Meet Our Team

Jessica Love

Jessica Love joined Daring Girls (formerly AfricAid) as Executive Director in 2020. She is an experienced communications strategist who has managed media relations, community and stakeholder outreach for domestic and international nonprofit, foundation and corporate organizations for nearly 20 years. Before joining Daring Girls, she provided communications counsel to a variety of organizations, including HOPE Foundation for Women & Children of Bangladesh and Fistula Foundation, where she previously spent several years leading communications efforts to raise awareness and funds to treat women suffering from obstetric fistula, a devastating childbirth injury.

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Salima Dadani

Despite growing up in the US, Tanzania remains home to Salima as her place of birth. As the only daughter in her family, Salima was encouraged to pursue her education to the fullest extent. Understanding the necessity to empower girls to create their own destinies,  Salima comes to Daring Girls with the desire to use her skills and expertise to serve the women of Tanzania. She holds an MBA from University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and has over 20+ years of experience in finance, operations, and management.

Salima joined Daring Girls in November 2018 as Finance Director. In this role she manages the donations and expenditures to ensure Daring Girls is meeting its funding goals. She loves spending time with her family and enjoys traveling. Hiking during the summer and football in the fall are her favorite activities.

Rose Ngaa

Rose Ngaa is the Communications and Marketing Officer at DaringGirls.

A proud alumna of GLAMI’s KISA Project (Class of 2018) in Tanzania, she first supported Daring Girls by conducting alumnae interviews before officially joining the team in June 2025.

Rose brings experience in brand communication, digital marketing, and community engagement; and is passionate about using storytelling to elevate girls’ voices across Africa.

Idda Joseph Peter

Idda Joseph Peter is Daring Girls’ GLAMI (Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative) counterpart for our shared work in the Binti Shupavu International Expansion. Prior to taking on this role, Idda served as a Program Mentor at GLAMI for four years, empowering young girls through leadership development, academic support, and mentorship. She is also a Kisa Project alumna. 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management in Marketing, equipping her with strong communication, organizational, and strategic planning skills. Passionate about youth empowerment and education, Idda is committed to fostering the next generation of female leaders in Tanzania and beyond.

Anande Nnko

Anande Nnko leads GLAMI, the Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative, Daring Girls’ flagship partner and sister organization in Tanzania. She is enthusiastic about the needs and rights of youth and women, particularly equitable access to chances for education and sustainable economic growth.

She joined GLAMI (Formerly AFRICAID -TANZANIA) in 2010 as a Kisa Project Manager. From 2014, she advanced her professional career in organisations that advocate for youth and legal practices through constructive engagement leadership and management through different roles, including Managing Director, Project Manager, NGO Consultant, Young Lawyers Zonal Representative, Trainer, and Mentor to impact the lives of youth in Tanzania.

She easily connects with people, focuses on the big mission, and identifies the right potential to bring positive change. With her experience working with
youth to break the poverty circle through professional and soft skills, she brings to GLAMI a committed and focused leadership and innovative ideas to drive the organisation to ensure equal opportunities for girls in the region. She stands for the well-being and individual growth of her t so as to provide sustainable projects. She believes in collaboration with individuals and organisations that share like-minded goals to create a bright future for young people and women.

In her leisure time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, planting trees to help conserve the environment, and eating delicious meals.
She also has a Master’s degree in International relations and human rights law, an Advanced diploma in project management from Jomo Kenyatta University, a Postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law School of Tanzania, and a Bachelor’s degree in law from Tumani University.

Dr. Judy Makira

Dr. Judy Makira is a distinguished Kenyan academic, community activist, and social entrepreneur known for her significant contributions to women’s empowerment and integration of technology in socio-economic development. As a co-founder of CWE-TECH, a non-profit organization established in 2017, Dr. Makira has been at the forefront of championing the cause of women in her community by leveraging technology to foster socio-economic growth and development. Her vision for CWE-TECH was born out of a deep concern for the challenges women face, particularly in accessing opportunities that could transform their lives and, by extension, society as a whole.

Dr. Makira’s academic tenure as a lecturer at Embu University underscores her commitment to education and knowledge dissemination, particularly in fields that can empower communities through sustainable development practices. Her academic pursuits are paralleled by her active involvement in community development, where she has utilized her platform and expertise to advocate for the integration of technology in everyday socio-economic activities, with a keen focus on uplifting women.

