

Lives in Québec and works as coach, lecturer and guide to the enterprise community. Trained in NLP, Management, Education, Psychology, he has spent the past 35 years roaming the work market, internationally, in both public and private sectors. He specializes in helping people to better perform in their own realities in terms of organizational culture, market and numbers. He’s also an entrepreneur who understands the need to change and evolve within the frame of a business. As a guide, his hobby, he has guide-coached small groups through personal and geographical transitions in remote areas such as the Sahara Desert in Tunisia, the Savannah in Kenya and some Holy Places in India. Guy’s expertise is invaluable in guiding Elimu through the changes and challenges of organization growth and development.

Paul works as a consultant where his skills power individuals and groups for innovating and developing themselves. Passionate and curious by nature, he leads others to question, to change perspectives, and to systematize in order to discover new avenues to the future. His approach embraces transformation-producing activities. His support is guiding Elimu to understand the ever-changing business environment, explore possibilities, imagine the potential that lies within our organization’s assets and team-members, be more agile in decision-making and translate shift into sound and impactful actions. In his own words: “I’m incredibly proud of the impactful projects Elimu has undertaken in the past five years I have worked with them. Everyday, ELIMU transforms the lives of kids and adults alike in Malindi. And one day, all of Kenya will be truly thankful for Nina’s vision and for the concrete actions ELIMU’s partners, volunteers and employees have undertaken with perseverance and heart”.

Originally from England, Tom now lives in Nanyuki, Kenya, and is Head of School at Braeburn Nanyuki International School. He worked with Elimu Founder, Nina Chung, as a volunteer with VSO in Kenya between 2003-2005 and was present at the early meetings between Elimu and Upendo School management committee, where he was able to provide valuable advice from an educational perspective. He continues to provide support and educational consulting to Elimu for all of our projects.

Holds a Masters in Child Psychology. Since graduating, Leanna has worked in a number of industries – education, publishing, travel and tourism, television and hospitality and consumer packaged goods – in a variety of positions – marketing manager, director of communications, senior brand manager, reporter, publisher, owner and operator. She recently worked as the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Algonquin College and is currently the Director of Marketing and Membership at the Canadian Psychological Association. Leanna is passionate about education and mental health and helping empower youth to be all they can, and want to, be.

Lives in Kent, England where she is a, Motivational Coach and Mentor, after an earlier career in international marketing. She provides advice and direction to Elimu Founder, Nina Chung on issues of program development, relationship management and life skills consulting both with respect to the development of Elimu as an organization and with regards to internal issues relating to Elimu project partners and clients. Jane also assists with fundraising in the UK.

Lives in Mexico City where he is an independent film director. He spent two months in Kenya in 2011 where he produced videos to document Elimu project developments and created a photographic library of images from all Elimu projects. He continues to assist Elimu’s communication media manager with advice and support. He has also organized fundraising activities in Mexico to promote and support the work of Elimu in Kenya.

Lives in Mexico City where she works with a local non- profit organization involved in capacity building and skills training amongst traditional communities in the impoverished region of Chiapas. Valerie volunteered with Elimu for two months in 2011, assisting with monitoring and evaluation tools for Elimu projects. She also helped to produce formats for Elimu agreements with local project partners. In Mexico, she continues to support Elimu projects through fundraising activities.

An entrepreneur in his own right. He holds a Commerce Degree from Kenyatta University and owns a successful automotive business in Malindi. He is in charge of Elimu’s Kenyan operations, handling all aspects of management and administration including financial planning, budgeting and accounting. He works closely with the President and shares the responsibility for liaison with the Canadian board of directors and the Kenyan team. He is in charge of human resources and mentors youth in our programs, especially high school graduates in employability and entrepreneurship. Prior to Elimu, he worked as Program Manager—Business Development at Kenya Enterprises Resource Centre (KESREC) helping local community groups with business planning and start-up including savings and loan training, budgeting, business plan writing and resource mobilization.

Nina divides her time between Kenya and Canada. She leads the Kenyan team in collaboration with the CEO and manages the liaison with the Canadian board of directors. She is responsible for Kenyan and international outreach for funding, resource and partnership development. She left a successful business to her partner in Ottawa, Canada in 2004 to volunteer in Kenya. During that time, she began assisting children with education and entrepreneurship training and established Elimu to make her projects sustainable. Nina has over 30 years’ experience in project management, partnership development, international marketing and business strategy planning. She worked over 14 years marketing international travel and cultural exchange programs and services to youth and student markets. In 1996, she started a successful marketing consulting firm in Ottawa. She has conducted market research and implemented communications programs for culturally diverse consumer markets. She has lived and worked in a variety of cultural environments. Nina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

She is a native of Quebec City but has lived in Ottawa for over 45 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Mathematics from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She spent her entire 33-year work career with the federal government as an economist and policy advisor in the Energy Sector of Natural Resources Canada, retiring in 2008. Maureen served for two years as treasurer of the Ottawa District Golf Association. She then became treasurer of the Ottawa Heart Institute Auxiliary, a position she held for 20 years. After retiring from the public service, she assumed the position of Managing Director for the Auxiliary. Maureen was also the treasurer of a small investment club for 15 years and has participated in a number of committees in her church, including 3 years on the finance committee.

Kristina is the Founder & CEO of The Spectacular Middle,where she works with Entrepreneurs as they grow their businesses and activate their own CEO status. Bringing her years of experience working behind the scenes to the forefront to support growing enterprises to bring their big visions into reality.

She is also founder and president of Elimu (Canada). She divides her time between Kenya and Canada. She leads the Kenyan team in collaboration with the CEO and manages the liaison with the Canadian board of directors. She is responsible for Kenyan and international outreach for funding, resource and partnership development. She left a successful business to her partner in Ottawa, Canada in 2004 to volunteer in Kenya. During that time, she began assisting children with education and entrepreneurship training and established Elimu to make her projects sustainable. Nina has over 30 years’ experience in project management, partnership development, international marketing and business strategy planning. She worked over 14 years marketing international travel and cultural exchange programs and services to youth and student markets. In 1996, she started a successful marketing consulting firm in Ottawa, Canada. She has conducted market research and implemented communications programs for culturally diverse consumer markets. She has lived and worked in a variety of cultural environments. Nina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Born and raised in Southern California, she describes herself as too curious for my own good. Her favorite colour is yellow and she will gladly make pancakes for anyone who asks! She learned to sew as a girl from a neighbor. She would wake up early to make herself an outfit to wear to school and eventually even made prom dresses for her friends in high school. She sews because it makes her happy. She started Tomfoolery.la to create problem-solving designs and make people’s lives better.

She designs jumpsuits because she believes they are the perfect manifestation of the energy and adventure of a tomboy packaged as a classy lady.

Wendy is an entrepreneur. She runs a historic farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Massachusetts, and also leads workshops and retreats that empower women to be themselves and to see themselves in new and inspiring ways.

Kristi believes that creativity is freedom and describes herself as an artist, maker, designer and creativity catalyst. She is a speaker, author, a podcast host and leads retreats and workshops for entrepreneurs to unlock individual and team creativity.