OUR

STORY

Since its inception in 2007, CouldYou? has established itself as a respected non-profit organization that connects, consults and offers transformational travel to Africa to enable people of integrity and influence from the West to partner with African leaders of integrity to address serious challenges. We believe that the line between giver and receiver dissolves when relationship and authentic experience are desired.

Our mission is to work with African leaders and organizations to develop African solutions to African problems, while helping individuals to find their own unique contribution to impact poverty.

We are committed to creating holistic solutions, building a better world for future generations, and doing business with integrity. We believe it is an honor to be part of shaping the future of the continent, and we treat this opportunity with the respect and moral obligation that it deserves.

OUR MISSION

To work with African leaders and organizations to develop African solutions to African problems, while helping individuals to find their own unique contribution to impact poverty.

OUR TEAM

Christine Garde-Denning

Founder & CEO

Christine has devoted her life to caring for the poor and making the world a better place. Forbes magazine named Garde one of the “Forty over 40” women who are reinventing, disrupting and making an impact globally. Since founding CouldYou? in 2007, she has established partnerships in Africa with the Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu Fellows as well as former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano, and the Ministries of Gender, Education and Health. 

Geri Beaty

Board Chair


Geri Beaty, Founder/President Event Innovations. Geri has over eighteen years experience in publishing and more than twelve years experience in event production and management. In 2002 Geri began her own consulting and management company and has been working successfully as an outsource consultant to both for profit and nonprofit organizations. Event Innovations focuses on assisting organizations with event growth and/or change as well as streamlining processes and collaborating with internal management to ensure all goals are achieved. Geri joined the CouldYou? board in 2016 to lend her expertise in helping non-profits get to the next level.

Stephen Hagerman

Treasurer


Stephen is the Founder at ES Capital, LLC. He led the acquisition and disposition of $900 million of distressed residential real estate in California, Arizona, and Texas and the structure and placement of over $1 billion of debt and equity transactions involving all major property types: Office, Industrial, Retail, Multifamily, Residential, Land, and Hotels.
He was the co-founder and Chief Investment Office of Aslan Residential, Genesis Realty, Covenant Escrow, and Cornerstone Financial businesses. Mr. Hagerman began his career with Buchanan Street Partners, a commercial real estate private equity firm based in Newport Beach, California. While at Buchanan he was involved in the structure and capitalization of over $1 billion worth of residential, multi-family, retail, office, industrial, and hotel transactions.
Stephen received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas and is a licensed California Real Estate Broker. He is actively involved in a number of charitable organizations including The Village of Hope (Orange County), and Big Brother, Big Sisters (San Diego). Stephen joined the CouldYou? board in 2013 to focus on fundraising and strategy for CY’s long-term financial sustainability.

Whynde Kuehn

Secretary 


Passionate about bridging the gap between vision and execution as well as using business as a force for good, Whynde is the founder of two companies, S2E Consulting Inc. and Metanoia Global Inc.  S2E is a consulting firm accelerating successful business transformations—with a focus on Fortune 500 companies. Metanoia helps social entrepreneurs and initiatives to start, scale, replicate and sustain, leveraging a strong foundation of skills from the business world. Whynde’s focus has evolved over time from traditional business, to sustainable business, to social business, as have her clients, which range from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies and everything in between. She has architected many major corporate change initiatives and was a key player in one of the largest business transformations in the world. Whynde is a former consulting practice leader and an industry expert and educator in business architecture and transformation. Through her work with Metanoia, her pro bono efforts and the non-profit boards that she serves on, she demonstrates how business can focus on purpose as well as profit, and how enterprise can be a solution to poverty.

Andrew Ripley

Board member 


Andrew Ripley is Co-Founder and CEO of PurposeMatch, a software that helps people discover purpose and design a life and career that makes a social impact. Prior to that, his background is in business development, both with large enterprise companies like IBM and fast growing software startups. Along the way, he also co-founded a fitness app called FitFuse. Andrew is a fearless business builder with a relentless work ethic and uncompromising integrity. His commitment to living a purpose-driven life, connections and network within the social impact space, and his “do whatever it takes attitude” make him a natural fit for the team. He brings to CY expertise in business development, sales and start-ups. Andrew joined the CouldYou? board in 2017 to lend his expertise with a focus on strategic partnerships and fundraising.