In addition to her work with CWE-TECH and her academic career, Dr. Makira ventured into politics, running for a parliamentary seat in Kenya, the first woman to do so since the 1960s. Her political campaign highlights her dedication to public service and her desire to influence policy and governance for the betterment of her constituents.

Dr. Judy Makira’s multifaceted career reflects her unwavering commitment to social change, women’s empowerment, and the belief in technology as a catalyst for development. Her efforts continue to inspire many, both within Kenya and beyond, as she works towards her dream of eradicating poverty among women and fostering an inclusive society where technology plays a pivotal role in development.

Felicia Mangwende

Felicia Mangwende is the Executive Director of the Regional Network of Children and Young People Trust, where she leads efforts to advance the rights and well-being of children and young people. She holds Master’s degrees in Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy and Programming from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Child-Sensitive Social Policies from the Women’s University in Africa. With over seven years of experience, Felicia has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at promoting child rights and ensuring access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. In Zimbabwe, Felicia has made significant contributions to child rights advocacy by supporting the development of complementary reports to treaty bodies such as the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC). Her extensive background in program development and advocacy equips her with the ability to address complex social challenges while amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. She is deeply committed to fostering partnerships that drive sustainable change and improve the lives of children and young people.

Ireen Chikatula

Ireen Chikatula is a passionate and experienced Girls’ and Women’s Empowerment Specialist with a proven history of driving meaningful change in rural communities. As the Founder and CEO of the Empowerment Initiative for Rural Women and Adolescents (EIRWA), she has led impactful projects that focus on the intersection of gender equality, social justice, and community development. Ireen brings a wealth of expertise in strategic planning, project management, and advocacy, coupled with a dynamic leadership style that ensures sustainable, transformative outcomes.

As a dedicated feminist and advocate for gender equality, Ireen thrives on initiatives that promote long-term impact and social justice. Her strengths in community engagement, capacity building, and cross-cultural communication have enabled her to empower women and youth, fostering a more equitable and inclusive society. Her work remains focused on girls’ and women’s empowerment, addressing inequality, and influencing policy, with the ultimate goal of creating lasting, positive change.

Michael Eber

Michael works across the US and around the world. He is passionate about people, and demonstrates an extensive appetite for personal excellence, facilitation, technology and process improvement.  With over 25 years of problem solving and leadership skills he helps individuals, teams and organizations be more efficient, effective and unearth new business opportunities.

Michael is an executive coach, develops and delivers programs across organizations that integrate theoretical learning with hands-on expertise. He accompanies C-Level decision makers with some of their biggest challenges, and his personal touch enables his clients to achieve their desired outcomes. Michael’s clients include nationally known Fortune 100 and private organizations, along with governmental and non-profit entities.

Michael previously directed a real estate, construction and property management firm, served as the Director of Operations for a $20M private foundation and managed an extensive number of client engagements with Deloitte. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree in international management and public policy. His credentials include Lean Six Sigma along with substantial aptitudes and proficiencies with several behavioral and natural ability assessments. He is a Colorado native, and his interests include the outdoors, international development, travel and cooking.

Tom Leonard

Tom Leonard is the Chief Actuary of Ryan Specialty Benefits, a wholesale brokerage based in Chicago, Illinois. In his 25+ year insurance career, he has consulted with large multinational insurers, Fortune 500 employers, Latin American government insurers, labor unions, and M&A buyers and sellers. Prior to Ryan Specialty, Tom held key leadership positions with major firms such as Aon, CIGNA, Milliman, and Great-West while managing functional areas including finance and accounting, actuarial, and underwriting.

Tom has extensive overseas experience both as a traveler and a temporary resident, living abroad on three continents. After graduating from college, he spent two years in Lesotho with the Peace Corps teaching math at a rural mission school. It was here that Tom witnessed firsthand the challenges that students – particularly girls – faced on their path to higher education. This inspired him to join the Daring Girls board in 2019.

Tom is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He graduated with Distinction from Purdue University earning a B.S. in Mathematics/Statistics. Tom is based in Denver, Colorado.

Rodney Bell

With 30 years of experience in public relations, marketing communications and corporate affairs, Rodney has worked on the client and agency side of the business. Since 2008 he has also lectured part time at the University of Colorado, Denver within the Department of Communication. He brings a client and service perspective as a former corporate communications and marketing public relations executive and senior account consultant.

