Board Members
Laura Andes is an evaluation professional with 20 years of experience in the non-profit and government sectors. Currently, she is the Chief Program Officer at Charity Navigator where she oversees development of the Encompass Rating System. Prior to joining Charity Navigator, she was Senior Vice President of National Resident Services Mercy Housing, responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of Mercy Housing’s resident services program and strategic planning.
Vincent joined RWA’s Uganda Board of Directors in 2015. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and master’s degree in Development Studies, Vincent has a keen interest in promoting and improving communities through education and has been heavily involved in community development work since 1996, specializing in creating HIV/AIDS prevention awareness .
Liz Lotz has over 20 years of experience leading public relations programs for various industries, including technology, venture capital, and hospitality. She is an expert in guiding high-performing teams and leveraging both traditional and digital channels to drive brand visibility, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.
Liz was drawn to RWA because she believes in the “teach a man to fish” proverb and is globally minded. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband, David, and my daughters, Elena, Sophia, and Nina. Her family is very involved in animal welfare organizations, and her home is shared with three dogs and three cats. Liz also loves to travel with her family. She returned last summer from five years in Panama, where she taught kindergarten.
Denis comes to RWA with a Degree in Development Studies, a certificate in Administrative Law, and a decade of experience in Community Development as well as local government. Dennis began his career working with programs supporting Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children.
Sunny Su is an accomplished Tax Manager with extensive experience in both public accounting and private industry. She brings deep expertise in tax return preparation and review, as well as strategic tax consulting for corporations, pass-through entities, nonprofit organizations, oil and gas businesses, family investments, construction, trusts, and individuals. Sunny holds a Master of Taxation degree from the University of Denver and is known for her analytical skills, attention to detail, and commitment to helping clients navigate complex tax landscapes.
Catherine (Cate), a respected local leader in Kisekka sub-county, is pivotal in advancing community development. Engaging with Rooted Wisdom Africa, she initially benefited from the Women’s Enterprise Training Program and has since encouraged countless community members to join the organization’s programs. Now serving as a board member, her expertise in banana plantation farming contributes significantly to rural livelihoods.
Christopher Moore is the President of Quiet Light, a middle-market M&A firm that helps digital entrepreneurs sell their businesses. He’s also the founder of Gadabout Media, which creates rich digital media for nonprofits, travel sites, and more. Christopher is also an award-winning director, experienced travel coordinator and guide, and sought-after speaker. When he’s not out globetrotting to some far-flung corner of the world, he resides in Boston, Massachusetts.
Deon MacMillan is a Strategic Human Resources Leader with a values-based leadership style who drives global business results through partnerships with executive leadership teams and boards. She brings industry experience in academia and research, oil and gas, technology, healthcare, and agriculture, and has the proven ability to establish trusting partnerships at all levels of the organization. Deon is also commercially focused and energetic, with experience leading organizational change across various industries and diverse organizational cultures.
Alexandra (Ali) Cervini is an international development leader with over 13 years of experience managing and evaluating humanitarian and development programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
She currently serves as Deputy Director at Itad Inc., where she oversees projects focused on resilience and economic development, peacebuilding and conflict prevention, global health security, and gender.
Alexandra has led large-scale research and learning initiatives for organizations such as USAID, UN agencies, international NGOs, FCDO, and the World Bank, and has worked in countries including Somalia, Sierra Leone, Nepal, Turkey, Haiti, Ghana, and Nigeria.
She brings extensive expertise in program management and design, business development, and operations.
Alexandra holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Roskilde University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Kalamazoo College.
She is deeply committed to advancing locally led development, empowering women and youth as key drivers of sustainable change for families and communities.
Daisy Tian is a new board member of Rooted Wisdom Africa with 15 years of experience in strategic planning and project management in China. She served in MSD (Merck as known in the US), Novartis, and AstraZeneca with a mission to “do good to patients.” She conducted projects benefiting larger populations, particularly in rural China. Daisy brings over ten years of volunteer experience as a program writer in Junior Achievement and TEDx. Healthcare and Education are her focus areas. Daisy is currently pursuing her MPH in the Colorado School of Public Health.
Geraldine’s journey with Rooted Wisdom Africa began in 2021 as a beneficiary of the Women’s Enterprise Training Program, followed by participation in the Farmer Field School Program. Recognized for her dedication, she ascended to the board in 2022. Alongside her farming pursuits, Geraldine serves as a revered religious teacher at the sub parish level, embodying a holistic approach to community empowerment.
A certified veterinarian of 22 years, Nurudini joined RWA as our veterinarian and livestock trainer in 2015 and is part of the team that oversees all RWA-related livestock projects throughout the sub-county where we operate. Additionally, Nurudini has also been elected by his community as a village leader and has consequently served on the Local Council for the last 15 years.
Bena is a farmer and certified midwife with a certificate in nursing, who first joined the RWA community in 2017 as a participant in the Women’s Enterprise Training Program
(WETP). Having trained in bookmaking in that program, Nabakka now heads the Women of Kikinene Bookmakers group.
Originally from Germany, Dirk came to the U.S. in the 90s. Before he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2023, Dirk had lived in Kansas and California. He is passionate about helping others and strongly believes in transformative change. Dirk does not mind rolling up his sleeves to get things done. He has two B.A. degrees, an M.A., MBA, and a Juris Doctorate degree. His 20+ year professional background is in Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Compliance, Risk Management, Operations, and Audit.
Dirk loves travelling and has been to over 38 different countries. His ideal getaway is a trip off the beaten path, to experience the beauty of other cultures and learn from the locals. Anthropology, his first academic journey when he came to the U.S., has remained his undying love. Together with Cristyn, his wife, he also enjoys hiking, skiing, art, and constantly learning new things — provided that his dog, Snickers, does not hijack all the attention.
Dirk is excited to be part of Rooted Wisdom Africa. He sees it as a unique opportunity to immerse himself into another culture while collaborating on a worthy cause. He was attracted to RWA also because, in his opinion, the Board is a great mix of talented individuals, doing hands-on work while influencing the strategic direction of the organization and working alongside their Ugandan counterparts.