Jessica Anderson

Board member 


Jessica Anderson is passionate about women’s health and child psychology, bringing her knowledge of child development and clinical social work to CouldYou? She currently resides in Southern California where she works for Scripps Health as a Social Work Supervisor in the acute care setting.  Her many years of experience in different areas of social work from working in a therapeutic preschool to adoptions and foster care, homeless women’s programs to children’s acute care, add incredible value to the work CouldYou? does in vulnerable communities. 

Art Hooker

Board member 


Growing up with four-time Grammy award-winning blues legend John Lee Hooker as a great uncle, Art has a unique perspective of how the arts can affect culture globally and locally. Art consults, designs, and produces campaigns and content for leading brands such as Herman Miller, Verizon, The White House, and the American Heart Association. Informed by more than a decade of qualitative research across five continents, his proprietary story process marries passion, creativity, and movement to help people reimagine a better future. Art has won numerous awards in film, theater, learning design, and public speaking during his career. He is dedicated to inspiring people, organizations, and movements that help replenish the world’s metropolitan regions.

Manuel Jeque-Fransisco

In-country Director Mozambique
Program Manager – Literacy
(Mozambique)

Ivan Rafael Cumbi

Program Manager -Girls’ Health
(Mozambique)

Isac Jeque-Fransisco

Project Nurse – Girls’ Health
(Mozambique)

Darmin Mutendo

Project manager (girls health) – Maputo
(Mozambique)

Kofi Kyeremateng Nyanteng

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (Girls’ Health & Malaria Prevention), Global | In-Country Director, Ghana |
(Ghana)

Sefakor Dotse

Project Nurse (Girls’ Health)
(Ghana)

Mpho Boadia

Director of Advancement
(South Africa)

Melissa Barker

Chief Operating Officer
(North America)

Nadja Umerkajeff

Digital media/web development
(North America)

Julie Carpenter

US Director of Advancement

Lissandra Ertel

Translator/Liaison
(North America)

Donna Oudekirk

People champion
(North America)

Dr Leonardo Simao 


Dr Simao is a Mozambican politician. Simão joined the FRELIMO government in 1982 as the Director of Health in Zambezia. In 1986, he became the Minister of Health until 1994 when he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique under Joaquim Chissano. He remained in that position until February 2005. He has been appointed as the EDCTP High Representative South with special focus on Africa and is the Chairman of Focus Africa. He is currently the Executive Director of the Joaquim Chissano Foundation and is also the Chairman of the SADC Mediation Reference Group, and Chairman of the steering committee of the Business Environment Support Fund in Mozambique, a development initiative funded under Denmark’s development cooperation activities.

Dr Penny Phillips Howard


Penny Phillips Howard is considered the world’s leading researcher on menstrual health in Rural Africa. She is from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and has worked with 8,000 girls in Kenya proving that the menstrual cup is the safest, greenest and least expensive menstrual health solution. Her findings show that the FDA standard medical grade silicone lasts for a minimum of 10 years and does not require water.(Girls can remove it in a public toilet, or latrine, empty it and replace it without any health risk as long as they have clean hands)

Rev Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso

Born on 15th March 1959, Rev Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, is an effective communicator, a visionary leader, a good listener, a loyal team Player, a pragmatic and proactive mentor who has served in various fields of leadership stretching from the scope of Pastoral Ministry to Academic to Banking and Finance industry to Public figurehead. Having Pastored over thirty years, he is currently the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, the President of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), the Chairman for the Ghana Evangelism Committee (GEC) the Executive Secretary to the Africa Assemblies of God Alliance (AAGA). He also serves as Chairman of the Small Alms and Light Weapons Commission of the Republic of Ghana and a Member of Electoral Commission Board of Eminent Advisors, the Board Chairman of Prime Insurance Company Ltd and last but not the least, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, Ghana.