Currently Rodney provides independent strategic communication consulting for PR agency, nonprofit, healthcare, and financial clients. Previously he served one year in the Marketing Communication Director role for a small ergonomic office equipment manufacturer. Before that, he was Director of Marketing for Allonhill, a mortgage due diligence and credit risk review firm in Denver. From 2007 to 2009 he led business development at JohnstonWells Public Relations producing $230,000 in new revenues.

Rodney was vice president of corporate communications at First Data Corporation, a then Fortune 500 global electronic payment solutions company. He led strategic public relations and employee communications for business units, which generated 40 percent of the company’s $8 billion revenue. Rodney completed a two-year assignment as communications lead during First Data’s $6 billion acquisition and integration of Concord.

Rodney began his career abroad, living and working in Harare, Zimbabwe from 1983 to 1985, and returning for a 6-month film project in 1986. He traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Southern Africa. These formative years continue to influence and impact his life and work, and his ongoing interest in that region of the world. Following Zimbabwe, Rodney served the Atlanta Chapter of American Red Cross, leading health services awareness campaigns and national disaster public affairs.

Rodney is a graduate of the 2005-2006 Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce Leadership Denver. He served from 2003 to 2009 on the Board of Directors for the Bridge Project, which provided educational opportunities for some of Denver’s most at-risk youth through tutoring and literacy programs. In 2007 and 2008 Rodney traveled to Uganda as a Founding Donor for the Primary School for the Blind launched by Chain Foundation outside Kampala, funded and founded in honor of a Denver Ugandan friend who died from leukemia the previous year. 

A 22-year Denver (11 years in Five Points) resident who found home in Colorado, Rodney has traveled to 34 countries and 7 continents. A third of his trips were for volunteer service projects. An Alabama native, Rodney holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in broadcast and film communication from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Roll Tide.

Ashley Carter

Ashley (Shuyler) Carter is the founder and former Executive Director of AfricAid (now Daring Girls). Since returning from a safari to Tanzania in 1996, Ashley has dedicated her life to supporting girls’ education across Africa. In 2001, at the age of 16, she formed AfricAid, and has helped to lead and support the organization’s program-building and fundraising efforts since that time. She graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 2008, with a degree in Social Studies, specializing in International Development, and earned her MBA in 2013 from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. After business school, she worked for the Boston Consulting Group in San Francisco, and then helped to start and lead an education-focused nonprofit organization called CareerWise Colorado. Ashley has been a member of the Daring Girls Board since 2003.

Josephine Richard Cole

Josephine Richard Cole is a Tanzania-born engineer at Baxter International. She graduated cum laude from Lake Forest College in 2016 with a degree in Biology and Neuroscience. She earned her Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2019.

Josephine believes that women play an important role in any community’s development and success. She, therefore, dedicates her time mentoring peers from her undergraduate and graduate institutes, as well as coworkers through an internal mentorship program at Baxter International. Josephine holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and has experience in Lean & Six Sigma methodologies including planning, managing, and executing value and process improvement projects. From her years of research, Josephine is also proficient in biological research methods, biomedical statistics, script programming with Python, as well as concept validation for medical devices. Josephine currently lives in Chicago; in her free time she enjoys cooking, running, and DIY projects.

Melanie Terwoord

Melanie Terwoord is a Principal at McCullough Consulting LLC, where she provides outsourced accounting and audit readiness services to a wide variety of clients. Melanie previously spent 12 years in public accounting, most recently at Plante Moran, where she specialized in healthcare, insurance, and non-profit industries. Melanie is passionate about the education of girls and young women, having attended a single-sex school growing up in Ohio. Melanie has experienced first-hand how empowering girls and young women with the necessary tools to choose their own paths means enriching not only their personal lives directly, but also the communities around them. Melanie is a Certified Public Accountant and graduated Summa Cum Laude with both a B.B.A. and Masters in Accounting from Valdosta State University in Georgia. Melanie is based in Denver, CO.

Babette Groves

Babette first met Daring Girls via a corporate partnership pro bono project, where she partnered with Daring Girls (then AfricAid) to reimagine the next chapter of the organization’s journey. Having visited and volunteered in many countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Babette was immediately inspired by the organization’s mission and the passion of its leadership team. Babette went on to sponsor repeat pro bono engagements to support Daring Girls on its path and was eager to accept a board role when offered the opportunity.

Professionally, Babette is a Managing Director at Deloitte Consulting, where she serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the US Innovation & Technology business. As a strategy and operations consultant by background, Babette is always enthusiastic for the next challenge to tackle. As Daring Girls seeks to create positive impact for more girls across increased geographical locations, Babette is thrilled to be part of the team, offering her skills and experience.

