Creating Community
About the Interviewees
Excerpts from interviews with the following people are featured in “Creating Community.” They participated in this project as individuals and not representatives of an organization. Their professional affiliations listed are those held when the interview was conducted and are for informational purposes only. Niamani Mutima, AGAG’s Executive Director, conducted the interviews in the spring of 2022. Our thanks and appreciation to all of them for taking the time to share their experiences as part of the AGAG network and their candid insights.
Dr. Akwasi Aidoo
Dr. Aidoo is a Senior Fellow at Humanity United and former co-chair of the AGAG Steering Committee. He has extensive experience in the academic, foundation, and nonprofit sectors. He was the founding Executive Director of TrustAfrica and among his previous positions are head of the Canadian International Development Research Center’s health and equity program for West and Central Africa and regional director for West Africa of the Ford Foundation.
Dr. Omotade “Tade” Akin Aina
Dr. Omotade “Tade” Akin Aina is the Head of Research at the Mastercard Foundation. He is a noted scholar, leader, and thinker with extensive experience in the academic, foundation, and nonprofit sectors. Among his previous positions are Executive Director of the Partnership for African Social Governance and Research based in Nairobi, Program Director for Higher Education in Africa at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Regional Director for East Africa of the Ford Foundation.
Chris Allan
Chris Allan is the Executive Director of Ajabu Advisors, formerly Picher Allan Associates. He has over twenty years of experience in community development and environmental protection. His previous positions include Chief Operating Officer and Senior Research Associate for the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-International, International Program Advisor for the Environmental Health Fun, and Program and Development Director for Global Greengrants Fund.
Jennifer Astone
Jennifer Astone is the Principal at Integrated Capital Investing and a former member of the AGAG Steering Committee. She has over 20 years of experience in foundation leadership supporting human rights, gender justice, and health and environmental issues. Before launching Integrated Capital Strategies, she was Executive Director of the Swift and Firelight Foundations.
Karen Colvard
Karen Colvard is the former Program Director of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.
Raoul Davion
Raoul Davion is the Chief of Accountability and Impact at the Malala Fund where he works on girls education and provides strategic leadership for program development and oversees monitoring and evaluation. Raoul was formerly a Program Officer at the MacArthur Foundation where he worked on the Parntership for Higher Education and Girls’ Secondary Education Initiatives. He was also a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Victoria Dunning
Victoria Dunning is a Senior Program Officer for the BUILD team at the Ford Foundation. She has more than 20 years of philanthropy and international development experience. Prior to joining the Ford Foundation, Victoria was Executive Vice President of the Global Fund for Children and Senior Program Officer for the United Nations Foundation. She was also a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Andrea Johnson
Andrea Johnson is a Program Officer for International Programs of the Carnegie Corporation of New York where she works with the Higher Education and Research in Africa and Peacebuilding in Africa Programs. She is a co-founder of AGAG and served as Chair and a member of Steering Committee.
Alexander Kyerematin
Alexander “Alex” Kyerematen is the Senior Regional Director for Africa at the Global Fund for Children (GFC). He leads GFC's grantmaking, capacity strengthening, integrated programming, and stakeholder engagement in Africa. Prior to joining GFC he was a Research Associate for Geneva Global.
Steven Lawrence
Steven Lawrence is an independent consultant and serves as a Senior Research Consultant for TCC Group. He is a nationally recognized researcher, author, and expert on philanthropy and has led groundbreaking research and published on a broad range of philanthropic priorities. He was formerly Director of Research for the Foundation Center.
Dr. Joyce Malombe
Dr. Joyce Malombe is the Program Director for International Children’s Education at the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. Among her previous positions are Program Officer for Education at ELMA Philanthropies, Director of the International Fellowships Program at the Ford Foundation, and Senior Scientist at the World Bank. She was also Associate Professor and Senior Researcher at Southern New Hampshire University and University of Nairobi.
Mamotshidisi “Mamo” Mohapi
Mamotshidisi “Mamo” Mohapi is a Program Officer in the C. S. Mott’s Civil Society Program where she manages the Enhancing Community Philanthropy program and the South Africa philanthropy development portfolio. Before joining Mott she worked as the business development manager for the Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa and managed a portfolio of corporate social involvement programs for businesses.
Yvonne Moore
Yvonne Moore is the Founder and Managing Director of Moore Philanthropy, and President of its partner organization, Moore impact. Previously she was Chief of Staff to Abigail E. Disney and served as the Executive Director of the Daphne Foundation. Yvonne serves as a trustee of the New York Women’s Foundation, Philanthropy New York, and Faces of Giving. She is also a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
William “Bill” Moses
Willam “Bill” Moses is the Managing Director for Kresge Foundation’s Education Program. Prior to joining Kresge he was the executive director of the Thomas J. Watson Foundation and a Senior Analysis for the Investor Responsibility Research Center. Bill is a co-founder of AGAG, former Chair and is currently a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Nancy Muirhead
Nancy Muirhead is the Corporate Secretary of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF). She also served as a Program Director for the South Africa portion of RBF's Pivotal Place program and led its work to strengthen the nonprofit sector in Central and Eastern Europe. She is a board member of Infinite Family, the Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-Sustainability Team, and Play Soccer, a grassroots education program. Nancy is a co-founder of AGAG and was a co-chair and member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Sarah Mukasa
Sarah Mukasa is the Division Head of the Women’s Program at Open Society Foundations (OSF) in East Africa. She is a pan-Africa feminist with over fifteen years of experience in senior leadership and management in the not-for-profit sectors in Africa and Europe. Prior to joining OSF, Sarah was the Director of Programs at the African Women’s Development Fund based in Ghana.
Niamani Mutima
Niamani Mutima is the Executive Director of the Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group (AGAG) and has lead its work since 2001. Her prior positions included Chief of Field Services for the African Training for Leadership and Advanced Skills (ATLAS), a project of the United States Agency for International Development, and Program Officer for the Africa-America Institute (AAI).
Nicolette Naylor
Nicolette Naylor is the Regional Director of Southern Africa for the Ford Foundation and leads the International Program on Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice. Prior to joining Ford she worked as a lawyer at the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights in London. She was also a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Dan Robbins
Dan Robbins is a pediatrician and the Executive Director of the J. F. Kapnek Trust that works to improve the health of children and familites in Zimbabwe.
Gerry Salole
Gerry Salole was the Chief Executive of the European Foundation Centre. His previous positions included Representative for the Ford Foundation Office of Southern Africa and Director of the Department of Programme Documentation and Communication of the Bernard van Leer Foundation. He was founding Chair of TrustAfrica and is the chair of the Global Fund for Community Foundations. He was a member of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Vuyiswa Sidzumo
Vuyiswa Sidzumo is a Program Officer in the Ford Foundation South Africa Office. Before joining Ford, she was Director of the C. S Mott Foundation office in South Africa. Her prior positions include director at the National Department of Provincial and Local Government and positions with the Sedibeng Centre for Organizational Effectiveness and the United Nations Development Programme. She is the current Chair of the AGAG Steering Committee.
Marcia Thomas
Marcia Thomas is the Executive Director of the United Support of Artists for Africa for Africa (USA for Africa) that organized artists to record “We Are the World” and distributes the money from the song. She has lead USA for Africa for over 25 years. Her prior positions include Deputy Director for Oxfam America. She was a founding board member of the National Summit on Africa and most recently servied as co-Chair of Africans Rising Coordinating Collective (Board).
BRINGING VALUE TO PHILANTHROPY TO AFRICA
Why the Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group?
We believe that a strong network of informed and connected funders is a necessary ingredient for robust, effective and responsive philanthropy to benefit African communities.