 

Rev. Philip Kofi Tutu

Philip is the Country Director, and Vice Chairman of INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES. He also directs the Purpose Driven PEACE Initiative, Global Leadership Network Ghana and Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. Pastor Tutu serves as Board Chair of SIM Ghana; Member of Compassion Int’l Ghana Advisory Council and other Int’l Mission Organizations. Before entering teaching and training ministry for Church Leaders, he worked for Global Recordings Network (GRN) for over 12 years as Missionary and national leader. Was the founding Director of Ghana and first Africa Director of GRN. The Mission’s vision is reaching the unreached non literate people groups across Africa with the gospel in audio format in the mother tongue. A work that took him to many part of the world including the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert. Through the Purpose Driven PEACE, ICM Ghana has opened 15 Church partner. Learning Centers in Ghana with the vision of rekindling the reading habit of young people. Rev Philip Tutu each year speaks to Church leaders, business and NGOs Leaders throughout Ghana and other countries across denominations. Each year his ministry train thousands of leaders through Conferences, Seminars and Workshops. With Thirty Nine years (39) of ministry experience, he combines knowledge, spiritual gift and life experience in teaching. Married to Janet they are blessed with three daughters and two sons and five grandchildren. Pastor Philip’s belief is “that the hope of our communities is a strong local church trained and well-resourced with tools to transform society.” 

Jalen James Acosta

An artrepreneur and motivational speaker, of Dominican origin based in Hollywood. Jalen is an ex-original member/songwriter & co-producer of internationally famed Latin group Toke D’​ Keda. Acosta has multiple credited roles on TV and Film. The founder and CEO of World Artists United & Co-Founder of Music Entrepreneuru Conference & 555 technologies. Discovered and encouraged in his career by Superstars Enrique Iglesias, Laz Alonso, Odell Beckham & Dwyane Wade among others. As an artist or actor, he has appeared in over 50 advertising campaigns and major commercials for Fortune 500 companies such as Bud Light, Burger King, Sour Skittles, Nissan & Coca Cola among other notables. WAU has worked with Odell Beckham Jr, Dwyane Wade, Laz Alonso, Fat Joe & brands like SONY, Remy Martin, TrackR, “Wade’s World Foundation”​ & PropPops, BeeFree Media for clients like Avicii. WAU has been instrumental to the growth of many brands, athletes & artists. WAU has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Barcelona, London and Shenzhen, and holds events in Australia, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Japan and the United States. Mr. Acosta works tirelessly with several non-profit organizations. His stories travel the world from the United States to Asia, Europe and Latin America to encourage, instruct and motivate anyone who wants to live with his passion and overcome the obstacles of the road to success. The shocking stories of his life from his humble beginnings, when he slept in a Miami park, to his recent articles in Forbes magazine, are full of contrasts. From being on the brink of suicide, struggling to find regular sustenance, to working on global campaigns for NFL players, conducting regular business deals with tycoons, shaking hands with Bill Gates while hosting the global launch of the Xbox in 2001, and producing New York’s biggest social festival in Times Square; In 2019 Jalen Co-produced the Music Industry Essentials program with Yellowbrick.learn for NYU’s Clive Davis Institute for recorded music partnered with Billboard Magazine. He’s traveled to over 25 countries spreading his message of Entrepreneurship and positive leadership in Music.

Rick Little

Rick Little is a “serial social entrepreneur,” having created numerous initiatives to promote hope and economic opportunity for millions of young people – now operating in more than 100 countries. He is founder of the ImagineNations Group, and developer of Silatech (in the Middle East) where he currently serves as Chairman of its Executive Committee and a member of its Board of Trustees. He founded the International Youth Foundation (IYF), created Quest International and was founding President of America’s Promise. His innovations have been featured in many publications and books, including the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul. In 1996, Mr. Little was chosen as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, and in 1997 received the Robert W. Scrivner Award from the Council on Foundations. He was co-chair of the United Nations’ High Level Panel of the Youth Employment Network. He received an Honorary Doctorate degree from Anderson University and was named an International Fellow in Applied Developmental Science at Tufts University in 2001. Mr. Little serves on several boards and international advisory councils, including Mercy Corps, Nike Foundation, and the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.

Kwasi Asare

Mr. Asare is the Cofounder & Chief Marketing Officer for Social Identity platform ESAIYO. ESAIYO captures, connects, preserves & displays important identity and historical data related to physical and virtual objects. Mr. Asare also is a member of Fast Company’s Executive Board.

Mr. Asare has marketed and monetized content releases that have generated approximately 20,000,000 record sales and album equivalents. He has worked with startups that have raised north of $50,000,000 in venture capital and angel investments. He has also worked as a marketer and business development executive on tens of millions in eCommerce sales. 