Babette lives in the Denver-metro area with her family, after moving to Colorado in 2017 from Washington, DC. Babette is an avid traveler, gardener, and constantly has a home construction project underway!

Rebekah Josefy

Rebekah currently resides in Dallas, Texas where she is passionate about empowering nonprofits to be innovative in their digital marketing and fundraising efforts as she provides value to the philanthropy sector through supporting nonprofits by helping them see measurable results and achieve their goals.  

Rebekah is a third-generation Aggie and earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Texas A&M University and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from The Bush School of Government and Public Service. 

 She volunteers in the nursery at Eastside Community Church, is involved with the Dallas A&M Club, and enjoys hosting board game nights at her apartment, attending weekly trivia nights, grocery shopping at HEB, flying anywhere on Southwest Airlines, and playing intramural basketball, softball, and pickleball in her free time. 

 Her favorite summers were spent being a nanny at Camp Ozark, coaching at a baseball camp in Germany, and hosting a Traveling Aggies trip to nine different countries in Europe three years in a row.

Hyasintha Ntuyeko Fitzpatrick

Hyasintha Ntuyeko Fitzpatrick is a Tanzania born and raised social Entrepreneur and Founder of Kasole Secrets Company. Hyasintha has worked extensively on Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) entrepreneurship and advocacy and pioneered the celebration of the 1st (2015) and 2nd (2016) commemoration of International MHH day in Tanzania.

For the past 15 years, Hyasintha has developed MHH programs and curricula, and has fundraised and provided consultations to number of organizations including grassroots, national and international organizations. Amongst many other groundbreaking MHH activities Hyasintha executed include the development of the Tanzania MHH Coalition strategy and stakeholder’s coordination mechanism; the development of National MHH guidelines and associated toolkits; she conducted a thorough study on MHH products, their taxation, compliance, demand and market landscape in Tanzania, and supported the translation of “Growth and Changes, To Become a Young Man and Healthy Adolescence” books into braille format. She has shared insights in a technical meeting for the establishment of MHH coalition in South Africa, and participated as a guest lecturer on a series of edX online courses on Menstruation in a global context; addressing policy and practice at Columbia University.

Hyasintha enjoys working on girls’ and youth economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health innovative projects, and mentoring small scale, grassroots social entrepreneurs.

She believes that sitting on the Daring Girls Board of Directors as a development expert is an honor and opportunity to proudly contribute her talent and expertise to improve the lives of girls through Daring Girls’ outstanding programs supporting education and entrepreneurship in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Colin Weatherwax

Colin Weatherwax has devoted his professional life to serving underprivileged and underserved youth. For 13 years, he worked at Cars for Kids learning how a successful nonprofit operates from the ground up. With a deep passion for giving back and a strong track record in nonprofit leadership, Colin has spent years ensuring organizations operate with transparency, accountability, and strategic vision. His experience working with boards has given him a front-row seat to the power of effective governance, from shaping policies to ensuring missions stay on course. At Cars for Kids, he played a key role in forming the organization’s first-ever governance committee, setting the stage for stronger oversight and long-term sustainability.

Beyond the boardroom, Colin’s passion for service is rooted in his belief that impactful change happens when organizations are built on a foundation of strong leadership and clear direction. Whether mentoring teams, refining policies, or championing initiatives that create lasting impact, he is driven by the idea that nonprofits should be as effective and intentional as the causes they serve. Seeing the fruits of the nonprofit’s labor and the true change that the nonprofit makes in the lives of the people they serve is what gets him out of bed every morning.

At home, Colin is raising two strong, independent daughters who constantly remind him why empowering future generations—especially young women—is so important. Whether in his professional life or personal life, he is committed to building systems that create opportunities, open doors, and pave the way for meaningful, lasting change.

Osebe Kebaya

Osebe Kebaya is a PhD Student & Graduate Research Assistant at Colorado State University and serves as Affiliate Faculty at Regis University. She is proud of her Kenyan heritage and often looks for opportunities to engage and facilitate transformational change in everyday spaces, both in Kenya and the US. She has worked in various supervisory and practitioner capacities in non-profit, county, clinical, and college settings.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master’s degree in Human Ecology (Environmental Studies) from Moi University (Kenya), and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota.

She strongly believes in the resiliency and capacity of young girls and is a strong advocate for equity, access, and mentorship who believes that when young girls thrive, their entire communities thrive, too.