Staff
Advisory Committee Members
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Biograhies
Jackson George Jr.: Founder and President of Strategy Africa, Honorary General Consul Republic of Liberia in Minnesota, Executive Director of Liberian Business Administration Associate in the Diaspora, CEO of Comfortable Living. Highly respected community leader and community advocate. MBA and BA from Concordia.
Dr. Anwar Jamili: 20+ years of leadership experience in the nonprofit space, including over a decade with Equal Access International, a global nonprofit. He is a medical doctor with a Master’s of Leadership and M&E from NIBM Global, India, Bachelor of Art in Islamic Studies from International Open University, and an MD, Curative Medicine from Sheik Zaid University in Afghanistan. He is an advocate for civic education, communities, youth, social activists, young leaders, and social behavior change programming and media.
Reyna Lopez: Grew up in Monterrey, NL, Mexico, and has over 10 years of experience as a teacher and school counselor. In 2018, she moved to Minnesota and has since been working as a volunteer for various non-profits, primarily within the Latino community.
Reyna has developed programs and fundraising initiatives for different non-profits, including BICIS Y BECAS, which raises funds for the Latino Scholarship Found.
Reyna is also an avid cyclist and passionate about education. She believes that education is the first tool for being a safe and responsible cyclist. Her vision is to see all new residents in Minnesota practicing outdoor sports and becoming a part of the community.Gretchen Rawdon: Gretchen brings more than 20 years of experience and expertise in global leadership, business transformation, human resources, and organization development. Prior to launching Lucere Solutions, her current HR strategy and leadership coaching practice, she served as a global cross-functional leader at FedEx Ground, Smiths Medical, Smiths Group, and Trimble.
Gretchen holds a B.A. in Psychology and American Racial and Multicultural Studies, and a M.A. in Organization Development and Instructional Design. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and a certified coach (PCC, CPCC).Anne Rothstein: Inventory Analyst, Target Corporation. Annie is a long-term volunteer, and a previous marketing and strategy contractor, with Prosperity Ready. She graduated with Honors from the University of St. Thomas with degrees in both Human Resources and Business Law. A faith-driven individual passionate about sustainability, corporate responsibility, and giving back to the community.
Jote Taddese: VP of Engineering Strategy, Architecture and Platforms for Rally Health. Social entrepreneur and co-founder of DiaspoCare, LLC. BA degree in Management Information Systems from Luther College and a Master’s in Software Engineering from the University of St. Thomas. Former Board President of Books for Africa.
Lulit Woldeselassie: Volunteer Coordinator, Partners in Food Solutions. Program evaluation designer and implementer for Minnesota International NGO Network and Hiwot Integrated Development Association in Ethiopia. BA in Business Management, Addis Ababa University, MBA in nonprofit management, Hamline University.