Mr. Asare was the founder of Innovation Live (2016) and Cofounder of StartUp Rock On (2012), innovation public policy event series’ running concurrent to The Democratic and Republican National Conventions. These event series’ featured appearances from Vice President Joe Biden, Former Congressman Daryl Issa (CA-49), Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, The Roots, Steve Aoki, etc

Mr. Asare was the New Media/Social Media Manager for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ empire, overseeing the digital marketing and social media platforms for Diddy’s brands, including Ciroc, Sean John Fragrance, and Bad Boy Entertainment.

Mr. Asare has been a founding member or early hire for numerous startups. He has advised numerous large companies and agencies including Startup America, Google, Facebook, Bit Torrent, The Consumer Technology Association, Microsoft, Universal Music, Apple, Monster Products, etc with a focus on monetization, marketing and business development strategy and execution.

Throughout his storied career he has envisioned and executed global marketing campaigns for artists and brands such as: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jerry Wonda,Ice Cube, Prince, Pharrell, Wu Tang Clan, LL Cool J, Outkast, Gnarls Barkley,John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige,The Roots, The Fugees, Diageo, Warner Music Group,Sony Music, Estee Lauder etc.

Mr. Asare began his career as an Investment Banker at Citigroup’s’ Salomon Smith Barney and was a holder of Series 7, 3, 63 & 55 Licenses.

Tracey Webster

Tracey is a South African social entrepreneur and CEO at the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. She was previously CEO of the Enterprise Room which is committed to economic growth in South Africa through entrepreneurship, and building sustainable and profitable businesses, focusing on the success of small black owned businesses. Tracey was the CEO for the Branson Center for Entrepreneurship. Tracey was also a founding member and CEO of the Starfish Greathearts Foundation, South Africa. Under her leadership, Starfish supported 22,000 orphaned and vulnerable children across South Africa. Prior to Starfish Tracey worked for Deutsche Bank London as an Investor Relations Specialist. In 2004, Tracey was selected as a “Real Hero” to carry the Olympic Torch for South Africa. Other achievements include: attending the G8 Summit in 2005 giving voice to the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children, being chosen as a Cosmopolitan Awesome Woman for 2006 and an Archbishop Tutu Fellow in 2008. Tearfund, a global development organization, has selected Tracey as an Inspired Individual. Tracey is the former Executive Director of the African Leadership Institute and the Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu Fellows. As a consultant, she is working with young leaders from all sectors of the economy and from all over the continent to express their views on key African issues, and to create a vehicle through which their views and “agenda’s for change” can be heard and acted upon.

Randall Gusikoski

Randall Gusikoski is a seasoned C-Level executive and serial entrepreneur. In the past 30 years, Mr. Gusikoski has launched and/or acquired and scaled businesses ranging from regional recycling operations to pre-K learning institutions to food service, responsible for more than 1,500 employees and generating hundreds of millions in revenue. Through each phase of his career, Gusikoski’s companies have thrived and grown by instilling sound processes and controls. A resident of Newport Beach, Gusikoski graduated from Grant MacEwan University in Canada with a degree in Accounting and has been an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) for 25 years. Recently his passion has been working with Partners World Wide and Creating Jobs; individual organizations who use Business as a Mission (BAM) to mentor business leaders in countries such as Haiti and Guatemala.

Sharon O’Leary

Sharon is an experienced C-Level executive and board member who brings demonstrated success working with Fortune 500 public companies, as well as privately held start-up and emerging companies including Vonage, Lonetree Capital and Fallbrook Technologies. She has substantial experience in M&A, IPOs, Public Company spin-offs, VC and PE financings and strategic transactions. She’s skilled at developing best-in-class corporate governance practices with over 20 years as a trusted advisor to boards of directors and as a valued strategic partner with the CEO and other C-suite executives. She’s known for taking complicated transactions and breaking them down to their essence to facilitate successful negotiations and to describe to shareholders, regulators and the board. 

 

OUR PURPOSE

01

Break down the barriers that isolate humans from each other

02

Address a need that a community requests – not one imposed upon it

03

Address a need that a community requests – not one imposed upon it.

04

Create a space for individuals to experience a realistic, multifaceted view of poverty. 

05

Provide tools & a network of mentors & peers to help move ideas into acti

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